Best Time to Transcend is one of the most debated and misunderstood topics in the Clicker Heroes community. When should you hit the transcend button? What zone makes it worthwhile? Should you wait for more Ancient Souls or jump as soon as your progression stalls?
If you’re asking these questions, you’re not alone and this comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about when to transcend, how to use Transcendent Power (TP) wisely, and how to use tools and strategies to keep crushing zones in one of the most popular incremental games ever created.
Let’s explore how and when to time your transcendence to maximize progress, Ancient Souls, and efficiency in your Clicker Heroes journey.
What is Transcendence and Why It Matters
Best Time to Transcend depends entirely on understanding how Transcendence, Ancient Souls, and Transcendent Power (TP) work in the broader game ecosystem.
What is Transcendence?
Transcendence is a late-game mechanic in Clicker Heroes that allows players to perform a super-reset of sorts. It goes beyond the traditional Ascension, unlocking a new tier of progression using Ancient Souls and Outsiders.
Here’s what happens when you Transcend:
- Your Hero Souls, Ancients, and Relics are wiped.
- You gain Ancient Souls, a new currency.
- You unlock Outsiders, which are powerful meta-level upgrades.
- You reset your Hero Level and Zone Progression.
Transcendence is critical because it breaks you out of the early and mid-game grind, helping you optimize your DPS and push into late-game zones at lightning speed.
What Are Ancient Souls?
Ancient Souls are gained by collecting Hero Souls during Ascension post-Transcendence. These are the primary currency for leveling up Outsiders. Every few ascensions (where you claim a certain amount of Hero Souls), you earn Ancient Souls. More on timing those below.
What Is Transcendent Power (TP)?
Transcendent Power is a value you build as you ascend repeatedly post-transcend. It directly affects how many Hero Souls you gain per run and how easily you scale your DPS. Around 24% TP, the returns start slowing down this is a crucial milestone when assessing if it’s the best time to transcend again.
First Transcend: Reaching Zone 300
The best time to transcend for the first time is Zone 300. Almost every experienced Clicker Heroes player, guide, and Reddit thread agrees: hit Zone 300, then transcend.
Why Zone 300?
Zone 300 is where you’ll unlock your first batch of Ancient Souls. Before Zone 300, you can’t transcend at all. After reaching this milestone, you’ll typically have a few hundred Hero Souls banked, which allows for decent progression through Outsiders.
Advice from the Community
The Clicker Heroes subreddit consistently advises:
“Once you reach Zone 300 for the first time, transcend. Don’t try to grind further it’s not worth the time investment.”
How to Prepare for First Transcendence
Before you transcend at Zone 300, follow this prep checklist:
- Quick Ascension: Use Ascension every time you hit a boss wall to gather more Hero Souls.
- Save Rubies: Use them for Time Lapses or Quick Ascensions to speed up progression.
- Invest in Idle Build: Choose idle ancients to boost auto-kill and DPS (especially good in idle games).
- Avoid Ancients Waste: Don’t invest too much in Ancients or Relics they reset after transcendence.
After the First Transcend – Zone-by-Zone Milestones
Once you’ve transcended for the first time, your journey through incremental idle games like Clicker Heroes takes on a new layer of strategy. Your focus shifts to maximizing Ancient Souls, monitoring Transcendent Power, and watching for stalls in Highest Zone Ever (HZE).
Transcending Again (3–4 Ascensions Later)
The general rule is to transcend after 3 to 4 ascensions that each give Ancient Souls.
- Why? You want to ensure each transcend gives more Ancient Souls than the previous one.
- This prevents diminishing returns and ensures you’re progressing efficiently.
Using Transcendent Power (~24% TP)
One of the key metrics to determine the best time to transcend is Transcendent Power.
- When TP is around 24%, its effectiveness levels off.
- If you’re no longer maintaining 2 monsters per zone, that’s a strong signal to transcend.
This strategy ensures you’re getting the most out of your TP boosts and not overextending in a stalled ascension loop.
Transcendent Power by Ancient Souls
| AS | TP (%) | AS | TP (%) | AS | TP (%) | AS | TP (%) | AS | TP (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2.0069 | 10 | 2.0689 | 100 | 2.6798 | 1000 | 7.9612 | 10000 | 23.8555 |
| 2 | 2.0138 | 20 | 2.1376 | 200 | 3.3394 | 2000 | 12.3777 | 20000 | 24.9420 |
| 3 | 2.0207 | 30 | 2.2061 | 300 | 3.9796 | 3000 | 15.6493 | 30000 | 24.9970 |
| 4 | 2.0276 | 40 | 2.2744 | 400 | 4.6008 | 4000 | 18.0734 | 40000 | 24.9990 |
| 5 | 2.0345 | 50 | 2.3424 | 500 | 5.2037 | 5000 | 19.8686 | 50000 | 24.9994 |
| 6 | 2.0414 | 60 | 2.4103 | 600 | 5.7888 | 6000 | 21.1986 | 60000 | 24.9996 |
| 7 | 2.0482 | 70 | 2.4780 | 700 | 6.3566 | 7000 | 22.1840 | 70000 | 24.9997 |
| 8 | 2.0551 | 80 | 2.5454 | 800 | 6.9076 | 8000 | 22.9137 | 80000 | 24.9998 |
| 9 | 2.0620 | 90 | 2.6127 | 900 | 7.4423 | 9000 | 23.4543 | 90000 | 24.9999 |
Stalling Your Highest Zone Ever (HZE)
Another vital sign: when your ascensions no longer increase your Highest Zone Ever.
