Hand of Fate: Hordes Guide – How to Unlock Rare Cards and Hero Classes Tier List (2026)

When I first launched Hand of Fate: Hordes on Steam Early Access, I expected a fun spin-off. What I didn’t expect was a surprisingly deep blend of deckbuilding strategy and survivor-style combat that kept me playing far longer than I planned.

As someone who streams action roguelikes, bullet heaven games, and indie releases regularly, I can confidently say that Hand of Fate: Hordes feels different from most titles currently competing in the genre. It borrows the addictive progression systems that made games like Vampire Survivors popular while preserving the identity that longtime Hand of Fate fans remember.

The result is a game where surviving massive enemy swarms is only half the challenge. The other half happens before combat even begins, when you’re building decks, choosing encounters, and chasing permanent rewards hidden behind the game’s token progression system.

After spending dozens of hours experimenting with classes, testing deck combinations, and discussing strategies with other players, I’ve gathered the methods that consistently produce the best results. If you’re trying to unlock rare cards quickly or wondering which heroes are worth investing time into, this guide should save you plenty of frustration.

Why Rare Cards Matter More Than Raw Skill

Many new players enter Hand of Fate: Hordes assuming that mechanical skill alone will carry them through the toughest encounters.

That works for a while.

Eventually, however, progression becomes heavily tied to what your collection contains. Rare cards dramatically influence run consistency because they unlock stronger blessings, unique weapons, enhanced equipment effects, and encounter rewards that simply outperform standard options.

The strongest builds I’ve seen weren’t necessarily played by the most skilled players. They were played by people who had already expanded their card pools and understood how to manipulate deck probabilities.

In short, unlocking rare cards should be one of your highest priorities early on.

The Fastest Way to Unlock Rare Cards

One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is rushing directly toward difficult content.

The game actually rewards focused farming much more efficiently.

Target Encounter Cards With Token Rewards

Whenever you’re reviewing cards in your collection, pay attention to encounters that contain token rewards.

These encounters act as permanent progression opportunities.

Once a token objective is completed successfully, the reward becomes permanently available for future runs. This system creates a satisfying sense of advancement because even failed runs can still produce meaningful account progress.

Whenever I discover a new token encounter, I immediately build a deck that increases the chances of drawing it.

Doing this significantly accelerates collection growth compared to randomly hoping for rare unlocks.

Learn What Each Encounter Actually Wants

A lot of players fail token objectives simply because they don’t prepare for them.

Many encounters include specific requirements such as:

• Winning particular challenges
• Passing difficult dice tests
• Equipping certain gear types
• Achieving superior outcomes during events
• Completing encounters under restrictions

The smartest approach is planning your deck around those objectives before starting a run.

I’ve noticed that preparation often matters more than luck.

Farm Early Content Intelligently

Another lesson I learned quickly is that repeating manageable content can be more rewarding than constantly pushing difficult stages.

Several early maps offer excellent opportunities for farming encounter objectives while minimizing risk.

This approach allows you to:

• Complete token requirements faster
• Expand your card collection steadily
• Improve future deck consistency
• Reduce time wasted on failed late-game attempts

The strongest players I know spend surprisingly little time grinding impossible stages and significantly more time optimizing efficient progression routes.

Never Ignore Dealer Challenges

The Dealer remains one of the most entertaining parts of the experience.

His card games and dice events may initially appear random, but experienced players gradually learn patterns and probability management.

Over time, I started noticing that these encounters frequently produce some of the most valuable rewards available.

Several of my best weapon upgrades came directly from Dealer-related events.

If you’re serious about maximizing progression, treat these encounters as opportunities rather than distractions.

My Personal Hero Tier List After Launch Week

It’s still early in the game’s lifecycle, and balance changes will almost certainly arrive in future updates.

That said, certain classes are clearly outperforming others in the current Early Access environment.

Hero Rankings Overview

S-Tier: Trickster

If you’re asking me which class currently gives players the easiest path toward success, my answer is the Trickster.

The reason is simple.

Movement wins games.

