1. Choosing Your Starter Unit
When you first join Anime Vanguards, you pick one of three starter units: Roku, Luffo, or Ichiga.
Recommended Pick
Luffo is the best starter. His line-based AoE attack stays effective through the first 3 Story stages, while Roku and Ichiga tend to fall off after Planet Namak. All three are D-tier late game — the real goal is to summon better units quickly — but Luffo carries you the longest.
Don't overthink this choice. Every starter gets completely replaced once you summon your first Legendary or Mythic unit from banners. Focus on getting into the game and redeeming all active codes for thousands of free gems.
2. Your First 7 Days
Day 1 — Get Free Resources
- Join the official Roblox group + like the game for 250 free gems
- Redeem all active codes — the Update 11 code alone gives 5,000 gems + 20 rerolls
- Visit the Collection NPC in the lobby for bonus gems
- Do your first summons on the Special Banner to build a starter roster
Day 1-3 — Push Story Mode
- Clear Planet Namak (Stage 1) on Normal difficulty
- Push through Sand Village (Stage 2) and Double Dungeon (Stage 3)
- Claim Level Milestone rewards from the Gilgamesh NPC every 5 levels
Day 3-7 — Unlock & Expand
- Clearing Stages 1-3 unlocks Raids — start farming raid currencies
- Begin leveling core units with Food from stage completions
- Join active events for powerful limited units and currencies
- Save gems for the Mythic pity threshold (400 summons / 20,000 gems)
Why this order works: Story Mode is your fastest path to unlocking game modes. Each stage you clear opens Infinite Mode for that stage (endless waves = more gems/XP), and clearing the first three stages unlocks Raids. These modes are where mid-game and late-game progression happens, so rushing them early sets you up for everything else.
3. Team Building Basics
A balanced team outperforms a full-DPS squad every time. You need units that cover different roles — check the full tier list for the best options in each category.
Your main damage dealers. Place them at choke points where enemies are funneled. AoE units are especially valuable early game.
Crowd control (slow, stun, freeze). Without CC, fast enemies will rush past your DPS units. Even one Utility unit makes a huge difference.
Buffs allies and amplifies team damage. Place supports near your DPS to multiply their output.
Generates Yen for upgrades mid-stage. Always include one. Sprintwagon is the go-to budget pick.
Beginner Team Template
2 DPS + 1 Utility + 1 Support + 1 Farm + fill remaining slots with your best available units. Upgrade your Farm unit first each run, then pour Yen into your main DPS.
4. Summoning Strategy & Pity
Summoning costs 50 gems per pull (40 with VIP). The pity system guarantees a Legendary after 50 summons and a Mythic after 400 summons. Selection and Special banners share pity, so switching between them is safe.
| Rarity | Drop Rate | Pity |
|---|---|---|
| Rare | 75.5% | — |
| Epic | 20% | — |
| Legendary | 4% | 50 summons (2,500 gems) |
| Mythic | 0.5% | 400 summons (20,000 gems) |
| Secret | 0.004% | — |
Strategy: Spend your first gems on the Special Banner to build a baseline roster. Once you have a functional team, start saving for limited/event banners or build toward the 400-summon Mythic pity. Use the Selection Banner when you need a specific Mythic — and remember that pity is shared with the Special Banner.
5. Game Modes & Unlocks
| Mode | Unlock | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Story Mode | Immediate | Main progression — 11 stages, Normal + Nightmare |
| Infinite Mode | Clear a stage on Normal | Gem + XP farming (1,700-2,100 gems/hr) |
| Raids | Clear Stages 1-3 | Exclusive currencies for evolution materials |
| Worldlines | Early unlock | Solo roguelike — 500 gems per floor, 10K at Floor 10 |
| Dungeons | Level 20+ | 30-wave modifier runs for trait rerolls |
| Legend Stages | Story completion | Essence farming for evolutions |
6. Common Mistakes to Avoid
Spending All Gems Immediately
Blowing gems on every banner without building toward Mythic pity (400 summons). Save for event/limited banners and plan your 20,000 gem milestone.
Building All-DPS Teams
Filling every slot with damage dealers and ignoring crowd control. A balanced team with CC + support + farm always outperforms pure DPS. Check the tier list for top Utility and Support picks.
Skipping the Farm Unit
Not running at least one Farm unit means you can't upgrade your DPS fast enough. Always deploy Sprintwagon (or Takaroda if you have him) and max it first.
Not Redeeming Codes
Active codes give thousands of free gems, trait rerolls, and materials. Codes expire after ~2 weeks — redeem them immediately.
7. Daily Checklist
Copy this checklist and follow it every day to maximize your progression:
[ ] Collect daily login rewards (150 gems)
[ ] Claim Level Milestone rewards (Gilgamesh NPC, every 5 lvls)
[ ] Redeem any new codes
[ ] Complete Daily Challenges (3 trait rerolls + essence)
[ ] Run Bounties (up to 10/day = 5,000 gems + 10 rerolls)
[ ] Farm Story/Infinite for gems and Food (XP)
[ ] Upgrade & level your core team (focus 4-6 units)
[ ] Work toward next Story stage or Nightmare clear