Hero Basics

What Are Heroes?

Heroes are the playable characters you get to control in missions in Fortnite Save the World. There are many different styles to choose from. They will define the type of gameplay experience you will have when you enter the playable world. They are governed by a class and subclass system in game. There are four main classes to choose from. They are Constructors, Ninjas, Outlanders and Soldiers.

How Do I Get Heroes?

Fortnite Save the World is built around a card collecting system in game. Each hero has a card associated with it, that you will have to collect first before you can begin using them. There are many systems in game for acquiring these cards. Everyone is given one when you start the game. From there you can earn them through quests and side quests. You can get them as in game mission rewards. You can purchase them through the event store in game with currency earned in game and/or you can get them through buying Loot Llama Piñatas. Of which there are many different types.

You start the game off with an Uncommon Rescue Trooper Ramirez hero card. Once you are done with your first mission, which is also your first Storm Shield Defense, you will receive an uncommon version of the Base Kyle hero card to use. Your first Constructor class hero and subclass. From that point forward you have the option to change your hero loadout at anytime with any other hero cards you happen to acquire.

Where to find Heroes

Your heroes can be found in the "COMMAND" tab, in the, "Heroes" section. From there you can manage your hero roster, change your hero loadout, see your defenders and see all of your expedition progress. We will cover each of those sections separately in more detail. For now we will explore the make up of your hero.

There are a certain number of "base" heroes that shipped with the game. Epic continually adds new characters to the game that can be acquired in a variety of ways. Some through special seasonal events, some through quests/side quests, some free and some through an event store where items are continually added and can be purchased with currency that is earned in game.

Hero Rarity and Evolution Levels

All heroes have a starting rarity. There are five rarity levels in the game. Uncommon, Rare, Epic, Legendary and Mythic. Not all base classes have Uncommon, Rare, Epic, Legendary rarity versions of themselves in the game but all have Epic and Legendary versions at the least. Some special subclasses can be of the Mythic rarity. Uncommon, Rare, and Epic hero rarities can be evolved until they reach Legendary status but each rarity increase requires it's own set of material requirements. Which we will cover later.

Every hero starts off at hero level one and can be evolved every ten levels to a new evolution or star level. Every time you evolve your character, a star will be filled on the bottom of their hero card to indicate the evolution and will increase the level cap of that hero by 10. Your maximum evolution level is dependant upon your heroes rarity. Uncommon can achieve up to level 30 or a star evolution of 3. Rare can achieve up to level 40 or a star evolution of 4. Epic, Legendary and Mythic can all achieve up to level 50. A star evolution of 5.

Hero Levels, Statistics, Abilities and Perks

Each hero level increases the hero's power level and hero statistics. Those statistics include the hero's health, health regen rate, shield, shield regen rate, hero ability damage (HAD) and hero healing modifier. It also can unlock a new ability or perk every 2-5 levels. A hero can acquire all of their abilities and perks by level 30 or star evolution level 3. Each additional level beyond that just further extends their base statistics and increases their overall effectiveness on the battlefield.

Every hero class has two class defining perks that all heroes share. Outlanders also share one ability. Each hero class has access to a pool of several abilities per class but each hero only gets to have a combination of three of those abilities. For example every Soldier gets Advanced Tactics at level one, a passive bonus 10% ranged weapon damage and 10% extra health. They also all have the Debilitating Shots perk but not every Soldier will get the War Cry ability. The other 7 perks are passive upgrades to the hero and his/her abilities and are what separate the hero subclasses from each other.

Hero Support and Tactical Squad Bonus

Heroes also have squad bonuses associated with them. A hero can have a Support Squad Bonus, a Tactical Squad Bonus or both. Not all heroes have both but all have at least one. Mythic level heroes tend to have unique bonuses. These bonuses are applied when you slot that hero into that squad bonus slot. The Support and Tactical slots respectively.

Support Squad Bonuses tend to give passive boosts to your Primary hero's skills. While Tactical Squad Bonuses tend to give passive boosts to a specific hero ability when slotted. These can boost your hero tremendously when used effectively. Check out our individual hero pages for our best suggestions for each hero squad synergy.

Support heroes will contribute part of their overall statistics to the current hero in your loadout. Support Bonuses have levels to their bonus. Every evolution they will get stronger and stronger. Tactical Bonuses need to be unlocked at Star Evolution one before they go into effect.

Hero Classes, Subclasses and Skins

Most heroes fall into one role or another and it's very useful to level up different heroes for different roles. Like a boosted Outlander for gathering materials or a Constructor for that all too important Homebase defense or a Ninja for an Encampment mission. The utilities go on and on and on. It's one of the beauties of Fortnite.

Besides classes and subclasses, heroes come in many different skins. You're bound to find a lot of variety amongst the hero skins and shouldn't have any problems finding one that best fits you. Most skins have different versions as well based off of the evolution level of the hero and will visually change as you level them up. Like Dire the Werewolf for example.

At no time in the game are you ever limited to playing just one class type or hero. You can actually level up and play as many as you like. You can even change heroes between matches on a match-by-match basis to find the best fits. It's important to understand you don't have to play a hero to level them up either, unlike a lot of other games. You just simply collect hero experience as you play and use it on whatever hero you want, whenever you want. Being a collecting game you have the freedom to collect them all and play them whenever you like until you develop your own favorites.