Hero Wars has been around for some time for iOS and Android devices, but as one of our favorites in the RPG/strategy genre because of how easy it is to pick up, we’re back with another guide for this game. The title comes from Nexters, the developer behind Island Experiment and Throne Rush, and it takes you to the magical world of Dominion, which has since been invaded by the evil forces of Archdemon, a powerful enemy with a vast and mighty army.
It’s your job to conquer this terror by assembling an army of heroes, upgrading them, and unlocking new skills as you go along. There are various game modes apart from the classic Campaign mode, dozens of heroes to collect, and special events where you could get closer to unlocking rare heroes and end up winning special items!
Our Hero Wars beginners’ guide covered a whole lot of ground, and shortly after we published it, we got some requests for a complete guide to all of the game’s available heroes. It may have taken us a while, but your wish is our command, as this Hero Wars strategy guide is your one-stop shop if you need to know more about each of the heroes that are currently available in the game -— all 60 of them, by the last count.
ALVANOR
In-Game Description: Alvanor lay in slumber in an age-old shrine for thousands of years, waiting to be summoned to battle yet again. As he slept, he had a vision of sacred groves aflame in demonic fire, the putrid stench of the undead emanating from the ancient burial sites, and the triumphant roar of orcs over the battlefield. Alvanor unsealed the rune-covered gates and rushed out to save his people once more.
Role: Mage, Support (Front Line)
Main Hero Stat: Intelligence
Skills: Runes of Ice (Primary — Alvanor conjures 5 Runes of Ice before him and then fires them at the enemy, damaging and slowing the nearest target), Rune of Life (Available at Green — conjures a Rune of Life that heals Alvanor’s friends once per second, heals allied Nature Heroes with twice the efficacy), Rune of Fire (Available at Blue — Unleashes a Rune of Fire on Alvanor’s two nearest enemies, dealing magic damage), Rune of Earth (Available at Violet — activates a Rune of Earth to protect all of his friends that protect them from damage from basic attacks, always remains active for Nature Heroes)
Soul Stone Source: Special Events, Dungeon Shop
Additional Info: Alvanor, a protector of the forest, wields the powers of nature to his will. Any heroes from the faction of the Way of Nature may greatly benefit from him and he has the capability to slow the enemy down with his White skill. Apart from all this, he can deal decent amounts of damage while providing some healing to his friends.
AMIRA
In-Game Description: Amira has been careless in her wishes and was imprisoned inside a lamp through treachery. The Heroes of the Dominion have rescued her, and so she has joined the ranks of the defenders out of gratitude. Think before you wish for something — otherwise you might end up facing unexpected consequences.
Role: Mage, Support (Middle Line)
Main Hero Stat: Intelligence
Skills: Careless Wish (Primary — Amira summons mounds of cursed gold that bury her foes for 10 seconds, the mounds inflict damage on the trapped hero based on how much health each of them have left), Fair Deal (Available at Green — Turns Agility-based heroes’ critical strikes into fumbles for 9 seconds), Genie’s Patronage (Available at Blue — Amira’s friends are protected from magic damage at a threshold especially if the attackers have Intelligence as their main stat, this skill is always active for Mystic Heroes), Endurance Test (Available at Violet — Amira depletes 5% of the energy of Strength-based heroes, if their max health is beneath a certain threshold she depletes 50% of their max energy instead)
Soul Stone Source: Special Events
Additional Info: Amira is a great Mage and Support that can slow the enemy down depending on who’s on their team. Overall, she’s a friend to everyone and a great ally to heroes aligned with the Way of Mystery. Otherwise, she is good to pair up with Jorgen due to the amount of magic debuffs they can pile onto their foes.
ANDVARI
In-Game Description: Andvari doesn’t like it when others call him a legend. He believes the Titan Artifacts he created are merely a necessity in the war against evil. However, his talent, honesty, and eagerness to work make it obvious that the element of Earth made the right choice!
Role: Control, Support (Front Line)
Main Hero Stat: Strength
Skills: Titan’s Fist (Primary — Strikes the nearest enemy and deals damage with a giant first, stunning them/nearby enemies for 3 seconds), Living Earth (Available at Green — passive skill that protects allies behind Andvari from displacement/knock-up effects), Stone Grasp (Available at Blue — summons a stone hand that targets the lowest-health enemy with physical damage and stun effects, binding them to the ground for 2 seconds), Nature’s Barrier (Available at Violet — creates a barrier that shields the lowest-armor ally from physical and pure damage, with this ally gaining bonus energy)
Soul Stone Source: Heroic Chest
Additional Info: Before Hero Wars’ Christmas event, Music Over Strongford, Andvari was the newest kid on the block, a nice addition to the game’s largely underrated cast of support Heroes. We don’t think he’s as effective as the likes of Jorgen and Dorian in this category, but if you can get him leveled up sufficiently, he’s a good alternative for either one of those two in various game modes.
ARACHNE
In-Game Description: There’s no trace of humanity left in her; she’s a perfect assassin now. Arachne’s hypnotic gaze freezes her prey, and her claws tear the unfortunate victim apart.
Role: Control, Warrior (Middle Line)
Main Hero Stat: Intelligence
Skills: Demolition Robot (Primary — Summons a monster that charges at the first visible enemy, before exploding and stunning enemies within the area for 2 seconds), Teleport (Available at Green — Jumps at the enemy with the lowest health to claw at them), Underground Strike (Available at Blue — Damages and stuns the nearest rival, and also stuns any surrounding enemy for 3 seconds), Neurotoxin (Available at Violet — Poisons any enemy she attacks for 3 seconds)
Soul Stone Source: Heroic Chest
Additional Info: You’ll want to give this Hero a try if you’re lucky to get her Soul Stones in the Heroic Chest — it may take a while, though, as you’ll need 30 Soul Stones to summon her. As you can see in the Skills section, Arachne’s specialty is crowd control, which wouldn’t be too important in the earlier chapters, but much more so as you continue leveling up your Heroes (and your team level too) and completing more campaign stages.
ARTEMIS
In-Game Description: The huntress fades into a shadow in the night. Reaching the sorceress, she kills her immediately. Remember, death has a name, and her name is Artemis!
Role: Marksman (Back Line)
Main Hero Stat: Agility
Skills: Deadly Shower (Primary — Strikes enemies with a rain of arrows), Smart Arrow (Available at Green — Fires an arrow that strikes the nearest enemy then attacks other enemies at random as it bounces around), True Light (Available at Blue — Creates a flash of light that damages all enemies within range and blinds them for 3 seconds), Punishing Arrows (Available at Violet — Passive skill that allows Artemis to deal more damage progressively with each attack, depending on how much Health she has left)
Soul Stone Source: Chapter 8 (Flaming Gates), Chapter 11 (Grimling Camp), Heroic Chest
Additional Info: Like Ginger, you could also make good use of Artemis as a ranged attacker that could serve you well in the first few chapters of Hero Wars. Chances are you’ll be able to unlock her by opening Heroic Chests and acquiring more Soul Stones. She also makes an excellent teammate to the likes of Fafnir, Galahad, and Tristan. Most Honor Heroes are great allies to our blue-eyed huntress.
ASTAROTH
In-Game Description: Astaroth’s scorching blade emanates unbearable heat. His eyes burn with an infernal flame. Rejected by God, this angel was filled with rage. His only goal is to burn this world to ashes.
Role: Tank (Front Line)
Main Hero Stat: Strength
Skills: Flame Veil (Primary — Astaroth casts a burning shield that lasts for a few seconds and protects everyone in the team from physical damage), Devastation (Available at Green — Spews a “flare of hellfire,” sapping some of the energy gathered by the enemy that is furthest away), Demon Allegiance (Available at Blue — A passive skill that allows Astaroth to connect with the Hero with the lowest health and absorb some of the physical damage), Last Word (Available at Violet — Allows one Hero per battle, including Astaroth himself, to be resurrected)
Soul Stone Source: Ashen Road (Chapter 1), Magic Thicket (Chapter 2), Drowner’s Bridge (Chapter 5), Blood of the Earth (Chapter 7), Heroic Chest
Additional Info: After completing the first stage in the first chapter, you’ll unlock Astaroth, who, as we explained in our previous Hero Wars strategy guide, is a Tank/Support character that absorbs damage through his relatively high Health, while also shielding opponents from damage.
ASTRID & LUCAS
In-Game Description: Astrid embraced the furry neck of her pet. Lucas didn’t mind, for he could understand she needed it more than ever before. It was only yesterday that the young woman’s eyes were full of life, and now her gaze was stern, frigid. Everything they had to go through together fused their hearts into one.
