Wargroove might be a humble indie title from Chucklefish, but it’s a meaty package. A worthy successor to Intelligent Systems’ own Advance Wars (a series that hasn’t seen a new release since 2008’s Days of Ruin), in fact.
If you’re a fan of the Advance Wars or Fire Emblem franchises, you’ve probably already started to dive into the long-awaited Wargroove. Have you unlocked all the varied commanders for Arcade M💫ode, though? Probably not.
RELATED: Wargroove is Eꦜxcel🎐lent, But These Small Fixes (And One Great Tree Pun) Could Fix It
Let’s 𓆉take a look at them all, their Grooves and the missions you have to complete to unlock them for play. Beware, though: the last trio of comma♔nders constitute story spoilers (as do the titles of missions throughout, if you’re really spoiler-sensitive) so don’t read too far into this guide if you don’t want that.
15 Mercia
Now, technically, the Queen of the Cherrystone kingdom doesn’t need to be unlocked. She’s the only commander available right from the start of Arcade Mode (which is itself unlocked by completing theꦬ first chapter of the campaign).
As is fitting for the first commander♏ we get to control, she’s a solid and reliable pick. Her Groove is Healing Aura, which he♒als all her units in a wide AoE around her. It restores 50% health to each unit in range and herself, and it charges quickly to boot.
This is very useful, as it gives her the ability to press an attack (and remain in the front line) like few other ✅commanders can.
14 Caesar
That’s right. Second up is the commander you’re really here to learn about. The good-est of all good boys, 🍌Caesar. This magnificent pupper is another commander of the Cherrystone forces and Mercia’s beloved pet.
He’s the second commander to become available in Arcade mode and the first you technically 🔯unlock. To get him, you have to complete the campaign’s first side mission, Act 2 Side 1: Canine Justice.
Caesar’s Groove is one that’s going to be familiar to all fans of that amazing Eagle ability from Advance Wars. It’s ꦆcalled Inspire, and allows all units adjacent to Caesar to take another 💮turn.
13 Greenfinger
Next, we have our first commander from another faction. All the way f𝕴rom the Floran Tribes, please welcome Greenfinger.
🧸This w🦋ise old tribal elder is the ruler of the Floran, and is actually named Zawan (Greenfinger is his title). He has the rare ability to create and control plants, which is… well, that’s quite a party trick right there.
To unloc🍌k him, you have to c💟omplete the campaign’s next optional mission: Act 2 Side 2, Banishment. Do so, and you’ll be able to play as the kindly ruler in Arcade.
Greenfinger’s Groove is an unusual one. It’s called Wild Growth, and allows the player to choose five tiles within range on which to spawn vines. These can be used offensively or defensively, and mastery of this Groove will probably define true Wargroove experts.
12 Nuru
The second commander of the Floran tribe can be acquired immediately🔜 after the first🃏. Nuru is a mysterious member of the tribe, whose origins lie elsewhere (though she isn’t telling where). She’s small, but very powerful.
To unlock her, simply head across to the next side mission (a branching path in the campaign makes both available at once), Act 2, Side 3: Making Friends. It’s a friendly match between Mercia and her new ally, which takes place on a very small and compact batt🌞le𒁃field. Defeat her, and she’s yours to command in Arcade mode.
Nuru’s Groove is Teleport Beam. This allows the player to produce any unit (at its usual cost) in an adjacent tile. As with a lot of these Grooves, this is a toned-down version of familiar powers from Advance Wars, and can be very useful on stages that usually 🎶limit your ability to pro🍰duce units.
11 Ragna
The next commander available to unlock is a💮 member of the Felheim Legion. Ragna is a Frankenstein’s Monster of a warrior, pieced together from parts of some of history’s finest fighters. She was created by the Legion’s ruler, Valder.
You’ll have encountered this familiar foe i𝐆n the campaign already, and can unlock her by completing Act 3, Side 2: Who Is Caesar?.
