Dark Scrolls Best Builds: All 9 Heroes Ranked 2026

Dark Scrolls best builds come down to one thing before the Shoppe even opens: which hero are you. In doinksoft's co-op roguelike, each of the nine characters has a fixed weapon type and a distinct special ability. The perks you stack during a run modify that base, they don't replace it. Pick the wrong perk for your hero and the run goes sideways at the second boss. Pick the right one and the screen fills with projectiles by the back half of the dungeon.

TL;DR: Grizz is the most forgiving starting hero: axe-lobbing, ground-pounding, and the Axe Nova circle of bouncing axes. Pigeon is the higher-ceiling dual-dagger pick. Biscuit brings enemy-piercing barks and the screen-wide Scary Bark stun. Nezumi is the hardest hero to learn. For Shoppe perks, match the effect to the kit: Shuriken spawns a bouncing shuriken, Thorns trades money for HP protection, and allies add independent coverage.

Dark Scrolls best builds: which hero runs which way? (quick answer)

All nine heroes in Dark Scrolls share one resource loop: attack to build stars, spend stars on burst attacks, buy perks at the Shoppe to amplify the hero's base weapon. The hero defines the weapon. The Shoppe defines what that weapon does to a screen full of enemies by run's end.

All nine heroes are officially named. Grizz throws axes and ground pounds, with Axe Nova creating bouncing axes. Pigeon hurls dual daggers, double-jumps, and uses Stealth for temporary invincibility and critical hits. Emerys fires bouncy fireballs, blink-dashes, and uses Orbitals to damage enemies and destroy projectiles. Biscuit's barks pierce enemies, its double jump is bouncy, and Scary Bark stuns every enemy on screen. Nezumi uses the five-note saxophone system and Perform songs that trigger named effects for both players.

The other four are equally concrete: Quinn shifts between walking and flying, fires love-infused arrows, and uses Aura; Confit flips steaks and uses Cook; Ironbeard throws pickaxes, makes temporary platforms, and uses Tinker; Saturn flies with an alien machine gun and uses Abduct to pull in enemies, coins, and props. Match the Shoppe pick to what the hero actually does, not to an invented special.

For the surrounding systems, compare the Dark Scrolls hero tier list, the unlock heroes guide, the route and Shoppe dungeon guide, the beginner tips guide, and the co-op ghost guide.

Grizz: the best all-around build

Grizz throws axes and ground pounds. The manual gives his special a real name: Axe Nova creates a circle of bouncing axes flying across the screen when the Star Meter is full. Build advice can still favor this special for crowded screens, but do not describe it as a "sneeze" or promise an undocumented cancel-and-chain formula.

Grizz Shoppe priority:

1. Shuriken, when available and when you want another projectile. The manual says shooting spawns a bouncing shuriken; it does not say every axe receives a ricochet effect.
2. Thorns as an economy choice, not a damage-reflection choice. The manual says damage drains collected money instead of health unless the money is depleted, so buy it only when that tradeoff fits your run.
3. Summoned ally as third pick. By the time you're buying a third perk, you want something that operates independently so you can ground-pound without breaking screen coverage.

The chef hero's steak throw in a jungle stage. Each hero's kit determines which Shoppe perks produce synergy. Shuriken adds a bouncing shuriken when you shoot; Thorns is a money-for-health defensive tradeoff, not contact reflection.

Pigeon: the skill ceiling build

Pigeon hurls dual daggers and has a double jump. Her Stealth special provides temporary invincibility and makes attacks deal critical hits. Build around movement and special timing instead of an undocumented downward-dagger angle.

The skill requirement is positioning. Keep the dual-dagger attack pointed toward threats while using the double jump to change height, and save Stealth for dangerous contact or a critical-hit window. The manual does not establish a fixed effective range or a special burst pattern, so those are the only kit facts this build depends on.

The payoff is a mobile, critical-hit-oriented kit. If you buy Shuriken, treat its bouncing projectile as extra coverage rather than as a documented dagger ricochet multiplier.

Pigeon Shoppe priority: Shuriken first (same reason as Grizz, higher output per second on Pigeon), then Koi Ploy. Koi Ploy adds a fish projectile modifier that fires alongside attacks. On Pigeon's rapid-fire cadence, the fish projectiles maintain near-constant forward coverage even when you dodge sideways, filling the screen gap that close-range repositioning creates.

GODEEPER: The star meter, burst attacks, and perk thresholds in Dark Scrolls share structural DNA with other autobattler roguelikes. Die in the Dungeon: Best Build Guide for All Relics →

Emerys: the safe-distance mage build

Emerys fires bouncy fireballs and can blink-dash. Orbitals summons magical orbs that damage enemies and destroy projectiles. That makes the special a timing tool for projectile-heavy moments, not a stationary shield with a duration timer or a zap radius.

Emerys is a good fit for players who want a projectile kit plus a concrete defensive answer. Build advice can favor Orbitals when projectiles matter, then use an ally for extra coverage. The official manual does not define a bounce-count multiplier or a shield hit limit, so neither belongs in the build rule.

