RISE OF CASTLES - HEROES

The new X28 season brings two new Archer heroes: Helsingen (Judge of the Night Watch) and Seraphina (Infernal Musketeer).

When I first saw the announcements, I was skeptical. We've had Fire-focused heroes before: Nicolas Flamel, Henry V, Frederick I, Witch Hunter. And we all know what happened to them—nobody uses them.

But after thoroughly analyzing the game files, understanding the mechanics, and receiving official confirmation from support about how the Pre-Battle Abilities work on the new heroes, my opinion has completely changed.

In this review, I'll explain why this time it might be different and how to build the best possible legion with what we currently have.

The Historical Problem with Burning Heroes

Before analyzing the new heroes, we need to understand why the old ones failed. Let's look at each one with accurate data from the game files.

The problem: The only skill that couldn't be cleansed (S2) only applied Flammable, not direct Burning damage. The real damage came from S5, which is a Combat Skill and could be cleansed.

The problem: The Burning that couldn't be cleansed (S2) only triggered after taking damage and after accumulating 3 "fire" stacks. Too slow and conditional.

The problem: The Burning that couldn't be cleansed (S8) only triggered after 5 Archer Combat Skills were cast. Another conditional.

The conclusion is clear: Previous Burning heroes had conditional, slow application, or didn't deal direct damage. They were easy to ignore or cleanse before they mattered.

Helsingen – Night Patrol Judicator

Skill 2: Nightshadow Scorching Arrow

Type: Combat Skill Range: 5 Target: 2 random enemy squads

Effect:

• 70% chance

• Deals 105%-285% Burning Damage (scales with level)

• If target is already on fire, instantly triggers 1 Burning Damage Settlement

Analysis: Solid skill, but it's a Combat Skill — can be cleansed. The real value is the instant trigger when combined with other skills that apply Burning.

Skill 5: Dark Crossbow Brand

Type: Pre-Battle Skills Range: 5 Target: 1-3 random enemy squads

Effect:

• Triggers when the squad acts (every time Helsingen attacks)

• Deals 105%-213% Burning Damage to 1-3 random enemies

• Applies Dark Crossbow Mark

Synergy: When Dark Crossbow Mark overlaps with Firearm Mark (from Seraphina S5), it triggers an instant Burning Settlement.

Analysis: This is Helsingen's core skill. It's Pre-Battle Skills, meaning it cannot be cleansed by normal dispel skills. And it activates every time he acts — 100% guaranteed, no conditions.

Skill 8: Blackflame Curse

Type: Pre-Battle Skills

Range: 2

Target: 3 friendly Archer squads

Effect:

• When an allied Archer receives damage, the attacker is afflicted with Blackflame

• Blackflame reduces the attacker's damage by 6%-15% (stackable up to 4 layers)

• Duration: 1 round

• 50% chance to additionally apply Flammable, increasing Burning Damage taken by 9%-36% (stackable up to 5 layers, lasts 2 rounds)

Analysis: At max stacks, the enemy deals -60% damage. Plus Flammable increases the Burning Damage they receive. All of this is Pre-Battle Skills — cannot be cleansed.

Seraphina – Infernal Musketeer

Skill 2: Crimson Tide Fire Rain

Type: Combat Skill

Range: 5

Target: 2 random enemy squads

Effect:

• 70% chance

• Applies Burning (105%-285% before next action)

• If target is already burning, Silence for 1 round

Analysis: Similar to Helsingen's S2, but with Silence instead of instant trigger. Useful for control.

Skill 5: Firearm Brand

Type: Pre-Battle Skills

Range: 5

Target: 1-3 random enemy squads

Effect:

• Triggers when the squad acts (every time Seraphina attacks)

• Applies Burning (105%-213% before next action)

• Applies Firearm Mark

Synergy: When Firearm Mark overlaps with Dark Crossbow Mark (from Helsingen S5):

• Instant Burning Settlement trigger

• -75% troop recovery for 2 rounds

Analysis: Like Helsingen's S5, this is Pre-Battle Skills — cannot be cleansed. The mark synergy is the heart of this strategy.

Skill 8: Redflame Curse

Type: Pre-Battle Skills

Range: 2

Target: 3 friendly Archer squads

Effect:

• When an allied Archer receives damage, the attacker is afflicted with Redflame

• Redflame increases the damage received by the attacker by 6%-15% (stackable up to 4 layers)

• Duration: 1 round

• 50% chance to additionally apply Burning (45%-180% before next action, stackable up to 5 layers, lasts 2 rounds)

Analysis: At max stacks, the enemy takes +60% damage. Combined with Blackflame from Helsingen, the enemy deals -60% damage and takes +60% damage. This is one of the most brutal combos in the game.

The Synergy Between Them

Now that we understand each hero's individual skills, let's see how they complement each other.

The Pre-Battle Skills Mechanic

This is the most important point of this entire review.

Recently, I received official confirmation from the game's support (Caesar^Ai) about how Pre-Battle Skills work:

Translation: Debuffs applied by Pre-Battle Skills cannot be cleansed by normal dispel skills. Those skills only remove control-type effects (Silence, Disarm, Suppress, Confuse). The only known exception is the Artifact Shield.

What This Means for Helsingen and Seraphina

Skill Type Can Be Cleansed?

Helsingen S5 Pre-Battle Skills ❌ NO

Helsingen S8 Pre-Battle Skills ❌ NO

Seraphina S5 Pre-Battle Skills ❌ NO

Seraphina S8 Pre-Battle Skills ❌ NO

All Burning and debuffs applied by these skills are permanent. The enemy cannot remove them. Unless they have Artifact Shield (and even then, it's not available 100% of the time).

