Sea of Stars is a complex and exciting JRPG that keeps players on their toes with activities, puzzles, combat and exploration. One of the best activities to do is the mini-game “Wheels,” an engaging and worthwhile experience that can be enjoyed in any of the game’s taverns.
It has a surprising amount of depth and nuance, and can become very addictive once you learn the basics. But it also can be a bit confusing at first, with quite a few rules and quirks that may throw some players through a loop.
To help you become the Wheels champion, we’ve put together this guide with all the details you need to know, including a rundown of the basics rules, all the heroes, opponent locations, and the rewards you can win.
Related: Sea of Stars Complete Guide – Party Members, Collectibles, Wheels, & Side Quests
What is Wheels in Sea of Stars?
Wheels is a mini-game in Sea of Stars that players can enjoy whenever they visit a tavern in the game. The game involves using figurine heroes and generating energy to battle your opponent, and ultimately reduce their Crown’s HP to zero and win the game.
For a mini-game, it’s quite deep and has multiple mechanics and quirks that make it engaging and fun to play, and we will be breaking it down here so you are prepared when it comes time to do battle.
The Mechanics
Below we have laid out the general rules and mechanics you’ll need to know about Wheels, including how energy works, the Bulwark, and the Wheels themselves.
The Wheels
The main mechanics of Wheels are the Wheels themselves. In this game, players will spin five wheels, four that are default, and one that is the players. Players have three spins a round, and after each spin, you can browse your results and lock in certain wheels if they have a particular symbol or bonus you want to keep. You are also able to unlock a Wheel if you change your mind, and all Wheels will be locked in after the third spin.
After the three spins, the round gets resolved depending on your and your opponent’s Wheels choices, and you repeat this process every round for the duration of the game.
The Crown
The Crown is the representation of a player’s HP, which is ten by default. During a match, heroes will attack the Crown and deal damage according to their level and what hero they are. It is also possible to heal your Crown and defend it using the Bulwark.
Symbols
There are several symbols in Wheels that players will need to use, each with a different use that impacts your offensive and defensive capabilities.
The symbols and their uses are as follows:
- Square – Gives energy to the left-side hero. (Can appear as single, double, or triple on the Wheel.)
- Diamond – Gives energy to the right-side hero. (Can appear as single, double, or triple on the Wheel.)
- Hammer – Allows players to build the Bulwark and defend their Crown. (Can appear as single, or double on the Wheel.)
There are also blank spaces that appear on the player’s Wheel, which progressively get filled as you advance and win better Wheels. There is also a special version of the Square and Diamond pieces with a starry background. These will provide additional EXP to your hero, which we will detail a bit more further down.
Energy
In order for your heroes to attack the enemy crown or do anything, they need to get enough energy. To get energy you need to get the symbol that corresponds to the correct side of the board on your Wheels, which will lower the action rod. Square symbols will affect the left-side hero, and diamonds are for the right-side hero. You can see their action rods next to their figurines, which we have highlighted in the image below.
Earning energy isn’t as straightforward as it sounds, as you will need to get enough of the correct symbols to lower the energy of the action rod you choose. The energy is handled as follows:
- 3 matching symbols = 1 energy
- 4 matching symbols = 2 energy
- 5 matching symbols = 3 energy
For example, if you want to give your left side hero energy, you will need to have acquired at least three square symbols on your Wheels in order to move the action rod down one peg. If you happen to get more, the peg will then move down the appropriate amount depending on how many symbols you have. Note that going over five does not keep increasing your energy, so it’s worth respinning to avoid getting unnecessary symbols and wasting a slot.
Different heroes require various amounts of energy, and you are able to see how much they need before you start a match.
Bulwark
The Bulwark is your defensive move, which protects the Crown from up to five damage from enemy figurines. The Bulwark uses the same conversion as energy but goes beyond the limit of five that energy has, and instead can go up to seven. This is built by getting the hammer symbol, and the conversion is as follows:
- 3 matching symbols = 1 defense
- 4 matching symbols = 2 defense
- 5 matching symbols = 3 defense
- 6 matching symbols = 4 defense
- 7 matching symbols = 5 defense
Heroes will damage the Bulwark as they attack, and cannot damage your Crown until the Bulwark is destroyed. However, certain heroes and moves can bypass the Bulwark, such as the Assassin.
Hero Figurines
To compete in Wheels, players will use hero figurines that each have different strengths and weaknesses, and can be used in whatever combination the player chooses except for using two of the same.
There are six heroes players can use in Wheels, which are:
| Image | Name | Description | Base Stats/Abilites (Bronze Form) |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Warrior | Your basic fighter, is able to deal moderate damage to both the Crown, but can easily be blocked by the Bulwark. | 3 Damage (Bulwark and Crown) 4 Energy to Act |
 | Mage | Able to attack twice with two fireballs, one at ground level which can be blocked, and another at a height of 6, making it impossible to block. | 2 Damage (Bulwark and Crown) 6 Energy to Act |
 | Archer | Effective at damaging the Crown, this Figurine will fire its arrow at a height of 3, making it possible to bypass a Bulwark of 2 or lower. | 3 Damage (Bulwark and Crown) 5 Energy to Act |
 | Engineer | Not a strong attack, but deals big damage to enemy Bulwark, and raises your Bulwark by 2 when it acts. | 1 Damage (Crown) 3 Damage (Bulwark) 5 Energy to Act |
 | Assassin | Able to delay opponents hero with the least amount of energy left, and can also attack the Crown directly, disregarding the Bulwark. | 2 Energy Delay 1 Damage (Crown) 4 Energy to Act |
 | Cleric | Unable to deal damage, but can heal your Crown, and give energy to your other hero. | 1 Crown Heal 2 Energy Buff 6 Energy to Act |
Leveling up your Figurines
During a match, heroes can level up and become more powerful once they get enough EXP, which is indicated by the small light-up pegs under the Figurine. Once these are all full, the Figurine will upgrade. There are three levels to each Figurine, bronze, silver, and gold.
