The Foundation: Mastering the Two Core Currencies

Before we dive into events and special methods, you have to get your head around the two workhorses for hero acquisition: Gold and Battle Coins (or similar premium currency from the Battle Pass). Think of Gold as your steady paycheck and Battle Coins as your performance bonus. Most permanent heroes are bought with one of these, so optimizing your income here is non-negotiable.

Let’s talk Gold first. The biggest mistake I see is players just playing matches aimlessly. To maximize gold, you need to hit the weekly cap religiously. The game gives you a bonus for your first win of the day, and then a set amount per match until you hit that weekly limit. My routine? I make sure to get that first win bonus every single day, even if I only have time for one match. It adds up incredibly fast. Then, I play a mix of ranked and casual to hit the cap. A pro-tip I learned from analyzing my own patterns: playing with friends in a party often gives you a slight gold bonus, and it makes grinding those matches way more fun. Also, don’t ignore the “Hero Road” or beginner quests. They often throw large chunks of gold at you for completing simple tasks like playing a certain number of games or trying out different roles. I remember when I first started, I focused solely on one hero, but the game rewarded me with over 5000 gold for just playing five different heroes a few times. It was a game-changer.

Now, Battle Coins are a different beast. These come primarily from the Advanced and Elite Battle Passes. Here’s my take: if you’re serious about unlocking heroes efficiently, investing in the Elite Battle Pass is the single most value-for-money thing you can do. You pay once, and as you level it up by completing daily and weekly missions, you earn back more Battle Coins than you started with, plus a ton of other goodies. The key is consistency. The missions aren’t hard—things like “deal 100,000 hero damage” or “participate in 3 victories.” You’ll complete them just by playing normally. I track my Battle Pass progress every couple of days to make sure I’m on pace to hit the max level before the season ends. One season, I got lazy and missed the final 10 levels, and it cost me nearly 1000 Battle Coins I could have used on a new hero. Never again.

So, how do you decide what to buy with what? My personal strategy, which has served me well, is this: I use Gold for the cheaper, older heroes and Battle Coins for the newer, more expensive ones or for heroes in the “Premium” shop. Gold is plentiful if you’re consistent, so it’s perfect for building your foundational roster. Battle Coins are more precious, so I save them for the heroes that cost 20,000+ gold or for when a hero I really want pops up in a special Battle Coin exchange event.

Working the System: Events, Trials, and Smart Planning

Okay, you’ve got your steady currency income sorted. Now let’s talk about the turbo-boosters: in-game events and free hero trials. This is where most players leave a ton of free unlocks on the table. The developers of Honor of Kings are constantly running events—login events, festival events, collaboration events. Their goal is to keep you engaged, and your goal is to mine these events for every possible hero shard, trial card, or direct unlock they offer.

I treat the in-game event page like my daily newspaper. I check it every time I log in. Look for events that offer “Hero Tokens” or “Hero Selection Chests.” For example, during the last major global festival event, there was a simple log-in track that gave away a free hero selection chest on the seventh day. I’ve seen events where you collect tokens from matches to exchange for a hero. The rule is simple: participate in everything, even if the rewards seem small. Those small shards add up. I once unlocked a 18,888 Gold hero purely by collecting shards from three different minor events over a month. It felt like getting him for free.

Then there are Free Hero Trials and the Weekly Free Hero Rotation. This is not just about trying before you buy; it’s a strategic tool. Every week, a set of heroes is free for all players. My advice? Use this rotation to complete quests that require specific heroes or roles. More importantly, it lets you test a hero thoroughly before spending your hard-earned currency. I can’t tell you how many times I thought I wanted a flashy assassin, played them for a week on rotation, and realized I was terrible with them. That saved me 15,000 gold! The official game channels often announce these rotations, so it’s worth glancing at their social media or news in-game.

But how do you know which hero to unlock next? Blindly buying the most expensive one isn’t a strategy. This is where a bit of planning comes in.

