Choosing a character in Shroom and Gloom can change the entire feel of your run. Each of the seven playable characters enters the strange fungal depths for their own reasons, but more importantly, each class can potentially push you toward a very different way of building and playing your decks.
The game already asks you to manage two decks at once, balance exploration with combat, protect your health, and make difficult decisions about resources. Because of that, some characters are naturally easier for new players to understand, while others may be better once you are comfortable with the game’s stranger mechanics.
In this Shroom and Gloom classes tier list, I am ranking the playable characters based primarily on beginner friendliness, accessibility, learning potential, and overall appeal. This is not just about raw power. A complicated character might eventually have incredible potential while still being a poor choice for your very first run.
Shroom and Gloom Classes Tier List – Best Characters
| Tier | Character | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| S Tier | Paper Boy | Beginners and straightforward builds |
| S Tier | Lunch Lady | Food, cooking, and long-term planning |
| A Tier | Concerned Parent | Tactical and exploration-focused players |
| A Tier | Researcher | Players who enjoy experimentation |
| B Tier | Janitor | Resource management and unusual builds |
| B Tier | The Slob | Players who enjoy chaotic gameplay |
| C Tier | Grubby? | Players looking for a strange challenge |
S Tier – Paper Boy
Best Beginner Character
The Paper Boy is my top recommendation for players starting Shroom and Gloom for the first time.
Their description is simple enough: they got a little lost on their route and ended up somewhere they definitely were not supposed to be.
But from a beginner perspective, the Paper Boy stands out because this is the character that can provide the clearest introduction to the basic rhythm of Shroom and Gloom.
When you are learning the game, you already have a lot to think about.
You need to understand your Combat deck.
You need to understand your Explore deck.
You need to manage health and food.
You need to decide when taking damage is worth progressing.
Having a character with a more understandable direction can make that learning process much easier.
That is why I would start with the Paper Boy.
My advice would be to use your early runs with this character to learn how the game’s two-deck system works. Do not worry too much about creating the perfect build immediately.
Learn the fundamentals first.
S Tier – Lunch Lady
Best for Food and Cooking Fans
The Lunch Lady immediately sounds like one of the most entertaining characters in Shroom and Gloom.
Her reason for being underground is wonderfully simple: she apparently did not have time to hand in substitute forms.
Based on the game’s strong connection between enemies, food, cooking, and healing, the Lunch Lady is naturally one of the characters I would be most interested in trying after learning the basics.
Food is not just a minor resource in Shroom and Gloom.
It can be closely connected to your survival.
You are going to take damage during runs, and having ways to recover health is extremely important. This makes any character that can potentially benefit from food-related strategies especially interesting.
The Lunch Lady should appeal to players who enjoy planning ahead and getting the maximum possible value from their resources.
Instead of simply thinking about the next enemy, you may find yourself thinking about what your current decisions could provide later in the run.
A Tier – Concerned Parent
Best for Careful and Tactical Players
The Concerned Parent has perhaps the most understandable reason for entering the dungeon.
They were supposed to be back hours ago.
That is enough to make anyone concerned.
For players who prefer careful planning instead of blindly charging into every situation, the Concerned Parent is likely to be an appealing choice.
Shroom and Gloom is not purely about winning combat encounters.
Exploration matters.
The decisions you make while moving through the dungeon can affect your health, resources, and preparation for future fights.
Because of that, a character that encourages careful thinking and tactical decision-making can be extremely valuable.
I would recommend this class to players who enjoy having information and thinking several steps ahead.
If you are the type of roguelike player who always wants to know what is coming before committing to a path, this is probably one of the characters you should investigate early.
A Tier – Researcher
Best for Experimenting With Builds
The Researcher entered the fungal depths looking for new specimens and discovered considerably more than expected.
Honestly, that sounds like the perfect setup for one of Shroom and Gloom’s more experimental playstyles.
The Researcher should appeal to players who enjoy discovering unusual interactions and trying different combinations.
Shroom and Gloom already has hundreds of cards split across its major systems, along with mechanics involving Combat, Explore, and Foresight.
That gives experimental players plenty of room to test different strategies.
If you are someone who enjoys asking questions like:
What happens if I combine these cards?
Or:
Can I build an entire strategy around this strange mechanic?
The Researcher is probably going to be one of the most interesting characters for you.
I would place them slightly below the easiest beginner picks simply because experimental characters are often more fun when you already understand the systems you are experimenting with.
B Tier – Janitor
Best for Players Who Love Weird Builds
The Janitor might have one of the funniest reasons for being underground.
