Tier placements are recommendations, not official ratings. Community rankings vary because hero value changes with difficulty, tower layout, player micromanagement and platform-specific balance or unlock rules.
Fast answer
The answer before the background
Bonehart is the strongest overall choice when every hero is available, especially for campaign, Heroic and Iron challenges. His flying mobility, area damage, poison and healing make him effective against both crowds and high-health enemies. For a free hero, choose Alric: he is the most dependable frontline fighter and works on nearly every stage. Use Bruxa or Mirage when you need ranged damage, Cronan when repeated stuns and summoned beasts matter, and Dante when a mobile ranged assassin can safely finish priority targets.
Quick verdict
The practical hero tier list
A single ranking cannot account for every map, but this order is a useful starting point for the standard campaign and its challenge modes. It emphasizes repeatable value rather than spectacular damage in one favorable situation.
- S tier: Bonehart, Alric, Bruxa, Mirage.
- A tier: Cronan, Dante, Blackthorne, Kutsao, Grawl, Kahz.
- B tier: Nivus, Sha'tra, Dierdre, Karkinos, Saitam, Ashbite.
- Special case: stage-exclusive allies such as Rurin Longbeard, the Black Corsair and Lucrezia are fixed helpers, not normal roster choices.
| Hero | Best use | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Bonehart | Best all-purpose hero; waves, bosses and difficult challenges | Needs active positioning and is not available at the start |
| Alric | Best free hero; frontline stalling and safe campaign play | Less ranged reach and area damage than premium specialists |
| Bruxa | Ranged burst against clusters and armored targets | Fragile if enemies reach her |
| Mirage | Fast ranged damage, teleporting and precise target control | Requires more micromanagement than Alric |
| Cronan | Free crowd control, summons and lane stabilization | Damage is less immediate than the top ranged heroes |
| Dante | Mobile ranged damage and priority-target hunting | Can feel inefficient against dense swarms without tower support |
Bonehart and Alric are the safest recommendations, but a lower-ranked hero can be the correct answer when the map rewards a specific tool. Treat the tiers as a decision aid, not a rule that overrides the stage layout.
By mode
Best choices for campaign, Heroic and Iron
For the main campaign, Alric is the best free hero and Bonehart is the strongest unrestricted pick. Alric can hold a choke point while nearby towers finish enemies, and his durability forgives imperfect movement. Bonehart contributes damage from a safer position and can influence several lanes when moved early.
For Heroic stages, prioritize heroes that solve the exact failure point. Bonehart is usually the most consistent because area damage reduces pressure before it reaches the exit. Bruxa is excellent when enemies arrive in groups and can be kept behind a defensive line. Mirage is better when the challenge depends on quickly removing one dangerous unit rather than grinding down a wave.
For Iron challenges, ranged heroes often gain value because tower restrictions reduce your ability to cover every lane. Mirage, Bruxa and Bonehart can contribute without occupying the same physical choke point as your blockers. Alric remains useful when the restriction leaves one route that must be stalled manually.
Endless play favors repeatable crowd control and survivability over a single burst window. Bonehart is the safest general pick. Among free heroes, Cronan can be more valuable than Alric when his stuns and summoned support repeatedly buy time at the same choke point. These recommendations are strategic judgments rather than official mode ratings.
- Campaign: Alric for free access; Bonehart for maximum consistency.
- Heroic: Bonehart or Bruxa for wave control; Mirage for priority targets.
- Iron: Bonehart, Mirage or Bruxa when towers cannot cover all lanes.
- Endless: Bonehart first; Cronan is the strongest free alternative when stalling is the main problem.
Stage planning
Best heroes by map situation
On early desert stages, Alric is the most efficient investment because he arrives immediately and can be moved between the two jobs every campaign needs: holding a leak and helping a tower kill a durable enemy. Mirage becomes more attractive once unlocked if you are comfortable moving her constantly.
On stages with long bends or several enemies packed into a kill zone, Bruxa gains value from ranged attacks and burst abilities. Place her behind the main line and move her only when a new lane becomes the priority. Cronan is a strong alternative when the map gives his beasts and control effects time to work.
On jungle stages with dangerous grouped enemies, Bonehart is the preferred unrestricted hero. His area pressure is less dependent on a perfect melee position and can soften enemies before they reach tribal warriors, barracks or other blockers. If Bonehart is unavailable, Bruxa is the closest general-purpose substitute.