Her Groove is the firs꧋t we’ve seen that’s strictly offensive (that is, damage-dealing itself) in nature. Shield Jump sees Ragna target a specific area of the map near her, unleashing an A🐬oE jumping attack. On impact, all opposing units in the area take damage equal to around 2/3 of Ragna’s full attack strength.
10 Emeric
Here’s another first. Mercia’s wise old advisor Emeric is the first commander who isn’t unlocked via side missions (and one of v♎ery few who isn’t). To play as him in Arcade mode, you simply have to advance through the campaign until you compl🗹ete the second mission of Act Three, An Old Friend.
His Groove is another very versatile one. Elder Shield allows the player to place a magic gem on the battlefield on a tile near Emeric, granting a defensive bonus to all friendly uniไts in its range. It can be attacked and✅ its HP will degrade each turn automatically, but the +3 terrain bonus it imparts can turn the tide.
♎Keep in mind, also, that its effect will always grant allied Alchemists critical hits (they need 3 or more defense to deal crits).
9 Sedge
If you’ve completed the earliest chapters of Wargroove’s campaign, you’ll be familiar with Sedge. 🍬Another commander of the Floran Tribes faction, they personify all the ruthless hunting impulses that the Floran are sometimes renowned for.
To unlock this sadistic fighter, you must win the first꧂ optional battle of Act 4: Sizzlepalm Forest.
Sedge’s Groove is another curious one, perhaps the most unique in the game. While Sadistic Rush doesn’t sound like much (it simply deals 35% damage to any enemy unit), it has some interesting mechanics. If the opposing unit is defeated 🅺by this attack, Sedge’s Groove ‘charge’ isn’t expended, allowing the player to use it as many𒐪 times as they like in a match (providing it’s the finishing blow on an opponent each time).
RELATED: Wargroove Devs Outline Plans For The Future: ‘You’ll Be Pleasantly🦩 Surprised’ By DLC
It charges very slowly to balance this, but with canny use, you can get a lot out of♐ it. And avoid a lot of counterattacks, of course.
8 Tenri
Over to the Heavensong Empire now to meet our next commander, Tenri. The Empress wields magical fans with which she manipulates the 🌠wind, which sure does come in handy in battle (as we’ll see).
To unlock her for the Arcade mode, you’ll need to complete Act 4, Side 2: Halcyon Days. Things really do start to get tough at this stage of 🐓the campaign, but Tenri is worth the effort.
Her Groove is Rising Wind. It allows her to move a unit (friendly or opposing, any but the commander) from its current location to another tile within a wide range. Armchair strategists will find all kinds of cunning uses for this. Dropping an enemy behind a wall or other🌞 obstacle? Sneaking a key attacker into range of a foe that wouldn’t otherwise be vulnerable? Rising Wind can do it all.
7 Koji
The next member of the Heavensong Empire factio🎐n is Koji. He’s Empress Tenri’s son, and a brilliant little inventor (as the huge wooden puppet he rides on probably makes clear).
There are no side missions to complete this time. You just need to finish the first mission o𓂃f🐬 Act 5, Here Be Monsters, to be able to play as Koji in Arcade.
He brings another unique Groove to the table: Sparrow Bombs. On activation, this will spawn two Sparrow Bomb units. They have limited range, but are excellent for dealing quick AoE damage to clustered enemy units (50% of Koji’s own max attack power to all enemies in range on detoꦬnation). As with most Grooves, it’s all about w💛hen and where you choose to use it.
6 Ryota
The final playable commander of the Heavensong Empire is Ryota. This fanatically loyal young man rose to become Tenri’s right-hand man, by virtue of his tactical a🌠bility and tenacity.
To play through the Arcade m𒅌ode as Ryota, you’ll neeܫd to complete the second optional mission of Act 5, Settling the Score.
Ryota’s Groove is another formidable damage-dealer. Blade Dash lets him charge through ranks of enemies, dealing 45% of his max attack power as damage. The potential of this Groove depends on the arrangement of the enemy units (h𒀰e can charge through those that are clustered together). The key here, then, is trying to bunch enemies together with your regular units first.