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FIFAMobileGuide.com

EA Sports FC Mobile 24 Guides, Tips, and Players List

Last updated December 12, 2023

Heroes are some of football’s most unforgettable players that represent career-making memorable moments. They are fan-favorite players. Meet the squad of over 50+ Heroes in the EA Sports FC Mobile 24 (Season 8).

How to get Heroes in EA FC Mobile? Most Heroes players are tradable. Apart from  events , you can also buy them directly from the  market .

Football is in good hands thanks to a new cohort of cult favourites. On FC Mobile 24, there are 16 new Hero players:

• Gianluca Vialli
• Carlos Tevez
• Wesley Sneijder
• Bixente Lizarazu
• Nwankwo Kanu
• John Arne Riise
• Tomas Rosicky
• Paulo Futre
• Dimitar Berbatov
• Jari Litmanen
• Vincent Kompany
• Steve McManaman
• Demarcus Beasley

Heroes Hierarchy

This season, EA introduced several types of Hero Players:

• Base Heroes
• Event Heroes
• Prime Heroes

Think of them like a legend’s journey from rookie to superstar. The Base Heroes kick things off with the most humble stats, marking the starting point of a legend’s legacy.

Next up are the Event Heroes, a step higher on the ladder of greatness, not the highest but still making waves.

And finally, we have the Prime Heroes—these are the big shots, the legends at their peak, boasting the best overall stats in the game.

It’s like watching a player evolve from a newbie to an all-time hero!

Heroes List

Here is the complete list of EA FC Mobile 24 Heroes Players. This list only covers Base Heroes.

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Reader Interactions

April 5, 2023 at 4:26 am

Why today match 5 don’t give 500 super score as months before?

Saikat says

November 1, 2022 at 9:05 pm

will there be more phase than the 2nd one?or its the last one(2nd phase)?

October 30, 2022 at 4:36 am

All 6 exchange conditions have to be met in order to get the player?

Md khateeb says

October 19, 2022 at 3:02 pm

Please update the new players added this update in heroes journey soon.

James moser says

January 1, 2023 at 1:06 am

Ok Iulocked the player than met all the requirements for putting all the right leagues players on my team and there’s a check over each time I met the requirements but it won’t let me press complete and won’t let me play the game to get the reward. What do I do now that they are unlocked to play them and get the rewards

October 5, 2022 at 1:16 pm

Plz tell me where do i find totw players fir heros challanges.

October 6, 2022 at 11:40 pm

TOTW = Team of the Week Just players from paste event/challenges. U can found that players on market with Team of the Week marks.

October 8, 2022 at 8:47 am

Purchase from market

August 14, 2022 at 11:10 am

think the heroes event will come when the summer vacation: europe event is over because the heroes event is very big and i’m really looking forward to it

August 12, 2022 at 5:13 pm

When does it start

Luca Olivelli says

May 31, 2022 at 11:27 am

when Heroes it will be released?

May 24, 2022 at 5:39 am

When it will be start?

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Heroes Journey

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Heroes Journey is a game mode in Fire Emblem Heroes , added to the game in the Perilous Seas update and starting its first event on August 14, 2021.

Heroes Journey is a game mode where players send teams of two out to earn rapport and experience bonding events.

• 1 The gameplay
• 3 Heroes Journey events
• 4 Etymology and other languages

The gameplay

Players set two distinct units as their central pair; in this case, "two distinct units" means they cannot set two units with the same character name-epithet combination (i.e. they cannot set two of Reinhardt : Thunder's Fist, but they can set one Reinhardt: Thunder's First and one Reinhardt: Thunder's Sword if they so wish). Once a central pair has been set, the player can then select either a beginner or intermediate stage wherein their central pair take on three random opponents. Each time the player's central pair wins a beginner or intermediate stage battle, they'll win some of the mode's currency, Memento Points ; beginner battles reward 10 Memento Points at minimum while intermediate battles reward 11 Memento Points at minimum, while more can be earned should an enemy within a battle drop some.

Once a player has obtained 100 Memento Points, they can activate one of fifteen Memento Events, with three available at random per activation spread through three differently-colored books (black, blue, and green). There are five categories of Memento Events during a Heroes Journey event, and each category has three possible events with different outcomes. Depending on the outcome of an event, players then earn three, four, or five Rapport as a result of the event. Once the central pair earns six Rapport, they'll be able to take on a boss battle against four opponents; once the central pair earns twenty Rapport, they'll be able to take on the event's final boss battle against four tougher opponents. From the third event onward, upon viewing an event that had been viewed previously, the player earns Memory Fragments equal to the Rapport earned from that event.

The player can change their central pair at any time, but if they do so, Rapport drops back to zero, even if they re-set a central pair that had earned Rapport previously; on the other hand, Memento Points and Memory Fragments carry over when the player changes their central pair.

Heroes Journey events

The following Heroes Journey events have happened to date:

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AFK Journey Heroes

AFK Journey offers a wide variety of heroes for players to collect and enjoy. This guide provides a comprehensive list of all available heroes.

You can conveniently organize them by their respective factions, roles, the types of buffs and debuffs they offer, or even by their attack range.

For insights into each hero’s strength, check out the AFK Journey Tier List . This list ranks heroes based on their effectiveness in different game modes, helping you make informed choices for your gameplay.

Also, while checking the AFK Journey heroes, you might encounter different types of terms regarding buffs, debuffs, and hero stats that you might want to understand:

Basic Stats:

• HP (Health) : This is the unit’s health pool. Damage received decreases HP, and reaching zero HP results in the unit’s defeat.
• ATK (Attack) : This stat enhances the damage output of the unit.
• Phys DEF (Physical Defense) : It reduces the physical damage that the unit takes.
• Magic DEF (Magic Defense) : This lowers the magic damage received by the unit.

Rivalry Stats

• Crit DMG Boost : Boosts the critical damage in Rivalry Mode. When your unit lands a critical hit, the damage multiplier is adjusted based on the difference between your unit’s Crit DMG Boost and the opponent’s Crit DMG DEF. Normally, the multiplier is 150%, but this can vary between 120% and 300%, changing by 1% for each point of difference.
• Crit DMG DEF : Enhances critical damage defense in Rivalry Mode. When your unit takes a critical hit, the damage multiplier is modified by the difference between the attacker’s Crit DMG Boost and your unit’s Crit DMG DEF, starting at a default of 150% and ranging between 120% and 300%, shifting by 1% per point of difference.
• Energy Regen Reduction : Increases energy regeneration reduction in Rivalry Mode. For each point in this stat, the target’s energy recovery is lessened by 1% when they take damage from your unit.
• Energy Regen On Hit : Boosts energy regeneration on hit in Rivalry Mode. Each point in this stat increases your unit’s energy recovery by 1% when they receive damage.
• Debuff Focus : Enhances debuff focus in Rivalry Mode. Each point in this stat extends the duration of most debuffs your unit applies by 1%.
• Resilience : Increases resilience in Rivalry Mode. Each point in this stat cuts down the duration of most debuffs inflicted on your unit by 1%.
• DMG Boost : Boosts damage in Rivalry Mode. The damage multiplier for your unit is calculated by the difference between their DMG Boost and the target’s DMG Reduction. The default multiplier is 100%, with each point of difference altering it by 1%.
• DMG Reduction : Enhances damage reduction in Rivalry Mode. When your unit takes damage, the damage multiplier is determined by the difference between the attacker’s DMG Boost and your unit’s DMG Reduction. The default multiplier is 100%, changing by 1% for every point of difference.

Offensive Stats:

• ATK SPD (Attack Speed) : Each point increases the unit’s normal attack frequency and attack animation speed by 1%.
• Crit : The unit’s crit rate when dealing damage is determined by the difference between its Crit and the target’s Crit Resist. Each point above the target’s Crit Resist boosts the unit’s crit rate by 1%.
• Haste : Each point in Haste boosts the frequency of the unit’s normal attacks and skills, as well as the attack animation speed, by 1%.
• DEF Penetration : Every point allows the unit to ignore 1% of the target’s Phys DEF and Magic DEF when dealing damage.
• Execution : Increases damage dealt by 1% to targets with HP below 50% for every point in Execution.
• Crit DMG Boost : The critical damage multiplier for critical hits is based on the difference between the unit’s Crit DMG and the target’s Crit DMG DEF, ranging from 120% to 300%, with the default being 150%. Each point of difference adjusts the multiplier by 1%.

Defensive Stats:

• Vitality : Each point increases the effectiveness of received shields and healing, including self-heals, by 1%.
• Life Drain : Restores HP equal to 1% of the actual damage dealt for every point in Life Drain.
• Crit Resist : When receiving damage, the crit rate is based on the difference between the attacker’s Crit and the unit’s Crit Resist. Each point above the unit’s Crit Resist raises the attacker’s crit rate by 1%.
• Ranged DEF : Each point in Ranged DEF reduces damage from non-adjacent enemies by 1%.
• Crit DMG DEF : When receiving critical damage, the critical damage multiplier is adjusted by the difference between the attacker’s Crit DMG and the unit’s Crit DMG DEF, with a range of 120% to 300% and a default of 150%. Each point of difference alters the multiplier by 1%.
• Healing : Each point boosts the effectiveness of the unit’s shields and healing (including self-heals) by 1%.
• Assistance : Every point extends the duration of most buffs provided by the unit by 1%.
• Energy Regen on Hit : Increases the unit’s energy recovery by 1% for each point when the unit takes damage.
• Debuff Focus : Each point lengthens the duration of most debuffs inflicted by the unit by 1%.
• Resilience : For every point, the duration of most debuffs on the unit is reduced by 1%.
• Proficiency : If the unit’s Proficiency is lower than the enemy’s level, the effectiveness of some of the unit’s skills is diminished.

In AFK Journey, focusing on key stats is essential for optimizing your team’s performance. The importance of each stat may vary depending on your playstyle, the specific heroes you’re using, and the challenges you’re facing. However, here are some universally crucial stats to pay attention to:

• HP (Health Points) : Ensures your heroes can withstand damage and stay in battle longer. Especially important for frontline and tank heroes.
• ATK (Attack) : Directly increases the damage output of your heroes, crucial for dealing significant damage to enemies.
• Phys DEF (Physical Defense) and Magic DEF (Magic Defense) : Reduces incoming physical and magical damage, respectively. Essential for all heroes to improve their survivability.
• Crit and Crit DMG Boost : These stats are vital for damage-focused heroes as they significantly increase the damage output through critical hits.
• Energy Regen on Hit and Haste : Important for heroes whose effectiveness relies on frequently using their skills. These stats help in quicker energy accumulation and skill deployment.
• Healing and Assistance : For support heroes, these stats enhance their ability to heal and buff allies, making them more effective in their roles.
• Debuff Focus and Resilience : Important for controlling the flow of the battle. Debuff Focus extends the negative effects on enemies, while Resilience reduces the duration of such effects on your heroes.
• Life Drain : A great stat for sustainability in battle, allowing heroes to recover health as they deal damage.
• Proficiency : Ensures your hero’s skills are as effective as possible against higher-level enemies.

