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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

All Guides

Complete tutorial index for DragonSword: Awakening

How to Use Astria

Steelheart Fortress crossbow Breaker — Exchange unlock & Summer Sea Set

Summer Costumes

Patch 1.0.6 Astria and Reina wave skins

Week One Progression

Launch week Chapter 2–3 pacing and daily loops

Fragments of Afterimage

Tower Whirling Thoughts, Shanoa transmutation, Karma costs

Co-op Invites

Lobby codes for Hunts and Raids — no matchmaking

Daily Routine

Regional Missions, World Bosses, and ~9 AM reset farming

Tower of Trials

Moon Keys, floor rewards, and Karma fragment farming

Co-op Raids Guide

Three-player Raids, host rules, and solo loot parity

Hero Upgrade Guide

Level, Breakthrough, Skills, and Awakening systems

Karma & Ascension

Basic vs Exclusive Karma, World Boss dupes, Awakening

Final Boss Guide

Reawakened Dragon phases, stagger, and Cataclysm puzzle

Signal Skills & Tag Combos

Switching Signals, QTEs, and ailment chains

Launch Bugs Guide

Patches 1.0.1–1.0.6 and Ornette softlock FAQ

First Hours Guide

Chapter 1 route, settings, and Direwolf claim

Beginner Combat Tips

Ten essential tag-team lessons for new heroes

Endgame Hunts & Raids

Hunts, Raids, world bosses, and Tower

Tag-Team Combat

Master Status Ailments and Signal Skills

Launch Day Checklist

Edition choice, free Direwolf claim, and settings

How to Use Othello

Knockdown heavy attacker — first Hero Quest lead

Steam Launch Guide

Release times, wishlist, and launch trailer

How to Use Castella

Break and Stun axe specialist guide

How to Use Aria

Fire and Airborne bomb specialist

How to Play Johnny

Mercenary leader and party anchor

How to Play Lute

Protagonist combat and healing guide

Developer Walkthrough

Boss fights, raids, and co-op from JYJ

How to Use Dana

Alchemist and ice golem Chaco guide

How to Use Kalien

Fire spirit summoner breakdown

How to Use Theresia

Bleed and Stun inquisitor guide

How to Use Ornette

Phantom thief combat style

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there gacha in DragonSword: Awakening?
No. Heroes unlock via story, exploration currency, or Fate's Invitation tickets spent in the Exchange menu — you pick the hero directly.
When do I get my first Fate's Invitation ticket?
After completing the Prologue, roughly 15 minutes into a new save. Each finished story chapter grants one additional ticket.
Should I save tickets for a specific hero?
Spend on heroes who fill missing Status Ailment roles in your team rather than impulse picks. Use the Team Builder to identify gaps before exchanging.