Celidana Empires and Puzzles HotM October 22
Celidana is Empires and Puzzles’ October 2022 Hero Of The Month (HotM), and I suspect she’s gonna be really popular for 3 reasons…
- She’s got a super cute Anime-style card
- Her Special looks full of potential on paper
- She will shine like a sniper’s lens in some parts of the game
Caveat: This post contains gameplay speculation and personal opinion. It may also contain adult comedy, sarcasm, and Human error. It is not advice and is solely for entertainment and informational purposes.
Celidana’s Stats and Special Skills (Hero Of The Month)
Key Facts: Holy (Yellow), Slow, Cleric, Legends 2022
Special Skills (Sacrament of Salvation): 1. Boosts health of the caster and nearby allies by 800 (can exceed max HP). 2. The caster and nearby get +50% Defense as long as the caster has Boosted health (can not be dispelled). 3. The caster and nearby allies resist max health reduction for 5 turns. 4. [Element Link] All Holy allies are immune to new Fiends for 4 turns (can not be dispelled).
Passive: 1. BOOST HEALTH ON ENEMY SPECIAL ~ When an enemy casts their Special Skill, this character has a 50% chance to boost this character’s health by 100. 2. RESIST MAX HEALTH REDUCTION ~ Innate resistance against max health reduction.
Talent: MANASHIELD ~ +35% chance to resist any negative mana status effects or effects that prevent the use of Special Skills.
Legends 2022 Family Bonus: 1/2/3 Heroes: +10%/+15%/+20% attack. Bonus for 2+ Heroes: Element Link affects all allies.
Celidana Vs. Empires & Puzzles Boosted Healers (Overhealers)
Before we get to the review, I think this time it’s worth checking out the table because it really does tell a story:
| Hero | Mana Speed | Boosted Healing | *Approx. Total HP |
| Celidana | Slow (12 tiles) | Boosts health by 800 HP for caster and NB | 800 HP |
| Esme | Average (10 tiles) | Boosts health by 650 HP for all allies | 650 HP |
| C. Ariel | Average (10 tiles) | Boosts health by 520 HP for all allies | 520 HP |
| Pro. Lidenbrock | Slow (12 tiles) | Boosts health by 200 HP for all allies, then 600 HP Boosted over 4 turns (looping) | 800 HP (staggered) |
| C2 Vivica | Slow (12 tiles) | Boosts health by 670 HP for all allies | 670 HP |
| Heimdall | Slow (12 tiles) | Boosts health by 500 HP for all allies | 500 HP |
| Wang Yuanji | Slow (12 tiles) | Boosts health by 625 HP for all allies | 625 HP |
| Diaochan | Fast (8 tiles) | Recovers 35% health for all allies | 670 HP |
| Hulda | Average (10 tiles) | Minions recover 11% health for owner (x3) | 720 HP (with 3) |
| Arco | Average (10 tiles) | Boosts health by 75 HP per Minion for all allies | 1330 HP (with all) |
*Approximate average in-game results.
This table illustrates just how much Boosted Health Celidana will render: all of it.
And anytime a hero has the ability to do something this badass, the potential for synergy looping trouble is there.
-That’s the same amount of juice as Pro. Lidenbrock (both Slow), but it’s direct to the vein.
However, it’s only for the caster and nearby heroes.
And now when we consider the second part of her Special:
- ‘The caster and nearby get +50% Defense as long as the caster has Boosted health (can not be dispelled).’
It gets you thinking about your roster and how you can get her there.
How Good is Celidana? (Empires and Puzzles Testing)
When I first got hold of Celidana in Beta all I wanted to do was secure that +50%, can’t be f#*ked with, Defense-Up.
Just imagine how awesome that would be.
My plan was to field a defensive team which included an Overhealer in hopes of keeping Celidana above the barrier (’cause that’s all that’s needed once triggered for that +50% D).
This was before Esme’s Buff tho, so I roped in old Gullinbursti, who quickly got to moaning about his aching back. I think his words were, “I’m too Slow, young man. I think you should consult with C. Kashhrek over there, his Average Speed might be what you’re looking for. Just don’t approach him from behind; you know how he gets spooked easily”.
And we did enjoy some success. I remember the first time we got Celidana into the Boosted Health territory and she was shielding the two nearby heroes with +50% Defense. She was shouting, “I’m in the Zone man! I’m in the f#*king Zone!”.
😲
Not what you’d expect from a cute little Anime character.
Problem was, every time I thought we’d nailed it, it all crumbled to the ground.
Then it dawned on me; with Celidana you’re not just trying to win a battle…
You’re trying to not go Negative on your health bar – While – winning the battle.