Balancing these stats based on your team composition and the challenges you face in the game will lead to a more effective and successful gameplay experience in AFK Journey.

Enter the Esperia open 3D world, collect heroes, form your own teams, optimize strategies, defeat the enemies, and get idle rewards daily in AFK Journey (AFK Arena 2).

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Avoid battery draining and play multiple accounts at once effortlessly, even while working!

Play AFK Journey on PC & Mac

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Download now, what is the heroes journey.

You heard a voice cry out to you from the void… It was a familiar voice that beckoned your return… And return you must… stronger than ever…

From the minds that brought you Retribution and Pyrelight

The Heroes’ Journey is a new spin on an old classic. Aiming to give players the chance to relive some of their fondest memories as the heroes they once were. Only this time instead of being bound to a single class path, players may choose to walk three paths at the same time, attaining incredible power through thousands of AAs, spells, and disciplines while personally progressing through each expansions seeking out Awakened and Radiant versions of their favorite gear.

Seamless Multiclassing

Sure, your Warrior was tanky, but why not be your own holy trinity? Playing with a friend? Be everything your group is missing.

Enhanced Loot

Yes, we still have your favorite pixels, but now those pixels come in three rarities of increasing power.

Class Defining AA

Don’t wait four expansions for your favorite class to get good. Each class starts with AA allowing them to immediately fulfill their role.

Personal Progression

While some expansions won’t be available right away, YOU must prove your worth in order to progress.

Finding an epic piece of gear is great, unless you can’t use it. Hoard your pixels and trade them for what you want!

Increased Spawn Rate

Waiting for named to spawn can be a drag. It’s a good thing most spawns have been cut down to just over ten minutes.

Discovery Based Fast Travel

Throughout your journey you may find shimmering rune circles on the ground. Your discoveries will allow you to quickly return.

Solo Box with No MQ

No need to box. Just you, your epic class choices, and your friends. No need for MQ, either, as your map comes packed with awesome.

Start The Journey

Join hundreds of heroes just like you!

Be a hero again! Start your journey today!

• [email protected]

The Hero’s Journey in Elden Ring: Playing a Video Game Epic

• November 19, 2023

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Playing the hero's journey in elden ring.

In the realm of gaming, Elden Ring has emerged as a potent symbol of the intertwining of personal growth and gaming experiences. Now let’s shed light on the profound connection between playing the Hero’s Journey in Elden Ring and mental resilience. At first glance, Elden Ring may just be another challenging action role-playing game, but dig deeper and you’ll find it’s a canvas for players to project, confront, and overcome their inner demons, effectively becoming a tool for fostering mental resilience. The game’s demanding landscape, relentless enemies, and cryptic narrative serve to push players beyond their comfort zones, testing and strengthening their resolve in the face of adversity. The journey of the Tarnished, the player’s avatar in Elden Ring, mirrors our struggles in life, echoing the message that victory is sweeter when it’s hard-earned. Stay with us as we delve into the psychological underpinnings of Elden Ring and its potent impact on players’ mental resilience.

Finding Lore to Construct the Journey

In Elden Ring, the game’s lore offers a rich tapestry of narratives that weave a complex world, teeming with mystery and intrigue. The lore of Elden Ring, often cryptic and obscured, challenges players to piece together the game’s vast history and mythology from fragments of information scattered throughout the Lands Between. This lore is not only the backbone of the game’s narrative but also its diverse and memorable characters, formidable enemies, and enigmatic locations, all contributing to the immersive experience. The game’s deep and intricate lore fosters an engrossing environment that keeps players captivated and eager to explore, learn, and conquer. In the following segments, we will delve into the intricacies of Elden Ring’s lore, exploring its significance and how it shapes the player’s journey.

Elden Ring leverages minimal dialogues interspersed with world exploration to deliver its story, a unique brand of storytelling that adds intrigue to the player’s journey. With fewer dialogues, the game compels players to explore the expansive landscapes, encouraging investigation and interpretation of the environment to understand the plot. This exploration-based narrative style allows players to unearth the story at their own pace, making each discovery feel rewarding and personal. From deciphering cryptic messages inscribed on ancient ruins, to confronting and interpreting the silent yet expressive body language of non-player characters, the player becomes an active protagonist in unveiling the story. This method of storytelling enhances the intrigue, making the narrative of Elden Ring a puzzle that the player solves by engaging with the world and its minimalistic dialogues.

Elden Ring’s challenging and meditative journey resonates profoundly with our individual quests through life. We are often confronted with insurmountable obstacles, much like the relentless enemies and cryptic landscapes in Elden Ring. These challenges can feel daunting and sometimes, even impossible to overcome. But, just as in the game, it is our persistence, resilience, and willingness to learn from failure that eventually lead us towards our goals. Elden Ring’s punishing difficulty thus becomes a metaphor for life’s trials, encouraging us to thrive in the face of adversity. We grow stronger with each setback, building our resilience and evolving in our journey, a testament to our enduring spirit. In this way, playing Elden Ring becomes more than just a pastime. It becomes a personal journey of growth and self-discovery, echoing the undying human spirit to persevere and triumph over life’s adversities.

Exploring the Monomyth and Its Influence on Elden Ring

The Monomyth, also known as the Hero’s Journey, is a narrative structure that traces its roots back to the work of noted scholar Joseph Campbell. In his seminal work “The Hero with a Thousand Faces”, Campbell outlined a recurring pattern in stories from diverse cultures and periods of history. This pattern, the Monomyth, typically features three phases: Departure, Initiation, and Return. In the Departure stage, the hero is called to an adventure, often leaving the familiar world behind. The Initiation stage sees the hero face various trials and obstacles, progressively gaining wisdom, skills, and often, an important artifact or knowledge. Finally, in the Return stage, the hero comes back to their ordinary world, transformed and bearing gifts, either tangible or intangible, that often benefit others. This universal template has had a profound influence on storytelling, influencing a myriad of authors and filmmakers, and as we will discuss shortly, game developers like those behind Elden Ring.

The Hero’s Journey in Elden Ring plays an integral role in driving player engagement. By structuring the game narrative around this universal pattern, developers create a profoundly relatable and immersive journey that resonates with players on a deep, psychological level. The familiar stages of Departure, Initiation, and Return mirror the personal growth and self-discovery that players experience within the game. As they navigate challenges and adversities, much like the hero in the Monomyth, players develop resilience and problem-solving skills, fostering a sense of accomplishment and empowerment. This connection between the Monomyth and player engagement effectively transforms the gaming experience into a deeply personal and emotionally enriching journey.

Elden Ring’s vast and intricate map is punctuated by a myriad of boss encounters, each presenting a unique challenge requiring strategic thought and skillful execution. These boss fights, often intimidating and brutal, serve as milestones in the player’s journey. They test the skills learned and honed through exploration of the expansive map, pushing players to adapt and overcome. The diverse environments within the map, from crumbling ruins to lush landscapes, hide clues and lore that can give insightful strategies for these encounters. Such a design ensures that exploration isn’t just a leisurely activity, but a critical part of the player’s progression. The amalgamation of exploration and combat in Elden Ring brilliantly illustrates the game’s core design philosophy, emphasizing the player’s immersion, adaptability, and constant learning.

Just as the interpretation of the Monomyth is an integral part of understanding the story structure and progression in Elden Ring, so too is the interpretation of the game’s mechanics and gameplay elements. These mechanisms—ranging from combat systems to character progression—are not merely tools for player progression but also serve as narrative devices that further enrich and contextualize the story. For example, the unique mechanic of character death and resurrection offers not only a gameplay challenge but also serves as a metaphor for personal growth and resilience, aligning with the themes of the Monomyth. The gameplay elements, much like the narrative, are designed to prompt players to experiment, adapt, and learn, further enhancing the connection between the player’s journey and the Hero’s Journey depicted in the game. This duality of gameplay and narrative interpretation ensures that every element within Elden Ring contributes to the player’s immersion and the game’s rich, layered story, creating a truly holistic gaming experience.

Finding Yourself in the Danger of Combat

The combat system in Elden Ring is a vital component that aids in fostering a sense of confidence and learning through a process of trial and error, and experimentation. With each encounter, the player is encouraged to explore and understand the unique behaviors and attack patterns of their adversaries, a process that may entail numerous failed attempts. Yet, it is through these failures that learning occurs, and with each defeat comes increased knowledge and refined strategy. The game rewards those who persevere, who adapt their tactics, and who aren’t afraid to experiment with different approaches. Over time, the player transforms from a novice to an adept warrior, capable of overcoming even the most formidable foes. This growth is not just represented in statistical improvements, but palpable in the increased confidence and mastery of the player, reflecting the heart of Elden Ring’s design philosophy: the celebration of learning, resilience, and the triumph over adversity.

Elden Ring’s complex combat system encourages not just a physical but a psychological exploration. Each battle serves as a mirror into the player’s psyche, revealing traits of patience, adaptability, and resilience. With every failed attempt and subsequent retry, players uncover layers of their determination and tenacity, fueling personal growth that parallels their character’s progression within the game. Foes in Elden Ring aren’t just physical obstacles to overcome; they represent personal fears, insecurities, and challenges that players confront and surmount. This intimate interplay between combat and psychological exploration redefines the gaming experience, transforming it from a simple pastime into a profound journey of self-discovery.

The dynamic interplay of bravery and fear underpins the Hero’s Journey in Elden Ring. In the face of seemingly insurmountable foes and brutal mechanics, fear is an initial, inevitable response. This fear can manifest as hesitation, second-guessing, and even avoidance of specific challenges within the game. However, it is this very fear that serves as the catalyst for bravery. Each bout of fear confronted and surmounted fosters bravery within the player, pushing them to confront their trepidations head-on and persevere in the face of adversity. This transformation from fear to bravery is mirrored in the player’s growing confidence as they navigate through Elden Ring. As players overcome their fears, they develop faith in their abilities, evolving from wary explorers to confident warriors. Thus, in Elden Ring, fear is not the antithesis of bravery, but rather its progenitor.

The Heroic Journey Using Open World Exploration

The heroic journey and open-world exploration are deeply intertwined in Elden Ring, creating an engaging and immersive gameplay experience. The game’s open-world exploration encourages players to forge their own path, allowing the Hero’s Journey in Elden Ring to emphasize self-determination and discovery. As players traverse the vast landscape, encountering diverse landscapes and formidable foes, they engage in their own heroic journey, meeting challenges and overcoming obstacles much like the protagonists of traditional myths. Each victory, regardless of its scale, marks a step forward in their personal story, reinforcing the idea that the journey matters just as much as the destination. In this way, Elden Ring masterfully combines the allure of open-world exploration with the narrative depth of the Hero’s Journey, offering players a gaming experience that is both challenging and emotionally resonant.