To get EXP, you can either lock in and use an energy symbol with a blue background, which will grant you one EXP as well as its energy, or you gain two EXP when your hero acts. Every hero needs six EXP to level up.
If your hero is already at gold level, they will not level up again, but will instead spawn a Bomb that deals two damage directly to the Crown, regardless of the Bulwark.
Game Modes
There are two game modes for Wheels: Casual and Champion. Casual is a standard game against the opponent with random heroes to face off against. Champion matches have set heroes, giving you a more clear idea of what you are up against and how to tackle it. Winning champion matches will get you Wheels-related rewards, such as new figurines or upgrades to your Wheel, which go Copper, Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Diamond.
All Wheels Opponents Locations in Sea of Stars
Below, we have listed every Wheels opponent, their locations, what heroes they use, and some tips on beating them.
| Image | Location | Opponents Heroes | Tips |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Brisk | N/A | You are given the Cooper Wheel, Warrior and Mage Figurine by Yolande to get you started. |
 | Brisk | Archer and Cleric | At this point you will only have the Warrior and Mage, focus on using the Warrior to outpace the healing. |
 | Stonemason Outpost | Engineer and Warrior | This can be quite an easy match if you use the Mage and Engineer. This will prevent any major damage from the Warrior, and render the Bulwark the Engineer makes useless due to the Mage’s attack height. You can only play against this opponent after you have dealt with the Dweller of Woe. |
 | Town of Lucent | Mage and Assassin | Be aggressive, the Assassin will keep trying to stop your attacks, so focus on a heavy hitter and try to damage them quicker than they can sneak damage and delay. In my case, I used the Archer and Mage. |
 | Mooncradle | Warrior and Cleric | I used the Warrior and Mage in this match, and used Bulwark to negate the Warrior’s heavier hits. This match would benefit from using the Assassin if you have unlocked it. |
 | Lake Docarria | Assassin and Mage | It’s possible to win this match very quickly due to the large energy of the Mage and low damage from the Assassin. I used Warrior and Mage and focused on using the Warrior, there was little defenses and I could get damage out quickly. |
 | Mirth | Assassin and Cleric | This proved to be a tricky one thanks to the constant heals and delays. Recommend using the Archer as Bulwarks are fairly infrequent, and if unlocked, the Assassin to delay the healing and the opponent’s Assassin. |
 | The Vespertine | Archer and Engineer | Play against your pirate ally Yolande, Relatively easy if you use the Mage, as this can shoot over and make the Engineer a far lesser threat. I used the Warrior to smash the wall and deal extra damage when able, but this slot can really be whatever works for you. |
 | Cloud Kingdom | Mage and Engineer | I used the Mage and Cleric for this fight, as the mage could bypass any wall that the Engineer built, and having the Cleric meant I could charge up Mage faster for quicker damage, and top up my health if needed. |
 | Repline | Archer and Warrior | For this match, using the Engineer proved helpful as it was able to block a good amount of the attacks thrown my way, and the warrior was good for bruting past any defenses and winning quickly before they could outpace my Bulwark. To play this champion, you will need to bring them a deployable wheels table, which is purchased from the Watchmaker in Clockwork Castle for 250 Gold. |
All Wheels Rewards in Sea of Stars
Beating each champion in a Champion match will net you a reward, such as upgrades and new figurines, and these are handed out in a specific order, no matter the order you play them. The rewards and their order are listed below.
- Archer Figurine
- Bronze Wheel
- Silver Wheel
- Engineer Figurine
- Gold Wheel
- Priest Figurine
- Diamond Wheel
- Assassin Figurine
- Platinum Wheel
Once you have beaten every champion, you can face the person who created the game: The Watchmaker.
How to Beat the Watchmaker at Wheels in Sea of Stars
The Watchmaker is located at the top of the tower in Clockwork Castle. You will have met them before beating all the champions as they play a part in the game’s main story.
When you have beaten every other champion, you can face the Watchmaker, and you really should play and win this match, as you will get a Flimsy Hammer for your troubles, an item you need to get one of the game’s final secrets. You also get an achievement for those going for a completion run.
Unlike the other champions, the Watchmaker will change what figurines they use with every match, so if you lose, you’ll be playing against a different setup. It might have just been my luck, but they were pretty tough to beat.
With all the upgrades and figurines you have at this point, you should be able to approach this match how you like, but for me, the winning combo was the Assassin and Cleric, as I was able to bypass any defense and slow down their figurines with the Assassin’s attack. Plus, the Cleric kept me healed and allowed me to use the Assassin much more thanks to its ability to reduce energy costs, meaning I could blitz them rather quickly. Just keep an eye on your Bulwark, and you should be able to get it done soon if you are lucky.
