Idle Heroes · Progression guide

Idle Heroes Void Imprint Reset vs Hero Regression: What Comes Back?

If you need Stellar Shards for a new carry, first ask whether you still need the current hero at E5. A reset can affect one progression system. Regression can undo the hero build and leave you with ingredients you must rebuild from.

Quick answer · Our advice

Use the narrowest action whose preview returns the material you need while preserving the hero’s role. Check Tree of Origin, any later progression system, gear and tenant assignments before using a broader Regression.[1][2][4]

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By GachaLootGuide reviewed November 9, 2026

Ordinary Void Imprint reset and documented Regression interface. The historical reset launch, later player reports and the live preview cover different scopes.

What is the difference between an Imprint Reset and Regression?

The original Imprint Reset announcement describes a 500-Gem charge and returns for materials spent on Imprints. It does not describe a Tree of Origin refund. Later players report that activating the Tree can change which reset action is available.[1][2][3]

Regression operates on the hero’s development. Historical player documentation shows that returns can come as hero copies and material units or ingredients. Soul Symbols are associated with hero changes. The exact output format and any extra cost should be read from the current preview.[4][5]

Our suggested checks

Swipe across the table to see all columns.

What is the difference between an Imprint Reset and Regression? comparison
Goal	Preview to open first	What to reconcile
Move Stellar Shards while keeping an E5 hero	Void Imprint Reset, if available	Stellar Shards, accepted fodder returns and Gem charge
Rebuild around another hero	Hero Regression	Hero copies, fodder, progression materials and Soul Symbols
Recover Tree materials	The hero’s available Tree or Regression-related actions	Essence, Stellar Shards and any further progression affected
Keep equipment and team assignments usable	Equipment, home and formation screens	Artifact and gear location, tenant role and replacement hero

References[1][2][3][4]

Worked example moving Imprints and keeping the hero

Worked example · GachaLoot calculation

A pre-Tree donor and a recipient short on Stellar Shards

Assumptions

The donor has Imprints and no activated Tree. Its current preview explicitly quotes 500 Gems and returns 1.20 million Stellar Shards plus one accepted 10-star puppet. The E5 build stays intact in this example.
You have 700 Gems and 0.35 million free Stellar Shards. The recipient’s planned step needs 1.50 million Shards and one eligible 10-star unit.

Free Shards after the shown refund0.35 + 1.20 = 1.55 million Stellar Shards
Shards left after funding the step1.55 − 1.50 = 0.05 million, or 50,000
Gem balance after confirming700 − 500 = 200 Gems
Accepted fodder remaining after promotion1 returned − 1 required = 0 puppets from this transaction

Result: The displayed reset funds the recipient while keeping the donor as E5. Confirm that the donor can still fill its intended role at the lower Imprint state.

Limits of this example: The return quantities are fictional preview values. Do not use them to infer the actual refund for a particular Imprint tier or hero.

Mechanic references[1][2]

Worked example with a Tree and a wider rebuild

Worked example · GachaLoot calculation

The Shards return but the replacement still lacks Essence

Assumptions

The donor has an activated Tree. In this example the relevant Regression preview charges five Soul Symbols and lists 2.0 million Stellar Shards and 180,000 Spiritual Essence among its returns.
You own seven Soul Symbols, 0.40 million unreserved Stellar Shards and 40,000 unreserved Essence. Your replacement’s planned project needs 2.10 million Shards and 250,000 Essence.

Stellar Shards after the refund and project0.40 + 2.00 − 2.10 = 0.30 million left
Spiritual Essence available after the refund40,000 + 180,000 = 220,000 Essence
Spiritual Essence gap250,000 − 220,000 = 30,000 Essence still needed
Soul Symbols after confirming7 − 5 = 2 Soul Symbols left

Result: The old hero would lose its role before the replacement could finish the plan. Wait for the Essence or price a smaller upgrade that already works. Check copies, fodder and promotion resources separately.

Limits of this example: This is example accounting for listed outputs, not a promise about a live refund. No salvage value for gear, Treasure Train investment or anything absent from the preview is counted.

Mechanic references[2][3][4]

What to check before confirming a reset or Regression

Our advice: Open the specific hero and verify Imprint, Tree and later progression states. If the expected action is absent or disabled, read the requirement rather than assuming a previous version’s rule still applies.[2][3]
Our advice: Record each quoted fee and return. Keep loose copies, puppets and recipe ingredients separate. A resource list can be sufficient in total and still lack the exact material type your next upgrade accepts.
Our advice: Review equipped gear, Artifacts, saves, tenants and team assignments. If the action’s rules allow, remove or reassign gear you want to keep track of before confirming. Check your bag and formations afterward instead of counting an assumed equipment refund.
Our advice: Treat Replace as a separate operation with its own eligibility and return screen. Avoid using its quoted outputs to budget Regression.[4][5]

Idle Heroes reset and Regression questions

Will an ordinary Imprint Reset refund Tree of Origin materials?

The launch documentation only covers Imprint materials. Later player reports show different behavior once a Tree is active. Use the action and preview actually available for that hero.[1][2][3]

Do returned puppets replace every ingredient I spent?

Our advice: The output format has changed over time and may differ by operation. Match each item in the current return preview to the exact recipe slot you plan to fill.[4]

Should I regress just to save Gems?

Our advice: Compare the Soul Symbol cost, what happens to the hero and the cost of rebuilding its role. A smaller Gem cost alone does not establish the cheaper route.[1][4][5]

Sources and review scope

The launch announcement reproduced in the community documents the original 500-Gem Imprint Reset and its refund scope. Later reports document Tree of Origin complications and changing Regression outputs. Costs and returns below are hypothetical confirmation-screen entries. They do not promise a refund or gear behavior on every current hero.

Review dates describe this article and its references, not hands-on testing of a game account. Passages marked “Our advice” are GachaLoot’s recommendations. Check the current kit, challenge rules and upgrade preview for your own account.

[1] Void Imprints for select E5 heroes
r/IdleHeroes — reproduced launch notice and client observations · Checked November 9, 2026
Original Gem cost and refund scope for the Imprint Reset. This is a historical release, before later progression systems.
[2] Is my only option to completely dismantle the hero?
r/IdleHeroes — July 2025 player troubleshooting · Checked November 9, 2026
Player observations separating pre-Tree Imprints from Tree and later progression. Exact costs or output totals are not generalized.
[3] I need some help finding the best path forward
r/IdleHeroes — 2026 player discussion · Checked November 9, 2026
Later corroboration of the Tree-material distinction in a specific account case.
[4] Regression System is Live
r/IdleHeroes — player documentation of interface changes · Checked November 9, 2026
Historical changes to Regression eligibility and what form returned fodder takes. No universal refund promise is inferred.
[5] Soul Symbol
IdleHeroes Wiki — indexed community item reference · Checked November 9, 2026
Soul Symbol’s association with hero changes. The live action sets the fee.

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