A Quick Guide to Every Epic and Legendary Troop in Art of War: Legions

by KadavuFC

This is part two of my look at every troop in the game. There are new troops coming out soon, and I’ll add those when more is known and we’ve had a chance to see them in formations at high levels. Look here for information on Common or Rare troops.

Epic Troops

The Dark Witch is a single load ranged unit that can only be acquired in the temple of fusion. Her skill will turn a bunch of troops into pumpkins for about a second. While troops are pumpkins they will be unable to move or do damage, they will also receive minimal damage. The Dark Witch itself has a very slow attack speed and this skill is mostly used just to slow down troops, like a very miniature Chione. A single Dark Witch can be effective in a lot of formations, they aren’t there for the damage they do, merely their ability to control, and you should only ever use ONE in your formation as using multiple will not mean you can hit multiple bunches, as multiple Dark Witches will simply hit the same bunch of troops. Because of the low amount of damage they do, they can survive against Davison’s reflection ability. Not useful in any other game mode.

The Pumpkin Guard is a single load melee tank, which will taunt the enemy into attacking it, and those attacking it will have their attack reduced. It has has high defensive attributes and makes an excellent backline defender, particularly good at attracting and occupying Magic Apprentices. But, don’t expect it to kill many backline attackers as its attack is poor. It will merely occupy them so your other troops can escape or kill off those troops attacking it. Although widely used in the past, the Pirate Ship has since replaced it as a better, similar sort of option. I would recommend upgrading beyond 8 no more than one of these because as you progress in the game they will be replaced by Pirate Ships. They do still have a use, particularly in Aly and Chione formations. In Honor Hunting and against the Manticore, having one of these in your form can help keep your troops alive longer. They can also help somewhat in various days of Infinity War to attract heroes and troops, however, their randomness can also make them a detriment the same way. They are very useful against the new Honor Hunting boss the Ice Dragon.

Voodoo Dolls are 9-load melee units which will curse a random enemy troop, and much like a “real” voodoo doll, will inflict any damage that is done to itself onto that troop. When the voodoo doll dies it will inflict a set amount of damage onto that troop. Voodoo Dolls themselves have very fast attack speed and do a lot of melee damage, but they have very poor hp and will die relatively quickly. The damage they do is true damage, so any buffs given by a hero such as Davison, Selene or Arthur, will not reduce this damage. This is what can make them effective against these heroes. They work particularly well en masse with heroes like Aly and Clockman Harrison. But you must use the level of voodoo doll that the majority of the troops you are facing are. Using a level 8 voodoo doll against a whole lot of level 9 troops is not recommended, as the damage they will do will not kill the cursed opposing troop. They work best in positions where they will be killed quickly, in the last row, behind front line tanks and in a bunch where you expect them to be nuked by a hero skill. Troops like Undeads (who can take away a curse with one death) and Magic Apprentices (immune while flying to the back) can help mitigate an army with a hoard of these. These are also the highest damaging troops against Cerberus, Cyclops and the Manticore, even as low as level 4 and 5 they can out damage a lot of other level 8 and above troops. They will curse the enemy boss the same way they do a troop in the arena. They do not work well in Infinity War.

The Soul Hunter is a single load melee tank who does AOE damage and will steal life from those he attacks with every attack it does. There is however an upper limit to the amount of life it can steal, so it will not survive forever. They can be particularly useful as both a backline defender and a second row tank. There are, however, better options out there, and you will find you will move on from them eventually. They can be particularly good in Seon formations. They are good in Infinity War. DO NOT MAKE LEVEL 9

The Yasha is a single load melee unit who can stab at a bunch of troops and leave them stunned for around two seconds. These are particularly good at controlling Peltasts if you can get them to: 1) Survive long enough and 2) Not be idiots. They are very cumbersome movers, often walking in right angles and have a tendency to walk straight into being stunned. I find they work best arriving into battle a bit later so that most of the stunning troops, such as pirate ships have already done their business. But, once they get a hold of some troops, they can leave them stunned for long periods. They are very good against Aly formations where, should Aly fall into one of their stuns, she will drop her bomb. One Yasha can also keep a hero like Arthur completely nullified. When up and running they, simply put, can be an absolute pest for the opposing army. Useful against the Ice Dragon but not particularly useful in any other areas of the game.

