Evil Dead: The Game characters: abilities and details

Every one of the Evil Dead: The Game characters bring their own groovy kit of abilities to the battle against the Kandarian Demons... well, unless you're playing as a  Kandarian Demon, which is decidedly ungroovy, but no less complex.

In your quest to recover the pages of the Necronomicon, never forget the magic words. Or if you do forget them, generally 'boomstick' will work just fine in most situations involving Deadites. 

All the signs are there that this is the best entry in Evil Dead's long history of video games, especially if you have friends to slay with in Evil Dead: The Game multiplayer. Be prepared to start arguing with your teammates over who gets to be which Ash, or instead, pick your Kandarian Demon and start plotting how to ruin the day for the survivors.

Either way, you'll need to gas up your chainsaws and prepare your skeleton flutists, then get cracking to find the pages of everyone's favorite, very evil book.

Evil Dead: The Game characters

Evil Dead: The Game characters – how to unlock characters

Most of the cast are available to play right out of the gate, but there are four you'll have to unlock. This brings the total number of playable characters to the totally lucky and not-at-all cursed 13. Thankfully, the road to unlocking characters is as simple as completing Evil Dead: The Game's single-player missions. 

• Ash Williams (Ash vs Evil Dead) [Leader]: Complete the first mission, "If You Love Someone, Set Them Free... With a Chainsaw"
• Amanda Fisher [Support]: Complete the third mission, "Kill 'Em All"
• Pablo Simon Bolivar [Support]: Complete the fourth mission, "It's Not Gonna Let Us Go!"
• Lord Arthur [Leader]: Complete the fifth mission, "Homecoming King"

Evil Dead: The Game characters – Survivors: Leader Class

Leader characters are generalists who can hold their own anywhere and provide buffs for your nearby allies.

Ash Williams (Ash vs. Evil Dead)

The TV-version of Ash brings an incredibly useful aura with his El Jefe and El Jefe Grande abilities. He's always a great choice for the buffs he can passively spread, and he can also throw some exposives if you need to knock around some Deadites.

• Show Up And Blow Up – Creates an explosion that damages enemies balance bar.
• El Jefe – An aura that increases all nearby survivors fear resistance and damage done.
• Old Friend (Level 10) – Start each match with a chainsaw.
• El Jefe Grande (Level 25) – Powers up your aura when you perform a finisher or dismember an enemy.

Lord Arthur

Lord Arthur is all-in on melee combat, focusing entirely on getting into the faces of the Deadites and expecting allies to do the same. If your team isn't as keen on melee, Lord Arthur gets less attractive, so keep that in mind.

• The Lord's Wrath – When activated, this ability buffs you and nearby allies melee damage and reduces fear levels. If Lord Arthur has a sword, he also deals extra damage.
• Weapon Master: Heavy Attacks – You and all allies affected by your aura deal more damage with heavy melee attacks. You start the match with a sword.
• Weapon Master: Light Attacks (Level 10) – You and all allies affected by your aura deal more damage with light melee attacks
• Fuel the Fire (Level 25) – If you perform a finisher while your ability is active, it extends the duration.

Annie Knowbury

As the opposite of Lord Arthur, Annie Knowbury may as well be Annie Oakley, as she is all about ranged damage. Fortunately, she also helps out with melee once you've got her leveled up, thanks to her Haymaker and Slugger abilities.

• Hit 'Em Where It Hurts – When activated, this ability increases ranged damage from Annie and all nearby allies.
• Howitzer – You and all allies affected by your aura deal even more damage with ranged weapons.
• Haymaker (Level 10) – Attacks by you or your allies in your aura do more damage to the balance bar of basic enemies.
• Slugger (Level 25) – Attacks by you or your allies in your aura do more damage to the balance bar of elite and boss enemies.

Evil Dead: The Game characters – Survivors: Warrior Class

Warrior characters are tough melee-focused choices who excel when mixing it up with Deadites up close.

Ash Williams (Army of Darkness)

The Army of Darkness version of Ash lives up to his namesake as a one-man army. His Wiseman's Potion ability makes him a temporary superhero, and with Weapon Master: Chainsaw and Finish Strong he excels at wading into crowds and coming out covered in blood and victory.

• Wiseman's Potion – When activated, this ability gives you health regen, fear reduction, reduced damage taken, and increased damage dealt.
• Shield Blast – Each time your shield loses a bar it explodes, damaging nearby enemies.
• Finish Strong (Level 10) – Recover part of your shield bar when killing enemies with a finisher.
• Weapon Master: Chainsaw (Level 25) – Chainsaws have faster attack speed and increased health, balance bar, and dismemberment damage for you.

Henry the Red

Serving as a walking tank, Henry the Red's abilities are all about being the last man standing. Unstoppable is a perfect panic button when enemies crowd you, and you'll have the most health and shield in the game. Henry is a powerful pick, as long as your allies can stay alive too.