What's Missing: The Third Hero

We've now reached the crucial point. Helsingen and Seraphina are both Archers and, naturally, position themselves in the Mid or Backline.

We need a hero for the Frontline.

The good news is that season X28 will likely bring two more heroes; the bad news is that you'll probably have to spend again:

1 Royal Exclusive Hero (obtained with Imperial Vouchers)

1 Exclusive Hero (obtained with Red Crystals)

It's very likely that one of them will be a Frontline Archer, specifically designed to synergize with Helsingen and Seraphina. This is a pattern we've seen in previous seasons.

Until that hero arrives, we need to work with what we have.

Front Row Options with What We Have

Let's analyze all viable options for the front row while we wait for the upcoming releases.

Rank Unit Type Status

1st Footmen Most dominant

2nd Cavalry Strong presence

3rd Archer Least dominant

What this means:

• Archer is currently the weakest unit type in the meta

• Footmen counter Archers (bad for Helsingen/Seraphina)

• However, a full Archer legion with the right front row could counter Cavalry (2nd place)

The success of Helsingen and Seraphina will depend on whether they can overcome the Footmen dominance or if the meta shifts.

Option 1: Ramses II (Royal)

Why It Works:

• Ramses II is a natural Archer tank — can sit in Front Row without issues

• All skills are Pre-Battle Skills (cannot be cleansed)

• S2 protects the entire legion in crucial early rounds

• S5 and S8 provide sustain and consistent damage

• Full Archer legion → counter against Cavalry (2nd in meta)

Pros: Natural tank, all Pre-Battle skills, self-sustain, counters Cavalry Cons: Paid (Imperial Voucher), Archer is currently 3rd in meta

Option 2: AL-Hawra (Exclusive)

Why It Works:

• AL-Hawra can tank in Front Row

• All-Ability Boost directly buffs Helsingen and Seraphina

• S8 further increases Archer skill damage

• Full Archer legion → counters Cavalry

Pros: Powerful buffs, massive damage, direct synergyCons: Paid (Red Crystals), S5 is Combat Skill (can be cleansed), no self-heal, Archer is 3rd in meta

Option 3: Galahad (F2P - SX23)

Why It Works:

• Best F2P option

• Can tank in Front Row

• S8 provides massive protection when legion is in danger

• Immune to Disarm

Pros: 100% F2P, emergency protectionCons: Limited utility, low damage, Archer is 3rd in meta

Option 4: Alexander (Royal - Footman)

Why It Works:

• S2 makes one enemy take +325% additional damage — extremely strong synergy with Helsingen and Seraphina's Burning

• S8 applies Bleed to all enemies (damage over time that stacks with Burning)

• Protects Archers from being countered by enemy Footmen

• All skills are Pre-Battle (cannot be cleansed)

Warning: S5 increases burn damage received by +300%. If the enemy uses Burn, Alexander will suffer significantly more damage. However, this is on paper; we haven't seen it in action yet.

Pros: Powerful debuffs, protects Archers, all Pre-Battle skillsCons: Paid (Imperial Vouchers), vulnerable to enemy Burning, mixed legion loses pure Cavalry counter, Footmen are currently #1 in meta (this could be a pro or con)

Option 5: Geraint (F2P - SX24 - Footman)

Why It Works:

• S2 provides consistent healing in early rounds

• S5 is a strong pre-battle debuff that cannot be cleansed

• Can be used in Front Row, though recommendedRow is Mid/Back

Pros: F2P, healing, pre-battle debuffCons: Not ideal for Front Row, Footmen are #1 in meta (mixed blessing)

Key Considerations

1. Front Row Dependency — Without a proper tank like Ramses, AL-Hawra, Alexander, or Geraint, the legion is vulnerable. The good news is that X28 will likely bring a new hero designed for this role.

2. Current Meta Challenge — Archer is currently the 3rd most dominant unit type, behind Footmen (1st) and Cavalry (2nd). This means:

   • Full Archer legions are countered by Footmen (the #1 meta)

   • However, they counter Cavalry (#2), which is still strong

   • Mixed legions with Footman tanks (Alexander, Geraint) may be more strategically sound

3. Must Be Played Together — Separately, they lose significant value. The mark synergy (S5) and curse synergy (S8) are the heart of this strategy.

4. Artifact Shield is the Only Exception — Confirmed by support, it's the only known way to cleanse Pre-Battle debuffs. Not all players have it, and even those who do can't use it 100% of the time.

Predictions for the X28 Meta

I believe Helsingen and Seraphina have the potential to redefine the Archer meta. For the first time, we have heroes that apply Burning in a guaranteed, uninterrupted way that cannot be cleansed.

However, their success will depend on two factors:

1. The Third Hero — If X28 brings a new Front Row Archer (Royal or Exclusive) that synergizes with Burning, this could become one of the strongest legions of the season.

2. Meta Adaptation — Currently, Footmen dominate the meta. A full Archer legion would struggle against Footmen. However:

   • Mixed legions with Footman tanks (Alexander, Geraint) solve this problem

   • The new Burning mechanics might be powerful enough to overcome the counter disadvantage

   • If the meta shifts, these heroes could become even stronger

This analysis is based on the abilities of the X28 season heroes in the game and official information from game support. The information may be subject to change as we continue testing the heroes.

What do you think? Will you invest in the new heroes or wait to see how the meta develops? Leave your opinion in the comments!