Vanillaware took an extensive approach in Unicorn Overlord, introducing a vast array of characters recruitable to Alain’s cause. This recruitment process involves a blend of auto-recruitment and strategic gameplay choices, where decisions made during missions can significantly impact your roster of playable units.
In certain missions, particularly side quests encountered while exploring Unicorn Overlord’s overworld, pivotal decisions arise during the final battle. These decisions typically involve choosing to recruit or execute the quest’s boss or a key character encountered. While some choices may seem less severe, each one influences the rewards obtained from the quest and the potential addition of new units to your army.
Each of these decisions holds importance and can alter your Unicorn Overlord playthrough to some extent. For players concerned about making such choices, especially for the first time, here’s an overview of the consequences on both sides of the decision.
Consequences of Executing or Imprisoning a Boss in Unicorn Overlord
Upon completing specific quests in Unicorn Overlord, players face two options regarding how to handle significant characters tied to the storyline. Whether it’s recruiting or executing the praise-seeking wizard Auch or imprisoning or releasing Gammel, your rewards and the number of playable units throughout your playthrough depend on your choices.
| Choice | Result |
| Recruit the character | The character joins your army as a usable unit immediately after the quest ends. |
| Release or spare the character | The character reappears in a future interaction and becomes recruitable as a usable unit over time. |
| Execute the character | The character is killed by Alain and becomes permanently unrecruitable. |
| Imprison the character | The character is detained temporarily and may resurface in a future interaction as an enemy. They are also no longer recruitable. |
In addition to the character’s fate, your quest rewards also differ based on your decision. This variance can significantly impact your objectives for other quests.
For instance, sparing Mandrin after defeating him during The Winged Knight quest allows you to recruit him later. However, executing him immediately rewards you with 15 Divine Shards, valuable collectibles exchangeable with Ochlys for rare items—and eventually useful for recruiting Feathersword to your army.
Therefore, if you aim to expedite Ochlys’s recruitment process, executing Mandrin may serve that purpose but forfeit the opportunity to enlist the archer in the future. This variety in rewards applies to all characters, making these choices intriguing as certain targets may not see action in your deployable units.
Consequences of Refusing to Recruit a Character in Unicorn Overlord
Another type of quest-ending decision frequently arises concerning recruiting or refusing a new character. Unlike executions, these choices are less impactful and easily navigable.
If a character seeks to join your army or you’re given the option to accept their offer or refuse them, there’s no benefit in turning them away. Unlike executions, refusing to recruit a character yields no additional rewards and only results in their exclusion as a playable unit—typically, these characters promptly join Alain’s lineup. For example, the sellsword Berenice expresses disappointment at Alain’s refusal to accept her offer to join the army, and she remains in the surrounding area—thus, becoming unrecruitable.
