---
key: mechanic/roguelike--family-35
type: mechanic
id: roguelike--family-35
lang: en
title: Auto-battlers and wave survival games
summary: >-
  Attacks happen automatically while the player chooses movement, upgrades and
  ways to survive escalating waves.
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
status: active
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/roguelike--family-35/'
jsonUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/roguelike--family-35.json
markdownUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/roguelike--family-35.md
aliases:
  - Auto-attacks and wave survival
tags:
  - Roguelikes and roguelites
  - Mechanics catalog
sourceIds:
  - source-43a59b91bdde2acb
sources:
  - id: source-43a59b91bdde2acb
    title: Vampire Survivors
    url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/1794680/'
    verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
  - catalogId: roguelike
    id: family-35
    title: Roguelikes and roguelites
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/roguelike/#family-35'
    categoryIds:
      - section-1
supersededBy: []
attributes:
  preview:
    updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
    title: Auto-attacks and wave survival
    description: >-
      Attacks happen automatically while the player chooses movement, upgrades
      and ways to survive escalating waves.
    image:
      src: images/mechanics/broad-vampire-survivors-00.webp
      width: 1280
      height: 800
      game: Vampire Survivors
      sourceUrl: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/1794680/'
      originalUrl: >-
        https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/1794680/ss_6c55afe36be2a7784bf18cb9b3218321ae2d10e5.1920x1080.jpg?t=1787911678
      credit: poncle / poncle
      rights: © poncle / poncle. All rights reserved.
      caption: The character acts within a continuous flow of enemies
      alt: The character acts within a continuous flow of enemies
      markers:
        - x: 51
          'y': 52
          label: The central choice concerns safe positioning among enemies
    tips:
      - >-
        Make the connection between upgrades and automatic weapon behaviour
        visible.
    examples:
      - title: Vampire Survivors
        url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/1794680/'
endsAt: null
provenance: >-
  Original editorial design catalog consolidated from project discussions on
  2026-10-20. Complete discussion item lists and contextual limitations are
  preserved; linked primary sources support specific techniques, not the entire
  classification. English translation was prepared with machine assistance and
  editorial review.
license: CC-BY-4.0
codeLicense: MIT
attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors
catalogKey: catalog/roguelike
---
# Auto-battlers and wave survival games

id: roguelike--family-35
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/roguelike--family-35
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/roguelike--family-35/

Attacks happen automatically while the player chooses movement, upgrades and ways to survive escalating waves.

## At a glance

![The character acts within a continuous flow of enemies](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/broad-vampire-survivors-00.webp)

[Vampire Survivors](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1794680/) · © poncle / poncle. All rights reserved.

1. The central choice concerns safe positioning among enemies

- Make the connection between upgrades and automatic weapon behaviour visible.

- [Vampire Survivors](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1794680/)

## How it works

Automatic actions and sequential waves shift the player's choice towards movement, preparation and development of the build.

## Variants

### Variants and applications

<a id="family-35-variants"></a>

- Automatic execution of attacks <a id="variant-roguelike-35-01"></a>
- Indirect combat control through movement <a id="variant-roguelike-35-02"></a>
- Periodic appearance of waves of enemies <a id="variant-roguelike-35-03"></a>
- Increase in wave density and strength <a id="variant-roguelike-35-04"></a>
- Collecting dropped experience on the field <a id="variant-roguelike-35-05"></a>
- Leveling up and stopping combat to select an upgrade <a id="variant-roguelike-35-06"></a>
- Multiple simultaneous weapons <a id="variant-roguelike-35-07"></a>
- Weapon evolution through a combination of upgrades <a id="variant-roguelike-35-08"></a>
- Automatically apply a prepared build <a id="variant-roguelike-35-09"></a>
- Arrangement of fighters before automatic battle <a id="variant-roguelike-35-10"></a>
- Buying, selling and uniting fighters <a id="variant-roguelike-35-11"></a>
- Bonuses for the number of fighters of the same category <a id="variant-roguelike-35-12"></a>
- Prioritize goals or behaviors <a id="variant-roguelike-35-13"></a>
- Solutions between waves on a limited budget <a id="variant-roguelike-35-14"></a>

## Context and limits

A wide author's map of classic turn-based roguelikes, modern roguelites and hybrids. Families describe options for organizing a run, and not mandatory features of the genre. Constant metaprogression is not found in all roguelikes. Related systems can be combined; the list is not a closed standard.

## Connected materials


## Sources and provenance

Original editorial design catalog consolidated from project discussions on 2026-10-20. Complete discussion item lists and contextual limitations are preserved; linked primary sources support specific techniques, not the entire classification. English translation was prepared with machine assistance and editorial review.

- [Vampire Survivors](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1794680/) (id: source-43a59b91bdde2acb)

CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors