iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
Build one dependable five-hero squad, keep its level matched, and spend scarce materials on that squad before expanding your roster. In the sanctuary, secure food, timber, herbs, storage, medicine, and ward capacity before rushing the next Sanctuary tier. Keep Development research running and repair a concentrated choke point before major Rat Swarm waves.
What should a new player do first?
Your early account becomes stronger fastest when every decision supports one deployed team and a stable sanctuary economy. Use a durable frontline tank to buy time, a primary damage dealer to end fights, and support or secondary damage to improve survival and damage output. Keep those five heroes near the highest level your account can sustain instead of distributing materials across every recruit.
The same principle applies to buildings. Food, timber, and herbs keep the settlement operating; storage prevents production waste; treatment and ward capacity keep injuries from becoming a second crisis. Only then should you push the next Sanctuary level. A higher tier unlocks systems, but it is not useful if your economy cannot feed, heal, and equip the systems it unlocks.
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteThe official game message captures the loop: “Survive the plague. Rebuild the sanctuary.” Your team wins battles so the sanctuary can grow, and the sanctuary’s production, research, and defenses make the next battle affordable.
#1 Best Overall
- Read Before You Buy — No Video Output: These adapters support charging and USB 2.0 data transfer, but cannot transmit video signals. Except for standard USB webcams (which use USB data only), they are not compatible with HDMI/DisplayPort cables, video-capable USB-C hubs, or docking stations with video output.
- Convert USB-A Ports to USB-C: Designed to connect USB-C earphones, cables, flash drives, card readers, and other USB-C accessories to standard USB-A ports. Plug-and-play with no drivers or software required.
- Aluminum Alloy Housing: Built with a sturdy aluminum alloy shell that aids in heat dissipation and protects against daily wear and scratches. Designed to maintain a stable and secure connection.
- Compact & Travel-Friendly: The ultra-compact design allows the adapter to stay plugged into your device without blocking adjacent ports or adding bulk, reducing wear and tear on your original USB ports.
- 12-Month Warranty: Backed by a 12-month manufacturer warranty for peace of mind. Designed to meet strict quality control standards for reliable everyday performance.
How many heroes should I upgrade?
For a beginner, upgrade one complete main squad of five heroes. Keep all five close to the same practical level, with the tank and carry receiving the first major investments. Do not try to maintain a fully upgraded bench while your main team is still hitting progression walls.
Why five focused heroes outperform a wide roster
- Reliable power spikes: a level-matched squad gains damage, survivability, and skill access at the same time.
- Lower opportunity cost: Antitoxin, shards, Skill Badges, and equipment are limited; splitting them delays every important breakpoint.
- Clearer troubleshooting: when a stage fails, you can identify whether the frontline, damage, or support role is the problem.
- Flexible later expansion: once the main squad clears its current wall, surplus materials can develop a second team for a specific mode.
A recruit outside the main five should normally wait unless a new hero is an obvious role upgrade, a faction or class requirement demands a substitute, or a game mode requires a separate lineup. The exact five names should change with your pulls, stars, faction bonuses, and mode; the durable rule is complete role coverage, not rarity alone.
How should I build the beginner team?
Build around jobs rather than the color or rarity label on a portrait. Tanks buy time, damage-per-second (DPS) heroes convert that time into kills, and support heroes amplify the carry or keep the group alive.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Front line: a durable anchor
Use Arthur when available; the official heroes guide presents him as an early Tavern UR tank and a frontline anchor. Pair him with the best additional durable frontline hero in your roster. If Arthur is not available, choose the hero with the strongest practical durability, mitigation, healing interaction, or control resistance—not simply the highest displayed rarity.
Damage: one primary carry
Marlena is presented as a UR Warrior carry suited to boss pressure, PvE damage, and burst windows. When she is available, she is a natural focal point for offensive levels, stars, skills, and equipment. If she is missing, use the strongest available carry whose skills fit the content you are clearing. A sustained-damage hero may be preferable for long waves; a burst specialist may be better when a boss has a short vulnerability window.
Support or secondary damage
Fill the remaining slots with heroes whose skills improve survival, damage, or resource-battle efficiency. Support is valuable when it lets the tank stay upright or the carry cast another damaging cycle. A second damage dealer is useful when fights end before healing or control matters. Do not add a support hero merely because the roster labels it “support”; check whether its skill actually helps the deployed five.
