Iris Review – Empires and Puzzles HotM February 22
Iris is the February 2022 Empires and Puzzles Hero Of The Month (HotM). She’s a lively Hitter with lots of good stuff going on, and I think she’ll prove popular amongst the F2P/CP2 player base. -Here’s why…
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This post may contain speculation, personal opinion, and adult comedy. It is not advice and is solely for entertainment and informational purposes.
Iris’s Stats and Special Skills (Erase Strength)
Element: Ice (Blue)
Class: Wizard
Mana Speed: Fast
Special Skills (Erase Strength): 1. Deals 325% damage to target and minor damage to NB enemies 2. Dispels buffs from the target and NB at the end of each turn for 3 turns. 3. Deals extra damage to Fire. 4. [Element Link] All Ice allies get +10% attack for 4 turns. This effect can’t be dispelled.
Passive: 1. Mana on buff Dispell ~ Receives 10% mana each time a buff is dispelled from her. 2. Resist Burn ~ This Hero has an innate resistance against burn.
Talent: JINX ~ +25% chance to deal +15% extra damage per each active buff the enemies have. The extra damage applies to both normal attacks and Special Skills.
Legends 2022 Family Bonus: 1/2/3 Heroes: +10%/+15%/+20% attack. Bonus for 2+ Heroes: Element Link affects all allies.
Is Iris worth Levelling? (Empires and Puzzles)
Yes, -I’m not saying she’s Ruby or anything, but not every Hero is.
Iris will do a lot for the average player and dispense a reasonably weighty roundhouse onto her victim’s head.
So how strong is she?
During my research (yes -research… What? You think I just rattle off any old tat that comes to mind? Please…)
As I was saying, during my research I came across a budding starlet called, Evelyn.
Evelyn’s a Fast Hero Of The Month from way back in December 2018 and is very similar to Iris. Here’s what she does:
- Deals 210% damage to target and NB
- Target and NB get -54% against nature for 4 turns
- Dispels buffs from the Target and NB
Looking back, Evelyn was an awesome Hero for her time.
Moving forward to today and Iris, and it’s a little disappointing to see only “minor damage” to the nearby enemies (Minor damage is half the damage).
Let’s go ahead and rank the damage in the traditional way, and see if we can get a bunch of similar Heroes in the same line-up:
How Good is Iris?
| Hero | Mana Speed | Damage | Other |
| Iris | Fast (8 tiles) | 325% to Target and Minor Damage to NB | Dispels buffs from the target and NB at the end of each turn for 3 turns. Deals extra damage to Fire. |
| Evelyn | Fast (8 tiles) | 210% to Target and NB | Target and NB get -54% defense against Nature and Dispels buffs from them. |
| C. Kageburado | V.Fast (6.5) | 320% to Target | Dispels buffs from the target. Target is immune to new buffs for 2 turns, and target gets -34% defense for 2 turns. |
| Francine | Fast (8 tiles) | 225% to Target and NB | Cleanses status aliments from all allies at the end of each turn for 3 turns. |
| Zekena | Fast (8 tiles) | 300% to Target and 450% to a random bystander | Second target gets -56% defense for 3 turns. |
| Devana | Ave (10 tiles) | 255% to Target & nearby | Loads… absolutely loads. |
| C. Sabina (4-Star) | Ave (10 tiles) | Nil | All allies Regen 609 HP over 3 turns. All enemies are immune to new buffs for 3 turns. Dispels buffs from all enemies. |
| Franz (4-Star) | V.Slow (Forever) | 215% to All | All enemies get +50% damage and are immune to new buffs for 6 turns |
| Richard | Ave (10 tiles) | 415% to Target and minor to NB | Target and NB get -34% attack for 6 turns |
No sooner was I bad-mouthing Costumed Sabina (in the comments of my recent Best 4-Star Heroes post), than did fate offer her as a prime example of excellence.
But I’m old and wise to the nature of the universe, -it can not tricks me any longer.
Costumed Sabina really looks strong here with her Dispel across the board and her ailment which blocks new buffs. To me, she’s much more powerful than Iris in this rigard.
Costumed Kageburado looks fantastic here, with his immunity to new buffs for 2 turns.
Francine is the mirror opposite of Iris, but affects all allies, as opposed to Iris who only targets three.
