There are 25 heroes or characters to play around with in Darkspore. You unlock them as you progress in the game, and you assemble a team of three that you use in each mission. Each hero has a specific type and class. Zrin for instance, is a plasma type and a sentinel class. He uses his big flaming fists to do damage up close. Another example would be Sage, a bio type whose a tempest. Sage is more of a mage type who does ranged damage and has healing powers, he also spawns little helpers who engage enemies at close range. You can switch between the three characters in your team at any time (short cool down after switching), but the real beauty lies in how each hero comes with a squad ability that can be used by all members of the group. For instance Sage has a squad attack that grows vines in an area so enemies get stuck and take damage, but he also has a passive effect of slowly regenerating health for the whole group. Picking your squad members is not just about their own abilities, but also about what squad abilities they bring to the table that all members can make use of.