They went looking for a discreet place to dump some trash and discovered that the trash had apparently come to life.
That alone tells me this is probably not going to be the most normal character in the game.
The Janitor is the type of class I would save until you have already played several runs.
Shroom and Gloom already gives beginners plenty to manage. When you add unusual resource interactions and potentially strange deckbuilding decisions on top of that, things can become complicated quickly.
That does not mean the Janitor is weak.
Actually, characters built around unusual mechanics are often some of the most powerful once you understand them properly.
But they can also punish you if you do not know what you are doing.
I would recommend learning the basics first and returning to the Janitor when you want something more unusual.
B Tier – The Slob
Best for Chaotic Runs
The Slob apparently rolled off the couch a little further than usual.
Hopefully, there are snacks nearby.
That description alone makes this one of the characters I am most curious about.
The Slob sounds like a class designed for players who enjoy embracing the stranger and more chaotic side of Shroom and Gloom.
The game’s systems already reward adaptation. You cannot always predict what cards you will draw, what exploration opportunities you will find, or how your resources will develop.
A character built around a less predictable style could therefore be extremely entertaining.
However, I would not necessarily recommend choosing a chaotic or unusual playstyle during your first run.
When you are still learning how Bash, food, exploration, combat, and deckbuilding interact, having a simpler strategy can make life much easier.
Once you understand the fundamentals, though, The Slob could become a lot more fun.
C Tier – Grubby?
The Mystery Pick
Grubby? is easily the strangest character on the list.
The description talks about one incredibly rare grub that is supposedly impossible to find.
Only one grub.
And apparently, it is delicious.
The question mark in the name already tells you that something unusual is happening here.
For that reason, I would place Grubby? in the lowest position for beginners.
That does not mean the character is necessarily the weakest.
This tier list is about accessibility as much as power.
A mysterious or unusual character can be incredibly fun, but it may not be the best choice when you are still trying to understand the game’s basic systems.
I would personally save Grubby? for later.
Once you understand how Shroom and Gloom works, trying the strangest character available can become much more interesting.
Which Shroom and Gloom Class Should You Play?
Your best character depends heavily on how you enjoy roguelike deckbuilders.
Choose Paper Boy If You Are New
The Paper Boy is my recommendation for learning the fundamentals.
Start here if you want to understand the two-deck system and get comfortable with how Shroom and Gloom works.
Choose Lunch Lady If You Love Resources and Food
If you enjoy healing, cooking, resource management, and thinking ahead, the Lunch Lady should be one of your first choices.
Choose Concerned Parent If You Like Planning
This is the character I would recommend to careful players who enjoy tactical decisions and controlling risk.
Choose Researcher If You Love Experimenting
Try the Researcher if discovering strange card combinations is your favorite part of deckbuilders.
Choose Janitor If You Want Something Weird
The Janitor is a great choice once you are ready to move beyond straightforward strategies.
Choose The Slob If You Enjoy Chaos
If you prefer unpredictable runs and funny character concepts, The Slob is worth trying.
Choose Grubby? If You Want a Mystery
Save Grubby? for when you are ready to discover one of the game’s strangest characters for yourself.
Shroom and Gloom Classes Tier List
| Rank | Character | Recommended For |
|---|---|---|
| S | Paper Boy | Beginners |
| S | Lunch Lady | Food and resource management |
| A | Concerned Parent | Tactical players |
| A | Researcher | Experimental builds |
| B | Janitor | Advanced and unusual strategies |
| B | The Slob | Chaotic gameplay |
| C | Grubby? | Mystery and experimentation |
The most important thing to remember about this Shroom and Gloom classes tier list is that the best character is not always the one at the top of the list.
A complicated class might eventually become your favorite once you understand its mechanics.
For your first few runs, though, I would keep things simple.
Start with the Paper Boy and focus on learning how Combat and Explore decks work together. Once you understand the basics of health, food, exploration, card synergy, and adapting to each run, start experimenting with the other characters.
The Lunch Lady is an excellent next character to explore if you enjoy resource management, while the Concerned Parent and Researcher should appeal to players who enjoy tactical planning and experimentation.
After that, you can jump into the stranger side of Shroom and Gloom with characters like the Janitor, The Slob, and the mysterious Grubby?.
And honestly, that is probably where the game becomes even more fun.
The whole point of a roguelike is experimenting, failing, discovering weird combinations, and eventually finding a strategy that somehow turns complete chaos into a winning run.