Top Anime Expeditions Starters

Discover the best starter units in Anime Expeditions, featuring a deep dive into Gowther, physical buffs, and early-game progression tips.

Starting your journey in a high-stakes tower defense world can be daunting, but identifying the Anime Expeditions best starter units is the first step toward total map dominance. Whether you are grinding through the initial story chapters or looking to tackle the hardest mastery stages, your initial roster determines how quickly you can evolve into a late-game powerhouse. This guide provides a comprehensive breakdown of the Anime Expeditions best starter units to ensure you don't waste precious gems on the wrong banners.

The Current Meta: Why Your Starter Matters

In the early stages of Anime Expeditions, players often make the mistake of chasing the rarest units immediately. While Secret-tier characters like Megumi or Kenpachi boast a staggering 0.01% pull rate, they are not practical "starters" for the average player. According to community reports, the most effective strategy involves securing a reliable Mythic or high-utility Epic unit that can carry you through the "King’s Tomb" and legendary trials.

A successful starter team requires a balance of raw damage, crowd control, and economic scaling. Player experience suggests that units with "Slow" or "Rewind" mechanics are far more valuable than pure damage dealers when facing fast-moving leaks.

Starter Unit Tier List

The following table summarizes the top-performing units currently available for new players.

Tier	Unit Name	Primary Role	Key Ability
S	Puppet Seller (Gowther)	DPS / Support	Puppet Mark & Rewind
S	The Hero	Support / Buffer	Hero Blessing (Physical Buff)
S	Salmon Sorcerer	Crowd Control	20% Slow & 2-second Stagger
A	Cursed Student	Damage over Time	Bleed Stacks & Bat Spirits
A	String Demon	Wave Clear	Area of Effect (AoE) Slashing
B	Giant Diane	Early Tank	Giant Form Transformation

Deep Dive: Puppet Seller (Gowther)

The Puppet Seller, widely recognized as Gowther, is currently hailed by the community as the most overpowered Mythic for new players. Unlike many high-tier units that require complex setups, Gowther is a two-placement unit that offers massive utility even at base levels. He is often cited as one of the Anime Expeditions best starter units because he bridges the gap between early story mode and late-game expeditions.

Gowther’s Evolution Path

To unlock Gowther's true potential, you must evolve him into the "Puppet Seller Kinetic" form. This requires specific materials found in the Trial Quests.

Material	Quantity	Source
Puppet Heart	1	Unit Trial (Gowther)
Pink Sprites	20	Crafting / Challenges
Purple Sprites	20	Crafting / Challenges
Essence Stones	Varies	Story / Daily Quests

The Trial Quest is a unique mechanic where you are given a set team to complete 15 waves. Player reports indicate that as long as you manage your farms efficiently and place your units at the start of the path, the Puppet Heart is a guaranteed drop, making it much more player-friendly than the 5% drop rates found in other tower defense strategy games.

Passives and Abilities

Gowther’s strength lies in his dual passives:

Puppet Mark: Every 15 seconds, he marks the strongest enemy in range. These enemies take 20% increased damage from all sources.
Puppet Creation: When a marked enemy dies, Gowther summons a "doll" clone. This clone possesses 150% of Gowther’s base damage, essentially doubling your firepower for a short duration.
Rewind (Max Level): His ultimate ability pushes all enemies in range backward for 2 seconds. With a 30-second cooldown, this is a literal life-saver against bosses with over 100k HP.

Essential Support: The Hero and Salmon Sorcerer

While Gowther handles the heavy lifting, your team is incomplete without proper support. The Hero is a staple for any physical-damage-heavy team. His "Hero Blessing" aura provides a significant damage boost to any physical unit within his range. This buff scales by 5% with every upgrade, making him an investment that pays off as you reach the later waves of a match.

Salmon Sorcerer, on the other hand, is the king of leak control. In Anime Expeditions, fast enemies are the primary cause of early-game losses. The Salmon Sorcerer provides a permanent 20% slow. When combined with his two-second stagger, he creates a "kill zone" where your primary DPS units can maximize their damage.

Support Unit Synergy

Unit Combination	Synergy Effect	Best Used For
The Hero + String Demon	Massive Physical AoE	Clearing large mobs in Story mode.
Salmon Sorcerer + Gowther	Infinite Puppet Marking	Slowing bosses to ensure Puppet Mark triggers.
Cursed Student + The Hero	Bleed Scaling	Melting high-HP bosses through stacked damage.