In Hand of Fate: Hordes, enemy density becomes overwhelming during later waves. Elite enemies, projectiles, environmental hazards, and bosses can quickly fill the screen.

The Trickster handles these situations better than any other hero.

Its mobility tools create escape routes where other classes become trapped. Once you add projectile-enhancing upgrades, the class transforms into an absolute monster capable of deleting bosses before they become major threats.

Every time I return to the Trickster after experimenting with another class, the difference feels obvious.

A-Tier: Rebel

The Rebel sits comfortably in second place.

This hero specializes in magical destruction and battlefield control.

When large groups begin surrounding you, the Rebel’s spell-focused toolkit can instantly reverse the situation.

Some of the most satisfying moments I’ve experienced in Hand of Fate: Hordes involved triggering massive spell chains and watching entire screens of enemies disappear.

The only issue is consistency during the early stages of a run.

Without cooldown-focused upgrades, the class can occasionally feel slower than the Trickster.

Still, once the build comes online, the damage output becomes incredibly impressive.

B-Tier: Warrior

The Warrior remains an excellent choice for newcomers.

Not every player wants to constantly dodge, reposition, and manage high-speed movement.

The Warrior offers a more forgiving experience thanks to superior health and defensive capabilities.

This durability allows players to learn enemy attack patterns without being punished as harshly for mistakes.

Unfortunately, melee-focused gameplay becomes increasingly dangerous as difficulty rises.

Late-game encounters flood the battlefield with hazards, making close-range combat far riskier than ranged alternatives.

That limitation prevents the Warrior from reaching the highest tier.

C-Tier: Goblin

I genuinely wanted to rank the Goblin higher.

It’s arguably the most entertaining class in the game.

The problem is reliability.

The Goblin’s toolkit revolves around aggressive risk-taking, explosive damage, and unconventional tactics.

When everything works perfectly, the class feels incredible.

When it doesn’t, runs can collapse almost instantly.

Its defensive weaknesses are difficult to overcome consistently, especially during high-difficulty content where a single mistake can end an otherwise promising run.

For experienced players seeking a challenge, the Goblin remains fun.

For efficient progression, however, there are better choices.

Deckbuilding Tips That Improved My Runs Immediately

One aspect of Hand of Fate: Hordes that deserves more attention is deck management.

Many players focus entirely on combat upgrades while overlooking how much influence deck construction has on overall success.

The following adjustments noticeably improved my win rate.

Keep Decks Lean

A common temptation is adding every interesting card you unlock.

Don’t do it.

Smaller, focused decks allow your strongest rewards to appear more frequently.

Every unnecessary card reduces consistency.

Protect Your Health

Gold can usually be recovered.

Health often cannot.

Whenever I’m evaluating encounter risks, I prioritize long-term survival over short-term rewards.

This approach has dramatically increased the number of successful runs I complete.

Build Around Your Hero

Generic decks rarely outperform specialized ones.

The strongest setups amplify existing strengths.

For example:

• Trickster benefits heavily from attack speed and projectile modifiers.
• Rebel thrives with cooldown reduction and magic enhancement effects.
• Warrior prefers survivability and melee improvements.
• Goblin performs best with aggressive damage multipliers.

Specialization almost always produces stronger results than trying to cover every weakness.

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Final Thoughts

After spending launch week exploring Hand of Fate: Hordes, I’m convinced the game has enormous potential.

It successfully combines the strategic decision-making of classic Hand of Fate with the addictive progression loop that modern survival roguelikes thrive on.

More importantly, it feels rewarding.

Every run contributes to future progress, every token unlock expands possibilities, and every class offers a different way to experience the chaos.

If you’re just starting out, focus on expanding your collection before chasing difficult endgame challenges. Prioritize token encounters, build efficient decks, and don’t underestimate the value of mobility.

At least in the current Early Access meta, the Trickster remains my top recommendation for players who want the smoothest path through the Shadow Vaults.

And if future updates continue improving the formula, Hand of Fate: Hordes could easily become one of the standout indie roguelikes of 2026.

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