Megabonk – How to Unlock the Hero Sword (Full Guide)

The Hero Sword is one of the strongest, most iconic weapons in Megabonk. Unlike regular unlocks that rely on farming or shrine buffs, this blade demands a flawless, disciplined run — one where you rely only on skill, weapon scaling, and clean gameplay.

This guide breaks down every detail about the Hero Sword, including its stats, functions, character setups, and step-by-step unlock method so you can complete the challenge confidently on your first serious attempt.

1. Hero Sword Overview, Stats & Function

The Hero Sword fires slashing projectiles that cut through waves of enemies, combining precision and consistency with powerful area control. Once unlocked, it becomes one of the best hybrid weapons in Megabonk, fitting both ranged and melee-leaning builds.

Each projectile deals moderate base damage that scales rapidly through tomes and upgrades, giving it long-term utility in any run. Players often compare it to the Corrupted Sword, but the Hero Sword trades chaos for stable, predictable performance.

1.1 Base Stats & Scaling

The Hero Sword starts with modest base damage but scales extremely well through level-ups and tomes, especially when you focus on projectiles and attack speed. The table below shows its core stats and how they behave once you begin investing into the weapon and your build.

1.2 Why the Hero Sword Is Strong

The key strength of the Hero Sword lies in its hybrid nature: you attack at melee range, but every swing also fires ranged projectiles that scale with your build.

• With enough Projectile upgrades, it covers large parts of the screen.
• Knockback and penetration let you control crowds and maintain safe distance.
• Attack Speed tomes turn it into a constant stream of slashing waves, allowing both precision at mid-range and reliable wave clear.

It becomes especially effective in higher difficulties once you have steady scaling from tomes.

1.3 Best Builds for the Hero Sword

The Hero Sword performs best in projectile-focused, ranged, or hybrid builds that invest heavily into:

• Quantity (extra projectiles)
• Attack Speed (faster slashes)
• Damage (strong projectile scaling)

It synergizes with characters who can stay mobile and hold enemies at mid-range, turning each swing into a line-clearing burst of overlapping slashes. In optimized builds, the screen becomes a continuous wall of projectiles that push enemies back while shredding their HP.

2. How to Unlock the Hero Sword in Megabonk (Requirements, Allowed & Forbidden)

The Hero Sword is unlocked by completing a single precise task: defeat any Stage Boss without collecting items, power-ups, or activating shrines. There’s no hidden questline or extra condition — the unlock depends entirely on completing this clean, unassisted run from start to finish. Once the boss is defeated under these rules, the Hero Sword becomes permanently available for purchase from your Unlocks screen for 30 Silver.

The Hero Sword Achievement

2.1 How to Handle Allowed Pickups During the Unlock

Start a fresh run on a simple map such as Forest Tier 1. Its open layout makes it easier to avoid restricted items and maintain full control of your movement. During the unlock attempt, only collect XP Crystals and Gold Coins. These are safe and required for leveling, as all of your upgrades must come directly from level-up weapon choices and tomes.

Allowed actions include:

• Picking up XP from enemies
• Collecting gold coins from jars or drops
• Choosing weapons and tomes during level-ups

These are your only progression sources during the Hero Sword unlock attempt.

2.2 What Pickups and Shrines You Must Avoid

Anything that counts as a temporary buff, item, or shrine activation will immediately fail the challenge. This includes ground orbs, chest rewards, shrine effects, and vendor items. Even accidental activation invalidates the attempt, so treat every glowing object or shrine circle as dangerous.

Forbidden Pickups:

• Speed, Rage, Magnet, Protect, Nuke, and all other glowing orbs
• Treasure chests, including Moai head chests
• Easter Island head rewards
• Any item purchased from the Shady Guy or map vendors

Forbidden Shrines:

• Succ Shrine
• Greed Shrine
• Challenge Shrine
• Moai Shrine
• Boss Curse Shrine
• Upgrade Shrine

Activation counts even if you ignore the reward — simply charging or triggering a shrine fails the run.

Allowed Shrine Interactions:

• None. All shrine interactions are off-limits.

2.3 How to Unlock the Hero Sword – Step by Step

With all rules and restrictions in mind, this walkthrough shows the exact sequence to follow for a successful Hero Sword unlock. The goal is to keep your run clean, avoid every forbidden pickup, and build enough power through level-ups alone. Follow each step carefully and you’ll consistently reach the boss and finish the challenge without invalidating the attempt.

1. Pick a clean map: Forest Tier 1 works best due to its open space and predictable spawns.
2. Collect only XP and coins: Build your strength solely through level-up choices.
3. Avoid tight corridors: Confined areas trap you near unwanted orbs. Stay in open zones.
4. Level efficiently: Choose weapons and tomes that provide safe clears at mid-range.
5. Defeat the Stage Boss: When the boss spawns (marked by swirling red energy), kite it from range to avoid forced pickups on the ground.
6. Finish without touching forbidden items: If you meet all conditions, the Hero Sword unlocks automatically after the kill.
7. Purchase it for 30 Silver from the Unlocks screen to add it permanently to your collection.

