Death Ball Best Starter Champions

New Death Ball accounts face the same question within minutes of finishing the Small World Games tutorial: which champion should you main while learning deflect timing? The game offers a one-in-three roll among Gazo, Saito, and Lufus as a free starter, with Foxuro waiting in the shop as an early Crystal purchase. This page compares those four fighters for beginners — not endgame S-tier min-maxing (see the Champions Tier List for that).

Every recommendation here assumes you are also reading How to Play Death Ball and How to Deflect. Abilities extend your safety net; they do not replace arm-length blocks. Players who skip fundamentals hit a ranked wall even with a strong kit.

Quick comparison

Champion	Cost	Best for	Weakness at high rank
Saito	Free starter or ~500 Crystals	Spam-friendly defense, all-round ranked	Outdueled by Kameki in top Faceoff
Gazo	Free starter or ~500 Crystals	Scaling mind games and late duels	Weaker before key level unlocks
Lufus	Free starter or ~500 Crystals	Auto-deflect safety while learning	Predictable at high skill
Foxuro	~2,000 Crystals	Deception vs newer players	Veterans read clone patterns

Saito — the default recommendation

Saito is the most recommended beginner main on most tier lists for good reason. His kit — Upper Cut, Sonic Slide, Ground Walls — runs on short cooldowns, so you can layer abilities when panic sets in during multi-player lobbies. Miss one block and you still have another tool seconds later.

Playstyle: stay at arm’s length, Sonic Slide to reposition when the orb targets you, Ground Walls to slow incoming rushdown, Upper Cut to disrupt throw rhythm. Saito teaches cooldown budgeting without punishing every whiff.

When to pick Saito from the tutorial: choose him if you want the safest long-term free starter. Many players never outgrow Saito before saving Crystals for Kameki — Saito remains S-tier in the full tier list.

Upgrade path: redeem codes on the Code Checklist, stack Gems from the Codes Hub, and plan your next unlock in the Champion Cost Planner.

Gazo — the scaling trickster

Gazo rewards patience. Early levels give Fake Ball decoys that bait premature dodges — excellent when opponents still panic-block. Later levels unlock Phase Dash, Blindfold, and Astral Portal, turning Gazo into an A-tier Faceoff specialist in the full Champions Tier List.

Playstyle: defensive players bait blocks with Fake Ball, then punish with angled throws. Aggressive players use Phase Dash and portals to force bad deflect angles in final duels.

When to pick Gazo from the tutorial: choose him if you enjoy mind games over raw spam. Gazo feels weaker in your first sessions but pays off once abilities unlock through playtime XP.

Beginner trap: spamming Fake Ball against veterans who track real ball audio/visual cues. Pair Gazo with How to Curve the Ball so decoys set up real curves instead of empty feints.

Lufus — training wheels that still win

Lufus is the forgiving pick. Glass Wall and similar auto-target tools block incoming threats while you focus on positioning instead of frame-perfect manual deflects. That makes Lufus ideal for the first fifty matches when the orb speed still feels overwhelming.

Playstyle: hold neutral space, let Glass Wall absorb pressure while you read who the orb will chase next, then advance when cooldowns reset. Lufus players win by outlasting sloppy aggression.

When to pick Lufus from the tutorial: choose him if manual deflect timing is your biggest struggle. You will rely on abilities less as skills improve — many players switch to Saito or save for Keilo later.

Tier note: Lufus sits B-tier in competitive lists because high-rated opponents play around auto-deflect windows. That does not matter in low and mid ranked — see Ranked and Faceoff for when to upgrade.

Foxuro — first shop purchase

Foxuro is not in the tutorial trio but appears in nearly every beginner conversation because 2,000 Crystals is an achievable first grind via codes and daily play. Ninja Run, Shadow Clone, and Tree Jump create misdirection chains that confuse players who have not seen the kit before.

Playstyle: aggressive feints — clone in one direction, real body in another, Tree Jump to escape bad lines. Foxuro shines in casual FFA against other beginners.

When to buy Foxuro: after you redeem the full active code table and still want a new kit before affording Kameki. Do not buy Foxuro on day one if you already have Saito or Gazo unlocked free — spend Crystals on tier value first using the Champion Cost Planner.

Ceiling warning: Foxuro drops off in high Faceoff where opponents track clone tells. Treat Foxuro as a stepping stone, not your forever main.

Which tutorial pick should you choose?

• Pick Saito if you want one champion from tutorial to ranked without feeling obsolete.
• Pick Gazo if you like deception and will play enough to unlock level-gated abilities.
• Pick Lufus if deflect timing frustrates you and you need ability safety nets today.
• Buy Foxuro later if you want variety after code farming — not instead of mastering your free pick.

After your first week

1. Finish How to Win Matches before pushing ranked hard.
2. Compare your main against the Champions Tier List.
3. Read Gems and Currency so Cosmic Orbs and Dragon Orbs are not wasted on the wrong banner.
4. Never use exploits — permanent bans, no appeals — even if someone claims auto-parry is “safe in casual only.”

Related pages

• Champions Tier List — full S/A/B/C rankings
• Tier List Hub — overview and tier definitions
• Champions Guide — all unlock paths
• Code Checklist — fund your first shop buy