Role: Marksman, Warrior (Back Line)
Main Hero Stat: Agility
Skills: Go for it, Lucas! (Primary — Astrid gathers 17 percent rage for each succeeding attack, and once it reaches 100 percent, Lucas transforms into “rage form” and attacks the nearest enemy, transforming back into passive form once his rage goes back to zero; each of the cat’s attacks reduces his rage by 7 percent), Rampant Nature (Available at Green — Astrid gets an attack and skill speed boost of 9 seconds, though Lucas will get this boost if he is in rage form), Predator’s Charge (Available at Blue — Passive skill that increases Lucas’ damage for each successive attack if he is in rage form), Tracker’s Mark (Available at Violet — Each enemy attacked gets a Tracker’s Mark for 4 seconds, and gets stunned momentarily if Lucas attacks them)
Soul Stone Source: Heroic Chest/Special Event
Additional Info: Astrid is the only Hero with a pet — Lucas, the cat, who is strangely described by the game as an “it” despite having a male name. That aside, Astrid and Lucas are a good addition if you like to take advantage of passive skills, and even in general, as you’ve got two (or one-and-a-half) Heroes for the price at one — the main hero (Astrid) and her pet (Lucas).
AURORA
In-Game Description: As a child, Aurora chose to follow the Light. She left her house and went a long way to finally receive the title of Paladin of Riversar, thus becoming a protector and a lantern for her people.
Role: Tank (Front Line)
Main Hero Stat: Strength
Skills: Crystal of Selias (Primary — Aurora launches a light flash at the center of the enemies, dealing out damage to everyone within the area of effect), Crystalline Onslaught (Available at Green — Stuns and damages nearby targets), Piercing Light (Available at Blue — Casts a spark of light to deal damage against enemies it strikes), Rainbow Halo (Available at Violet — A passive skill that absorbs magic damage before exploding and damaging nearby enemies once it absorbs a certain amount of damage)
Soul Stone Source: Chapter 2 (Lava Fracture), Chapter 5 (Flourishing Life), Chapter 9 (Shore), Heroic Chest
Additional Info: While Aurora is one of Hero Wars’ signature Heroes and one of the first whom you can summon by naturally playing the game and completing the stages, we’re not exactly fans of how she is at first — a rather squishy Tank that isn’t as effective or as durable as Galahad. Of course, she becomes more effective and useful once you’ve ranked her up, so you may want to be patient as you deal with her weaknesses on the battlefield at first. Truly enough, persistence pays off as you’ll soon discover how she is arguably one of the best tanks in the game.
CELESTE
In-Game Description: Just like day flows into night, Celeste changes her form. Gleaming sunlight grants life while the shadow of night opens up her darker traits. Nobody knows if she can keep that delicate balance under her control for much longer…
Role: Control, Healer (Middle Line)
Main Hero Stat: Intelligence
Skills: Two Fates (Primary — Spends half her energy and switches to Light Form, then switches to Dark Form when the skill is used again — Light Form allows Celeste to heal the ally with the least Health with a Purifying Sphere for 5 seconds, while Dark Form allows her to create a Cursed Flame at the center of the enemy team, preventing affected enemies from being healed), White Night (Available at Green — Directs a Purifying Sphere at ally with least health in Light Form, directs a Cursed Flame at the nearest enemy in Dark Form), Limbo (Available at Blue — Allows Purifying Sphere to block negative effects from target ally before it disappears, allows Cursed Flame to convert blocked healing to Magic Damage), Zenith (Available at Violet — Allows Celeste’s basic attacks to heal allies while in Light Form and attack enemies while in Dark Form)
Soul Stone Source: Heroic Chest, Special Events
Additional Info: One of the three rarest Heroes whom you can acquire Soul Stones for via Heroic Chest or Special Event, Celeste is the top-of-the-line Healer character available in Hero Wars. Indeed, her skillset does require a lot of digesting, considering she has both a Light Form and a Dark Form, but the ability to heal and attack with great efficacy is always a good thing to have on your team.
CHABBA
In-Game Description: Chabba loves every kind of food in the world, especially Haan-style cutlets! Chabba has thick, impenetrable skin, which means nobody can stop him on his quest for tasty treats!
Role: Control, Tank (Front Line)
Main Hero Stat: Strength
Skills: Wild Hunger (Primary — Swallows target for 4 seconds, dealing out damage over that time), Burp (Available at Blue — Launched at target, damaging and slowing them for 4 seconds), Fat Layer (Available at Green — Increases Armor stats in proportion to Health lost), Bottomless Health (Available at Violet — Recovers Health through swallowed targets)
Soul Stone Source: Arena Shop
Additional Info: Chabba is one of the harder Heroes to summon — it’ll take a whopping 80 Soul Stones to summon him. As such, we’re still a ways to go before unlocking him, but he should be quite entertaining to use, if anything, because of his eating-related skillset.
CLEAVER
In-Game Description: Can you smell decomposition? Can you hear the dying screams of those who suffer? Then meet Cleaver, butcher extraordinaire and master of carcass dressing! Or better, run for your life before you meet him!
Role: Strength
Main Hero Stat: Control, Tank (Front Line)
Skills: Rusty Hook (Primary — Throws a hook at distant enemies, which both deals out damage and pulls the enemy closer to Cleaver), Putrefaction (Available at Green — Deals “pure” damage to nearest enemies “and himself” for 5 seconds), Mutilation (Available at Blue — Deals damage and stuns opponents by using his cleaver to hit opponents in front of him), Heavyweight (Available at Violet — Makes Cleaver even more powerful with additional Strength)
Soul Stone Source: Heroic Chest
Additional Info: Get this — you’re going to need a whopping 630 Soul Stones from the Heroic Chest if you want to summon Cleaver, which could mean a plethora of chest draws over several days. If you’re getting tired of Galahad and Astaroth, you’ll have to be very patient while trying to collect enough Soul Stones for this disgustingly effective Hero.
CORNELIUS
In-Game Description: After the dark mages raided the university, scholar Cornelius Witt was believed to be dead. He was held captive by the enemy for about two years. The mages’ spell tortures not only failed to break him down but also helped him discover a new ability, the suppression of magic. He used it to escape and joined the Guards’ ranks.
Role: Mage, Support
Main Hero Stat: Intelligence
Skills: Heavy Wisdom (Primary — Launches a monolith that hits the enemy with the h highest intelligence, dealing damage proportionate to their Intelligence), Rune of Suppression (Available at Green — A spell that hits the enemy with the highest Magic Attack and reduces this stat for the next 12 seconds), Protective Dome (Available at Blue — Casts a barrier on the team and increases Magic Defense for 6 seconds), Memory Loss (Available at Violet — Passively reduces a random enemy’s first skill level until Cornelius dies)
Soul Stone Source: Heroic Chest, Highwayman Store
Additional Info: Cornelius’ primary skill is very useful against Heroes such as Martha, Celeste, and others with similar healing powers, as it targets the enemy with the highest Intelligence and deals out a ton of damage; combined with Faceless replicating that skill, they can oftentimes take out enemy Healers in a matter of seconds. Aside from that and his ability to reduce Magic Attack through his second skill, he doesn’t offer much else that we’ve seen to be practical. But with the above strengths in mind, he’s a very good situational character in multiple modes, including the Tower and both the regular and Grand Arena.
CORVUS
In-Game Description: Not even death could stop Corvus once and for all. Resurrected by his daughter, he swore to protect the Kingdom of Graven and its new Dominion allies from enemies once more. Woe be to those who cross the path of the King of the Undead!
Role: Tank (Front Line)
Main Hero Stat: Strength
Skills: Strike of the Damned (Primary — Corvus deals a great deal of damage to the enemy’s front line and lowers their defense based on the number of Eternity Heroes allied with Corvus), Unity of the Damned (Available at Green — Increases the physical and magic attack of allied Eternity Heroes for a duration), Altar of Souls (Available at Blue — Summons a powerful altar behind his team which damages enemies whenever they deal damage to Corvus’ allies), Royal Defense (Available at Violet — Moves an ally to the center of the team whenever their HP drops below 20%)
Soul Stone Source: Special Events, Dungeon Shop
Additional Info: Make way for the king! Corvus is a mighty presence on the field. Coupled with his daughter, Morrigan, he can soak up some serious damage from the enemy team since he is classified as an Undead. He’s no slouch in holding off the enemy either, especially thanks to his Altar of Souls.
DANTE
In-Game Description: Everything has a price, even the human soul. But our hero loves a bargain; he’ll gladly take it for free. Don’t worry, Dante will take care of your soul as if it was his own!
Role: Marksman (Middle Line)
Main Hero Stat: Agility
Skills: Instrument of Fate (Primary — Throws a spear at the enemies that deals decreasing damage on each successive enemy it hits), Haze (Available at Green — Creates a shield that blocks all damage and negative effects for 2.5 seconds), Spiritual Bond (Available at Blue — Binds Dante to a random ally and increases their speed for 4 seconds), Phantom Pain (Available at Violet — Passively improves agility for all heroes)
Soul Stone Source: Tower Shop
Additional Info: Dante is one of those heroes who only becomes available once you reach a higher level — team level 40, to be exact, which is when you can access the Tower Shop. His support skill Haze is interesting, but we tend to prefer other characters when it comes to damage-dealing Marksmen. Though, when teamed up with Aurora, Dante can prove to be quite the threat to the enemy given that his abilities are reliant on dodge chance.
DAREDEVIL
In-Game Description: What is life? Life is an endless war. How to become happy in life? Start enjoying this war. Daredevil doesn’t care about her lost arm as the new one, made of steel, is much, much cooler. She plays it close to the edge every day and she knows the real taste of life!
