How the Wishlist Works
The Wishlist is a feature of the Noble Tavern that increases the pull rate of specific heroes when they're placed on the list. For the wishlist choices to be in effect, you will have your Wishlist full. Normally, your chance to pull an elite hero is 4.61%, split into 4.41% for the four core factions and 0.2% for Celestials and Hypogeans. With more than 70 heroes in the four core factions of AFK Arena, your chances of pulling a specific hero are less than 0.1% (around 0.063%).
Now the official response from Lilith is that when your Wishlist is full that 4.41% will only be spread across heroes in your Wishlist. With 20 heroes in your Wishlist, we get 4.41/20 = 0.2205% for a specific hero in your Wishlist, which is 3.5 times more. But the best part is that you will get the hero you want no matter what (unless you have reached a point where you add placeholders to the Wishlist).
Keep in mind that you need eight copies of each hero to ascend them to the ascended tier and since increasing the stars of ascended heroes only increases stats by 2.5%, it's a good idea to swap when you reach that point.
Eventually, you should consider adding some legendary heroes to your Wishlist so that you have enough fodder to ascend others to “Ascended.”
After completing stages 4-4, the Wishlist is unlocked quite early and is a core mechanic for collecting and upgrading heroes for progression.
Now without further ado, let's see what my Wishlist for a new account looks like.
wishlist recommendations
I created my initial Wishlist with one thing in mind. I wanted to put 20 heroes I won't regret having when I reach the end-game.
Most of the choices are obvious but let me explain them a bit. One of the things I had also in mind was that the five heroes for each faction could work together (to some extent) as a team in the faction tower.
Lightbearers
My recommendation here is “use as is”.
- Rowan: One of the best characters in AFK Arena and a constant energy buffer.
- Rosaline: The energy and attack rating buffer for your main carry. As of patch 1.64, you can select the hero she follows!
- Scarlet: Scarlet will be your main Lightbearer carry in the Tower of Light, while she also thrives against Wrizz & Soren and several Twisted Realm bosses.
- Hendrik: We all need a tank and Hendrik remains decent throughout the game. I don't have Lucius as much as others do, but I would gladly swap him on my main account with the next swap scroll.
- Raine: For bosses and because she can be useful in 5-team fights.
Maulers
Maulers have some very strong 5/5 formations, so if you are going for one, you could easily alter the choices below.
- Kren: He might just well be the best mauler right now.
- Tidus: If Kren is not the best, then Tidus is and he still can be used in several formations.
- Skreg: Skreg can be useful eventually as a tank so it's better to start him sooner rather than later. Brutus on the other hand does not need that many copies to work, his immunity will be there.
- Skriath: Still valuable as a CC.
- Safiya: Still a solid carry due to her ultimate and is useful in multiple formations towards the end of the game, just like Skriath.
Wilder
Raku can replace Saurus, even in faction tower. So if you don't want Saurus on your Wishlist, you can add Pippa or Nemora.
- Raku: Insane damage at SI +30. Probably the replacement for Saurus in boss fights.
- Eironn: He can be the main carry until Chapter 30, but he will be useful even beyond that.
- Tasi: Her CC remains priceless.
- Lyca: She will always be helpful, even just for the haste.
- Saurus: Saurus is not just a king of boss fights. He can shine in Campaign with CC and haste (see what the two heroes above provide).
Graveborn
You can't go wrong here.
- Daimon: My carry of choice till the end game, where he remains super valuable.
- Grezhul: It's not just the synergy with Saurus in boss fights; he is precious in Tower of faction and Campaign formations.
- Silas: There aren't many Graveborn buffer options, so Silas is a must-have.
- Ferael: Disruption and stun king. Still reigns supreme.
- Oden: One of the most amazing Graveborn heroes, thanks to control abilities and energy manipulation.
Wishlist Substitutes
While I don't like every hero in this list, they are helpful in several different end-game setups.
Lightbearers
- Eluard: Useful towards the end-game and on high Tower of Light floors.
- Estrilda: Estrilda is not super useful, but she has excellent synergy with Shemira for Demonic Entity, and her buffs are sometimes valuable.
- Cecilia: She is instrumental on high Tower of Light floors, can be vital in Abyssal Expedition and her damage reduction is helpful in Twisted Realm. She can also be useful to turn Soren around.
- Fawkes: The closest thing to CC you can find in Lighbearers. It can be useful in Tower of Light and third or fourth teams in Campaign.
Maulers
- Numisu: I don't like him, but people use him in several formations, especially before the end-game.
- Brutus: His immunity and dodge reduction can be valuable.
- Antandra: Antandra is one of the characters that can be very useful in the late game if you have built her.
- Satrana: Pretty much similar to Antrandra, and she is the Maulers' anti-heal expert.
Wilders
- Pippa: Part of the current meta Wilder team in faction Tower. She is very good at SI +20. She is excellent overall, useful in Campaign, too, and you could swap out Raku if you want to start with that Wilder team as soon as possible.
- Mishka: Mishka is great in a ton of formation, and you will need her for your second team on the World Tree.
- Lorsan: A very underrated character that is very useful in Thoran Cheese team comps and the World Tree.
- Gorvo: Potentially valuable thanks to his stuns. He used to be the best Wilder Tank, but I'm not sure that's true after Misha's and Oku's releases.
Graveborns
- Nara: While I would expect her to not be viable anymore, she is part of the meta team for high floors in the faction tower. Her Disruption and Execute skill are both valuable assets.
- Thoran: You are going to need him if you are going to use Thoran Cheese comps.
- Desira: Desira is incredible in many team comps and extremely valuable as she will greatly increase your team's survivability.