TL;DR — Who Should You Pick?
Beginner? Start with Scott Pilgrim.
He’s balanced, forgiving, and teaches you the game without punishing you.
Want the best character overall? Pick Gideon Graves.
Fastest sword strikes in the game. Insane damage. Built for players who want to feel powerful.
Playing co-op? Matthew Patel is your guy.
His demon crowd control changes the whole vibe of group fights.
If you’re still figuring out whether the game is worth your time, check out my full Scott Pilgrim EX review before diving into character picks.
Wait — Do You Need to Unlock Characters?
Actually, nope. Not really.
All 7 characters are available from the very start. No grinding. No hidden unlock conditions.
Just go to Scott and Ramona’s house in the Suburbs area and swap whenever you want.
Every character also starts at Level 16 — which was the max level in the original 2010 game. That means you get their full moveset immediately.
This is a huge upgrade from how the old game worked. No more playing Scott for 3 hours before you can use Ramona properly.
The Full Roster — All 7 Characters
Here’s every playable character in Scott Pilgrim EX, explained for people who’ve never played a beat ’em up before.
1. Scott Pilgrim
Type: All-Rounder
Difficulty: Easy
Best For: Beginners, players who want balance
Scott is exactly what you expect from a guy whose name is literally on the box.
He’s not the fastest. Not the strongest. Not the flashiest.
But he’s reliable. Everything he does works.
His moveset:
- Standard punches and kicks — clean and easy to land
- A headbutt move that breaks through enemy attacks
- A fast flurry of punches for his down heavy — great for crowd control
- His Power of Love sword as a special — huge AOE damage
That guitar special? It hits everyone near you at once. When you’re surrounded by 6 dudes and panicking — press that button.
Verdict: The safest pick in the game. Nobody ever regrets starting with Scott.
2. Ramona Flowers
Type: Mid-Range Brawler
Difficulty: Medium
Best For: Players who like reach and style
Ramona fights with her giant hammer and stuff she pulls out of her magic bag.
Her normal combos are excellent. Great range. Great damage.
But her heavy attacks are where things get tricky.
Her heavies involve bouncing on her hammer or throwing items from her bag. They look cool. They miss a lot.
The Glow power from the comics is in there as her heavy attack. But landing it consistently takes practice.
Her biggest issue? The heavy moves are situational. Against fast enemies that move around a lot? You’ll whiff constantly.
Verdict: Still a strong pick, especially for fans of her character. Just don’t rely on her heavies early on. Her normal combo strings carry her.
3. Roxie Richter
Type: Ninja / Speed
Difficulty: Medium
Best For: Players who like fast, aggressive playstyles
Roxie is the ninja of the roster. Literally described that way in the game.
She fights with her katana and her fists. Fast movement. Strong aerial game.
Her down heavy is a whirlwind slash — great for spinning through groups of enemies.
But her up heavy is a teleporting smoke bomb that repositions her in the air. It looks cool. It almost never connects with anything useful.
You’ll use it. It’ll miss. You’ll be annoyed.
Verdict: Roxie is fast and fun. Her down heavy alone makes her worth trying. Just stop trying to land the smoke bomb up heavy and you’ll be fine.
4. Lucas Lee
Type: Tank / Heavy Hitter
Difficulty: Hard
Best For: Players who like slow, massive-damage characters
Lucas Lee is the biggest, slowest, strongest guy on the roster.
He fights with his skateboard. Every hit feels like getting hit by a truck.
The problem?
He’s slow. Really slow.
And his charged heavy grab — one of his signature moves — whiffs constantly. You’ll try to grab enemies and grab empty air while they walk around you.
For aggressive players who like running into fights fast, Lucas will feel clunky.
But if you like playing tanks? If you enjoy slow characters with huge payoff hits? Lucas is your guy. He just takes patience.
Verdict: Not for everyone. But for the right player, Lucas Lee is deeply satisfying. Don’t pick him if you get frustrated by slow movement.
5. Matthew Patel
Type: Crowd Control / Puppet Master
Difficulty: Hard
Best For: Co-op players, people who like controlling the whole battlefield
Matthew Patel was the first Evil Ex in the original story. Now he’s on your team. And he’s a wildcard.
