The best heroes for the late-game in HvH. The ones you don't need, until suddenly, you do.
There comes a point where you just can't compete, no matter what you try.
Not because you messed up your build, but because your hero just doesn't bring enough to the table.
That's when you need to bust out these beasts. The best late heroes rely on your whole roster to push them to their peak. Those who have the kits needed to clear the hardest content in the game with ease.
One of the unexpected best in the game just came through a major event, so let's hope you grabbed him.
My analysis focused on the content that differentiates late-game players:
- Nightmare Mode with a focus on 202
- Hard Mode Arena
- & Boss Brawl
I put the game modes in roughly priority order, with a preference going to Nightmare Mode relative to the others. I also assumed each hero has Star level 4 with a 5* Forge. Treat these as your mains and invest accordingly.
By the way, I'm Kolz, a high-level HVH player trying to hit 1,000 subscribers—so hit subscribe if this helps you progress.
There's a complete tier list at the end of the video, and a written guide at my website HvHlounge.com.
Now… let's get into it. Here's number 10.
#10 - Trapper
Coming in at number 10, I have a fun one here with Trapper.
Trapper is completely untested, and I can end up looking like an idiot for having this guy on this list.
But if you read all of his kit, between the skills, forge, weapon, and level progression, he should be a really strong late-game hero.
He's going to require a five-star forge, much like some other members on this list, in order to truly unlock his power, because he gets his destruction for his sles and stuns from his forges.
Additionally, his forge also offers a chance for a bleed effect. Having a bleed effect in your kit is how you push numbers in boss braw because it's a relatively limited status effect, but with big global multiples.
He's even got a poison option in his forge, so you should be able to construct a pretty nifty Boss Brawl setup to push numbers.
While this is purely speculative and highly volatile, I feel pretty comfortable putting him in as a top 10 late game hero based on his kit. It would be great to have a true damage first late game hero to come out of Adventure mode for the first time in at least the last year.
Because other late-game heroes have come out of Adventure, like this guy.
#9 - Shield Warden
Number nine, I have Shield Warden.
Shield Warden is a hero designed for Nightmare Mode. His whole kit lets him survive the depths of Nightmare Mode with relative ease. Combined with the right pets, he makes Nightmare Mode actually incredibly simple.
On the upside, he has no forge at the moment. That gives him the chance to build out some damage for Hard Mode Arena to combine with his tankiness.
However, at the moment, his other two events are weaker. He's going to have trouble doing enough damage in Hard Mode Arena and Boss Brawl.
Although I've had some fun in Boss Brawl with Shield Warden, he's not as awful as you would expect. You can build enough armor to sit on the boss and let it hit itself. The damage reflection will be respectable if not chart-topping.
It's a different strategy for Boss Brawl, but it's nowhere near the levels of this next guy.
#8 - Druid
At number eight, I have Druid.
Druid's a one-trick wonder for the Late game because he actually has too much cooldown for Nightmare Mode and Hard Mode Arena. But there's no one like him in Boss Brawl.
Late game, you spend a lot of time optimizing for Boss Brawl bragging rights. It's one of the only game modes you interact with later in the game without clicking Auto.
Druid is the highest-capped out Boss Brawl hero by a large margin. Sure, you can cheese with Bunni, but Driud tops the chart.
As Wizhum demonstrates every week, you can just run two runs with Drewid and then put your phone down for the rest of the week and beat everybody in the world.
That premier damage will also let you clear out NMM and some of Hard Mode arena, but with significantly more difficulty than the remainder of the list - and those got a higher weighting in my rankings.
#7 - Werebeast
Next up, at 7, I have Werebeast.
Werebeast is the Beast of Nightmare Mode. He's, in my opinion, the single best Nightmare Mode hero because you don't need his forge or a high star level in order to clear out Chapter 202 and all of Nightmare Mode.
Unlike everyone else on this list who really, really thrives on a five-star forge, Werebeast's five-star forge is actually just kind of an afterthought.
His real power stems from the simplicity with which he can clear out Nightmare Mode.
Unfortunately, you're going to need that five-star forge to push any kind of numbers in Hard Mode Arena or Boss Brawl, as his skills focus more on surviving than damaging.
And even then, he's not going to top the damage charts or push stages.
So he's really boosted here as being the premier Nightmare Mode Hero, unlike the next guy who can do all three.
#6 - Warlock
At number six, I have Warlock.
Warlock, I think, is a little sleeper OP. He finds himself on this list from rumors and whispers.
From all across Reddit and Discord, I've heard fleeting mentions of Warlock beating Nightmare Mode 202 and clearing all of Hard Mode Arena in Mythic Gear.
I haven't been able to verify this personally, but I believe the rumors because of his kit.
The imp is the key here. It adds a slow, while the Forge amplifies how it spreads.
The five-star forge should provide enough utility and damage to create a glass cannon that has enough disruption to get off the attacks needed to clear out Hard Mode Arena. While also clearing out turtles in Nightmare Mode.
But because it's a damage and utility-based clear, Boss Brawl numbers should follow.
Just not as good as this guy.
#5 - Artificer
Next up on our list of the best late-game heroes, I have Artificer. He's the biggest glass cannon on this list.
His kit is entirely based around damage, so either you're going to have enough damage to clear everything, or you're not.