In Elden Ring, the use of Runes and Stat building offer another layer of player growth and transformation. Runes, the in-game currency, are used to enhance a player’s abilities and stats, allowing for the customization and development of the player’s character to suit their preferred playstyle. As players navigate the world of Elden Ring, they accumulate runes and must make strategic decisions on how to allocate these resources, effectively shaping their character’s growth and evolution. The decisions, whether to emphasize strength for melee combat, dexterity for agile maneuvers, or intelligence for magical abilities, are not just mechanical choices but also reflect the player’s personal journey of becoming their version of the hero. As such, rune use and stat building become integral elements of the player’s transformative journey, highlighting Elden Ring’s commitment to intertwining gameplay and personal growth.

Confronting personal demons is another aspect of gameplay that Elden Ring masterfully integrates into the player’s journey. In the game, personal demons aren’t just metaphorical; they manifest as formidable adversaries, puzzles, or intimidating environments. This aspect pushes players to confront the psychological aspects of their fears, hesitation, and self-doubt. Every conquered adversary, solved puzzle, or traversed environment symbolizes an internal battle won, a personal demon vanquished. This integral part of gameplay resonates deeply with players, as they witness their avatar overcoming challenges that mirror their personal struggles. Thus, Elden Ring transforms gameplay into a powerful medium for self-reflection and personal growth, further blurring the line between the player and their in-game character.

The Stages of the Hero's Journey as a Structure of Elden Ring

In Elden Ring, the theme of resurrection and the call to adventure are intrinsically interwoven into the player’s journey. Resurrection, represented by the player’s ability to respawn after defeat, echoes the timeless archetype of rebirth, signifying not just a second chance, but a renewed opportunity for growth and learning. More than a simple gameplay mechanic, it underscores the game’s underpinning philosophy of resilience and continuous improvement. The call to adventure, on the other hand, is embodied in the game’s open-world exploration. Players are not merely presented with a predetermined path to follow; instead, they are given the freedom to choose their own course, confront fears, overcome obstacles, and learn from failures along the way. This call to adventure cultivates a sense of autonomy and personal investment in the player’s journey, enhancing the resonance of their successes and the impact of their growth. Thus, through the interplay of resurrection and the call to adventure, Elden Ring manages to transform conventional gameplay elements into profound metaphors for personal development and self-discovery.

In Elden Ring, the concept of Separation from Easy Success is effectively implemented in the gameplay. This phase marks an important transition for players, as the game immediately ramps up its difficulty, challenging players to rise above their comfort zones. The early stages of the game may provide some quick tips and easy victories. However, as they first cross the threshold into the game’s expansive world and face increasingly formidable foes, these victories become fewer and far between. This Initiation is not a mere increase in difficulty; it signifies a meaningful separation from the initial comfort of easy rewards in other games and a requirement to push toward growth and resilience. It serves as a reminder that true growth often comes from struggle and perseverance and that every setback is an opportunity for learning and self-improvement. This phase, while challenging, is crucial in preparing players for the demanding journey ahead, further enhancing the game’s narrative of personal growth and self-discovery.

As players progress in Elden Ring, they become more comfortable as they begin to recognize and align with the acceptance and initiation stages of the monomyth, or Hero’s Journey. Acceptance is manifested when players fully embrace the challenges presented by the game, acknowledging that the struggle is a cornerstone of their journey, rather than a deterrent. This acceptance marks the transition from mere engagement to a deeper connection with the gaming experience. The Road of Trials stage, on the other hand, is embodied in the player’s continual growth and skill acquisition. As they master new strategies, conquer foes, and uncover the secrets of the game world, they are effectively initiated into the intricate lore and mechanics of Elden Ring. This alignment with the Hero’s Journey stages enhances their immersion, turning the game into an intensely personal journey of growth, resilience, and self-discovery.

In-depth Look at Game's Metaphorical Crucible

In Elden Ring, the exploration of player vulnerability adds a unique dimension to the gaming experience. The game cleverly exposes players to situations that reveal their weaknesses, whether it be a particular combat scenario or a difficult puzzle. These moments are not designed to discourage players; rather, they serve as pivotal points for self-reflection and improvement. The game encourages players to examine their failures, understand their shortcomings, and build strategies to overcome them. This exploration of vulnerability transcends the digital realm of the game, impacting the players on a personal level. It nudges them to embrace their imperfections in real life and view them not as unchangeable flaws, but as opportunities for growth and development. As such, Elden Ring skillfully intertwines gameplay with introspective experiences, reinforcing its overarching narrative of personal growth and self-discovery.

In Elden Ring, the acceptance of failure is intrinsically woven into the gameplay, fostering a mindset of resilience and continuous self-improvement. Players are confronted with a series of intricate challenges, where each failure acts not as a roadblock, but as a stepping stone towards success. The game’s design encourages players to learn from their mistakes, adjust their strategies, and approach challenges with renewed resolve. This acceptance of failure is more than a game mechanic; it’s a metaphorical lesson that translates to real-life scenarios. Players are conditioned to view failure not as a dead-end, but as a learning opportunity, fostering an attitude of perseverance and growth. Thus, Elden Ring goes beyond providing an immersive gaming experience, imparting valuable life skills, and instilling a growth mindset in its players.

Discussion on Open-World Experience of the Lands Between

In Elden Ring, the achievement of a ‘Good Enough’ mentality is a significant milestone for players. It fosters a mindset that appreciates incremental progress rather than absolute perfection. Players are encouraged to accept that not every enemy has to be defeated on the first try, and not every secret needs to be unearthed immediately. This mentality promotes patience and resilience, as players learn to appreciate each step of their journey, no matter how small it may seem. It shifts the focus from end goals to the process of growth and exploration, allowing players to derive satisfaction from their gradual progression and personal improvement. Thus, Elden Ring excellently integrates the ‘Good Enough’ mentality into its gameplay, transforming it into a valuable life lesson about celebrating small victories and appreciating the journey rather than just the destination.

The completion of the Tarnished cycle and ascension to becoming the Elden Lord mark the culmination of the player’s journey in Elden Ring. It is a symbolic transformation that signifies not only the mastery of the game’s mechanics but also the personal growth and resilience developed along the journey. Players, once tarnished and relatively powerless, rise through trials and tribulations to claim the title of Elden Lord, embodying the game’s narrative arc of starting from humble beginnings to reach significant accomplishments. This climactic event is more than a title; it’s the embodiment of the skills, lessons, and experiences gathered throughout the journey. It serves as a testament to the player’s growth, perseverance, and determination, mirroring the real-life concept that success is born from continuous effort and resilience. Thus, in Elden Ring, becoming the Elden Lord is a powerful metaphor for personal achievement and self-discovery, further emphasizing the game’s underlying narrative of personal growth.

Elden Ring’s impact extends far beyond mere entertainment. It masterfully blends gameplay with valuable life lessons, effectively turning a digital experience into a journey of personal growth and self-discovery. The game’s intricate design encourages players to embrace vulnerability, accept failure, and appreciate incremental progress, thereby fostering a resilient and growth-oriented mindset. These lessons resonate deeply with players, extending beyond the confines of the game to influence their real-life attitudes and behaviors. By integrating such profound themes into its narrative and gameplay, Elden Ring transcends the traditional boundaries of video games, offering not only an immersive gaming experience but also a platform for personal development and introspective exploration.

Elden Ring goes beyond conventional gaming narratives by encouraging continuous exploration and introspection. While players navigate the vast, open world of the Lands Between, they are subtly nudged to delve into their own internal landscape. Each challenge and puzzle in the game presents an opportunity not just for the exploration of the game’s universe, but for personal self-examination. Players are encouraged to question their strategies, confront their weak points, and reflect upon their progress, thus facilitating personal growth. In essence, the game serves as a mirror, reflecting players’ resilience, adaptability, and determination. As such, Elden Ring is more than a gaming experience; it is a metaphorical journey of introspection, consistently urging players to reflect, learn, and evolve.

Thank you for joining me in this exploration of the psychological journey through Elden Ring. If you’ve enjoyed this and are interested in more content like this, remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel and share your thoughts in the comments. I read all of them.

Until next time, may you endure the stories that matter to you, and uncover new dimensions within yourself. And as always, Continue The Journey.

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Campbell, J. (1949). The hero with a thousand faces. New World Library.

Kaufmann, D. (2023). Turning Runes Into Strength: How the Journey of the Tarnished Teaches Us to Achieve the Impossible. In A. Bean (Ed.), The Psychology of Elden Ring. Leyline Publishing, Inc.

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Player Archetypes — Using the Hero’s Journey as a Framework

In previous blog posts, we’ve been exploring the various player types and how they fit into a game or gamified environment. If haven’t read Parts  One ,  Two ,  Three  and  Four  on Bartle’s player types, then I do highly recommend it.

In general, the four-player type from Bartle is maybe a little too limited. Also using it an arbitrarily labeling people with just four types isn’t useful, especially if the environment you gamify and the audience you attract shows very little of the specifics of any of the 4 player types.

The other issue is that the many player type models don’t take into an individual or users journey through the environment and the experiences they may have. These two concepts always seem to be separated from each other.

I believe that the journey and the player type should be brought together. Only through such a method can we expand the player and create a larger functioning thesis around how to approach each one.

We’ll stick with the basic concept of 3 player types for this, but we will add 4 stages to each journey, so in the end, we will have a total of 12 player types. The stages are split into 4 following the ideas of Kevin Warbach and Yu-Kai Chou, of Discovery, Onboarding, Scaffolding and Master/Endgame respectively. Though I won’t be naming them as such but will rather follow a naming convention closer to Joseph Campbells “Hero Journey”. The Hero journey does consist of only 3 stages, but we will be expanding the second stage with the help of K. Warbach and Y.K. Chou.

The goal is that a narrative flow can be combined with a step by step process that highlights certain psychological archetypes within an experience. The archetypes that we’ll be using will be based upon Carl Jung’s work on  archetypes  and how they are split across the various states of being, from the Ego to the Soul to the Self. Hopefully, with such an expanded framework it will be easier for you to plot experiences and journeys for your users.

The start of the journey and your players

What you will learn in this piece is specifically:

• A new set of player types and their labels, along with how they view what type of experiences they desire.
• How the various player types fit into the 4 stages of an experiential journey.
• What the 4 stages of an experiential journey entail how they fit within the Jungian archetypal psychology and the pervasive narrative experience of Campbell’s the hero’s journey.

With this knowledge, you should hopefully overcome the problem of having a split understanding of the user and the journey. With any luck, you will gain a better grasp of spotting and highlighting certain personality traits on your users in the various stages of your narrative experience. Though this isn’t a be all, end all model, but as with others it should add another framework to your arsenal, and I hope one that can be used to offer better context for the various parts floating around.

