When Duet Night Abyss launched globally, one major change caught players off guard – the complete removal of the gacha system. Instead of relying on luck to summon characters, you can now earn every hero for free just by playing. It’s a refreshing change that puts skill and effort above random chance.
However, “free” doesn’t mean instant. You’ll need to grind materials, complete specific missions, and use in-game systems smartly to unlock each character. Let’s break down all the ways you can obtain new characters in Duet Night Abyss and strengthen your roster without spending a cent.
Unlock Characters Using Character Secret Letters
The Character Secret Letter system is the main way to get new characters in Duet Night Abyss.
Every character in the game has their own specific Secret Letter type – meaning if you want to recruit someone like Psyche, you’ll need Psyche’s Secret Letters. Letters tied to other characters won’t work for her.
Secret Letters act like a personalized recruitment item, and farming them is an ongoing part of the gameplay loop.
How to Get Secret Letters
You’ll primarily earn Secret Letter Clues from daily gameplay activities. These clues can then be traded in the in-game shop for full Secret Letters. The conversion rate is simple:
10 Secret Letter Clues = 1 Character Secret Letter.
Here’s where to find them:
- Daily Commissions & Quests – Complete your routine missions every day to earn Secret Letter Clues as a guaranteed drop.
- Nocturnal Echoes – A combat mode where you can earn Secret Letters for all currently available characters.
- Immersive Theatre – A limited-time mode that focuses on the newest released character, dropping only their specific Secret Letters.
So, for instance, if Psyche has just joined the game’s roster, Immersive Theatre will exclusively drop her Secret Letters until another new character is added. Afterward, her letters will rotate into the Nocturnal Echoes pool.
You can also get a few extra Secret Letter Clues by unlocking achievements, so don’t ignore those side objectives – they often reward small but consistent progress toward your next recruit.
For official game events and drop rate details, it’s worth checking Duet Night Abyss’s official website, where the developers regularly post event and patch information.
Open Secret Letters and Complete Covert Commissions
Once you’ve collected a set of Character Secret Letters, you can use them in Covert Commissions, found under the Combat section of the main menu.
Here’s how it works:
- Go to Combat > Covert Commissions.
- Select the Secret Letter for the character you’re targeting.
- Start the mission and complete the battle or objective.
When you finish, you’ll receive multiple types of rewards, including a valuable item called Thoughts – the main currency for unlocking and upgrading characters.
Once you collect 30 Thoughts for a character for the first time, you can officially recruit that character through the Reminiscence feature.
If you happen to have duplicate Secret Letters, don’t let them sit unused. You can recycle them back into Secret Letter Clues, which can then be traded for Letters for other characters. This ensures nothing goes to waste and makes the system feel balanced for long-term players.
Buy Characters Directly from the In-Game Shop
If you prefer a more straightforward route, Duet Night Abyss also allows you to buy characters directly using Thoughts.
Each character costs 150 Thoughts, and the purchase instantly unlocks that hero for your roster.
This method is especially useful if you’ve already farmed plenty of Thoughts but haven’t gathered enough Secret Letters for a specific character. It’s also perfect for players who don’t want to wait for event drops or commissions to reset.
While it’s not the fastest option early on, it gives dedicated players a guaranteed way to expand their collection without any RNG or paywalls – a refreshing break from the typical gacha model.
Unlock Characters Through Story Progression
Not every character in Duet Night Abyss has to be farmed or bought. Some are unlocked naturally as you progress through the main storyline or complete special quests.
For example, Marbie (also called Margie in some translations) becomes available through the main story questline, giving players a strong early companion without any grinding.
Other characters may also join automatically after specific chapter milestones or side missions, so it’s always worth finishing every quest you come across.
Tips to Speed Up Character Collection
If your goal is to collect every playable hero, here are a few strategies that can make the process faster and more efficient:
- Focus on Immersive Theatre when a new character releases. It’s the best time to farm their Secret Letters before they move into the general drop pool.
- Never skip Daily Commissions. These are the most consistent source of Secret Letter Clues.
- Save your Thoughts. Don’t rush to spend them – upcoming characters may require them for direct purchase.
- Recycle extra Letters regularly. Convert unused items into Clues to keep your progress flexible.
- Complete weekly achievements. They often include Clue rewards that many players overlook.
This steady, consistent approach will let you unlock multiple characters over time without feeling stuck or underpowered.
Why Duet Night Abyss Removed the Gacha System
Removing the gacha system from Duet Night Abyss wasn’t just a gameplay decision – it was a statement. Pan Studio wanted to make the game fairer and more rewarding by putting player effort at the center of progression.
Instead of paying for random summons, players are now encouraged to earn characters through skill, activity, and persistence. This approach also ensures that everyone – whether they spend money or not – has an equal chance to build the same roster of heroes.
The shift away from luck-based pulls makes Duet Night Abyss stand out in the action RPG space, especially compared to other mobile and PC titles that rely heavily on gacha mechanics.
FAQs: Getting Characters in Duet Night Abyss
Q1. How long does it take to unlock a character?
It depends on your activity level. If you complete your Daily Commissions and participate in Immersive Theatre events, you can usually unlock a new character within a week or two of consistent play.
Q2. Can I unlock every character for free?
Yes! Every playable character in Duet Night Abyss can be earned through gameplay — either by collecting Secret Letters, gathering Thoughts, or progressing through story missions. There are no gacha-exclusive characters.
Q3. Can I get duplicates of a character?
You can earn additional copies (Thoughts) of a character to upgrade them, but you won’t “pull duplicates” the way you would in gacha games. Extra Secret Letters can be recycled to earn more Clues or Thoughts.
Q4. Are event characters limited?
Some event-exclusive heroes may be tied to Immersive Theatre runs. However, once the event ends, their Secret Letters usually move to Nocturnal Echoes, making them available again later — just with a lower drop priority.
Q5. Do I need to spend real money to unlock characters faster?
No. Duet Night Abyss doesn’t include pay-to-win shortcuts for characters. All unlock methods are accessible through free gameplay.
Final Thoughts
Earning new characters in Duet Night Abyss takes patience, but it’s one of the most satisfying systems in any free-to-play RPG right now. You can unlock every hero by playing the game naturally — whether through farming Secret Letters, completing Covert Commissions, purchasing with Thoughts, or advancing through story missions.
It’s a fair, grind-based system that rewards dedication and consistency instead of spending or luck. So, dive into your daily quests, farm those Secret Letters, and keep exploring Nocturnal Echoes — your favorite character is just a few commissions away.