Returning to the might of the Slaps dolled out here, and we see that Iris is a decent Hitter considering her other abilities.
Master Lepus, although not on the list, hits the target for 410%, and nearby enemies for Minor Damage, in a similar way. -And, he’s also Fast.
I think it’s fair to say, Iris will definitely have an impact on the offensive end and is capable of dispatching an enemy or two.
Iris and her Special Skills
Alongside her hit, Iris dispels buffs from the Target and nearby enemies at the end of each turn for 3 turns.
It’s clear that Taunters will be the main target of this skill. But Front and Center Tanks with Counterattack or other tricky buffs, could also make good targets.
The problem is, Iris doesn’t immediately Dispel the target, like say Devana does. Instead, you’ll have to wait until the end of the turn for it to take effect.
Still, it’s a very useful skill to have, especially for lower-level players.
-I’ve said it before and it’s true: Mana & Special Skills control is a great way to get an edge in this game, especially when you don’t have any real Superstars to play with.
Iris’s Passive Skills
Here’s the rest of the picture that makes up Iris:
First, we have the element link; a small 10% boost in Attack.
Second, we have a Mana boost every time a buff is dispelled from her. -This isn’t going to be too frequent I imagine, but it’s a little something.
Finally, we have an innate resistance to Burn. A reasonable Passive for an Ice Hero to have.
Iris – Empires and Puzzles HotM February 2022
My final thoughts (Updated):
Since my initial review, and before her release, Iris was improved.
Now she will dispel buffs from the target and nearby enemies (before, it was only the target).
That makes a lot of difference to her overall value, and while it doesn’t change her grade, it does make me feel a lot more comfortable about granting it.
Iris isn’t ground shaking in the slightest, but she is a strong, solid, HotM.
She can control certain Heroes, and minimise their impact, all the while hitting for a decent amount… All at Fast.
Malosi is always on my Raid squad, and if you don’t have him (or that type), Iris could fill that role.
Albeit, she’s not the same, but she is a Control Hero, with her own strengths and weaknesses.
A Solid Improvement…
I’m certain Iris has what it takes to become a beloved Hero Of The Month.
And now that she targets 3 Heroes with her Dispel, she’s also a decent option for Defense.
…Speed, Slaps, and a looping Dispel. Everything a modern E&P’er needs.
Hero Grade for Iris (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? Yes.
Old Cynic’s Hero Grade: Archangel
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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Hi Man,
I think Iris could be a good addition to players with a non-deep roster; to me, she doesn’t look so good… she’s just…ok… maybe… whatever 😉
I cannot undestand when she gains mana… When she dispels an enemy buff or when a buff that Iris has is dispelled ???
Thx,
Gixu
Hey Gixu, you’re spot on. A big part of my structure is with F2P players in mind. And I think she has a use there. Even with me, a C2P player, she’d be my best 5-Star Ice hitter.
The Passive Mana boost isn’t really a thing. Her buff is undispellable, so nothing there. The circumstances required to get the boost, make it unlikely. Still, she’s a quick hitter with a decent skill.
Thank you for reading and commenting!
It’s good to pay attention to F2P/C2P players!
Luckily i have Pengi and Magni, so Iris would be a plus…
CYA
“Badmouthing Costumed Sabina”
That’s a paddlin’.
With all the OP heroes they put on the events and new season, these new HOTM looks so meek compared to them. The power creep is real. Even the new 4 stars event heroes have stats comparable to S1 5 stars. As a C2P, nowadays, the more I played, the less motivated I get. The game to me has changed from being fun to a boring chores and it gets challenging after each events. Especially on war and raids. Looking at Iris, its easy to say that I wont be doing any pulls for February.
Hey MIB, I agree. They do look Meek (compared with the new monsters) and Iris was almost listed a Warrior. Problem is that Power Creep you talk about… Iris looks pretty solid when compared to some of those heroes from before the New Wave (last 8 months?).
And if loads of F2P/C2P players are making do with those heroes, then Iris would represent a viable option, too.
I guess the goal for SG is to make these HotM just good enough to give people Hope. And Hope is a good thing… maybe the best of the things…
I guess you’re right. But i wish they would give out some better skills for the new HoTM that may be on par with the event heroes. And of course when there were some of the good ones, i did many pulls and didnt get any. lol. Still mad that I didnt get Devana & Glenda despite doing some major pulls but got an army of Balbars and I didnt even want one. haha. Good read by the way. Keep up the good work! Im always waiting for any new post from you.
