{
  "version": "1.0.21",
  "last_updated": "2026-01-26",
  "characters": [
    {
      "id": "fox",
      "name": "Fox",
      "tier": "A",
      "starting_weapon": "firestaff",
      "passive_ability": "Gain 2% luck per level",
      "passive_description": "Increases item rarity with each level. Better drops throughout the run.",
      "unlock_requirement": "none",
      "unlock_cost_silver": 0,
      "unlocked_by_default": true,
      "playstyle": "luck-based item hunter",
      "best_for": [
        "Item farming",
        "Better drops",
        "Beginner-friendly"
      ],
      "strengths": [
        "Better item quality",
        "Available from start",
        "Simple passive"
      ],
      "weaknesses": [
        "No combat stats",
        "Passive doesn't help early game"
      ],
      "synergies_items": [
        "clover"
      ],
      "synergies_tomes": [
        "luck",
        "xp"
      ],
      "synergies_weapons": [
        "firestaff",
        "dragons_breath"
      ],
      "build_tips": "Focus on leveling fast with xp tome. Better items = better run. luck compounds over time.",
      "image": "images/characters/fox.png"
    },
    {
      "id": "sir_oofie",
      "name": "Sir Oofie",
      "tier": "S",
      "starting_weapon": "sword",
      "passive_ability": "Gain 1% armor per level",
      "passive_description": "Becomes incredibly tanky. armor reduces damage with hyperbolic scaling.",
      "unlock_requirement": "none",
      "unlock_cost_silver": 0,
      "unlocked_by_default": true,
      "playstyle": "Tanky melee fighter",
      "best_for": [
        "Tank builds",
        "Beginners",
        "Melee combat",
        "Survivability"
      ],
      "strengths": [
        "Extreme tankiness",
        "Beginner-friendly",
        "armor scaling"
      ],
      "weaknesses": [
        "Lower damage output",
        "Melee range"
      ],
      "synergies_items": [
        "spiky_shield",
        "oats",
        "beefy_ring",
        "chonkplate"
      ],
      "synergies_tomes": [
        "armor",
        "hp",
        "thorns"
      ],
      "synergies_weapons": [
        "sword",
        "aura",
        "aegis"
      ],
      "build_tips": "Stack hp and armor. Add thorns for passive damage. Unkillable late game.",
      "image": "images/characters/sir_oofie.png"
    },
    {
      "id": "cl4nk",
      "name": "CL4NK",
      "tier": "SS",
      "starting_weapon": "revolver",
      "passive_ability": "Gain 1% Crit Chance per level",
      "passive_description": "Guaranteed crit scaling leading to Overcrit. One of the strongest characters.",
      "unlock_requirement": "Complete Forest Tier 1",
      "unlock_cost_silver": 14,
      "unlocked_by_default": false,
      "playstyle": "Crit DPS machine",
      "best_for": [
        "Crit builds",
        "Revolver",
        "Sniper Rifle",
        "Highest DPS"
      ],
      "strengths": [
        "Auto-scaling crit chance",
        "Overcrit potential",
        "Top tier DPS"
      ],
      "weaknesses": [
        "Requires crit damage items",
        "Fragile without defense"
      ],
      "synergies_items": [
        "forbidden_juice",
        "grandmas_secret_tonic",
        "giant_fork"
      ],
      "synergies_tomes": [
        "precision",
        "damage",
        "cooldown"
      ],
      "synergies_weapons": [
        "revolver",
        "sniper_rifle",
        "bow",
        "katana"
      ],
      "build_tips": "Get to 100%+ crit for Overcrit. Stack crit damage. Exponential scaling.",
      "image": "images/characters/cl4nk.png"
    },
    {
      "id": "calcium",
      "name": "Calcium",
      "tier": "A",
      "starting_weapon": "bone",
      "passive_ability": "Speed accumulates over time, halved when damaged. damage scales with speed.",
      "passive_description": "Speed ramps up infinitely if you don't get hit. High skill, high reward.",
      "unlock_requirement": "Kill 1,000 Skeletons",
      "unlock_cost_silver": 9,
      "unlocked_by_default": false,
      "playstyle": "Speed demon glass cannon",
      "best_for": [
        "Speed builds",
        "High skill players",
        "Don't get hit"
      ],
      "strengths": [
        "Infinite speed scaling",
        "High damage potential",
        "Fast movement"
      ],
      "weaknesses": [
        "Reset on hit",
        "Requires not getting hit",
        "High skill floor"
      ],
      "synergies_items": [
        "turbo_socks",
        "turbo_skates",
        "slippery_ring"