This table is based on my experience and common advice from high-level player guides I trust. When I was starting, I blew all my early gold on a cool-looking assassin and then struggled horribly in matches because I didn’t understand jungle routes or timing ganks. I had more success and fun—and won more gold from victories—when I focused on a solid mage and a reliable tank first. They helped me learn the fundamentals without being punished too hard for mistakes.

Finally, let’s talk about the long game. Hero Fragments and Diamond Prizes. Some modes, like the lucky draw or certain recurring events, award hero fragments. These can feel slow, but they are a guaranteed path to specific heroes over time. I always check the fragment shop to see if I’m close to exchanging for a hero I want. It’s a passive income stream. As for diamonds, they are the premium currency. My hard rule is: I never use diamonds to directly buy a hero that can be purchased with Gold or Battle Coins. Diamonds are better saved for limited-time skins or for the rare occasions when a brand-new hero has an exclusive diamond-only launch bundle that also includes other valuable items. Using diamonds to buy a standard 18,888 gold hero is, in my opinion, a poor exchange rate. Save them.

The journey to unlocking all heroes is a marathon, not a sprint. It requires consistent play, smart resource management, and active participation in the game’s ecosystem. Start by nailing your gold and Battle Coin income, become an event opportunist, use the free rotations to make informed decisions, and prioritize your purchases based on your role and skill level. Stick with this system, and you’ll watch your hero collection grow steadily throughout

What’s the fastest way to earn Gold to buy heroes?

The absolute fastest way is to be consistent with the game’s built-in systems. Make getting your First Win of the Day bonus a non-negotiable daily habit—it’s a huge chunk of gold for just one win. After that, focus on hitting the weekly gold cap by playing matches. Don’t just play aimlessly; team up with friends for a slight party bonus and work on completing the “Hero Road” and beginner quests, as they often give large, one-time gold rewards for trying different roles or heroes.

I found that when I stopped focusing on just one hero and completed the quest to play five different heroes, I got over 5000 gold almost instantly. It’s about working with the game’s incentives, not against them.

Is the Elite Battle Pass worth it for unlocking heroes?

If you’re serious about building your hero collection efficiently, the Elite Battle Pass is arguably the best value purchase you can make. You pay once, and by completing the straightforward daily and weekly missions, you earn back more Battle Coins than you spent, plus skins and other resources. These Battle Coins are key for buying newer or more expensive heroes that would take forever to save up Gold for.

Just remember, it requires consistent play to level it up. I learned the hard way one season by slacking off and missing out on nearly 1000 Battle Coins in the final tiers, which set my hero unlock plan back by weeks.

How should I use Gold versus Battle Coins?

Think of them as tools for different jobs. My tried-and-true strategy is to use Gold for the older, foundational heroes that cost between 8,888-15,888 Gold. This currency is reliable and plentiful if you play regularly. Save your more precious Battle Coins for the newer, premium heroes that cost 20,000+ Gold or for when a must-have hero appears in a special Battle Coin exchange event.

This way, you’re constantly building your roster with Gold while saving your “performance bonus” currency for the bigger, flashier unlocks that accelerate your progress.

What’s the biggest mistake players make with events and free heroes?

The biggest mistake is ignoring smaller events or not using the free weekly hero rotation strategically. Players often log in, play their matches, and don’t check the event page. Many events offer hero shards, trial cards, or even full hero chests just for participation. Those shards add up over time—I once unlocked a pricey hero entirely from fragments collected across three minor events.

Also, the free weekly rotation isn’t just for testing. Use it to complete specific hero-based quests for extra rewards and to genuinely road-test a hero before you spend your currency. It saved me from wasting 15,000 Gold on a hero I was bad with more than once.

Which type of hero should I unlock first as a new player?

I highly recommend prioritizing a reliable Mage or a Tank/Support hero when you’re starting out. These roles, with heroes typically costing between 6,888-15,888 Gold, are more forgiving and crucial for team success. They help you learn map awareness and game fundamentals without the intense mechanical pressure of an Assassin.

When I started, I bought a difficult Assassin first and struggled terribly. Switching to a solid Mage helped me win more games, which in turn earned me more gold faster. It creates a positive feedback loop for your progression.