The Necromancer is a single load “ranged” unit who will spawn up to four tiny skeletons who are also melee units. The Necromancer itself does no damage, but the skeletons he spawns will do damage, but they are also pretty fragile.

The Necromancer has NO USE WHATSOEVER IN THE ARENA and should not be used in the arena at all. This troop is, however, very effective against Cerberus, the Manticore and the Spider Queen — if she ever comes back. You can read more about its uses against these bosses in our other articles. But, you should not upgrade this troop beyond level 8 unless you wish to do better in Honour or Clan Hunts.

Orc Hunters are 9-load melee units who will do AOE damage, and similar to Ghost Assassins, will teleport immediately at the start of the battle. Only they will teleport immediately to the front of the opposing army and every five seconds will teleport again a short distance (only two spaces). Their immediate target will always be the frontline tank/tanks. So, regardless of where you line them up (not including row one), they will all go towards the front line tank/tanks. An Orc Hunter positioned in row one however will ignore any front line tanks and will jump directly to the column they are lined up in. These can do a lot of damage in a very short amount of time and can be particularly nasty en masse. They work very well with heroes like Selene, who can protect them, and with Jinn and Seon, who will boost their attack. They can be countered similarly to Ghost Assassins by placing Goblikazes behind your front line tank/tanks. Voodoo Dolls and Pirate ships are also particularly useful in countering them. An Orc Hunter positioned in row one as a sacrifice can also be used just to trigger Pirate Ships to allow your other units to escape from being stunned. These troops are good for Honor Hunting and on various days of Infinity War.

Taurus Witchers are 9-load ranged units who are an upgrade over the common archer but not as good as a Frost Archer. They have both a basic attack and a secondary attack, which triggers every three attacks and does lasting damage. They can do a lot of damage, but are a lot more fragile than Frost Archers. They work best in row 6, like other 9-load ranged units. Most likely, you will feel like you must upgrade them because acquiring Frost Archers can take time and they are a good substitute, but as you grow in this game, you will eventually replace these in your formation with Frost Archers. They are still very good for Honor Hunting, so I would recommend upgrading them beyond level 8.

The Templar Knight is a single load pile of donkey doodoo who runs around like a spastic and doesn’t really do much of anything but mess things up for your army. Fusion fodder, the higher the level you let it get the more costly it will be to fuse. DO NOT MAKE LEVEL 9 OR 8 OR 7 OR 6 OR 5 FUSE AT 4 AND BELOW WHILE YOU CAN.

The Priest Mage, like the other two mages (or three, if you count Scholars), is a single load ranged unit who throws a fireball, which splits into multiple little fireballs. They can do a lot of damage, more than both the Fire Mage and Ice Mage and that’s why they are the best Mage in the game. They work particularly well against formations with high troop counts, but as with the other mages, should not be used against Davison armies as the reflection will kill them almost instantly. They are not good for Honor Hunting, but very good damagers in Infinity Wars.

Pilgrims are 9-load melee units, which will heal the troops around them as they do damage. They are not very good in the Arena, as they only heal as they attack, and they die too easily before they start attacking and thus healing. Their main use is in other game modes, where they are very good for Infinity War, Clan and Honor Hunting. Leveling them up should only be on the basis that you wish to do better in other formats of the game. They should not be used in the Arena, unless you’re a really stubborn Chione guy who refuses to use Undeads. You know who you are.