He doesn’t punch through enemies like the others. He controls the battlefield.
His supernatural moves include:
- Calling extra arms — a screen-clearing attack
- Flame bursts — mid-range projectile damage
- Mythic energy finishing moves — huge single-target damage
He works like a puppet master. While other characters bulldoze through enemies, Matthew stuns whole groups or makes them fight each other.
He’s tricky to learn solo. But in co-op? He’s incredible.
While your teammates duel the boss, Matthew is controlling 6 other enemies at once.
His story in EX is also genuinely good. He used to fake confidence to hide that he was the weakest Ex. By the end of the game, he’s found real confidence. His character-specific ending is the best in the game.
Verdict: High skill ceiling. Frustrating solo early on. But once it clicks — especially in co-op — Matthew feels like cheating.
6. Robot-01
Type: Zoner / Wild Card
Difficulty: Medium
Best For: Players who want variety and chaos
Robot-01 was built by the Katayanagi Twins to destroy Scott. Now he’s punching dudes alongside him. Classic.
His moveset is the most varied in the entire game:
- Chainsaw swings — long range, high damage
- Energy laser blasts — ranged zoning tool
- Grenade — throws a grenade that stuns enemies. Causes instant dizzy. Insanely powerful.
- AOE explosion down heavy — hits everything around him
- Giant AOE explosion special — even bigger radius
That grenade is the standout move. Throw it. Enemy gets stunned. You get a free full combo window.
The catch? You need to stand fairly close to aim it right.
Verdict: Robot-01 looks like a gimmick character but plays like a top-tier fighter. The explosive moveset rewards creative players. Highly recommended once you’ve learned the basics.
7. Gideon Graves
Type: Speed / Sword Fighter
Difficulty: Medium
Best For: Players who want to feel overpowered
Gideon Graves is the best character in the game. It’s not close.
His moveset:
- Blazing-fast sword strikes — fastest weapon attacks in the entire roster
- Rapid punches — incredible combo potential
- Size shift mechanic — he grows giant and delivers an unstoppable 4-hit combo
- Calculated, sneaky playstyle — built for players who like reading enemy patterns
Every part of his kit is tuned perfectly. His normals are fast. His specials hit hard. His heavies actually land.
The size shift combo in particular feels absurdly satisfying to land.
Verdict: The best character in Scott Pilgrim EX. If you’ve finished the game once and want to play again, go straight to Gideon.
Character Tier List (Quick Reference)
| Tier | Character | Why |
|---|---|---|
| S | Gideon Graves | Perfect moveset, fastest sword attacks, size shift combo |
| A | Robot-01 | Stunning grenade, huge AoE, incredible variety |
| A | Matthew Patel | Crowd control king, co-op MVP |
| B | Scott Pilgrim | Reliable all-rounder, best for learning |
| B | Lucas Lee | High damage, but slow and whiff-heavy |
| C | Roxie Richter | Fast, but smoke bomb heavy rarely lands |
| C | Ramona Flowers | Great normals, situational heavies |
This tier list is based on the launch version of the game. Tribute Games has signaled future patches — rankings may shift. Watch the official Tribute Games YouTube channel for update announcements.
Best Character for Beginners — The Step-by-Step Answer
Step 1: Start with Scott. He teaches you the game’s rhythm. When to attack. When to block. How combos chain.
Step 2: Move to Robot-01. Once you’ve cleared 2-3 areas with Scott, switch to Robot-01. The grenade stun alone will make you feel like a completely different player.
Step 3: Try Gideon. By then you’ll have enough game sense to use his fast, aggressive style properly. And once you feel that sword speed? You won’t go back.
Co-op Strategies — How to Actually Win Together
Scott Pilgrim EX is built around 4-player co-op. Playing it right with a group completely changes the game.
Best 4-Player Team Comp:
| Role | Character | Job |
|---|---|---|
| Anchor | Scott or Gideon | Consistent damage, leads fights |
| Crowd Control | Matthew Patel | Stuns and controls enemy groups |
| Tank | Lucas Lee | Absorbs hits, creates space |
| Wild Card | Robot-01 | Grenade stuns, AoE cleanup |
Co-op tips that actually matter:
Don’t pile on the same enemy. Spread out. One person on the boss. Others managing adds. Co-op fails when 4 people crowd the same spot and take the same AoE.