Hey MIB, that made me laugh. Thanks for reading! I just posted my Monthly Empires and Puzzles blog roundup, here if you’re interested.
Thanks for visiting!
Another hero to put on your comparison list is Richard. 415% damage to target and minor damage to adjacent is a plus, average mana speed is a minus, but a lot of F2P players are going to have Richard so he’s a good base to discuss. To me the saving grace for Iris is that debuff skill which seems clearly aimed at all the Krampus tanks floating around after Christmas. Not a lot of blue debuffers out there other than Sonya.
Hey Fast, good idea -I’ve updated the post. Iris is much better with the 3 targets for debuffing, I’m glad they did it.
Thanks for visiting!
The direct comparison I would make is definitely to Francine. Also, in the chart, Francine deals extra damage to Ice enemies.
Hahah, you got me. I didn’t think I referenced Francine so was about to add her, but she’s already there.
You’re right, she’s makes a great comparisons.
Hi
I have just pulled Iris and wasn’t overwhelmed by her on first reading of her skills so came to you for your thoughts.
So thank you for the above, I will invest in her and get her some emblems, how many remains to be seen but at least I feel better about getting her.
Hey Steve, she is a nice hero to have, even if not in your Defense team. A nice option for Raid, War, Stages, and Titan.
Thanks for stopping by!
Buenos días ,saqué a iris con alberich y su atuendo,aún no me lo termino de creer,y tengo dudas de subir a iris,no termino de verla útil,que me dices tú old cynic?,en defensa lo veo flojo,y en ataque … No la veo
Translated: Good morning, I took iris out with Alberich and her outfit, I still can’t quite believe it, and I have doubts about going up to iris, I don’t quite see her useful, what do you say old cynic?, in defense I see it lazy, and in attack… I don’t see her
Hola Dergoden, gracias por tu comentario. Todavía no creo que le gustemos a Google Translate porque me quedo llenando los vacíos. Creo que no te gusta Iris y quieres que discuta por qué deberías hacerlo.
Diría, además de mis declaraciones anteriores, que Iris es el tipo perfecto de héroe ligeramente irritante que puede ayudar a un nuevo jugador. -Ella no es una heroína de ‘pulsa el botón y olvida’ porque para sacarle el máximo partido tendrás que esforzarte.
Afortunadamente, es rápida, así que no tienes que esperar mucho para volver a intentarlo.
También dependerá de tu lista, por ejemplo, tengo a Malosi y, aunque es similar, sería mi opción por varias razones… la principal es que juego 2/3 Morado/Amarillo.
No estoy diciendo que sea una superestrella y que DEBE gustarte, estoy compartiendo cómo creo que un jugador nuevo o F2P/C2P podría aprovecharla al máximo… para lograr el objetivo… de vencer a las Deidades.
De todos modos, ¡espero que mis divagaciones se traduzcan y gracias por visitarnos!
Translated: Hello Dergoden, thanks for your comment. I still don’t think Google Translate likes us because I’m left filling the gaps. I think you don’t like Iris and want me to argue why you should?
I would say, in addition to my statements above, that Iris is the perfect type of slightly irritating hero that can help a new player. -She’s not a ‘hit the button and forget’ hero because to get the most out of her you’re gonna have to work for it.
Thankfully she’s quick, so you don’t have to wait long for another try.
It’s also gonna depend on your roster, -for example I have Malosi and while similar, he would be my go-to for a number of reasons… the main one being, I play 2/3 Purple/Yellow.
I’m not saying she’s a superstar and you MUST like her, I’m sharing how I think a new or F2P/C2P player might get the most out of her… to achieve the goal… of beating the Deities.
Anyway, hopefully my rambles translate and thank you for stopping by!
Jajajaja,se comprende bien todo,mil gracias,cuando reúna materiales de ascensión para 2 azules,la subiré,porque me falta un azul poderoso para defensa,y está no la veo,gracias
Translated: Hahahaha, everything is well understood, thank you, when I gather ascension materials for 2 blues, I will upload it, because I lack a powerful blue for defense, and I don’t see this one, thanks
¡Espera jefe! No creo que se haya entendido todo. Estoy diciendo que depende. No la asciendas a menos que realmente la quieras… ¡No puedo vivir con eso en mi conciencia!
