Empires and Puzzles Limit Breaker Explained

Empires and Puzzles recently introduced Hero ‘Limit Breakers’, creating the opportunity to add more levels, to what was previously a maxed hero.
This post will explain what Limit Breakers are, how to apply them, and what resources you’ll need. I’ll also give you my view on what heroes you should Limit Break.
Looking for info on Limit Break 2? The Alpha Aethers? It’s here.
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What are Empires and Puzzles Limit Breakers all about?
Limit Breakers, also known as Advanced Hero Levelling, is a new feature which lets you increase the value of an already maxed hero.
How many levels can you increase a hero’s stats by? +5. So, a 5-Star maxed hero on level 80, can now be increased with Limit Breaking, to level 85.
When you Limit Break a hero, they’ll receive an initial Boost in their stats. Then, as you feed/level them, their stats will increase based on their rarity:
- 3* heroes (Rare) will receive an initial Limit Break Boost of 5%, and each Advanced level will increase their stats by a further 1.54% (per level).
- 4* heroes (Epic) will receive an initial Limit Break Boost of 3.2%, and each Advanced level will increase their stats by a further 1.03% (per level).
- 5* heroes (Legendary) will receive an initial Limit Break Boost of 2.9%, and each Advanced level will increase their stats by a further 0.92% (per level).
(please note, these stats are pre-launch and may have changed slightly)
By the end of all this levelling, a 3-Star hero will stand at 113.34% of increased stats, a 4-Star at 108.63%, and a Legendary at 107.61% (excluding emblem, costume and troop additional stats).
Currently, Limit Breaking can not be undone.
How do you Limit Break your Hero?
After you max a hero, the LEVEL UP button will now read, LIMIT BREAK. Hit the LIMIT BREAK button, and you’ll be taken to another screen which will show you what materials are required:

Hit LIMIT BREAK! again and you can begin levelling the hero for another 5 levels.
Empires and Puzzles Limit Breaker Quests (Aether)
A new resource was created especially for this Limit Breaking feature called, Aether. They are like special emblems that are used to Limit Break a hero.
Each element class (Holy, Dark, Fire, Ice, Nature) has their own set of Aether. So, you’ll need Holy Aethers to Limit Break Devana, for example.
There are also 3 levels of Aethers, indicated by an I (3*), II (4*), or III (5*).
Aether III, the type needed for 5-Star heroes are, of course, the rarest.
Here is a chart showing the current cost of Limit Breaking a hero:
Rarity Class | Aether I | Aether II | Aether III |
Rare (3-Star) | 5 | – | – |
Rare Costume | 1 | – | – |
Epic (4-Star) | 20 | 5 | – |
Epic Costume | 3 | – | – |
Legendary (5-Star) | 35 | 20 | 5 |
Legendary Costume | 5 | – | – |
Finally, you can get these Aethers from the new Limit Break Quests (Mirages of Omega), War loots, and Raid tournament loots.
Limit Breaking Costumed Heroes
Costumed heroes must be Limit Broken twice: once for the hero, and then additionally for the costume. If you don’t plan on using the costume, there is no benefit in Limit Breaking the costume (just do the hero).
Which Empires and Puzzles Heroes Should You Limit Break?
Of course, it’s entirely up to you.
I’ve taken the position that I’ll always prioritise heroes in my Defence, and Raid, squads. Although, I don’t have enough Aethers to Limit Break them yet!
After completing the first Mirages of Omega quest and receiving Ice Aethers, I choose to Limit Break Gunner, with 3-Star Raid Tournaments in mind.
It is highly unlikely that I’ll Limit Break any of my 4-Star heroes because I just don’t use them enough to justify it (Rigard aside).
For more on who to level and Limit Break, see this post.
[Please always check in-game Hero Cards to confirm details and never chase Heroes]
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Copyright: oldcynic.com
Sources: E&P, Guvnor’s post on the SG forum
Images used by way of review/tutorial – Copyright owned by Empires & Puzzles: Small Giant Games
Hi, unfortunately %-s numbers are not accurate.
I just counted, that 3* has different % per level depends on stat
Attack – 1,55% (or 1,54)
Defense – 1,35%
Health – 1,25%
Hi Bob, thanks for the information. I obtained the stats from the SG forum, where members were going over the numbers based on the information available. I’ve had a check back, and the numbers in this post are the same as are still published over there.
Perhaps they are based on heroes without emblems? Which could account for the discrepancy between the three. But maths isn’t my strong point!
If I’m reading right, the stats would be added PRE talent grid. Then the stats from talent grid are added to the new base stats. If I am correct?
I have limit broken 2 costume Kiril, will do the same with 2 costume Melendor and 3 costume Rigards
I mostly do 3-2 attacks with a healer on each color, and these 3 do: attack up, def down and damage protection
I’ve done a similar thing and only LB 4-star heroes that I use for now. It’s just easier to get the Aether required.
Thanks for stopping by Miguel!
Is het de bedoeling om nu zoveel mogelijk aethers te gebruiken of kan ik er beter enkele opsparen tot level 2 opengaat?
Translated: Am I supposed to use as many aethers as possible now or should I save a few until level 2 opens?
It’s down to personal preference. For me, I have certain heroes I want to limit break and once they’re done I will hang onto aethers for when someone worthy comes along! Thanks for visiting.
Translated: Het komt neer op persoonlijke voorkeur. Voor mij heb ik bepaalde helden die ik de pauze wil beperken en als ze eenmaal klaar zijn, zal ik me vasthouden aan aethers voor als er een waardig iemand langskomt! Bedankt voor het bezoeken.
I decided to limit break zimkitha over Elizabeth simply because I use her all the time. I love her fast cleanse ability.
Plus, she’s key part of my HOtM defense team which I’m having fun with.
