Anime Expeditions Units Guide
Full Anime Expeditions roster by rarity and role — carries, control, support, and economy picks, plus team templates and what to check before spending evolution mats.
By Bloxron Editorial Team · Last updated
Role beats rarity. Carries, control, support, and economy fill different slots — most weak teams are missing one job, not one more Epic pull.
Rankings live on the tier list. Evolve costs and passives are on Evolution — launch evolves plus Update 0.5 limited forms.
Rarity tiers
Epic and Legendary units carry the first maps. Mythic units define mid-game teams. Secret units sit at the top — Secret banner access unlocks at player level 10.
Limited Villain Banner
Spend Villain Coins (not Gems). A 50x multi costs 2,500 coins. The banner tracks Legendary, Mythic, and Secret pity — Secret soft-pity caps at 10,000 summons. Crow, Dark Mage, Razor Jaw, and Cursed Immortal live here while Update 0.5 is live.
When to replace a unit
Swap when a new pull covers the same role with higher rarity or a better passive path. Keep placeholders until that happens — do not evolve every pull.
Primary carries
Build your team around these once they are evolved and traited. They carry story, raids, and long waves.
- Crow (Black Fire)
Shadow (Divine)
8th Sword (Berserk)- Dark Mage (Sovereign)
Puppet (Telekinetic)
Cursed Student (True Love)
Control and support
These units win fights by keeping enemies in range longer or buffing the rest of the team.
Salmon Sorcerer (Grade 1)- Razor Jaw (Hunter)
The Hero
Forbidden Teacher
Elf Mage (Unleashed)
Economy
Faster income only matters if the rest of your team can spend it. Ramen Guy beats Stone Alchemist late.
Ramen Guy
Stone Alchemist
Early placeholders
Fine for the first maps. Stop investing once a Mythic or Secret covers the same job.
Greed
Scissor
Ice Queen
True Saint (Holy)
Rubber Boy
Full roster by rarity
Limited Secret
- Crow (Black Fire) — Limited Secret (Dark / Magical, ~1,400 deploy). Illusion 12s stores Crow damage then dumps 25% as small AoE; Black Fire ticks grant shields that stack more Black Fire. Boss DoT carry.
Secret
- 8th Sword (Berserk) — Ramp damage, cleanse on stun, Berserk mode after takedowns.
- Shadow (Divine) — Spirit summons, Shadow Realm buffs magical allies, Divine Spirit burst.
Exclusive
Crimson (Brother) — Crimson Mark explosions and lingering damage pools.
Toy Maker — Spawns toys on all paths instead of attacking directly.- True Saint (Holy) — Marks enemies and can borrow damage from nearby allies.
Limited Mythic
- Dark Mage (Sovereign) — Update 0.5 limited. Freeze support or Lightning-mode full AoE — leave targeting on None once Lightning is up so the aura keeps ticking.
- Razor Jaw (Hunter) — Update 0.5 limited. Roar utility, crit chance, Stagger stall, and a line/path nuke for packed waves.
- Cursed Immortal (Black Sun) — Update 0.5 limited. Alternate playstyle Mythic — usable, but lower raw DPS than the other Villain carries.
Mythic
- Cursed Student (True Love) — Mimics ally attacks, Bleed stacks, Bat Spirits.
- Elf Mage (Unleashed) — Arcane Charges unlock escalating spell follow-ups.
Flame Emperor (Reincarnate) — Burn spread plus Wall of Fire placement.
Hollow (Blaze) — Converts Burn ticks into heavier Austere Flames.
Lady Giant (Envy) — Rock Chunk follow-ups and Giant Form burst window.- Puppet (Telekinetic) — Puppet Mark, Doll summons, short Rewind control.
Reaper (Released) — Stacks buffs per enemy type, Mirage repositioning.- Salmon Sorcerer (Grade 1) — Slow on upgrades, Stagger when enemies get close.
String Demon (Awakened) — Cocoon stuns and String-linked ally follow-ups.
Legendary
- Ramen Guy — +50% Yen from kills — best economy unit in the roster.
- Forbidden Teacher — Damage buff aura for all magical units in range.
- The Hero — Damage buff aura for all physical units in range.
- Greed — +20% damage vs bosses — niche but useful early.
- Ice Queen — Bonus damage vs low-health enemies.
- Scissor — Stacking damage on the same target.
Epic and below
- Stone Alchemist — Early income — replace with Ramen Guy when possible.
Ice Mage — Basic slow support before Salmon Sorcerer.- Bounty Hunter / Corps Captain / Demon Cyborg / Nen Hunter — No standout passives — filler only.
- Curly Brow / Kid Assassin / Reishi Archer / Thunder Shinobi / Carrot / Rubber Boy — Starter units — swap out fast.
