Tears of Metal Character Unlock Guide: How to Get All Heroes in Paper Cult’s Roguelike

When I first jumped into Tears of Metal, I expected another fun co-op hack-and-slash that I’d play for a few evenings before moving on. Instead, Paper Cult delivered something that feels surprisingly addictive. The combat is fast, every run teaches you something new, and the village progression constantly gives you another reason to head back onto the battlefield.

One thing that stood out almost immediately was how hero progression works. Unlike many action games where characters simply unlock after finishing chapters, Tears of Metal ties new heroes to nearly every major progression system. Your settlement matters. Side objectives matter. Boss victories matter. Even the way you spend resources between runs can speed up—or slow down—your roster expansion.

After spending plenty of time experimenting with different routes and comparing notes with other players, I realized that unlocking heroes efficiently is less about grinding endlessly and more about making smart decisions. If your goal is to recruit every available character in the current Early Access version, here’s what you should know.

Why Unlocking Heroes Is Worth Prioritizing

It’s easy to get distracted by shiny artifacts, powerful temporary buffs, or trying one more run for a higher score. I did exactly that during my first few hours.

Eventually I realized something important.

Every new hero changes the way the game feels.

Some excel at controlling crowds. Others destroy armored enemies in seconds. Certain heroes pair much better with specific artifacts or battalion upgrades, opening completely different playstyles.

Instead of making individual runs easier, expanding your roster permanently increases your options for every future campaign.

How Hero Unlocks Actually Work

The game doesn’t hide every unlock behind story progression. Instead, Paper Cult spreads them across several interconnected systems.

The biggest sources of new heroes include:

• Settlement upgrades
• Campaign progression
• Hidden battlefield events
• Special rescue missions
• Late-game infrastructure improvements

Because of this design, you’ll naturally unlock characters while improving your village instead of simply rushing through acts.

That’s one of my favorite design choices in Tears of Metal—it rewards exploration instead of pure speed.

Every Core Hero and How to Unlock Them

Although additional heroes are expected during Early Access, these characters currently define most successful team compositions.

Wallace Is Much Better Than He First Appears

Since Wallace is the default hero, many players replace him as soon as another option becomes available.

I actually think that’s a mistake.

Wallace has one of the most forgiving movesets in the game. His attacks have excellent reach, his crowd control feels reliable, and his abilities make learning enemy attack patterns much easier.

More importantly, he scales surprisingly well with many artifact combinations.

Before chasing other heroes, spend enough time mastering Wallace’s timing. The fundamentals you learn with him carry over to nearly every other character.

Unlocking Ruadh Stonecrusher

Ruadh is usually the first hero players actively work toward unlocking.

To recruit him, you’ll need to:

• Defeat Gilles, the Act I boss.
• Upgrade your Settlement Outpost to Level 2.
• Continue progressing your village after the campaign victory.

Once unlocked, Ruadh becomes one of the strongest options for players who enjoy slower but devastating attacks.

Heavy enemies that previously felt frustrating suddenly become much more manageable.

His armor-breaking capabilities are especially useful against elite units that normally require extended fights.

If your group lacks raw damage, Ruadh is probably the first unlock you should prioritize.

Finding the Vanguard Tracker

The Vanguard Tracker requires a little more attention because her unlock isn’t guaranteed during every run.

You’ll eventually encounter a rescue mission during Act II Environment 12.

Watch carefully for the unique distress objective on your map.

During this mission you’ll need to defend the trapped warrior while surviving several increasingly dangerous enemy waves.

The encounter can become chaotic very quickly, especially if your battalion is already weakened.

If you’re playing solo, don’t rush forward trying to eliminate every enemy immediately.

Instead:

• Stay close to the objective.
• Let your battalion absorb pressure.
• Eliminate priority threats first.
• Save mobility skills for emergency repositioning.

Completing the rescue permanently unlocks the Vanguard Tracker for future runs.

Hidden Heroes Require Long-Term Investment

The later characters demand much more than simply defeating bosses.

You’ll eventually need to combine multiple progression systems together.

That means:

• reaching Act III,
• upgrading the Training Grounds,
• collecting rare materials,
• discovering hidden artifacts,
• investing heavily in settlement development.

This slower progression actually makes the unlocks feel rewarding.

By the time you recruit these advanced heroes, you’ve already developed both your village and your understanding of the game’s combat systems.

The Biggest Mistake New Players Make

If I could give one piece of advice after dozens of runs, it would be this:

Stop spending everything on temporary power.

Artifacts disappear.

Run-specific bonuses disappear.

Settlement upgrades don’t.

Every permanent improvement makes every future run smoother.

Instead of chasing one incredible run, focus on building long-term progression.

You’ll unlock heroes faster while simultaneously making the game easier.

Your Battalion Is More Important Than You Think

Many players naturally focus almost entirely on their chosen hero.

That’s understandable.

They’re the character you’re actively controlling.

However, your battalion quietly carries a huge portion of each run.

Experienced soldiers:

• survive longer,
• deal more damage,
• control crowds better,
• protect objectives,
• create breathing room during boss fights.

Because permanent troop deaths exist, preserving your battalion becomes just as important as preserving your own health.

Whenever possible, fight patiently instead of recklessly diving into large enemy groups.

Your future unlocks often depend on keeping enough experienced soldiers alive to complete difficult objectives.

Co-op Makes Certain Unlocks Dramatically Easier

Tears of Metal was clearly designed with cooperative play in mind.

While everything can technically be completed solo, some rescue events become significantly easier with additional players.

A coordinated four-player squad can naturally divide responsibilities.

One pair controls incoming enemy waves while the remaining players focus entirely on protecting objectives or defeating elite enemies.

This approach removes much of the pressure that solo players experience during larger encounters.

If you’re struggling with a specific unlock, bringing friends is often more effective than repeatedly attempting the same mission alone.

Never Ignore Boss Challenge Rewards

After defeating major bosses, the game opens additional challenge opportunities.

Skipping them might save a few minutes.

It also means walking away from some of the best rewards available.

These bonus encounters frequently provide:

• valuable settlement resources,
• upgrade blueprints,
• rare crafting materials,
• progression currency.

Since settlement upgrades directly influence hero unlocks, these optional challenges become one of the fastest ways to accelerate overall progression.

They aren’t always easy—but they’re almost always worth completing.

My Recommended Unlock Order

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Looking Ahead

Paper Cult has already made it clear that the current roster is only the beginning.

Future Early Access updates are expected to introduce additional heroes, weapon archetypes, new progression systems, expanded village management, and more endgame content.

The good news is that your settlement progression carries forward.

That means every improvement you make today continues paying dividends as new content arrives.

For players planning to stick with Tears of Metal throughout Early Access, investing time into unlocking every available hero now feels like one of the smartest long-term decisions you can make.

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Final Thoughts

One thing I genuinely appreciate about Tears of Metal is that hero unlocks never feel like a simple checklist. They’re tied to exploration, experimentation, and steady progression rather than repetitive grinding. Every new character represents another reason to rethink your strategy instead of just adding a different face to the roster.

If you’re aiming to experience everything the current version has to offer, focus on strengthening your settlement first, don’t ignore optional objectives, and treat your battalion as a valuable resource rather than disposable backup. Do that consistently, and the roster will grow naturally while your overall power increases with it.

With more heroes already planned for future updates, building a strong foundation now should make every new addition even more rewarding when they finally arrive.

Tears of Metal | Official Trailer