Anime Vanguards best free units let you build a real squad without spending a single Gem, and knowing which sources are repeatable is what separates a smooth early game from a stalled roster. This guide ranks every reliable free source, from Starter and Beginner banner pity to Story Mode chests, login streaks, and limited-time codes, so you can clear early Acts and unlock new maps on units the game hands you for nothing.
What Counts as a "Free Unit" in Anime Vanguards
Free units in Anime Vanguards are characters you can add to your roster without spending Gems on banners. The fastest path usually runs through three channels: Starter Summon Tickets, Story Mode rewards, and log-in milestone gifts. A handful of solid picks also come from clearing the first two acts of Story and from codes posted on the Official Anime Vanguards Discord, which community data shows has over 1.2 million members and remains the main drop point for limited-time free units.
Because most new players burn their first batch of Gems on whatever banner is trending, knowing which units you can pull from free sources saves you a huge amount of early currency. The list below covers every reliable, repeatable free source, ranked by how much value each unit brings to an early-game squad.
| Free Source | Where You Get It | Typical Unit Type | Repeatable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter Banner | First 10-pull after tutorial | Random Mythic / Legendary | One-time |
| Beginner Banner | 5 free pulls from Mail | Pity-Legendary (every 10th) | One-time per account |
| Story Mode Chests | Beat Act 1 and Act 2 nodes | Story-locked Epic | Yes, per new account |
| Log-in Rewards | 7 / 14 / 30-day streaks | Rotating Epic or Legendary | Yes, daily |
| Codes | Discord + Twitter drops | Event-themed Legendary | No, time-limited |
Starter Banner Pulls and Beginner Banner Pity
Your first hour in the game hands you a single 10-pull on the Starter Banner and a guaranteed 5 pulls on the Beginner Banner delivered through your in-game Mailbox. The Starter Banner has a 30% Legendary and 3% Mythic rate, so the floor for the very first summon is usually a Legendary you can build around for at least the next ten levels. The Beginner Banner, by contrast, is a soft-pity system: it guarantees a Legendary every 10th pull and forces a featured Mythic at 30 pulls, which means the free ticket chain is more valuable than it looks.
Best picks from the Starter pull by element
| Element | Strong Starter Option | Why It Works Early |
|---|---|---|
| Fire | Fuego Tanjiro | Burn damage shreds Act 1 boss shields |
| Water | Ocean Hado | Slows swarms, fits into any team slot |
| Earth | Stone Deku | Taunt ability tanks early story waves |
| Light | Radiant Gojo | AoE wipe for grouped Story enemies |
| Shadow | Sukuna Cursed | High single-target for boss rushes |
Because every element is useful, do not re-roll for a specific unit. The community consensus on the official Discord is that burning a second account to chase a single element is a sunk cost, since the Beginner Banner pity will hand you a Mythic of your choice of element after 30 pulls regardless of how the Starter Banner lands.
How to Beat Story Mode Without Spending Gems
Story Mode is the single biggest free-units pipeline in the game, and clearing it does not require a meta team. The trick is to spend your time on the gold-reward nodes first, because each first-clear chest drops a small handful of Gems, a Story-locked unit shard, and a free Summon Ticket. If you want a deeper walkthrough of the Story chapters and Legend Stages, the Anime Vanguards game modes guide lays out every reward node in order.
Recommended Story Clear Order for Free-Units
| Act | Key Node | Free Reward | Best Free Team Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Act 1 | 1-3 | 1x Beginner Ticket | Slot Fuego Tanjiro as main DPS |
| Act 1 | 1-7 | 1x Story Unit Shard | Add Ocean Hado for crowd control |
| Act 2 | 2-4 | 1x Summon Ticket | Use Stone Deku to tank boss aggro |
| Act 2 | 2-8 | Mythic Shard (10) | Bring Radiant Gojo for AoE clear |
| Act 3 | 3-2 | Gems (x50) | Finish the chain to unlock Infinite Mode |
Because each node gives a chunk of guaranteed loot, the Anime Vanguards best free units tier list is essentially the Story Mode clear order flipped upside down. The further you push, the higher-rarity the free units become, which is why newer accounts that rush Act 3 in week one tend to feel less resource-starved than accounts that idle at the Act 1 wall.
How to Unlock Maps and Hidden Modes for Free
Several maps in Anime Vanguards are gated behind progression milestones rather than Gems, and most players miss them because the unlock condition is shown only on the loading screen. Legend Stages open after clearing Act 3 node 3-2, Infinite Mode unlocks after finishing Act 4 story, and the World Tournament lobby appears once you have at least six units at Level 50.
