Unlock conditions can be affected by patches, mode naming and platform achievement text. The list below reflects the current full-release roster, but verify an individual requirement in-game if your version presents different wording.
Fast answer
The answer before the background
The roster has 23 playable characters. Start with the Barbarian, then unlock early options such as the Pyromancer, Hound Master and Spellblade before attempting the high-Curse, Titan Hunt and prestige requirements. Each character has a separate prestige track and skill tree. Level 170 is the practical completion point for a standard character’s tree, while level 150 is currently used for the bonus skin milestone. The Blacksmith is the exception: complete all 22 other character skill trees to unlock him, and he uses summoned weapons rather than a normal general-skill loadout.
Roster
All 23 characters at a glance
The game does not use rigid tank, healer and damage classes in the traditional sense. The role labels below are practical playstyle descriptions based on each character’s weapons, skill types and commonly associated mechanics. They are recommendations, not separate queue roles.
- Melee and brawler choices: The Barbarian, The Death Knight, The Myrmidon and The Samurai. These are good fits for players who want close-range damage, durable stats or aggressive movement.
- Spell and elemental choices: The Pyromancer, The Arcane Weaver, The Elementalist and The Chaoswalker. They reward building around damage types, area coverage and repeated casts.
- Summon and companion choices: The Hound Master, The Necromancer, The Beastmaster and The Blacksmith. Their identity comes from pets, minions or summoned weapons.
- Ranged and precision choices: The Sentinel, The Assassin, The Demon Hunter and The Engineer. These generally suit players who prefer distance, projectiles, crits or deployables.
- Hybrid and utility choices: The Spellblade, The Paladin, The Legionnaire, The Cursed Captain, The Shaman and The Machinist. Their strengths vary more by weapon choice, buffs, debuffs and special mechanics.
| Character | Unlock condition |
|---|---|
| The Barbarian | Available by default. |
| The Pyromancer | Eliminate at least one Lord of the Void in The Scorching Valley in one match. |
| The Hound Master | Eliminate one Lord of the Void in The Whispering Grove. |
| The Spellblade | Eliminate 10,000 enemies in total. |
| The Arcane Weaver | Eliminate 50 Lords of the Void in total. |
| The Sentinel | Eliminate 50 elite enemies in total. |
| The Paladin | Reach Prestige Level 50 with five characters. |
| The Chaoswalker | Complete Overlord Cycle 2. |
| The Beastmaster | Win a match with all Curses enabled in The Whispering Grove. |
| The Assassin | Eliminate 100 Lords of the Void in total. |
| The Elementalist | Finish any match in under 10 minutes. |
| The Legionnaire | Complete 100% of Endless Mode Cycle 2. |
| The Necromancer | Win with Curses up to Tier III in The Dungeon of Despair. |
| The Death Knight | Win with Curses up to Tier III in The Frozen Wasteland. |
| The Monkey King | Win with Curses up to Tier VI in The Whispering Grove. |
| The Engineer | Eliminate 700 Lords of the Void in total. |
| The Myrmidon | Win with Curses up to Tier VI in The Frozen Wasteland. |
| The Demon Hunter | Complete the Ritual of Hate in The Unholy Cathedral. |
| The Cursed Captain | Complete the Ritual of Heresy in The Unholy Cathedral. |
| The Shaman | Complete Titan Hunt mode. |
| The Machinist | Complete the Sigil of Vileness in Titan Hunt. |
| The Samurai | Complete the Sigil of Wickedness in Titan Hunt. |
| The Blacksmith | Fully purchase the skill trees for all 22 other characters. |
Early-access guides often list six, 14 or 22 characters because the roster expanded over time. The Blacksmith is the later secret character, bringing the current total to 23.
Progression
Character levels, passives and the practical cap
A character’s in-run experience level is separate from its meta-progression Prestige Level. During a match, you level up to select skills. Between matches, Prestige Level provides the points used to develop that character’s permanent skill tree and related unlocks.
For a normal character, Prestige Level 20 is the important early milestone for accessing the character-specific skill-tree progression, provided the required general skill-tree progress has been completed. Prestige Level 170 is the practical target for purchasing the full standard character tree. It is not a hard level cap: you can continue earning prestige after the tree is complete.
Character passives are not one universal passive shared by the whole roster. Each hero has base-stat modifiers, weapon-linked starting effects and character-specific progression. Some skill-tree nodes affect only that hero, while global nodes improve the wider account. Read the node description before spending materials, especially when deciding whether to specialize or spread upgrades across the roster.
