Strategy guide
Complete Hero Lab Upgrade Guide for Hero Havoc
The Hero Lab is where banked coins become permanent power. Perks apply to every run and every hero, and they stack with the level-up cards you pick during a run.
How pricing works
Each perk has a base cost for its first level, and every further level costs 60% more than the one before. For example, Tough Suit costs 120 coins for level 1, then 192, then about 307. The same coins can also unlock heroes, so the Lab is always a trade-off with the roster.
The six perks
Tough Suit: +15 starting health per level, up to 5 levels, from 120 coins. Rocket Boots: +4% move speed per level, up to 5, from 140. Power Core: +6% attack damage per level, up to 5, from 160. Coin Magnet: +20% pickup radius per level, up to 3, from 100. Second Wind: get back up once per run at half health, one level, 600 coins. Starter Kit: begin every run holding a Laser Rifle, one level, 350 coins.
Recommended purchase order
1. Tough Suit level 1–2: cheap and makes early mistakes survivable. 2. Power Core level 1: faster waves for every hero. 3. Starter Kit (350): a guaranteed Laser Rifle gives a strong opening — or keep it for the first boss. 4. Second Wind (600): the best single purchase for reaching wave 20 and for Legend or Nightmare. 5. Further Tough Suit and Power Core levels. 6. Rocket Boots, especially if you main Titan or Ion King. 7. Coin Magnet once your survival is solid.
This is a recommendation, not a rule — fragile-hero players may want Second Wind earlier.
Perks or heroes?
Unlockable heroes cost 400 (Ion King) to 1,200 (Wildcard). If you keep losing before wave 10, perks will help more than a new hero. If you are comfortable reaching the second boss, a new hero opens up new strategies. Read Best Heroes for Beginners for which unlock to buy first.
Hero Lab and difficulty
On Legend and Nightmare, health drops fall sharply, so Tough Suit and Second Wind become far more important. Hero Lab perks plus Frostflare's regeneration is one of the most reliable Nightmare setups. See the Difficulty Guide and Fastest Ways to Earn Coins.