🧪 Early Information on New Sand Empire Gameplay & Rewards [Part of The Beta Beat v30]

Gameplay Help & Tactics
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NOTE: Please do not, under any circumstances, share IMAGES OR VIDEOS from Beta in this or any public Forum thread. Violations can cause players to lose their Beta accounts, or threads to be closed down.

This thread is to provide early insights and discussion on the New Sand Empire Gameplay & Rewards.

For information and discussion on New Sand Empire Hero & Family please see: 🧪 Early Information on New Sand Empire Hero & Family [Part of The Beta Beat v30]

Don’t get too attached

Details from Beta, especially brand-new Beta content, don’t tend to be very reliable for actual release.

It’s incredibly common that features are changed during Beta testing, or sometimes even after testing but before release. That is, after all, the purpose of Beta testing.

So I wouldn’t get too attached to any of this — it’s not unheard of for entire portions of features to be removed or reworked, or for radical changes to functionality to be made.

New Match Special Shields

The updated Sand Empire features replacements for the usual Match 4 Dragons, and Match 5 Diamonds.

In-game explanation:

This battle features new Match 4 & 5 Special shields!

:diya_lamp: Match 5 Shield: explodes in a big diagonal cross formation. Prevents all enemies from taking action for 2 turns.

:hourglass: Match 4 shield: Explodes in a small diagonal cross formation. Prevents all enemies from taking action for 2 turns.

Enemy actions can be prevented for a maximum of 5 4 turns.

To explain that in a little more detail:

  • Instead of Match 5+ forming a Diamond that explodes all same-color shields, it instead forms a genie’s lamp, which explodes in a diagonal X to each edge of the board.

  • Instead of Match 4 forming a Dragon that explodes the adjacent shields, it instead forms an hourglass, which explodes the hourglass and each shield diagonally adjacent to it, forming a small X.

  • Both special shields cause all enemies to have their turn counter increased by 2, to a maximum of 5 4 turns. In addition, Bosses are unable to fire Special Skills while delayed, even with full Mana. Their Mana Bar flashes gray until the delay expires.

New Difficulty Mode

Previous versions of Seasonal Events had Normal and Advanced Modes — like the revised version of Springvale, this new version of Sand Empire also has an Easy Mode as well.

Change in Recommended Team Power

I’ve taken note that the Recommended TP for each Stage is considerably higher than those for Springvale.

Recommended TP tends to be a bit arbitrary, but this may indicate an intended higher difficulty level, offset by the new Match 4 & 5 Special Shields in Sand Empire, which considerably benefit players when used wisely.

Stages

Like previous versions of Sand Empire, there are 20 Stages per Difficulty Mode.

With the addition of Easy, that now means there are a total of 60 Stages across the three Difficulty Modes.

Storyline

There don’t appear to be storyline intro dialogue screens yet, so it’s unclear whether they will be updated or the same as last year’s.

Intro dialogue screens have now been added, and appear to be the same as last year’s.

Updated Rewards & Flag Requirements

NOTE: Springvale had avatars at a number of points that Sand Empire currently does not. I suspect this is just a function of it being the first test version, not because they won’t be added. I’ve indicated the Stages which had avatars in Springvale below as “No Avatar (yet).”

Avatar rewards have now been added.

Easy

The rewards for Easy are similar to last year’s rewards for Normal.

Stage Flags Recommended TP Rewards
1 3 :triangular_flag_on_post: 1500 6x Clean Cloth
2 3 :triangular_flag_on_post: 1550 6x Common Herbs
3 3 :triangular_flag_on_post: 1600 8x Clean Cloth
4 3 :triangular_flag_on_post: 1650 6x Crude Iron
5 3 :triangular_flag_on_post: 1700 8x Common Herbs
6 3 :triangular_flag_on_post: 1750 7x Large Bone
7 3 :triangular_flag_on_post: 1800 6x Leather Strips
8 3 :triangular_flag_on_post: 1850 10x Practice Sword
9 3 :triangular_flag_on_post: 1900 3x Minor Healing Potion
10 4 :triangular_flag_on_post: 1950 Arman Avatar, 1* Yellow Trainer Hero, 3x Minor Mana Potion, 8x Leather Strips
11 4 :triangular_flag_on_post: 2000 2x Antidote, 7x Oil
12 4 :triangular_flag_on_post: 2050 10x Adventurer’s Kit, 7x String
13 4 :triangular_flag_on_post: 2100 2x Arrow Attack, 10x Clean Cloth
14 4 :triangular_flag_on_post: 2150 4x Axe Attack, 10x Common Herbs
15 4 :triangular_flag_on_post: 2200 1x Mana Potion, 10x Crude Iron
16 4 :triangular_flag_on_post: 2250 10x Training Manual, 9x Large Bone
17 4 :triangular_flag_on_post: 2300 1x Axe Attack, 10x Leather Strips
18 5 :triangular_flag_on_post: 2350 1x Potent Healing Potion, 13x Oil
19 5 :triangular_flag_on_post: 2400 1x Mana Potion, 13x String
20 5 :triangular_flag_on_post: 2450 Hisan Avatar, 2x 1* Yellow Trainer, 1x Epic Troop Token, 10x Training Manual

