What is an Auto-Battler?

Auto-battlers are one of the most interesting novel genres in gaming-in terms of an interesting integration of strategy with automation. In this group of games, a team of units fights on their own while the player has to focus on building up the best possible lineup for them to come out and play. With this blend of hands-off gameplay and strategic depth lying at the heart of these novel games, millions of gamers have been attracted to them. If you have ever, at any point, wondered how come games that “plays itself” are somehow so addictive, you are not alone. So, let’s dive into what’s special about auto-battlers and how they work.

What is an Auto-Battler?

Auto-battler refer to strategy games where you have a team of characters that fight automatically. In these games, the whole choice and position of your own team would be up to you, but once battle breaks out, all control goes to the game. There is no need to move the characters or use their individual abilities-they do it all for you. Your sole task would be to choose the best team and decide how you would position them on the field of battle.

The difficulty then comes from smart choices in battles. You get a different set of random characters in front of you each round, and you have to make decisions on what you want to buy, sell, or upgrade. Since the choices are random, strategy has to shift according to available options. Even though you don’t control what is happening in the combat, your choices for your team would determine your win or lose situations.

In auto-battlers, you play by creating synergies between your characters. Some characters improve with other characters from the same group or type. Thus, determining such combinations will form a major role in success.

Gameplay

An auto-battler’s gameplay is strategy, team-building, and automated battles. Each round begins with the selection of a team of units, each with appropriate abilities and strengths. Throughout the round, one earns some in-game currency which can be used to buy the units from a random selection given. Once you have picked your units, you place them on the battlefield. You do not control any of these units during the battle; they take their own turns. Your job is to select the right units, place them in good positions, and create good synergies between them.

Actually, a big part of auto-battlers are synergies. Units belong to different groups or types, and once units of the same group are combined, they provide special bonuses to your team. For example, having many warriors might increase their health, while having a lot of spellcasters might increase their magic strength. It is also one of the keys to winning knowing the best synergies. You can also do unit upgrades. If you have three of the same unit, they merge into a more powerful unit. That said, where you place your units on the board is another key to winning. The positioning is not certain where the enemy’s army is, but one can make a smart guess.

Best Auto-battler Games

Check out some of the best auto-battler games:

5. Mechabellum

Mechabellum is a tactical wargame in which you take command of a mechanized army, fighting against human or AI opponents. It’s basically about thinking ahead and changing strategy when the battle unfolds. You can absolutely customize all units, but there are special strenght and weaknesses for every single one. For example, the Wasp is fast, while the Vulcan is bulky with a flamethrower. Then, you position your units appropriately for the battle on the battlefield. As the battle progresses, you may decide to change your strategy yet again through unit redeployment or ability upgrades.

4. Hadean Tactics

Hadean Tactics is one of a kind in the world of strategy by combining roguelike deckbuilders with auto-battler mechanics. In this game, you gather cards that’ll influence the actions your units might make while they auto-battle on the battlefield. You progress in controlling a Hero through an array of levels as it battles against the forces of Hell. Because all the runs are different due to random paths, new relics, and constantly changing challenges, each feels fresh.

3. Super Auto Pets

The non-elemental cartoon art style and the simplistic gameplay make Super Auto Pets highly popular auto-battlers. Compared to most combat-heavy themes, Super Auto Pets takes an approachable play within the genre much lighter. The player will build teams consisting of cute animals, with each and every one of them having special abilities; then he just lets them battle against one’s opponents’ teams.

2. Backpack Battles

This auto-battler is a unique PvP instance, where the inventory will play quite a crucial role. It combines inventing and crafting: powerful items are bought and arranged carefully in your backpack so as to create the best build. The smarter you place your items, the more likely you are to be strong when battling. Here, you’ll be playing against the real opponents and their builds, with a choice to play in either Ranked or Casual mode, where you are allowed to play at your own speed without countdown timers.

1. Dota Underlords

Dota Underlords is a strategy game where you deploy your heroes from the original world of Dota game on the battle field and just sit back and see them clash automatically. Success is built around synergies: pairing heroes from a single faction or hero-type to give your heroes extra bonuses and help you defeat opponents. So, every round, you choose new heroes and deploy them on the battlefield to see how they will clash with others. The game has a simple setup, and you can play it right away, but mastering its strategies takes time.

So, have you tried any of these auto-battlers? Which one is your favorite so far? Let us know on our socials here!