TL;DR

• Characters level up only inside Story Mode — not in Arcade or Versus.
• Each fight awards XP and Gold. Gold is used to buy Support Characters.
• Levelling up increases your character’s HP and Chi/Energy Points cap.
• Two characters — Avatar State Aang and Nightmare Korra — are locked and must be unlocked through Story Mode chapters or a cheat code.
• Support Characters also get stronger as you progress and spend your Gold.
• Levelling up does not carry over to Versus or Online modes.

How to Get Level Up Characters in Avatar Legends The Fighting Game

How to get level up characters in Avatar Legends The Fighting Game is one of the first things players ask about. The game has a built-in RPG-style levelling system inside Story Mode. It is not complex. But if you do not know it is there, it is easy to miss. This guide covers everything — how levelling works, what it does, how to unlock hidden characters, and the fastest ways to power up.

If you are new to the game, check out our Avatar Legends The Fighting Game full review for a breakdown of everything the game has to offer before you dive in.

How Does the Level Up System Work in Avatar Legends?

The level up system in Avatar Legends The Fighting Game is exclusive to Story Mode. It does not exist in Arcade Mode, Versus Mode, or Online Play. Those modes use fully unlocked characters with no restrictions.

In Story Mode, you switch between all the playable characters across 27 chapters. After each fight, your active character earns XP (experience points) and Gold. Earn enough XP and that character levels up. It is automatic. There is nothing to configure.

Here is what levelling up actually does:

• Increases HP: Your character can take more hits before losing a round.
• Increases Chi/Energy Points cap: You start each fight with more energy available for special moves and supers.
• Unlocks more of your moveset: At lower levels, you do not have access to your full kit. This is one of the more controversial design choices — early fights can feel limited because of it.

The system is intentional. It eases new players into each character’s moveset gradually. But it does mean early Story Mode fights feel simpler than what the game is truly capable of. Stick with it — by mid-story you will have access to most of each character’s abilities.

How to Level Up Characters Fast in Story Mode

There is no shortcut to levelling inside Story Mode — you earn XP by completing fights. But here are a few things that will help you progress faster:

• Do not skip fights or use auto-complete. Every battle gives you XP. Missing even one slows down your progress.
• Focus on the character you want to level first. The game rotates characters across chapters, but certain chapters let you revisit characters. Use those moments to push their level higher.
• Go into Training Mode between story chapters. The game lets you jump straight from Story Mode into Training Mode with any character you have already used. This helps you learn the moveset before it is fully unlocked in story, so you are ready when it opens up.
• Spend Gold on Support Characters as soon as you can. Gold earned from fights is used at Momo’s Bazaar — the in-game shop inside Story Mode. Buying Supports early makes fights easier, which means you can clear chapters faster and keep earning XP.

What Is Momo’s Bazaar?

Momo’s Bazaar is the shop inside Story Mode. You access it between chapters. Gold you earn from fights is spent here. At the start, the only things available are Support Character upgrades. As you progress, more items open up.

Support Characters are important. Each fighter has three support options. For example, Aang’s supports are Appa, Momo, and Gyatso. Each one gives different bonuses or extra moves during a fight. Buying and upgrading the right support for your playstyle makes a real difference — especially in harder chapters later in the story.

How to Unlock Hidden Characters in Avatar Legends

Two characters in Avatar Legends The Fighting Game are locked at the start. You can see them on the character select screen, but you cannot play as them until you unlock them. They are:

• Nightmare Korra
• Avatar State Aang

Once unlocked, both characters become available in all game modes — not just Story Mode.

How to Unlock Nightmare Korra

Nightmare Korra is the easier of the two to unlock and you get her fairly early.

• Play through Story Mode until you reach Chapter 6.
• The chapter is called “A Cold Welcome”.
• The first battle of that chapter has you play as Nightmare Korra.
• Complete that fight and she is permanently unlocked across all modes.

Nightmare Korra is similar to the base version of Korra but with different moves and animations. Her most distinctive ability is her Phantom moves — she can teleport around the stage and land devastating attacks. She plays very aggressively and rewards players who like to keep pressure on opponents.

How to Unlock Avatar State Aang

Avatar State Aang takes a bit longer to reach but unlocks in the same way.

• Play through Story Mode until you reach Chapter 11.
• The chapter is called “The Inner Battle”.
• You play as Avatar State Aang in the first battle of that chapter.
• Win the fight and he is permanently unlocked for all modes.

This fight is trickier than the Nightmare Korra unlock because you have no time to learn Avatar State Aang’s moveset before you are thrown into it. If you are struggling, his forward heavy attack is a reliable projectile that can be spammed to get through it.

Avatar State Aang’s biggest strength is his reworked Air Scooter, now called Avatar’s Ascension. It lets him fly around the stage and link into elemental attacks mid-air, making him a very unique zoner character.

Unlocking both characters also earns you the “Here Comes A New Challenger!” achievement.

How to Unlock Both Characters Instantly With the Cheat Code

If you do not want to play through Story Mode, there is a cheat code that unlocks both Avatar State Aang and Nightmare Korra immediately from the main menu. The code was discovered by the community shortly after launch.

From the main menu, enter this sequence:

1. Highlight Arcade → press Select
2. Highlight Training → press Select
3. Highlight Local VS → press Select
4. Highlight Arcade → press Select

A memory trick to remember the order: the first letters spell ATLA — Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Important things to note about the cheat code:

• You must complete each input within two seconds of the previous one.
• On PC, the Select button is Backspace on keyboard, or the Back/View button on an Xbox controller.
• On PlayStation, it is the Touchpad button.
• When the code works, you will hear a confirmation sound effect.
• Both characters are then unlocked everywhere, and you still receive the achievement.

Does Levelling Up Carry Over to Other Modes?

No. The level up system only exists inside Story Mode. When you play Arcade Mode, Versus Mode, Online Ranked, or Casual Matches, every character is at full strength with their complete moveset unlocked. You do not need to grind levels to access the full game outside of Story Mode.

This is worth knowing if you are worried about having weaker characters in competitive play. Everyone starts on an equal footing the moment you step outside of Story Mode.

Tips for Getting the Most Out of Story Mode

• Play Story Mode early. It is the only way to earn Coins and level up characters. It also unlocks both secret fighters.
• Use Training Mode between chapters. The game connects directly to Training from Story Mode. Use it to get comfortable with a character before you are forced into a tough chapter fight with them.
• Buy Supports right away. Do not sit on your Gold. Supports make fights easier and some of them grant unique extra moves that are not available without them.
• Use the Breakdown Mode to learn combos. This feature plays combo trials in slow motion, frame by frame. It is one of the best tutorial tools in the game and makes learning characters much less overwhelming.
• Do not panic in the Avatar State Aang fight. You drop into that fight cold. Spam forward heavy to get through it and then take time in Training Mode afterwards to actually learn his moveset properly.

Frequently Asked Questions