Emerys Shoppe priority: a perk whose documented effect complements fireballs, then an ally summon for independent coverage. Fat Stack has a real manual definition: damage increases by 1x the number of active perks, including Fat Stack itself. Do not describe it as an orb-count or coin modifier.

Biscuit: the best co-op hero

Biscuit is unlocked by freeing the dog from a cage during the first boss. The barks pierce enemies, the double jump is bouncy, and Scary Bark stuns every enemy on screen. The official kit does not include a pinball form, an infinite jump, or a contact-damage special.

In co-op, Biscuit's stun is a setup tool for your partner. A bark on a clustered group buys two to three seconds where your partner can land uncontested hits, builds their star meter faster than normal play would allow, and sets up their burst attack earlier than it would otherwise charge. The stun timing also helps the living partner avoid scroll-edge pressure when the group is pushing back.

Biscuit Shoppe priority: Ally first if you need independent coverage. Thorns is a situational defensive purchase because its manual-defined effect spends money before HP; it is not a pinball reflect proc. Shuriken is still a separate projectile option, but the priority depends on the run rather than a fabricated contact form.

A late-game moon boss encounter. Boss fights are where Shoppe builds pay off: a Grizz with Shuriken active gets an extra bouncing projectile, while Axe Nova is the verified special to save for a crowded moment.

Nezumi: the advanced pick

Devolver Digital's own marketing tweet told players not to pick Nezumi. That's not accurate. It's a marketing bit designed to make Nezumi the most-picked character at launch. Nezumi is effective once the note system makes sense, but it requires more deliberate practice than any other hero.

Nezumi uses saxophone notes with the inputs 1 = UP, 0 = FORWARD, and 2 = DOWN. Notes roll over after five. Double-jumping sends the stored notes as homing projectiles and clears the sax; Perform attempts a song, and a valid song triggers its associated named effect for both players. The manual lists multiple effects but does not establish a fixed 16-plus total.

The homing projectiles from a double jump give Nezumi a way to turn stored notes into pressure while you learn the timing. You are managing movement, note inputs, and the Perform decision together. Start by learning a few named effects rather than assuming every possible combination has been documented.

Nezumi in co-op: Your partner handles the forward fight while you cycle sequences and equip free abilities. That division works well. Two Nezumis in the same run don't though: you compete for the same note-equip timing windows and the output drops.

Quinn, Confit, Ironbeard, and Saturn builds

The four remaining heroes deserve real build notes rather than being named only in a roster list.

Quinn: Quinn shifts between walking and flying and fires love-infused arrows. Aura creates a healing ring and temporarily increases fire rate. Use the aura as a recovery and uptime window; avoid describing it as a generic permanent healing aura.

Confit: Confit flips steaks. Cook fires up a pot that sends damaging food flying or creates hearts, so a Confit build should value the choice between pressure and recovery rather than an invented invulnerability frame.

Ironbeard: Ironbeard launches pickaxes and creates temporary platforms by double-jumping. Tinker builds a cannon and fires cannonballs. Platform placement is the real movement consideration; the manual does not call the weapon a hammer or give it a fabricated melee combo.

Saturn: Saturn flies while firing an alien machine gun. Abduct is a tractor beam that sucks up enemies, coins, and props; that earned experience levels ammo capacity, fire rate, and firepower. Build advice should preserve Saturn's flying and beam identity instead of reducing the hero to generic crowd control.

Shoppe perk synergy: the rules that apply to every hero

Three things hold across every hero:

Pick one direction, not two. A Grizz with Shuriken and Koi Ploy is at least pursuing projectile coverage: the manual defines Shuriken as a bouncing shuriken and Koi Ploy as a school of fish. The manual does not define Reverse, so do not claim a trajectory interaction or a guaranteed conflict with Shuriken.

Allies are a defensive pick. Summoned allies don't scale dramatically with the star meter or hero weapon type. They provide steady independent damage and screen coverage. Buy them when you're struggling with scroll pressure or in co-op to maintain coverage while your partner is in ghost form.

Later Shoppe visits offer better options. The Shoppe randomizes its list each visit. Banking coins from an early visit where nothing matches your build and waiting for the next one is a real strategy. The mistake new players make is spending everything at visit one because they have coins to spend, not because the options are compatible.

GODEEPER: Understanding how hero choice shapes your entire run mirrors the build decisions in other run-based roguelites. Farever Builds Guide: Best Class for Solo and Co-op Runs →

Co-op hero pairings that work

Grizz and Pigeon: The two strongest individual builds in the roster pair cleanly. Pigeon's fast star generation charges burst attacks quickly while Grizz handles elevated enemies with ground pounds. They don't share Shoppe perk categories, so both players can buy freely without competing for the same synergy.

Grizz and Biscuit: Scary Bark stuns every enemy on screen, creating a setup window for Grizz's Axe Nova circle of bouncing axes. The pairing is based on two named, documented specials rather than a made-up sneeze burst.

Emerys and Nezumi: Emerys's Orbitals can destroy projectiles while Nezumi builds and performs songs. The manual says a valid Nezumi song triggers its associated effect for both players, so this pairing has a concrete support interaction without needing an orb-shield claim.