The Pirate Ship consists of a single load pirate ship and a 7-load bunch of pirates holding it. The seven Pirates are immune to damage while they are holding the ship. But, once they have targeted, and that target is in range, they will throw their Pirate Ship at that target and it will both stun and deal a significant amount of damage to that target and any other troops who happen to be in the vicinity. The seven Pirates will then start attacking with their shot guns, which do AOE damage at short range. This is one of the better troops in the game due to their versatility as both excellent backline defenders and frontline stunners. When positioned in the last row, they will generally target front line tanks and will hold their boats and their ground, allowing protection for your ranged and the middle of your army until those frontline tanks are killed. Then, they will retarget, generally to the closest troops to them, which will generally be backline attackers. This is what makes them such good backline defenders. They both absorb the initial damage and then can take out a whole bunch of backline attackers. Upfront they can be used to stun a lot of frontline attackers, and when positioned further back towards the middle of your army, can be a delayed stunning weapon. Often you will find them holding their boats for long periods as the target they have targeted is just not within their range and they move incredibly slowly. They can be somewhat useful in Honor Hunting and Infinity War, but there are better troops to use in those formats.

Nuns are 9-load “ranged” units who deal no damage. Instead, they will heal your troops with every “attack” they do. Who they heal is completely random, but they have a tendency to heal themselves and other nuns in a “prayer circle.” They will also help lift control effects such as Aly burns, stuns and freeze points. These can be very useful troops in the Arena, particularly with Selene, Davison, Arthur and Aly formations. They are very stationary troops, so they can make useful backline protectors to soak up a bit of damage because they will not move. They can also help block in other troops from moving too far forward. They work very well against Cerberus keeping your ranged alive but will not generally work against the Manticore or Cyclops. They can be useful in Infinity War.

Brawlers are 9-load Melee units, which after four attacks, will create a shield that reduces the damage both they and the troops around them take. They can be somewhat useful in the arena with certain heroes and formations. That it takes four attacks before they begin to shield is what makes them not particularly useful in the arena. If you position them too close to the danger, you will find they end up dying before they can even put up a shield. It’s why they work best in areas where there is less traffic or with heroes who can help mitigate damage. They work very well in Arthur formations, as he will keep them protected. They are human, so they can also be useful in Davison and Seondeok formations if you can find a spot for them to stay alive long enough to put up their shields. They are one of the best troops to use in Honor Hunting and Infinity Wars with their ability to mitigate the damage to your other troops.

Peltasts are 9-load ranged troops who will throw spears and damage all enemies within that throw range in a straight line. With each attack they make, they will increase their attack power. Unlike most other ranged units, Peltasts have a limited range of 8, so will need to be closer to their target before they begin attacking. These are probably the best troops in the game, and they have a kiting ability to avoid being attacked themselves and keeping enemies at a safe distance for them to attack. You will want to get a lot of these, as they are a staple of most formations and work well with all heroes. Too many of them however (nine or more), and you start to fall victim to peltast bunching where some heroes who can take out large groups, such as Aly and Davison, can wipe them out relatively quickly. They are very good in Honor Hunting, Clan Hunting and Infinity War.

Shadow Ninjas are a new troop to the game, they are a 9 load teleporting troop similar to Magic Apprentices or Ghost Assassins. Only difference is that they will teleport a certain distance from the spot they are placed in. While they are teleporting, they will also push both your and your opponent’s troops in the direction that they are teleporting. They are single target attackers so they will only attack one troop at a time just like Ghost Assassins. However their HP is a lot higher than both Magic Apprentices and Ghost Assassins, so they are far more difficult to kill. If they are attacking a hero their damage is reduced significantly too. This is to prevent them from instant killing heroes on the sides.

Depending on where you position the Shadow Ninjas, determines where they will land to start attacking the circles indicate where each group of Shadow Ninjas will land. Generally speaking they will go the the exact opposite square of the opponents formation, however this is before all the troops begin walking forward so the troops may have made it past the point where they will land by the time they do land. As I mentioned before, the Shadow Ninjas will push other things as they are in their stealth mode and as an example and is common practice, Shadow Ninjas placed next to Aly will push her further away in this instance to the right. You can also push Aly back into her own army using your own Shadow Ninjas lined up in the same area as Aly. They are high damagers against Cyclops phase one, the Manticore, Ice Dragon and Cerberus. They are very bad in Infinity War however.

