DragonSword: Awakening How to Unlock Heroes with Fate's Invitation
Last updated: August 2026
Earn Fate's Invitation tickets from story chapters and Hero Quests, then recruit any launch hero in the Exchange — no gacha.
No Gacha — Exchange Menu Recruitment
DragonSword: Awakening has no gacha. All 19 launch heroes unlock through story progression, exploration currency, or Fate's Invitation tickets spent in the Exchange menu. You choose exactly which hero to recruit — no random pulls, no duplicate pity, no paid summon banners. Standard Edition ($29.99) includes the full roster via these systems; Deluxe adds cosmetic extras only.
How to Earn Fate's Invitation Tickets
Your first ticket arrives after completing the Prologue — roughly 15 minutes into a fresh playthrough. After that, you earn one ticket per finished story chapter as main campaign milestones complete. Hero Quests — side stories for individual heroes — also reward tickets, sometimes alongside Exclusive Karma drops tied to that character's weapon kit. See our Hero Quests & Rifts page for Othello's first post-launch story and future Rift content.
Story Heroes vs. Exchange Unlocks
Eight heroes join automatically through main story quests — no Fate's Invitation ticket required:
- Lute — starting protagonist (Amplitude trait; Stun, Recovery, Knockdown)
- Castella — quest 1 To the Orbis Kingdom (Breaker; Stun, Airborne)
- Aria — quest 3 Mercenary Starting Today (Blazeflame; Burn/Fire)
- Johnny — quest 10 A Temporary Alliance (Venom; Poison, Airborne)
- Ornette — quest 20 The Hero's Quest (Thunderbolt; Shock, Knockdown)
- Cerese — quest 30 Those Left Behind (Frostbite; Frost)
- Kalsion — quest 40 Looming Crisis (Blazeflame; Burn/Fire)
- Othello — quest 50 Individual Preparations (Frostbite; Frost)
The remaining eleven heroes require a Fate's Invitation ticket in the Exchange menu:
- Eileen — Gale trait; Airborne (Orbis Kingdom)
- Reina — Gale trait; Airborne (Orbis Kingdom)
- Astria — Breaker trait; Break via ranged crossbow (Steelheart Fortress, Orbis Kingdom)
- Roxy — Bloodburst trait; Bleed (Red Fox Mercenary Crew)
- Alex — Crushing trait; Knockdown (Red Fox Mercenary Crew)
- Kalien — Blazeflame trait; Fire/Burn, Stun (Red Fox; demo playable)
- Dana — Frostbite trait; Frost with ice golem Chaco (Red Fox; Kalien arc)
- Theresia — Amplitude trait; Bleed, Stun (Organa Order; demo playable)
- Tarte — Thunderbolt trait; Shock, Recovery (Organa Order)
- Sion — Thunderbolt trait; Shock, Knockdown (Organa Order)
- Charlotte — Venom trait; Poison, Airborne, Knockdown (Lentus Rebellion)
Browse the full roster on the Characters hub and read the dedicated How to Use Astria guide if Break coverage is your first Exchange priority.
Smart Ticket Spending
Resist impulse picks on favorite designs alone. Spend tickets on heroes who fill missing Status Ailment roles in your current trio — a Bleed specialist when your team only stacks Stun, or an Airborne finisher when Break coverage is solid. Validate ailment gaps with the Team Builder before confirming an Exchange purchase. Pair this guide with First Hours After Launch for Chapter 1 progression order before your first ticket arrives.
Launch Roster Expectations
Hound13 confirmed all launch heroes are obtainable without microtransactions. Hero Quests and Rifts expand post-launch with free story updates — tickets from those modes accelerate roster completion for players who finish main story first. The embedded launch trailer below shows retail tag-team combat across multiple recruitable heroes.
Video Tutorial
Launch Trailer — DragonSword: Awakening
Related in This Section
Complete tutorial index for DragonSword: Awakening
How to Use AstriaSteelheart Fortress crossbow Breaker — Exchange unlock & Summer Sea Set
Summer CostumesPatch 1.0.6 Astria and Reina wave skins
Week One ProgressionLaunch week Chapter 2–3 pacing and daily loops
Fragments of AfterimageTower Whirling Thoughts, Shanoa transmutation, Karma costs
Co-op InvitesLobby codes for Hunts and Raids — no matchmaking
Daily RoutineRegional Missions, World Bosses, and ~9 AM reset farming
Tower of TrialsMoon Keys, floor rewards, and Karma fragment farming
Co-op Raids GuideThree-player Raids, host rules, and solo loot parity
Hero Upgrade GuideLevel, Breakthrough, Skills, and Awakening systems
Karma & AscensionBasic vs Exclusive Karma, World Boss dupes, Awakening
Final Boss GuideReawakened Dragon phases, stagger, and Cataclysm puzzle
Signal Skills & Tag CombosSwitching Signals, QTEs, and ailment chains
Launch Bugs GuidePatches 1.0.1–1.0.6 and Ornette softlock FAQ
First Hours GuideChapter 1 route, settings, and Direwolf claim
Beginner Combat TipsTen essential tag-team lessons for new heroes
Endgame Hunts & RaidsHunts, Raids, world bosses, and Tower
Tag-Team CombatMaster Status Ailments and Signal Skills
Launch Day ChecklistEdition choice, free Direwolf claim, and settings
How to Use OthelloKnockdown heavy attacker — first Hero Quest lead
Steam Launch GuideRelease times, wishlist, and launch trailer
How to Use CastellaBreak and Stun axe specialist guide
How to Use AriaFire and Airborne bomb specialist
How to Play JohnnyMercenary leader and party anchor
How to Play LuteProtagonist combat and healing guide
Developer WalkthroughBoss fights, raids, and co-op from JYJ
How to Use DanaAlchemist and ice golem Chaco guide
How to Use KalienFire spirit summoner breakdown
How to Use TheresiaBleed and Stun inquisitor guide
How to Use OrnettePhantom thief combat style