Gracias por pasar
Translated: Hold up boss! I don’t think all was understood. I’m saying it depends. Don’t ascend her unless you really want her… I can’t live with that on my conscious!
Thanks for stopping by
Jajajajajaja,si lo entendí,tranquilo,juntar materiales para 2 azules es como no poder ascender nunca,solo asciendo a los top 10 ya
Muchas gracias compañero
Translated: Hahahahahaha, if I understood it, don’t worry, gathering materials for 2 blues is like never being able to ascend, I only ascend to the top 10 now
Thank you very much mate
Hi Old Cynic,
Firstly, I just want to say that I enjoyed reading your posts. Its really informative and your site is the first that I’ll go to if I want to find out or learn more about the game 🙂
Secondly, just wanted to ask you something about Iris as I just drew her from the challenge summon along with guardian gazelle over the weekend. In your opinion, is Iris really viable and great (like top notch kind) to use for PVPs especially when coming against taunters like Krampus, Black Knight and Ludwig etc? Cos I have been struggling against Taunters in PVP mode and will usually lose 90% of my battles against them. Esp those that have Mother North, Krampus, the stupid penguin and Santa. They will be taunting, healing and ripping my team to shreads like nobody’s business while my Mother North is still sitting on her rocking chair and be unable to cast her special cos her mana is too damn slow. Grrrr.. XD
Thirdly and this is linked to the above, if Iris is really great to use against Taunters. I was thinking of dropping Cobalt for her which im not sure if its wise thing to do but like what i said, i badly need a debuffer. I do have Ametrine with emblems but I think she doesnt quite cut it yet. So my tentative team to face against teams with Taunters would be Mother North, Senan, Hanitra, Elizabeth and Iris (Left to right arrangement) in future. So just wanted to hear your advice on this..
Thanks a lot
Regards,
Jonah
Hi Jonah, thanks for reading.
If you don’t have another dispeller, or someone who can stop Status buffs, then Iris will do a job. And, I’d personally play her if I didn’t have anyone else (and she fit my team build).
I currently play Malosi and Devana (Devana is the best HotM of recent times, and is better than Iris).
Iris isn’t the ideal control hero, but she is useful due to speed, -hopefully leading to the tagging of Taunters before they fire off, or at least cutting them short, once they do.
-If Malosi doesn’t catch a hero before they fire, he has no redemption. Devana is a Monster who will clean up messes which have already happen. While Iris should offer a looping clean up, tho one round will slip through.
Anyway, as a point of reference; Devana and Iris are both Archangels, but that’s because they can both help you beat the Deities, but as mentioned above, Devana is a much better all-round hero.
For me, and my style of play, the question is: Who do I have to control buffs. If the answer is, only Iris. Then, I’d play Iris.
In answer to your direct question:
“is Iris really viable and great (like top notch kind) to use for PVPs especially when coming against taunters like Krampus, Black Knight and Ludwig etc?”
-She’s not my first choice Top-Notch. But she is Viable. In some cases, she’ll be better if your facing two/three buffers on the same team.
Remember, it’s not just taunts, it’s health, defense-up, joint damage, etc. etc.
Anyway, just my opinion, which I hope is useful in some way! Thanks for visiting.
Hi Old Cynic,
Thanks for your reply and helpful insights on Iris. I looked through my roster again and realised that I have Devana actually, Just that I didnt really fancy her in the first place and left it languishing in the reserves. After reading your post, I have now repented and will now aim to build her up. Thankfully, I have one last batch of poison darts to level her up to the max cos was thinking of using it for Director Zuri actually, So your post actually helped a lot. Thanks once again 🙂
Regards,
Jonah
PS. It should be clear; I really like Iris and if I got her would fully level her up. She’d be my best Blue hero, -although would still most likely sit on my Raid bench. She would likely make my Defense, and would defo get out for Tournaments and Wars.
Also relevant; I’m F2P primarily with a strong interest in heroes who can take down the gods.
O know this is an old post but i will say thanks for all the help over the past year and a half, Iris holds a special place for me as she was my first legendary hero. She is still in one of my 6 war teams and regularly makes appearances to the front line she is awesome and your review pointed out her strengths keep up the awesome work dude!
Cheers Northernkaizer, thanks for the positive comment! And for reading all this time.