The Beginner Path and Progression Strategy

New players should prioritize the "Beginner Path" before spending their hard-earned gems on standard banners. The Beginner Path is a quest-based reward system that guarantees both a Farm unit and a Mythic unit upon completion. Since the Anime Expeditions best starter units can often be obtained through these guaranteed rewards, it is vital to check your progress before summoning.

Beginner Progression Steps

Story Mode (Normal): Complete all story chapters on Normal mode first. This provides the bulk of your initial gems and experience.
Daily Challenges: Even if they seem difficult, try the regular and daily challenges. These provide the Gray Sprites needed for crafting.
Crafting Sprites: You can craft colored sprites by combining five Gray Sprites. This is the most reliable way to gather evolution materials without waiting for specific weekly drops.
Unit Trials: Once you have a level 20+ unit, attempt their Unit Trial to get their evolution item.

Resource Management Table

Resource	Priority	Best Use
Gems	High	Beginner Banner until Pity, then save for Secrets.
Stat Rerolls	Medium	Save for Evolved Mythics only.
Trait Rerolls	High	Aim for "Unbound" or "Primordial" on your carry.
Essence Stones	Low	Use freely to level up your main DPS.

Trait Rerolling: Primordial vs. Unbound

Once you have secured one of the Anime Expeditions best starter units, you need to optimize their traits. Traits are permanent buffs that can drastically change a unit's performance. For a unit like Gowther, the "Unbound" trait is generally considered the best-in-slot, but "Primordial" is a very close second.

Based on player experience, "Primordial" increases damage by 35%, decreases the Seconds Per Attack (SPA) by 15%, and increases range by 20%. This makes your unit hit harder, faster, and from further away. If you are a free-to-play player, do not waste your rerolls trying to get a perfect trait on an Epic or Rare unit. Save them for your first Evolved Mythic to maximize your return on investment.

Top Traits for Starters

Unbound: The gold standard for DPS. Offers the highest raw stat increases.
Primordial: Excellent for units with long cooldowns or high SPA.
Godly: A balanced trait that provides a significant boost to all stats.
Nimble: Best for support units like Salmon Sorcerer to increase their stagger frequency.

Strategic Placement and Gameplay Tips

Even with the Anime Expeditions best starter units, poor placement can lead to defeat. In mastery stages like the King’s Tomb, the pathing is often complex. Always place your "Slow" units at the very first bend of the path to maximize the time enemies spend in your DPS range.

Gowther should be placed in a central location where his range covers multiple path segments. This ensures that his Puppet Mark has the highest chance of hitting the strongest enemy as they enter the map. If you are using The Hero, ensure your primary physical attackers are placed firmly within his golden aura.

Mastery Stage Checklist

Have at least one Farm unit (Money Generator) maxed by wave 10.
Ensure your "Rewind" or "Stun" abilities are off cooldown before the boss wave.
Check if the stage has "Air" units; if so, ensure your starter can target them (Gowther can!).
Don't level all six units evenly; focus on maxing your primary carry first.

By focusing on these Anime Expeditions best starter units and following a disciplined evolution path, you will find the game's initial difficulty curve much easier to manage. Remember that in Anime Expeditions, strategy and unit synergy often outweigh raw rarity.

FAQ: Anime Expeditions Starter Units

What is the absolute best starter unit in the game?

While "best" can be subjective, community consensus points to Puppet Seller (Gowther) as the best starter unit due to his Puppet Mark passive and Rewind ability. He provides both massive DPS and essential crowd control, making him versatile for almost every game mode.

Should I reroll my account for a Secret unit?

Generally, no. The Beginner Path provides enough guaranteed rewards to build a top-tier team. Rerolling for a 0.01% Secret unit can take days of effort that would be better spent progressing your account and evolving the Anime Expeditions best starter units you already have.

How do I get more Sprites for evolution?

Sprites are obtained through Daily, Weekly, and Regular challenges. If you find the challenges too difficult, you can craft specific colored Sprites in the lobby. The crafting recipe is five Gray Sprites for one colored Sprite of your choice.

Is Giant Diane worth keeping on my team?

Giant Diane is a decent early-game tank, especially when she transforms into her giant form, which significantly boosts her damage. However, she is usually replaced once you obtain a Mythic DPS or a more specialized support like Salmon Sorcerer.