Anime Vanguards is a tower defense game on Roblox where you deploy anime-inspired units along enemy paths, upgrade them mid-wave, and push through increasingly difficult stages. It's currently on Update 12, which added 6 new units, a guild system, new story and legend stages, the Season 12 Battlepass, and a batch of quality-of-life improvements. The player base has grown fast, and the gem economy rewards players who know what to prioritize from day one.
This guide covers everything you need to know in your first week of playing. We'll walk through the best starter unit, how the gem economy actually works, which game modes to focus on first, and the 10 mistakes that cost new players thousands of gems. If you're starting fresh in 2026, this is the page to bookmark.
Table of Contents
Your First 30 Minutes
The first thing you should do after loading into Anime Vanguards is redeem every active code. Open the codes menu and enter all current codes from our Anime Vanguards codes page. Codes expire after roughly 2 weeks, so waiting even a few days means leaving free gems on the table. Some codes have awarded 500+ gems on their own — that's 10 free summons gone if you miss them.
Next, you'll pick one of three starter units: Roku, Luffo, or Ichiga. Pick Luffo. His line-based AoE attack hits multiple enemies in a row, and that stays effective through the first 3 Story stages. Roku and Ichiga both fall off after Planet Namak, while Luffo carries longer. All three starters are D-tier in the late game, so the goal isn't to find a permanent main — it's to survive long enough to summon something better.
Before queuing into your first stage, find and talk to the Iscanor NPC in the lobby. He handles active events, limited-time challenges, and bonus objectives that many new players walk right past. Missing an event in its first week often means missing the best rewards entirely. After that, jump into Story Mode and clear your first stage. Each completed story stage earns you 80 to 240 gems and unlocks Infinite Mode for that map.
Core Mechanics Explained
Unit Types
Every unit in Anime Vanguards falls into one of four roles, and understanding these early will save you from building a team that can't clear content. DPS Units deal high damage and clear waves — they're your primary damage source. Tank Units absorb hits and provide crowd control, slowing or stalling enemies on the path. Support Units heal allies, apply buffs to your team, or place debuffs on enemies. Farm Units generate Gold (Yen) per wave, which you need to place and upgrade more units during a run.
Early on, aim for a ratio of 2-3 DPS units plus 1-2 farm or support units. Ignoring farm units is one of the most common beginner mistakes — without Gold generation, you can't afford to deploy your full team before the waves overwhelm you. Check the Anime Vanguards tier list to see which units rank highest in each role.
Placement & Pathing
Anime Vanguards uses defined enemy paths on each map. Enemies walk along set routes, and you place your units in designated spots along those paths. The key strategy is positioning: units placed at path intersections or curves can hit enemies for longer as they travel through the attack radius. DPS units want maximum time-on-target, while farm units can sit anywhere since they generate passive income.
Game Modes
Story Mode is your fastest path to unlocking everything else. Each cleared stage opens Infinite Mode for that map and awards first-clear gems. Infinite Mode runs endless waves and is your primary gem farm — expect 1,700 to 2,100 gems per hour. Wave milestones award bonus gems: +3,030 gems scaling until Wave 50, then +55 every 10 waves after that.
Raids unlock after clearing the first 3 story stages. They support up to 6 players and award 30 gems per clear. Worldlines give 250 gems for the first 50 floors and 150 gems per floor after that. Tournaments scale from 250 to 5,000 gems depending on your progress. For more detail on every mode, see our best units guide which covers optimal units per mode.
Gem Economy
Gems are the core currency, and knowing the math matters. Daily quests award 150 gems. Weekly quests award 500 gems. Combined, that's 1,550 gems per week — enough for 31 summons without touching any other source. Story stages add 80 to 240 gems on first clear. Achievements range from 900 to 20,000 gems depending on the milestone. Layer in Infinite Mode farming and you're looking at a healthy free-to-play income if you stay consistent.
10 Beginner Mistakes to Avoid
These are the mistakes we see most often from new players. Each one costs gems, time, or both — and most of them are easy to fix once you know about them.
- Not redeeming codes immediately. Codes expire after roughly 2 weeks. Every day you wait is a day closer to losing free gems, summon tickets, and boosters. Redeem them the moment you log in. Our codes page stays current.
- Pulling on every banner instead of saving for meta units. New banners are tempting, but not every featured unit is worth summoning. Save your gems for units that actually rank on the tier list. A bad banner pull costs 50 gems you can't get back.
- Rerolling traits on low-rarity units. Trait rerolls are expensive. The only units worth rerolling are Mythics, and only for Monarch (+35% damage, +15% range) or Vampire (lifesteal scaling). Spending gems on Rare or Epic trait rerolls is throwing resources away.
- Ignoring Farm units. New players stack DPS and wonder why they can't deploy their full team. Farm units generate Gold per wave, which funds your mid-run upgrades and additional placements. Run at least 1-2 farm units in every team.
- Skipping daily and weekly quests. Missing one week of quests costs you 1,550 gems — that's 31 summons. The quests take minutes to complete and compound over time into a significant resource advantage.
- Focusing one damage type before Act 6. Evolution materials don't drop in useful volume until Act 6 Hard mode. If you lock all your resources into one unit type early, you'll hit a wall when the meta demands flexibility. Keep your options open.
- Not talking to Iscanor NPC for active events. The Iscanor NPC in the lobby tracks limited-time events and challenges. Missing these means missing exclusive rewards that don't come back. Check him every time you log in.
