If you’re a new or returning Mobile Legends player in 2026, one of the first questions you probably have is how many characters in Mobile Legends are actually available to play right now. I’ve been grinding ranked MLBB matches for 5 years, and I still get this question at least once a week from friends who are just getting into the game. The roster has grown so much since the game first launched, with new heroes dropping every few months and regular reworks of older picks to keep the meta fresh. This guide will break down the exact count, plus give you all the context you need to know about limited-time heroes, role breakdowns, and how to unlock every character you want fast.
How Many Characters in Mobile Legends Are Playable in 2026?
As of the July 2026 MLBB mid-season patch update, there are 137 permanent playable characters available for all users across global servers. This count excludes temporary collab heroes that are only available for limited windows during special events, as well as test heroes that are only accessible on the advanced server for beta testing. So if you see someone playing a character you don’t recognize in casual matches, it’s probably a limited-time collab pick that’s not part of the permanent roster yet. Moonton has added 7 new permanent heroes already in 2026, and they’re on track to add 3 more before the end of the year, so this count will jump to 140 by January 2027. You don’t have to worry about missing out on permanent heroes, though – they never get removed from the shop once they’re added to the global server.
2026 Mobile Legends Character Roster Breakdown by Role
All 137 permanent characters are split into 6 core roles, each with a specific job in team matches. If you’re new to the game, picking a role that fits your playstyle first will make it much easier to decide which heroes to unlock first. Here’s the full breakdown of counts per role as of 2026:
If you’re just starting out, you’ll get 10 free heroes when you complete the tutorial, covering all 6 roles so you can test out what you like best. You don’t have to unlock every character to be good at the game, either – most pro players only main 3-5 heroes across 1 or 2 roles for ranked matches. It’s much better to get really good at a small set of heroes than to be mediocre at 20 different picks, especially if you’re focused on climbing the ranked ladder fast.
Upcoming Mobile Legends Characters Scheduled for Late 2026
Moonton released their official 2026 second-half content roadmap back in May, so we already know exactly what heroes are coming to the game before the end of the year. First up is a support hero named Terrain Weaver Tala, who can create temporary walls and platforms to block enemies or help teammates cross obstacles, scheduled for release in September 2026. I’ve played her on the advanced server, and she’s going to completely change how support players approach team fights, especially in narrow map lanes like the mid lane. Next is a shadow fighter named Kage, who can summon up to 2 controllable clones to deal damage and confuse enemies, coming in November 2026. The last release of the year is a limited collab hero from the Demon Slayer franchise, timed for the 2026 holiday event in mid-December. Collab heroes are only available for purchase or event unlock during their run, and rarely return to the shop, so you’ll want to mark those dates if you’re a collector. I missed the 2025 Jujutsu Kaisen collab heroes, and they still haven’t been re-released, so I’m already saving up diamonds for the Demon Slayer drop later this year.
Easy Tips to Unlock More Mobile Legends Characters Fast in 2026
You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars to unlock most of the Mobile Legends character roster, as long as you play consistently and prioritize the right rewards. First, make sure you claim your daily battle point (BP) boost every week – you can get up to 10,000 extra BP per week just by completing 3 daily missions for 7 days in a row. BP is the easiest way to unlock 90% of the permanent roster, as most non-premium heroes cost between 15,000 and 32,000 BP each. Second, save your hero fragments – you get these from duplicate skin pulls, rank up rewards, and event chests, and you can exchange 100 fragments for almost any permanent non-collab hero in the fragment shop. The fragment shop refreshes every 2 weeks, so check back regularly if there’s a specific hero you’re looking for. Third, take advantage of free event giveaways – Moonton runs a free hero giveaway at least once every 3 weeks for major updates, so logging in daily means you won’t miss these free picks. You don’t have to spend real money to unlock 90% of the Mobile Legends character roster, as all permanent non-collab heroes are available for free via battle points or fragments. Stay away from third-party sites that claim to give you free heroes or unlimited diamonds, though – these are almost always phishing scams that will steal your account credentials and lock you out of your profile.
Now that you know how many characters in Mobile Legends are available in 2026, you can start planning which heroes you want to unlock first based on your preferred playstyle. Don’t feel pressured to unlock every character right away, either – focusing on mastering a small pool of heroes will help you climb ranks much faster than spreading your time across too many different picks. If you want to stay up to date on new hero releases, tier lists, and build guides, check back regularly for new content, as I update all my MLBB guides every month to match the latest patch changes.