Kalspire
Legendary · ChampionAt home in: Cavalry · Shields · Siege
Tactical Strike — After a basic attack: tactical +50% + 30% Bleed. 6★+: Panic 15%.
Key threshold: 6★
Its best measured formation: Malachite · Kalspire · Vermithor — in Shields
Formations
The strongest formation, measured by playing 8,436 trios to the end on equal terms, is Malachite · Kalspire · Vermithor in Shields. Below: the top 12, the best formation for each troop and the best team for each dragon.
Your dragons' stars
Each level is measured separately, with only the habits those stars unlock (one every 2 stars).
Each trio played in its best placement and troop, against 36 real player armies and the beast, every dragon at level 40 and 6★, unlocked habits at level 3. Strength = troops destroyed + troops kept, as a % of #1.
| # | Formation (left · centre · right) | Troop | Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malachite · Kalspire · Vermithor | Shields | 100 % |
| 2 | Malachite · Kalspire · Moondancer | Shields | 99.1 % |
| 3 | Kalspire · Meleys · Malachite | Cavalry | 98.8 % |
| 4 | Vermithor · Moondancer · Malachite | Shields | 98.5 % |
| 5 | Malachite · Vhagar · Venator | Shields | 98.1 % |
| 6 | Malachite · Vhagar · Moondancer | Shields | 98.1 % |
| 7 | Malachite · Meleys · Moondancer | Shields | 98.1 % |
| 8 | Sunfyre · Kalspire · Malachite | Cavalry | 98 % |
| 9 | Malachite · Vhagar · Kalspire | Shields | 97.8 % |
| 10 | Syrax · Kalspire · Vermithor | Shields | 97.8 % |
| 11 | Sunfyre · Kalspire · Vermithor | Shields | 97.8 % |
| 12 | Malachite · Crimson · Moondancer | Archers | 97.7 % |
Order: left · centre · right, as you place them in the game.
The three strongest formations in each troop.
For each dragon, the strongest formation that includes it, on equal terms.
Best Kalspire team
Malachite · Kalspire · Vermithor
Shields · strength 100%
Best Vermithor team
Malachite · Kalspire · Vermithor
Shields · strength 100%
Best Caraxes team
Malachite · Kalspire · Caraxes
Cavalry · strength 92.5%
Best Meleys team
Cavalry · strength 98.8%
Best Malachite team
Malachite · Kalspire · Vermithor
Shields · strength 100%
Best Moondancer team
Malachite · Kalspire · Moondancer
Shields · strength 99.1%
Best Venator team
Shields · strength 98.1%
Best Sunfyre team
Sunfyre · Kalspire · Malachite
Cavalry · strength 98%
Best Vhagar team
Shields · strength 98.1%
Best Syrax team
Shields · strength 97.8%
Best Crimson team
Malachite · Crimson · Moondancer
Archers · strength 97.7%
Best Daemoros team
Archers · strength 91%
Best Seasmoke team
Malachite · Kalspire · Seasmoke
Cavalry · strength 91.2%
Best Zivern team
Zivern · Vhagar · Moondancer
Archers · strength 89.7%
Best Rhysarion team
Malachite · Kalspire · Rhysarion
Shields · strength 91.4%
Best Sheepstealer team
Malachite · Sheepstealer · Moondancer
Archers · strength 90.4%
Best Velar team
Shields · strength 90.4%
Best Tairax team
Cavalry · strength 83.6%
Best Tessarion team
Caraxes · Malachite · Tessarion
Cavalry · strength 84.9%
Best Starshower team
Starshower · Moondancer · Malachite
Shields · strength 89.2%
Best Vaeldra team
Vermithor · Vaeldra · Malachite
Shields · strength 84%
Best Shadowsong team
Malachite · Meleys · Shadowsong
Cavalry · strength 82.6%
Best Vermax team
Cavalry · strength 88.4%
Best Feskar team
Cavalry · strength 84.4%
Best Smoketail team
Malachite · Meleys · Smoketail
Cavalry · strength 82.2%
Best Thunderstrike team
Malachite · Kalspire · Thunderstrike
Cavalry · strength 82.8%
Best Arulix team
Cavalry · strength 84%
Best Shimmer team
Malachite · Kalspire · Shimmer
Cavalry · strength 82.8%
Best Dawnseeker team
Dawnseeker · Moondancer · Malachite
Shields · strength 82.5%
Best Tashix team
Shields · strength 82.2%
Best Shadowrend team
Malachite · Kalspire · Shadowrend
Shields · strength 82.2%
Best Vesper team
Vesper · Moondancer · Malachite
Shields · strength 80.2%
Best Solstryker team
Malachite · Solstryker · Kalspire
Cavalry · strength 80.1%
Best Bevlorin team
Cavalry · strength 79.8%
Best Arrax team
Cavalry · strength 79.4%
Best Nyrena team
Cavalry · strength 78.9%
Best Jagadrix team
Cavalry · strength 78.2%
Best Antares team
Cavalry · strength 73.5%
A formation is three dragons, six possible placements and four troops — and the best one depends on what YOU own. This page gives you the material: the dragons that actually weigh, what each one's order does, the troop where it belongs, and the star threshold from which it changes dimension. The rest — which trio with your own dragons, in which order, with which troop — has to be worked out.
