Kara Review – Empires and Puzzles HotM May 22
Kara, the Empires and Puzzles May 2022 Hero Of The Month (HotM), is the first HotM to have Taunt. And, soon she’ll be accessible to the Masses, but just how good is she?
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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.
Kara’s Stats and Special Skills (Shieldmaiden’s Protection)
Element: Holy (Yellow)
Class: Paladin
Mana Speed: Average
Special Skills (Shieldmaiden’s Protection): 1. Caster gets Taunt that prevents enemies from using Special Skills on caster’s allies for 4 turns. 2. Caster gets +74% defense against Specials for 4 turns. 3. All allies except the caster get +34% attack for 4 turns. 4. [Element Link] All Holy allies get 10% defense for 4 turns. This effect can’t be dispelled.
Passive: 1. Resist Defense Ailments (including Elemental). 2. Mana on Buff Dispel, receives 10% Mana each time a buff is Dispelled from her.
Talent: PROTECT ~ +25% chance to get +25% defense for 2 turns after receiving and damage. The effect is applied at the end of the turn.
Legends 2022 Family Bonus: 1/2/3 Heroes: +10%/+15%/+20% attack. Bonus for 2+ Heroes: Element Link affects all allies.
Is Kara the Best Taunt Hero? (Empires and Puzzles)
Kara must be the most hotly anticipated HotM ever! And for good reason, she’s the first HotM with Taunt. That’s a game-changer however you slice it.
But, is she the best Taunter in Empires and Puzzles?
In this post, I’m going to provide you with a lot of key data, so even if we don’t come to the same conclusion, you’ll have enough information to draw your own.
Who is the Best Taunt Hero in Empires and Puzzles?
A review of Kara has to consider all of the Taunters, bringing all of their skills and unique builds, to bear:
Special Skills: The Best Taunt Hero in Empires and Puzzles (Round 1)
| Hero | Mana Speed | Taunt Turns | Main Taunt | Secondary |
| Kara | Average (10 tiles) | 4 | Caster gets +74% Defense against Specials for 4 turns. All allies except the caster get +34% attack for 4 turns. | [Element Link] All Holy allies get 10% Defense for 4 turns which can’t be dispelled |
| Krampus | Average (10 tiles) | 3 | The caster gets +44% Defense, and a further 10% increase every time they are hit during 3 turns. This effect can’t be dispelled. All allies get +50% attack for 3 turns. | Summons a Minion for each ally with 7% HP and 10% attack |
| Costumed Krampus | Average (10 tiles) | 3 | The caster gets +30% Defense. All allies get +45% attack, and a further 20% increase every time they are hit during 3 turns. | Summons a Minion for each ally worth 7% HP and 10% attack |
| Queen Of Hearts | Average (10 tiles) | Minion | Summons Minion (16% HP 30% Att) which gives its owner Taunt and +74% Defense against Specials for 4 turns. | Deals 240% damage to the Target and NB |
| Black Knight | Average (10 tiles) | 3 | Caster has a +50% chance to drop damage to 1 HP for 3 turns. All allies get +45% attack, and a further 20% increase every time they are hit during 3 turns. | N/a |
| Ludwig | Slow (12 tiles) | 6 | Caster gets +84% Defense against Specials for 6 turns. | Nearby allies receive loads of mana over 6 turns |
First things First… That’s 4 Taunt turns Vs. 3 (all the other Average Taunters).
And yes, C. Krampus got that extra one snatched away, like a kid eating chocolate in the playground.
Kara’s personal protection
Kara and Ludwig both share the same type of Taunt protection; Defense against Special Skills, whereas Krampus gets protection from all damage with this more general +44% Defense (or 30%).
And, Kara and Ludwig actually share another thing in common: His Class (Paladin). This means she has a +25% chance of getting +25% defense for 2 turns. -A useful Class for a Taunt Hero.
An additional bonus is her [Element Link] (+10% defense to all Holy allies) which should convert into ALL ALLIES when the 2022 Family Bonus is finally lit up (and paired with another 2022 HotM). And that’s worth factoring into her overall value.
Of all the Taunt Hero Protections, I would say Krampus offers the best (increased Defense) because Tile damage is gonna take its toll otherwise.