Well, that’s a hell of a tall order.
Is Celidana Good Enough for Raids/Defense?
No, not really.
That said, if I were to play her it would be in a Double Formation, with Celidana in the 3 spot.
There, she would be able to support both Tanks with undispellable +50% Defense, -well, in an ideal world.
She also has that resistance to Max Health Reduction, which could be useful against some invaders.
Celidana’s Passive (50% chance to Boost health by 100 when the enemy fires a Special) will also assist, helping her stay relevant, when she’s not taking a bucket load of damage.
And finally, the Element Link Fiend Immunity will be great next year (when there’s a chance for it to protect all allies, along with another 2022 HotM).
But for me, Celidana won’t be a star on either Offense or Defense, however, she will reach near-celebrity status in two other significant areas of the game…
Where Celidana Will Shine (October 2022 HotM)
That brings us onto where Celidana’s really valuable; Rush Wars/Tournaments and Map/Event Stages.
See, anything that speeds her up makes her giddy; like a kid on candy or a banker on an ’emergency fund’. Same thing.
And this isn’t just another, ‘oh, that Slow hero will be good at Rush’, like you’d say of a tall kid and basketball.
This is a formidable hero made too Slow to be effective in the normal universe, but I’m betting that at Warp-9, she’ll be able to nudge her way onto an elite team or two.
And that goes for Map/Event Stages too, where you have time to build up the double Boosted Health of your heroes, and maybe also shield them with a Minion or two.
Celidana’s got a lot going for her in these areas and can offer hope in others, enough to make her a hero I’d want to own myself.
Celidana Empires and Puzzles – Hero of the Month October 2022
My final thoughts:
Celidana is a mixed bag; on one hand, she’s full of potential that she never really meets, while on the other, she’s a genuine top-tier asset.
Holy HotMs are uniquely important because average players venturing into the upper echelons will undoubtedly find themselves facing Dark monsters, -most likely sitting as Tank.
For that reason, Celidana will find herself being called up to stand shoulder to shoulder, in a Holy Stack, bonded by Element in this momentous war against the forces of darkness.
And in such circumstances, she will be able to help. In fact, some onlookers might even hail her as pivotal when events conspire in her favour.
Though in her solitude, she will know what we all do; that she was not born with the power to bring down the living terrors that exist in this domain. -She can but give aid to those who were.
Still, when away from the fray (Raids/Defense), Celidana will likely be a delight to own. A real asset for completing even the hardest of Map and Event Stages.
And, she’ll likely be feared in Rush Wars and Tournaments as she quickly Overheals for ridiculous numbers at Very Fast… Then, sets up a barricade to keep those closest to her safe.
What are your thoughts on Celidana?
Hero Grade for Celidana (Empires and Puzzles)
So for my grading, the question is:
Is this hero’s Special capable of/likely to change the outcome of a battle? No.
If not, do they still bring enough to the party to help defeat the deities? Only in support.
Old Cynic’s Hero Grade: Archangel
[Please always check in-game Hero Cards to confirm details and never chase Heroes]
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I need her. Next to my Ludwig…
😁 Great point!
i am just thinking about strategies to use her on defence… i am really bad at those so pls be light with judgement:
In my case, if i would get her i try her in a double formation aswell:
ptolemy- ferrant-celidana-azmia-ahhotep
My roster is pretty limited but i got lucky with all those season V 4*heroes.
I know it totally relys on the enemies killing themselves with the counterattack but i kind of like the idea of that 😉
Hey Simpton, Ferrant and Azmia make a great duo. If you do get Celidana it might be worth trying to get a standard healer/buffer as one of the Tanks, or a minion summoner (if you have any!). It’s all trial and error, so that’s just my shared experience from trying to get her +50%.
Thanks for reading and sharing!
Hey there! You should include arco in the healers charts once you get goi g with minions hes popping out 1300 overheals like popcorn popping. Elduque arco gosek ariel ariel costume hohenwerf is a killer lineup
Hello! You’re right, Arco is a crazy Overhealer and that is an awesome team. Thanks for sharing!
I wouldnt mind if the hp boost is lower but to all instead. Kinda have mixed feeling about trying to get her or not. But with all the new OP heroes coming in, I really hope SG could at least make a better more desirable HOTM. Another great read OC!! At first glance I already dont want the hero, but after reading your article, it broaden my perspective on the hero.
Nowadays, SG issued too much new heroes + costume that I cant really keep up. I lost raids just because I was too lazy to read the card details and was surprised when my team got wiped. lol
On another note, will you be doing review for Gefjon Costume? Heard a lot of chatter that after Gefjon, out come Alucard that can do exactly what Gefjon does and more. lol.
