Unlock details are the least certain part of this database because Ironhide confirms the free launch heroes and add-on heroes, but does not publish a complete official platform-by-platform unlock table. Treat the mobile and Steam progression notes below as reference information rather than a promise
Fast answer
The answer before the background
There are 19 currently documented heroes when the three named add-on heroes are included: Vesper, Raelyn, Nyru, Grimson, Torres, Anya, Therien, Warhead, Onagro, Broden, Lumenir, Kosmyr, Stregi, Spydyr, Sylvara, Bonehart, Kratoa, Sun Wukong, and Aurion. The four launch free heroes are Vesper, Raelyn, Nyru, and Grimson. On mobile, many of the remaining heroes are premium purchases or tied to add-ons; on Steam, a community reference reports that most heroes unlock through campaign progress instead. Pick one durable or controlling hero and one damage, ranged, or support specialist for the most reliable two-hero setup.
Roster
All current heroes and their practical roles
The official character showcase names 16 heroes for the main game. The three current add-ons add Kratoa, Sun Wukong, and Aurion, bringing the documented total to 19. The role labels below are practical gameplay shorthand, not official classes or an Ironhide ranking.
Use the labels to build a team around what a map needs. A frontline hero can hold enemies away from towers, while a ranged, magic, control, or support hero handles threats that the first hero cannot reach.
- Vesper — flexible starter hero with mixed frontline and ranged utility.
- Raelyn — durable physical fighter and dependable frontline anchor.
- Nyru — mobile damage dealer with strong ranged and anti-air utility.
- Grimson — aggressive melee brawler suited to duels and close combat.
- Torres — defensive bruiser with construction and stall-oriented utility.
- Anya — fast ranged duelist with strong single-target pressure.
- Therien — magic and battlefield-control specialist with broad utility.
- Warhead — heavy area damage and durable Dark Army frontline.
- Onagro — ranged artillery-style specialist with useful anti-air coverage.
- Broden — ranged anti-air and precision-damage specialist.
- Lumenir — supportive dragon with defensive, control, and magical utility.
- Kosmyr — mobile dragon focused on powerful area damage and control.
- Stregi — spell-focused specialist for magical damage and enemy disruption.
- Spydyr — ranged specialist whose value rises when positioning and target selection matter.
- Sylvara — support-oriented hero who improves allied pressure and survivability.
- Bonehart — ranged magic and damage-over-time specialist, especially useful against tough targets.
- Kratoa — add-on fire-focused hero built around explosive area pressure.
- Sun Wukong — fast melee-control hero using mobility, clones, and crowd control.
- Aurion — add-on Sun Dragon with aerial mobility, solar damage, and wave clearing.
| Hero group | Best general use | Pairing idea |
|---|---|---|
| Frontline and stall | Raelyn, Torres, Warhead, Grimson | Pair with a ranged or magic damage dealer. |
| Ranged and precision | Nyru, Anya, Broden, Onagro | Use a durable hero to hold enemies in firing range. |
| Magic and control | Therien, Stregi, Kosmyr, Bonehart | Add a physical bruiser against resistant targets. |
| Support and utility | Vesper, Sylvara, Lumenir | Pair with a specialist that benefits from extra uptime. |
| Mobile area damage | Kratoa, Sun Wukong, Aurion | Combine with control or stall so abilities hit more enemies. |
No official source ranks the heroes from best to worst. These role descriptions are practical recommendations based on each hero’s advertised identity and commonly reported ability patterns. Map layout, difficulty, enemy defenses, and how actively you reposition heroes can change the best choice.
Unlocks
How to unlock the roster
Ironhide’s developer Q&A confirms four launch free heroes: Vesper, Raelyn, Nyru, and Grimson. The official add-on pages confirm that Kratoa comes with Colossal Dwarfare, Sun Wukong comes with Wukong’s Journey, and Aurion comes with Dragon Wars.
For the remaining heroes, platform matters. A community-maintained reference reports that the Steam edition unlocks most heroes through campaign stages, while mobile editions use a mixture of progression and in-app purchases. Because Ironhide’s official pages do not publish a complete unlock chart, check the hero screen in your own edition before buying anything.
- Start with Vesper, Raelyn, Nyru, and Grimson if you want the launch free roster.
- Buy or access Colossal Dwarfare for Kratoa, Wukong’s Journey for Sun Wukong, and Dragon Wars for Aurion.
- On Steam, continue the campaign and inspect the hero menu after major stage milestones; reported stage unlocks are not officially documented by Ironhide.
- On mobile, assume that premium heroes may require separate purchases unless your store edition or subscription includes them.
- Do not confuse a hero being shown on the official website with that hero being automatically unlocked in your installed version.
| Content | Verified availability | Unlock note |
|---|---|---|
| Main roster | 16 heroes shown by the official game page | Four launch heroes are confirmed free; other individual unlocks depend on platform and edition. |
| Colossal Dwarfare | Kratoa | Included with that campaign add-on. |
| Wukong’s Journey | Sun Wukong | Included with that campaign add-on. |
| Dragon Wars | Aurion | Included with that campaign add-on. |
The free launch quartet and the three add-on hero inclusions are confirmed by Ironhide. The full mobile price structure and every stage unlock are not confirmed in an official table, so this guide does not state unverified prices as fixed facts.