      ],
      "synergies_tomes": [
        "agility",
        "evasion",
        "damage"
      ],
      "synergies_weapons": [
        "bone"
      ],
      "build_tips": "Don't get hit! Speed = damage. evasion helps maintain stacks.",
      "image": "images/characters/calcium.png"
    },
    {
      "id": "ogre",
      "name": "Ogre",
      "tier": "S",
      "starting_weapon": "axe",
      "passive_ability": "Gain 1.5% damage per level",
      "passive_description": "Straight damage scaling. Simple and effective.",
      "unlock_requirement": "Kill 15,000 Goblins",
      "unlock_cost_silver": 12,
      "unlocked_by_default": false,
      "playstyle": "High damage bruiser",
      "best_for": [
        "damage builds",
        "Axe",
        "size scaling"
      ],
      "strengths": [
        "Consistent damage scaling",
        "Great with Axe",
        "Simple passive"
      ],
      "weaknesses": [
        "No defensive bonuses",
        "One-dimensional"
      ],
      "synergies_items": [
        "gym_sauce",
        "beefy_ring",
        "giant_fork"
      ],
      "synergies_tomes": [
        "damage",
        "size",
        "duration"
      ],
      "synergies_weapons": [
        "axe"
      ],
      "build_tips": "Pure offense. size + damage on Axe is devastating.",
      "image": "images/characters/ogre.png"
    },
    {
      "id": "bush",
      "name": "Bush",
      "tier": "S",
      "starting_weapon": "sniper_rifle",
      "passive_ability": "Gain 1% Crit damage per level",
      "passive_description": "Crit damage scaling. Pairs perfectly with crit chance sources.",
      "unlock_requirement": "Defeat Bush in Forest",
      "unlock_cost_silver": 21,
      "unlocked_by_default": false,
      "playstyle": "Crit damage sniper",
      "best_for": [
        "Crit builds",
        "Sniper Rifle",
        "Boss killing"
      ],
      "strengths": [
        "Crit damage scaling",
        "Sniper synergy",
        "High burst"
      ],
      "weaknesses": [
        "Needs crit chance",
        "Sniper requires aim"
      ],
      "synergies_items": [
        "forbidden_juice",
        "grandmas_secret_tonic",
        "boss_buster"
      ],
      "synergies_tomes": [
        "precision",
        "damage"
      ],
      "synergies_weapons": [
        "sniper_rifle",
        "revolver",
        "bow"
      ],
      "build_tips": "Stack crit chance. Bush provides crit damage. Huge crits.",
      "image": "images/characters/bush.png"
    },
    {
      "id": "vlad",
      "name": "Vlad",
      "tier": "S",
      "starting_weapon": "blood_magic",
      "passive_ability": "Gain 1% Lifesteal per level (starts with 5% base)",
      "passive_description": "Sustains through combat with lifesteal. Very hard to kill.",
      "unlock_requirement": "Complete Desert Tier 2",
      "unlock_cost_silver": 32,
      "unlocked_by_default": false,
      "playstyle": "Lifesteal sustain fighter",
      "best_for": [
        "Lifesteal builds",
        "Blood Magic",
        "Sustain"
      ],
      "strengths": [
        "Extreme sustain",
        "Hard to kill",
        "Lifesteal scaling"
      ],
      "weaknesses": [
        "Requires damage to heal",
        "Blood Magic weapon"
      ],
      "synergies_items": [
        "bloody_cleaver",
        "demonic_blade",
        "chonkplate"
      ],
      "synergies_tomes": [
        "bloody",
        "cooldown",
        "damage"
      ],
      "synergies_weapons": [
        "blood_magic"
      ],
      "build_tips": "Attack speed = more heals. Bloody Cleaver is core. Unkillable.",
      "image": "images/characters/vlad.png",
      "base_stats": {
        "lifesteal": 5
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "bandit",
      "name": "Bandit",
      "tier": "S",
      "starting_weapon": "dexecutioner",
      "passive_ability": "Gain 1% Attack Speed per level",
      "passive_description": "Attack speed scaling. More attacks = more damage and procs.",
      "unlock_requirement": "Defeat Bandit in Desert",
      "unlock_cost_silver": 30,
      "unlocked_by_default": false,
      "playstyle": "Rapid-fire attacker",
      "best_for": [
        "Attack speed builds",
        "Proc builds",
        "DPS"
      ],
      "strengths": [
        "Attack speed scaling",
        "Great with procs",
        "Universal value"
      ],
      "weaknesses": [
        "No defensive bonuses",
        "Fragile"
      ],
      "synergies_items": [
        "battery",
        "overpowered_lamp",