Normal

Stage Flags Recommended TP Rewards
1 6 :triangular_flag_on_post: 2500 5x Crystal Shard
2 6 :triangular_flag_on_post: 2550 5x Firestone
3 6 :triangular_flag_on_post: 2600 6x Crypt Mushroom
4 6 :triangular_flag_on_post: 2650 6x Crystal Shard
5 6 :triangular_flag_on_post: 2700 6x Firestone
6 6 :triangular_flag_on_post: 2750 3x Leather Armor, 7x Metal Ores
7 6 :triangular_flag_on_post: 2800 4x Axe Attack, 7x Potent Leaves
8 6 :triangular_flag_on_post: 2850 1x Mana Potion, 7x Sunspire Feathers
9 6 :triangular_flag_on_post: 2900 3x Leather Armor, 8x Metal Ores
10 7 :triangular_flag_on_post: 2950 Gafar Avatar, 2* Yellow Trainer Hero, 1x Chainmail Shirt, 1x Axe Attack
11 7 :triangular_flag_on_post: 3000 1x Potent Healing Potion, 8x Potent Leaves
12 7 :triangular_flag_on_post: 3050 3x Leather Armor, 8x Sunspire Feathers
13 7 :triangular_flag_on_post: 3100 1x Mana Potion, 7x Crypt Mushroom
14 7 :triangular_flag_on_post: 3150 2x Bomb Attack, 7x Crystal Shard
15 7 :triangular_flag_on_post: 3200 3x Arcane Scripts, 7x Firestone
16 7 :triangular_flag_on_post: 3250 2x Super Antidotes, 9x Metal Ores
17 7 :triangular_flag_on_post: 3300 1x Dragon Banner, 9x Potent Leaves
18 8 :triangular_flag_on_post: 3350 3x Leather Armor, 9x Sunspire Feathers
19 8 :triangular_flag_on_post: 3400 1x Revive Scroll, 3x Fine Steel
20 8 :triangular_flag_on_post: 3450 Yunan Jabbar Avatar, 3* Yellow Trainer, 1x Epic Hero Token, 1x Orb of Magic

Advanced

Stage Flags Recommended TP Rewards
1 9 :triangular_flag_on_post: 3600 1x Super Antidotes, 5x Grimoire Dust
2 9 :triangular_flag_on_post: 3650 3x Arcane Scripts, 3x Hardwood Lumber
3 9 :triangular_flag_on_post: 3700 1x Dragon Banner, 3x Midnight Roots
4 9 :triangular_flag_on_post: 3750 1x Revive Scroll, 2x Meteor Fragments
5 9 :triangular_flag_on_post: 3800 3x Leather Armor, 3x Dragon Bone
6 9 :triangular_flag_on_post: 3850 1x Bomb Attack, 2x Orichalcum Nugget
7 9 :triangular_flag_on_post: 3900 3x Leather Armor, 4x Fine Steel
8 9 :triangular_flag_on_post: 4000 Yunan Avatar, 1x Dragon Banner, 5x Fine Steel
9 9 :triangular_flag_on_post: 4050 7x Grimoire Dust, 1x Dragon Bone
10 10 :triangular_flag_on_post: 4100 2x 3* Yellow Trainer, 1x Orb of Magic, 3x Arcane Scripts
11 10 :triangular_flag_on_post: 4150 4x Rogue Emblem, 1x Bomb Attack, 4x Hardwood Lumber
12 10 :triangular_flag_on_post: 4200 4x Sorcerer Emblem, 1x Super Antidote, 4x Midnight Roots
13 10 :triangular_flag_on_post: 4250 4x Wizard Emblem, 1x Super Mana Potion, 6x Hardwood Lumber
14 10 :triangular_flag_on_post: 4300 4x Barbarian Emblem, 1x Super Healing Potion, 6x Midnight Roots
15 10 :triangular_flag_on_post: 4350 Rana Avatar, 1x Epic Hero Token, 4x Cleric Emblem
16 10 :triangular_flag_on_post: 4400 4x Druid Emblem, 1x Revive Scroll, 3x Meteor Fragments
17 10 :triangular_flag_on_post: 4450 4x Fighter Emblem, 1x Timestop, 5x Dragon Bone
18 11 :triangular_flag_on_post: 4500 4x Monk Emblem, 1x Tornado, 5x Meteor Fragment
19 11 :triangular_flag_on_post: 4550 4x Paladin Emblem, 1x Miracle Scroll, 4x Orichalcum Nugget
20 11 :triangular_flag_on_post: 4600 Rana Roc Avatar, 4* Yellow Trainer, 1x Poison Darts, 4x Ranger Emblem

