Characters & Roles

Characters & Roles Guide for This War of Mine

This guide covers every playable survivor in This War of Mine, including base game characters and those from the The Little Ones and Stories DLCs. Each survivor has unique traits, backstory, and optimal roles. Understanding these differences is critical for assembling a balanced team and surviving the siege.

---

Base Game Survivors

---

Detailed Character Descriptions

#### Anton

• Background: Middle-aged engineer. Pragmatic and methodical.


• Strengths: High carry capacity (can hold more items); slow but steady; can repair items efficiently.


• Weaknesses: Very slow movement; poor at combat; low morale easily.


• Playstyle: Keep at base for crafting, building, and guarding. Use him to haul heavy supplies back from nearby scavenging spots if you escort him, but not ideal for night raids.


• Recommended Equipment: Backpack upgrade for more carry, tools for crafting. Avoid giving weapons.


• Team Synergy: Pair with a fast scavenger like Bruno or Pavle to bring him supplies. He works well with Zlata for medical support.


#### Bruno

• Background: Young survivor, resourceful and quick.


• Strengths: Fast movement; efficient loot search (finds items quicker); good at cooking (reduces food consumption).


• Weaknesses: Low combat skill; fragile; gets depressed easily.


• Playstyle: Primary scavenger, especially at night. Use his speed to cover more ground. Cook meals to stretch food.


• Recommended Equipment: Light armor, crowbar, lockpicks. Avoid direct fights.


• Team Synergy: Needs a strong defender at base (Cveta or Roman). Pairs well with Marin for protection during day runs.


#### Cveta

• Background: Former soldier or militia. Tough and disciplined.


• Strengths: High combat skill; weapon expertise (deals more damage with guns); high morale stable.


• Weaknesses: Poor at crafting; slow in non-combat tasks; can be aggressive causing fights.


• Playstyle: Guard the shelter during raids. Lead combat missions or assault locations with enemies. Use firearms effectively.


• Recommended Equipment: Pistol or rifle, ammunition, armor. Also carry a shovel for close combat.


• Team Synergy: Works best with a medic (Zlata) and a scavenger (Bruno). Avoid pairing with Anton (clashing personalities).


#### Emilio

• Background: Charismatic leader, former musician or something similar.


• Strengths: Balanced stats; can lift spirits (morale boost to nearby survivors); decent at most tasks.


• Weaknesses: No extreme strengths; average at combat and crafting.


• Playstyle: Flexible filler. Use him for tasks others are not suited for. Can guard or scavenge moderately.


• Recommended Equipment: General purpose: backpack, tools, a simple weapon.


• Team Synergy: Fits any team. His morale boost helps with low-morale survivors like Zlata.


#### Katia

• Background: Diplomat or trader. Intelligent and persuasive.


• Strengths: High bartering skills (better trade ratios); can negotiate with neutral parties; good at scavenging for valuables.


• Weaknesses: Poor combat; low health; can be targeted by hostile traders.


• Playstyle: Deal with traveling merchants. Search for high-value items like jewelry, weapons. Avoid combat at all costs.


• Recommended Equipment: Lockpick, crowbar, a small pistol for last resort. Backpack for carrying trade goods.


• Team Synergy: Needs a strong bodyguard (Marin or Roman) when visiting hostile locations. Pairs well with Anton (crafting) to convert materials.


#### Marko

• Background: Everyman, resourceful.


• Strengths: Jack-of-all-trades (no major weaknesses); faster learning? Actually no special skills, but reliable.


• Weaknesses: No specialization; can be underwhelming.


• Playstyle: Fill any gap in your team. Use him to cover for injured or absent survivors.


• Recommended Equipment: Versatile: tools, a weapon, backpack.


• Team Synergy: Great with any team due to flexibility.


#### Marin

• Background: Large, strong former dockworker or similar.


• Strengths: High health and strength; can carry more; effective in melee combat.


• Weaknesses: Slow; poor at crafting; eats more food.


• Playstyle: Tanky defender and combatant. Guard shelter, break down doors, carry heavy loot.


• Recommended Equipment: Heavy armor, melee weapon (shovel, axe), minimal tools.


• Team Synergy: Needs a cook (Bruno) to manage food. Works with healers.


#### Pavle

• Background: Thief or runner. Agile and stealthy.


• Strengths: Very fast movement; silent footsteps; can escape dangerous encounters easily.


• Weaknesses: Low combat; low carry capacity; fragile.


• Playstyle: Night scavenger specializing in stealth. Run through dangerous areas, loot quickly, and flee. Avoid fights.


• Recommended Equipment: Light clothing, lockpicks, crowbar, maybe a knife for emergency. Backpack for extra loot.


