Which difficulty should you choose in Unicorn Overlord? All differences, explained

Unicorn Overlord is a tactical RPG that requires the player to use strategic thinking to earn success. If you’re wondering which difficulty to choose for your adventure, this guide explains all the difficulties and differences between each in Unicorn Overlord.

All difficulties in Unicorn Overlord

In Vanillaware’s Unicorn Overlord, players can choose between four difficulty settings: Story, Normal, Tactical, and Expert. Below are descriptions of each difficulty level and the type of player it’s designed for.

• Easy: No real challenge. For players who want to focus on the story.
• Normal: This is a standard difficulty level focused on fair, tactical battles. It is best for players who are new to strategy games but would still like a challenge.
• Tactical: Focused on tactical gameplay. Best for players who have played tactical games and want to be challenged.
• Expert: The biggest challenge the game offers. Expert is best for players who have played tactical games and want to push their minds for constant strategic thinking.

Depending on the difficulty you choose, the game will alter the level of challenge and also change units and combat. In the following section, we explain the differences between each difficulty setting.

Difference between difficulties in Unicorn Overlord

Raising the difficulty setting in Unicorn Overlord will change how your units work. For example, if you choose story mode, your units will start with around 9 Stamina. Meanwhile, if you choose Expert, your units will only have around 4 to 6 (depending on the specific unit).

Additionally, playing on a higher difficulty level will decrease the amount of Valor you gain from battles and when you Garrison locations. Since Valor is the leading resource for special skills, earning less from actions can make the game significantly more difficult when facing challenging enemies and bosses. Speaking of enemies, they will take less damage the higher the difficulty you’re playing on.

Lastly, players can only use 10 item uses per stage in Expert mode (the game’s highest difficulty). Items such as healing potions, Dew of Strength, etc., are limited in this mode, so play at your own risk.

Which Unicorn Overlord difficulty is best for you?

If you’re completely new to strategy games, it’s your best bet to choose normal difficulty. I personally haven’t played many strategy games, but I’ve been having the most fun on normal difficulty, as it allows me to learn the ropes while having a decent challenge in the process. Story mode is way too easy, and the story itself doesn’t seem interesting enough for that to be the main reason to play the game.

If you are an expert strategy gamer, I recommend choosing Tactical for your first playthrough. The only reason I don’t recommend Expert is the lack of Stamina and items available in this mode, which only players who have played through the game at least once can master.

Did you know that there is a card game dedicated to Unicorn Overlord? Learn how to claim the game yourself by checking out this card game guide.