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Heroes - Version 16 vs Version 17
Jun 27, 2026, 08:43 AM
Linked the studio name to the Hound13 page on its first mention
Jul 4, 2026, 05:42 PM
Promoted Dana to the playable Hero roster with ice alchemist kit and Chako; updated named-Hero count to twelve
11DragonSword: Awakening has nineteen playable Heroes. Each Hero has a distinct Status Ailment ability, which is the primary thing that differentiates them mechanically from one another.22All Unlockable Through Play44Under the Buy-to-Play Model for the Western release, every Hero is obtainable through the story and in-game activities. No Hero is locked behind gacha pulls or extra paid purchases beyond the base game. Hound13 has stated on record that all heroes originally intended for World 1 are included in the package and obtainable through story progression and gameplay. This is a deliberate departure from the Korean free-to-play version, which used gacha to distribute heroes.66Where They Fit Into Combat99Status Ailment variety is the clearest way to understand what a Hero does. One Hero might specialise in stacking a particular ailment; another might chain debuffs that set up big burst damage. Players extend those ailments with Active Skills and close with Signal Skills through the Switching Signals tag-team system, so the practical question is which ailments and which Signal Skills the player wants to have in their active rotation.1111Named Heroes so Far1313Eleven Heroes are publicly named as playable as of the early-June 2026 pre-launch campaign. The first six (Lute, Castella, Aria, Kalien, Theresia, and Ornette) were revealed through April and May 2026; three more, the knights of the Orbis Royal Castle (Cerese, Reina, and Kalsion), were introduced in the Orbis Kingdom Hero Teaser at the start of June 2026, and a tenth, Charlotte, was revealed on June 4, 2026 ahead of a developer live stream. An eleventh, Roxy, a bow user, was playable in the June 2026 demo, where she featured in the demo roster and tag-team gameplay; her faction and Status Ailments have not been detailed in official material yet. A separate public name, Johnny, is recorded as a travelling companion of Lute but has not been confirmed as one of the nineteen playable Heroes; he is listed in the Companions and Side Cast section below. The remaining identities will be revealed through the rest of the run-up and the June 2026 Steam Next Fest demo. The June 2026 demo additionally includes a demo-exclusive Hero who is not part of the full-game roster.14+Twelve Heroes are publicly named as playable as of the early-June 2026 pre-launch campaign. The first six (Lute, Castella, Aria, Kalien, Theresia, and Ornette) were revealed through April and May 2026; three more, the knights of the Orbis Royal Castle (Cerese, Reina, and Kalsion), were introduced in the Orbis Kingdom Hero Teaser at the start of June 2026, and a tenth, Charlotte, was revealed on June 4, 2026 ahead of a developer live stream. An eleventh, Roxy, a bow user, was playable in the June 2026 demo, where she featured in the demo roster and tag-team gameplay; her faction and Status Ailments have not been detailed in official material yet. A twelfth, Dana, the youngest member of the Red Fox Mercenary Corps and an ice alchemist, was revealed on July 1, 2026 in her own Hero Trailer. A separate public name, Johnny, is recorded as a travelling companion of Lute but has not been confirmed as one of the nineteen playable Heroes; he is listed in the Companions and Side Cast section below. The remaining identities will be revealed through the rest of the run-up and the June 2026 Steam Next Fest demo. The June 2026 demo additionally includes a demo-exclusive Hero who is not part of the full-game roster.1515HeroRole / FactionStatus AilmentsNotesLuteProtagonist / Mercenary bandStun, DownGreatsword all-rounder. Heals allies through the Goddess's power.CastellaMercenary band assault vanguard (Elf)Break, StunFrontline frame-shaker for the band. Appears in the Tag Combo Preview.AriaMercenary band firepower specialistBurn, AirborneBomb-using ranged setup. Confirmed via the Tag Combo Preview.KalienRed Fox Mercenary Corps SpiritistStun (fire-flavoured)Commands Sur, a fire-element fox spirit.TheresiaOrgana Order Heretic InquisitorBleed, StunTwin sacred maces. One of only ten Inquisitors with execution authority.OrnetteOrgana Order Saintess of the DawnShock, DownScythe-wielding hybrid of sacred magic and action. Second named member of the Organa Order.CereseContinent of Orbis Magic Knight Order, commanderNot yet detailedLeads the Orbis Royal Castle's Magic Knight Order and handles the kingdom's magic-related matters. Introduced in the Orbis Kingdom Hero Teaser with a redesigned look.ReinaOrbis Royal Castle, 8th Knight Order captainNot yet detailedCaptain of the 8th Knight Order, specialising in reconnaissance and guerrilla warfare through superior mobility.KalsionOrbis Royal Castle, kingNot yet detailedCalled the Sun of the Kingdom, the leader the Orbis knights serve. Moves for the peace and stability of Orbis.CharlotteNot yet detailedNot yet detailedNewest revealed Hero (June 4, 2026). Her combat kit was previewed at the June 5 developer live stream; ailments not yet itemised.RoxyNot yet detailedNot yet detailedBow user. Playable in the June 2026 demo roster and shown in tag-team gameplay; faction and ailments not yet detailed in official material.16+HeroRole / FactionStatus AilmentsNotesLuteProtagonist / Mercenary bandStun, DownGreatsword all-rounder. Heals allies through the Goddess's power.CastellaMercenary band assault vanguard (Elf)Break, StunFrontline frame-shaker for the band. Appears