Standout units
| Unit | Role | Best use | What to watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crow (Black Fire) | Carry | Illusion + Black Fire boss DoT | Limited Secret from the Villain Banner — dense waves and boss DoT are the sweet spot. |
| Shadow (Divine) | Carry | Magical damage + team aura | Needs evolution and investment, but Shadow Realm is a real team buff. |
| 8th Sword (Berserk) | Carry | Ramp DPS and boss execute | One of the highest damage ceilings once Berserk mode is online. |
| Dark Mage (Sovereign) | Carry / AoE | Lightning aura or Freeze support | Limited Mythic — Lightning mode with targeting set to None for full-range passive damage. |
| Cursed Student (True Love) | Carry | Boss shred + Bleed | Strong Mythic that competes with Secret units when evolved. |
| Elf Mage (Unleashed) | Carry | Scaling spell damage | Arcane Charges make long waves much easier. |
| Puppet (Telekinetic) | Carry / control | Boss marks and Doll pressure | Expensive to build, but raid value is high. |
| Razor Jaw (Hunter) | Carry / control | Stagger roar + path nuke | Limited Mythic sub-meta — utility and crowd clear when you lack Crow or Dark Mage. |
| Salmon Sorcerer (Grade 1) | Control | Slow and stagger | Makes every DPS unit around it better. |
| Ramen Guy | Economy | +50% Yen per kill | Pairs with any comp that needs faster upgrades. |
Update 0.5 limited trait picks
| Unit | Best trait | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Crow (Black Fire) | Unbound (alt. Draconic) | Boss DoT — Draconic is weaker because Black Fire cannot be reapplied until it expires. |
| Dark Mage (Sovereign) | Unbound | Lightning-mode full AoE; set targeting to None so the aura keeps ticking. |
| Razor Jaw (Hunter) | Unbound / Forsaken | Roar utility plus path nuke — crit-leaning traits fit the kit. |
| Cursed Immortal (Black Sun) | Unbound | Playable alternate kit; do not overspend coins if Crow or Dark Mage are still missing. |
Team templates that work
| Goal | What to cover | Example slots |
|---|---|---|
| Story clears | Stable damage + one lane hold | Shadow, 8th Sword, or Crow + Salmon Sorcerer or support |
| Boss / raids | Mark pressure + sustained DPS | Crow, Puppet, or Cursed Student + control |
| Villain Invasion | Limited carry + event currency loop | Crow or Dark Mage from Villain Banner + farm Villain Coins |
| Faster upgrades | Economy + one carry | Ramen Guy + your best evolved damage unit |
| Early account | One DPS + one slow or buff | Any Mythic carry + Ice Mage or Salmon Sorcerer placeholder |
Placement basics
| Role | Where to put them | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Damage carries | Cover the longest lane or boss path | Range and SPA matter more than cramming every unit into one choke. |
| Crow (Black Fire) | Dense pack or boss path | Illusion dumps and Black Fire want enemies to stay in range while DoT ticks. |
| Dark Mage (Lightning) | Wide coverage, targeting None | Passive Lightning damage needs enemies in range — do not keep attacking Freeze targets. |
| Slow / control | Half-range or choke overlap | Salmon Sorcerer and Puppet get more value when enemies stay in their radius. |
| Economy | Early kill path | Ramen Guy wants consistent kills — pair with units that actually finish waves. |
| Summon / toy units | All paths | Toy Maker and similar kits spread pressure — do not stack them on one short lane only. |
Upgrade order on a unit you are keeping
| Step | When | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Unit level | Story clears and gold | Upgrade the units you deploy — bench units do not need max level. |
| Unit stats | Stat rerolls before evolve | Evolution raises every stat one tier from your current potential. |
| Traits | After slot is locked | Chase rolls and pity thresholds on the Traits page. |
| Equipment | After evolve or clear role | Standard gear early; exclusive gear once the carry is committed. |
What to check before you invest
| Signal | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Needs evolution | Some units only become real carries after their passive unlocks. |
| Trait dependent | A unit can swing a full tier if it only shines with a rare roll. |
| Exclusive gear value | Map-linked gear can be the difference between “fine” and “worth keeping.” |
| Mode-specific role | Some units are far better in raids or long boss fights than in regular story clears. |
FAQ
What is the best unit in Anime Expeditions?
It depends on mode and investment, but Update 0.5 meta leans on Crow (Black Fire), Dark Mage (Sovereign), Shadow, 8th Sword, Puppet, Cursed Student, and Elf Mage as the main carries.
How do I get Crow and the other Villain units?
Summon on the limited Villain Banner with Villain Coins. A 50x costs 2,500 coins, and Secret pity soft-caps at 10,000 summons. Farm coins from Invasion Act 3, Hunt chests, codes, and the event shop.
Should I keep low-rarity units?
Keep them while they still hold a real slot in your team. Replace them once a stronger unit covers the same job more reliably.
When does Secret summoning unlock?
The standard Secret banner unlocks at player level 10. Crow is a separate limited Secret on the Villain Banner and uses Villain Coins instead of Gems.