For a complete walkthrough of how to unlock each map, the Anime Vanguards boss events and Infinite Mode guide covers every hidden gate, including the time-of-day requirement for the Pirate Dynasty island and the level cap needed to enter the raid lobby.
| Map / Mode | Unlock Requirement | Free-Unit Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Legend Stage 1 | Clear Act 3, node 3-2 | Drops free Legendary shards |
| Infinite Mode | Clear Act 4 | Rotating free Mythic banners |
| World Tournament | Reach Level 50 with 6+ units | Free summon ticket every 500 pts |
| Pirate Dynasty Island | Beat Act 5 boss | Unlocks Jolly Roger (free Mythic) |
| Raid Lobby | Join a clan of 5+ players | Weekly free Mythic shard |
If you want the most efficient path to all of these, focus your stamina on Act 3 and Act 4 first. Both are short compared to Act 5, and they unlock the two modes that drop the highest-value free units in the game.
How to Summon Smart and Stretch Your Free Units
Summoning is the single biggest sink for new players, and the smartest move is to never spend Gems on a non-pity banner while you still have Beginner Tickets in your mailbox. Every free unit you add to the roster compounds with Summon EXP, which means a team of five rare-but-synergistic free units will outperform a single Mythic that is not built around a playstyle you enjoy.
If you want a side-by-side breakdown of the top farming routes for Gems and how to spend them once you have a core team, the Anime Vanguards yen and Gem farm guide gives a daily checklist that fits inside 20 minutes of play.
Summon Priority by Current Roster
| Roster State | Best Use of Free Tickets | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| 0-3 units | Pull for DPS carry | Pulling for tank when no DPS exists |
| 4-6 units | Pull for element coverage | Pulling duplicates of the same element |
| 7-9 units | Pull for support / healer | Burning tickets on banner-only units |
| 10+ units | Save for pity milestone | Spending on rate-up side banners |
If you want a deeper roster overview, the Anime Vanguards Pirate Dynasty units list breaks down the synergy between the free Mythic Jolly Roger and the rest of the early-game roster, including Gojo and Sukuna builds that pair cleanly with free Story rewards.
Free Unit Team Compositions That Carry You to Act 5
Once you have cleared the Beginner Banner, the Starter Banner, and Story Act 2, you should have a pool of around six to eight free units. From that pool, the two strongest free-only team comps are the Burn Pipeline and the Taunt Wall, both of which use only units you can obtain without spending Gems.
| Comp Name | Slot 1 (DPS) | Slot 2 (DPS) | Slot 3 (Crowd Control) | Slot 4 (Tank) | Slot 5 (Support) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burn Pipeline | Fuego Tanjiro | Ocean Hado | Radiant Gojo | Stone Deku | Beginner Healer |
| Taunt Wall | Stone Deku | Fuego Tanjiro | Sukuna Cursed | Wall Ida | Ocean Hado |
| Element Spread | Fuego Tanjiro | Ocean Hado | Stone Deku | Radiant Gojo | Sukuna Cursed |
The Burn Pipeline is the recommended pick for solo players, because Fuego Tanjiro and Ocean Hado apply stacked burn and slow effects that let the team clear waves without needing to micro-manage each unit. The Taunt Wall is the safer choice for players who are still learning the dodge timings on Act 3 bosses, because Stone Deku and Wall Ida can absorb enough aggro to keep the backline alive even when positioning is sloppy.
If you want a longer roadmap for how these comps scale into mid-game and late-game, the Anime Vanguards early to late game progression guide maps out the transition from free Story comps into a Gacha-built team without resetting your roster.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I unlock maps in Anime Vanguards without paying?
You unlock new maps by clearing Story Mode milestones, not by spending currency. Most maps open after specific story nodes: Act 3 node 3-2 unlocks Legend Stages, Act 4 unlocks Infinite Mode, and World Tournament appears once you hit Level 50 with six raised units. Each milestone also drops free Summon Tickets that act as the currency for new content.
What is the best way to summon for free in Anime Vanguards?
Save your Beginner Banner tickets and do not pull on rate-up side banners until you have at least seven units. The Beginner Banner has a built-in pity every 10 pulls, so burning tickets on smaller banners throws away guaranteed value. Combining the Beginner Banner with the Starter Banner and one round of Story rewards fills out a competitive free roster inside your first two days.
Can I beat the entire Story Mode with only free units?
Yes, but the final Act 5 boss is tight without a Mythic carry. Clear Acts 1 through 4 using the Burn Pipeline comp, then build Fuego Tanjiro and Stone Deku to Level 60 with at least Tier-3 gear. The boss has a hard enrage at the 4-minute mark, so a Burn + Taunt combo clears the damage check more comfortably than a pure DPS rush.
Where do I find codes for free units?
The fastest source is the Official Anime Vanguards Discord, which the community uses as the main drop point for limited codes. Codes usually reward a small handful of Gems and a single free Mythic summon, and they expire within 48 hours, so checking the announcement channel daily is worth the time.