Avoid two melee heroes in early runs. Two Grizzs, or Grizz and Biscuit before either player knows the scroll edge, tends to collapse into both players fighting the same cluster on the left half of the screen. That's where the scroll catches you. Spread out.

Step-by-step: how to build a run from hero select to final boss

1. Pick based on how you move, not how the hero looks. If you want a straightforward axe special: Grizz. If you want dual daggers and critical-hit timing: Pigeon. If you want projectile destruction: Emerys. If you want a song-input system: Nezumi.
2. Use the first stage to calibrate scroll speed. Every zone feels a bit different. Build stars hard in room one so your first burst is charged before the first real fight.
3. At the Shoppe, check everything before spending. Nothing compatible? Bank the coins and check next visit. One clear match? Buy it and move on.
4. After two visits you should know which direction the run is heading: burst-attack (star gen high, stack amplifying perks) or coverage (struggling with groups, buy an ally). Don't change direction at the third Shoppe.
5. Hold the special for a high-value moment. With Grizz, that means using Axe Nova when the bouncing-axe circle will reach a crowded screen; with Biscuit, Scary Bark is the screen-wide stun window.

Related Reading

• Dark Scrolls Tips: 9 Things to Know Before First Run: The foundational tips covering autoscroll behavior, star system basics, and how the ghost mechanic works in co-op. Start here if you're new to the game.
• Dark Scrolls: Devolver Co-op Roguelike Launches June 22: The launch context: doinksoft's pedigree (Gato Roboto, Gunbrella), what the studio built, and why this is the June 2026 co-op roguelike to watch.
• Farever Builds Guide: Best Class for Solo and Co-op Runs: Farever's class system operates on similar logic to Dark Scrolls hero selection. If build theory in co-op roguelites interests you, this covers a comparable game.
• Dark Scrolls Unlock Heroes Guide: All 9 Characters: how to actually unlock the heroes these builds are built around.
• Die in the Dungeon: Best Build Guide: Die in the Dungeon's relic stacking is a different execution of the same principle: pick a direction and don't spread resources across incompatible synergies.
• Dark Scrolls Co-op Guide: Ghost System and Hero Pairings: Dark Scrolls co-op guide: when a player dies they haunt enemies as a ghost.
• Dark Scrolls Review: 9 Heroes, One Sharp Roguelite: Dark Scrolls review: doinksoft's co-op roguelite delivers 9 distinct heroes, a Shoppe system with real.
• Dark Scrolls Dungeon Guide: All Floors and Zones 2026: Dark Scrolls dungeon guide: how floors progress, enemy types by zone, Shoppe timing between stages,.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best hero in Dark Scrolls for beginners? Grizz. The axe-lobbing and ground-pounding attacks are straightforward, and Axe Nova creates a circle of bouncing axes when the Star Meter is full. That is a documented, readable starting loop.

How does Nezumi work in Dark Scrolls? Nezumi stores up to five saxophone notes using up, forward, and down inputs. Perform attempts a song; a valid song triggers its named effect for both players. The manual lists multiple named effects but does not establish an over-16 total.

How do you unlock Biscuit in Dark Scrolls? By freeing the dog in a cage during the first stage's boss fight. Biscuit joins the roster permanently once freed and can be selected from the hero screen on future runs.

What perks work best with Grizz? Shuriken first if you want the manual-defined bouncing shuriken. Thorns second only when you accept its manual-defined tradeoff: damage drains money before HP unless the money is depleted. It is not reflect damage.

Is Dark Scrolls good in co-op? Yes. Biscuit's bark stun sets up partner burst attacks, the ghost mechanic keeps dead players contributing, and some Shoppe perks stack across both players when you build in the same direction. Grizz and Pigeon is the cleanest pairing for players who are learning.

How does the star system affect builds? Stars are built by hitting enemies, up to five. Stars activate burst attacks and perks assigned to specific thresholds. A perk tied to four stars only works when you hold four stars, so consistent attacking to maintain count is mandatory, not optional.

Can you play Nezumi effectively in co-op? Yes. Your partner can handle forward pressure while you build and perform songs. The manual says a valid song triggers its associated named effect for both players; it does not support a fixed 16-plus combination count.

Who are the other heroes in Dark Scrolls? Rounding out the roster beyond Grizz, Pigeon, Emerys, Biscuit, and Nezumi: Confit (the steak-throwing chef pictured above), Ironbeard, Saturn, and Quinn, a playable fairy. Their builds follow the same Shoppe perk logic as the named five: match perks to weapon type rather than assuming one universal best pick.

References

• Dark Scrolls on Steam
• Dark Scrolls official instruction manual (PDF): official roster, specials, unlocks, routes, perks, trinkets, and Nezumi songs
• Dark Scrolls official Steam announcements: official hero posts with additional kit details
• Devolver Digital on Nezumi (Twitter/X)
• Dark Scrolls hands-on preview (Checkpoint Gaming)
• Dark Scrolls Switch/PC preview (Worthplaying)