Kingdom Rush Genesis Heroes — All 12 Champions, Plus 2 New Heroes Coming

Genesis fields two heroes in normal play, drawn from a roster of 12. The portraits above follow the official game's roster and are not ordered by power. Names alone do not tell you which heroes are unlocked in your copy of the game.

How the two-hero system works

The official description emphasizes combining hero abilities. It also confirms individual upgrade trees for heroes. That makes a team comparison more involved than picking two familiar names: the current skills, upgrade choices and mode all matter.

Start by reading both skill descriptions in your game. Note which abilities require an enemy to stay in one place, which respond to groups, and which need precise timing. Then compare those requirements with the route you need to defend.

Choosing a useful pair

An editorial approach is to choose the second hero to address a problem the first one does not solve. If both spend most of a run in one area, ask whether another route needs attention. If a pair only succeeds when several abilities are available together, consider what the defense does between those opportunities.

Keep your tower choices and spells consistent while comparing teams. Changing all three systems at once makes it difficult to understand which choice improved the run.

Is there a best hero or tier list?

This wiki does not yet publish a tested hero ranking. A meaningful tier list needs a stated platform, patch, difficulty, upgrade state, stage selection and evaluation method. An unexplained S-rank would offer false precision.

Use the roster to identify a hero, and use the in-game skills to evaluate the role you need. Treat rankings based on a demo or another game in the series as separate evidence until checked against the release build.

Hero Party changes the comparison

Hero Party is an exception to the normal two-hero setup: the official Steam description specifies four heroes and no spells. A team that works in the campaign is not automatically a proven Hero Party team. Read the challenge modes guide before applying advice across modes.

How Patch 1 changed heroes and unlocks

The October 6, 2026 patch reshaped hero progression, per Ironhide's changelog:

• Reaching level 10 now takes 40% less total XP (120,000 → 72,000), so a hero played through the campaign can realistically finish at level 10.
• Fifteen unlock thresholds dropped: Drakkan 80 → 54 stars, Illiana 66 → 48, Ashbite 84 → 64, Ignus 58 → 38, Rhodes 40 → 32, Oni 70 → 60, and more. Finishing the campaign with three stars everywhere (54 stars) unlocks everything up to Drakkan.
• Rhodes received direct buffs: movement speed 32 → 40, +20 health at every level, and a stronger, faster Sunbeam.
• Gerald can now use Inspire Courage while fighting in melee; Bolin lays Mine Field charges ahead of him toward incoming enemies instead of behind.

Full quoted values are in the update tracker.

Two more heroes arrive November 17

Ironhide's Royal Ransom announcement (November 5, 2026) adds Osnir, a Hush Clan warrior who rides a mighty stag, and Dalia, King Denas's younger sister trained by the realm's finest fighters, to the roster on November 17, 2026 as part of the free mini-campaign. On Steam and Google Play Pass they are included; on the App Store and Google Play they are in-app purchases. We will fold them into this reference after verifying them in game.

FAQ

How many heroes can take the field?

Normal play fields two heroes drawn from the official roster of 12. Per the official description, Hero Party changes this to four heroes with no spells. Two additional heroes, Osnir and Dalia, join the roster on November 17, 2026 with the Royal Ransom mini-campaign.

Can heroes be upgraded individually?

Yes. The official description confirms individual upgrade trees for heroes. Record upgrade choices whenever you compare teams, because they change the result.