        "big_bonk",
        "spicy_meatball"
      ],
      "synergies_tomes": [
        "cooldown",
        "damage"
      ],
      "synergies_weapons": [
        "revolver"
      ],
      "build_tips": "Stack attack speed. Proc items trigger constantly. High DPS.",
      "image": "images/characters/bandit.png"
    },
    {
      "id": "ninja",
      "name": "Ninja",
      "tier": "A",
      "starting_weapon": "katana",
      "passive_ability": "Execute enemies while evading them",
      "passive_description": "Execute mechanic on evasion. High skill, high reward.",
      "unlock_requirement": "Complete Desert Tier 1",
      "unlock_cost_silver": 32,
      "unlocked_by_default": false,
      "playstyle": "evasion execute specialist",
      "best_for": [
        "evasion builds",
        "Execute builds",
        "High skill"
      ],
      "strengths": [
        "Execute synergy",
        "evasion benefits",
        "Katana"
      ],
      "weaknesses": [
        "Requires evasion stacking",
        "High skill floor"
      ],
      "synergies_items": [
        "slippery_ring",
        "phantom_shroud",
        "joes_dagger"
      ],
      "synergies_tomes": [
        "evasion",
        "precision"
      ],
      "synergies_weapons": [
        "katana",
        "dexecutioner"
      ],
      "build_tips": "Stack evasion. Execute on dodge. High risk, high reward.",
      "image": "images/characters/ninja.png"
    },
    {
      "id": "athena",
      "name": "Athena",
      "tier": "A",
      "starting_weapon": "aegis",
      "passive_ability": "Higher damage at lower hp. Gains thorns.",
      "passive_description": "Risk/reward damage scaling. thorns for tanky builds.",
      "unlock_requirement": "thorns Tome to level 9",
      "unlock_cost_silver": 16,
      "unlocked_by_default": false,
      "playstyle": "Low hp berserker tank",
      "best_for": [
        "Tank builds",
        "thorns builds",
        "Risk/reward"
      ],
      "strengths": [
        "damage at low hp",
        "thorns synergy",
        "Tanky"
      ],
      "weaknesses": [
        "Requires staying low hp",
        "Risky playstyle"
      ],
      "synergies_items": [
        "spiky_shield",
        "quins_mask",
        "speed_boi"
      ],
      "synergies_tomes": [
        "armor",
        "thorns",
        "hp"
      ],
      "synergies_weapons": [
        "aegis",
        "aura"
      ],
      "build_tips": "Stay low hp for damage. Tank with armor. thorns for reflect.",
      "image": "images/characters/athena.png"
    },
    {
      "id": "megachad",
      "name": "Megachad",
      "tier": "B",
      "starting_weapon": "aura",
      "passive_ability": "Flex to stop damage. cooldown -0.2s per level.",
      "passive_description": "Invulnerability frames. Active defense mechanic.",
      "unlock_requirement": "damage Tome to level 7",
      "unlock_cost_silver": 10,
      "unlocked_by_default": false,
      "playstyle": "Active defense fighter",
      "best_for": [
        "High skill players",
        "Aura builds",
        "Close range"
      ],
      "strengths": [
        "Invulnerability mechanic",
        "Skill-based defense",
        "Aura synergy"
      ],
      "weaknesses": [
        "Requires active use",
        "High skill floor",
        "Aura weapon"
      ],
      "synergies_items": [
        "gym_sauce",
        "oats",
        "beefy_ring"
      ],
      "synergies_tomes": [
        "size",
        "damage"
      ],
      "synergies_weapons": [
        "aura"
      ],
      "build_tips": "Time your flex. size for Aura coverage. Skill-intensive.",
      "image": "images/characters/megachad.png"
    },
    {
      "id": "monke",
      "name": "Monke",
      "tier": "B",
      "starting_weapon": "bananarang",
      "passive_ability": "Climb walls. +2 Max hp per level.",
      "passive_description": "Mobility + hp scaling. Fun but not top tier.",
      "unlock_requirement": "Release Monke in Forest",
      "unlock_cost_silver": 18,
      "unlocked_by_default": false,
      "playstyle": "Mobile tank",
      "best_for": [
        "Mobility",
        "hp builds",
        "Fun"
      ],
      "strengths": [
        "Wall climbing",
        "hp scaling",
        "Mobility"
      ],
      "weaknesses": [
        "Bananarang weapon",
        "Passive is just hp"
      ],
      "synergies_items": [
        "oats",
        "beefy_ring",
        "chonkplate"
      ],
      "synergies_tomes": [
        "hp",
        "damage"
      ],