Placement changes everything
In the centre, a dragon can strike any lane: it is never without a target, and its vanguard fires. On a flank, it strikes its own lane then the centre, never the opposite flank. The same trio, badly placed, loses up to a third of what it is worth.
A troop is not a colour
Green affinity is a real bonus, but it is not an absolute rule: a formation in a troop that looks worse on paper often wins because it sits well against what it faces. And five armies in the same troop means one opponent brings the troop that beats it and has the edge everywhere.
Levelled habits weigh more than rarity
An epic with three habits levelled goes past a legendary left at zero. That is where the gap widens fastest, and it is exactly what general rankings ignore.
Stars unlock thresholds
Many orders change at a precise star: an effect is added, a percentage doubles. Until that threshold, the dragon does not play the role people credit it with. Each dragon's thresholds are listed below.
Ranked by what the engine measured while playing the fights — tier S, then A, then B. For each one: its troop, its order, and the star threshold that changes it.
At home in: Cavalry · Shields · Siege
Tactical Strike — After a basic attack: tactical +50% + 30% Bleed. 6★+: Panic 15%.
Key threshold: 6★
Its best measured formation: Malachite · Kalspire · Vermithor — in Shields
At home in: Pikemen · Shields
Bronze Fury — Rounds 2,4,6,8: physical +30% and tactical +60% to 2 enemies within adjacency. Odd rounds: 30% to grant Protect to the adjacent ally with the fewest troops (2 rounds). At 6★+: physical +37.5%, tactical +75%, Protect 40%, and −5% physical/fire damage taken for 2 rounds on application.
Key threshold: 6★
Its best measured formation: Malachite · Kalspire · Vermithor — in Shields
At home in: Pikemen · Cavalry
Infernal Burst — Rounds 3,6,9: fire +100% to 3 enemies, ×1.5 if First Strike.
Its best measured formation: Malachite · Kalspire · Caraxes — in Cavalry
At home in: Cavalry · Archers
Scarlet Strike — Odd rounds: physical +135% on the enemy with the highest Initiative, plus 1 stack of Laceration (max 8). Each stack cuts that target's Initiative by −7% (enhanced by Strength). At 2★: if the target is bleeding, 50%→100% by rank to make it vulnerable for 2 rounds and add a stack; otherwise a chance to raise the physical damage it takes by +12.5% for 2 rounds, with an extra stack.
Key threshold: 2★
Its best measured formation: Kalspire · Meleys · Malachite — in Cavalry
At home in: Cavalry · Shields
Warden's Rally — Rounds 2,4,7,9: tactical +100%. Rounds 3,6,9: Recovery +70% to 3 allies.
Its best measured formation: Malachite · Kalspire · Vermithor — in Shields
At home in: Shields · Archers
Crescent Blade — Round 1: grants Crescent Blade to 1 other allied Sentinel until the end of combat. When that target deals tactical damage or applies Recovery: 50% to grant 1 Rising Tide stack to Moondancer (8 max, once per round). Each stack reduces damage taken by −2%. At 6★+: physical +85%.