• Unstoppable – When activated, you become temporarily invulnerable to health and shield damage.
• Shields Up – Start the match with an additional shield bar.
• Rebound (Level 10) – Reflects a portion of the damage you take back at the attacker.
• Battle Hardened (Level 25) – Increases your maximum health and the size of shield bars.

Scotty

Scotty does well at keeping his fear levels down, thanks to Exposure Therapy, making him a good choice if you're expecting a spooky time. Unfortunately, his focus on heavy attacks with his Collateral Damage ability means that he struggles without a lumberjack axe, so make sure you're an avid looter before picking him.

• Thunder Thrust – When activated, this ability does explosive damage to all nearby enemies.
• Collateral Damage – Your heavy melee attacks deal splash damage to nearby enemies.
• Exposure Therapy (Level 10) – Reduces your fear level for each enemy kill.
• Weapon Master: Lumberjack Axe (Level 25) – The lumberjack axe attacks faster and deals increased health, balance bar, and dismemberment damage.

Evil Dead: The Game characters – Survivors: Hunter Class

Hunter characters are focused on ranged combat, shoring up difficulties with ammo or just making your firearms hit harder.

Ash Williams (Evil Dead 2)

Functioning as a weirdly out-of-class support character, the Hunter version of Ash has the useful ability to knock the Kandarian Demon out of possessing things with his Exorcist ability. He's also guaranteed to start with the double-barreled shotgun, but his abilities tether him to the worse of the two shotguns which is not ideal.

• Exorcist – When activated, this ability exorcises any possessing demon from a survivor or basic enemy. When used on a possessed or elite boss unit, it instead drains some Infernal Energy from the demon.
• Treasure Hunter – You can see nearby supply crates through walls.
• I'm The Guy With The Double-Barrel (Level 10) – Start the match with a double-barreled shotgun.
• Weapon Master: Double Barrel (Level 25) – The double-barreled shotgun attacks faster and deals increased health, balance bar, and dismemberment damage.

Amanda Fisher

Amanda hits the ground running, starting with a pistol and the ability to use it as much as she'd like thanks to her Ammo For Days ability. Hunters are often strongest early in matches, and Amanda personifies that, being at her strongest the moment the round starts, so be sure to take advantage of it.

• Ammo For Days – When activated, this ability allows you to temporarily fire your ranged weapons without expending ammunition.
• Trusty Sidearm – Start the match with a pistol.
• Weapon Master: Pistol (Level 10) – The pistol attacks faster and deals increased health, balance bar, and dismemberment damage.
• Accuracy Counts (Level 25) – Damage dealt by your ranged attacks increases with each consecutive hit.

Ed Getley

Ed is another hunter that feels a bit more like a support, with his It's A Trap ability allowing him to find and disarm Kandarian Demon traps. He also gets a boost to item drops and crate rarity from The Collector perk. Ed's benefits are a boost to the team, just expect him to be more of a support than a hunter.

• It's A Trap – When activated, this ability lets you use a unique flashlight that detects and temporarily disarms Demon traps.
• Enduring Light – Increases the battery life of your flashlight.
• Weapon Master: Crossbow (Level 10) – The crossbow attacks faster and deals increased health, balance bar, and dismemberment damage.
• The Collector (Level 25) – Increases the chance enemies will drop items and improves the chance you find higher rarity crates.

Kelly Maxwell

Kelly is an odd character, with Weapon Master: Meat Hammer and Battle Frenzy rewarding melee combat, but Slipshot and Countershot giving you bonus bleeding damage on your ranged attacks. She's really designed to flow back and forth between both types of combat, rewarding you for utilizing every type of damage.

• Slipshot – When activated, this ability lets you dodge without using stamina and adds bleeding damage to your ranged attacks for a short while.
• Weapon Master: Meat Hammer – The meat hammer attacks faster and deals increased health, balance bar, and dismemberment damage.
• Countershot (Level 10) – Your next ranged attack after a successful dodge will deal bleeding damage to your target.
• Battle Frenzy (Level 25) – You get a melee damage bonus that ramps up the longer you're in sustained combat.

Evil Dead: The Game characters – Survivors: Support Class

Playing a Support means bringing healing, shielding, and/or fear-reducing abilities to the team to help keep everyone at their best.

Ash Williams (Evil Dead)

The youngest version of Ash, with his original Evil Dead appearance, is a stellar support character. Reassuring Presence instantly lowering fear levels is extremely useful, and the fact he has multiple ways to restore health between Marked Target: Healing and Alternative Health makes him a great pick, just be sure your allies are there to help you.

• Reassuring Presence – When activated, this ability reduces fear levels for you and your nearby allies.
• Alternative Healing – Successful heavy melee attacks restore health for you and your nearby allies.
• Marked Target: Damage (Level 10) – Headshots mark enemies, and follow-up shots from allies deal bonus damage.
• Marked Target: Healing (Level 25) – Headshots mark enemies, and follow-up shots from allies apply healing to them.