Role: Marksman (Back Line)
Main Hero Stat: Agility
Skills: Big Badda Boom! (Primary — Damages all enemies within the area by throwing a bomb at the center), Discharge! (Available at Green — Damages enemies and lowers their attack/movement speed with a bolt of electricity), Firefight (Available at Blue — Throws a fiery shell at nearest enemy and burns nearby enemies for 2 seconds), Thirst for Blood (Available at Violet — Increases Daredevil’s speed for 3 seconds for each ally that dies in battle)
Soul Stone Source: Chapter 6 (Ritual Circle), Chapter 8 (Fire-Worshipper’s Capital), Chapter 9 (Pirate Den), Heroic Chest
Additional Info: You’re probably familiar with this Hero even if you’re still in the early stages and haven’t unlocked too many Heroes yet, as she’s frequently a part of enemy units in the first few chapters. You can, however, get her Soul Stones in the Heroic Chest, and add her to your party as a pretty solid area-of-effect Marksman.
DARK STAR
In-Game Description: A dark elf who survived betrayal and the death of her loved ones. She has remained the same, though her heart is deeply scarred. She is Dark Star, a dark elf with a bright soul.
Role: Control, Marksman (Back Line)
Main Hero Stat: Agility
Skills: Black Arrows (Primary — Stuns distant targets for 3 seconds and damages them by firing two arrows), Vengeful Souls (Available at Green — Slows down and damages enemies with a sonic wave), Control (Available at Blue — Forces one enemy to fight on the heroes’ side for 4 seconds), Partner (Available at Violet — Creates a shadow after every shot that attacks the next enemy)
Soul Stone Source: Arena Shop
Additional Info: With 500 Arena Coins needed for five Dark Star Soul Stones, and 30 Soul Stones needed to summon her, it’ll take several days of victorious Arena battles before you can unlock this ranged Hero. We like her crowd-control skills, mainly the ones that become available when you rank her up to Blue and Violet, but that, as you can tell, will require a lot of coins, grinding, and crafting — all worth it, though!
DORIAN
In-Game Description: As a young man, Dorian stole a red stone amulet to gift it to his beloved. But he didn’t give it to her and became the amulet’s slave. Dorian did what it wanted and committed terrible acts. How difficult was it for him to overcome this burden! The reward for freedom was a special gift — blood magic. Since that, the forever-young mage has become the amulet’s master. But who knows for how long?
Role: Support (Back Line)
Main Hero Stat: Intelligence
Skills: Fountain of Blood (Primary — Creates a blood mark on the nearest rival for 7 seconds, allowing allies to recover health when the marked enemy is damaged), Ancestor’s Amulet (Available at Green — Dorian sacrifices 20 percent of his health to heal the Hero with the lowest health), Wings of Night (Available at Blue — Launches a flock of bats that attack enemies twice, with the damage inflected refilling Dorian’s health when they return to him), Initiation (Available at Violet — Increases nearby allies’ vampirism)
Soul Stone Source: Heroic Chest, Gold Merchant
Additional Info: We’d call Dorian one of the rarer Heroic Chest-exclusive characters, and while he’s described by Hero Wars as a Support, his skillset has “Healer” written all over it. He’s a good replacement for Thea as a rather unorthodox type of Healer, so make sure to level him up and equip him/promote him accordingly if you’re lucky enough to get him on your team!
ELMIR
In-Game Description: Only true heroes are worthy of wielding legendary weapons. The Blades of Many Truths have a mind of their own and take only those who are worthy as their partners. Elmir is following the right path and knows that even among many truths, there is one that reigns supreme!
Role: Marksman, Warrior (Front Line)
Main Hero Stat: Agility
Skills: Shifting Sands (Primary — Moves to the far line, uses his second skill if applicable, and fires off ranged attacks for 10 seconds, with a physical attack bonus while active), Mirage (Available at Green — Elmir creates a sand clone of himself with 70 percent of his health, but it cannot receive help from allies or regenerate health), Perfect Blades (Available at Blue — Allows sand clones to attack enemies), Many Truths (Available at Violet — Allows Elmir to create two or four sand clones at the same time)
Soul Stone Source: Outland Shop
Additional Info: A rare combination of Warrior and Marksman, Elmir only becomes helpful once he is promoted to Blue, as that’s where the sand clones can attack; before that, they essentially serve as decoys. He’s an interesting Hero to use, that’s for sure, though you may want to use him as a grinding hero while replaying stages while waiting to promote him to Green or Blue.
FACELESS
In-Game Description: Faceless, the best apprentice at the School of Mystics, was never especially favored by his mentors. A silent type who had a unique talent, he scared people around him. Nobody knows what’s hiding behind his dark mask…
Role: Control, Mage (Back Line)
Main Hero Stat: Intelligence
Skills: Doppelgänger (Primary — Faceless transforms into the enemy or ally who last used their first skill, then uses that character’s skill), Power Throw (Available at Green — Raises the nearest enemy above ground, then drops them at the enemy team’s center, dealing out damage and stunning enemies within the area of effect), Chain Lightning (Available at Blue — Launches a ricocheting magic missile that deals damage and reduces physical attack for 4 seconds for three enemies), Spell Expert (Available at Violet — A passive skill that improves the Hero team’s magic defense)
Soul Stone Source: Highwayman Shop
Additional Info: This one’s a personal favorite because his first special skill essentially allows him to impersonate other characters and use their skills while taking their appearance. At the end of the day, there are many middle- and back-line Heroes out there, but we will always have a soft spot for the Faceless one.
FAFNIR
In-Game Description: The legendary smith, Fafnir, has never shared the aggressive nature of his bloodthirsty kinsmen – and thus, has always been treated as an outcast. After meeting the heroes of the Dominion, he gladly joined the Way of Honor alongside the other Guardians.
Role: Support (Back Line)
Main Hero Stat: Strength
Skills: Blacksmith Mastery (Primary — Fafnir unleashes a wave that stuns all enemies for 1 second, will apply Runic Shield and Runic blade if he was forging a Runic Shield prior to casting this), Runic Shield (Available at Green — Focusing on a random ally, Fafnir uses his basic attacks to forge a Runic Shield for them that will keep them from dying from receiving damage that lowers their health to 25%), Runic Blade (Available at Blue — While forging a Runic Shield for his chosen ally, Fafnir also grants them a Runic Blade that increases their physical attack damage, allied Honor Heroes will gain double bonuses if their main stat is Strength), Knowledge of Flaws (Available at Violet — Any of Fafnir’s allies who have attacks that can pierce through armor will completely stun their enemies for 1 second)
Soul Stone Source: Special Events
Additional Info: Fafnir is arguably one of the best supports out in the game as of this writing. Should he join up with the likes of Tristan and Artemis, he makes them all virtually unstoppable. Otherwise, he goes well with most other Heroes, too.
FOX
In-Game Description: Nobody has ever seen an expression of anger or doubt on this cute face. On the contrary, Fox is like a bright light in the darkness, filling her allies’ hearts with joy and courage. Once she grabs the gun, the enemy has no chance!
Role: Marksman (Back Line)
Main Hero Stat: Agility
Skills: Blast Wave (Primary — Deals out physical damage by launching a “huge” missile at the target), Shrapnel (Available at Blue — Attacks a target with a cannonball, resulting in area-of-effect damage and slowing down enemies for 2 seconds), Cannonade (Available at Green — Launches 6 cannonballs at enemies, taking them out one-by-one), Bomber (Available at Violet — Passive skill that marks the current target and causes an explosion if the target dies within 5 cannonballs)
Soul Stone Source: Chapter 3 (Sanctuary of the Ancestors), Chapter 6 (Wretched Goosefoot), Chapter 9 (Coral Reef), Heroic Chest
Additional Info: Once you’ve moved on from the likes of Ginger or Keira, you can summon Fox if you’ve got the Soul Stones, and have her serve as your back-line ranged attacker, with good results.
GALAHAD
In-Game Description: Knowing no fear or doubt, sturdy as Kharunian steel, Galahad moves only forward. His confidence in himself and his allies has kept the great warrior strong for many years.
Role: Tank (Front Line)
Main Hero Stat: Strength
Skills: Iron Skies (Primary — Galahad flies into the air and launches a storm of swords onto his enemies), Unstoppable Charge (Available at Green — Removes control effects, damages enemy, and prevents them from attacking for 2 seconds), Retaliation (Available at Blue — Strikes the enemy with the lowest health with a “special” move), Shining Armor (Available at Violet — Passively increases armor by 250)
Soul Stone Source: Outskirts of Wilheim (Chapter 2), Obelisk (Chapter 5), Burial Mound (Chapter 7), Heroic Chest
Additional Info: Galahad is your default, or stock hero in Hero Wars, meaning the very first hero you start with. He’s also the ideal Tank you want in the early goings of the game, as he can last long in battle even if he serves as a frontliner, while also dealing out a ton of damage with his regular and special attacks. He will start, however, as a one-star Hero, so you’ll want to gather those 20 Soul Stones to evolve him to the next tier and make him even more powerful. (Most of our Heroic Chest draws have yielded Galahad, which truly establishes him as the game’s lead hero — and therefore, the most common.)