Undead Warriors are a 9 load troop they are the biggest damaging Melee troops in the game and also one of the quickest attackers in the game with a very high movement and attack speed. This makes them probably the most ideal troop in the game taking out tanks such as Stone Golems. They are also the best troop to use against all Honor and Clan hunting bosses and useful in Infinity War too, particularly at their ability to not necessarily do damage, but group troops up. Like Shadow Ninjas they are only single target attackers and why en masse they often don’t perform all that well in the arena. But the initial punch they give is what makes them so useful. They can also be used at the back to cut through shadow ninjas who they will often encounter on their way forward.

Legendary Troops

The Meteor Golem is a single load melee tank with high HP who does AOE damage with its basic attack, and with its secondary attack, will roll a boulder in a straight line doing damage and stunning all troops in its path. This second skill will trigger immediately and also after every three attacks. These are hard to kill and can do a lot of damage and cause a lot of problems. They are ideally situated in row two where they can get in the fight immediately. But, you can also have success with them in later rows where they will arrive to the fight a bit later, allowing for a delayed stun. Aly can drop her bomb if hit by a boulder while summoning her bomb. I would not recommend using them for Honor Hunting (update, they are useful against only the Ice Dragon) or Clan Hunting. They can be useful on some days of Infinity War.

Demons are single load melee tanks who are backline attackers. They have high HP and can take a lot more damage than other backline attackers. Their basic attack is single target, but every three attacks they will do AOE damage. Demons will also fly diagonally, so if you position them on one side of your form, they will then move in a diagonal line to the opposite side of the opponent’s backline. This is important to remember, as the main use in the Arena for a Demon is to attack the opponent’s hero. They have a higher chance of that if they are situated on the opposite side of that hero. They are not particularly effective in the arena, but they can be useful against certain heroes such as Aly as one of the few troops who can damage her quickly and survive a bomb. Overall, they are not a better option than a Magic Apprentice, however, and unless you are fighting an Aly or using Aly or high level Harrison, where you need all the tanks you can get, they aren’t going to be as useful to you as a regular 9-load backline attacker. DO NOT MAKE LEVEL 9 UNLESS YOU ARE BUILDING AN ALY FORMATION etc.

Stone Golems are single load melee tanks who have the highest HP in the game and a special ability to get even tougher to kill. They are also incredibly slow moving. Their attack speed is very slow, and they do AOE damage. They make the ideal front line tank/tanks in row one to take the focus of enemy troops. Their slow speed also makes them good backline defenders. If you are planning on creating an Aly formation, you will want a lot of these. This is the first troop I would highly recommend making a 9 as soon as you possibly can. One 9 is better than two 8’s. They are not there to do damage, but to soak up damage. So, when looking at the battle report, seeing how little damage they do should not deter you. You should be looking instead at how long they survived, as that is their true purpose. They are often the last troops left alive in longer, closer battles and troops tend to gravitate towards trying to kill them over killing the actual troops that are a threat. They are not particularly useful outside of the arena.

The Rhino Knight is a single load melee tank, which will charge in a straight line all the way through troops to the opponents backline before turning around and randomly targeting another unit with its next charge. They have relatively high HP, and much like Stone Golems are not there to do damage. They serve a different purpose to Stone Golems, their purpose is to distract and force enemy units to follow it all the way to their own backline. This is exactly what they will do if positioned in row one as the front tank. They work particularly well in combination with a lot of ranged units, where you can have troops turning around trying to follow it as they are hit in the back by ranged units. They are a must have for a Selene formation, but also perform well in Aly, Poseidon and Chione formations. If positioned in the second row, they will generally not be targeted unless the front line tank has been killed, which is where you can come up with some interesting tactics, particularly with Orc Hunters. In Chione formations positioned in row two, they probably do the most damage, as they can charge through a bunch of frozen units dealing damage along the way. They can be countered with Pirate Ships. They should not be used with heroes like Seon, where you want troops to come closer and not be pushed away. They are also notoriously difficult to acquire, as the only place you can acquire them is from the Temple of Fusion. They are not particularly useful outside of the arena except for one day of Infinity War, The Undead, where if positioned in the back, you can get a lot of Ghost Assassins to chase them to the front.