Finally, we all know what Ludwig brings to the table, his Special is ridiculously good and we can’t really expect Kara to come anywhere near close to that.
Let’s move on to Round 2.
Build & Passives: The Best Taunt Hero in Empires and Puzzles (Round 2)
| Hero | Stats | Element | Passives and/or Family Bonus | Class |
| Kara | P802 A751 D762 H1437 | Holy | P1. Resist Defense Ailments (including Elemental). P2. Mana on Buff Dispel (10% each time a buff is dispelled). FB. TBA | Paladin |
| Krampus | P802 A667 D852 H1468 | Ice | FB. 2/3 Heroes: +5% / 10% Minion health & +5% / 10% Minion attack. | Sorcerer |
| Costumed Krampus | P819 A766 D799 H1451 | Ice | FB. 2/3 Heroes: +5% / 10% Minion health & +5% / 10% Minion attack. | Barbarian |
| Queen Of Hearts | P768 A638 D729 H1545 | Fire | FB. 2/3/4/5 Heroes: +2% to 12% Mana & +5% to 20% Critical chance. | Paladin |
| Black Knight | P779 A611 D846 H1458 | Fire | FB. 2/3/4/5 Heroes: +5% to 20% Critical chance & +4% to 13% Healing. | Barbarian |
| Ludwig | P816 A723 D844 H1442 | Dark | FB. 2/3 Heroes: +35% / 50% chance to make cast buff undispellable. | Paladin |
Kara is the first Holy Hero to have Taunt, which opens up a world of possibilities.
And as previously mentioned, that Paladin Class will really help her deal with all Tile damage coming her way.
The other Classes? Barbarian is a chance to apply Bleeding on Attack, and Sorcerer is a chance to drop the mana generation of the enemy by 50% for 2 turns.
Kara’s Passive Skills (Empires and Puzzles)
Kara also has 2 amazing Passives, while the other Heroes on our list, don’t have any. I mean, imagine that a Taunter getting a Mana Buff each time you dispel a buff from them.
Add to that, her Defense-Ailment Resistance, and she’s starting to look a tad useful.
And, while Kara doesn’t currently have a Family Bonus, she will soon enough. And part of that bonus (based on previous years), will expand her Elemental Link to include all allies (if there are two 2022 HotMs in the same line-up).
-That means a guaranteed +10% Defense to all Heroes (including her), for 4 turns… the same length as her Taunt, btw. And, Undispellable to boot.
How Good Is Kara? (May Hero Of The Month)
Based on all the information above, I’d take Krampus over Kara, no problem at all.
But that’s because he better protects himself, and is more definitive in aiding his allies (Attack-Up, and a big healthy minion).
And if you check out Black Knight’s Attack-Up, you’ll notice the potential damage his team could inflict, all while he keeps them safe and sound and out of harm’s way.
It’s under closer examination, that we see that Kara doesn’t quite pack the same punch as her competitors.
For example, her self-protection is limited to Specials (just like Ludwig), but she doesn’t enjoy the same mind-blowing secondary as him.
And her Attack-Up is limited to 34%. While Krampus, Costumed Krampus, and Black Knight, will all offer a lot more.
… In fact, Think Hanitra, the first Mass-Market Dodger. -She’s a fantastic Hero, who’s missing that little bit of.. How you say, je ne sais quoi? Va Va Voom?
-Exactly the same with Kara. HOWEVER, that little extra, really shouldn’t matter too much here. The fact is, she’s a Taunt Hero… with a very credible Taunt build.
Kara – Empires and Puzzles HotM May 2022
My final thoughts:
I suspect Kara will mean different things to different players:
- P2P/C2P players may be interested in her Holy Element, opening a number of roster options which might better utilise their Heroes.
- Those who own (and are willing to field) another 2022 HotM, will find her Elemental Defense buff really fosters a more solid feel while under duress.
- And, F2P & C2P players will simply be ecstatic at having the sheer luck of pulling one of the most powerful Specials in the game. -Now they have a chance to build around Taunt!
Kara must be the most powerful HotM we’ve ever seen and the reason? Taunt.
Regardless of the Bells-and-Whistles wrapped around it, Taunt stands a significant chance of impacting the outcome of a battle.
