In the massive battlefield brawls of
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, the key to mastering the conflict lies in the diversity of your roster. The game features an impressive lineup of
20 playable characters, each offering a unique fighting style and set of battlefield utilities.While you start with just one hero, the true power of your force is locked behind progression. Unlocking the full roster is highly recommended, as different characters possess specialized moves, including the ability to deal
elemental damage with their specials, which is invaluable against certain foes. You will need to dive deep into the main narrative and conquer specialized side missions known as
Scouting Challenges to recruit every hero to your cause.This definitive guide breaks down exactly how to unlock all 20 characters, detailing the specific
Main Story Missions and
Scouting Challenges required for each recruitment. Prepare your forces and expand your roster!
Hyrule Warriors: How to Unlock All Characters
The Roster Expansion: Unlocking via Main Story Missions
The majority of your key allies and foundational heroes are unlocked simply by playing through the core narrative chapters. These characters arevital to the unfolding plot and are mandatory acquisitions.
| Character | Unlock Requirement (Main Story Mission) | Chapter | Focus |
| Zelda | Unlocked by default at the start of the game. | N/A | Balanced Attacker |
| Rauru | Complete "The Art of the Blade." | Chapter 1 | Melee & Elemental Focus |
| Mineru | Complete "Where Ancient Wisdom Sleeps." | Chapter 1 | Unique Construct Playstyle |
| Mysterious Construct | Complete "The Howling Tempests." | Chapter 1 | Versatile Weaponry |
| Calamo | Complete "The Howling Tempests." | Chapter 1 | Close-Range Specialist |
| Typhan | Complete "The Howling Tempests." | Chapter 1 | Support/Area Control |
| Qia | Complete "Lanayru Defiled." | Chapter 3 | Water/Healing Utility |
| Vence | Complete "Shadows in the Snow." | Chapter 3 | Frost/Stun Attacks |
| Agraston | Complete "Crisis on Death Mountain." | Chapter 3 (Near End) | Fire/Heavy Attack |
| Ardi | Complete "The Terror of the Sands." | Chapter 4 (Start) | Mobility/Area Damage |
| Raphica | Complete "Shadows in the Snow." | Chapter 3 (Start) | Speed/Rapid Strikes |
Strategic Note: The end of Chapter 1 is a critical bottleneck, unlocking threecharacters simultaneously upon completion of "The Howling Tempests."This instantly triples the size of your roster, offering immediatetactical diversity for the challenges ahead.
The Scouting Report: Unlocking via Scouting Challenges
Beyond the main campaign, several powerful characters—often specialists orveterans—are unlocked by completing specialized side quests known as Scouting Challenges. These missions usually test your skill against unique enemy formationsor require specific battlefield objectives. Ignoring these challengesmeans missing out on crucial heroes.
| Character | Unlock Requirement (Scouting Challenge) | Chapter Focus | Role |
| Quino | Complete "For Hyrule." | Chapter 3 (Start) | Tactical/Support |
| Lago | Complete "A Veteran's Return." | Chapter 3 | Defensive Specialist |
| Pinnec | Complete "The Unsung Spearman." | Chapter 3 (End) | Spear Wielder/Range |
| Cadlan | Complete "The Strength to Protect." | Chapter 4 (Start) | Tank/Armor Specialist |
| Sholani | Complete "Standing on Principle." | Chapter 4 (Start) | Elementalist |
| Ronza | Complete "In Search of Power." | Chapter 4 (Start) | High DPS/Glass Cannon |
| Pastos | Complete "A Lone Wolf's Pride." | Varies | Aggressive Solo Fighter |
| Braton | Complete "The Gourmand Goron." | Varies | Slow, Powerful Striker |
Priority Focus: Pay close attention to the start of Chapter 4. Within the first fewmissions, you gain access to four characters via Scouting Challenges (Cadlan, Sholani, Ronza), which are essential for tackling the increased difficulty of mid-to-late game scenarios.
Mastering the Full Roster
Unlocking a complete set of 20 characters transforms your approach to Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment. You are no longer reliant on the limited pool of early heroes; instead, you can compose highly specialized squads tailored to counter anythreat.
- Elemental Advantage: If a mission is overrun with fire-resistant enemies, you'll need the water-focused abilities of Qia or the frost attacks of Vence.
- Boss Battles: Against massive bosses or heavily armored foes, the raw damage of Agraston or the protective might of Cadlan become indispensable.
- Utility & Sustainment: For missions requiring quick capture of objectives or sustained defense, the speed of Raphica and the tactical awareness of Recon characters are key.
By systematically tackling the main missions and ensuring no Scouting Challenge goes unfinished, you will rapidly assemble an unstoppable force,ensuring you have the right hero for every desperate situation Hyrulethrows at you.
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