I was two rooms from the boss when my front line folded and my cursor hovered over the vendor. I felt every run’s momentum slip away—until I remembered one small recruit I’d ignored. You can turn that single decision into a comeback if you know which units matter and how to get them.
I’ve mapped every Enlistment so you don’t waste runs guessing. I play on Steam and the Nintendo Switch; I read patch notes, watched Moyens I/O coverage, and tested each requirement until it behaved consistently. Below you’ll find a clean checklist, quick tips, and the exact conditions you need to add each unit to your roster.
On streams I see players reset runs for one recruit — How to get all Enlistments in Skull Horde
This table is the fastest way to scan what each Enlistment needs. I kept entries short so you can use this mid-run on mobile or beside a Steam Deck.
| Enlistments | How to obtain |
|---|---|
| Cutpurse | Amass 999 Ducats. |
| Fire Mage | Have 5 fire tornadoes active at the same time. |
| Ice Mage | Freeze any enemy once. Items that freeze on hit make this trivial. |
| Plague Mage | Infect 20 enemy units with Plague simultaneously — clear early dungeons first so later maps spawn larger groups, and carry an item that inflicts Plague. |
| Sharpshooter | Kill an enemy with a critical hit. |
| Dancer | Reach at least a 20% attack rate multiplier. |
| Ballista | Field archers and rack up 50 archer kills across runs. |
| Herald | Pick up any three Legendary items across multiple runs. |
| Druid | Obtain Shacklevines and Blighted Roots. |
| Quill Hog | Acquire the Splinterthorns. |
| Bone Golem | Equip a thorns item, then kill 100 enemies across one or more runs. |
| Retiarius | Complete the Spider’s Lair — it’s a special dungeon with tough enemies. |
| Assassin | Stealth-kill (skill) 500 enemies in a single run. |
| Necromancer | Finish the Cemetery map while you have three different Arcane units active at once. |
How do I get all enlistments in Skull Horde?
Short answer: grind targeted requirements, not random hope. I recommend planning two runs: one for currency and items, another for mass-enemy tasks like Plague or Assassin. Use Steam forums and Reddit threads to track which items still drop in the current patch, and watch a few creators on YouTube or Twitch to spot setup tricks.
At the vendor I learned that some goals are bite-sized, others feel like a marathon — Which enlistments are easy and which demand prep
Sharpshooter, Cutpurse, and Herald are quick wins. Sharpshooter can come from any critical, Cutpurse only needs 999 Ducats, Herald wants three Legendaries — they’re capstone counters you can chase on relaxed runs.
Harder items are the ones that need stacking or group stats: Plague Mage (20 infected at once) and Assassin (500 skills in one run) demand map control and intentional item choices. Treat them like objectives, not afterthoughts.
What counts as an enlistment in Skull Horde?
Enlistments are recruitable units that join your army and affect how your runs play out. They’re tied to in-run conditions or item ownership, and most persist in your roster once you meet the requirement. If you’re tracking completion on Steam or a guide site, mark them off as soon as the game confirms the gain — some are subtle and easy to miss.
At a glance I noticed small synergies win fights — Practical tips and short setups you can run tonight
Bring items that directly feed the requirement. For example: take any freeze-on-hit gear to get Ice Mage, wear thorns to farm Bone Golem progress, and prioritize area-of-effect or summon items for Plague and Necromancer targets. Your archers are like a Swiss Army knife — versatile and often underrated.
Use the Steam Deck or a controller if your micro playstyle needs precision; on Switch some frames differ, so double-check patch notes on Moyens I/O or the devs’ social channels. If you want faster community-tested builds, check Reddit’s Skull Horde threads or a streamer who posts build guides.
One last tactical note: some requirements count across runs, others need to happen in one session. Assassin and certain map completions demand single-run focus — they’re like threading a needle, and the wrong distraction will cost you the attempt.
Which enlistment will you chase first?