Hero Strategy Guide #1: Joan

DISCLAIMER: Do not get mad at me just because you hate this hero, don’t use this hero, don’t understand this hero, don’t like this hero. I’m trying to be rational here, giving the best solutions to use this hero in your rally. Thanks and have a nice reading. Leave feedback in the comment section if you feel like to do it.

This will probably be a new series, I don't know exactly what ItalianMercy is planning.

Skill: Freedom Cry. CD=7 seconds. Skill area= circle (150 radius). Basically, she boosts the attack of each soldier in the radius of her skill, each soldier and not only hers.

Skill10: 67% chance to increase attack of squad in range by 47% for 10 seconds.

Skill11: 70% chance to increase attack of squad in range by 50% for 15 seconds.

Skill12: 75% chance to increase attack of squad in range by 55% for 20seconds.

Recommended build and equipment: she must survive as long as possible; build her like a tank with high dodge, HP and defense. There is no need to use 5* equip, but I recommend to give her a 5* ring with high HP and defense (I’m using the “resurrection ring” on her right now).

• Weapon: 4* axe (it gives 20 dodge).
• Helm: 3* “helmet of the dragon” (it gives 5 dodge, yeah it is not much but overall it is a crucial feature for her).
• Armor: 4* “purified armor”.
• Boots: 4* “dragonscale boots” (they give 10 dodge).
• Ring: 4* rings, if you don’t have any available 5* rings. (I recommend the “resurrection ring”, but 5* are tricky to assign in my experience. It depends a lot on your specific rally, heroes and likings).
• Necklace: Royal Guard to boost her soldiers’ attack. 

At this point, she is able to endure a lot during your battles even in first row (where I’m used to put her). 55 dodge is a big advantage for a first row hero. The royal guard necklace is consistent with her skill; boost attack? Well, let’s boost it even more to be as efficient as possible.

Unit: Infantry (Scutarii/Crusade). I recommend using Crusades given their higher attack over Scutariis; following the same reasoning behind the royal guard necklace, they are more consistent with her skill.

When should you add this hero in your rally? Add her as soon as you get her (of course only if she is suitable for your rally and ideas); she works fine starting from level 1 and skill10. She will improve a lot with skill11 and 12.

 

Where should you put this hero in your rally/ best partners? She is a frontline tank/booster. Try to mix her Crusades with other types of troops (especially pikes) receiving attack bonus from the royal guard necklace or from their hero’s skill. Let me give you an example (it is not a mandatory combination, just an example to see in practice what I said in this paragraph):

 

Both Lancelot and Ignatius should have the royal guard necklace in this line in order to exploit as much as they can Joan’s skill. By putting this line at the bottom/top of your 5+1 rally, you are almost sure that Sarah will cast on those 3 heroes (most likely Joan and Ignatius). Yes, I tested it a lot. The real problem here is that Sarah’s cast speed is not so great and neither Manto nor Hyacinth are fine for such a line :) it is better to use them somewhere else. 

Melee bug: If you fear the melee bug, I can tell you that it is quite rare and I have no such problem in my rally at all. If you still fear it, just do not put strong AOEs in this line otherwise you will break Joan’s strategy. You can easily remove Ignatius (yeah I know you like him with Saladin lol) and change it with Robinhood; it works fine since, with his skill, he can open a path to Joan and Lancelot by making enemy heroes way less tanky.  

Moreover, you could change Lacelot with a random no-AOE hero and Ignatius with Achilles. Achilles will do Robinhood’s job even better I think, plus his troops will be boosted by Joan. For instance, you can use Terim to cover Joan and Achilles from AOEs letting theirs soldiers to survive longer.

Which enemy heroes should Joan avoid? AOEs like Sarky and 3* archers; damage reduction heroes like Shazzo; polymages like Belthor; herokiller like Elizabeth and Achilles.

Should you use this hero in your rally? Yes, definitely. Is this hero a “must have”? No, but she is quite good.

Why do I like Joan? First, her skill is sometimes able to hit adjacent rows giving attack boost to other rows. Second, let’s take as an example this combination of heroes (Lancelot)(Sarah)(Robinhood)(Joan), Joan will boost this line giving an outstanding attack bonus of 80% to soldiers:

Just to understand the reason why I told you to mix her with pikes, take a look at these results:

 

Why don’t I like Joan? There are no negative aspects to consider for Joan in my opinion; she performs well in almost every battle. Maybe you can tell me something that I’m missing about her.

I hope you found it interesting :) suggestions are welcome.

-Soul