New heroes coming out so fast that new heroes that being introduced had already become obsolete even before the portal closed.
😁 Thanks MIB, I tend to veer towards new players, F2P, and C2P with the HotM and try to go from there. Sometimes new players might see bad press on a hero and think they’re useless, so I try to figure if/where they can help. Re. C Gefjon, she looks awesome, right? I just updated my best heroes in Valhalla countdown and went ahead and put her straight in there.
I agree with you on the new heroes. It’s also the Passives, which you really can’t be expected to remember. Passives are getting sooo powerful that they could sway the battle themselves.
Good to see you about!
S5 is the prime example of crazy passive abilities. I somehow was lucky to get Khufu and Sobek. Their passive on extra damage and sand damage had save me many many times during raids.
I identify myself as C2P though I sometimes went overbudget but never went full whale mode. haha.
Just a few minutes ago, got Gefjon costume from 3 pulls. Now im confident enough to fight against those C.Freya and the 3k gangs on raids. lol
Always look forward to new posts from you. My whole alliance love your review. Its not about what hero you got, but also how we use it. You always looks at all the possible angle on using the hero and thats what others rarely cover on their review. And we also laugh a lot at your review. The game have become too serious we actually need some other source to laugh and de-stress.
Just pulled her, I have Rhys, costume Leonidas and zekena, would be nice if I can pull Anne too. Mono holy
Not a big fan of the heal-3 heroes. Forces you to use an additional healer. I do agree Arco should be in your overview table.
Note your estimation of Hulda is not correct. You claim 660hp healing, but in my experience this is much more as she heals 11% as long as there’s a minion present. Don’t forget Hulda also does +54% Defense Up, as long as your hero has minions (which is quite long, with 580hp minions with +54% def). And she does this to ALL at AVERAGE speed.
You might also want to include Vivica C2 in the overview. She boosts health with 670hp as well at slow speed. This slow speed becomes average with the mana costume bonus (5%) and a level 29 mana or 23 Magic troop.
Hi JanG, Hulda should read 720 as per my review of her. Sorry for the error, it’s been updated.
Judging by whats here she will likely pair well with papyros due to the ability to potentially boost hp, summon minions, and up defense(make for a fun holy stack with kara thrown in). Or maybe one of several other dunes heroes i hope i have luck with her like i had with 2 of the other hotm, i got 3 klaern and 4 grace so maybe ill get lucky and have a few of her drop.
First time commenting but have loved this site for awhile.
First off C2 Vivica should be listed as a boosted healer.
Also- if she fires would she block the max health reduction part from Alfrike?…assuming she fires first due to the max health reduction ability.
Hello Koma, sorry for the delay. I was writing a post. Thank you for reading! I will come back to this tomorrow.
OK, C2 Vivica is in! And yes, that’s the way I read it; that for 5 turns the caster and nearby will be protected against max health reductions. Thanks for visiting!
Sometimes the game is the most exasperating when it’s being the most generous. I had 19 Epic Hero Tokens saved and pulled Celidana on the second coin. After all was said and done I had pulled Goopy, 2 Ana-Bell, C. Francine (duplicate), C. Vanda (duplicate), Leonidas (duplicate), various other event 3 and 4 stars that I already had and 4 more Celidanas. Ouch. Couldn’t have substituted the 7 dups for a new 5*, right? Oh well the big problem is it decimated my free roster space and Soul Exchange isn’t for another month or so. That’s the way Matilda’s pastry crumbles they say.
Wow! Lucky and unlucky at the same time 😁 Congrats!
Thank you for your hero reviews. You have a great take supported by stats, love it! Everyone in my alliances follows your hero reviews.
In this dark tank world we live in, she’s very useful, esp when paired with a mana booster. I often bring two healers on offense for raids, almost feels like you need a second one in your line up with a 3 hero healer. I often run 3/2 color stacks. Odin is a perfect holy hero to stack with her for mana boost.
No worries Jerry, thanks for reading! I really appreciate it. Always worth experimenting to see what you can get out of her. But at the very least, she’s an absolute no-brainer for RW and Stages in my view. Thanks again!
I have just pulled her and I am not sure what to do with her. Building up 5* heroes takes so long and is so expensive in resources and materials and to get a hero who only heals those around her? Really not sure she is worth it, I may just leave her be and use her in the next hero exchange.
Hey Steve! I can understand. If you don’t see a use in RWs and Stages, why bother? The HotM impacts a lot of players and I write them with those with limited rosters in mind. If you have better, then the Soul Exchange etc makes sense. (I only reply this way because other readers may benefit from it too!) Thanks for visiting!