Class and faction choices
Some independent starter guidance describes an all-Warrior approach for players who own the relevant heroes. Treat that as a practical option, not a mandatory rule. Compare candidates on frontline durability, sustained versus burst damage, support value, faction or class synergy, shard availability, and usefulness in the mode you are actually playing.
Rank #2
- 5-in-1 USB-C Hub: Experience comprehensive connectivity featuring a Power Delivery input, two USB-A 2.0 ports, a USB-A 3.0 port, and an HDMI port. (Note: The USB-C power delivery input port is only for connecting an external wall charger to power your laptop and cannot power peripheral devices.)
- 90W Pass-Through Charging: Achieve optimal charging with 90W pass-through power to your laptop, supported by a total input of 100W, with the hub reserving 10W for operational efficiency. (Note: Wall charger not included.)
- Quick Data Transfers: Accelerate your productivity with rapid data transfers using a high-speed 5Gbps USB 3.0 port and two 480Mbps USB 2.0 ports.
- 4K HDMI Display: Enhance your visual experience with a hub capable of delivering 4K resolution at 30Hz in both mirror and extend modes. Please note that this hub is compatible with MacBook (macOS 12 and newer), Windows 10 and 11, ChromeOS, and laptops equipped with DP Alt Mode and Power Delivery. Note: This device is not compatible with Linux.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (5-in-1, 4K HDMI), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
What is the correct hero upgrade order?
Hero progression uses three main material paths: Antitoxin for levels, hero-specific or omni shards for stars, and Skill Badges for skills. Costs rise sharply after early milestones, so protect these materials for the main squad.
- Level the entire main squad. Keep every deployed member at the highest level your account can sustain. A team with one high-level hero and four weak links usually performs worse than a level-matched group.
- Finish frontline survivability. Improve the tank’s levels, defensive stars, relevant skills, and equipment before investing deeply in bench heroes. More time alive gives the whole team more attack cycles.
- Invest in the primary carry. Give the damage dealer the next major level, star, skill, and offensive-gear upgrades after the tank can survive the content.
- Upgrade direct support skills. Prioritize skills that increase the main squad’s healing, mitigation, control, damage amplification, or resource-battle efficiency.
- Delay collection-depth upgrades. Build unrelated classes and low-use heroes only after the deployed team clears its current progression wall or a specific requirement calls for them.
When choosing between two upgrades, compare immediate bottleneck relief, account-wide acceleration, prerequisite impact, storage and production readiness, and whether the upgrade strengthens the deployed main squad. Guide-listed Antitoxin milestones are planning examples rather than permanent balance guarantees; game values can change, so do not treat an old milestone as a universal cost promise.
Which sanctuary resources matter first?
The early build order is straightforward: Farm, Lumberyard, and Herb Garden first; storage buildings next; Sanctuary level after the economy can support it; then wards and treatment capacity, defensive towers, and research.
Food
Food supports ongoing settlement activity and should be collected before storage caps. A full storehouse stops or wastes additional production, so check capacity when you log in and before starting a long offline period.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Timber
Timber is a frequent construction requirement. Keep lumber production running and avoid spending the entire reserve on optional upgrades when a known prerequisite is approaching.
Herbs and medicine
Herbs deserve special attention because medicine and treatment are part of the core loop. A battle victory that leaves patients waiting for treatment can stall the next campaign. Keep medicine production and ward capacity ahead of expected patient demand whenever possible.
Storage
Storage is not merely a passive convenience. If food, timber, or herbs cap while you are offline, the lost production can exceed the benefit of a more glamorous building. Upgrade storage before a major production push or Sanctuary upgrade when the next prerequisite would otherwise overflow a resource.
Rank #3
- Sleek 7-in-1 USB-C Hub: Features an HDMI port, two USB-A 3.0 ports, and a USB-C data port, each providing 5Gbps transfer speeds. It also includes a USB-C PD input port for charging up to 100W and dual SD and TF card slots, all in a compact design.
- Flawless 4K@60Hz Video with HDMI: Delivers exceptional clarity and smoothness with its 4K@60Hz HDMI port, making it ideal for high-definition presentations and entertainment. (Note: Only the HDMI port supports video projection; the USB-C port is for data transfer only.)
- Double Up on Efficiency: The two USB-A 3.0 ports and a USB-C port support a fast 5Gbps data rate, significantly boosting your transfer speeds and improving productivity.