GINGER
In-Game Description: Duke’s daughter Ginger Hayes isn’t fond of noble evenings and quiet gossip. She is very into science and modern technology, using its powers to protect the innocent from the offspring of darkness. The best helper here is her creation — the chain-gun “Noble.”
Role: Marksman (Back Line)
Main Hero Stat: Agility
Skills: Lead Storm (Primary — Fires 7 buckshot rounds from her chain-gun), Penetrating Shot (Available at Green — Launches a missile that hits an enemy in the front line and the enemy right behind them), Suppressive Fire (Available at Blue — Damages the entire team with buckshot), Ranging Shot (Available at Violet — Passive skill that makes Ginger’s pistol hotter after each shot, thus increasing the amount of damage dealt out; the pistol cools down, however, if Ginger gains the control effect or if she’s able to kill her current target)
Soul Stone Source: Chapter 1 (Merchant Camp), Chapter 4 (Burnt Canyon), Chapter 10 (Sirens), Heroic Chest
Additional Info: Like Phobos, Ginger is one of the possibilities in the Heroic Chest, so if you aren’t able to unlock her in Chapter 1, you likely will after several days of gameplay. That chain gun/pistol of hers can deal a lot of ranged damage, and since she’s fighting from the back line, you don’t need to worry about her getting knocked out of action and losing one star while trying to complete a stage.
HEIDI
In-Game Description: Enchanted by Heidi’s looks? You’re dead. You’ve kept your head on a swivel, and slept with both eyes open? No use! An experienced ranger tracks their prey with ease, and the meeting won’t be pretty!
Role: Marksman (Middle Line)
Main Hero Stat: Agility
Skills: Deathflower (Primary — Summons a huge mushroom that spreads toxic spores when it’s launched to the center of the enemy party, poisoning everyone in the area of effect), Toxic Spit (Available at Green — Shoots nearest enemy with a poison dart), Snake Charmer (Available at Blue — Throws a snake at a rival with the lowest health, biting them in the process), Spy Camo (Available at Violet — A passive skill that camouflages Heidi if he isn’t damaged for a few seconds, thus helping him become more effective in dodging enemy attacks)
Soul Stone Source: Chapter 4 (Shepherds’ Lands), Chapter 6 (Forlorn Churchyard), Chapter 10 (Flying Dutchman), Heroic Chest
Additional Info: There’s a good chance you’ll be able to summon Heidi once you’re in the second chapter, but this monkey (or monkey-like creature) will likely be a monkey on your team’s back due to his poor Health stats. Again, he becomes more useful once ranked up, so don’t sweat it too much and use him when replaying completed stages if you want to grind for experience to level him up.
HELIOS
In-Game Description: Helios is a star-child. An orphan who tried to catch a fallen star and found his destiny. The cosmic wonder’s powerful energy changed this boy forever. Now the stars serve as the herald of the Sun, and the celestial rays are his loyal pets.
Role: Mage, Support (Back Line)
Main Hero Stat: Intelligence
Skills: Star Birth (Primary — Deals area damage at enemies through three solar spheres that explode at the enemy’s front line), Solar Wind (Available at Green — Deals progressive damage over 10 seconds to enemies through an “invulnerable” flaming sphere), Celestial Guardians (Available at Blue — Protects allies with two spheres that absorb physical damage), Flaming Retribution (Available at Violet — Works when Solar Wind is active, allowing the flaming sphere to launch fire at damaging attackers each time your Heroes suffer a critical hit)
Soul Stone Source: Chapter 10 (Kraken’s Cave), Chapter 11 (Gunar the Ferocious’ Castle), Chapter 12 (Jarl’s Estate), Chapter 13 (Escape from Winter), Heroic Chest
Additional Info: Helios is another rare find from the Heroic Chest, and if you’re looking to collect the 30 Soul Stones needed to summon him, you’ll have to wait until you get to Chapter 10. It’s Helios’ Green, Blue, and Violet skills that appear to be more useful than the others, though the Star Birth first skill isn’t too bad, if you ask us.
IRIS
In-Game Description: Gifted and audacious in equal measure, Iris used to teach rookie sorcerers the art of magic, but her students’ unequivocal adoration could never sate her ambitions. In her pursuit of the arcane, she stole the ancient Umbra tome from the Archdemon’s private library – only to end up trapped within the book for years to come. Released at last and forever bound to the dark arts, Iris has emerged as a warlock!
Role: Mage (Middle Line)
Main Hero Stat: Intelligence
Skills: Soul Burning (Primary — Iris uses her Pure Soul charges to greatly damage all enemies depending on how much she has stacked from each buffed ally and every debuffed enemy, she can also instantly kill off enemies at low health with this skill), Otherwordly Creature (Available at Green — Iris summons Bitey, her familiar, to weaken the enemy’s magic defense for a duration as well as prolong all debuffs presently on the enemy team), Mysterious Pact (Available at Blue — Iris is permanently immune to debuffs and she will lower an enemy’s physical and magic attack for a few seconds if any of them try to inflict a debuff or mark an ally), Inner Fire (Available at Violet — Burns enemies with an Inner Fire charge if they get debuffed by any of Iris’ allies, the Inner Fire deals damage over time while the debuff is active and deals double damage if the debuff was applied by an Eternity Hero, this skill stacks)
Soul Stone Source: Special Events
Additional Info: Got any debuffers on your side? Bring Iris along and let the fun begin. Iris adds torment to misery when able and she does a pretty good job at it.
ISAAC
In-Game Description: Hey, mages! Behold my new invention! Come on up and see it for yourself! I’m not a big fan of walking, you see. I prefer working out my brain, not my legs! My beloved little self-propelled vehicle, Tes’Lin, will get me anywhere and everywhere, spawning drones and spelling trouble for mages! I’m a damned genius!
Role: Support (Middle Line)
Main Hero Stat: Agility
Skills: Tes’Lin’s Overdrive (Primary — Isaac’s main creation, Tes’Lin, launches forward in an electrical charge, dealing physical damage to all enemies in its path), Observer Drones (Available at Green — Launches drones that increase his physical attack as well as the physical attack of those behind him for a few seconds), Shield Drones (Available at Blue — Launches drones that shield Isaac and his friends ahead, the shield absorbs both physical and magic damage before being destroyed), High- Voltage Module (Available at Violet — Using Tes’Lin’s Overdrive, Isaac can now knock back all enemies and ruin their armor)
Soul Stone Source: Special Events
Additional Info: Isaac is a wily engineer that has a few tricks up his sleeve. Speaking of engineer, allies who are Engineers (like Ginger) receive extra perks from both his Green and Blue skills, so take them along whenever Isaac is on your team!
ISHMAEL
In-Game Description: How does it feel to kill a parent who wanted to sacrifice their own child to evil gods? Ishmael experienced this first-hand. Defeating his father wasn’t easy; the sorcerer’s dark soul remained with his son. Since then, Ishmael has been leading a double life, fighting the inner demon.
Role: Warrior (Front Line)
Main Hero Stat: Agility
Skills: Awakening (Primary — Ishmael assumes a demonic form that increases critical hit chance by 1,200 percent and attack speed by 150 percent, albeit at the cost of his energy), Mirage (Available at Green — Dodges physical attacks for 3 seconds), Dark Craft (Available at Blue — A passive skill that increases vampirism), Storm Blade (Available at Violet — allows each fourth hit to stun an enemy for a second)
Soul Stone Source: Grand Arena Shop
Additional Info: You’re going to have to play Hero Wars for quite a while before you can purchase Ishmael, as the Grand Arena Shop unlocks at team level 50. We haven’t gotten to use him in battle yet, but we don’t see him as being particularly useful for those who want instant, and direct damage from their Heroes.
JET
In-Game Description: You should not underestimate Jet, the insect exterminator from Tornville! Fascinated by his craft and science, he would spend all his time in the laboratory. A simple goblin who found a way not only to poison other creatures but also to heal them and evolve their skills, he quickly caught the attention of the Guardians.
Role: Healer, Support (Back Line)
Main Hero Stat: Intelligence
Skills: Elixir of Vigor (Primary — Channels the life-giving elixir to the ally with the greatest Physical attack stats — this means the ally gets a Physical attack and Speed boost and regenerates health until Jet runs out of energy or gets interrupted), Acid Shot (Available at Green — Fires acid at the enemy with the highest Armor stats, reducing this stat for 8 seconds), Poison of Fatigue (Available at Blue — Jet throws a flask at enemies, poisoning them, preventing them from regenerating Health for 8 seconds), Inordinate Fury (Available at Violet — Passively increases critical hit chance for all allies while he’s alive)
Soul Stone Source: Soul Shop
Additional Info: Jet is another Healer character (yes, that’s despite his rather gruesome appearance) that could truly benefit your party, but to buy his Soul Stones, you’ll need to unlock the Soul Shop, which would require you to evolve at least one of your existing Heroes to Absolute Star. That, as you may surmise, could take a while.