I had thoughts of pairing with BK, Kara, Kunchen and Gulli. While it won’t always kick on, when it does you’ve got massive Def up, you’ve got Def down and attack boosts, and the dispellables will have a hard time with 2 taunted, each special against the taunt helping keep her boosted. Additionally becomes more powerful when 2022 family comes out.
Hello Old Cynic,
I had it in summon.
Once assembled, I will test it well in a defense with Ariel Costume.
Because I think Ariel costume’s health boost (with its mana generation) can make Celidana always be boosted health and therefore give the precious 50% defense.
The question is: which defense formation will be the best… I imagine a Double defense with :
Front : El Naddaha and Ariel Costume
Behind : Mother North, Celidana, Arfanias.
What do you think ?
Hey Jeff, I do prefer two defensive heroes (Minions/Counter) on the front row so they give you something when they fire, but El Naddaha will keep em honest.
MN on the wing with EN in front will be cannon fodder (both Nature) so I’d change that. I don’t mind the 3 healers, but 2 slow ones might be problematic. Also, that leaves only 2 offensive heroes.
If I *had to* field these heroes, I’d try:
Front: C.A | EN
Back: MN | C | A
or
Front: C.A | A
Back: MN | C | EN
or
Front: C.A | C
Back: MN | EN | A
Thanks for stopping by!
I think you are right. 2 offensive heroes is not enough. Thanks for your advice.
I got Celidana and was thinking of pairing her up with M&M in a reverse double formation with both of them at the rear as part of my stronghold defense team. The slow mana is a concern that I think I can patch up with Brynhild or C.Khagan, but adding both heroes into the mix have their own problems (M&M, Bryn, and Celidana are defensive heroes, so only two slots are left for defense; C.Khagan is another slow hero).
However, my current defense team has a fully upgraded Krampus and Li Xiu, both with costume bonus, so I might need to swap them out if I’m going to put M&M and/or Celidana in.
You are right – having Celidana really makes you think about how you can best use her on a team. The amount of healing she provides is probably nearly a full heal for most heroes, herself included.
Hi Nortaneous, congrats 🎉🎊🥳 on pulling Celidana! It’s a fun challenge for sure. Thank you for reading and visiting my blog!
Cheers, and thanks for the write-ups. 😁
Morning Good Sir!
Just pulled Celidana and came to your page to look for a review, thank you for getting it done!
I saw you mention that you steer towards writing the article for F2P which I have thought of myself as, I realize I’m actually a long term lower true C2P…which has given me a solid foundation of many decent heroes, but lacking in a lot of powerful S3, S4, and S5 heroes.
That being said, I have also worked on leveling troops, and with level 23 troop, and emblems up to the mana boost node, I think she becomes more useful as she approaches Average mana. Running her next to Sif or Khagan with that 24% mana boost would make her a great part of my main raid team; a spot currently occupied by Wang Yuanji or C2 Vivica…gotta love the “straight to the vein” overhealers.
I think she will be pretty useful…you know once she is leveled up in a couple of months. Lol.
Hey Dave, no worries and congrats 🥳 🎉 Sounds like you have a plan. Deffo more useful at Average. I have seen Celidana paired with Arco and that’s a great idea… for those who have him!
I have a question. Or I seek advice… no a question… words forthcoming.
L to R:
Puss-In-Boots
Mother North
Alfrike
Celidana (maybe)
Isarania (for now)
I can’t decide if I should go this route for Raid defense. Or even attacking. I fast leveled Puss becuz I had Devanna & the minion explosion got me to Diamond level in a heartbeat. Puss, Mama & Devanna… 9 minions minimum not counting the ones Mama gave to Alf & Isarnia.
Then I got 3 (yes, 3!) HoTM (Celidana) & she “feels” like it could help me get farther…
I’m debating on what to do.
Any thoughts, even sarcastic with a dash of sincerity, would be appreciated.
Add her? Save her for later? Raid Defense? Offense?
I’m torn.
Help an old man out & I’ll make sure my daughter subscribes… maybe… I can’t control her so it’s really an empty promise.
Hey there BagofBoom,
Looking at the names on the page, Speed is the issue that jumps out at me.
I prefer Celidana on Offense where you can better manipulate the situation. Also, a quick powerful Healer will work better, like a Lady Woolerton (if you have one sitting around somewhere).
Re the x3. Wow. The only benefit to levelling the second would be a Rush Event, so you could field them together… and I do think they could be a nightmare in that scenario. But, unless you’re F2P and not expecting any decent new 5-Star Heroes in the coming months, I wouldn’t do it.
Do you have other Healers? Maybe I can add more with that info. But as it is, I hope my musings are somewhat useful!
Thanks for reading!