Ever wondered what happens in Clicker Heroes when you close the game? That’s where offline progression comes in!
Offline progression is a core feature in incremental games that lets your heroes keep fighting while you’re away. Whether you’re asleep, at work, or just taking a break, the game continues to gather gold and slay monsters in your absence.
This system is what makes idle games so addicting and satisfying, as you’re always making progress, even when you’re not actively playing.
In this guide, we’ll break down how offline progression works in Clicker Heroes, what it includes (and doesn’t), and how to optimize your build to earn the most while you’re AFK.
What Is Offline Progression?
Offline progression in incremental idle games refers to your ability to continue earning rewards, like gold, experience, or resources, even when the game isn’t running.
Instead of requiring non-stop interaction, idle games simulate passive gameplay while you’re offline, then calculate the results when you return.
In Clicker Heroes, offline progression is fundamental.
When you exit the game, it records your current damage-per-second (DPS) and uses that to simulate combat and gold collection while you’re away.
It doesn’t just pause; it keeps the grind going in the background, so you come back stronger and richer than before.
This system rewards smart planning, especially for players who focus on idle builds, making it possible to climb zones and farm Hero Souls without being glued to your screen.
How Clicker Heroes Calculates Offline Progression
When you close Clicker Heroes, the game doesn’t just freeze your progress; it simulates an “idle run” based on your current build.
Offline progression assumes you’re using Idle mode, meaning only your idle DPS (damage-per-second) is taken into account. Any boosts from autoclickers, active skills, or click-focused ancients are completely ignored during this time.
Your heroes continue to slay monsters automatically, and gold accumulates based on how much damage you can deal passively.
The game calculates how far your idle DPS can carry you, and you’ll earn gold until your heroes hit a wall, usually when your DPS can’t keep up with enemy health.
There’s no strict time limit on how long this simulation runs.
Whether you’re away for an hour or a full day, Clicker Heroes will calculate your progress up to the point where your DPS can no longer defeat enemies quickly enough to advance zones.
Ancients & Heroes That Work Offline
Not all ancients and abilities help you when you’re offline, but the ones that do are key.
Ancients like Siyalatas (who boosts idle DPS) and Libertas (who increases gold gain while idle) continue to work as expected. These passive bonuses are the foundation of any good offline build.
That said, gold isn’t spent automatically while you’re away.
Your heroes won’t level up, and no new heroes are purchased during offline progression. You’ll only earn gold until you return to spend it manually.
Surprisingly, you can also earn Hero Souls offline. After reaching zone 100, some bosses become primal, meaning they drop Hero Souls upon defeat.
If your idle DPS is strong enough to take down these bosses while you’re AFK, you’ll log in to find a stack of Hero Souls waiting for you.
What You Don’t Gain While Offline
Despite how powerful Clicker Heroes offline progression can be, there are some clear limitations.
Autoclickers don’t function at all when the game is closed, so any build that relies on rapid clicking or active damage will stall out until you return.
Likewise, click-based skills like Clickstorm, Powersurge, or Lucky Strikes are completely ignored.
These skills require manual activation and are only available during active play, meaning they contribute nothing to your offline simulation.
Finally, any form of hero management, like leveling up, unlocking new characters, or ascending, requires direct interaction.
If you want to spend your gold, collect bonuses, or optimize your ancients, you’ll need to be in-game.
Maximizing Offline Progression
If you want to make the most of your time away from Clicker Heroes, optimizing your idle build before logging off is essential.
Start by investing in idle-focused ancients like Siyalatas and Libertas. These ancients remain active even when the game is closed, passively pushing your heroes through zones.
Next, equip relics that amplify idle damage, and avoid relying on autoclickers or click-based ancients, as none of these activate during offline runs.
Also, skip skills like Clickstorm or Lucky Strikes. They’re powerful, but only when you’re actively playing.
Remember, there’s no 24-hour cap on offline progress.
You’ll continue climbing zones and earning gold as long as your idle DPS can carry you forward. That means the stronger your idle setup, the farther you’ll push without lifting a finger.
When Are Hero Souls Earned Offline?
One of the biggest perks of offline progression is that you can still collect Hero Souls.
Once you’ve passed zone 100, bosses have a chance to spawn as Primal Bosses, which drop Hero Souls when defeated.
Every 100th zone guarantees a Centurion Bosses, and Clicker Heroes honors this mechanic even while the game is closed.
As long as your idle DPS is strong enough to kill these bosses, you’ll log back in Clicker Heroes game with Hero Souls ready to claim.
Tips For Better Offline Progression and Pitfalls
That said, a few technical hiccups can disrupt your progress.
Sometimes, a crash or unexpected shutdown might prevent the game from properly calculating your offline earnings.
If this happens, simply restart the game. It often re-triggers the calculation and restores your rewards.
Also, while gold accumulates automatically, you’ll still need to collect it manually when you return.
This can temporarily bottleneck your ability to level up heroes or ascend if you’re not paying attention.
Offline Progression vs Active Play
While offline progression is great for passive gains, it’s no replacement for active play, especially if you use click-based builds.
Autoclickers, skills, and manual clicking can generate much faster zone-clearing and higher gold earnings in real-time, particularly when paired with active ancients.
Offline play is best reserved for idle builds and downtime farming. It’s ideal when you’re busy or stepping away.
For optimal zone pushing, ascending, and maximizing short-term gains, active clicking still reigns supreme.
