TBH Hero Unlock Order
On this page
- Why Hero Slots Are the Best Gold Investment in TBH
- Hero Slot Unlock Costs and Priority
- Which Starter Class to Pick
- Unlock Priest as Your Second Hero
- Your Third Hero Slot
- Best Free-to-Play Team Compositions
- When to Buy the Hunter DLC
Why Hero Slots Are the Best Gold Investment in TBH
You start TBH with exactly one hero slot. Running a single hero is the least efficient way to play — one character generates one hero's worth of kills, drops, and XP. Unlocking additional hero slots multiplies everything: more heroes kill more monsters, which drop more loot, which generates more gold, which buys more rune nodes. Hero slots are a force multiplier — every other gold investment pays off faster when you have more heroes farming simultaneously.
Golden Rule of TBH economy: Before you spend a single gold piece on Attack or Defense rune nodes, unlock your second and third hero slots. Nothing else comes close in gold-to-power ratio.
Hero Slot Unlock Costs and Priority
| Slot | How to Unlock | Gold Cost | Priority | Estimated Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slot 1 | Default (starter hero) | Free | Already unlocked | — |
| Slot 2 | Rune Tree — Utility branch, first Rune of Command | 5,000 Gold | Absolute #1 priority | 15–30 minutes |
| Slot 3 | Rune Tree — Utility branch, second Rune of Command | 150,000 Gold | Core early-game goal | ~10 hours of idle farming |
| Slot 4 | Rune Tree — Utility branch, later node | Higher cost | Late-game optimization | After full party is geared |
The second slot costs 5,000 Gold — you earn this in your first 15–30 minutes of playing. There is no excuse to delay it. The third slot at 150,000 Gold is your first major gold goal and takes roughly 10 hours of idle farming to accumulate. The power spike from going from two heroes to three is worth every coin.
Which Starter Class to Pick
At the start of the game, you choose one free class from Knight, Ranger, or Sorcerer. This choice isn't permanent — you can switch heroes anytime, and unlocked heroes stay unlocked. But your starter determines your early-game experience.
| Starter | Advantage | Disadvantage | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knight | Highest survivability. Least likely to die overnight. Functions with minimal gear. | Slowest early wave clear. Boss fights take longer. | Pure beginners. Players who value reliability over speed. |
| Ranger | Fastest wave clear among starters. Consistent damage output. Safe ranged position. | Low HP (60). Dies quickly without a tank. Needs gear to shine. | Players who want to rush early stages quickly. |
| Sorcerer | Strongest AoE clear. Fireball and Ice Orb destroy dense mob waves. Elemental flexibility. | Lowest HP in the game (50). Cooldown-dependent — damage drops between casts. Squishiest starter. | Experienced idle game players comfortable with fragility. |
Our recommendation: Start with Knight. The Knight's tankiness means fewer deaths, which means more idle uptime — and idle uptime is the whole point of TBH. The Knight also remains S-tier through endgame, so your starter investment is never wasted. If you're experienced with idle games and don't mind a slower early farm, Ranger or Sorcerer are viable alternatives — but you'll want a Knight in your party eventually regardless.
Unlock Priest as Your Second Hero
After unlocking the second hero slot (5,000 Gold, Utility branch Rune of Command), the correct move is to claim and deploy the Priest immediately. The Priest is a free DLC available on the TBH Steam store page — it takes two minutes to claim and is the single best zero-cost power upgrade in the game.
Why Priest second: The Priest is the only healer in TBH. Without a Priest, your Knight eventually dies to attrition. With a Priest, the Knight becomes functionally unkillable on content you're geared for. Knight + Priest is the immortal core that every party composition is built around.
Your Third Hero Slot
The third hero slot at 150,000 Gold transforms your party from a duo into a full team. With three heroes, your damage output, farming speed, and survivability all jump significantly. This is where you add your dedicated damage dealer.
| Third Hero Choice | Final Comp | Cost | Why This Works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ranger | Knight + Priest + Ranger | $0 | Most stable all-free comp. Consistent ranged DPS that never dies behind the Knight. Handles all content through Torment. |
| Sorcerer | Knight + Priest + Sorcerer | $0 | Faster wave clear on mob-dense maps. The Sorcerer's AoE shines on stages with many weak enemies. |
| Hunter (DLC) | Knight + Priest + Hunter | ~$4 | Highest damage ceiling. Elemental combos (Frost+Explosive) out-damage everything. Best late-game DPS. |
Best Free-to-Play Team Compositions
| Comp | Style | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knight + Priest + Ranger | Balanced | Most stable. Works for any scenario. Tank + Healer + Ranged DPS covers all bases. | Slightly slower wave clear than AoE comps. |
| Knight + Priest + Sorcerer | AoE Focus | Best for mob-dense maps. Fireball and Meteor Strike clear waves fast. | Sorcerer's fragility can be a problem if Knight is undergeared. |
| Priest + Sorcerer + Ranger | Glass Cannon | Maximum free damage output. No tank means one more DPS slot. | No Knight = no frontline. Only viable if you actively micromanage. |
Recommendation for free players: Knight + Priest + Ranger. It's the most stable composition in the game and will carry you through all early and mid-game content. You cannot go wrong with this trio.
When to Buy the Hunter DLC
The Hunter is the only paid DLC that we'd call a genuine upgrade rather than a cosmetic or convenience purchase. For approximately $4, the Hunter replaces the Ranger as your primary DPS with significantly higher damage — Explosive Bolt and Frost Bolt provide elemental burst that the Ranger simply cannot match.
Is it worth $4? Yes, if you plan to play TBH long-term. The Hunter's elemental flexibility means it never hits a resistance wall, and its damage ceiling is notably higher than any free DPS option. If you only buy one DLC for TBH, make it the Hunter. Buy it after you've confirmed you enjoy the game — there's no rush, as the Ranger handles all content perfectly well.
After your third hero: Your next gold priority should be the Rune of Awakening (50,000 Gold, Utility branch) to unlock a second active skill slot for each hero, followed by Auto-Open Chests in the Convenience branch. See our Rune Tree guide for the full priority order.