This guide contains minor unlock and progression spoilers for the Order Fortress.
Fast answer
The answer before the background
There are eight playable War Mages in the current version: Vaan, Wren, Harlow, Mac, Kalos, Sophie, Maximilian, and Gabriella. The first six are available immediately. To unlock Maximilian, collect all five Shards of Max's Mirror around the Order Fortress. To unlock Gabriella, find her scepter in the Order Fortress. The game uses preset heroes rather than a character-creation system; you can customize builds through Threads, upgrades, loadouts, and cosmetic skins.
Roster
All playable War Mages
Deathtrap is built around choosing a named War Mage and combining that hero's personal kit with traps, Threads, and run-specific upgrades. The roster is not divided into rigid MMO classes, but each character strongly favors a different battlefield job.
The table below describes the practical role of each hero. These are useful starting points, not an official ranking: map layout, difficulty, Threads, distortions, and team composition can change which pick performs best.
| War Mage | Practical role | What the kit emphasizes |
|---|---|---|
| Vaan | Rift defender and generalist | Ranged pressure, Rift protection, and tools that help stabilize a defense. |
| Wren | Trap-focused controller | Trap interaction, ranged magic, area control, and strong value when the kill zone is doing most of the work. |
| Harlow | Summoner and ranged support | Her dragon companion, Henry, adds damage and helps her contribute while she manages the battlefield. |
| Mac | Precision ranged damage | Accurate attacks, gravity-based control, and strong value against priority targets. |
| Kalos | Front-line bruiser and support | Bear-like melee combat, durability, crowd control, and defensive help for the team. |
| Sophie | Melee assassin and summon user | Fast close-range attacks, Shadow Form, and Bartholomew, her skeleton companion. |
| Maximilian | Classic War Mage generalist | Reliable ranged and explosive tools, crowd control, and a familiar all-purpose play style. |
| Gabriella | Arcane ranged controller | Pox, Arcane Blast, Warp, Mesmerize, and the Warp Return Hero Trap. |
Robot Entertainment's game listing describes a roster of War Mages with distinct weapons, abilities, traps, and personalities. Gabriella was added as a new War Mage in the Arcane Update, bringing the current total to eight. Some older guides still list seven or fewer because they predate that update.
Unlocks
How to unlock the locked heroes
Six heroes are available when you begin: Vaan, Wren, Harlow, Mac, Kalos, and Sophie. The two locked characters are unlocked in the Order Fortress rather than through a level requirement, currency purchase, random drop, or paid add-on.
Maximilian is the easier early unlock. Robot Entertainment's support instructions confirm that five Shards of Max's Mirror are scattered through the hub. You can collect them before committing to a long run, then return to the hero area and use the completed collection to make Max playable.
Gabriella was introduced later through the Arcane Update. Her unlock is a single hidden-object hunt: locate her scepter in the Order Fortress. Once the scepter is found, she becomes available in hero selection.
- For Max, search near Gus the Blacksmith, behind the Weavers, behind Max in his room, upstairs from the Classroom behind Max, and in the Training Area.
- For Gabriella, explore the Order Fortress carefully and look for the hidden scepter rather than searching mission rewards.
- If a collectible appears difficult to reach, check nearby ledges, upper floors, and jump routes. The hub contains vertical spaces that are easy to overlook.
- After collecting an item, verify the hero-selection screen before assuming the unlock failed. If the game was updated recently, restart the client if the portrait does not refresh immediately.
Hero skins, accessories, and milestone rewards are separate from unlocking the playable character. Finding a skin challenge does not unlock a missing War Mage, and owning the Supporter Pack does not replace the in-game hub unlocks described above.
Customization
Character creation and customization explained
There is no traditional character creator in Deathtrap. You do not build a new face, body, name, weapon set, or class from scratch. Instead, you select one of the named War Mages, each with a fixed identity and signature abilities.
The meaningful customization happens during progression. You can improve weapons and traps, select Threads during a run, develop persistent upgrades, and choose a loadout that supports the map and mission type. This gives each hero several viable builds without changing the hero's base identity.
Visual customization is handled through the Wardrobe. Skins and accessories can alter appearance, and later updates added additional cosmetic rewards. These options are presentation-focused; they do not turn Vaan into Mac or give Sophie Gabriella's Warp ability.
- Choose a hero whose primary attack feels comfortable before worrying about tier lists.
- Use the hero's exclusive trap as part of the plan rather than treating it as a bonus button.
- Build around the mission objective: Rift Defense rewards reliable lane control, while Crystal Defense can favor protection and sustained area denial.
- In co-op, coordinate complementary jobs instead of selecting four heroes who all compete for the same close-range targets.
For a first solo run, start with Vaan, Wren, or Max because their kits are comparatively easy to understand and adapt. For a player who enjoys direct melee combat, Kalos and Sophie offer a more hands-on approach. These are practical recommendations, not official balance rankings.
Team building
Is there an official character tier list?
There is no permanent, developer-approved tier list that settles the best hero for every mission. Deathtrap's randomized buffs and debuffs, map geometry, weather, mission type, difficulty, and available Threads all affect performance. A hero that looks weaker in a damage comparison may be the better pick when the team needs control, healing, Rift protection, or a specific counter.
A more useful comparison is to ask what the party is missing. Mac and Wren can help with precision and ranged control. Harlow adds a persistent companion. Kalos can occupy dangerous spaces and protect teammates. Sophie brings aggressive melee pressure and a summon. Vaan and Max are flexible generalists, while Gabriella specializes in repositioning enemies and increasing trap damage through Pox.
- Solo players should favor self-sufficient kits and reliable answers to fliers, heavy enemies, and Rift leaks.
- Small co-op teams benefit from mixing direct damage with crowd control or defensive utility.
- Do not judge a hero only by wave-clear speed. Trap synergy and survival matter more as mission modifiers become harsher.
- If a hero feels weak, try a different Thread path before abandoning the character; run upgrades can substantially change the role.
The roster and unlock methods are verified facts. The role labels, beginner picks, and team suggestions are practical guidance based on how the kits function and should be treated as recommendations rather than fixed rankings.
FAQ
Common questions
How many characters are in Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap?
The current playable roster has eight War Mages: Vaan, Wren, Harlow, Mac, Kalos, Sophie, Maximilian, and Gabriella. Older guides may show seven or fewer because Gabriella was added in the Arcane Update.
How do I unlock all characters?
Six heroes are available immediately. Collect all five Shards of Max's Mirror in the Order Fortress to unlock Maximilian, then find Gabriella's hidden scepter in the same fortress. No separate currency or character-creation step is required.
Where are Max's mirror shards?
The five shards are near Gus the Blacksmith, behind the Weavers, behind Max in the room where he stands, upstairs from the Classroom behind Max, and in the Training Area. The official support guide notes that the shard near Mission Select was moved behind Gus.
Can I create my own character?
No. You choose from preset War Mages with fixed names, appearances, weapons, abilities, traits, and Hero Traps. You can customize builds through Threads, upgrades, loadouts, skins, and accessories, but not create a new hero.
Who is the best hero?
There is no universal best choice. Vaan, Wren, and Max are approachable generalists; Mac is attractive to accurate ranged players; Kalos and Sophie suit melee-focused players; Harlow adds companion pressure; and Gabriella excels at enemy repositioning and trap amplification. The best pick depends on the map, objective, difficulty, and team.
Sources
What we checked
Official listings establish current availability and product facts. Community pages are used for mechanics and build history, then labeled separately.