The Witchcraft Totem is a single load melee tank which does relatively little damage. It’s purpose is its primal fear skill, which will cause the troops around it to flee and become unable to attack for a few seconds, before they turn and ruthlessly kill it. Its use in the arena is relatively rare, but it can help combat peltasts. Overall it doesn’t have many uses due to how easy it is to kill, but if you can find a way to make it survive, it can be a nuisance. Overall though I would not recommend leveling this troop up too much. It is useful against the new Honor Hunting boss the Ice Dragon. DO NOT MAKE LEVEL 9.

The Sacred Swordsman is a single load melee tank, which is fast moving and does AOE damage. He also has a special skill where he will disappear and you will see just see some blades slashing. During this time he is immune to control effects and attacks, while also causing magical AOE damage to those enemies around him. This special skill will trigger every three attacks. Due to their good attack and good defense and speed, these are ideal tanks to position in row two and even row one as the front line tank, if you want more push back of the enemy. If they trigger at the right time, they can avoid Pirate Ship throws. They work particularly well with heroes like Selene and Seon, but generally will work well with all heroes. They are not very good in Honor Hunting but can be useful in Infinity Wars.

Frost Archers are 9-load ranged units, which like common archers have infinite range, but they will deal more damage and have a higher HP. Their arrows also cause freezing, which reduces movement speed and attack power. They work very well in rows seven and six as a buffer between your backline defenders and the more fragile middle section of your army. They are particularly difficult to acquire, but you will want to collect these (not with HH medals in the HH Store. No, do not do that). They work well with all heroes and their ability to cause control of the enemy is what makes them more useful than Taurus Witchers. They are excellent for Honor Hunting, but not so useful in Infinity Wars.

The Beast Master and his bear are two units, one a Sacred Warrior who has a short ranged attack and the other a Wild Bear who is a melee unit with high HP. Overall this troop is pretty useless. There are clan quests which involve using or having to kill this rare thing, which are a pain in the butt. That’s the only real use for the Beast Master, completing clan quests. Also, if you put one in your form, chances are you are going to get hit a lot by other clans trying to do the same quest. Although, he apparently works well with Chione and can be somewhat useful combating Davison. DO NOT MAKE LEVEL 9 unless you’re that Chione guy who also uses pilgrims out of stubbornness.

The Pharaoh is a single load ranged unit who deals significant AOE damage and also has a special attack which does lasting AOE damage and reduces attack speed. The only way to acquire this troop is via Clan rewards at the end of each Arena season. Because of this, it can take an awful long time to level one up. My advice is to never ever fuse a Pharaoh shard, given how rare they are. They can be useful at higher levels in the arena and can also be somewhat useful at lower levels in Honor Hunting and on certain Infinity War days.

The Angel is a single-load non-damage dealing troop that will gift the troops around it the ability to evade attacks. This ability is not what makes it useful in the arena however. What makes this troop useful is its ability to move backwards instead of forwards if you make sure it is surrounded by non targetable troops. Because it will latch onto the nearest targetable troop, by placing and making sure the nearest targetable troop to it is behind it and that troop is fairly stationary, that means it will go backwards. This can work as a different front line tactic to the typical Stone Golem tactic as you can force the enemies troops to have to walk further into your formation to try to kill it while you can kill his front line tanks before he kills yours. It can be useful on some days of Infinity War but has no use in Honor Hunting.

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With three new troops soon to be released, we will have an update as soon as we get to know them a bit better.

If you guys have any questions or suggestions, feel free to comment on this article, or whatever social media it was posted to. Or, join us at Vector on discord at https://discord.gg/CZ6sSCsH95 and start getting decent advice from some great people.