Unlock details can differ between the original mobile release and Steam edition. The Steam developer has stated that Steam removed microtransactions and lets heroes, packages and poison unlock through repute. If a listed price does not match your platform, trust the unlock panel in your game.
Fast answer
The answer before the background
The original roster contains Gunner, Sword Master, Explorer, Cursed Captain, Alchemist, Admiral, Carpenter, Musician, Vigilante, Fortune Teller, Bear Tamer, Unknown Captain, Doctor, Chicken, Inventor and First Mate. Gunner is the starter. Early heroes are generally bought with gold or unlocked through progression; Vigilante is tied to the A Reputed Pirate quest, Chicken follows Vigilante’s hero quest, and Doctor requires Arena 50 plus 8,000 gold in the current reference data. First Mate is a special multi-style hero whose skins imitate the other heroes. Pirates Outlaws 2: Heritage is separate and begins with Gabi rather than reusing this roster.
Roster
All 16 playable heroes
Each hero changes the rules of deckbuilding through a passive ability, starter deck and preferred card pool. The roster is broad enough to cover ranged damage, melee healing, curses, relic hunting, pets, consumables and high-risk gimmicks.
The list below describes the practical role of each hero rather than ranking them. A character that is difficult for a new player can still be extremely strong once its deck rules are understood.
- Gunner — The straightforward ranged starter. Ammo management and critical ranged attacks are the core of the kit.
- Sword Master — A melee specialist who cannot gain armor but can recover health through lifesteal when wounded.
- Explorer — A flexible relic-focused hero with an extra reward choice, an additional relic slot and a special starting relic.
- Cursed Captain — A curse-scaling skill hero. Keeping curses in the deck can activate stronger healing, draw, ammo and damage effects.
- Alchemist — A fusion specialist who combines cards at the Tavern and uses Unstable Alchemy to create temporary combinations during battles.
- Admiral — A gold-focused hero whose unique cards become stronger as you accumulate coins.
- Carpenter — An armor and construction-themed hero built around defensive tools and Overload management.
- Musician — A support and card-combination hero with a distinctive rhythm-based play pattern.
- Vigilante — A luck-based attacker. Attacks can critically hit or backfire, creating Lucky and Unlucky effects.
- Fortune Teller — A prediction and charge-oriented hero that uses Tarot-style effects and controlled randomness.
- Bear Tamer — Fights with a bear companion. The bear can attack or protect its master, and its value increases during longer battles.
- Unknown Captain — A spectral hero that gains health from spending ammo, loses shield at the start of turns and can revive once per battle.
- Doctor — A health-and-deck-size specialist with no armor limit, but severe restrictions on healing.
- Chicken — A combat-focused secret-style hero associated with Vigilante’s quest chain and Arena encounters.
- Inventor — Uses repairable mechanical relics and a machine-oriented playstyle that rewards planning around limited charges.
- First Mate — A special hero with multiple skins. Each skin changes the deck and abilities to imitate another hero, making this a broad collection of playstyles rather than one fixed archetype.
| Hero | Best fit for | Unlock summary |
|---|---|---|
| Gunner | Simple ranged damage | Available at the start |
| Sword Master | Melee and lifesteal | 500 gold in the reference data |
| Explorer | Relics and flexible runs | 2,000 gold in the reference data |
| Cursed Captain | Curse-heavy skill decks | 8,000 gold in the reference data |
| Alchemist | Fusion and experimentation | 8,000 gold in the reference data |
| Vigilante | Critical-hit gambling | 8,000 gold and the A Reputed Pirate requirement |
| Doctor | Arena and oversized decks | Arena 50, then 8,000 gold |
| First Mate | Many hero styles in one slot | Special purchase or platform-specific progression |
The roster and several unlock requirements are directly listed in the current Steam description and community reference pages. The role labels are practical summaries of each hero’s documented ability and starter mechanics, not official class names.
Unlocks
How to unlock the roster efficiently
Start with Gunner and learn the basic loop before spending progression currency. Sword Master is the cheapest listed early purchase and is useful for learning melee positioning, while Explorer is a strong next choice if you want more relics and more reward options.
The exact order of the middle roster is less important than opening the maps and hero quests that unlock their card pools. Several heroes cost 8,000 gold in the reference data, so buying every character immediately can delay chapter upgrades and useful permanent improvements.
- Check the Quests panel before beginning a run. Hero quests are separate from ordinary map objectives and can reward a hero, a hero card or a unique relic.
- Complete A Reputed Pirate if you want Vigilante. The documented requirement includes spending 8,000 gold and completing the quest.
