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Characters you can add to a party is an important aspect of most RPGs. Even though it is classified as a roguelike, Darkest Dungeon 2 is no exception to this rule. Instead of unlocking characters through story progression similar to traditional RPGs, Red Hook Studios leans into the roguelike nature of Darkest Dungeon 2 by requiring players to unlock the Heroes they want to use. This guide will show how to unlock all of the Heroes in Darkest Dungeon 2.
How do I unlock every hero in Darkest Dungeon 2?
Most characters in Darkest Dungeon 2 require Candles of Hope to unlock. Candles of Hope are a form of currency that allows the player to not only unlock Heroes, but permanently upgrade character stats and acquire items for a run. Acquire Candles of Hope by carrying out the following objectives:
- Complete Hero Goals
- Defeat Lair Bosses
- Defeating the Final Boss
- Following specific paths on the map
- Region Goals
The Altar of Hope is the only place to use this currency.
The Altar of Hope is the first destination that players access when beginning and ending a run. Once at The Altar of Hope, Navigate to The Living City towards the middle of the map. Here, players are greeted with a menu displaying what characters can be unlocked. You must use the aforementioned Candles of Hope to unlock the first node on the character progression chart. This will give you access to the Hero. While most characters can be unlocked via the Candles of Hope, others are available to use at the start of the player’s journey.
Below is a list of every available Hero in Darkest Dungeon 2:
| Hero | Unlock Requirements |
| Bounty Hunter | 5 Candles of Hope |
| Crusader | Binding Blade DLC |
| Duelist | Binding Blade DLC |
| Flagellant | 8 Candles of Hope |
| Grave Robber | At the beginning |
| Hellion | 8 Candles of Hope |
| Highwayman | At the beginning |
| Jester | 8 Candles of Hope |
| Leper | 8 Candles of Hope |
| Man-at-Arms | At the beginning |
| Occultist | 8 Candles of Hope |
| Plague Doctor | At the beginning |
| Runaway | 8 Candles of Hope |
| Vestal | 8 Candles of Hope |
Each character in Darkest Dungeon 2 has their own strengths and weaknesses that players can take advantage of. As Darkest Dungeon 2 has roguelike elements, which may mean that your party of characters won’t make it to the end of each individual run. However, don’t be deterred by defeat, as you’ll effectively need to grind through the game to unlock more characters.
Play Darkest Dungeon 2 on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4|5, Xbox, and PC.