Strategy
How to choose two heroes
The defining character feature is dual-hero deployment: two heroes can be selected for a stage. Treat the pair as a small team rather than selecting two heroes with the same job.
For a blind first attempt, take one hero who can stand on the path and one who can attack from safety or cover multiple lanes. Raelyn plus Nyru is a simple launch-roster pairing; Grimson plus Therien adds brawling and control when Therien is available. For DLC content, Aurion is a strong wave-clear option, while Sun Wukong rewards frequent manual movement and Kratoa favors clustered enemies.
Before locking in a pair, follow these steps: identify whether the map has one lane or several; check whether flying enemies are prominent; choose a hero who can answer the largest threat; then select a second hero who covers the first hero’s weakness. Reposition both heroes instead of leaving them at the entrance, and save their active abilities for elite waves, bosses, or leaks that towers cannot safely handle.
- Need a blocker? Start with Raelyn, Torres, Warhead, or Grimson.
- Need ranged or anti-air coverage? Consider Nyru, Anya, Broden, or Onagro.
- Need crowd control or magical pressure? Consider Therien, Stregi, Kosmyr, or Bonehart.
- Need mobility and wave clearing? Consider Sun Wukong, Kratoa, or Aurion.
- Need a safer general-purpose pair? Combine a frontline hero with a ranged or control hero rather than doubling up on tanks.
| Map problem | First role to select | Second role to add |
|---|---|---|
| Boss or elite target | Duelist, precision, or sustained damage | Stall, healing, control, or armor coverage |
| Large enemy groups | Area damage or crowd control | A durable hero who keeps enemies grouped |
| Flying enemies | Anti-air or mobile ranged damage | Frontline control for ground threats |
| Several lanes | Fast or flying hero | A flexible blocker or long-range specialist |
Hero value changes with the stage, difficulty, enemy composition, tower selection, and player input. A tier list can suggest starting points, but it cannot replace matching roles to the map.
Named characters
Answers to common character questions
The alliance brings together Linirean heroes and members of the Dark Army. The story premise is not that every character belongs to one permanent faction; the game’s central idea is that former opponents cooperate against a larger threat.
The official launch material describes Vesper, Raelyn, Nyru, and Grimson as the four free heroes. It does not describe every hero as a separate unlock quest, and it does not provide an official encyclopedia-style biography for the complete cast. Use the hero names and roles above for selection, while treating deeper lore claims as uncertain unless confirmed in an Ironhide character post or campaign text.
The roster is also larger than the original 16-hero showcase if add-ons are included. Kratoa, Sun Wukong, and Aurion are not missing characters; they are later campaign heroes tied to their respective add-ons.
- Who is the Sun Dragon? Aurion is the Sunforged hero introduced with Dragon Wars.
- Who is the Monkey King? Sun Wukong is the hero introduced with Wukong’s Journey.
- Which hero comes from Colossal Dwarfare? Kratoa, the Molten Rage.
- Can two heroes be used together? Yes. The game is designed around selecting two heroes for a stage.
- Are all characters free? Not necessarily. Availability depends on platform, add-on ownership, and edition.
FAQ
Common questions
How many heroes are in the game?
The documented current roster has 19 heroes when the 16 main-game heroes and the three add-on heroes are counted together. The official website’s main hero showcase lists 16, while the add-on pages separately add Kratoa, Sun Wukong, and Aurion.
What are the four free heroes?
Vesper, Raelyn, Nyru, and Grimson are the four free launch heroes confirmed by Ironhide’s developer Q&A.
Which hero should I use first?
For a straightforward start, use Raelyn or Grimson as a frontline hero and pair that hero with Nyru for ranged and anti-air coverage. This is a recommendation, not an official ranking.
Are premium heroes unlocked by stages?
It depends on the platform. A community-maintained reference reports campaign-stage unlocks for most heroes on Steam, while mobile editions use a mixture of progression and purchases. Ironhide does not publish a complete official platform-wide unlock table.
Is Aurion part of the base game?
Aurion is a Dragon Wars add-on hero, not one of the 16 heroes shown in the main-game showcase. The official Dragon Wars page identifies him as the campaign’s new hero.
Sources
What we checked
Official listings establish current availability and product facts. Community pages are used for mechanics and build history, then labeled separately.
- OfficialIronhide official Kingdom Rush 5: Alliance game page and hero showcase
- OfficialIronhide developer Q&A confirming the four launch free heroes
- OfficialOfficial Colossal Dwarfare page confirming Kratoa
- OfficialOfficial Wukong’s Journey page confirming Sun Wukong
- OfficialOfficial Dragon Wars page confirming Aurion
- CommunityCommunity-maintained hero roster and reported platform unlocks