JHU
In-Game Description: The glorious warrior of the tribe has no right to pity! He who is found guilty of it will be stripped of all decorations, and will be banished! So says the third law of the Zarakkar. Jhu broke the rules but found the meaning of life.
Role: Marksman (Middle Line)
Main Hero Stat: Agility
Skills: You Will Not Stop Me (Primary — Attack speed increase/immortality for 7 seconds as Jhu temporarily becomes “enraged”), I Will Take Your Life (Available at Green — Each succeeding attack deals out additional “pure” damage while sacrificing 2 percent of Jhu’s current Health), I See You (Available at Blue — Attack power temporarily increased as Jhu focuses on a ranged enemy), The Spirits Will Heal Me (Available at Violet — Some health regeneration assuming he is not under any control effects)
Soul Stone Source: Guild War Shop
Additional Info: A guild member special, Jhu has probably some of the best-named skills in Hero Wars. But are they the best skills for a Marksman? We think otherwise — There are better Marksmen out there if you’re looking for someone to replace Ginger, Keira, or any of the other ranged Heroes you may be using in the early chapters of the game’s campaign mode.
JORGEN
In-Game Description: You are ready to learn arcane knowledge, disciple. But first, prove your loyalty to Darkness. “Take your brother’s life, and his immortal soul!” the wizard yelled. But he, not anyone else, could have predicted how this tragedy would end…
Role: Control, Support (Middle Line)
Main Hero Stat: Strength
Skills: Torment of Powerlessness (Primary — Deals magic damage by summoning a skull to the enemy’s front line, preventing affected enemies from gaining energy for 9 seconds), Cycle of Energies (Available at Green — Protects and provides energy to an ally with a magic shield), Leper (Available at Blue — Curses all enemies, with the farthest target being the main one, with physical damage taken by enemies redirected toward the main target), Tainted Wounds (Available at Violet — Steals some energy from enemies with each attack)
Soul Stone Source: Outland Shop
Additional Info: A rather unusual Hero, Jorgen’s main asset is his Strength, even though he serves as both a Control and Support character. That said, there are many Heroes you can add to your lineup ahead of him, though he’s far from the worst choice either for both of his roles.
JUDGE
In-Game Description: If you’re reading this, Judge has won. No, mere earthly matters don’t concern him. The best son of the people, the bravest of the Old Ones, he is the guardian of the Universe.
Role: Mage, Support (Middle Line)
Main Hero Stat: Intelligence
Skills: Ion Cyclone (Primary — Launches a lightning storm that deals out magic damage 4 times against enemies), Forcefield (Available at Green — Protects Heroes with the lowest health by casting a shield that absorbs damage), Hologram (Available at Blue — Removes all negative effects from Judge and blocks the next attack, converting the damage that was supposed to be inflicted into additional Health), Interference Generator (Available at Violet — Passively reduces the enemy team’s magic defense)
Soul Stone Source: Arena Shop
Additional Info: Here comes the Judge! Like Astaroth, Judge is a combination Hero in the sense that he serves in a Support role on top of his primary role in a party. We tend to prefer Astaroth, probably due to familiarity, but if you want to collect Soul Stones to summon Judge, you can head to the Arena Shop and buy five Soul Stones for 500 Arena Points each.
JULIUS
In-Game Description: On his home planet, Julius is an acclaimed holder of many titles: the Brave Defender. The First Inventor, the Interstellar Wanderer, the Great Traveler, the Softest Pawn and the Most Eligible Bachelor according to the Kitty-O-Cat Fashion Magazine! The people of Dominion, however, simply call Mr. Scratchy. MREOW!
Role: Tank (Front Line)
Main Hero Stat: Tank
Skills: Meowsterpiece of Defense (Primary — Creates a shield in front of the team that protects all from damage, heals everyone once the shield is destroyed and heals Progress Heroes for twice as much), Copycat Device (Available at Green — Julius gains physical attack whenever he has a shield on, he also creates a shield on himself that, if isn’t destroyed in 5 seconds, is copied onto all of his allies), Nine-Lives Engine (Available at Blue — Whenever a shield is destroyed or deactivated on Julius or his allies, they are cleansed of debuffs and gain a very short bonus to armor and magic defense), Purrfect Reflexes (Available at Violet — Grants attack and skill haste to all allies affected under a shield, the haste is doubled for Progress Heroes)
Soul Stone Source: Special Events
Additional Info: Not much is known about this hero for now but all we know is that he is quite powerful since his shields provide great bonuses to both himself and his allies.
K’ARKH
In-Game Description: Bolts of lightning shatter the skies of Dagan-Nuhr. Tendrils of darkness lash and strike in a mad dance, flowing in the magnetic storms. The Outland gate is open, and you must pass second through them, following after Brog. K’arkh, one of the four Negators of All Creation, look behind! You see these skies for the last time!
Role: Warrior (Front Line)
Main Hero Stat: Agility
Skills: Nexus of Horror (Primary — K’arkh throws the three enemies with the lowest health into the air), Negator of Laws (Available at Green — Opens an “interdimensional rift” that blocks all enemy attacks for 8 seconds), Deadly Tendrils (Available at Blue — Strikes all enemies thrown in the air, with double damage if the enemy is at level 120 or less), Survival Factor (Available at Violet — Heals for a fraction of the damage dealt out against enemies thrown in the air.)
Soul Stone Source: Guild War Shop
Additional Info: Don’t let the six Soul Stones you likely have for this Hero deceive you — those appear to be a courtesy, as K’arkh is a Guild War Shop exclusive. This means you’ll need to wait until you reach level 30 before you can purchase his Soul Stones and summon him. We’d say it’s worth it, though, if you’re looking for a competent front-line Hero after you move on from the likes of Galahad and Astaroth.
KAI
In-Game Description: There’s nothing in the world but magic, and Kai is a true magical genius. Rejected by his own race, the mage left his home. Everybody who thinks Kai prides himself too much is just jealous!
Role: Mage (Middle Line)
Main Hero Stat: Intelligence
Skills: Fetters of the Wind (Primary — Kai launches a whirlwind that throws targets and deals damage to enemies), Breath of the Abyss (Available at Green — Summons a flame pillar that deals damage against enemies), Explosive Sphere (Available at Blue — Throws a fire plume that deals damage to enemies over 3 seconds, then deals more damage after it explodes), Stolen Life (Available at Violet — Passive skill that increases vampirism)
Soul Stone Source: Tower Shop
Additional Info: Here’s another Level 40-and-onward hero that’s only available at the Tower Shop. We’ve yet to unlock Kai, but we can say that he does come with some interesting and potentially useful skills.
KEIRA
In-Game Description: Captain Keira once was one of the best royal guards who has fallen in battle against Morth Chrone. The demon of war has resurrected the young guard and turned her into a ghost foredoomed to suffer and wander about till the end of times.
Role: Marksman (Middle Line)
Main Hero Stat: Agility
Skills: Blade Whirlwind (Primary — Launches a whirlwind of blades that reach the enemy that’s furthest back, then bounces back to deal damage against enemies in the front lines, while silencing them for 4 seconds on the way back), Enraged Soul (Available at Green — Increases Keira’s attack and skill speed for 5 seconds), Dancing Blades (Available at Blue — Passive skill that allows her attack to ricochet between enemies, increasing damage per hit by 25 percent), Piercing Pain (Available at Violet — Another passive skill that increases Kiera’s damage stats if the enemy’s armor is lower than her Armor Penetration)
Soul Stone Source: Chapter 3 (Living Mountains), Chapter 4 (Necropolis), Chapter 7 (Toll Gate), Heroic Chest
Additional Info: Another potential Heroic Chest acquisition, Keira is a favorite as far as Marksman Heroes are concerned — maybe it’s because her first special attack looks so cool out there on the battlefield with its boomerang-like qualities. Of course, your mileage may vary, but she’s another good Hero to use in the early chapters for ranged damage.
KRISTA
In-Game Description: Krista has never known her parents. But her loneliness helped the orphan to better understand her mysterious talent for ice magic. Her life was transformed when she saved a young mage from certain death. The sorceress recognized him as her brother, Lars, who had been separated from her since birth. Krista became his loyal partner.
Role: Mage (Middle Line)
Main Hero Stat: Intelligence
Skills: Icy Vengeance (Primary — Deals area damage against enemies by launching five ice crystals that hit them one-by-one), Chains of Frost (Available at Green — Hits enemies in the middle of the team, applying a Mark of Water and reducing their magic defense), Frozen Needles (Available at Blue — Fills the ground underneath enemies with ice thorns, dealing damage and adding a Mark of Water to enemies standing on them when the ice melts), Crystallization (Available at Violet — Summons an ice block that protects her for 2 seconds when in danger of receiving significant damage)
Soul Stone Source: Chapter 11 (Doomsdale), Chapter 12 (Runic Milestone), Chapter 13 (Valley of Geysers), Heroic Chest
Additional Info: Like her brother Lars, Krista requires 80 Soul Stones to be summoned, and is a rarer find from the Heroic Chest, with her Soul Stones also becoming available only in later chapters of Hero Wars’ campaign mode. We’d rather have her on our party than Lars, however, as that area damage dealt by her first skill could make an impact in battle.