      "synergies_weapons": [
        "bananarang"
      ],
      "build_tips": "Stack hp for Beefy Ring. Wall climb for positioning.",
      "image": "images/characters/monke.png"
    },
    {
      "id": "spaceman",
      "name": "Spaceman",
      "tier": "A",
      "starting_weapon": "black_hole",
      "passive_ability": "Gain 1% XP Gain per level (starts with 5% base)",
      "passive_description": "Faster leveling. Black Hole crowd control.",
      "unlock_requirement": "Complete 6 Challenges",
      "unlock_cost_silver": 28,
      "unlocked_by_default": false,
      "playstyle": "Fast leveling crowd controller",
      "best_for": [
        "Fast leveling",
        "Black Hole",
        "xp farming"
      ],
      "strengths": [
        "xp scaling",
        "Black Hole weapon",
        "Fast levels"
      ],
      "weaknesses": [
        "xp capped at 1000%",
        "Black Hole requires setup"
      ],
      "synergies_items": [
        "time_bracelet",
        "echo_shard",
        "sucky_magnet"
      ],
      "synergies_tomes": [
        "xp",
        "size",
        "duration"
      ],
      "synergies_weapons": [
        "black_hole"
      ],
      "build_tips": "Level fast. Black Hole with size is amazing. xp snowball.",
      "image": "images/characters/spaceman.png",
      "base_stats": {
        "xp_gain": 5
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "noelle",
      "name": "Noelle",
      "tier": "A",
      "starting_weapon": "frostwalker",
      "passive_ability": "Gain 1% size per level",
      "passive_description": "size scaling. Huge AoE potential.",
      "unlock_requirement": "Duplicate Ice Crystal 3x via Microwave",
      "unlock_cost_silver": 24,
      "unlocked_by_default": false,
      "playstyle": "Giant AoE freezer",
      "best_for": [
        "size builds",
        "Freeze builds",
        "AoE"
      ],
      "strengths": [
        "size scaling",
        "Freeze synergy",
        "AoE master"
      ],
      "weaknesses": [
        "Frostwalker weapon",
        "Requires size items"
      ],
      "synergies_items": [
        "ice_cube",
        "ice_crystal",
        "gym_sauce"
      ],
      "synergies_tomes": [
        "size",
        "duration"
      ],
      "synergies_weapons": [
        "frostwalker",
        "axe",
        "tornado",
        "black_hole"
      ],
      "build_tips": "size scaling is insane. Axe with size clears screens.",
      "image": "images/characters/noelle.png"
    },
    {
      "id": "amog",
      "name": "Amog",
      "tier": "A",
      "starting_weapon": "poison_flask",
      "passive_ability": "Poisoned enemies explode, poisoning nearby foes",
      "passive_description": "Poison chain reactions. DoT specialist.",
      "unlock_requirement": "Poison 50,000 enemies",
      "unlock_cost_silver": 26,
      "unlocked_by_default": false,
      "playstyle": "Poison DoT chain master",
      "best_for": [
        "Poison builds",
        "DoT",
        "Chain reactions"
      ],
      "strengths": [
        "Poison synergy",
        "Chain explosions",
        "DoT"
      ],
      "weaknesses": [
        "Poison Flask weapon",
        "Slower kills"
      ],
      "synergies_items": [
        "moldy_cheese",
        "toxic_barrel",
        "gas_mask"
      ],
      "synergies_tomes": [
        "duration",
        "damage"
      ],
      "synergies_weapons": [
        "poison_flask"
      ],
      "build_tips": "Stack poison chance. Chain explosions clear screens.",
      "image": "images/characters/amog.png"
    },
    {
      "id": "tony_mczoom",
      "name": "Tony McZoom",
      "tier": "B",
      "starting_weapon": "wireless_dagger",
      "passive_ability": "Charge electric attack via movement",
      "passive_description": "Movement-based attack. Unique mechanic.",
      "unlock_requirement": "Complete 2 Challenges",
      "unlock_cost_silver": 19,
      "unlocked_by_default": false,
      "playstyle": "Mobile electric attacker",
      "best_for": [
        "Movement builds",
        "Electric synergy",
        "Mobile play"
      ],
      "strengths": [
        "Movement synergy",
        "Electric attacks",
        "Unique mechanic"
      ],
      "weaknesses": [
        "Requires movement",
        "Wireless Dagger weapon"
      ],
      "synergies_items": [
        "turbo_socks",
        "thunder_mitts",
        "lightning_orb"
      ],
      "synergies_tomes": [
        "agility",
        "damage"
      ],
      "synergies_weapons": [
