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TBH: Task Bar Hero Wiki

leveling

Leveling in TBH: Task Bar Hero is how you increase hero power, unlock Rune Tree progression, gain extra party slots, and reach new acts. Efficient leveling balances repeated stage farming, Rune investment, and timely slot/skill unlocks so you break past walls and clear bosses.

Getting started: reach Rune access

  • Reach level 3 on your first hero to unlock the Runes icon in the Hero menu. This is the gateway to permanent progression beyond raw gear.
  • Save gold before opening the Rune Tree: many important nodes cost significant Cube Alchemy gold.

Rune Tree priorities

Runes are the core long-term progression system; they provide stat improvements, automation/offline benefits, and extra hero slots.

Primary priorities (in order):

  1. Rune of War + Rune of Growth → unlock the path to Rune of Command. Command runes add deployable hero slots; follow the downward path from Rune of War to buy Command nodes.
  2. Rune of Wealth + Rune of Expansion → reveal Rune of Repose, which enables offline Gold and EXP gain (important for passive progression).
  3. Rune of Awakening → adds another skill slot, crucial for heroes that need two skills active (for example, Priest using Heal and Blessing of Might).

Notes:

  • The Rune Tree is not only for stats; plan node purchases to unlock party size, automation, inventory, and offline rewards as needed.
  • Save gold to purchase the specific Rune nodes you need rather than buying everything at random.

Unlocking hero slots and expected cost

  • Each Command rune you buy adds a deployable slot when you reach it on the Rune map.
  • The third slot (to field a second hero plus original) requires following Rune of War → Command path and costs roughly 150,000 gold total along that path. Start saving early.

Farming strategy and stage progression

  • If you cannot clear a stage, use the blue portal to drop back to an earlier stage to farm gear, levels, and gold. Failed boss attempts do not consume Soul Stones; a Soul Stone is only consumed when you defeat that act’s boss.
  • Recommended farming targets while aiming for slot 3:
    • Repeat a comfortable stage (examples: 1-8 or the last stage you can clear reliably).
    • Maintain a gold reserve toward the third slot (~150,000).
    • Consider a second hero such as a Priest focused on Blessing of Might or healing to sustain longer runs.

When you hit a wall

  • Do not hard-push a wall for hours; fallback through the blue portal and farm earlier stages for gear and levels.
  • Enable Auto-retry for continuous passive farming while you step away.
  • Progress tends to accelerate after you obtain the third hero slot and invest in synthesis/level upgrades—plan farming cadence to reach those milestones.

Boss attempts and Soul Stones

  • Each act’s boss requires a Soul Stone to attempt. Soul Stones are only consumed when you defeat the boss and clear the act; unsuccessful attempts are free.
  • If a boss blocks progress, return to farm gear and levels until your party is strong enough; repeatedly throwing attempts at the boss without upgrades is inefficient.

Practical roadmap (first sessions)

  • Hour 0–1: Play through early stages, reach level 3 on your first hero and open the Rune Tree.
  • Hour 1–3: Begin buying Rune nodes that unlock core benefits (follow Rune of War/Growth and Wealth/Expansion paths).
  • Hour 3–6: Farm to unlock the third hero slot — save ~150,000 gold, recruit a second hero (Priest recommended), and repeat comfortable stages rather than forcing a wall.
  • After slot 3: Add skill slots (Rune of Awakening) and offline/automation Runes to accelerate long-term growth.

Tips for efficient leveling

  • Prioritize Rune nodes that give new functionality (extra slot, offline rewards, automation) over small flat stat increases early on.
  • Use the Rune Tree to plan which slots and automation you’ll need next; don’t overspend on stats if an extra slot or offline income will accelerate progress more.
  • Treat boss attempts as checkpoints: feel free to attempt bosses repeatedly since failed attempts cost nothing; only the victorious clear consumes the Soul Stone.

Leveling is a mix of active stage play and Rune investments—focus early Rune purchases on adding slots and offline income, farm safe stages to build gold and gear, and retreat to earlier stages when stuck to avoid wasted time.