The developer has also announced a bonus skin for reaching Prestige Level 150 with each character. That milestone is cosmetic and does not replace the practical level-170 target for a completed standard skill tree. The Blacksmith does not follow the normal pattern: the reference documentation identifies him as having one weapon and no ordinary character-specific skill tree or ascension ability.
- Use the term Prestige Level when asking about permanent character progression.
- Treat level 170 as the practical completion point, not a hard maximum.
- Expect additional prestige beyond completion to be mainly cosmetic or for personal progression goals.
- The Blacksmith is a roster reward for broad completion rather than a character to rush at the start.
| Milestone | What it means |
|---|---|
| Prestige 20 | Early character-specific progression milestone; exact access can depend on the general skill-tree state. |
| Prestige 100 | A major weapon progression milestone documented by current character achievements and references. |
| Prestige 150 | Current bonus-skin milestone for each character. |
| Prestige 170 | Practical point for fully purchasing a standard character’s skill tree. |
| Beyond 170 | Prestige can continue, but the main permanent tree is already complete. |
The milestones are progression facts. The recommendation to stop at 170 unless you want cosmetics or completion goals is efficiency advice, not a gameplay rule.
Route
A sensible zero-to-hero unlock order
Do not wait to max one hero before touching the rest. Early unlocks give you more weapon pools, skill-tree options and account-wide improvements, which can make later Curse requirements easier. A balanced route is more efficient than repeatedly forcing the hardest challenge with one underdeveloped build.
- First, use the Barbarian to learn movement, boss timing and the basic upgrade system.
- Next, target the Pyromancer and Hound Master. Their one-Lord requirements are among the clearest early unlocks, and they offer very different ranged and companion-based playstyles.
- Work toward the Spellblade, Sentinel, Arcane Weaver and Assassin while accumulating enemy, elite and Lord kills naturally.
- Raise several characters toward Prestige 50 to unlock the Paladin without having to over-level one hero.
- Leave Tier VI Curse clears, Endless Cycle 2, Overlord Cycle 2 and Titan Hunt sigils for a developed account with stronger runes and weapons.
- Complete the 22 standard skill trees only after you have a reliable farming setup. That final push unlocks the Blacksmith.
| Goal | Best approach |
|---|---|
| Fast early roster growth | Clear the Scorching Valley and Whispering Grove with the Barbarian, then repeat normal objectives while building kills. |
| High-Curse characters | Improve runes, weapon crafting and global skill-tree nodes before attempting Tier VI clears. |
| Titan Hunt characters | Learn the mode first and target the required sigil only after your build can survive its late stages. |
| Blacksmith | Rotate through the roster and complete every standard skill tree; do not expect a single-character shortcut. |
Check that you completed the named map or mode, used the required Curse level, and finished the run successfully where the condition says to win. Then inspect the achievement or unlock panel; older community guides occasionally use outdated map or mode wording.
FAQ
Named character questions
FAQ
Common questions
Who is the best starting character?
The Barbarian is the safest starting point because he is available immediately and teaches close-range movement without adding an unlock requirement. After that, the Pyromancer is a strong recommendation for players who prefer distance and area damage, while the Hound Master is a natural choice for companion-focused play.
How do I unlock all characters?
Complete the specific requirement for each of the 22 locked characters, then fully purchase the skill trees for all 22 standard characters to unlock the Blacksmith. The requirements include boss and elite kill totals, map clears, Curse victories, Endless and Overlord objectives, Titan Hunt sigils and a speed-clear condition.
What is the max level for characters?
There is no useful hard cap on Prestige Level in the normal sense. Prestige Level 170 is the practical completion point for a standard character’s skill tree. The current developer-announced skin milestone is level 150, and prestige beyond the completed tree is mainly for continued progression or cosmetic completion.
Do all characters have unique passives?
They have distinct stat modifiers, starting skills, weapons and character progression, but the exact presentation differs. Standard characters use their own weapon and skill-tree systems; the Blacksmith is an exception because his design revolves around summoning other characters’ weapons.
Which character is hardest to unlock?
The Blacksmith is the longest overall completion reward because it requires every other standard skill tree. Among the ordinary roster, the Engineer’s 700 Lord kills and the Tier VI Curse characters are substantial late-game goals, while the Titan Hunt sigil characters depend on mastering that mode.
Why can’t I see a character’s special skill tree?
Raise that character’s Prestige Level and finish the required general skill-tree progression. Community reports also show that older saves or updates can make the tree display incorrectly; respecing or reopening the progression screen may help, but the reliable check is whether the relevant unlock nodes and achievement conditions are complete.
Sources
What we checked
Official listings establish current availability and product facts. Community pages are used for mechanics and build history, then labeled separately.