- If you’ve ascended 2-3 times and are stuck at the same HZE, it’s time to transcend.
- The game has essentially plateaued for your current Outsider levels.
Tracking Progress – Tools & Strategies
Many incremental clicker games and idle clicker games rely on math-heavy optimizations, and Clicker Heroes is no exception. You’ll want to use tools to track your Ancient Soul yield and Outsider investment efficiency.
Use Outsider Calculators
Websites like Driej’s Outsider Calculator are essential.
- Input your current Ancient Souls.
- It tells you the optimal level distribution for Outsiders like Ponyboy, Chor’goloth, and Phandoryss.
Monitor Monster Count Per Zone
As your Transcendent Power rises, you should be killing 2 monsters per zone at minimum.
- If that number drops, your DPS isn’t keeping up with zone scaling.
- Time to consider transcending again.
Transcendence Pitfalls to Avoid
Avoiding common mistakes is just as important as knowing the best time to transcend.
1. Waiting Too Long for AS
- Trying to double your Ancient Soul gain before transcending leads to diminishing returns.
- Get what’s optimal, then move on.
2. Transcending Before Zone 300
- This is a hard no. You can’t gain Ancient Souls before Zone 300.
- You’ll just waste time resetting your progress without long-term gains.
3. Transcending Too Early Post-TP 24%
- Once TP hits 24%, don’t transcend unless you’re actually stalling.
- Some players transcend prematurely and lose out on efficient AS scaling.
Quick Reference Table – When Should You Transcend?
Timing your transcendence in Clicker Heroes isn’t about guesswork it’s about reading key signals from your game’s progression. Whether you’re pushing through early ascensions or approaching a Transcendent Power cap, knowing when to transcend can save you hours of grinding and maximize your Ancient Soul gains. Use the table below to help you decide when it’s time to reset and level up smarter.
| Condition | Transcend? | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Reached Zone 300 for the first time | ✅ Yes | This is the point where Ancient Souls become available, unlocking transcendence features. |
| Completed 3–4 Ancient Soul-generating ascensions | ✅ Yes | Transcending after multiple AS-yielding runs ensures steady scaling and avoids stagnation. |
| Transcendent Power is near or above 24% | ✅ Yes, conditionally | Once TP reaches ~24%, your gains begin to taper off. Consider transcending if progression slows. |
| Can no longer sustain 2+ monsters per zone | ✅ Yes | Dropping below two monsters per zone indicates DPS inefficiency—reset to realign scaling. |
| Ascensions are no longer increasing your Highest Zone Ever (HZE) | ✅ Yes | If your max zone stalls across multiple ascensions, it’s time to transcend and optimize. |
| Trying to double Ancient Soul yield before transcending | ❌ No | Waiting too long for marginal AS increases leads to diminishing returns and wasted time. |
| Transcending before reaching Zone 300 | ❌ No | You won’t receive any Ancient Souls before Zone 300—wait until you hit that milestone. |
What You Keep & Lose at Transcendence
Understanding what you keep and what you lose helps set expectations.
| You KEEP ✅ | You LOSE ❌ |
|---|---|
| Achievements | Hero Souls |
| Ancient Souls | Ancients |
| Rubies | Relics |
| Outsiders | Hero Levels |
| Mercenaries | Gild Buffs |
| Clans | |
| Auto-Clickers | |
| Bought Gilds |
The retained items ensure a smooth bounce-back. In fact, many players find their post-transcend ascension is faster than their original journey to Zone 300.
Quick Guide – Transcend Timing by Zone
| Zone Range | Transcend? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 300 | ✅ Yes (first transcend) | First unlock of Ancient Souls |
| 300–600 | ✅ After 3–4 AS ascensions | Maximizes new AS efficiency |
| TP ~24% | ✅ If 2 mobs/zone fail | Indicates DPS has plateaued |
| Plateau HZE | ✅ Yes | You’re no longer pushing new zones |
This chart serves as a go-to reference, especially useful for those playing on mobile versions or cool math games clicker heroes platforms.
Post-Transcend Strategy
Now that you’ve transcended again, what next?
1. Use a Calculator
Tools like Driej’s Outsider Planner let you quickly redistribute Ancient Souls.
- Focus on Ponyboy for AS scaling.
- Balance with Chor’goloth (zone push) and Phandoryss (gold bonus).
2. Rebuild with Efficiency
- Don’t rush to ascend get deep into the run for a higher Hero Soul haul.
- Let Mercenaries and Rubies do work in the background.
3. Use Clicker Build or Idle Build Strategically
If you’re multitasking, go idle. If you want to actively burst through, use Auto clicker on Steam.
Conclusion
The best time to transcend in Clicker Heroes is all about smart zone management and understanding your game’s momentum.
- First Transcend? Hit Zone 300, then transcend.
- Post-Transcend? Go 3–4 ascensions, monitor TP (~24%) and HZE stall points.
- Avoid pitfalls like transcending too early or chasing diminishing returns.
Whether you’re deep into the clicker heroes cool math games version or pushing mobile zones, the strategy remains the same: transcend with purpose, not panic.