If you wish to add other models or frameworks or feel you would like to explore them in greater depth than as mentioned the most famous, and probably most widely used theory/model is  Bartle’s Player Types , which splits people into four categories: Achiever, Explorer, Socializer, Killer. There are also other  variations ,  expansions , and  additions  to this model, along with others from Lazzaro, Callois, Kersey, and other psychometric tests, many of which are explored in detail in this  Gamasutra article .

The “Hero’s Journey” as a conceptual framework

The best course of action to describe the proposed framework is start with the 3 stages of the hero’s journey and the 3 categories of Jung’s archetypes. We’ll then describe the various “player” types to each stage of the journey and how those types view that stage. Joseph Campbell split his journey into 3 stages; The Departure, The Initiation, and The Return. For the purposes of understanding this setup, The Initiation will be split into 2 between the Onboarding and Scaffolding stages. The Onboarding can be argued to flow into the Departure section but it fits more comfortably into the Initiation.

Jung’s archetypes as found in each stage of the Hero’s Journey

The first of Campbell’s stages is called The Departure, and Jung’s archetypes that are most connected to this stage are the ones that we find in the category of the Ego. The rationale behind this is that the start of the journey is always a personal choice. It’s about ourselves and how we wish to move through the world. Another interpretation of the Ego is the Shadow.

From this perspective, the Ego is both what we want and what we deny at the same time. This fits well with the initial stage, as with Campbell’s breakdown of the Departure, there is a moment where the player either accepts the Call, what we want, and where the player refuses the Call, where we deny.

Within the  Ego archetype category , we naturally have the Hero type, the Citizen, the Innocent and the Caregiver.

• Hero : The hero has a deep desire to prove themselves and their worth. They wish to show that they are the best. The purpose of their journey is to be the absolute master and the one that has achieved everything possible. In Bartle’s 4 player type the Hero can be related to the Achiever and the Killer to a lesser extent.
• Citizen : The Citizen is the quintessential Socialiser type. They wish to connect with everyone and see everyone as their equals. Their journey is one of mutual understanding and spreading of knowledge gathered at every chance.
• Innocent : The Innocent wishes to reach a state of contentment. They want to find a utopian state of peace and understanding. And the way they can achieve this is by gaining more personal knowledge. Their end goal is simply to be happier than they are now.
• Caregiver : Similar to the Citizen, the Caregiver is a Socialiser, but unlike the Citizen that wants a broader connection, the Caregiver wishes for very specific connections. They will often go on the journey because a friend or family member is on one as well, and they feel an intrinsic need to help that person. The other reason they often have to go on the journey is to gain knowledge that can aid their own family and community, rather than something that will aid society as a whole.

The second stage is the Initiation, and the archetype category connected to this is the Soul. The Soul is better understood from the perspective of Jung’s collective unconscious. The Soul is split into 2 forms, the Female Anima and the Male Animus. The gender split is arbitrary and Jung simply used it to describe the difference between one being active and the other being passive. So, a better labeling would be to say the Passive Anima and the Active Animus.

Within the  Soul archetype category , we have player types that act upon other players and act upon the world, if we grab the splits from Bartle. This better shows us the difference between the active type and the passive type respectively. The types are: Outlaw, Creator, Explorer, and Lover.

• Outlaw : This person will test and challenge the system and journey you create. They are both positive and a negative influence. Testing the journey’s means that you can improve it but they can also become detrimental to others on the journey. This type is closest to the Killer player type, as their actions can disrupt other players. Though their overall disruption should be curtailed if there are enough Hero’s, Citizen’s, Caregivers and Lovers in the environment.
• Creator : This individual is most common and most required for the final stage, the endgame, but they tend to appear in their first incarnation during the Initiation stage. Much like the Outlaw, Creators will try to understand and test the system they are in, but rather than disrupt it, they will want to create and add to it. For that reason, they are the ones that need to be given a push during the Initiation stage, so that they can reflect upon what they have experienced thus far and continue in their journey. Rather than stagnate and fall behind.
• Explorer : The Explorer is very much the same as Bartle’s description. They wish to understand everything there is around them and will continue to discover and repeat steps until they have seen and know everything there is. They are necessary for any system to pave the way and reveal to others that the journey does continue and that there are still things worth experiencing.
• Lover : This type is the next evolution of the Caregiver and the Citizen from the Departure stage. The Lover wishes to share what they have experienced on the journey and are essential for the next stage, the Return so that others can learn and benefit from what they, the community and the other user types have discovered, experienced and learned.

The final stage is the Return, and the Jungian archetype category best associated with this is the Self. The reason that Self is at the end is that of “self-discovery”, once a player has gone through everything they should have a greater understanding of themselves and their environment. From Jung’s and Campbell’s perspective, the Return is a stage of re-/birth for the Self, it is a realization of all knowledge gathered and consolidated.

Within this  Soul archetype category , the Jungian archetypes present are the: Ruler, Jester, Magician, and Sage.

• Ruler : The Ruler is the outcome of the Hero type from the Departure stage. The one who undertook the journey for personal achievement and knowledge. The Ruler/Hero is the most likely type that will wish for some sort of proof of their achievements at the end of the journey, a visible acknowledgment to show others their superiority. The Ruler may remain if they feel that the journey will continue somewhere worthwhile. But if there is little to nothing after the “end” then they will drop off instantly in search of a new journey.
• Jester : This type values freedom and creativity above all else. The Jester is often the one that will joke and make light in the community. They may not always offer useful help but add value by being the glue of a community. The Jester brings people together and shares with them the joy of their experiences.
• Magician : The Magician is the visionary type, they are the continuation of the Creator, and they will create and add to the journey once they feel that they have mastered the content. These are the most valuable types to have in your endgame and are needed along with the Sage to aid in creating worthwhile experiences and the longevity of your journey.
• Sage : This particular player type continues on with their knowledge journey of self-discovery and adding knowledge to their repertoire as they move onwards. They will need to be pushed at times to add this knowledge to the wider community. But they are essential as thought leaders within the community, as without them no new findings would be discovered or new areas explored.

The Journey of the archetypes

Now that you understand how and what each archetype is within the 3 stages of the Hero’s journey, let’s break it down further by incorporating Werbach’s and Chou’s player journey into those 3 stages. To remind you, Warbach and Chou divided the player’s journey into 4 stages respectively: (Discovery,) Onboarding, Scaffolding, and Mastery/Endgame.

We’re going to expand those 4 even further, using Campbell’s description of how each his 3 stages are subdivided into even smaller steps. If you wish to use this concept then you can stay the higher levels and divide your journey into 3 stages, or drop down and divide it into 4 stages, or go even further into detail and divide into the following 17 sections. Quite an increase, so I would suggest only going that deep if required when creating, for analysis the 3 or 4 stage models are easier.

So, let’s begin with Stage 1:  The Call , where the player learns about the journey and departs upon it.

Campbell’s labeling for the 5 subsections are as follows:

1.  The Call to Adventure : This is the Discovery phase. Information and/or an indication of a worthwhile journey appears out of the unknown, calling the player to out and journey into the unknown. This is the trigger stage, either achieved through advertising, reviews, recommendations, word of mouth, etc…

2.  The Refusal of the Call : When the information and/or indication appears, the player is often hesitant, after all, it came out of the unknown. The player will wish to delay or ignore. A stronger is then needed, one that motivates on the short term. The call must then have a sense of urgency, exclusivity, and scarcity. The player must feel that they are losing out if they don’t answer the Call.

3.  Supernatural Aid : Engaging with the content needs to be easy for the player. Therefore having “magic helpers” along the way to aid them is essential. These can be seen as hints, extra’s, time extensions, any mechanic that briefly helps them in the right direction.

4.  (Crossing) The First Threshold : This is the first test for the player. Here they come across a challenge that is known as the “threshold guardian”, and it is a test to see whether they are willing and able to continue on their journey. The test should be enticing enough that the player wants to continue but challenging enough that it convinces them they are capable of continuing.

5.  (Belly of) The Whale : This is the voluntary acceptance by the player to continue on the journey. After the previous “test” the player will come to realize that the journey is difficult but worth taking. This is an important moment because if it is not a voluntary choice, then the experience will not be effective. It is the act of walking through the “temple” doors to the awaited reward and knowledge promised.

The following stage is Stage 2:  The Initiation , this stage is split into 2 phases, the Onboarding phase, and the Scaffolding phase. Here the player is initiated and taught what the challenges are and how they work. Then more is built upon that knowledge so that they are properly prepared to face a final test and continue on to higher levels.

Campbell’s labeling of the 6 subsections are as follows:

(The Onboarding Phase)

1.  The Road of Trials : This is the stage where the Epic-Fail and a sense of eustress will first appear. The “world” of the journey will test the player, and they will and should fail. But the Fail must be Epic enough that the player will try again. If the player fails too often, the “magic helper” can add in again to subtly aid them to a win, because the player must not be dissuaded from continuing at this point. From here on out the player will plunge fully into your content, they must feel empowered, gain accomplishments and have a sense of unpredictability as each challenge surprises them.

2.  The Meeting (with the Goddess) : Despite the naming of this stage, it is best understood as the moment the player is introduced to or prompted to start/join the community who are also on the journey. Here you see the motivator of relatedness, to care about others. This feeling of community is essential in adding context for the player.

3.  The Temptress : As the final stage of the Onboarding phase, this is a crucial one to help the player move along to the next phase. Once they have reached this step they may feel semi-empowered enough to think that the journey is fulfilling enough as it is. The initial victories in the trials and being part of the community feel pretty good and can let a player stagnate in an area that is easy for them. Here the player needs to be forcefully reminded through fast positive feedback that the journey continues and that greater rewards lie ahead.

(The Scaffolding Phase)

1.  The Atonement (with the Father) : In this stage, the player faces their first extreme challenge. As the player has been pushed to continue and has learned from their previous trials, here they must finally learn to fully incorporate that knowledge. The first “Boss” encounter as it was. Though receiving aid and allowing to retry (within finite amounts of time, i.e.: can only retry once a day, for example, this mechanic of scarcity makes the challenge worthwhile), should warrant the gravity and level of challenge to this stage. Once the player wins, the win must be sufficiently Epic to motivate continuation.

2.  Apotheosis : Here the player is given a moment to rest and reflect once they have successfully overcome the previous challenge. This can take the form of reviewing what they have done and to discuss with others in the community.

3.  The Ultimate Boon : Once the player has shown their understanding and has reflected upon the experience, they are given the “level up” moment. The player now moves on to the next stage of the journey. This can be done by giving an achievement, badge, etc…A virtual good that represents what they have achieved, like adding chevrons on a soldier’s uniform. The player is endowed with a sense of owning their experience.

The final stage, Stage 3:  The Return , this is where the player has mastered the content and come to the endgame area of the journey. You as a creator are able to loop the initiation phase so that the player does come to the final stage too quickly, or higher-level content can be placed in the various sections of the final stage.