- Fast and Reliable 85W Charging: Offers high-capacity, speedy charging for laptops up to 85W, so you spend less time tethered to an outlet and more time being productive.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (7-in-1), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
Wards and treatment
Increase ward and treatment capacity before patient demand catches up. If patients are accumulating, pause optional construction, restore medicine supplies, and improve capacity before sending the same weakened squad into another difficult fight.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Should I rush the Sanctuary level?
Do not rush it blindly. A Sanctuary tier unlocks systems, but its prerequisites and operating costs must be supported by production, storage, medicine, and defenses. An independent sanctuary guide reports that costs and prerequisite lists rise substantially from Sanctuary level 11 onward. Before beginning a major upgrade, scout the next prerequisite and stockpile the resource that will block you.
Use this pre-upgrade check
- Farm, Lumberyard, and Herb Garden are producing consistently.
- Storage has enough headroom that the upgrade will not waste offline production.
- Medicine, wards, and treatment capacity can handle current patient demand.
- The main squad is not waiting on a critical level, star, skill, or equipment breakpoint.
- The next prerequisite is known and its blocking resource is already being accumulated.
- Your defensive choke point can survive ordinary waves during the construction period.
If several checks fail, improve the economy first. If the checks pass and the next tier unlocks a system you can immediately use, the Sanctuary upgrade is more likely to accelerate the account instead of creating a new bottleneck.
What research should I run?
Keep a research queue active continuously. Development technologies are the best general early targets because they improve building speed, research speed, training speed, resource production, and healing speed. These bonuses compound over every later upgrade and reduce the time your account spends waiting.
After the Development foundation
Specialize hero technologies around the classes in your deployed main squad. If your team is built around Warrior heroes, prioritize the Warrior-related improvements that benefit those five. Avoid heavy investment in unrelated classes unless a prerequisite requires it or you are deliberately preparing a second team.
When research competes with a building
Choose the option that relieves the immediate bottleneck. A research speed or production improvement is usually stronger when you can keep the queue active and collect its output. A building upgrade may come first when storage is capping, treatment is full, or a Sanctuary prerequisite blocks all other progress.
When should I prepare for Rat Swarm?
Prepare before a major wave, not after the warning appears. Repair damaged structures, strengthen the main choke point, and confirm that the tank and damage dealer can survive ordinary waves comfortably.
Rank #4
- Dual Converters, Infinite Potential：Includes 2× USB C male to USB A female adapters and 2× USB A male to USB C female adapters. Perfect for a wide range of uses—tablets with Bluetooth keyboards, expand USB ports on macbook, and more. Two different converters for all your daily needs
- Next-Level 10Gbps & 3A Charging: No more slow 480Mbps, this usb to usb c adapter has a transfer speed of up to 10Gbps, allowing you to do more transferring in less time. This usb adapter fits both USB A and USB C charger, supporting up to 3A fast charging
- Upgraded Exquisite Craftsmanship: With an aluminum alloy housing and metal connector, the usbc to usb adapter is extremely durable and sturdy. Rigorously tested to withstand more than 10,000 times of plugging and unplugging, ensuring long-lasting performance
- Broad Compatible: The usb c to usb adapter widely supports all USB C/ USB A devices like laptops, tablets, cellphones, car chargers, and phone chargers. Such as compatible with MacBook Pro/Air 2023/2022, Thunderbolt 4/3 Devices,Apple MagSafe Watch 9/8/7/SE/Ultra, iPad Pro 2022/2021, Samsung Galaxy S23/S20/S10, and iPhone 17/16/15 Pro. Plug and play
- Please Note: To reach 10Gbps speed, keep the cable under 3.3 ft. For USB A Male to USB C adapters, try flipping the USB C connector. USB C Male to USB A adapters support bidirectional 10Gbps transfer within 3.3 ft
Concentrate defenses at a choke point
The official beginner guidance cautions against building towers everywhere. Thin coverage across the whole map is usually less practical than concentrated coverage where enemies must pass. Select a defensible route, keep its structures repaired, and place your strongest available coverage there.
Rat Swarm readiness checklist
- Repair every structure on the chosen route.
- Move or assign the main squad so the tank meets the wave first.
- Confirm the carry has enough damage to finish ordinary waves before the next group arrives.
- Check medicine and ward capacity in case the wave causes injuries.
- Use alliance help before spending speedups on a major repair or upgrade.
- Do not spend scarce event items until registration and unlock requirements are confirmed.
If ordinary waves already leave the tank near defeat, more towers will not fully solve the problem. Improve frontline survivability, carry damage, or healing support first, then reinforce the choke point.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsWhat should I do every day?