Key threshold: 6★
Its best measured formation: Malachite · Kalspire · Moondancer — in Shields
At home in: Pikemen · Shields
Feral Strike — After a basic attack: 2× physical +20%. Rounds 4,6,8: Double Strike 40%.
Its best measured formation: Malachite · Vhagar · Venator — in Shields
At home in: Pikemen · Cavalry
Golden Wrath — Rounds 1,4,7,10: tactical +110% to 1 enemy in the same lane. Below 75% troop capacity: also deals this damage to a 2nd adjacent enemy. Below 50%: adds fire damage (+55%) with a chance of Burn for 2 rounds.
Its best measured formation: Sunfyre · Kalspire · Malachite — in Cavalry
At home in: Shields · Archers · Siege
Fiery Bonds — Each round 25%: Taunt 3 enemies (×2 if burning). Even rounds: physical +120%.
Its best measured formation: Malachite · Vhagar · Venator — in Shields
At home in: Pikemen · Archers
Blazing Fury — Each round 20%: +10% fire damage & First Strike to a fire ally. Rounds 1,4,6,9: tactical +110%. 6★+: Recovery + Resistance.
Key threshold: 6★
Its best measured formation: Syrax · Kalspire · Vermithor — in Shields
At home in: Pikemen · Archers · Siege
Bloodscale Terror — Odd rounds 20%: Stun. Rounds 2,5,8: fire +140%. 10★: stun 40% + reduces Inst/Init.
Key threshold: 10★
Its best measured formation: Malachite · Crimson · Moondancer — in Archers
At home in: Archers
Shadowflame — Odd rounds: physical +125% + 20% Burn.
Its best measured formation: Malachite · Meleys · Daemoros — in Archers
At home in: Cavalry · Archers
Cleansing Wrath — Each round: removes up to 3 enemy buffs. Rounds 3,6,9: fire +190%. 6★+: Infectious Rage (blocks healing).
Key threshold: 6★
Its best measured formation: Malachite · Kalspire · Seasmoke — in Cavalry
At home in: Archers · Siege
Silent Shade — Rounds 1,4,6,9: +15% tactical damage taken by the target (enhancer) + tactical +75%.
Its best measured formation: Zivern · Vhagar · Moondancer — in Archers
At home in: Pikemen · Shields · Siege
Dawnsong — Rounds 1,4,7: physical +70%. Rounds 2,5,8: fire +20% (×1.5 if Control).
Its best measured formation: Malachite · Kalspire · Rhysarion — in Shields
At home in: Cavalry · Archers
Wild Hunt — Each round, if no prey: 40% to mark 1 enemy as prey (3 rounds, prioritising a target that received Recovery); the prey takes −30% Recovery received. Rounds 1,4,7,10: fire to 1 enemy (targets the prey, +100%), doubled if the prey is hit. 10★: fire to the prey (+24%) + Recovery (+10%).
Key threshold: 10★
Its best measured formation: Malachite · Sheepstealer · Moondancer — in Archers
At home in: Shields
Whirlwind — Rounds 2,4,6,8: Advantage +15% to 2 allies. Rounds 3,5,7,9: tactical +45% to 3 enemies.
Its best measured formation: Malachite · Kalspire · Velar — in Shields
At home in: Cavalry · Shields · Siege
Burning Ward — Odd rounds: 25% to Stagger 1 enemy in any lane (2 rounds). Rounds 2,5,8: fire +115% to 1 enemy in any lane (prioritising targets without Burn), with 50% to inflict Burn for 2 rounds. At 6★+: Stagger rises to 38% and each round deals fire (+20%) to every enemy under Control.
Key threshold: 6★
Its best measured formation: Caraxes · Malachite · Tairax — in Cavalry
At home in: Pikemen · Cavalry · Siege
Cobalt Flame — Rounds 1,4,7: fire +95% to 1 enemy in any lane (prioritising those dealing physical damage excluding basic attacks), with 50% to reduce the target's damage dealt by −10% (2 rounds), doubled to −20% if the target deals physical damage excluding basic attacks. Rounds 3,6,9: physical +60% to 1 enemy in the same lane.
