Clicker Heroes might look like an easy, mindless idle game at first glance, but be cautious. Beneath its tap-happy surface lies a surprising depth of strategy that can make or break your progression.
Many Clicker Heroes players unknowingly stall their runs, waste precious resources, or ascend at the worst possible times, slowing themselves down without realizing it.
This guide breaks down the 7 most common beginner mistakes in Clicker Heroes games, and more importantly, how to fix them.
Whether you’re aiming to break into zone 1000 or just want to understand when to ascend and how to build your ancients, this post has you covered.
Mistake #1: Ascending (or Transcending) Too Often
At the core of Clicker Heroes progression is the Ascension and Transcension system.
Ascension resets your progress in exchange for Hero Souls, which you can spend on powerful Ancients to boost your next run. Transcension, unlocked later, resets even your Ancients but grants Ancient Souls and access to Outsiders, adding a new layer of strategy.
The problem? Many Clicker Heroes players ascend way too early, sometimes every 10–20 zones, hoping the fresh restart will accelerate progress. In reality, premature ascensions can massively slow your momentum.
You should only ascend when you hit a hard wall, such as:
- A boss that your damage can’t beat even after multiple retries
- A gold plateau where upgrades become too expensive to push
- A zone where progress stalls for more than a few minutes
The sweet spot for your first few ascensions is often around zone 130–160, where Primal Bosses start consistently dropping multiple Hero Souls. Be patient, and don’t waste your resets too soon.
Mistake #2: Misallocating Hero Souls/Ignoring Ancient Strategy
Once you’ve got Hero Souls, you’ll be tempted to spend them right away. However, not all Ancients are created equal, and dumping souls randomly can sabotage your build.
Ancients come in two main playstyle types:
- Idle-focused: Ancients like Siyalatas (idle DPS boost) and Libertas (idle gold boost)
- Active-focused: Ancients like Juggernaut (combo damage) and Mammon (gold boost)
If you prefer letting the game run passively while you’re away, invest in idle Ancients. If you’re actively clicking or using auto-clickers, focus on active builds.
Suggested Starter Builds:
- Idle: Siyalatas, Libertas, Kumawakamaru, Nogardnit, and Atman
- Active: Juggernaut, Fragsworth, Bhaal, Pluto, and Mammon
- Hybrid: Mix of idle gold with active skills with Ancients like Atman, Bhaal, Libertas, Nogardnit, Siyalatas, Fragsworth, Juggernaut, Kumawakamaru, and Pluto
Don’t forget to level Ancients based on diminishing returns. Tools like Clicker Heroes Ancient Calculator can help optimize levels based on your current souls.
Mistake #3: Clicking Carelessly Without Auto-Clickers & Combos
It’s easy to spam clicks early on and feel powerful, but without strategy, you’re wasting one of the most efficient tools in the game: auto-clickers and Juggernaut combo stacks.
New players often hoard rubies, unsure what to spend them on. Or worse, blow them on random things like revives or unnecessary gilds.
But the smartest early investment is simple:
- Buy 5 auto-clickers as soon as possible.
- With 5 auto-clickers running in sync, you can:
- Trigger Juggernaut combos for explosive DPS
- Progress zones faster in active builds
- Fully automate gold gains and skill usage
After that, save rubies for 2x damage multiplier, Quick Ascension, or Timelapses to simulate hours of offline progress.
Mistake #4: Leveling Heroes Inefficiently
Leveling heroes might seem straightforward, just spend gold and watch numbers rise. But smart upgrades are essential for optimal progress.
Many beginners make the mistake of spreading their gold too thin, upgrading multiple heroes without focusing on their primary damage dealer.
Here’s the rule of thumb: Always max out your strongest, highest-level hero first, especially once you’ve unlocked their powerful upgrades.
Also, don’t overlook global upgrades from support heroes like Wandering Fisherman (boosts DPS of all heroes) or King Midas (gold bonuses). Buying these early unlocks efficient scaling, especially when combined with idle gold ancients.