Luckily, he does so much damage that you can clear most everything.
I've seen proof of Nightmare Mode 202 and Hard Mode Arena clears, making me believe that the 5* Forge damage amp is the key.
You need his five-star forge in order to unlock all of his power truly, but once he's there, good luck.
He'll just his ass blasts his way through, which means that he's also a top hero in Boss Brawl. Those are good all-around numbers for the first time on the list.
But enough to top the next guy…
#4 - Necromancer
Number four, I have Necromancer.
This guy haunts me, as everyone knows, but I think he deserves his place on the list. 302 has convinced me over the past months that this guy is the real deal.
He follows a similar pattern to other heroes higher on this list, where his strongest mode is Nightmare Mode, which gets the most weight. However, he's the first to have a way to clear Hard Mode Arena reliably.
That makes the first topper in more than one category, which had been the weakness of most heroes to this point.
Unfortunately, he won't push his higher numbers in Boss Brawl because his five-star forge won't be able to activate enough.
But he'll have no problem activating it in Hard Mode Arena, which is where he gets a boost over the others so far.
To make things even better, he's a lot of fun to play, with a unique style that is a better version of Spirit Shaman.
The next guy just steals your spirit.
#3 - Dark Paladin
Number three, I have Dark Paladin.
Dark Paladin has been growing on me for months.
I've had (Kez ur thorp) whispering in my ear basically every day about how he's the best hero ever, but now I've converted to a believer.
I've seen it in the past with the leader of my old Guild Slayer X, who cleared the whole game with Dark Paladin.
It was just that I was so early in the game at the time that I didn't understand why the hero was so good.
Well, after doing some deep dives into about two dozen heroes at this point, i understand why he's so good.
It's how his soul mechanic synergizes across his weapon, skills, and, most importantly, his forge. When you get a hero design that allows for the forge to modify skills, you're in for a treat.
But to make it better, there's a slow and a freeze, making Nightmare Mode a breeze. He also gets enough damage to clear Hard Mode Arena earlier than most other heroes.
Boss Brawl is his weakest event. You're really getting him mainly for the other two modes, but can you use him in the Shadow Syndicate rotation because of your investment.
I think the reason he doesn't get talked about is that he's old and obscure. I don't know how he actually first came on the scene, but since then, he's only been offered two or three times over the last year.
Combined with the fact that not many people have invested in him all the way up to five stars, has made him go under the radar.
But he has really paid off for those who have invested in him.
Unlike DP, everyone has heard of these last two.
#2 - Clockwork Mage
At number two on my list of the best late-game heroes is the Clockwork Mage. She's good early in the game, middle of the game, and late in the game.
She's not the best in any of these three modes I listed, but she's in the second tier in all of them.
She can clear all of Nightmare Mode, but you're going to actually have to be skillful in order to do it.
She can push Hard Mode Arena, but you'll have to be smart about it.
And she can deal damage in Boss Brawl with the right setup.
Her slows and utility allow her to be a high-level jack of all trades, without being the single best in any.
She's second tier in everything, but second tier in everything makes you highly, highly desirable.
Just not as desirable as this big, ugly dude.
#1 - Warlord
At number one, the best late-game hero I have is Warlord.
This is a guy who just dominates across all modes.
Nightmare mode, Hard Mode Arena, and Boss Brawl.
He just does such an unbelievable amount of damage after the necessary investment that he cannot be stopped. Add in a heal from the forge and a massive damage scaling at 4* and 5* forge, and you have the makings of a living legend.
I've written this out and said it easily does it dozens of times now, but once you get him to star level four, with a five-star Forge, he does so much damage that you prioritize everything else on defense and disruption.
He simply runs some wizard gear or grab borer for a slow.
He is going to kill everything before he even gets to him anyway.
He's second in my Nightmare Mode leaderboard, tops in my hard motor arena leaderboard, and top 3 or 4 in Boss Brawl.
If he were ranged, or had four percentage points more heal, he'd be so broken he'd have to be nerfed immediately for the good of the game.
As is, invest in this guy, and he'll take care of the late game for you.
Honorable mentions
I want to quickly call out some additional heroes in the next tier down.
Stormborn came out after this went live. I think he could end up being a top 3 or 4 late-game hero.
Knight can clear out NMM and HMA with sufficient globals and his 5* forge. A worthy endgame hero for being a starter. However, he's never going to push a ton of damage in Boss Brawl.
Sentry Specialist can beat NMM and puts out serious damage in BB at 5* Forge. However, I have not heard of her beating HMA yet.
Next up are Assassin and Bunni, which are top tier for Boss Brawl.
Lastly, I have Pumpkin Shade for late-game farming. That 50% hero orb passive makes him fantastic for late game players, but that goes outside the three events I focused on in this video. So I wasn't sure where to classify him.
And that's my list of the best late-game heroes.
I'm sure someone's going to have a problem with something, so feel free to let me know what it is.
I tried to balance out everything as best I could mentally, without putting too much of an emphasis on early-stage content and focusing more on their capabilities with a five-star forge.
Keep in mind you're going to be putting at least two months of super tokens into these guys, if not more. They take shards, hero orbs, and time every aspect of the game.
But they are long-term investments that will eventually pay off.
Changelog
June 6, 2025: Updated with Stormborn.
