Esme, after the Buff (Empires and Puzzles)
Esme was buffed in the Empires and Puzzles August Update and now she’s a super healer. I’m going to leave Esme’s first review as it is and start over, but I will keep this short.
For the record, I’ve already posted a complete Clash Of Knights Quest guide, and it includes initial reviews of all the new heroes. So, if you’re interested in another hero, please check it out!
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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.
Esme’s Core: Stats and Special Skills (Empires and Puzzles)
[This review was written after Esme was buffed]
Core: Ice, Sorcerer, Average
Family Bonus: Wolf ~ 2/3 Wolf heroes get a 35% / 50% chance to make a cast buff undispellable
Special Skills (Fiendslayer): 1. Destroys all Fiends from all allies. 2. Recovers 40% health for all allies. Boosts health for all allies by 650 HP (can exceed max HP). 3. If an ally had Fiends they will be immune to new Fiends for 4 turns.
Talent: DELAY ~ +15% chance to drop the mana generation of the enemy by -50% for 2 turns after dealing damage. The effect is applied at the end of the turn.
The Significance of the Esme Buff (Empires and Puzzles)
When Esme was first released, it was clear that she was a Fiend specialist.
But that was it. The limit of her abilities.
Sure, she could heal for 40%, but why choose her over a real general Healer?
…
No other reason in the world.
But Esme was part of the Clash of Knights Family, a premium top-drawer Family which included a bunch of E&P Giants (Ludwig, Wolfgang, Quenell, Rayne, Quintin, Eloise, and Lewena).
And so the pleas began for SG to make good on Esme, to alter her in some meaningful way that would make her more useful.
And in the August Updates, they did just that.
Esme the Over-Healer (Empires and Puzzles)
How do you turn a Fiend Specialist into a Team Leader?
That was the conundrum facing the head of pixel development at SG (this is hearsay, rumour, and speculation on my part).
They could have given her Cleanse, Minions, Fiends, a Mana Status Effect, etc etc.
Instead, they went with Boosted Healing.
And they decided to make that Boosted Healing the most aggressive we’ve seen in the game to date (so far as I’m aware).
From my point of view, Esme is no longer a ‘Fiend Specialist’. That has become her secondary (and what a secondary to have!).
First and foremost, she is now a monster Overhealer.
She Overheals for more than any other Healer in the game (per unit of mystic plasma).
She Overheals for near the same amount as other Top-Tier normal Healers, actually heal for.
Esme is a Beast for Map/Stages/Raids/Defense.
What she needs is a branding overhaul, coz I’d argue she’s not the Fiend Warrior we once knew. Now she’s one of, if not the premier Overhealer in the game.
A massive shakeup.
Arco would be proud.
Esme Vs the other Healers (Empires and Puzzles)
This is a quick table designed to illustrate the high level of Boosted healing Esme will issue:
| Hero | Mana Speed | Boosted Healing | *Approx. Total HP |
| Esme | Average (10 tiles) | Boosts health by 650 HP for all allies | 650 HP |
| Rhys | Fast (8 tiles) | Boosts health by 320 HP for all allies | 320 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) |
| Heimdall | Slow (12 tiles) | Boosts health by 500 HP for all allies | 500 HP |
*Approximate average in-game results.
Overhealers work very well with Standard Healers. So Director Zuri firing first would be the perfect setup for Esme to follow.
Just as Xnolphod firing first is a nice setup for Rhys.
Esme now has a lot more versatility, and while she’s not all of a sudden better than the real elite Healers, she has elevated herself into their realm, on brute stats alone.
Esme and Cleaver
My final thoughts:
Esme can now be played in any battle across Empires and Puzzles, and for me, that was the point of this buff.
The developers simply gave her Overhealing and turned the dial up to Max.
At Average Speed, Esme will double your team’s health in record time.
The fact that she also happens to be at the fore, dealing with the current infestation of Fiends plaguing Empires & Puzzles, well, that’s just a bonus.
And what a bonus! On the day Cleaver was released…
Old Cynic’s Hero Grade: Deity ⭐★★
What are your thoughts? Did I get it wrong or miss something? Let me know in the comments below.
[Please always check in-game Hero Cards to confirm details and never chase Heroes]
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She went from an okay to a good hero for sure. I’d rate her an A-. One great thing about her Special Skill is that she destorys fiends from all enemies FIRST and then overheals for 650 HP. This means that the fiends will not absorb any healing which is amazing in the current meta as we’re seeing a lot more heros that cast fiends such as the Three Kingdom and Monster Hunter heroes. If her special did one more thing like cleanse or give defense up, Esme would be a superstar …
No one uses her yet – maybe because ice heroes are super OP attackers but after the buff I will definitely ascend her. I lack good healers and she will be my first boosted healer legendary. Incidentaly from useless one to one of the best in the game lol . Anyway. Do you have her stats with all emblems and limit broken? I can’t find it anywhere…
Hey bobo, not LB at the moment, though mine will be when I get the mats. With 19 she currently has:
Att: 792
Def: 875
HP: 1701
I’ve been working on leveling her since the boost and paired with Ludwig she makes it so easy to win firing off her special 3 times in 6 turns after he fires. Quenell on one side esme on the other.
Thanks for the updated review. She has been waiting patiently on my bench with a quiet hand up. Your review helped confirm for me her time has come.
Hey Esme, put on your uniform, it’s time to train you up.
She’s now a faster 5* version of Wang Yuanji
Great comparison. It’s the new ones that can slip by. Even the Poster Hero!
For my and anyone else’s future ref: Wang Yuanji from the War of the Three Kingdoms – Destroys all Fiends from all allies. Boosts health of all allies by 625.
Thanks.