I write from the perspective of someone with a deep bench, which gives me a lot of choice of both 4* and 5* heroes to raise. Frankly, I haven’t decided yet.
A 4* hero only takes 505 emblems to max, while a 5* takes 1,500–nearly three times more. If I were short on maxed 5* heroes, this could make a strong case for raising some 4* heroes. I’ve got plenty of maxed 5* heroes, though, so I would choose a 4* solely because it brings a special skill or particular synergy that isn’t available from my 5* bench.
To help me think about this, I’ve created this table of 4* heroes that have a special skill that’s meaningfully better than anything available on a 5* (that we’ve seen). (Lancelot is here because his analog, Khagan, is slow). I’ve sorted this list by Anchor’s grade and, second, hero name.
Name
Class
Attack
Special
Grade
Boldtusk
Fighter
heal
team +attack
A
G. Jackal
Rogue
Sniper
-holy
A
Hansel
Cleric
Sniper
Mana-cap
A
Kiril
Wizard
heal
team +attack +defense
A
Merlin
Wizard
Sniper
Reckless attack
A
Peters
Rogue
Sniper
Silence
A
Wilbur
Monk
n/a
teams linked; allies +def foes -def
A
Wu Kong
Monk
n/a
team +attack
A
Ameonna
Sorcerer
n/a
Ghost
B
Capt Diamonds
Paladin
Sniper
multi-attack minions
B
Danzaburo
Rogue
variable
3 tricks
B
G. Falcon
Paladin
Splash
-fire
B
Gretel
Barbarian
Splash
Mana-cap
B
Lancelot
Fighter
Sniper
nearby +attack +mana_gen
B
Melendor
Druid
heal
AOE debuff
B
Sabina
Sorcerer
heal
AOE debuff
B
Sonya
Paladin
Sniper
AOE debuff
B
Sumitomo
Fighter
Sniper
solo riposte +mana
B
Triton
Ranger
Sniper
Team +healing
B
Gobbler
Druid
AOE
Eat all minions
C
Kashhrek
Wizard
heal
Heal + fire shield (nearby)
C
Little John
Barbarian
AOE
-mana_gen
C
From this list, here are candidates and my thinking about why they may be emblem-worthy even before 5* heroes of their class. While every 4* benefits from the improved stats, these heroes seem to me to be particularly valuable with 5*-equivalent stats and class abilities:
Boldtusk Already a tanky healer, there is no 5* all-team +attack as strong as BT’s. The Fighter class is superb for healers, as they have a decent chance of dying with max mana and so can heal themselves if they revive.
G. Jackal The only -holy debuffer in the game, with a 5*-level attack already. Huge against purple tanks and titans.
G. Falcon Ditto for -fire. Pump up the attack on this fellow and he could be danger
Hansel Great mana-control sniper made better.
Merlin Ditto
Wilbur Hugely useful against titans, in challenge events and many raids, where Monk Withstand helps considerably.
Wu Kong Ditto
Captain of Diamonds?? Most minions are from 5* heroes, and bringing 4* minion-control experts to such battles is asking for a loss. Value here depends a lot on whether we see a lot more minion-generating heroes
Sabina Solid counter to Guinevere at 5*-equivalent stats
Sonya Strong counter to Ares; sole blue debuff
Little John Attack stat can rise to 853 with huge AOE -mana_gen debuff.
Emblems that spend their life sitting on the bench are poorly spent (we can call this the Gobbler rule: his attack stat is ungodly at 4+20, but he still dies if you breathe on him).
So am I correct in assuming the objective here is to downselect to heroes who would legitimately earn a spot in the later hits in AW, or who would actually buy their way onto a titan team with the boost of 4+20?
I’ll note that there’s actually a case to be made for 4+20 BT as a healer on an AW defense team even at the top end: his health is so low compared to his sturdiness and overall benefit that he can make a team very points-unfavorable to engage. If I had a Drake tank in a field of Guins, I’d think very seriously about getting my heals from 4+20 BT…
I was also thinking about upgrading Sonya, but then I’ve realized Alice is very good counter to Ares too. I was lucky to pull her, actually twice, nevertheless, my thinking has shifted from Sonya to Falcon for Paladin class. I’m giving my sorcerer emblems to Ameonna, she really helps to improve my yellow titan scores. Rigard was an interesting choice for me to counter Guin flanked by GM and Zel, but since I’ve pulled Kunchen, he’ll be surely reset in future. Jackal is very favorite choice in our alliance, although I may eventually reset him and invest emblems into Alice, but I’m not sure about that for now.
Rigard is getting my emblems and I’d consider him over Kunchen for the simple fact that war field aid Rigard will heal quicker then Kunch and be a tougher kill in that wing spot.
The emblem relocation token is a stroke of genius by SG - there’s never the need of regret. I agree with @Garanwyn that emblems on the shelf are wasted.
Only doubt I got was about Wu and Wilbur, but I found the monkey king more useful. And Buddy is there since I don’t own another 4* ranger, but is the first candidate to a reset
Thanks for this list! Your input definitely helps because I’m so short on 5* heroes.
A few weeks back I found it pretty difficult deciding whether to give my monk emblems to Wu kong or Wilbur but in the end I decided on Wilbur. His class talent is at only 1/5 and it has already come in handy. The only 5* monk I know I’d give tokens to over Wilbur and Wu is Tarlak, but I don’t plan on ever getting him.
I’m glad to see someone else thinks Gretel may be worth emblems aswell. She definitely seems to be the most worthy of the 4* barbarians imo. Even though she’s maxed and I do enjoy raiding with her, Im a little on the fence about giving her emblems.
I’ve made a little agreement with myself.
I’ll give Gretel my Barbarian emblems if I get a second reset emblem before I get a 5* Barbarian
(Or)
I’ll give Gretel my Barbarian emblems if I get 253 emblems (half of the needed emblems to finish her class leveling) before I get a 5* Barbarian
I have Aeron in monk class and he will likely get the nod there, so it makes much less sense to give Rigard or Kunchen the Cleric emblems…unless I’m missing something.
That leaves Elk, Boril or Hansel for the Cleric emblems…and Hansel is a great 4 star but he only comes out for blue titans (and maybe not that for long since I have Mits leveling up) and AW anymore. Tough choice, but definitely a first world problem.
I’m only feeding emblems to 4*, no 5* will get emblems. Rigard is by far my favorite and most useful of all the heroes I’ve given emblems to. Guinevere tank flanked by Gravemaker and or Zeline is super common. Mana shield against Guin is a game changer, absolute lifesaver. I don’t have kunchen but even if I did, his slow mana cleanse against Guin and Gravemaker just won’t cut it. If kunchen can charge his special, Guin is dead anyways by all the purple tiles and the mana shield doesn’t do anything. The mana shield doesn’t work all that often but it’s extremely important when it does. 30 emblems to Rigard or 65 to kunchen? Easily Rigard in my opinion.
I’m mostly feeding emblems to heroes based on the stats I want changed on heroes I use a lot. If it’s a hero I plan to use in events, I choose attack everytime. If it’s more of a raiding hero or war hero I choose defense. I don’t actually think any of the abilities are that good. Rogue is ok but even if a rogue dodges the special they still get the status ailment that comes with the hit so that makes it considerably less good especially with such a low chance to dodge. Mana shield on Rigard is the only ability I’ve gotten any considerable use out of.
This is about how I’d order them personally, but of course, this is all subjective. Order is more about the usability of the hero first and foremost, considering they’ll get several stat boosts, and then thinking of this hero with their specific talent.