LARS
In-Game Description: Lars is a young northern mage. Naturally gifted in elemental magic, he lived prosperously and had the best teachers. Selfish and arrogant, Lars never offered his help for free. Everything changed when his life fell into the hands of his twin sister, who had been separated from Lars since birth.
Role: Control, Mage (Back Line)
Main Hero Stat: Intelligence
Skills: Lord of the Storm (Primary — Summons a storm at the rear portion of the enemy area, placing a Mark of Water to characters within its eye), Chain Lightning (Available at Green — Launches an electrical charge that individually hits each enemy), Lightning Bolt (Available at Blue — A lightning bolt strikes and damages a random enemy and stuns them for 4 seconds), Conductance (Available at Violet — Increases the damage Lars inflicts against enemies with the Mark of Water)
Soul Stone Source: Chapter 11 (Longship Moorings), Chapter 12 (Glass Lake), Chapter 13 (Wolfsfang Cliff), Heroic Chest
Additional Info: Like Helios, Lars is a Heroic Chest rarity, but we prefer the former to the latter. Lord of the Storm is only really useful once the Violet skill has been unlocked, though just as it is with the other Heroes we don’t exactly recommend, your mileage may vary — having a crowd-control specialist, after all, can be essential in coming up with a well-balanced party.
LIAN
In-Game Description: Following the path of love, the fox turned into a beautiful girl. But her happiness was short-lived, as her beloved fell in a battle. Crushed by grief, but strong in spirit, Lian decided to fight evil with the power of sincere feelings.
Role: Control, Mage (Back Line)
Main Hero Stat: Intelligence
Skills: Enchantment (Primary — Charms all enemies and puts them to sleep for 7 seconds, though they do wake up when damaged), Hypnotic Ball (Available at Green — Fires a magic ball at enemies, dealing pure damage as it bounces back), Wandering Lights (Available at Blue — Deals magic damage by launching five magical spheres at the nearest enemy), Conciliation (Available at Violet — Passively charms an enemy for 2 seconds after they attack Lian)
Soul Stone Source: Grand Arena Shop
Additional Info: Lian is one of the Heroes you’ll have a chance to acquire once you reach level 50 and unlock the Grand Arena Shop, but is she worth the wait? We’re not quite sure — what use it is, after all, if an enemy wakes up after they get damaged? It does make it easier to attack them, however, if they’re fast asleep for a good seven seconds.
LILITH
In-Game Description: She’s the Archdemon’s first wife, betrayed by him for a mortal woman. Since then, Lilith doesn’t believe in family ties. Her passion was for a different kind of relationship, her soul burnt in the fire of feelings long ago, and her heart is filled with a desire for revenge and all-consuming hatred.
Role: Control, Tank (Front Line)
Main Hero Stat: Strength
Skills: Underworld Seal (Primary — Lilith creates a seal in the middle of the enemy team and causes it to explode, Lilith then grows larger and increases both her max HP and her current HP based on each hero damaged and for every allied Chaos Hero), Demonic Fury (Available at Green — Lilith attacks twice with each of her basic attacks and targets the central enemy with extra magic damage in an area of effect), Fire Breath (Available at Blue — Breathes fire onto the central enemy and reduces their magic defense as well as those nearby her target), Sacrifice (Available at Violet — Sacrifices a small amount of her HP if her HP is above 25% to greatly increase her magic attack by the sacrificed amount)
Soul Stone Source: Highwayman Shop, Heroic Chest
Additional Info: Now here’s a Tank that you can unlock much faster through Soul Stones in the Heroic Chest, and one who could immediately step in as a replacement for your more basic/common Tanks. Lilith’s best skill is the one you unlock in Violet, but the first skill is pretty useful as well, if not as useful, as we see it, compared to Astaroth’s shield.
LUTHER
In-Game Description: Luther knows no doubt. He is as firm as his faith and directly pursues his goal. Demons have no enemy more hated than this harsh and fearless knight of the Order of St. Bran. He is alone, but only because he doesn’t want to put his loved ones in danger. And Luther won’t leave his path until he signs the death warrant of every demon!
Role: Control, Tank (Front Line)
Main Hero Stat: Strength
Skills: Omen (Primary — Luther moves deep into the enemy’s area and deals damage to enemies near him), Sentence (Available at Green — Stuns and damages nearby enemies), Gehenna (Available at Blue — Creates a fire wave that damages and stuns enemies after he uses Omen), Doctrine of Strength (Available at Violet — Passively increases Magic Defense)
Soul Stone Source: Outland Shop
Additional Info: The Outland Shop becomes available once you reach team level 25, so you should take about half a week for your first chance at acquiring Luther’s Soul Stones. His first and third skills work great together, but he could be a bit risky to use because of that first skill that allows him to wade into enemy territory and damage enemies up close (while absorbing his fair share of damage).
MARKUS
In-Game Description: A healer of the Order who miraculously survived a demonic raid on his monastery. A divine power, granted from above, helped him defeat his enemies and cure his mortally wounded allies. Ever since, Markus has been traveling the world, granting people life.
Role: Healer, Support (Front Line)
Main Hero Stat: Intelligence
Skills: Holy Shield (Primary — Casts a healing shield on the Hero with the lowest health, also protecting them from all kinds of damage for 5 seconds), Righteous Light (Available at Green — Heals allies and damages enemies with a wave of light), Compassion (Available at Blue — Simply heals the ally with the lowest health), Ascension (Available at Violet — Markus temporarily remains in battle as a ghost after he gets killed, and can still use his skills/cannot be targeted)
Soul Stone Source: Grand Arena Shop
Additional Info: Clearly, this is one of the higher-end Healer/Support characters out there, which means you can field him as a replacement for both Thea and Dorian, provided you’re already at team level 50 and above and able to access the Grand Arena Shop!
MARTHA
In-Game Description: A special type of tea grows in the woods of Zarakkar. It grants longevity and heals the most dangerous wounds. Guarded by the Foremother, an ancient forebear to all tortoises, the marvelous tea had been hidden from human sight until a young woman named Martha received its gift, paying an enormous price in return.
Role: Support, Tank (Back Line)
Main Hero Stat: Intelligence
Skills: Foremother’s Oath (Primary — increases all allies’ speed for 6 seconds, Secret of Longevity (Available at Green — Martha’s basic attacks heal her when enemies get hit by her projectile), Tea Party (Available at Blue — heals allies by conjuring a totem in front of them — the totem cannot be targeted, but can receive area-of-effect damage), Healing Brew (Available at Violet — adds extra healing for the ally with lowest health while the totem is active)
Soul Stone Source: Heroic Chest
Additional Info: You wouldn’t want to rely on her for any kind of damage-dealing duties, but as anyone who’s used her should know by now, Martha’s healing powers and support skills far outweigh her near-total lack of offense. She’s arguably up there with Celeste among the game’s best healers (even if she isn’t officially classified as such), and given her secondary role as a Tank, she’s far more durable in battle.
MAYA
In-Game Description: Maya is a child born against the laws of nature. Impossible love between a human and a titan fell as tears on the fertile ground and gave birth to such a beautiful, and yet, powerful creature.
Role: Healer, Mage (Middle Line)
Main Hero Stat: Intelligence
Skills: Queen of Flowers (Primary — Summons a flower to grow around her, protecting her from damage and healing all other Heroes over time), Poisoned Pollen (Available at Green — Targets the farthest enemy with a poisoned pollen shot, dealing out damage over time), Poisonous Bonds (Available at Blue — Summons living sprouts that entangle enemies on the extreme left and right, pulling them toward each other and poisoning them), Queen of Revenge (Available at Violet — The magic flower’s roots entangle the nearest enemies after it dies, dealing damage over 8 seconds and preventing them from moving)
Soul Stone Source: Campaign Rewards, Heroic Chest
Additional Info: Maya is not a bad choice as a Healer or as a replacement for Thea once you get her Soul Stones in a Heroic Chest. But we don’t think she’s the best choice either, perhaps because she isn’t a pure Healer or someone who specializes mainly in healing skills. Still, you only need 30 Soul Stones to summon her, and that’s not too many compared to the 80-plus (or hundreds) you may need for other Heroes.
MOJO
In-Game Description: A dangerous child and a naive sage, a fickle troublemaker, and a grumbling kind soul. This is Mojo. Be friendly with him, and he’ll be your best friend, but be wary of making him angry! A shaman’s curse is a terrible thing!
Role: Mage, Support (Middle Line)
Main Hero Stat: Intelligence
Skills: Totem of Wrath (Primary — Creates a totem that attacks enemies with magic for 6 seconds), Healing Spirits (Available at Green — Heals all allies), Cursed Bones (Available at Blue — Launches magic damage at/stuns the nearest enemy, then ricochets on a random enemy), Hex (Available at Violet — Marks random targets at the start of a battle, with magic damage dealt out every 2 seconds, depending on how much damage has already been received)
Soul Stone Source: Chapter 1 (Marax the Titan’s Domain), Chapter 3 (Leader’s Tent), Chapter 5 (Illwood), Chapter 6 (Thorn Arches), Chapter 8 (Furnace of Horror), Heroic Chest
Additional Info: We got our Mojo as a free daily gift, but if you want to evolve him or collect enough Soul Stones the hard way, you’ll see above that there are several stages across multiple chapters where you can get these resources to summon this mischievous shaman. As he’s a Mage/Support Hero, he could be a good replacement for Thea as a healer once you’ve ranked him up to Green.
