Auto battler games
You build the team and the units fight on their own: A strategy genre built around the preparation phase.
What is the auto battler genre?
In an auto battler you do not press a single button during combat. Every decision is made in the preparation phase: Which units to buy, where to place them on the board, which synergy to build and when to spend your gold. Once the round starts, the units fight by their own rules and you watch the result.
The genre was born as a mod in the MOBA scene and quickly became a category of its own. Because it does not ask for mechanical dexterity, it is easy to get into, but economy management and knowledge of team compositions make its top level very deep.
What defines it?
The whole game comes down to the decisions you make before the round starts.
Units of the same class or origin gain extra power when they come together.
The balance between spending gold and saving it for interest decides the result.
Because combat is automatic, the test is planning, not reflexes.
Landmark games
Well-known examples often used to explain the genre. For the list on our site, see the games section below.
At a glance
Auto battler games (2)
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to know MOBAs to play an auto battler?
No. The genre came out of the MOBA scene, but its rules stand on their own. Character names may look familiar, but the gameplay has nothing to do with a MOBA.
Can't I step into the fight at all?
Usually not once the round has started. Some games let you change your formation or equip items between rounds, but the fight itself plays out automatically.