Its best measured formation: Caraxes · Malachite · Tessarion — in Cavalry
At home in: Shields
Starfall — Start of combat: marks 3 enemies in any lane with Solar Flare. Each round: 50% to deal tactical damage (+100%) to 1 marked enemy, consuming the mark. Rounds 1,3,7,9: tactical +80% to 1 enemy in the same lane. At 6★+: consuming Solar Flare rises to +130%.
Key threshold: 6★
Its best measured formation: Starshower · Moondancer · Malachite — in Shields
At home in: Pikemen
Lure — Each round 25%: Taunt 3 enemies. Odd rounds: physical +45%. (HBO Max link reward.)
Its best measured formation: Vermithor · Vaeldra · Malachite — in Shields
At home in: Cavalry
Breath of Fire — Rounds 2,5,8: fire +100% to 2 enemies, ×1.5 if Panic.
Its best measured formation: Malachite · Meleys · Shadowsong — in Cavalry
At home in: Cavalry · Shields
Spreading Blaze — After each basic attack: physical damage to 1 enemy on the same line (+50%). 20% chance to grant 1 stack of Spreading Blaze (max 10) to a tactical ally: +2.5% tactical damage dealt per stack.
Its best measured formation: Malachite · Meleys · Vermax — in Cavalry
At home in: Cavalry
Calculated Assault — Reduces the strongest enemy's physical (−12%). Rounds 2,4,7,9: tactical +100% on the weakest enemy.
Its best measured formation: Malachite · Feskar · Kalspire — in Cavalry
At home in: Pikemen
Veilflame — Rounds 2,5,8: fire +75% to 2 enemies in the same lane, and grants herself Evade (10% chance to ignore each hit, 20% if an enemy Champion was hit). At 10★: rounds 3,6,9, fire +30% to +75% (by the rank of Champion's Scourge) to 3 enemies in any lane, tripled against Champions.
Key threshold: 10★
Its best measured formation: Malachite · Meleys · Smoketail — in Cavalry
At home in: Cavalry
Tail Whip — Odd rounds: physical +100%. 6★+: even rounds physical +50% + 25% Bleed.
Key threshold: 6★
Its best measured formation: Malachite · Kalspire · Thunderstrike — in Cavalry
Measured by playing the fights to the end over 8,436 trios, every dragon brought to level 40, 6★ and 3 levelled habits, so the comparison is honest. On your own account the gaps shift: that is what the composer works out.
Measured by playing 8,436 trios to the end on equal terms, the strongest formation is Malachite · Kalspire · Vermithor in Shields, ahead of Malachite · Kalspire · Moondancer in Shields and Kalspire · Meleys · Malachite in Cavalry. The best one for you depends on your own stars and habits: the composer works it out with your dragons.
Across the 884 armies the AI built for real players: Cavalry 31 %, Shields 27 %, Archers 24 %, Pikemen 19 %. Spread your armies over several troops so a single opponent cannot counter all of them.
The dragons the AI puts in the centre most often are Vhagar, Caraxes, Shadowsong, Zivern. In the centre a dragon can strike every lane: put the one whose order must always find a target there.
No. In the armies the AI builds for real players, dragons sit at a median of 4★. Levelled habits and placement matter as much as stars.
The best trios measured by the AI with Cavalry: Kalspire · Meleys · Malachite ; Sunfyre · Kalspire · Malachite ; Sunfyre · Meleys · Malachite.
The best trios measured by the AI with Shields: Malachite · Kalspire · Vermithor ; Malachite · Kalspire · Moondancer ; Vermithor · Moondancer · Malachite.
The best trios measured by the AI with Archers: Malachite · Crimson · Moondancer ; Malachite · Meleys · Crimson ; Malachite · Vhagar · Meleys.
The best trios measured by the AI with Pikemen: Vermithor · Venator · Sunfyre ; Caraxes · Vermithor · Malachite ; Caraxes · Vermithor · Syrax.
Enter your dragons in Buffer Companion's army builder: the AI plays the fights with your levels, stars and habits and returns your five best armies, placement and troop included.
These landmarks hold for an average roster. Yours is not average: your stars, your levelled habits, your relics and your research move the gaps. The composer plays the fights with YOUR dragons and returns your five armies, each one's role, and who stays on the bench.
Build my armies