        "wireless_dagger",
        "lightning_staff"
      ],
      "build_tips": "Keep moving. Movement = damage. Electric synergies.",
      "image": "images/characters/tony_mczoom.png"
    },
    {
      "id": "robinette",
      "name": "Robinette",
      "tier": "C",
      "starting_weapon": "bow",
      "passive_ability": "Gain 2.5% Gold Gain per level (starts with 5% base)",
      "passive_description": "More gold for shop purchases. Scales better than before (buffed from 1% to 2.5% per level).",
      "unlock_requirement": "Complete Forest Tier 2",
      "unlock_cost_silver": 16,
      "unlocked_by_default": false,
      "playstyle": "gold farmer",
      "best_for": [
        "gold farming",
        "Shop builds"
      ],
      "strengths": [
        "More gold",
        "Bow weapon",
        "Shop value"
      ],
      "weaknesses": [
        "No combat stats",
        "Passive doesn't help combat"
      ],
      "synergies_items": [
        "golden_glove",
        "golden_sneakers"
      ],
      "synergies_tomes": [
        "gold",
        "luck"
      ],
      "synergies_weapons": [
        "bow"
      ],
      "build_tips": "Farm gold. Buy shop items. Utility character.",
      "image": "images/characters/robinette.png",
      "base_stats": {
        "gold_gain": 5
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "birdo",
      "name": "Birdo",
      "tier": "B",
      "starting_weapon": "tornado",
      "passive_ability": "Hold Jump to float. +1% Airborne damage per level.",
      "passive_description": "Airborne damage scaling. Mobility + damage.",
      "unlock_requirement": "Kill 100 enemies with Tornado",
      "unlock_cost_silver": 22,
      "unlocked_by_default": false,
      "playstyle": "Airborne damage dealer",
      "best_for": [
        "Airborne builds",
        "Tornado",
        "Mobility"
      ],
      "strengths": [
        "Airborne damage",
        "Floating mobility",
        "Tornado synergy"
      ],
      "weaknesses": [
        "Only while airborne",
        "Tornado weapon"
      ],
      "synergies_items": [
        "scarf",
        "eagle_claw",
        "feathers"
      ],
      "synergies_tomes": [
        "damage",
        "size"
      ],
      "synergies_weapons": [
        "tornado"
      ],
      "build_tips": "Stay airborne. Scarf doubles damage. Tornado with size.",
      "image": "images/characters/birdo.png"
    },
    {
      "id": "sir_chadwell",
      "name": "Sir Chadwell",
      "tier": "A",
      "starting_weapon": "corrupted_sword",
      "passive_ability": "Gain 1% Difficulty per level",
      "passive_description": "Increases difficulty for better rewards. Challenge mode.",
      "unlock_requirement": "Complete Forest Tier 3",
      "unlock_cost_silver": 33,
      "unlocked_by_default": false,
      "playstyle": "Challenge difficulty scaling",
      "best_for": [
        "Challenge runs",
        "Better loot",
        "High skill"
      ],
      "strengths": [
        "Better rewards",
        "Difficulty scaling",
        "Late game"
      ],
      "weaknesses": [
        "Harder enemies",
        "High skill required"
      ],
      "synergies_items": [
        "skuleg",
        "cursed_grabbies"
      ],
      "synergies_tomes": [
        "cursed",
        "damage",
        "hp"
      ],
      "synergies_weapons": [
        "corrupted_sword"
      ],
      "build_tips": "High difficulty = high reward. Dangerous but profitable.",
      "image": "images/characters/sir_chadwell.png"
    },
    {
      "id": "dicehead",
      "name": "Dicehead",
      "tier": "B",
      "starting_weapon": "dice",
      "passive_ability": "Gain a random stat per level",
      "passive_description": "Pure RNG. Random stats each level. Fun chaos.",
      "unlock_requirement": "Complete 100 Quests",
      "unlock_cost_silver": 35,
      "unlocked_by_default": false,
      "playstyle": "RNG chaos master",
      "best_for": [
        "Fun runs",
        "RNG lovers",
        "chaos"
      ],
      "strengths": [
        "Random stats",
        "High variance",
        "chaos Tome synergy"
      ],
      "weaknesses": [
        "Pure RNG",
        "Inconsistent",
        "Dice weapon"
      ],
      "synergies_items": [
        "clover"
      ],
      "synergies_tomes": [
        "chaos"
      ],
      "synergies_weapons": [
        "dice"
      ],
      "build_tips": "Embrace chaos. Every run is different. Fun but inconsistent.",
      "image": "images/characters/dicehead.png"
    }
  ]
}