- Spending all gems on summons instead of saving for trait rerolls. Mythic trait reroll pity sits at 1,500 for the first roll, then 858, 400, and 300 for subsequent rolls on the same unit. You need a gem reserve for when you pull a Mythic worth investing in.
- Playing solo when raids need 6 players for best rewards. Raids scale rewards based on party size. Solo clears give minimal returns compared to a full 6-player group. Use the lobby or a Discord server to fill your party before starting a raid.
- Ignoring Infinite Mode. At 1,700 to 2,100 gems per hour, Infinite Mode is the single best gem source in the game. Once you unlock it for a map, farm it regularly. The wave milestone bonuses alone outpace most other activities.
Best Starter Strategy
Week 1: Story Push & Gem Foundation
Your first priority is clearing Story Mode stages as fast as possible. Each clear unlocks Infinite Mode for that map and awards 80 to 240 first-clear gems. After clearing 3 stages, Raids unlock too. Don't worry about perfecting each stage — just clear them and move on. You can revisit for better scores later when your roster improves.
While pushing story, complete every daily quest (150 gems) and weekly quest (500 gems) without exception. This alone generates 1,550 gems per week. Combine that with story first-clear rewards and your early Infinite Mode runs, and you should have enough for 50-60 summons by the end of your first week.
Week 2: Targeted Summoning & Team Building
Don't summon randomly. Check the Anime Vanguards tier list and identify which meta units are currently on rate-up banners. Saving 500-1,000 gems for a strong banner is worth more than 20 random pulls on a mediocre one. When you pull a Mythic unit, hold your gems — you'll need 1,500 for the first trait reroll pity, then 858, 400, and 300 for subsequent rolls.
Build your team around the 2-3 DPS plus 1-2 farm/support ratio. Prioritize units that cover different damage types so you're not locked into one style before Act 6. Evolution materials gate your power spikes behind story progression, and Act 6 Hard mode is where those materials start dropping in volume. Plan your roster around reaching that point efficiently.
Week 3+: Infinite Mode & Endgame Prep
By week 3, Infinite Mode should be your daily routine. At 1,700 to 2,100 gems per hour, even 30 minutes of farming per day generates more gems than daily quests. Push for Wave 50 milestones where the bonus rewards are frontloaded at +3,030 gems. After Wave 50, you still earn +55 every 10 waves, but the efficiency curve flattens.
Start working toward Worldlines (250 gems for the first 50 floors, 150 per floor after) and Tournaments (250 to 5,000 gems based on progress). These modes test your roster depth, which is why the early focus on flexible team building matters. For a full breakdown of which units perform best in each mode, see our best units guide.
When to Spend Robux (and When Not To)
Anime Vanguards is fully playable without spending Robux. The gem economy supports free-to-play progression if you're consistent with quests and Infinite Mode farming. That said, some Robux purchases accelerate your progress more than others — and some are traps.
Worth Considering
The Season 12 Battlepass is the best Robux-to-value option if you plan to play regularly. It front-loads rewards across the season and typically pays out more gems and materials than buying them individually. Permanent gamepasses that increase gem drop rates or auto-farm speed also compound over time, making them stronger the longer you play.
Skip These
Avoid spending Robux directly on summons or individual gem packs. The conversion rate is poor compared to what you earn through gameplay. Cosmetic bundles are personal preference, but they don't affect progression at all. Limited-time Robux banners can feel urgent, but most featured units rotate back eventually. Check the tier list before pulling on any paid banner to confirm the featured unit is actually meta-relevant.
If you want more Robux to work with, our free Robux guide for Anime Vanguards covers legitimate ways to earn Robux outside of direct purchases.
Earn Free Robux While You Play
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Frequently Asked Questions
Luffo is the best starter unit. His line-based AoE attack stays effective through the first 3 Story stages, while Roku and Ichiga fall off after Planet Namak. All three starters are D-tier late game, so your goal is to summon better units as quickly as possible.
The fastest gem income comes from Infinite Mode, which earns 1,700 to 2,100 gems per hour. Daily quests give 150 gems and weekly quests give 500 gems for a combined 1,550 gems per week. Story stages reward 80 to 240 gems each on first clear, and achievements can award 900 to 20,000 gems.
Only reroll traits on Mythic units. The two traits worth targeting are Monarch (+35% damage, +15% range) and Vampire (lifesteal scaling). Skip rerolls on Rare, Epic, and most Legendary units — it's a waste of gems at those rarities. Mythic trait reroll pity starts at 1,500 gems and decreases to 858, 400, then 300.
Start with Story Mode because each cleared stage unlocks Infinite Mode for that map. Once you have Infinite Mode access, farm it for 1,700 to 2,100 gems per hour. After clearing the first 3 story stages, Raids unlock and give 30 gems per clear with up to 6 players.
From daily and weekly quests alone, you earn 1,550 gems per week — enough for 31 summons. Add Infinite Mode farming at 1,700 to 2,100 gems per hour, story stage first-clear rewards of 80 to 240 gems each, and achievement bonuses up to 20,000 gems. Consistent players can accumulate several thousand gems per week without spending Robux.
Evolution materials don't drop in useful volume until Act 6 Hard mode. Focus on clearing story stages and farming gems before worrying about evolutions. Don't lock all your resources into one unit type before reaching Act 6, because evolutions provide massive power spikes and you want to invest in the right units.