The entire process depends on clean movement, controlled fields, and avoiding accidental pickups — a precise but rewarding challenge.

Do not pick up anything to unlock the achievement.

3. Preparation Checklist Before Your Attempt

3.1 Best Map: Forest Tier 1

Picking the right map is the first major step toward a clean Hero Sword unlock. Forest Tier 1 is the safest and most consistent option thanks to its open spaces and predictable enemy flow.

1. Select Forest Tier 1 for the widest visibility and easiest orb avoidance.
2. Use the open fields to maintain control and prevent getting funneled into pickups.
3. Avoid maps with tight corridors, as they force you into close proximity with shrines and orbs.

3.2 Using Toggler, Banish & Refresh

Before starting the run, set up your tools so your upgrade path stays clean and safe. These settings ensure you only roll weapons and tomes that support long-range clearing.

1. Unlock all four weapon and tome slots to maximize flexibility during level-ups.
2. Equip the Toggler to remove melee weapons from your upgrade pool.
3. Use Banish to permanently remove weak or unwanted options.
4. Use Refresh when needed to reroll into strong, safe ranged choices.

3.3 Optional Modifier: Disabling Chests Safely

One accidental chest pickup instantly fails the run. If your modifiers allow, you can remove this risk entirely using “Sticks and Stones.”

1. Enable the “Sticks and Stones” modifier before launching the run.
2. Verify chest spawns are disabled so you won’t encounter any during gameplay.
3. Focus on movement and enemy control without worrying about stepping on a chest by mistake.

Toggle the right challenge

4. Best Weapons & Tomes for the Hero Sword Unlock

For a clean Hero Sword unlock, you want safe, controllable ranged weapons and high-value tomes that boost your scaling without affecting pickup range. These choices help you clear enemies from a distance and avoid getting pushed toward forbidden orbs, chests, or shrine circles.

4.1 Safest Ranged Weapons to Use

Ranged weapons are the foundation of a no-pickup run. They let you eliminate enemies before they close in and prevent situations where you’re forced to move through dangerous ground.

• Pick precise weapons: Revolver, Firestaff, Lightning Staff, Bow, and Sniper Rifle offer clean, predictable shots.
• Maintain distance: Use mid- to long-range attacks to keep enemies from crowding your escape routes.
• Avoid unsafe weapons: Bone and Bananarang have erratic arcs that can push you toward orbs or trap you in unsafe lines.

4.2 Core Tomes You Should Always Take

These tomes are essential because they raise the power of your ranged build without contributing any risk to your pickup radius.

1. Take XP Tome early for faster leveling and more upgrade cycles.
2. Stack Projectile/Quantity Tome to fill the screen with safe, consistent shots.
3. Invest in Damage Tome to ensure every hit melts enemies before they crowd you.

4.3 Optional Tomes for Survivability or Cooldown

These tomes aren’t mandatory but greatly improve consistency, especially if you want extra safety during the boss fight.

1. Add Cooldown or Attack Speed to fire more frequently and keep enemies under control.
2. Pick Armor or Evasion to reduce chip damage when enemies slip through.
3. Take Bloody only if your weapon setup hits frequently enough to benefit from it.

4.4 Weapons You Should Avoid for This Challenge

Certain weapons introduce chaos, inconsistent trajectories, or movement patterns that pull you toward forbidden items. Avoid them entirely for this challenge.

1. Avoid Attraction-based builds or anything increasing pickup radius, since they pull orbs into you.
2. Skip Bone and Bananarang due to their unpredictable flight paths.
3. Avoid any rebound/ricochet weapons that force awkward pathing or create unsafe angles.

5. Best Characters for a No-Pickup Unlock Run

Picking the right character is one of the biggest factors in completing the Hero Sword challenge. Because you cannot rely on items, shrines, or power-up orbs, you need a character who can survive pressure, clear safely from mid-range, and maintain control of the battlefield. The characters below are the most reliable options used by players for clean, consistent no-pickup runs.

Best characters to pick

5.1 CL4NK – Safest Beginner Choice

CL4NK offers the most forgiving learning curve thanks to his built-in energy shield. This shield absorbs mistakes that would normally end a no-pickup attempt, giving you breathing room while you route around dangerous orbs and shrines. Pair him with steady ranged weapons and defensive tomes for a stable, low-risk unlock run.

5.2 Monke – Best Mobility & Evasion

Monke excels at movement control with his high jumps and quick dash patterns. His agility makes it easy to reposition, swerve away from unwanted orbs, and stay in open areas. Monke is especially effective if you prefer a fast, evasive playstyle that avoids getting boxed in by pickups.

5.3 Amog – Fastest Early Boss Kill Strategy

Amog is ideal for players who want to complete the challenge quickly. His synergy with Poison Flask lets you bring the boss out early—before its scaling becomes threatening—and melt it with passive damage while keeping the arena clean. This makes Amog one of the most reliable characters for consistent early boss kills without having to cross unsafe ground.