Campbell’s labeling of the final 6 sub-sections are:

1.   Refusal of the Return : Much like the “the Temptress” section, this is one to be vigilant of. The Epic Win may cause the player to feel an abundance of empowerment and accomplishment and feel that they have learned and/or experienced all they need. Here fast and strong positive feedback is required yet again. And also, a glimpse of what lies ahead if the player continues their journey. This stage also links in with the next step to allow for the continued loop of the journey if you choose to incorporate one.

2.  The Magic Flight : Here the player is required to use the knowledge and the “booster” reward (to borrow a term from Y.K. Chou) from their “Ultimate Boon” section to continue the journey. As the experience requires continuation to increase in knowledge, the player can be diverted back to the “Road of Trials” but on a higher difficulty, so that the challenges are harder and so that they can learn more and achieve more. Once they have achieved enough in the journey, the following steps will aid them to move to the Endgame stage.

3.  Rescue from Without : Here the player must be given the opportunity (pushed if needed) to receive and deliver feedback to the community. Engagement with society is paramount at this point. This will hopefully also strengthen the bond of knowledge transference to those starting out on the journey. The community must also be pushed to request knowledge transfer from the player so that it becomes a natural cycle for those that follow.

4.  The Crossing of the Return Threshold : This section is the effective consequence of the previous one for the player. Here the player is sharing the knowledge, and overcoming the pride of being the sole individual to possess that knowledge. The player will be coming across novices and must navigate how best to share their knowledge without being arrogant and without giving the novices an easy path. The previous 3 steps are repeatable stages in the Endgame that incorporate the Onboarding and Scaffolding phases but at a higher level. For example, in an MMORPG, this would be similar to zones of where players move from a zone for level 1–10 (novice stage) to the zone for 10–20 (veteran stage), and so forth. The following sections are when they’ve reached the max level of 100 and require true Endgame content to remain within the journey you’ve created.

5.  Master of Two Worlds : A level of mastery is achieved by the player. They have reached the end of the main learning journey and have mastered enough to warrant the status of a true “Master”. Here the player must be given the freedom to return to previous stages to learn and understand better what they have experienced and also be given a more long-term goal of knowledge gathering and dissemination to the overall community.

6.  Freedom to Live : Here the player has become a “Visionary”, on par with you the creator of the journey. They are now a thought leader and are creating and adding to the journey themselves and for themselves. Thereby expanding the experience for all those who come after them. Hopefully, the player finds it more beneficial to work in aiding the community and be on a journey of self-discovery, rather than give up and leave. This final stage is the most difficult in retention, as it is left to entirely intrinsic and altruistic motivations, rather than any extrinsic rewards. The allure of the start of the Call, the epic meaning to go on the journey must reappear here to reaffirm the initial sensation of epic meaning and the inherent social relatedness. The aspect is that if they were to leave then there is a level of loss from what they’ve achieved up to this point, both in the home of where the knowledge is stored, the social bonds created and time invested.

As you can see, each stage and sub-section that has been elaborated upon have a specific purpose in the player’s journey. And using the knowledge of the 12 archetypes and how they can be attributed to each specific stage, phase, and section, you should have enough tools to create an environment of sufficient depth to retain enough players.

At the start, we saw that the common issue was that the player type and the player journey were always completely separated. What I hope has been achieved is that the player types have been expanded enough that there is a recognized archetype for every stage and phase of a journey so that you as the creator can think more accurately around who you wish to attract and how.

The first stage has the call to action, where the player who the regular everyday person, want to be a hero to achieve some emotional, spiritual, intellectual peace and wishes to care and provide for others possibly.

The second stage has the player explore knowledge, undergo trials and tests. Is pushed to understand how to love a community, to share with it. But also to rebel and test the system of the journey. To finally come to the section of fulfilling that main quest and understanding the knowledge gathered.

The final stage has the player either assert them as a true master and ruler of the knowledge gained or is magically creating and adding new knowledge to the community. Here the player can give sage advice to newcomers and joke and laugh with a community they are well and truly a part of.

The end goal is naturally retention, and achieving that, as illustrated in this piece, is done through adding challenge, community and empowering the player to enjoy and create with the knowledge they gain on the journey you have produced.

I hope that this piece has given you some food for thought and helped improve your own methods or at least offered a different viewpoint to consider.

Please do check out the other posts on  æStranger.com , and please do leave a comment or contact us if you have some ideas of your own that you wish to discuss or if you would like to see other topics discussed.

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AFK Journey characters tier list (April 2024)

AFK Journey offers 44 characters for you to use to explore the Story, top the ranks of Dream Realm, or dominate players in PvP. Initially, it seems like the game’s rating of A-Level and S-Level clearly marks the best ones, but it doesn’t. It’s just how hard it is to unlock them.

Mastering AFK Journey is a matter of finding optimal strategies, good offensive and defensive synergies, and assembling the best teams . Some characters have unique skills that give them increased survivability, scaling damage, and consistent healing, making them a menace in most game modes. Based on my experience with AFK Journey , here’s my tier list you can use to prioritize your characters rolls and resource investments to dominate the game’s biggest challenges.

AFK Journey hero tiers explanation

Here’s what each tier means in our AFK Journey tier list below. Journey Commanders (S) is the best tier, while Journey Recruits (D) is the worst.

AFK Journey characters tier list

If you’ve been playing AFK Journey for a while, you might have some doubts about this list. For example, even though Eironn isn’t the best choice for most of the game, the current PvP strategy heavily relies on building a team around him. However, if PvP isn’t your main focus, putting resources into Eironn might not be wise, as there are stronger characters for other parts of the game. This tier list is meant to give you a general idea and guide you on where to direct your investments as you build your collection of heroes and gather resources.

We will keep this story updated as new characters are released and new AFK Journey balance patches come out.

Trending:   Brawl Stars |   Clash of Clans |  Genshin Impact |  Honkai: Star Rail |  Stardew Valley | Warzone Mobile

AFK Journey Heroes Tier List: Best Heroes Ranked (April 2024)

Looking for the best heroes in AFK Journey? Look no further as we delve into our AFK Journey tier list.

AFK Journey  plunges players into the magical world of Esperia, where gods once roamed and magic is a constant companion. Developed by Farlight, this Ethereal Fantasy RPG promises a rich, free-to-play adventure from the outset and garnered  millions of revenue during its launch .

With the game’s strategic depth and diverse cast, knowing which heroes stand out can give you the edge in your quest, so check out our AFK Journey tier list and the best characters ranked to ensure you’re on top.

Check out our AFK Hero Wish List guide  to learn the most optimal heroes to add to the Wish List; you can also learn about  all AFK Journey hero stats , and our  AFK Journey codes  to claim resources for you to use! 

Updated on April 5, 2024: Our AFK Journey tier list ranked characters based on their overall performance from the various game modes that AFK Journey offers.

Engaging in these different modes, players can test their strategic prowess, explore the lore of Esperia, and see their favorite heroes in new lights. Our updated tier list ensures you’re fully prepared to tackle each aspect of the game, making your journey through Esperia as thrilling and rewarding as possible.

AFK Journey Tier List (April 2024)

Embarking on an adventure in Esperia means stepping into a world where strategy and hero synergy are key. Let’s break down the AFK Journey tier list and see who leads the charge.

We also ranked the best heroes in AFK Journey. To skip to that section,  click here .

Note:  While this AFK Journey tier list provides a strategic overview, remember to choose heroes you enjoy and connect with, making your adventure your own.

Best Heroes Ranked in AFK Journey

10. granny dahnie.

Granny Dahnie, a Wilder Tank, stands as a bulwark against the onslaught of enemies with her unique set of abilities designed to absorb energy, reduce haste, and heal her team. Her skills, such as “Threshold of Jade” and “Seed Cannon,” not only disrupt enemy strategies by immobilizing and weakening them but also ensure her team’s longevity through strategic healing and defense buffs.

Granny Dahnie’s ability to control the battlefield and her self-sustain and team-supportive capabilities make her an exceptional tank, particularly valuable for new players navigating the challenges of Esperia. Her prowess in PvP and story quests demonstrates her integral role in securing victories and advancing through AFK Journey’s myriad challenges.

Korin, an A-Level Warrior from the Lightbearer faction, perfectly balances offensive and defensive capabilities. His skill set, including “All-round Tactic” and “Air Strike,” allows him to protect allies with shields, deal significant damage, and disrupt enemy formations. Korin’s ultimate, “Demonseal Spear,” provides crowd control and strategic positioning advantages, making him an invaluable asset in team compositions.

The introduction of his Exclusive Weapon elevates his damage potential, enabling follow-up attacks that deal true damage based on the target’s max HP. Korin’s adaptability and effectiveness in both protecting his team and challenging enemies secure his position as a versatile and valuable warrior in AFK Journey.

Vala, an S-Level Assassin from the Lightbearer faction, excels in versatility and precision strikes thanks to her ability to switch between ranged and melee combat. Her skill “Notice Beforehand” allows her to target enemies strategically, enhancing her energy gain and setting the stage for devastating attacks.

Vala’s “Swift Shift” skill is the centerpiece of her arsenal. It enables her to adapt her attack mode based on the situation, either to stun and deal additional damage from afar or to execute a melee assault for maximum impact. Her Exclusive Weapon further augments her survivability and lethality, making Vala a constant menace on the battlefield. Her agility and tactical depth position Vala as a top-tier assassin capable of outmaneuvering and outlasting her opponents.

Odie distinguishes himself as an A-Level Marksman within the Mauler faction, specializing in sustained single-target damage through his unique Dart Poison mechanic. His ability to consistently apply and enhance this poison effect makes him a persistent threat to high-HP targets, including formidable bosses. Odie’s skills, such as “Natural Hunter” and “Triple Tap,” synergize to rapidly afflict his targets with Dart Poison, setting the stage for his “Corrosive Dart” ultimate to deliver the coup de grâce.

Furthermore, Odie’s Exclusive Weapon, “Heart Crusher,” introduces a lethal execution mechanic that capitalizes on the accumulated damage from Dart Poison, solidifying his role as a premier damage dealer in prolonged fights. His specialized focus on single-target damage and effectiveness in whittling down tanky adversaries make him a valuable asset for any team aiming to conquer the toughest challenges in AFK Journey.

Koko, an A-Level Support from the Mauler faction, redefines the role of a support hero, emphasizing damage reduction and team-wide buffs. Early in the game, her impact might seem muted, but Koko’s value skyrockets as challenges grow. Her “Full Energy” skill not only reduces critical damage to allies but also enhances their life drain and attack capabilities, pivotal in long-drawn engagements.

Additionally, her unique ability to offer a protective shield post-“Full Energy” activation underscores her role as a guardian for her team. She shields them from harm and turns potentially lethal encounters into manageable skirmishes. Koko’s kit, designed to bolster her team’s resilience and offensive might, makes her an essential pick for players looking to balance their formations with a blend of defense and support.