- Complete Vigilante’s Bravery quest to obtain Chicken. Its documented route includes defeating Chicken in Arena 30, then claiming the hero quest reward.
- Reach Arena 50 to meet Doctor’s unlock condition, then pay 8,000 gold according to the current reference data. Do not confuse Arena 50 with finishing every Arena round.
- Treat Admiral, First Mate and mobile-only purchase information cautiously. Steam and mobile do not use identical monetization systems, and the developer has confirmed that Steam removed microtransactions in favor of progression unlocks.
- Use the hero-selection screen to verify the final price, prerequisite and platform-specific wording before spending gold.
| Goal | Recommended next step | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Learn the basics | Keep using Gunner | His ammo loop is clear and available immediately. |
| Learn melee combat | Buy Sword Master | Lifesteal rewards aggressive melee play. |
| Improve reward quality | Buy Explorer | Extra relic and reward choices help exploration. |
| Unlock secret-style content | Work through Vigilante’s quest | Its quest chain leads toward Chicken. |
| Target Doctor | Build an Arena-capable hero | Arena 50 is the important gate in the current data. |
The developer has stated that Steam removed microtransactions and allows heroes, packages and poison to be unlocked through repute. Older mobile guides may therefore show prices or purchase routes that do not apply to Steam.
Naming
Original game or Heritage sequel?
Searches for “Pirates Outlaws 2 characters” and “Pirates Outlaws 2 Heritage characters” refer to Pirates Outlaws 2: Heritage, a separate sequel rather than an expansion of the original roster. The developer describes it as a new roguelike deck-builder with new mechanics and a new story set hundreds of years after the first game.
The sequel begins with Gabi and introduces characters such as Hector, Yasmina and Sigurd through its own tasks. Its character system also uses classes: the official FAQ describes each character as a hero with a unique attribute choice, while classes generate different pre-made starter decks.
- For the original game, use the 16-name roster above.
- For Heritage, do not assume that an original hero’s unlock requirement carries over.
- Gabi, Hector and Yasmina are sequel names, not missing entries from the original roster.
- The sequel’s characters and classes may change during Early Access, so consult the developer’s current FAQ or game build for exact requirements.
| Search question | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| Who are the original game’s heroes? | The 16 heroes listed in the roster section. |
| Does Heritage use the same characters? | No. It starts a new story with a separate character system. |
| Who is the first Heritage hero? | Gabi is the first hero described in the official FAQ. |
| Are classes the same as original heroes? | No. Heritage treats characters and classes as separate parts of its starter-build system. |
The names and mechanics in the sequel are not safe substitutes for the original game’s unlock guide. Always identify whether the title says Pirates Outlaws or Pirates Outlaws 2: Heritage.
FAQ
Common questions
How many characters are in Pirates Outlaws?
The original game has 16 playable heroes on the current Steam listing. Community reference pages use the same total and list Gunner through First Mate.
Who is the best starter hero?
Gunner is the safest first choice because he is available immediately and teaches the core ammo-and-ranged system. Sword Master is a good second option if you prefer direct melee attacks and lifesteal.
How do I unlock Doctor?
The current reference data says to reach Arena 50 with any character and then spend 8,000 gold. Older discussions mention Arena 100 because that was an earlier requirement, so use the current in-game unlock panel if it differs.
How do I unlock Chicken?
Chicken is tied to Vigilante’s hero quest. The documented quest route includes defeating Vigilante and Doctor at Arena level 42, after earlier encounters across the game’s regions.
Is First Mate actually 15 characters?
First Mate is one playable hero with multiple skins. Those skins change the deck and abilities to imitate the other heroes, so it behaves like a multi-style package but remains one roster slot.
Are Pirates Outlaws 2 characters the same as the original heroes?
No. Heritage is a separate sequel with a new story, new mechanics and a separate roster. Its official FAQ identifies Gabi as the first hero and mentions Hector, Yasmina and Sigurd as characters introduced through tasks.
Sources
What we checked
Official listings establish current availability and product facts. Community pages are used for mechanics and build history, then labeled separately.
- OfficialPirates Outlaws Steam store page — official roster and game modes
- OfficialFabled Game Studio FAQ — Pirates Outlaws 2: Heritage characters and classes
- OfficialFabled Game developer discussion — Steam progression and removed microtransactions
- CommunityPirates Outlaws Wiki character category — roster and hero quest index
- CommunityPirates Outlaws Wiki — hero quests, Chicken and Doctor requirements
- CommunityPirates Outlaws Wiki — individual hero abilities and unlock references