ourplayhubIn STARCLAIM you field one hero ship at a time, and using it well is often the difference between winning and losing. This guide covers what the hero does, how it grows, and every active ability — what it does and the moment to press it.
The hero ship
Garrison your hero on one of your planets to boost it. The hero levels up as you capture territory, which widens its support and unlocks passive perks. You can move it any time — tap the hero, then tap one of your planets — so think of it as a mobile power spike you place where the fight is. A hero defending your frontline planet, or spearheading your main push, is far more valuable than one sitting safely in the back.
Stars, the shop, and unlocking abilities
You earn Stars every match — win or lose, and more on harder difficulties and against more opponents. Spend them in the in-game Shop on the second hero, ability skills, and cosmetic ship skins. Everything is earnable by playing; there's no paywall. Each hero has its own ability kit, so what you can do depends on which hero you've equipped and which of its skills you've bought.
Overdrive (Q) — free on every hero
Overdrive supercharges the hero's garrison planet so it generates and emits far more units for a short burst. It's free on every hero and it's your bread-and-butter tempo tool. The skill is in the timing: fire it on the planet that's actively feeding an attack so the surge lands when you're breaking a target — not on an idle planet where the extra units do nothing.
Flagship — the starter hero (defense)
Flagship is your free starting hero. Its purchasable kit is defensive:
- EMP (E) — destroys incoming enemy fleets within range of the hero's planet. Best used reactively: when you see a big wave bearing down on a key planet, EMP wipes it before it lands. Great for surviving an all-in.
- Shield (W) — blocks damage to the hero's planet for a few seconds. Use it to hold a contested border planet through a push, or to protect a planet you're about to overdrive so the enemy can't snipe it mid-surge.
Flagship rewards a steady, reactive style: park on the frontline, soak waves with Shield, clear big attacks with EMP, and punch back with Overdrive.
Hornet — the advanced hero (pressure)
Hornet is a second hero you unlock with Stars. Its kit is offensive and changes how aggressively you can play:
- Disruptor (E) — jams nearby enemy planets so they briefly stop producing and emitting. Use it right before a push: shut off the defender's reinforcements, then pour lanes in while it's frozen. Also strong for stalling an enemy cluster while you deal with another front.
- Warhead (W) — strikes the nearest enemy planet in range and strips its units (it doesn't capture, just weakens). Use it to soften a strong planet just before your fleets arrive, turning an unwinnable assault into a clean capture.
Hornet rewards initiative: pick a target, Disruptor its support, Warhead it down, and arrive with concentrated lanes for the capture.
Skins
Each hero also has cosmetic ship skins you can buy with Stars. They're purely visual — they change how your hero looks, not how it plays — so pick whatever you like once you've covered the abilities you actually want.
Ability timing, in one line
Defense (EMP, Shield) is reactive — press it when you see the threat. Pressure (Disruptor, Warhead) and Overdrive are proactive — press them to set up and finish your own push. Holding abilities for the right moment beats spending them the instant they're off cooldown.
Put it into practice: ▶ Play STARCLAIM for free in your browser. See also: the full how-to-play guide and how to beat Hard mode.