MORRIGAN
In-Game Description: Unable to accept her father’s death, Morrigan frantically searched for an opportunity to bring him back to life. The angels warned her the price would be extremely high, but she was willing to pay it. Now that Corvus has been resurrected by dark magic, nothing will drive this family apart ever again.
Role: Healer, Support (Middle Line)
Main Hero Stat: Intelligence
Skills: Army of Graven (Primary — Summons 3 Undead skeletons to fight for the team at the Front Lines, she is able to control up to 6 skeletons at a time), Bone Armor (Available at Green — Temporarily boosts the defense of all Undead allies), Moonlight (Available at Blue — Heals an undead ally if their health drops below 20%), Necromancy (Available at Violet — Increases damage dealt by allied skeletons, summons skeletons from dead enemies even if they try to resurrect themselves)
Soul Stone Source: Hydra Shop
Additional Info: Morrigan, a powerful necromancer who pledges her allegiance to the undead. Her main schtick is that she greatly bonds with undead Heroes like her father, Corvus, and Phobos, and she can cause the enemy to fight for her. Astaroth beware; your Last Word won’t work when Morrigan’s around — you’ll become a slave to her horde, too!
MUSHY & SHROOM
In-Game Description: “We are one. We are Legion.” Concealed in the depth of the Magic Forest, the mushroom army kept growing for countless years, until a mysterious threat loomd over the world. The mycellium’s collective mind was then forced to reveal itself and join the Guardians of the Dominion, its trusty newfound allies.
Role: Mage
Main Hero Stat: Front Line
Skills: Perfect Copy (Primary — Mushy summons an inactive Shroom with a portion of its health missing. Once it grows, the Shroom is able to replicate all of Mushy’s currently learned skills. Mushy cannot summon more than 5 Shrooms.), Branching Mycelium (Available at Green — Mushy summons 3 inactive Spore Mushrooms with portions of their health missing. The Spore Mushrooms, once fully grown, will rush at the enemy and explode, dealing damage while silencing enemies caught within the spore cloud.), Rotting Seeds (Available at Blue — Damages the nearest enemy, damage is increased equal to the amount of healing the target receives since this skill’s activation.), Wild Growth (Available at Violet — Inactive Shrooms and Spore Mushrooms recover health by themselves, recovery stacks for every inactive Shroom and Spore Mushroom there is on the battlefield.)
Soul Stone Source: Special Events
Additional Info: A Mage that verily doubles as a Tank, Mushy and Shroom are a tag team duo that are tough to tango with. Mushy and her faithful fungal friends become a real pain when they start overrunning the enemy with their sheer numbers.
NEBULA
In-Game Description: Myriads of stars are falling towards their oblivion. Thoughts create new planets and races. Ideas are embodied into matter; they die and reappear, transforming the despair of death into the joy of rebirth. Nebula knows her war will never be over, for it ensures the welfare of the whole Universe.
Role: Support (Back Line)
Main Hero Stat: Intelligence
Skills: Astral Projection (Primary — Launches a slowly flying projectile that deals damage and disperses the energy of enemies in the area of effect, with the total damage and dispersed energy spread evenly among everyone in the enemy team — if not activated manually, the projectile triggers once it hits the enemy that’s farthest back), Serenity (Available at Green — Restores health and removes effects from two nearest allies), Disharmony (Available at Blue — Deals damage to an enemy with lowest health), Equilibrium (Available at Violet — Switches Nebula’s attacks to support mode, increasing one ally’s Physical and Magic attacks for 5 seconds once activated)
Soul Stone Source: Guild War Shop
Additional Info: Nebula is one of the better Guild War Shop specials out there, and she only requires 10 Soul Stones to summon. While her skills may be more complex than most other Heroes to figure out, they could potentially be helpful if you’re in the middle to later chapters and need some new blood to swap in for the earlier Heroes you acquired.
ORION
In-Game Description: He is the real mystery of the world of Dominion. Nobody knows which galaxy he came from or what he is doing in these lands. Some people see him as a great danger, a messenger from hell, others praise him as their savior. But what are the true motives of this great warrior from a distant planet?
Role: Mage (Back Line)
Main Hero Stat: Intelligence
Skills: Total Destruction (Primary — Launches 6 missiles to the enemies that have the highest Health stats), Magnetic Field (Available at Green — Creates an explosion at the back of the enemy area, dealing out area-of-effect damage and slowing enemies down for 4 seconds), Antimatter Blast (Available at Blue — Stuns the nearest enemy for 4 seconds with a missile and dealing out magic damage), Full Charge (Available at Violet — A passive skill that recharges Orion with each attack he launches)
Soul Stone Source: Tower Shop (Available at team level 40)
Additional Info: Orion is great for dealing out magic damage, as you probably inferred from his list of skills, but you won’t be able to purchase Soul Stones for him until you reach team level 40 and get to unlock the Tower Shop.
PEPPY
In-Game Description: What can you do if you are small, shy, and very cute? What if you really want to do good, but you have no energy left to struggle against evil? Young Peppy has found a solution! Her incredible performances bring cause for joy to the honest, common people of the Dominion. They are a serious problem for the greedy and the wicked.
Role: Mage, Support (Back Line)
Main Hero Stat: Intelligence
Skills: Masquerade (Primary — Stuns, blinds, or slows enemies with magic damage for 6 seconds), Boldness (Available at Green — Protects an ally with a shield sphere for 4 seconds; the sphere can damage nearby rivals if the protected ally receives damage), Frolic (Available at Blue — Fires a beam that stuns and damages enemies for 3 seconds), Trickster (Available at Violet — Could potentially double or quadruple damage of Frolic)
Soul Stone Source: Chapter 9 (Treasure Island), Whirlpool (Chapter 10), Stonemasons’ Village (Chapter 13), Heroic Chest
Additional Info: As Peppy’s Soul Stones only become available in the later chapters, it goes without saying that hers are among the rarest when it comes to opening the Heroic Chest. We haven’t unlocked her yet because of the aforementioned reasons, but we’d say those support skills may be more valuable than the magic damage she deals with her other skills.
PHOBOS
In-Game Description: Sooner or later, the mind of every living creature succumbs to the cloying grip of fear. You cannot run, you cannot hide. Fear lives deep within us all. Phobos knows this and awaits his time. If you fear death, you will die!
Role: Control, Mage (Back Line)
Main Hero Stat: Intelligence
Skills: Paralysis (Primary — Stuns a random enemy for 6.6 seconds and “torments” their bodies, preventing them from attacking or using skills), Trembling Hands (Available at Green — Curses the nearest enemy, effectively reducing their ability to attack and deal out damage — curse chance can be lowered if the target enemy is level 7 or higher), Dark Deal (Available at Blue — Launches magic damage against the nearest enemy, while healing the ally with the lowest health by an amount equivalent to the damage dealt out), Mage’s Terror (Available at Violet — Passively modifies Dark Deal by increasing the damage against enemies and additionally burning their energy)
Soul Stone Source: Chapter 3 (Outpost), Chapter 8 (Soul of the Volcano), Chapter 12 (The Lost Wonder), Heroic Chest
Additional Info: Phobos is one of the Heroes you could receive when opening the Heroic Chest, and he’s a pretty good back-liner to have on your earlier parties, as he’s more durable than the average back-line Hero and capable of dealing out more than decent damage through his first skill.
QING MAO
In-Game Description: When Qing Long fell, his sister could not put up with her loss. Every night, she prayed to the dead gods of the Land of the Thousand Downs to give her brother back, and so they took pity and bound their souls together. The gods’ pity turned out to be a mockery, and in every battle Qing Mao suffers, releasing that which her brother has become.
Role: Warrior (Front Line)
Main Hero Stat: Agility
Skills: Qing Long (Primary — Qing Mao summons her brother in the form of a dragon spirit that hits enemies three times, burns them for 5 seconds, and pushes them back), Spear of Dawn (Available at Green — Blinds the nearest enemies and deals out damage to them), Dragon’s Claw (Available at Blue — Deals damage to nearest enemy based on their health), Open Heart (Available at Violet — Damages a target’s armor with each attack)
Soul Stone Source: Outland Shop
Additional Info: Qing Mao is another hero who you can summon once you hit team level 25 and unlock the Outland Shop, and we’d pick her as a good front liner on the merit of her first skill. We’d even prefer her to Luther if you’re looking for a replacement for your tried and tested front liners like the frequently mentioned Galahad and Astaroth.
RUFUS
In-Game Description: Who could’ve imagined that Rufus, the merry drunkard, would become one of the revered Guardians? He made a bet with Rakashi the demon, put his soul at stake, and chose a reliable method to win, by drinking his opponent down! Rufus won the bet, and the demon, confined within his shield, became his faithful friend and protector.
