Formations
The class triangle first, because it decides more than the formation does.
| Class | Takes less damage from |
|---|---|
| Ranger | resists Warrior |
| Warlock | resists Ranger |
| Warrior | resists Warlock |
8 formations
Mono-Warrior — the default
Five Warriors, +20% ATK, HP and DEF. This is the squad you build first and the one you march with when you do not know what you are hitting. Warriors take 20% less damage from Warlocks, and Warlock defences are the most common thing you will run into on the map.
Mono-Ranger — against Warriors
Five Rangers, +20%. Rangers take 20% less damage from Warriors, so this is the squad you switch to the moment a scout report comes back full of Warriors. Do not march it into Warlocks.
Mono-Warlock — against Rangers
Five Warlocks, +20%. Warlocks take 20% less damage from Rangers. This is the third corner of the triangle and the one most players never build, which is exactly why Ranger defences stay unpunished on this server.
The counter squad — built after the scout, not before
Keep a second full-bonus squad of a different class and pick between the two <em>after</em> the scout report comes back. Twenty percent damage reduction decides fights between players of similar power far more often than one more hero level does.
Arena defence — Squad 1
The Arena uses <strong>Squad 1 as your defence lineup by default</strong>, and defending squads engage in order 1 → 4. Whatever your strongest full-bonus squad is, it belongs in Squad 1. Arena battles do not consume soldiers and automatically use your highest-level troops, so there is no reason to hold back.
Four and one — while your roster is thin
Four of one class plus anything, +15% instead of +20%. Use this only while you genuinely do not have a fifth hero of the class worth fielding. The moment you do, the five percentage points are free.
Three and two — the transition squad
Three of one class and two of another, +10%. This is the shape almost everyone accidentally runs for their first month. It is a real bonus and it is half of what you could have. Treat it as a stage, not a plan.
The bait squad — one hero, on purpose
One single weakest hero, no lineup bonus, no soldiers worth losing. This is not a mistake — it is the scouting and baiting tool from the Elixir Scramble plan. Fill every squad slot you are not fighting with, and use them to find out whether a target has a defence before your real squad commits.