Cheryl Williams

Ash's younger sister Cheryl is extremely focused on healing. Between her Healing Touch and her Shemp's Cola-focused abilities, she is set to keep everyone healed up, and even make some inroads on fear levels as well. 

• Healing Touch – When activated, this ability creates a healing zone for you and your allies.
• Cola Coaster – Carry more Shemp's Cola and start the match.
• Contact Courage (Level 10) – Drinking a Shemp's Cola reduces the fear level of you and your nearby allies.
• Contact Healing (Level 25) – Drinking Shemp's Cola also restores health to nearby allies.

Pablo Simon Bolivar

Pablo is in a tough spot. He potentially offers unlimited shields to his team with Gift of El Brujo Especial, but he's vulnerable each time he uses it. Plus, other than offering shields to allies, and the questionable stealth offered by Infernal Camouflage, he doesn't bring much to the table.

• Gift From El Brujo Especial – When activated, this ability starts to create an amulet, dropping it to the ground when completed.
• Infernal Camouflage – Demons cannot detect you with Demon Vision.
• Legacy of El Brujo (Level 10) – Begin matches with an additional amulet.
• Shamanic Protection (Level 25) – Your shield bar will gradually recover over time as long as you have at least one full bar to start.

Evil Dead: The Game characters – Demons

The Kandarian Demon's are antagonists of Evil Dead: The Game, and each type has their own particular flavor of evil to take on the survivor team alone. You'll find the Boss, Elite, and Basic enemy detailed below.

Necromancer

The Necromancer takes its cues from Army of Darkness, being led by the evil version of Ash himself. They're a balanced option for the Kandarian Demon player with both cool powers and strong direct combat.

Evil Ash (Boss)

• Infernal Invigoration – Starts strangling a survivor with telekinesis and heals Evil Ash while doing so. Other survivors will have to attack Evil Ash to free their ally.
• Skeletal Support – Summons skeletons to aid Evil Ash in combat.
• Skeleton Resurrection – Creates an aura where skeletons that die can resurrect themselves.
• Dodge – Can dodge attacks.

Skeleton Elite (Elite)

• Trident Smash – Skeleton Elites can leap forward and smash the ground for area damage.
• Trident Toss – Skeleton Elites can throw their trident for heavy damage.
• Skeleton Resurrection – Creates an aura where skeletons that die can resurrect themselves.

Skeleton (Basic)

• Lunging Threat – Skeletons can lunge forward with their spear in a slow attack that does heavy damage.
• War Cry – Skeletons can unleash a yell, dealing damage and knocking back nearby survivors.
• Dodge – Can dodge attacks.

Warlord

With the Warlord, it's all about confronting your survivor problems head on. Powerful direct combat and heavy damage are the hallmarks of the most direct of Kandarian Demons.

Henrietta (Boss)

• Belly Flop – Henrietta launches herself forward and slams the ground, dealing area damage.
• Gas Leak – Henrietta leaves a trail of damaging poison as she moves.
• Granny Hug – Henrietta grabs and squeezes a survivors head, dealing damage. Their allies must attack Henrietta to get them free.

Deadite Elite (Elite)

• Big Swing – Deadite Elites can take a big swing to deal damage to anyone in front of them.
• Deadite Smash – Deadite Elites can charge forward and do an area attack that damages nearby survivors.
• Belly Flop – Deadite Elites can launch themselves forward and slam the ground, dealing area damage.

Deadite (Basic)

• Farewell to Arms – Deadites can rip off their own arm to use as a melee weapon.
• Puke – Deadites can projectile vomit on survivors, dealing damage.
• Dodge – Can dodge attacks.

Puppeteer

More of a thinking-Demons choice, the Puppeteer is the Kandarian Demon of choice for anyone that wants to make and execute clever plans against the survivors. They favor clever tricks and mind games.

Eligos (Boss)

• Psychic Squeeze – Starts squeezing a survivor with telekinesis for damage. Other survivors will have to attack Eligos to free their ally.
• Telekinetic Surge – Eligos can use telekinesis to immobilize any nearby survivors.
• Casting Stones – Throws a bunch of telekinetic rocks at the survivors for damage.

Demi Eligos (Elite)

• Thunderstruck – Marks each survivor. If they don't move from where they were marked, they'll be struck by lightning.
• Duplicity – Demi Eligos can clone themselves. The clones have reduced health but deal the same damage as normal.
• Dodge – Can dodge attacks.

Deadite Berserker (Basic)

• Head Rush – Deadite Berserkers decapitate themselves and throw their heads like grenades, which explode on impact.
• Self Destruct – Deadite Berserkers can explode, inflicting heavy damage on any nearby survivors.
• Dodge – Can dodge attacks.

• If you haven't been scared to death yet, check out our list of the best horror games.