Revive teammates immediately. A downed teammate respawns with reduced health. Leaving them down too long costs you a precious life.
Matthew Patel focuses crowd, not boss. His demon arms handle groups better than anyone else. Let Gideon or Scott handle the boss while Matthew controls everything else on screen.
Agree on who buys upgrades first. The coin economy is shared across the team. Random spending wastes money badly. Have a plan.
Critical co-op bug (launch version): If you join a friend’s online game without first creating your own local save, all character progress is lost when you disconnect.
Always create a local save on your character before joining any online lobby. This hasn’t been patched yet as of launch. Don’t skip this step.
Also: Cross-play is not supported at launch. PC players must play with PC players. PS5 with PS5. You get the idea. Same platform only for online co-op.
Secrets & Easter Eggs — What to Look For
Scott Pilgrim EX is stuffed with references. Here’s what to find.
1. The 2010 Game Callbacks
Several enemy types from the original Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game appear as background cameos in EX.
Watch for them in the Suburbs area especially.
2. Bryan Lee O’Malley’s Original Comics
The original Scott Pilgrim graphic novels by O’Malley are referenced constantly throughout EX.
A lot of EX’s humour lands differently if you’ve read them.
Worth it if you haven’t.
3. The Netflix Anime Connection
EX is an unofficial sequel to Scott Pilgrim Takes Off on Netflix.
Small story details in EX directly call back to plot points from the anime.
You don’t need to watch it first. But the story hits differently if you have.
4. Subspace Highway Secrets
The Subspace areas in EX aren’t just fast travel.
Some Subspace paths lead to hidden rooms with bonus coins and rare gear.
Explore every Subspace portal you find instead of rushing through.
5. Matthew Patel’s Epilogue
Beat the game as Matthew Patel specifically.
His character-ending is the most satisfying conclusion in the game.
After his whole arc — the insecurity, the theatrical bravado — watching him earn real confidence pays off.
6. The Gideon Post-Credits Scene
Clear the game with Gideon Graves and stay through the credits.
There’s a short scene at the very end.
No spoilers. Just watch it.
7. The Badge System Paper Mario Easter Egg
Some Badges in the game only change the visual appearance of your moves.
No stat changes. Just aesthetics.
This is a direct nod to the Paper Mario Badge system — confirmed by the devs themselves.
8. The Prequel Mini-Comic
Before you play, look up Scott Pilgrim EX: Dawn of Metal Scott — the official tie-in prequel mini-comic.
It adds context to who Robot-01 is and how the Katayanagi Twins fit into EX’s story.
Small detail. Big payoff if you’re into the lore.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I unlock all characters in Scott Pilgrim EX?
You don’t. All 7 characters are unlocked from the start. Go to Scott and Ramona’s house in the Suburbs to switch between them anytime.
Who is the best character in Scott Pilgrim EX?
Gideon Graves. His sword speed, combo potential, and size-shift mechanic make him the strongest character at launch.
What character should a beginner pick?
Scott Pilgrim. He’s balanced, easy to understand, and teaches you the game without punishing your mistakes.
How many players can play co-op?
Up to 4 players. Local couch co-op and online multiplayer are both supported. Cross-play between platforms is not currently available.
Is there a co-op bug in Scott Pilgrim EX?
Yes. Joining an online lobby without creating a local save first will wipe your progress when you disconnect. Always start a local save before joining any online game.
Can I swap characters mid-game?
Yes. Visit Scott and Ramona’s house in the Suburbs area to switch to any of the 7 characters at any point during the game.
Does Scott Pilgrim EX have Easter eggs?
Yes — a lot of them. References to the 2010 game, the comics, the movie, the Netflix anime, and even Paper Mario are scattered all over.
Is Scott Pilgrim EX connected to the Netflix anime?
Yes. EX is an unofficial sequel to Scott Pilgrim Takes Off on Netflix. You don’t need to watch it first, but it adds story context.
