Is this a hero collector?

[GamerKurisu]

As above, similar to a gacha game? AFK arena etc?7

[muljostpho]

There's no gacha but the list of characters you can use does grow with each event that comes around.

Each different event adds one new character each year and they're spaced out something like one event every 3 weeks (give or take a bit). The game just started cycling through the third year of events a few months ago, so you'll see three characters in total associated with each event that comes up.

There's also a feature in the game called "time gates" which can give you the opportunity to recruit characters that you're missing from events you've missed in a simplified and shorter version of the character's event. You don't get as much for their gear during these time gates, though.

Once a character has been unlocked by completing its objective in an event / time gate it will always be available in your list. Although a few specific objectives throughout the game can restrict certain types of characters from being used in that objective.

[RectalSpawn]

If the current pace is maintained, I could see it ending up that way. But, currently, I wouldn't say so.

I think you can buy champions in the store, but I wouldn't recommend it. This game is about waiting, so if you're impatient I couldn't see this game being a good fit unless you're fine with spending lots of money.

The only thing worth the money, imo, are the familiars. I've bought a couple of the packs to support the game, since I've gotten plenty of entertainment for free.

[SkEyE]

The last time gate that opened was the first time I experienced it. It had three characters to choose from but after I finished that character's missions it wouldn't let me get back to the selector to do the other two. So either it was bugged for me or when a time gate opens you can only get one of the three it offers.

[Zio]

It's just not. Champions are the same for everyone, you "collect" them, but aside from Time Gates they're set. There's no random chance aspect to this. What's "random" is equipment for characters. Each has six slots but with every champion specific chest you get better equipment for them, if it's not better it improves the quality of the equipment you already have.

There was a recent change they rewinded though. You get event champions with every event every month, you can freely choose which. Until the next changes come (there's no open talk about this afaik) you will get every previous years champions with the coming events. The last event just ended and let you "recruit" the champions from years 1, 2 and 3.

There are many nuances to all this but the gist is, it's a free to play game and unless you pay money it takes you a while to get everything. And for some very specific things you'll NEED money, but those specific things are nothing you really NEED to play and progress. I only spent money on very few things I really wanted, they made things a bit more comfortable, but I got everything done aside from patron variants without spending a single penny. It's perfectly doable, everything (up to that point at least) without money...or even items. Gotta be patient though