Lastly, avoid buying every available upgrade right away and focus on damage efficiency.
Mistake #5: Sticking to One Playstyle Too Long (Idle vs Active)
Clicker Heroes offers multiple playstyles: idle, active, and hybrid.
New players often pick one and never change, but adapting your strategy is key to long-term growth.
- Idle Mode: No clicking, relying on ancients like Siyalatas and Libertas. Great for offline or low-maintenance progress.
- Active Mode: Clicking or using auto-clickers, combined with Juggernaut, Fragsworth, and click-based Clicker Heroes ancients.
- Hybrid Mode: Starts as active and shifts to idle once you hit a wall. Ideal for flexible players.
Over time, DPS curves shift, and what worked in early zones (like active burst builds) may not scale well later. For instance, idle builds shine during longer runs or offline progression.
The Clicker Heroes community often recommends hybrid setups that combine early momentum with idle power for late-game scaling.
Don’t get locked in! Instead, try different setups and rebalance ancients accordingly as you progress.
Mistake #6: Neglecting Mercenaries, Rubies & Timelapses
Many players ignore the mercenary system, thinking it’s a side feature. However, it’s a big mistake.
Mercenaries bring in rubies, gold, Hero Souls, and even Relics—all passively.
When your mercenaries die, bury them unless you’ve got a top-tier lineup. As you gain more, prioritize long quests (8–24 hours) for better returns.
Also, rubies matter. Aside from clickables, mercenaries are the best ruby source. These rubies can be used to purchase different boosts, including auto clickers, damage multiplier, Quick Ascension, or Timelapses.
Used wisely, and rubies can speed up runs dramatically.
Mistake #7: Not Using Gilds Properly
Gilded heroes are the hidden backbone of your damage output. Every time you ascend, gilds are assigned to heroes randomly, boosting their DPS by 50%.
The trick? You want all gilds stacked on your main DPS hero, not scattered around. You can use Hero Souls to move gilds where they matter.
Early on, stack gilds on Treebeast, Ivan, or Brittany. Later, shift to higher-tier heroes like Atlas, Terra, or Wepwawet
Once you’ve got 100–200 free Hero Souls, start organizing your gilds proactively. Tools like the Clicker Heroes Gild Calculator help optimize placement.
Remember: a poorly gilded build can halve your DPS. So, take the time to set it up right after each Ascension.
Bonus Tips & Resources For Clicker Heroes Players
Looking for a few more common gaming techniques to sharpen your Clicker Heroes runs? Here are some quick wins and community gems that make a surprising difference:
- Save those fish: Clickable fish can reward rubies, gold, or even Hero Souls. If you’re about to ascend, wait until fish appear, then cash them in for a final boost before resetting.
- Time your ascensions smartly: Don’t ascend in the middle of a gold-heavy zone or right after unlocking a new hero. Make the most of your momentum by stalling until your DPS clearly plateaus.
Reddit is packed with veterans offering advice. One user perfectly summed up the best approach:
A hybrid playstyle is probably the optimal way to enjoy Clicker Heroes. Specifically, starting Active, and adding in passive elements as time goes on.
Also, here are the useful tools & links:
- Clicker Heroes Calculators
- r/ClickerHeroes — active gaming subreddit with builds, strategies, and progression charts.
- Steam Community Guides — popular beginner and endgame guides from experienced players.
Conclusion & Key Takeaways
Even simple-looking idle games like Clicker Heroes have layers of strategy, and the path to efficient progress is often blocked by easy-to-make game mistakes.
By understanding idle game mechanics and avoiding these common pitfalls, you’ll make each reset more meaningful and each run more satisfying.
Now it’s your turn! Have a strategy that helped you and other Clicker Heroes players push past a wall? Or a mistake you wish someone warned you about?
Drop your story in the comments or share it with the community. Let’s level up together!