Cecia stands out as an S-level marksman with a unique twist. Her gameplay mechanics and devastating power lean more towards those of a mage, making her a unique hybrid capable of dealing massive damage. Her ultimate, “Queen’s Summons,” allows her to summon Mr. Carlyle, creating strategic advantages by entangling opponents in a vast area and introducing a durable frontliner to the fray. This summon not only disrupts enemy lines but also provides Cecia with a protective barrier, allowing her to unleash her full damage potential.

Moreover, Cecia’s ability to enhance her and Mr. Carlyle’s attack speed through “Earth’s Offering” and gain defense penetration adds layers to her offensive capabilities, making her a constant threat on the battlefield. Her nuanced playstyle and strategic depth qualify her as one of the best DPS options in AFK Journey.

Rowan emerges as a strategic powerhouse in AFK Journey, thanks to his exceptional ability to enhance and protect his teammates. While his specific synergies, particularly with Cecia, highlight his value in tailored compositions, his stand-alone contributions are monumental.

Rowan’s kit is designed to augment his allies’ capabilities, providing critical support in the form of energy replenishment and defensive buffs that can turn the tide of any battle. His presence ensures that key allies can utilize their most powerful abilities more frequently while also offering a layer of protection that can mitigate the impact of enemy assaults. Rowan’s versatility and utility make him an indispensable asset across various game modes, cementing his status as a top-tier hero in AFK Journey.

Thoran’s reputation as the best tank in AFK Journey is well-earned, thanks to his formidable blend of resilience, sustain, and unexpected offensive capability. Central to his durability is his “Resurrection” passive, allowing him to cheat death once per battle by becoming untargetable and regenerating a portion of his HP. This skill, in combination with “Soul Plunder,” which siphons health from enemies, makes him an immovable object on the frontline, capable of sustaining himself against overwhelming odds.

Thoran’s offensive threat is not content with mere survival, which is encapsulated in his “Soul Retaliation” ultimate, a devastating counter-attack that scales with the damage he absorbs during its charge-up phase. This skill enables Thoran to dish out significant damage, turning his resilience into a weapon against foes. His Exclusive Weapon further amplifies this dynamic, allowing him to share damage with an ally and potentially resurrect twice in a battle, showcasing his unparalleled tanking prowess and strategic versatility.

2. Smokey & Meerky

As the best healer in AFK Journey, Smokey & Meerky redefines the support role with unparalleled healing capabilities. Their hallmark “Special Aroma” skill not only regenerates HP for all allies within its aura but also evolves with each activation to enhance its range and benefits, including a Haste buff that can decisively accelerate the tempo of battle in favor of their team. This continuous healing source becomes a bastion of sustainability, enabling their comrades to withstand prolonged engagements.

Furthermore, their “Energizing Formula” and “Quick Recovery” skills augment their healing aura with additional buffs and a burst of healing, reinforcing their status as the game’s supreme healers. Their presence on the battlefield ensures a constant flow of vitality, making them indispensable in maintaining the team’s endurance and combat effectiveness.

Reinier is the best hero in the game. He’s a tactical genius whose abilities revolve around maintaining symmetry and balance on the battlefield. His unique skill, “Dynamic Balance,” allows him to swap the positions of an ally and an enemy, intertwining their fates by ensuring that any damage to the swapped enemy partially heals the allied unit. This disruptive tactic can unravel even the most meticulously planned enemy formations, forcing opponents to adapt on the fly.

Moreover, Reinier’s “Mutual Reflection” takes his balancing act to new heights by isolating the highest HP% non-summoned enemy in another dimension. By neutralizing key threats, Reinier effectively turns the tide of battle. His ability to adapt to and control the flow of combat while providing unmatched support to his team solidifies his position as the unrivaled master of the battlefield.

As we conclude our exploration of the AFK Journey tier list, it’s evident that mastering this enchanting world hinges on understanding individual hero strengths and crafting synergies that elevate your team’s potential.

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The Eight Character Archetypes of the Hero’s Journey

Classic trickster.

In The Hero of a Thousand Faces , Joseph Campbell demonstrated that many of the most popular stories, even over thousands of years and across cultures, shared a specific formula. That formula is now commonly referred to as mythic structure, or the hero’s journey . Even if you’ve never heard of it before, you’ve consumed this “ monomyth ” in works like Star Wars and Harry Potter.

Along with a specific plot structure, the hero’s journey has a repeating cast of characters, known as character archetypes. An archetype doesn’t specify a character’s age, race, or gender. In fact, it’s best to avoid stereotyping by steering clear of the demographics people associate with them. What archetypes really do is tell us the role a character plays in the story. Thinking about your characters in terms of their archetype will allow you to see whether they’re pulling their weight, or if they’re useless extras.

There are many way to categorize the cast of the hero’s journey, but most central characters fall into one of these eight roles:

The hero is the audience’s personal tour guide on the adventure that is the story. It’s critical that the audience can relate to them, because they experience the story through their eyes. During the journey, the hero will leave the world they are familiar with and enter a new one. This new world will be so different that whatever skills the hero used previously will no longer be sufficient. Together, the hero and the audience will master the rules of the new world, and save the day.

J is the heroic tour guide in Men in Black . A cop at the top of his beat, he is suddenly taken behind the masquerade of everyday life. Waiting for him is a world where aliens are hiding among everyday people, and a galaxy can be as small as a marble. While he’s still a cop in essence, his adversaries – and the tools he must wield against them – are nothing like he’s previously known.

Other heroes: any protagonist fits the hero role. Some heroes from stories that stick closely to the hero’s journey are Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, Alice from Alice in Wonderland, and Luke Skywalker from Star Wars.

The hero has to learn how to survive in the new world incredibly fast, so the mentor appears to give them a fighting chance. This mentor will describe how the new world operates, and instruct the hero in using any innate abilities they possess. The mentor will also gift the hero with equipment, because a level one hero never has any decent weapons or armor.

Glinda the Good Witch from The Wizard of Oz appears soon after Dorothy enters Oz. She describes where Dorothy is, and explains that she’s just killed the Wicked Witch of the East. Then, before the Wicked Witch of the West can claim the ruby slippers, Glinda gifts them to the hero instead.

Often, the mentor will perform another important task – getting the plot moving. Heros can be reluctant to leave the world they know for one they don’t. Glinda tells Dorothy to seek the Wizard, and shows her the yellow brick road.

Once the hero is on the right path and has what they need to survive, the mentor disappears. Heroes must fight without their help.

Other mentors: Morpheus from the Matrix, Dumbledore from Harry Potter, and Tia Dalma from Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and 3.

The hero will have some great challenges ahead; too great for one person to face them alone. They’ll need someone to distract the guards, hack into the mainframe, or carry their gear. Plus, the journey could get a little dull without another character to interact with.

Like many allies, Samwise looks up to Frodo in The Lord of the Rings . He starts the story as a gardener, joining the group almost by accident. He feels it’s his job to keep Frodo safe. But not all allies start that way. They can be more like Han Solo, disagreeable at first, then friendly once the hero earns their respect. Either way, the loyalty and admiration allies have for the hero tells the audience that they are worthy of the trials ahead.

Other allies: Robin from Batman, Ron and Hermione from Harry Potter, and the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz.

The herald appears near the beginning to announce the need for change in the hero’s life. They are the catalyst that sets the whole adventure in motion. While they often bring news of a threat in a distant land, they can also simply show a dissatisfied hero a tempting glimpse of a new life. Occasionally they single the hero out, picking them for a journey they wouldn’t otherwise take.

The great boar demon that appears at the beginning of Princess Mononoke is a herald bearing the scars of a faraway war. Ashitaka defeats him, but not without receiving a mark that sends him into banishment. This gets the hero moving and foreshadows the challenges he will face.

Heralds that do not fill another role will appear only briefly. Often, the herald isn’t a character at all, but a letter or invitation.

Other heralds: Effie from the Hunger Games, R2D2 from Star Wars, and the invitation to the ball in Cinderella.

5. Trickster

The trickster adds fun and humor to the story. When times are gloomy or emotionally tense, the trickster gives the audience a welcome break. Often, the trickster has another job: challenging the status quo. A good trickster offers an outside perspective and opens up important questions. They’re also great for lampshading the story or the actions of the other characters.

Dobby from Harry Potter is an ideal trickster. He means well, but his efforts to help Harry Potter do more harm than good. And every time he appears in person, his behavior is ridiculous. However, underlying the humorous exterior is a serious issue – Dobby is a slave, and he wants to be free of his masters.

Other tricksters: Luna Lovegood (also from Harry Potter), Crewman #6 from Galaxy Quest, and Merry and Pippin from LoTR.

6. Shapeshifter

The shapeshifter blurs the line between ally and enemy. Often they begin as an ally, then betray the hero at a critical moment. Other times, their loyalty is in question as they waver back and forth. Regardless, they provide a tantalizing combination of appeal and possible danger. Shapeshifters benefit stories by creating interesting relationships among the characters, and by adding tension to scenes filled with allies.

Dr. Elsa Schneider, from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade , is a very effective shapeshifter. Even after she reveals she is working for the enemy, she and the hero still have feelings for each other. She allows him to steal an item back without getting caught, and he allows her to discover the McGuffin with him. But the distrust between them remains.

Other shapeshifters: Gollum from LoTR, Catwoman from Batman, and Gilderoy Lockhart from Harry Potter.

7. Guardian

The guardian, or threshold guardian, tests the hero before they face great challenges. They can appear at any stage of the story, but they always block an entrance or border of some kind. Their message to the hero is clear: “go home and forget your quest.” They also have a message for the audience: “this way lies danger.” Then the hero must prove their worth by answering a riddle, sneaking past, or defeating the guardian in combat.

The Wall Guard in Stardust is as classic as guardians get. He stands alone at a broken section of stone wall between real world England and the fairy realm of Stormhold. The guard is friendly when Tristan tries to pass into the fairy realm to start his adventure, but he carries a big stick and he’s not afraid to use it.

Other guardians: The Doorknob from Alice in Wonderland, the Black Knight from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Heimdall from Thor.

Shadows are villains in the story. They exist to create threat and conflict, and to give the hero something to struggle against. Like many of the other archetypes, shadows do not have to be characters specifically – the dark side of the force is just as much a shadow for Luke as Darth Vader is.

The shadow is especially effective if it mirrors the hero in some way. It shows the audience the twisted person the hero could become if they head down the wrong path, and highlights the hero’s internal struggle. This, in turn, makes the hero’s success more meaningful. The reveal that Darth Vader is Luke’s father, right after Luke had ignored Yoda’s advice, makes the dark side feel more threatening.

Other shadows: Voldemort from Harry Potter, Sauron from LoTR, and Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty.

It’s unusual for stories to have exactly one character per archetype. Because archetypes are simply roles a character can take, Obi Won and Yoda can both be mentors, J can be a hero and a trickster, and Effie Trinket can be first a herald, then later an ally. While you shouldn’t rush to add archetypes that are missing, any character that fits more than one is probably important to the story. If you have a character that doesn’t fit any, make sure they are strengthening, and not detracting from, your plot.