On late campaign and underworld stages, use the hero whose damage type matches the threat rather than blindly following a tier list. Dante and Mirage are valuable when fast, fragile or high-priority enemies must be removed quickly. Grawl and Kahz can be useful frontliners when a stage provides a safe place to absorb punishment, but they are less universally forgiving than Alric.
The best choice also depends on the path. A hero who can reach two connected lanes is worth more than a nominally stronger hero trapped on one side. Flying, teleporting and high-mobility heroes are especially useful on maps with separated routes, while melee heroes need a reliable choke point.
- One dependable choke point: Alric, Grawl or Kahz.
- Several connected lanes: Bonehart, Mirage or Dante.
- Dense waves: Bonehart, Bruxa or Cronan.
- Priority targets and dangerous casters: Mirage or Dante.
- Separated or awkward routes: favor flying or teleporting heroes.
Progression
How to level heroes efficiently
The best way to level up a hero is to deploy that hero early and keep using them across completed stages. Frontiers preserves hero progression between levels, and heroes gain experience from participation rather than from being reserved for one difficult map. A hero who reaches the next level sooner also receives stronger statistics and additional ability points for later stages.
Use the campaign to build one dependable primary hero before spreading experience across the entire roster. Alric is the most practical first investment for players using the free roster. Once you unlock a specialist, give that hero several consecutive stages so you learn the timing of their abilities while their level catches up.
Move the hero into combat, but do not throw them into damage for experience. Recall them before defeat, then redeploy after healing. A dead hero contributes nothing during the recovery window, and unnecessary deaths can turn an otherwise stable stage into a leak.
Spend ability points around the hero's job. For Alric, prioritize survivability and the abilities that improve lane holding. For ranged heroes, upgrade the attacks or active skills that solve the stage's most common threat. For control heroes such as Cronan, invest in reliable stuns and summons before chasing marginal damage.
- Choose one main hero for the first campaign clears.
- Deploy early, but withdraw before a predictable defeat.
- Repeat completed stages with the hero you want to strengthen.
- Spend points to improve the hero's role instead of copying a universal build.
The roster and unlock path are not identical on every platform. The official game page confirms a 16-hero system, while reference documentation records different mobile and Steam availability. Verify your edition before treating a hero as free or paid.
Recommendations
Which hero should you choose?
Choose Alric if you want the best free hero, a forgiving first playthrough or a hero who can rescue a weak tower line. Choose Bonehart if the complete roster is available and you want one hero who remains useful across ordinary stages, challenge modes and difficult enemy waves.
Choose Bruxa if you prefer safe ranged damage and can protect a fragile caster. Choose Mirage if you enjoy active control, quick repositioning and eliminating priority enemies. Choose Cronan if you want a free hero with more crowd-control utility than a straightforward fighter.
Do not buy or prioritize a hero solely because a community tier list places them first. Test the hero on a completed stage, compare how often their abilities solve your actual leaks, and consider whether you enjoy the required micromanagement. A hero you understand will usually outperform a theoretically stronger hero used passively.
- Best overall: Bonehart.
- Best free: Alric.
- Best ranged specialist: Bruxa or Mirage.
- Best free crowd control: Cronan.
- Best for mobile target hunting: Dante.
FAQ
Common questions
What is the best free hero in Kingdom Rush Frontiers?
Alric is the best free all-rounder. He is durable, easy to position and useful on nearly every campaign map. Cronan is the better free choice when repeated stuns, summons and lane control matter more than direct durability.
Is Bonehart better than Alric?
For an unrestricted roster, Bonehart is usually stronger overall because he combines safe positioning, area damage, poison and sustain. Alric is better for immediate access, simple frontline play and players who want a reliable hero without depending on a later unlock.
What do Reddit tier lists usually get wrong?
Community lists often combine different platforms, difficulties and playstyles. They are useful for finding candidates, but they may not state whether a hero was tested in campaign, Heroic, Iron or Endless. Use them as opinions and compare the map-specific role yourself.
Who is best for Heroic and Iron stages?
Bonehart is the safest general answer. Bruxa and Mirage are strong when ranged damage is needed, especially under tower restrictions. Alric remains excellent when the stage has one important choke point that needs a durable blocker.
What is the fastest way to level a hero?
Use the same hero repeatedly in completed stages, deploy them early enough to participate, and withdraw before they are defeated. Hero progression persists between stages, so consistent use is more practical than saving the hero only for late-game emergencies.
Sources
What we checked
Official listings establish current availability and product facts. Community pages are used for mechanics and build history, then labeled separately.