in the Tag Combo Preview.AriaMercenary band firepower specialistBurn, AirborneBomb-using ranged setup. Confirmed via the Tag Combo Preview.KalienRed Fox Mercenary Corps SpiritistStun (fire-flavoured)Commands Sur, a fire-element fox spirit.TheresiaOrgana Order Heretic InquisitorBleed, StunTwin sacred maces. One of only ten Inquisitors with execution authority.OrnetteOrgana Order Saintess of the DawnShock, DownScythe-wielding hybrid of sacred magic and action. Second named member of the Organa Order.CereseContinent of Orbis Magic Knight Order, commanderNot yet detailedLeads the Orbis Royal Castle's Magic Knight Order and handles the kingdom's magic-related matters. Introduced in the Orbis Kingdom Hero Teaser with a redesigned look.ReinaOrbis Royal Castle, 8th Knight Order captainNot yet detailedCaptain of the 8th Knight Order, specialising in reconnaissance and guerrilla warfare through superior mobility.KalsionOrbis Royal Castle, kingNot yet detailedCalled the Sun of the Kingdom, the leader the Orbis knights serve. Moves for the peace and stability of Orbis.CharlotteNot yet detailedNot yet detailedNewest revealed Hero (June 4, 2026). Her combat kit was previewed at the June 5 developer live stream; ailments not yet itemised.RoxyNot yet detailedNot yet detailedBow user. Playable in the June 2026 demo roster and shown in tag-team gameplay; faction and ailments not yet detailed in official material.DanaRed Fox Mercenary Corps alchemistIce / frost (not yet itemised)Youngest member of the corps. Fights with a self-built magitech gun and summons Chako, an ice golem she transmuted. Travels with Kalien in search of Dana's missing mother.1717Post-Launch Heroes1818Hound13 has confirmed that Ryza will be the first of four new Heroes added across the second half of 2026. The studio has stressed these four are part of the full version rather than paid DLC and will be developed regardless of sales. Ryza arrives first because implementation issues kept her out of the initial roster, and the other three follow in an order still being decided internally.2020Post-Launch HeroCombat RoleConfirmed DetailsRyzaShock specialistThrows her spear, then teleports to its location to continue the assault for fast, stylish combat. First of the four to be added.JeromeKnockdown specialistA small-statured Hero wielding a massive greatsword. Unleashes skills on Super Armor Destruction and uses a Grab that builds up to three stages. Prioritised right after Ryza because the launch roster lacks a dedicated knockdown specialist.VeronicaBare-handed plus gunInspired by community requests for a fist fighter. Fires a gun at range and switches to martial arts up close, with Stun as her primary ailment.LoganTankAttacks with a massive shield and protects allies. Being developed into a more versatile Hero before his debut.2222Alongside the new Heroes, Hound13 has outlined post-launch systems for the second half of 2026. Hero Quests will explore the untold stories of Heroes not covered in the main story, starting with Othello's quest and followed by one tied to Ryza. A Rift System is also in development, in which rifts appear across the world and let the player travel to other dimensions for combat. The studio has also named quality-of-life work, including a lock-on feature, gamepad and hit-feedback improvements, camera options, a Photo Mode, and a help system, as a top priority for the launch build and the updates that follow.2323Another Hero, Othello, has appeared in pre-launch material, but the studio has said his character model is still unfinished and will be polished before launch. His role and ailments have not been detailed.2525Companions and Side Cast2727Three named characters travel with Heroes but have not been confirmed as playable members of the nineteen-Hero roster:28+With Dana confirmed as a playable Hero, one named side character still travels with a Hero without being confirmed as one of the nineteen playable roster:2929CharacterTravelling WithNotesDanaKalienSearching for her missing mother, who is also Kalien's friend. Whether she is a sworn member of the Red Fox Mercenary Corps has not been confirmed.JohnnyLuteMercenary band leader-figure publicly named in pre-launch material but not yet confirmed as one of the nineteen playable Heroes. First met on the road to Orbis.30+CharacterTravelling WithNotesJohnnyLuteMercenary band leader-figure publicly named in pre-launch material but not yet confirmed as one of the nineteen playable Heroes. First met on the road to Orbis.3131Heroes of Old3232Sixty years before the events of the game, a Dragon nearly destroyed the continent, and six legendary Heroes of Old rose to drive it back. Those six are not part of the playable roster; they are a lore element. One of the main pre-launch quest hooks is that the modern party is tracing the footsteps of the legendary Heroes across the continent to uncover their hidden secrets.3434Becoming the Dragon Sword3636The title of the game is in-universe as well as marketing copy. Hound13 describes the central question as whether the modern cast, led by Lute, can truly become the Dragon Sword, savior of the continent. The Dragon Sword is not a weapon item; it is the title borne by whoever rises to take on the Dragon threat. Whether the player's Heroes earn that title, and what happens if they do not, is the spine of the main story.3838Related4040Status Ailments - the combat layer every Hero is built around.Active Skills and Signal Skills - the mid-combo and finisher layers each Hero contributes to.Buy-to-Play Model - why every Hero is unlocked through play rather than through gacha.Continent of Orbis - the open-world setting the Heroes share.