Learn More About These Archetypes

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Comments on The Eight Character Archetypes of the Hero’s Journey

Thanks for this great guide!!

Thank you, very informative. Gives a better understanding on how to create a story and “important” NPCs.

Like your name. :)

I like your name

I have a question. In Disney’s/ABC’s Once Upon a Time would you consider Rumplestiltskin/The Dark One to be a Trickster or a Shapeshifter? He’s not a ‘true’ villain though the writer’s class him as a villain. He’s way too complicated to just be a villain!!! He does evil things, bad things, neutral things and sometimes good things, but he keeps changing back and forth. He has the ability to love (his son and his wife Belle) but he ALWAYS puts power above them (it’s more important to him than his son or wife). I always thought of him as ‘the Trickster’ but when I read your description of the Shapeshifter it started me thinking again! hmmmmmm

I haven’t watched enough Once Upon a Time to tell you for sure based on my personal knowledge of Rumplestiltskin, but if he is often working together with the good guys but is liable to betray them or do other bad things, he’s probably a shapeshifter. Tricksters almost always provide comic relief. In the few episodes I watched, it did not look like Rumplestiltskin was a comical character.

However, because the archetypes are roles, characters can have more than one or change what they are. It sounds like sometimes when he is doing especially bad things, he might be a Shadow temporarily.

Shapeshifter

Dianne its a very good question but its really what you think he is.he is apart of many difrent grous and some arnt on this site . The most common thing ppl think he is is a villan but it really isnt like that at all but its up to you. hope i help . sincerely wesh

Would I be right in saying that Magneto in X-Men would be considered a shapeshifter?

Based on my very crude knowledge of X-Men, Magneto is mostly a shadow. Like a good shadow, he is a dark reflection of Professor X. However, he also takes on the role of shapeshifter during their temporary alliances.

No no, the shapeshifter is Mystique. ;)

HA! Good one :D

She can turn into other people, too, so, in literal sense, she is one. I think Chris was talking figuratively.

You’re Welcome!!!!!!!!!!

Msytique es da best chicka in da world mahhh boi

dont do drugs kids

bahahahahah

The description of the shadow is a little misleading. He is not the antagonist, and not evil. He mirrors the side of the hero that he/she is not aware of, but must acknowledge in order to continue and be sucessful on his/her journey.

The Star Wars example with the cave sets it: Yes, Darth Vader is evil (he is antagonist and shadow all in one), but he is also Lukes father. Therefore, he wasn´t always evil. Luke knows this.

A great example for a shadow in film are the two girls in American Beauty. Angela is Janes Shadow. She represents everything that Jane must leave behind in order to get on with her life, find her destiny etc. But Angela is not evil. She is a rather normal teenager. She is Janes friend.

Interesting approach :) (I’m not being ironic)

Usually, shadows are antagonists.

I’m not super familiar with American Beauty, so I could be totally wrong on this, but it sounds like the character dynamic you are describing is the use of a foil. A foil is character who starkly contrasts with attributes of a character (nearly always the main character) in order to highlight certain attributes of a character.

The Shadow is most definitely the opposing force in a literary work. It is true that the shadow – when it is a character – is most effective if it is also a foil of the protagonist as this helps to illustrate how the hero’s conflict is as much internal as external, but existing expressly to mirror the hero in some way is not a defining feature of the shadow.

The villain of American Beauty is societal pressure to be “normal” and the havoc it wreaks on people who are unique and special.

All the characters in the movie in some way rebel against that pressure, some prevail and others are destroyed.

It would be interesting to think up ways to realign quest stories to make different figures the protagonist. Like, say, in the Matrix, they really had me going that Neo wasn’t the one – I thought it would turn out to be Morpheus. Which would mean we were seeing Morpheus’s Hero journey through the eyes of one of his last Guardians (the obstacle preventing Morpheus seeing the Hero he sought was himself).

That would have been really cool. Nobody thinks of themselves as the hero (no competent person anyway). And it would fit perfectly with the Oracle telling Trinity that she would love The One, because love can also be fraternal.

I have only a secondary knowledge of Science Fiction and mythical creatures, gleaned from sitting with my husband and son when they watch shows in the same room with me. I found your page very informative, interesting, and helpful so that I may understand what I am watching Sci-Fi shows or shows about mythology with my family. Thank you.

Thanks for this article! I am actually a sculptor building a portfolio for character modeling. I was told by an industry recruiter to include different archetypes. For the longest time I only vaguely knew what he meant until I read your post. Currently reading the recommended book – excellent by the way! – which I see is the industry bible on this subject. I now have a much clearer picture on what direction to take my work! I also am now starting to see the types as I watch and read things. Great article :-)

I actually feel like Snape is a better example of the shapeshifter than Lockhart.

Good point. He’s always portrayed as evil … up until the end, when you see he was on the other side the whole time.

Zuko from Avatar the Last Airbender seems to be a perfect shapeshifter to me.

Yes. The most common form of the shapeshifter is one who begins as Ally and betrays the hero, but a character taking the inverse course of action is also an example of a shapeshifter. What defines the shapeshifter is that there is at least a key moment where the audience is left to wonder for themselves if the character is friend or foe. Zuko is also a wonderfully written character who undergoes a Heroes quest of his own with Iroh serving as his mentor and Azula taking on the role of shadow. He can be viewed as many roles in series depending on which part of the series you are thinking about.

Sir Didimus (sp?) from Labyrinth would be a penultimate Guardian.

Welcome to the Mythcreants comment section, Jemma Caffyn!

p.s. You have the same name as my favorite scientist (a made-up spec fic scientist, of course)

what about a villian that goes from bad to good?

Unless somehow showing up as the shadow, redeemed villains are not part of Joseph Campbell’s monomyth. The overwhelming majority of myths and stories written before the romantic period had clear villains and heroes. Nietschze explained this by saying that all myths are morality tales; if people believe that there is a definite good and evil then it will be easier for them to accept anything their leaders do so long as their is a greater enemy. It is no coincidence that so many mythical heroes are of noble birth. It has even be argued that morally ambiguous characters are a feature of democracy ( https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2017/03/whats-so-american-about-john-miltons-lucifer/519624/ ).

If you are interested in redeemed villains, this blog has an article and a podcast about them: https://mythcreants.com/blog/creating-your-villains-journey/ https://mythcreants.com/blog/122-redeeming-a-villain/

Can the Drayo State feasibly be attained by a character who doesn’t just confront his or her shadow but cannibalises it and therefore digests the darker side of his or her own nature? Asking for a friend.

Well, first of all, what is the “Drayo State”?

Fantastically useful site & not just for sf & fantasy writers. I’ve learned such a lot. Thanks!

i agree, very useful.

Thanks for helping me do my homework!

Archetypes are kind of like personas in life in general.

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Hero's Journey Player Count

There are currently 19 concurrent players in-game playing Hero's Journey. Player count data is fetched directly from Steam and updated in real-time. See below to explore more Steam charts, stats, and historical trends for Hero's Journey.

Last Updated: 4/10/2024

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Hero's Journey Live Player Count

At the moment, Hero's Journey has 19 concurrent players online and in-game. This is 65% lower than its previous peak player count of 55 active players achieved on 6/21/2023.

To explore more charts, stats, and additional game trends, take a look at the Hero's Journey Steam charts .

Hero's Journey Player Count Data

Explore the full data set of Hero's Journey player count stats and trends. Data is aggregated month by month going back to June 2023.

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Find a new game to play just like Hero's Journey through our curated lists. Steambase uses Steam's User Tag and Genre system (and other game stats) to curate a list of the best and most loved games similar to Hero's Journey.

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Steambase has best-in-class data powered directly by Steam, our data partners, and in-house experts. Data is enriched, cleansed, verified, and updated in real-time to ensure we surface the most up-to-date information. Learn more about the Steambase approach to data collection .

Hero's Journey data has been sourced from:

• Valve Corporation. (2024, April 6). Hero's Journey on Steam . Steam Store .
• Valve Corporation. (2024, April 6). Hero's Journey . Steam Community Hub .
• Jun Takahashi. (2023, July 7). Hero's Journey . Hero's Journey .

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AFK Journey: How to Get Celestial and Hypogean Heroes

Quick links, how to get celestial and hypogean heroes in afk journey, is it worth pulling celestial and hypogean heroes in afk journey.

To fight effectively in AFK Journey , you need to create a team of strong characters with good synergy. Fortunately, the game has a fairly large selection of heroes. However, some are much more difficult to obtain than others. Therefore, in this guide, we will tell you how to get Celestial and Hypogean heroes in AFK Journey .

Celestial and Hypogean are two of six possible factions. Their main difference is that they are the best option for increasing the faction bonus, and they also can increase the ATK of the entire party. But be prepared to spend a lot of time trying to get them.

AFK Journey: How to Change Servers

In addition to the fact that Celestial and Hypogean heroes differ when calculating the faction bonus, they also differ in the difficulty of getting them. While you can get all the other characters from one banner, for these you will need a separate one. So, to get Celestial and Hypogean heroes in AFK Journey, you need to unlock and roll the Stargaze Station banner .

Stargaze Station is a special banner that is not available to players at the beginning of the game and also requires a special currency. Unfortunately, unlocking the banner and earning currency takes quite a lot of time. To access Stargaze Station in AFK Journey , you need to reach 400 pulls. Both the All-Hero Recruitment and Epic Recruitment banners count.

When you meet this condition, you will have to collect Stellar Crystals. They can only be obtained from the Guild Store or Recruitment Store. After this, you can finally roll Stargaze Station, in which every 40th pull guarantees you a Celestial or Hypogean hero. At other times, your chances are approximately 3.25%.

Celestial and Hypogean Heroes in AFK Journey are worth your time. Firstly, each of them can be considered a character of any faction, which allows you to increase the faction bonus. In addition, for each hero from these factions, the entire team gets a one percent boost to ATK and HP. Therefore, they are an excellent choice that will enhance the synergy in your team.

That's all you need to know about how to get Celestial and Hypogean heroes in AFK Journey . Adding them to your team will be very challenging, but their versatility makes them worth all your effort.

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12 Hero’s Journey Stages Explained (+ Free Templates)

From zero to hero, the hero’s journey is a popular character development arc used in many stories. In today’s post, we will explain the 12 hero’s journey stages, along with the simple example of Cinderella.

The Hero’s Journey was originally formulated by American writer Joseph Campbell to describe the typical character arc of many classic stories, particularly in the context of mythology and folklore. The original hero’s journey contained 17 steps. Although the hero’s journey has been adapted since then for use in modern fiction, the concept is not limited to literature. It can be applied to any story, video game, film or even music that features an archetypal hero who undergoes a transformation. Common examples of the hero’s journey in popular works include Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, The Hunger Games and Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

• What is the hero's journey?