5.4 Calcium – Projectile Scaling Powerhouse

Calcium shines in runs built around projectile stacking and movement speed scaling. His mobility-driven bonuses reward constant repositioning, helping you avoid shrine zones and forbidden orbs while unleashing dense projectile volleys. With good tomes, Calcium can delete enemies before they close in, reducing the risk of forced pickups.

5.5 Sir Oofie – High-Risk Melee Option

Sir Oofie is a more advanced choice. His melee-focused kit can work with Aura and defensive tomes, but his short range forces you dangerously close to power-up orbs and shrine zones. Only attempt the Hero Sword unlock with Sir Oofie if you already understand the map layout and have strong pathing discipline.

Tip: Whenever possible, spawn the Stage Boss early. Earlier bosses have lower health, making the fight faster and reducing the chances of accidental pickups cluttering the arena later in the run.

6. Step-by-Step Hero Sword Unlock Walkthrough

This section walks you through the entire process of unlocking the Hero Sword — from loading the map to claiming the weapon. Each step focuses on maintaining safety while ensuring your scaling stays strong enough to handle the boss cleanly.

Summon and kite the Boss

1. Start on Forest Tier 1 and restart until the red swirl boss portal appears in an open, safe area. In the first minutes, farm XP by destroying jars for crystals and gold while carefully avoiding every glowing orb or shrine zone. Your only goal here is to build a comfortable DPS baseline using level-ups alone.
2. Prioritize core upgrades during mid-game. Focus on Projectile Count, Damage, and Attack Speed while staying in open spaces. Avoid tight corners or lanes filled with orbs or shrines, and move to a cleaner part of the map whenever the ground becomes cluttered.
3. Summon and kite the boss safely. Circle the boss, let your ranged weapons deal gradual damage, and avoid running through dropped orbs. Keep adds under control so knockback or enemy pressure doesn’t push you into forbidden pickups.
4. Finish the run and unlock the Hero Sword. After defeating the boss without picking up any items, power-ups, or shrine effects, go to the Unlocks screen and purchase the Hero Sword for 30 Silver. It becomes permanently available for all future runs.

7. Common Mistakes & Tips

The Hero Sword challenge is unforgiving, and most failed attempts come from small, avoidable errors. Overstepping a shrine circle, drifting into a glowing orb, or getting pushed by an elite can instantly invalidate the run. The steps below highlight the most common mistakes and how to keep your attempt clean from start to finish.

7.1 Shrine Danger Zones & How to Avoid Them

Shrines are one of the easiest ways to accidentally fail your run. Treat every shrine circle as a danger zone and plan your kiting around them.

1. Identify shrine types early: Learn the radius of Succ, Greed, Moai, Challenge, Boss Curse, and Upgrade Shrines.
2. Give every shrine wide space: Never step into or near the activation circle—charging even one instantly fails the run.
3. Rotate away during fights: If enemies push you toward a shrine, reposition to a safer lane before continuing combat.

7.2 Elite Knockback, Pushback & Orb Control

Elites can ruin a clean attempt if their knockback sends you into forbidden pickups. Staying aware of angles and enemy density is crucial.

1. Watch enemy approach angles: Avoid lining yourself up with clusters of orbs or chests.
2. Fight from safe directions: Kiting enemies from the side reduces the risk of being pushed straight backward into hazards.
3. Reposition early: If the map begins filling with orbs, relocate before pressure builds.

7.3 Using Blue Skeletons for Fast Level-Ups

Since you can’t rely on shrines or items, Blue Skeletons become one of the strongest tools for natural progression.

1. Prioritize Blue Skeleton waves: They are guaranteed level-ups and require no pickups.
2. Use the bonus levels wisely: Invest in core tomes like Projectile, Damage, or XP to accelerate scaling.
3. Clear them safely: Keep distance and avoid pushing yourself into orb-filled zones while farming them.

7.4 When to Summon the Boss for Easier Kills

Timing your boss summon determines how safe and short the final fight will be.

1. Summon early if your DPS is ready: Earlier bosses have lower health and create less ground clutter.
2. Do not rush the summon: Wait until your build has Projectile, Damage, and Attack Speed secured.
3. Choose a clean arena: Trigger the summon only when you’re standing in a wide, open zone free of orbs.

8. Hero Sword Unlock Conditions

This summary table lists every critical condition for the Hero Sword unlock so you can double-check before your attempt. Missing even one rule can invalidate your run, so it’s best to review before launching the map.

The Hero Sword is a true test of control and focus. Once unlocked, it rewards you with a weapon that symbolizes mastery — clean, efficient, and devastating when paired with the right tomes. If you can complete this challenge, you’ve proven your command over Megabonk’s toughest mechanics.

Best Guides for Megabonk

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How To Unlock the Corrupted Sword in Megabonk | Fastest Method & Best Build

Beginner’s Guide – How to Play, Build & Survive Your First Run