- Collect food, herbs, timber, and production rewards before storage caps.
- Check treatment and ward capacity against incoming patient demand.
- Use alliance help before spending speedups on major upgrades.
- Upgrade one core hero at a time instead of flattening the roster.
- Scout the next Sanctuary prerequisite before committing resources.
- Keep research active, beginning with Development technologies.
- Check event registration and unlock requirements before spending scarce items.
This routine prevents the most common beginner losses: capped storage, idle research, untreated casualties, and materials scattered across heroes who are not fighting.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How do I choose between two heroes or upgrades?
Use a role-and-bottleneck comparison rather than a universal tier list. For heroes, ask which candidate improves the actual fight you are losing. For upgrades, ask which choice removes the constraint that is stopping the next useful action.
| Comparison | Questions to ask | Best evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Two heroes | Which has greater frontline durability, sustained or burst damage, support value, class or faction synergy, and shard availability? | Performance in the mode and stage you are currently clearing |
| Two upgrades | Which relieves the immediate bottleneck, accelerates the account, changes prerequisites, or strengthens the deployed squad? | Current resource caps, queue time, patient demand, and next prerequisite |
| New hero versus existing hero | Does the new recruit replace a weak role or merely add another bench option? | Complete five-hero lineup after the swap, not portrait rarity alone |
If the evidence is tied, choose the option with better shard access and broader usefulness in your next planned mode. Exact comparative costs for individual heroes and buildings are not stated in the available guides and should be checked in your current game client.
Common beginner mistakes and fixes
Spreading Antitoxin and shards across the roster
Symptom: many heroes look partially upgraded, but no team clears reliably. Fix: stop broad spending, select one five-hero squad, and restore level parity before adding collection depth.
Rushing Sanctuary tiers while the economy is fragile
Symptom: a new tier unlocks, but food, timber, herbs, storage, or treatment cannot keep up. Fix: return to production and capacity buildings, then stockpile the next blocking prerequisite.
Best Value
- 5-in-1 Connectivity: Equipped with a 4K HDMI port, a 5 Gbps USB-C data port, two 5 Gbps USB-A ports, and a USB C 100W PD-IN port. Note: The USB C 100W PD-IN port supports only charging and does not support data transfer devices such as headphones or speakers.
- Powerful Pass-Through Charging: Supports up to 85W pass-through charging so you can power up your laptop while you use the hub. Note: Pass-through charging requires a charger (not included). Note: To achieve full power for iPad, we recommend using a 45W wall charger.
- Transfer Files in Seconds: Move files to and from your laptop at speeds of up to 5 Gbps via the USB-C and USB-A data ports. Note: The USB C 5Gbps Data port does not support video output.
- HD Display: Connect to the HDMI port to stream or mirror content to an external monitor in resolutions of up to 4K@30Hz. Note: The USB-C ports do not support video output.
- What You Get: Anker 332 USB-C Hub (5-in-1), welcome guide, our worry-free 18-month warranty, and friendly customer service.
Building towers everywhere
Symptom: resources are spread across defenses that do not stop a wave. Fix: repair and concentrate coverage at a defensible choke point.
Leaving research idle
Symptom: construction and hero progress continue, but account-wide acceleration falls behind. Fix: queue Development research whenever the previous project completes.
Ignoring treatment capacity
Symptom: victories create a patient backlog that prevents the next campaign. Fix: keep medicine and ward capacity ahead of demand and treat recovery as part of progression, not an afterthought.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
FAQ
How many heroes should I upgrade?
Upgrade one complete main squad of five, keeping levels close and prioritizing the tank, then the primary carry, then direct support skills.
Which resources matter first?
Prioritize food, timber, and herbs; then storage; then the Sanctuary tier once production, medicine, wards, and treatment capacity can support it.
Should I rush the Sanctuary level?
No. Check production, storage, treatment, defenses, and the next prerequisite first. Costs and prerequisite lists rise substantially from Sanctuary level 11 onward according to an independent sanctuary guide.
When should I prepare for Rat Swarm?
Before a major wave: repair structures, concentrate defenses at a choke point, and verify that the tank and carry can survive ordinary waves comfortably.
Is rarity more important than role?
No. A complete team with a durable frontline, reliable damage, and useful support generally matters more than spreading materials across rare heroes who do not fit the current mode.
When can I build a second team?
After the main squad clears its current progression wall or a mode explicitly requires another lineup. Until then, collection-depth upgrades usually cost more than they return.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