For a full list of items currently in beta testing, as well as their related threads, please see:

18 Likes
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I have to say, I’m glad they are experimenting with new types of 4+ matches. If they build a mechanic for it, there are chances we will see more of these elsewhere.

19 Likes
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Fully agree Suicide, it’s refreshing

2 Likes
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Yes, new way of playing are welcome! (And darts too!)

1 Like
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I prefer Bunny than Suicide :sweat_smile:

5 Likes
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Ok bunny.

Suicide is probably more suited for the Special Attack that Obakan’s costume will give us

Obakan
Carnivorous barbarian costume

Speed: Average
Special name: Suicide
The caster explodes and dies immediately but all allies get +200% counterattack for 10 turns

10 Likes
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thank you zephyr for all the infos, could i ask you a pleasure? I know it is early, but do you think that will be possible knowing if they will add some new heroes during christmas event before the halloween event will end? so i may choose where is better to use tokens :stuck_out_tongue:

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I am not zephyr, but it looks that they are chasing a format for Seasonal events so that each has 3x legendary hero, 2x epic hero and 2x rare hero.

I am pretty sure there will be new heroes coming for Halloween and Christmas if they want to keep these consistent.

But that might also be just a coincidence between Springvale and Sand Empire, so we could as well know nothing at all (unless they are willing to confirm that format?).

4 Likes
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I think that’s a reasonable deduction. Do all challenge events have the same number of heroes across rarities? If so, I think it more or less confirms what you said.

Hope we get the grinch as the new christmas 5* :slight_smile:

2 Likes
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Thanks for the usual detailed post, zephyr!

Nice! Really looking forward to this. A welcome change too, for those who don’t have mana controllers and don’t want to rely on time stops.

5 Likes
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Thanks for the information @zephyr1.

And I should reiterate that the match-4&5 concept is definitely interesting…

3 Likes
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Looking forward to this along with the new added match dynamic, thank you @zephyr1. Question: on the easy level 10, the tp states 1400, however should this be 1950 if following the +50 to each rec. tp number? (yep, working on a guide. :slight_smile:) I hope too that the emblems are eventually changed to 10 much like Springvale, but I am glad to see them again as part of the loot and hopefully remain.

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Yes, I’ll fix that, thanks!

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Beta Update

Sand Empire has received a small update, reducing the maximum turn delay caused by the new match-4 and match-5 Special Shields from 5 turns to 4 turns.

The missing avatar rewards have also been added.

The Build Notes also indicate that the difficulty of all Sand Empire Stages have been updated, though it doesn’t appear the recommended TP amounts have changed.

Please note that this update occurred at the end of last week, but I’m just catching up on it now, after dealing with Alchemy Lab and Hero Academy.

6 Likes
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Can’t believe top reward in easy is 10x Training Manuals :dizzy_face: There is no room left in my library, I have over 7,070 of them, plus a couple of hundred Battle Manuals and a few Tomes of Tactics. I suspect some have far more.

Liking the new match 4 and match 5. Really hoping for a match 7 to appear someday.

2 Likes
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They should do a match 0 - if you don’t match in 3 seconds one of your characters gets OHKO SNIPED by Lianna’s precise shot :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

1 Like
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And people are already complaining about bad boards…:grinning:

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Are you a Springvale Hero?

3 Likes
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Yes. :rabbit: :rabbit:

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I know what they need to do they need to establish mother North as MRS clause then they need to introduce the Character from this That Mitchell and Webb Look - Mrs clause has an affair - YouTube
the one that is having an affair with MRS clause with the exact same story line then if they bring in a 3 star version of Santa clause to imply he became a drunk depressive resentful hobo that no longer delivers toys to kids, but will throw a broken bottle at them if they bother him, this would be perfect.