If you’ve spent any time exploring Wuthering Waves’ sun-dappled plains or getting one-shot by a world boss you stumbled across by accident, you’ve probably heard other players rave about Sentinels, the game’s special playable support units that add huge buffs and extra damage to your roster. If you’re just starting out, your first question is likely how many sentinels in Wuthering Waves you can actually collect right now, and which ones are worth prioritizing to make your grind easier. I’ve spent over 200 hours in the game since its global launch, testing every Sentinel available, so I’ve put together this full breakdown to answer all your questions without any filler.
How Many Sentinels in Wuthering Waves Are Playable Right Now?
As of the latest game update, there are 12 permanent Sentinels you can unlock through regular gameplay, plus 2 limited-time Sentinels that rotate in and out of event banners every 6 weeks. That brings the total available count to 14 at any given time, though you won’t be able to get the limited ones outside their run windows. I was surprised when I first started playing that I unlocked 4 Sentinels just by playing through the first 10 hours of the story, so you won’t have to grind for hours to get your first few.
Each Sentinel falls into one of three role categories: Support, DPS, and Utility, so you can pick ones that fit gaps in your main three-character team. You don’t have to grind for all of them to progress through the main story, but having a varied roster will make endgame content like Hollow Zero runs way less frustrating. Permanent Sentinels are never removed from the game, so you can take your time unlocking them even if you’re a casual player who only logs in a few times a week.
Core Sentinel Types and What They Do For Your Team
Not all Sentinels are created equal, and picking the right one for the activity you’re doing makes a way bigger difference than trying to level up every single one you own. Let’s break down the three core types so you know which to prioritize first:
- Support Sentinels: These offer healing, shield buffs, and resistance boosts that keep your main team alive during long boss fights. They’re the best first pick for new players who are still learning boss attack patterns and don’t have fully leveled healing characters.
- DPS Sentinels: These add extra elemental damage, combo extensions, and burst damage boosts that cut down clear time for open-world camps and endgame challenge runs. They’re ideal if you already have a solid support in your main team and want to speed up your grind.
- Utility Sentinels: These offer niche perks like faster mining, increased drop rates from chests, and glide speed boosts that make open-world exploration way more convenient. They’re not necessary for combat, but they save you hours of grinding over the course of your playthrough.
I usually keep one support Sentinel equipped for all combat activities, and swap to a utility one whenever I’m spending a couple hours exploring new map regions to collect materials. You don’t have to stick to one setup either, you can swap Sentinels any time you’re not in active combat, no cooldown required.
How to Unlock Every Permanent Sentinel Easily
You don’t have to spend real money to unlock any of the 12 permanent Sentinels, which is a nice change from a lot of other gacha games on the market right now. Most are unlocked through story progression, side quests, or in-game currency exchange, so you can get almost all of them before you even finish the main story campaign. You only need to reach Account Level 25 to unlock the Sentinel feature, so you won’t have to wait too long to start building your roster.
A few of the rarer permanent Sentinels are locked behind Hollow Zero challenge tiers, but even F2P players can get those if they run the challenge once a week for a couple of months. If you’re stuck trying to unlock a specific Sentinel, you can check the in-game archive for exact unlock requirements, no third-party guides needed for the most part. The only ones you’ll have to pay for if you miss their run are the limited-time Sentinels, but those usually only offer minor combat upgrades over permanent options, so they’re not worth stressing over if you’re a F2P player.
Which Sentinels Are Worth Leveling First
Since leveling Sentinels costs a lot of upgrade materials that you can’t easily farm early on, you don’t want to waste resources on ones you’ll never use. I’ve tested every permanent Sentinel across all game modes, so here are my top picks for new players that will give you the most value for your materials.
First, Weeping Willow is the best support Sentinel for beginners, it offers constant passive healing and a 20% shield boost for your entire team, and it’s unlocked automatically when you finish the third act of the main story. You’ll use it all the way through endgame content, so it’s worth maxing out first. If you prefer faster clear times, Thunder Lancer is the top DPS Sentinel, it adds extra electro damage to every combo hit, and you can unlock it by exchanging 3000 Echo Coins at the in-game shop, no gacha pulls required.
For exploration, Wind Chaser is a game-changer, it increases your glide speed by 30% and reduces stamina consumption for climbing by 25%, and you unlock it by finishing the first side quest chain in the Greenveil Marsh region. You don’t need to level more than 3 or 4 Sentinels total to beat every piece of content in the game, so you can save the rest of your materials for upgrading your main characters first.
At the end of the day, you don’t have to collect every single available Sentinel to have fun with Wuthering Waves, but knowing how many sentinels in Wuthering Waves are available helps you plan your grind and avoid wasting resources on units you don’t need. Start with the top picks I listed, swap them out based on what activity you’re doing, and you’ll have a way smoother experience whether you’re exploring the map or clearing endgame challenges. If you’re still looking for more tips on building your team or farming upgrade materials, check out my other Wuthering Waves guides for more no-fluff advice from a long-time player.