Hey guys,
Not sure who to ascend first.
Basically Merlin versus Sabina
(Hero guide on Merlin as A makes me feel like he is first but I dont think i can go wrong with a second healer)
Also:
Caedmon versus Buddy (Caedmon’s speed makes me think he is first)
and
Wu Kong versus Leonidas
(WuKong is beast but Leonidas has more upside)
Team consists of fully ascended Boldtusk/ Sonya
Remaining is Li Xiu, Kelile, Bane, Balthazar
Thanks for any help!!!
Both Sabina and Merlin are great in your situation. Merlin would make it easier to get through tougher boss stages in challenges and events (basically resets their mana). Sabina is a healer - and it’s great to build a base of healers of each color. She heals more than Boldtusk and removes buffs (but Caedmon/Sonya remove buffs also).
You probably wouldn’t regret either, but I’d lean towards Sabina. I have maxed Merlin and find him a bit too squishy for his average mana. When I take him to raids, he often won’t fire before he’s gone. It’s a bit of a downside (but I am raiding in diamond, so it’s quite strong opponents)
I don’t have Buddy so it is hard for me to compare him to Caedmon, but Caedmon is great, fast sniper and it’s supervaluable to have these - but his special overlaps with your Sonya’s, and Buddy’s is unique.
If you have Wu Kong, I’d recommend maxing him over any other yellow there is in the game.
Merlin is a blast against titans, especially stacking purple. Also very handy for events, stops bosses special going off
Well you are starting. So I would say concentrate an Heros that will up your Titan damage. So definitely wu Kong and buddy.
Merlin vs. Sabina is in your position a hard decision. Being alive is important, I would do Sabina. But that’s on you. I don’t think it is a failure if you decide for either.
I strongly echo @Suicide_Bunny’s comnents.
I’ll add:
I have Caedmon and Buddy. I use Buddy much more than Caedmon. His debuffs and minions are huge in mid and high Platinum tier. Or, put differently: every raid and titan fight I bring Caedmon on, I also bring Buddy. But Buddy goes to a lot of fights that Caedmon doesn’t. Of course, I also have Melendor for dispels, and that makes a big difference to my calculations.
Wu Kong vs Leonidas is no contest: Wu Kong. His damage boost is game-changing. Leonidas is basically an extra damage dealer in a yellow stack. His biggest utility is the mana cut, plus the fact that you can pair him with a 3-healer like Guin or Ares and he’ll take care of himself.
There is a difference between a passive remove like Sabina’s and an active one like Caed and Sonya. Sometime you can target the actives ones to not take damage from riposte and sometimes you can’t (Bosses, Rare titans with reflect all, core team left on raids). For me it would be Sabina over Merlin for the healing and passive remove (plus it helps to have two removers if you are facing a killer buffer).
Wu for sure.
Buddy vs Cead is tough, but since I don’t see a defense down on your team, I would go Buddy. He also bring a lot more to the table (attack down, and minions) to make your team survive longer.
Well you are talking to a guy who uses Zeline for riposte dispelling so yeah 
But definitely you are right, that’s a nuance worth considering… However I think with OP’s current very limited roster, that’s not a gamechanger.
Read how the # of healers might impact whether you do Sabina, but what if you have Proteus maxed?
Would that sway decision towards Sabina instead of Merlin?
They’re really very different creatures, Merlin and Proteus, even though they both do mana effects.
It’s more a question about what your priorities in the game are, picking between Sabina and Merlin.
In a long term I'd max both Merlin and Sabina (and more purple 4* you can get). But now, as a replacement to Balthazar I'd take Merlin. Having two healers in a first rainbow 4* team looks too passive to me. Merlin is a more offensive hero than Sabina.