Role: Tank (Front Line)
Main Hero Stat: Strength
Skills: Rakashi’s Barrier (Primary — Casts a shield over all Heroes, protecting everyone from magic damage), Rakashi’s Mockery (Available at Green — Attacks enemy with greatest Magic power and deals out damage over time), Devourer of Magic (Available at Blue — Regains health through some of the damage absorbed by his first skill), Rakashi’s Oath (Available at Violet — Allows Rufus to only be killed by physical damage, with other forms of damage restoring a portion of Rufus’ health if he’s close to dying)
Soul Stone Source: Grand Arena Shop
Additional Info: While Rufus’ first skill doesn’t help as much as a shield that would, say, protect your team from all types of damage, it does protect quite well in the later chapters, so don’t underestimate it. Besides, few Heroes are as good at absorbing damage/regaining health as he is, so he’s certainly worth the inclusion in your party once you’ve got access to the Grand Arena Shop.
SATORI
In-Game Description: The night and the winter forest were the sole witnesses to a wild silver fox and a newborn child sleeping, curled against each other for warmth to their final breath. Which of them made the choice, which gave up everything to save another’s living soul?
Role: Mage (Front Line)
Main Hero Stat: Intelligence
Skills: Ravenous Pack (Primary — Basic attacks deal out magic damage and plant Fox Fire marks on enemies, causing further damage once the skill is activated), Spirit Banishment (Available at Green — Deals damage and applies Fox Fire marks on all enemies attacked), Centurial Wisdom (Available at Blue — Successful basic attacks steal Intelligence from enemies and restore Satori’s health by 200 percent of the damage dealt), Looming Justice (Available at Violet — Adds nine Fox Fire marks on enemies each time they gain bonus energy)
Soul Stone Source: Highwayman Shop, Heroic Chest
Additional Info: Satori is the top-of-the-line Mage character in the game, and if you like using Heroes that apply marks on enemies, he’s worth lucking out on in the Heroic Chests or Special Events. We prefer more straightforward Mages in our rosters, but those marks deal extra damage, so we can’t say we don’t recommend him either.
SEBASTIAN
In-Game Description: A bard’s trade isn’t easy in these tough times. Only the ever-faithful lute passed down from his master can still warm Sebastian’s heart and cheer those around him. Oh, and his musket, of course, but that’s reserved for warming the hearts of enemies.
Role: Support (Middle Line)
Main Hero Stat: Agility
Skills: Ballad of Tenacity (Primary — conjures a shield that protects allies from stun and curse effects and weakens as the team sustains damage), Hunter’s Tune (Available at Green — increases allies’ critical hit chance for 5 seconds for applicable Heroes only), Curse Song (Available at Blue — curses the nearest enemy by decreasing their armor until Sebastian dies), Rhythm of War (Available at Violet — allows everyone on the team to deal out extra pure damage on critical hits)
Soul Stone Source: Special Events
Additional Info: Never underestimate the bard of the party. Sebastian is easily one of the more powerful buff-giving Heroes in the game and can blend in with a lot of other characters. Mainly, he is grouped with high damage dealers such as Tristan or Artemis, especially since he increases critical hit chance. All in all, he has the ability to help his allies push the enemy back through offensive means. Feeling aggressive? Try having Sebastian on your team.
THEA
In-Game Description: Was that the sunrise, or did Thea glance at the battlefield? Wrapping wounded fighters in a wave of warmth, the healer of the Old Grove gifts them with new life.
Role: Healer (Back Line)
Main Hero Stat: Intelligence
Skills: Solar Sanctuary (Primary — Heals everyone else on the team), Healing Beam (Available at Green — Heals ally with lowest health), View of Silence (Available at Blue — Silences enemies for 3 seconds by placing magic marks above enemy heads), Second Wind (Available at Violet — Passive skill, increases skill speed for teammates when their health goes below 30 percent, increases ally speed by 10 percent)
Soul Stone Source: Chapter 2 (Wilheim), Chapter 4 (Gravehall Estate), Chapter 7 (Titan Plains), Heroic Chest
Additional Info: In Chapter 2, your party finally gets itself a healer in the form of Thea, and you must upgrade her skills when you can afford them. It may take a while for her to load up those skills, but they can come in handy if you’re trying to earn all three stars at a difficult level!
TRISTAN
In-Game Description: A veteran warrior and skilled leader, Tristan was tasked by the Emperor of the Dominion with assembling a squad against demons. Armed with the most powerful weapon from the palace armory, the Blessed One set out to accomplish his great mission.
Role: Warrior (Front Line)
Main Hero Stat: Strength
Skills: Purifier’s Wrath (Primary — Tristan lashes the Demonic Reliquary onto his enemies), Righteous Zeal (Available at Green — Tristan increases the physical attack of himself and all allies in front of him for a few seconds), Judge of Sorcerers (Available at Blue — Tristan fires demonic souls at the enemy with the highest magic penetration stat and burns the enemy’s energy, the skill triggers for each Blessed One in the team), Blessed Vanguard (Available at Violet — Tristan gains energy whenever his ally in front of him gains energy, the energy Tristan gains is equal to that of his ally’s)
Soul Stone Source: Special Events
Additional Info: Difficult to obtain but worth it, Tristan is a scarily hard hitter that really knows how to go to town on the enemy thanks to the demonic souls trapped within his Demonic Reliquary which he uses like a flail. Team him up with Artemis and Fafnir and you’ll be in for a smooth fight.
XE’SHA
In-Game Description: Exiled to faraway worlds, she is overwhelmed by her doubts and knows well the bitterness of loss. Her magic is born of pain, and as the pain grows on and on, so do her powers. How long until she can no longer control them? No one knows.
Role: Mage, Support (Middle Line)
Main Hero Stat: Intelligence
Skills: Deadly Ray (Primary — Xe’Sha drains a small amount of health from her allies whose HP is above 25% to attack the enemy with the lowest magic defense, heals all of her friends if she manages to kill her target), Spiritual Power (Available at Green — Grants allies immense power at the cost of some of their health if their current health is above 25%, the bonus is doubled for Chaotic Heroes), Crimson Mist (Available at Blue — Xe’Sha causes a mist to descend unto the battlefield for a few seconds that makes all of her enemy’s basic attacks miss), Soaring Might (Available at Violet — Each time an ally loses health from allied skills, Xe’Sha permanently gains a magic attack bonus based on the amount of health lost by her ally)
Soul Stone Source: Special Events
Additional Info: They say pleasure and pain go hand in hand, but so do risk and reward. Xe’Sha may drain health from your heroes, but in doing so, she grants them unbridled strength and a bigger push forward. If you’ve got decent healers on your team, we recommend fielding them alongside her otherwise you’ll be fighting through the pain. A lot.
YASMINE
In-Game Description: Years spent in slavery made her forget how to love, replacing the sweet feelings with bitterness and defiance. Her master’s favorite dancer and most dangerous weapon, that’s who Yasmine was. Now that the young woman has escaped, her wounded soul is crying out for vengeance!
Role: Warrior (Front Line)
Main Hero Stat: Agility
Skills: Dance of Death (Primary — Yasmine zeroes in on the enemy with the lowest armor stat and paralyzes them for a few seconds before leaping in to strike them from behind, she is immune to debuffs at this time), Assassin’s Instinct (Available at Green — Gains a critical hit chance and dodge increase for a few seconds while Dance of Death is active), Embrace of Pain (Available at Blue — Yasmine’s critical hits now poison the enemy and she can continuously refresh the poison duration when she applies more poison on her target), Unknown Toxin (Available at Violet — If any enemies have been poisoned by her, a portion of their healing received will be blocked off)
Soul Stone Source: Hydra Shop
Additional Info: She’s sleek, she’s venomous, she’s graceful and deadly. Yasmine is ready to pounce on squishy enemies and might prove to be useful in a PvP setting. This is especially because she favors attacking softer enemies and keeping them pinned down with poison. What she lacks, unfortunately, is survivability, so bring Astaroth along just in case she dies before completing her mission.
ZIRI
In-Game Description: Akhreb Ummi, oh great Mother of Scorpios, help your devoted child. I, Ziri, swear to become your eyes and senses. I will not succumb to anger, nor will I show an enemy mercy. Akhreb’s body will help protect me from pain, and Akhreb’s spirit will help me tell Light from Darkness. Come, Akhreb Ummi!
Role: Tank (Front Line)
Main Hero Stat: Strength
Skills: Focus of Hatred (Primary — Temporarily increases her armor and magic defense and taunts enemies to attack her for 8 seconds), Reflection of Pain (Available at Green — Reflects 100 percent of the damage at the attacker for 8 seconds), Shelter of Sands (Available at Blue — Ziri burrows in the sand for 7 seconds to avoid damage and regenerate health if her health is below 20 percent — this can only be done once every 15 seconds), Fury of Akhreb Ummi (Available at Violet — Stuns and throws back nearby enemies and launches second skill after Ziri un-burrows)
Soul Stone Source: Guild Wars Shop
Additional Info: If you’ve got some powerful, yet relatively squishy Heroes on your team, Ziri could be a good addition because of her first skill, as well as the second, third, and fourth skills that you can unlock as you promote her.