What are your thoughts on Zim and the new HOtM synergies?
Hi Nurgles, -the 4% health for all allies for 6 turns? That’s epic, like playing a second healer. Congrats. She looks like a fantastic old gem of a hero. Who’s the other 2018 HotM you’re playing?
Hey cynic. Using reverse formation.
Kunchen 2019
Zim 2018
Evelyn 2018
Anzogh 2019
Neith 2019
Thought about swapping kunchen for freya, but like the defense down, just hate the slowness.
Let me know what you think. I don’t have most of the heroes that proliferate the top 100, but have a decent selection.
Thanks again for your blog. Good read!
Hey Nurgles, thanks for reading, that’s awesome! You’ll know that Freya is great for stages/map as well, but I can deffo see your preference. Gotta do the best with what you got, & Kunchen is a pain!
Evelyn looks cool, but it would be nice to get more out of the -defense against Nature. But still, no need to go chasing.
The new costumes and HOTM bonuses make the Legends portal much more attractive. Although the odds are still pretty bad.
Btw thus is the best limit break breakdown I’ve seen. I had a doubt about LB costumes and got a quick answer. Thanks
Hey Fledger, thank you. Hope you had a good Christmas.
Hi guys, Gixu here!
I was wondering if there’s a better category of heroes to LB… tank? Snipers? Only 5stars? … Or just the heroes you use more???
THX!!!
I’ll chime in first -I go for heroes I used most in Raids/Defense, whose Special is kickass and game-changing.
Hello everyone. Thus far I’ve only limit broken Bertolf – who I use on Titans and 3* tournaments, and Frigg – who serves as tank during Alliance wars. My plan is to only limit break heroes who can be taken from good to really good, like Athena.
Thanks for all the time and effort you put into your site, Old Cynic; it’s one I come to repeatedly for my E&P information.
Thank you. Cool name, I can empathise (unless you mean the belt, or the band… I googled to be sure :))
Thx, i had lost your answer!
Atm, i’ve LB only Wolfgang…i think it’s a good choice … 😉
LOL, I was unaware of the band. My gaming name is courtesy of Star Trek (YouTube link).
Haha -I’m a fan myself, although NextGen is my favourite followed by STV. “The Agonizer”, Awesome.
Info: LB now seems to have no news of eather anymore. In the past I’been LB Melendor and Boldtusk costumes. Now I’ve LB Rigard’s costume free of charge.
My LB 5*;
Quenell
Fenrir
Ludwig
Lidenbrock
Gefjon
Octros
Wolfgang
Heimdall
Telluria
Vela
My LB 4*:
Rigard
Melendor
Kiril
Caedmon
Zila Lei
Griffin
Boldtusk
Wukong
Kashrek
Gullinbursti
Gormek
Sabina.
Another criteria to take into account : the heroes high on the talent ladder.
@Gixu: I would say those heroes you like need and use the most AND you should also consider the benefit of the LB for each of the candidates you have. For tanks no brainer, you’re looking mainly for defence and life. Bit for special heroes it is more difficult to decide. By example my next purple might be Alfrike Seshat Xnolphod. Seshat would benefit the most except if I was using Alfrike as my purple tank but I use Ludwig.
If you already have Ludwig I would definitely go for xnofphold
About LB costume, to correct my previous post. I could LB Rigard’costume at no costume, just simple ascension with fond. There was also no button for LB, just evolution. I checked on Boril and for him there is still this LB button and cost related – 3 eathers. Strange ! Bug?
Silly corrector. CRigard at no eather cost.
Hey. Thanks for the good info. I have a question about costume and LB. Do we get additional benefit from levelling the original? I use my Rigards in costume, never the original and I have the costume at lvl75. I wonder if I get benefit from levelling the original which I left at lvl70 limit broken. Thanks.
Hey Anakha, I don’t believe you do, not if you don’t intend to use the original.
Pretty sure I tested this recently and found that to be the case.
I do tend to level everything anyway, because you never know when an original might be useful -like the recent equaliser war, for example.
Need to be able to reverse or reset in other words the limit brake on one hero To be saved and reused on another hero like you can with the talent grid
I think every hero is complete useless without limit break and fully emblems, well not useless but only use when challenge war or war and don’t have enough heroes for 6 to 12 attack.. but if you competite playing toy must limit break and fully emblem, that’s a must do, I’ve played 5 moths and rank 4 is best but now I got hero what i really want to try out Horus and LB done but have no use becose no emblems for him
This is true, the more powerful the heroes become, the more we need the extra stats we get from limit-breaking them. Hope things work out Khaudi!
Hi Old Cynic, You always provide valuable information.
No worries Arnold!
Hi Old Cynic,
great info as always.
In case I overread it -> Is is necessary to bring the original hero and the costume I want to LB to level 85? Or will I get the same stats if I level only the costume? (original hero is LB @lvl80).
Hi Bafta, it’s been a while since I levelled a Costume but I think I’m right in saying that you have to level/LB the Base Original card first because it won’t let you level the Costume without it.
If you don’t intend to use the Original, always go to the Costume you’re interested in and check if you can level it. I believe it will tell you if you can’t and will tell you to go level the Base card first.
The Base card is more expensive to level while the Costume is cheaper. And you don’t have to level every Costume, only the one you want.
Scrap my last, I checked my C. Roc and you don’t need to do both. Costume is on 85 and Base is 80. I checked, he has the full Costume bonus!
Thanks a bunch… I’ll just have to check then why my lvl85 c2 Vivica stats seem so low @20 talent nodes… With lvl80 Viv @846/807/1842 and lvl85 c2 @872/967/1776… Seems a bit Off. Also, hero power is only 968 while the non-costume Version ist at 943… Strange
Check out the Forum for her Stats per Costume. Maybe something correlates there: