Created by Broken Games, a small indie company in Germany, Rise of Legions is an awesome new game. Released on the 22nd of February, its quickly become an enjoyable niche game. Combining elements of tower defense, trading cards and MOBAs. On paper, something like that shouldn’t work but it just does. Art, gameplay and epic battles are all featured.
It does have its problems of course, like performance. That’s true for all Early Access games though, Rise of Legions is an attractive strategy game overall.
No doubt you’ve played it, or are planning on installing it. If so, you’ll likely use the White Legion, arguably the best overall. Providing a huge variety of units and spells to cover all situations, you need to know which units are best.
The strengths and weaknesses of each one should be known for any White Legion player. I’ll be ranking the 10 best units, describing their abilities and how/when to use them!
Note: Health is based on each unit member combined. So Footmen have 144 health but each individual member of the unit has 36. Also, legendary units don’t have spawners available and you can only have one on the field at a time.
Here are the armor damage reduction values too:
Unarmored: 0% decrease
Light: 15% decrease
Medium: Ranged damage 30% decrease, any other decreased by 20%
Heavy: 30% decrease
10. Footmen
Attack: 17
Armor: Medium
Health: 144
Mana Cost: 100
Spawner Essence Cost: 800
Abilities: Raise your shield!
One of two starting units, Footmen act as your expendable meat shields. No matter your army composition, you’ll always want some Footmen there to take the brunt of the enemy forces. Cheap, slightly tanky and reliable. Their sole ability grants them a Shieldblock, which prevents the next attack that exceeds 10 damage.
9. Archers
Attack: 21
Armor: Unarmored
Health: 46
Mana Cost: 100
Spawner Essence Cost: 800
Abilities: Predator: Stunned & Deathcry: Last Try
Your other starting unit, Archers have a long range and powerful attack. Amassing huge groups of Archer units is a sure-fire way of winning a game. A front-line is required though as their health pool is tiny. Upon death, their Deathcry ability fires an arrow at a nearby enemy. Additionally, their Predator ability lets them deal more damage to stunned targets.
8. Monk
Attack: 12
Armor: Light
Health: 205
Mana Cost: 100
Spawner Essence Cost: 800
Abilities: Energy Flow, Wuxi Finger Hold & Purifying Potion
Monks are surprisingly tanky single units that can take on other single units without problems. It can regenerate 4 energy over 12 seconds, to use the Purifying Potion which cleanses all status effects from an ally. Roots, stuns, freezes are all featured in other armies so Monks can offer a way around this.
The best aspect is easily the Wuxi Finger Hold. Stunning enemies and dealing additional damage if they have less current health than the Monk. If the target has less than half current health than the Monk, it’s executed and instantly killed instead!
7. Ballista
Attack: 12
Armor: Light
Health: 51
Mana Cost: 100
Spawner Essence Cost: 800
Abilities: Flat Firing Angle, Artillery, Siege & Light Overcharge
Arguably the best siege unit in the game. The Ballista has a very long range, dealing massive damage to structures. Due to its Flat Firing Angle, it can’t hit flying units unfortunately. However, the Light Overcharge ability can heal up to 4 allied units it passes over, for a small amount. If you have a few spawners, you can actually end up providing some serious heals to front-line units!
6. Priest
Attack: 9
Armor: Unarmored
Health: 60
Mana Cost: 100
Spawner Essence Cost: 800
Abilities: Energy Flow & Enchantment: Armor
A low attack and pitiful health pool are justified for the Priest’s ability to enchant ally troops. Each cast will restore 75 health to the target, overhealing as a shield, if possible. It also increases their armor rank, potentially granting 15% more damage resistance. Massing them with a spawner and summoning them with mana is a great way of bolstering your front-line.
5. Avengers
Attack: 42
Armor: Light
Health: 430
Mana Cost: 200
Spawner Essence Cost: 2400
Abilities: Flying & Inner Fire: Bounce
Avengers cost a ton but if you can get a spawner up in the late-game, your victory is guaranteed. Able to fly, ground units can’t hit them which is useful when you already have meat shields for the enemy ranged units to focus on. Their Inner Fire ability allows him to hit multiple units while at full HP, which honestly isn’t too useful as they usually take a hit or two along the way.
High health points and attack are their focus though, as they can melt even the toughest of enemy units!
4. Heavy Gunner
Attack: 19
Armor: Light
Health: 240
Mana Cost: 150
Spawner Essence Cost: 1500
Abilities: Energy Infusion, Flat Firing Angle, Splash Damage & Light Grenades
Don’t let the fairly low attack stat put you off, Heavy Gunners hit like a truck in an area. A single unit, attacks hit nearby enemies for the same amount. If its healed multiple times, the next attack will splash further, deal extra damage and stun units. Though, the Light Grenade ability is rarely proc’d.
A 1500 spawner cost is well worth it and honestly pretty cheap for how effective this unit is.
3. Marksman
Attack: 44
Armor: Unarmored
Health: 28
Mana Cost: 150
Spawner Essence Cost: 1500
Abilities: Steady Aim & Big Game Hunter
For taking down bosses and/or big units, no other White unit is more efficient. Marksman excel in prolonged fights, always targeting the biggest enemy unit with the Big Game Hunter ability. While stationary, Marksman increase their range gradually. No armor and a tiny health pool make it extremely vunlerable to any kind of attack so make sure you have a front-line. However, you don’t need a spawner, just 1 or 2 summoned Marksman can deal with huge threats.
2. Selga, Patron Saint of Light
Attack: 42
Armor: Medium
Health: 605
Mana Cost: 300
Abilities: Legendary, Splash Damage, Flat Firing Angle, Warming Light & Guarding Light
One of 2 Legendary units available. Selga is a support based unit with an emphasis on area of effect abilities. Splash damage attacks hit enemies in an area, Warming Light also heals any nearby allies. The best ability is Guarding Light, which prevents death once for nearby allies and makes them invulnerable for 2 seconds.
As expected, don’t summon Selga until you have a formidable force in place. She really needs allies around her to justify her cost.
1. Lothar, Wall of Light
Attack: 32
Armor: Heavy
Health: 780
Mana Cost: 300
Abilities: Legendary, Devotion Aura, Invoke: Smoldering Intensity & Wall of Light
Lothar is a true bulwark, leading his forces into battle and buffing them considerably. Heavy armor and a massive health pool make him nigh unkillable. He does take 80% of damage that nearby allies would take, which isn’t that great of an ability. However, he stuns all enemies when he enters the battle so he can easily turn a losing fight into a swift victory.
When Lothar is healed, he’ll grant a shield-block to the ally with the lowest amount of health. He just pips Selga for his staying power but both are good choices!