Stage 1: The Ordinary World

Stage 2: call of adventure, stage 3: refusal of the call, stage 4: meeting the mentor, stage 5: crossing the threshold, stage 6: tests, allies, enemies, stage 7: the approach, stage 8: the ordeal, stage 9: reward, stage 10: the road back, stage 11: resurrection, stage 12: return with the elixir, cinderella example, campbell’s 17-step journey, leeming’s 8-step journey, cousineau’s 8-step journey.

• Free Hero's Journey Templates

What is the hero’s journey?

The hero’s journey, also known as the monomyth, is a character arc used in many stories. The idea behind it is that heroes undergo a journey that leads them to find their true selves. This is often represented in a series of stages. There are typically 12 stages to the hero’s journey. Each stage represents a change in the hero’s mindset or attitude, which is triggered by an external or internal event. These events cause the hero to overcome a challenge, reach a threshold, and then return to a normal life.

The hero’s journey is a powerful tool for understanding your characters. It can help you decide who they are, what they want, where they came from, and how they will change over time. It can be used to

• Understand the challenges your characters will face
• Understand how your characters react to those challenges
• Help develop your characters’ traits and relationships

In this post, we will explain each stage of the hero’s journey, using the example of Cinderella.

You might also be interested in our post on the story mountain or this guide on how to outline a book .

12 Hero’s Journey Stages

The archetypal hero’s journey contains 12 stages and was created by Christopher Vogler. These steps take your main character through an epic struggle that leads to their ultimate triumph or demise. While these steps may seem formulaic at first glance, they actually form a very flexible structure. The hero’s journey is about transformation, not perfection.

Your hero starts out in the ordinary world. He or she is just like every other person in their environment, doing things that are normal for them and experiencing the same struggles and challenges as everyone else. In the ordinary world, the hero feels stuck and confused, so he or she goes on a quest to find a way out of this predicament.

Example: Cinderella’s father passes away and she is now stuck doing chores and taking abuse from her stepsisters and stepmother.

The hero gets his or her first taste of adventure when the call comes. This could be in the form of an encounter with a stranger or someone they know who encourages them to take a leap of faith. This encounter is typically an accident, a series of coincidences that put the hero in the right place at the right time.

Example: An invite arrives inviting the family to a royal ball where the Prince will choose a wife.

Some people will refuse to leave their safe surroundings and live by their own rules. The hero has to overcome the negative influences in order to hear the call again. They also have to deal with any personal doubts that arise from thinking too much about the potential dangers involved in the quest. It is common for the hero to deny their own abilities in this stage and to lack confidence in themselves.

Example: Cinderella accepts the call by making her own dress for the ball. However, her stepmother refuses the call for her by not letting her go to the ball. And her step-sisters ruin her dress, so she can not go.

After hearing the call, the hero begins a relationship with a mentor who helps them learn about themselves and the world. In some cases, the mentor may be someone the hero already knows. The mentor is usually someone who is well-versed in the knowledge that the hero needs to acquire, but who does not judge the hero for their lack of experience.

Example: Cinderella meets her fairy godmother who equips her with everything she needs for the ball, including a dress and a carriage.

The hero leaves their old life behind and enters the unfamiliar new world. The crossing of the threshold symbolises leaving their old self behind and becoming a new person. Sometimes this can include learning a new skill or changing their physical appearance. It can also include a time of wandering, which is an essential part of the hero’s journey.

Example: Cinderella hops into the carriage and heads off to the ball. She has transformed from a servant into an elegant young lady. 

As the hero goes on this journey, they will meet both allies (people who help the hero) and enemies (people who try to stop the hero). There will also be tests, where the hero is tempted to quit, turn back, or become discouraged. The hero must be persistent and resilient to overcome challenges.

Example: At the ball, Cinderella meets the prince, and even see’s her stepmother and stepsister. She dances with Prince all night long making her step-sisters extremely jealous.

The hero now reaches the destination of their journey, in some cases, this is a literal location, such as a cave or castle. It could also be metaphorical, such as the hero having an internal conflict or having to make a difficult decision. In either case, the hero has to confront their deepest fears in this stage with bravery. In some ways, this stage can mark the end of the hero’s journey because the hero must now face their darkest fears and bring them under control. If they do not do this, the hero could be defeated in the final battle and will fail the story.

Example: Cinderella is having a great time at the ball and nearly forgets about the midnight rule. As she runs away in a hurry, her glass slipper falls off outside the palace.

The hero has made it to the final challenge of their journey and now must face all odds and defeat their greatest adversary. Consider this the climax of the story. This could be in the form of a physical battle, a moral dilemma or even an emotional challenge. The hero will look to their allies or mentor for further support and guidance in this ordeal. Whatever happens in this stage could change the rest of the story, either for good or bad. 

Example: Prince Charming looks all over the kingdom for the mysterious girl he met at the ball. He finally visits Cinderella’s house and tries the slippers on the step-sisters. The prince is about to leave and then he sees Cinderella in the corner cleaning.

When the hero has defeated the most powerful and dangerous of adversaries, they will receive their reward. This reward could be an object, a new relationship or even a new piece of knowledge. The reward, which typically comes as a result of the hero’s perseverance and hard work, signifies the end of their journey. Given that the hero has accomplished their goal and served their purpose, it is a time of great success and accomplishment.

Example: The prince tries the glass slipper on Cinderella. The glass slipper fits Cinderella perfectly, and they fall in love.

The journey is now complete, and the hero is now heading back home. As the hero considers their journey and reflects on the lessons they learned along the way, the road back is sometimes marked by a sense of nostalgia or even regret. As they must find their way back to the normal world and reintegrate into their former life, the hero may encounter additional difficulties or tests along the way. It is common for the hero to run into previous adversaries or challenges they believed they had overcome.

Example: Cinderella and Prince Charming head back to the Prince’s castle to get married.

The hero has one final battle to face. At this stage, the hero might have to fight to the death against a much more powerful foe. The hero might even be confronted with their own mortality or their greatest fear. This is usually when the hero’s true personality emerges. This stage is normally symbolised by the hero rising from the dark place and fighting back. This dark place could again be a physical location, such as the underground or a dark cave. It might even be a dark, mental state, such as depression. As the hero rises again, they might change physically or even experience an emotional transformation. 

Example: Cinderella is reborn as a princess. She once again feels the love and happiness that she felt when she was a little girl living with her father.

At the end of the story, the hero returns to the ordinary world and shares the knowledge gained in their journey with their fellow man. This can be done by imparting some form of wisdom, an object of great value or by bringing about a social revolution. In all cases, the hero returns changed and often wiser.

Example: Cinderella and Prince Charming live happily ever after. She uses her new role to punish her stepmother and stepsisters and to revitalise the kingdom.

We have used the example of Cinderella in Vogler’s hero’s journey model below:

Below we have briefly explained the other variations of the hero’s journey arc.

The very first hero’s journey arc was created by Joseph Campbell in 1949. It contained the following 17 steps:

• The Call to Adventure: The hero receives a call or a reason to go on a journey.
• Refusal of the Call: The hero does not accept the quest. They worry about their own abilities or fear the journey itself.
• Supernatural Aid: Someone (the mentor) comes to help the hero and they have supernatural powers, which are usually magical.
• The Crossing of the First Threshold: A symbolic boundary is crossed by the hero, often after a test. 
• Belly of the Whale: The point where the hero has the most difficulty making it through.
• The Road of Trials: In this step, the hero will be tempted and tested by the outside world, with a number of negative experiences.
• The Meeting with the Goddess: The hero meets someone who can give them the knowledge, power or even items for the journey ahead.
• Woman as the Temptress: The hero is tempted to go back home or return to their old ways.
• Atonement with the Father: The hero has to make amends for any wrongdoings they may have done in the past. They need to confront whatever holds them back.
• Apotheosis: The hero gains some powerful knowledge or grows to a higher level. 
• The Ultimate Boon: The ultimate boon is the reward for completing all the trials of the quest. The hero achieves their ultimate goal and feels powerful.
• Refusal of the Return: After collecting their reward, the hero refuses to return to normal life. They want to continue living like gods. 
• The Magic Flight: The hero escapes with the reward in hand.
• Rescue from Without: The hero has been hurt and needs help from their allies or guides.
• The Crossing of the Return Threshold: The hero must come back and learn to integrate with the ordinary world once again.
• Master of the Two Worlds: The hero shares their wisdom or gifts with the ordinary world. Learning to live in both worlds.
• Freedom to Live: The hero accepts the new version of themselves and lives happily without fear.

David Adams Leeming later adapted the hero’s journey based on his research of legendary heroes found in mythology. He noted the following steps as a pattern that all heroes in stories follow:

• Miraculous conception and birth: This is the first trauma that the hero has to deal with. The Hero is often an orphan or abandoned child and therefore faces many hardships early on in life. 
• Initiation of the hero-child: The child faces their first major challenge. At this point, the challenge is normally won with assistance from someone else.
• Withdrawal from family or community: The hero runs away and is tempted by negative forces.
• Trial and quest: A quest finds the hero giving them an opportunity to prove themselves.
• Death: The hero fails and is left near death or actually does die.
• Descent into the underworld: The hero rises again from death or their near-death experience.
• Resurrection and rebirth: The hero learns from the errors of their way and is reborn into a better, wiser being.
• Ascension, apotheosis, and atonement: The hero gains some powerful knowledge or grows to a higher level (sometimes a god-like level). 

In 1990, Phil Cousineau further adapted the hero’s journey by simplifying the steps from Campbell’s model and rearranging them slightly to suit his own findings of heroes in literature. Again Cousineau’s hero’s journey included 8 steps:

• The call to adventure: The hero must have a reason to go on an adventure.
• The road of trials: The hero undergoes a number of tests that help them to transform.
• The vision quest: Through the quest, the hero learns the errors of their ways and has a realisation of something.
• The meeting with the goddess: To help the hero someone helps them by giving them some knowledge, power or even items for the journey ahead.
• The boon: This is the reward for completing the journey.
• The magic flight: The hero must escape, as the reward is attached to something terrible.
• The return threshold: The hero must learn to live back in the ordinary world.
• The master of two worlds: The hero shares their knowledge with the ordinary world and learns to live in both worlds.

As you can see, every version of the hero’s journey is about the main character showing great levels of transformation. Their journey may start and end at the same location, but they have personally evolved as a character in your story. Once a weakling, they now possess the knowledge and skill set to protect their world if needed.

Free Hero’s Journey Templates

Use the free Hero’s journey templates below to practice the skills you learned in this guide! You can either draw or write notes in each of the scene boxes. Once the template is complete, you will have a better idea of how your main character or the hero of your story develops over time:

The storyboard template below is a great way to develop your main character and organise your story:

Did you find this guide on the hero’s journey stages useful? Let us know in the comments below.

Marty the wizard is the master of Imagine Forest. When he's not reading a ton of books or writing some of his own tales, he loves to be surrounded by the magical creatures that live in Imagine Forest. While living in his tree house he has devoted his time to helping children around the world with their writing skills and creativity.

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