(artillery support).

Learn how to unlock all the unique heroes in State of Decay, including Eli Wilkerson, Owen Lykins, Pastor William Mulroney, and more. Get tips and strategies for each hero.

This guide details how to unlock special heroes in State of Decay. Unlocked heroes begin as an escort mission and must be picked up before turning off the game to prevent their death. If multiple missions are active, hero missions may be temporarily blocked; resolve other survivor requests first. Unlocked heroes remain permanently available in the recruitment pool, though they may be rare in some versions. Heroes unlocked at lower levels can be found in later levels.

Level 1 Achievements/Heroes:

1. Eli Wilkerson – “The Bruiser”: Unlock with 100 Blunt Weapons kills. Comes with max fighting, heavy weapon specialization, and chemistry skills. Useful for building the munitions shop early.
2. Owen Lykins – “The Cop”: Unlock with 50 Pistols kills. Has max shooting with a pistol specialization. Easy to unlock and can be useful for specific situations like moving into Snyder's Trucking Warehouse.
3. Pastor William Mulroney – “The Believer”: Unlock by earning 500 Fame. A counselor who unlocks the radio command “words of inspiration” to fully restore stamina. Helpful for leveling other characters.
4. Thomas Ritter – “The Father”: Unlock by maxing out every facility type (Watch tower, Medical facility, Fitness area, Garden, Workshop, Storage facility, Sleeping area, Library, Kitchen, Dining hall). Has Construction and Leadership skills, and an M1 Garand.
5. Raymundo Santos – “The Dealer”: Unlock with 400 kills using a car door (not a truck door). Has max shooting with a revolver specialization, construction skills, and unlocks “vehicle delivery.” Best used at base due to revolver specialization.
6. Charley Marshall – “The Scholar”: Unlock by completing all research projects. Has research skills, but is generally considered less useful due to nerfs and a cardio penalty.
7. Jacob Ritter – “The Tragedy”: Unlock by getting torn apart by zombies. Comes with powerhouse skills. Keep for character preference or company.
8. Alan Gunderson – “The Killer”: Unlock by killing a dying community member. Requires triggering a mercy mission for a non-friend survivor. Comes with max shooting, rifle specialization, and an MK. 15. Best attempted at the start of a level.