• Team Synergy: Needs a combat escort for day missions. Pair with Roman or Cveta.


#### Roman

• Background: Former soldier or criminal, tough and commanding.


• Strengths: High combat skill; high morale boost to allies; can lead effectively.


• Weaknesses: Aggressive; consumes more resources; can cause fights with certain survivors.


• Playstyle: Combat leader. Take him on dangerous scavenging runs, lead assaults on military outposts. Guard shelter.


• Recommended Equipment: Best weapons (rifle, shotgun), armor, plenty of ammo. Also medical supplies.


• Team Synergy: Works well with Cveta (both fighters) but may clash with Anton (slow). Pair with a medic.


#### Zlata

• Background: Medical professional. Caring but traumatized.


• Strengths: Fast healing (treats wounds faster); can craft medical supplies efficiently; morale boost to patients.


• Weaknesses: Poor combat; low physical strength; prone to sadness.


• Playstyle: Doctor and support. Stay at base to heal others, craft bandages and medicines. Avoid dangerous areas.


• Recommended Equipment: Medical supplies, herbs, bandages. Keep a small weapon for self-defense if shelter is raided.


• Team Synergy: Essential for any team with fighters. Pair with Bruno for cooking fuel efficiency.


---



DLC Survivors



#### The Little Ones DLC

Arica

• Background: Young girl, resourceful and curious.


• Strengths: Small size allows hiding in tight spots; can scavenge small items; quick.


• Weaknesses: Very weak in combat; low carry capacity; low morale.


• Playstyle: Use mainly for exploratory scavenging in safe zones. Can boost morale when interacting with other children.


• Recommended Equipment: Light gear, a doll (for morale). Avoid weapons.


Henrik

• Background: Older boy, protective.


• Strengths: Stronger than Arica; can help with chores; decent at guarding.


• Weaknesses: Still weak compared to adults; limited crafting.


• Playstyle: Support role. Help at base, light scavenging.


• Recommended Equipment: Basic tools, a knife.


Note: Children can die more easily and require extra care. They are not expendable.

#### Stories: The Last Broadcast & Fading Embers

These DLCs introduce new characters with unique storylines, but they are part of narrative scenarios. They are not available in the standard survival mode. However, their traits are similar to base game archetypes. Key examples:

Mal (The Last Broadcast): Journalist, good at diplomacy, can negotiate. Similar to Katia but with a radio focus.
Rako (Fading Embers): Engineer, crafting specialist, like Anton but with added morale resilience.

For a full list of DLC exclusive survivors, refer to the respective DLC guides.

---



Team Composition & Synergy




• Balanced Team: 1 fighter (Cveta/Roman), 1 scavenger (Bruno/Pavle), 1 support/medic (Zlata), 1 crafter/trader (Anton/Katia). This covers all bases.


• Stealth Team: Pavle + Bruno + Zlata + Katia. Avoid combat, rely on speed and diplomacy.


• Combat Team: Roman + Cveta + Marin + Emilio. Aggressive, high supplies but high risk.


• Children Team: If playing with children (The Little Ones), include one adult guardian (Marin or Roman) and a medic.


Role Assignment:

• Daytime: Use crafters and cooks (Anton, Bruno, Zlata) at base. Send fighters to guard.


• Nighttime: Send scavengers (Bruno, Pavle) with a light guard if dangerous.


• Trading: Katia should handle all trades. Emilio can assist with morale.


---



Unlock Conditions



In the base game, survivors appear randomly in each playthrough. You cannot unlock specific characters permanently; instead they are generated based on your scenario. To increase chances of certain survivors:

• Choose a scenario that includes them (e.g., "The Ceremony" starts with Cveta).


• Use mods to force spawn (PC only).


• Some DLC scenarios have fixed characters.


---



Equipment & Builds




• Backpack Upgrades: Carry capacity is vital. Upgrade backpacks for scavengers and crafters.


• Weapons: Fighters need guns; scavengers need knives or shovels.


• Tools: Lockpicks, crowbars, saws for scavengers.


• Medical Supplies: Keep a stock for Zlata.


• Crafting Stations: Build workbench, stove, etc. Use Anton or Marin for heavy building.


Recommended Builds:

• Anton: Full carry capacity + crafting tools.


• Bruno: Light armor + lockpicks + backpack.


• Cveta: Heavy armor + rifle + ammo.


• Zlata: Medical vest + herbs + bandages.

---

Conclusion

Mastering the characters and their roles is the key to surviving in This War of Mine. Experiment with different combinations to find what works for your playstyle. Remember that psychology is as important as physical stats – keep morale high and manage sadness. Good luck.

This guide covers all playable survivors as of the Complete Edition v4.0.0. Updates may change traits.