-So, while she may not be the Best Taunter, the Skill itself beats my grading system.
Plus, Kara gives us more, by way of a package designed to make her even more dynamic (10% Defense, Mana Boost on Dispel, and Paladin Class).
Overall, she’s a terrific Hero, and the first Hero Of The Month to receive a Deity rating. But, am I wrong? Share your own conclusions in the comments below.
[On a personal note, I’ve had great success in capturing previous Holy HotMs (Malosi, Devana, and Hanitra), so I’m looking forward to welcoming Kara sometime next week.]
Hero Grade for Kara (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? Yes.
If not, do they still bring enough to the party to help defeat the deities? N/a
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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Queen of Hearts does have a Family Bonus – she’s a wonderland Hero.
Thanks for the catch Jess!
Kara looks great as is. For a hotm with this ability, she is far more likely to end up on many f2p and c2p defense lineups.
I know I for one would love to haver, because she would give me far more options than I currently have with only Black Knight. I think she would fit in wonderfully to my lineups, as well as many other players who don’t have a taunt hero.
Hey Cornelius, agreed on the many new options she’d create. A very decent HotM in current form (with 4 Taunts). Just gotta protect her and let her do her thing.
Thanks for reading!
Having Black Knight, she will have strong company to help support her. Thanks for the response.
Would OG Telluria have had a deity rating in the current meta?
I remember facing her, she was ridiculous back in the day. It’s a great question. I had to check the nerf details again:
* All enemies from -34% mana gen for 3 turns, to -24% for 2 turns
* Minion HP from 18% to 13%
* HP regen for allies from 411 over 3 turns, to 306 over 2 turns
On Average mana speed… 🤣
Even today, you’d nerf Telly!
It’s the -34% mana gen for all enemies – that’s way too much. With decent Troops?
Plus all the rest…
I think she’d be a Deity.
Anyway, that’s my take. What do you think?
Thanks for stopping by!
still I think like they nerfed her in a way too much. I mean who is using her these days? and there’s a reason why she’s not being used anymore… I don’t have her and I suffered facing her but I feel sorry for those that pulled her especially those that don’t spend a lot
Yes, we agree there. The nerf hammer is generally too heavy. For me, it was actually the mana control over the entire enemy team, which was OT. It might have been better all round, if they dumped that and kept the rest?
But the game was different back then. I think everyone remembers the Telly nerf, as you say. It was a massive event for the alliance I was in.
I don’t envy the developers either. You certainly need a decent system in place to avoid these sorts of nerfs. The variables are huge for all concerned.
In ANY META. In fact, the META would have been Cummings different had they not nerfed her. There’s enough really good heroes, its time to bring back the beast!!
Kara will be extremely valuable. Taunt is a great defensive skill to build around. Plus the ability to boost your own mana when your buffs get dispelled. That’s 20% mana right back to you. Then she could possibly reset the buffs if that mana fills her mana bar. That’s awesome. And she’s a Paladin, so she can get extra defense. Also a 10% defense on the Elemental link. And you can’t put defense down on her either! I could go on and on about the possibilities! She will be all over the place next month! She’s A+ for sure!
Hey Gamerr! Agree agree agree. I just know I’m gonna get her 🙏. Thanks for the breakdown!
Best HotM in years
I just got two Kara’s today
Congrats Geo!
Hey, dear, I really liked review and assessment. I am C2P .. And I should build another team around taunt hero. As I have pulled her I would like to seek hero with minions .. Which act as buffer meat and helpful in bloody tournament. Also I think she would helpful against titans as healers may not needed in 90 seconds attack. So we can take 4 offensive heroes.
Congrats Wolf 🎉 Good luck with her!
Is it good idea to put Kara with Krampus as two tanks on Double Formation ?
It’s worth experimenting with. I’ve seen the Krampus – Ludwig combo, but Ludwig is very different of course!
It really depends on who you’re benching to get her on. Let us know if the cups go up!
hello, what do you think – is better queen of heards or kara. Thanks
No, not as a straight forward Taunt hero. She’s defo got her use as she carries a formidable strike for Average speed, then she has Taunt. So, it depends what you need. It’s just worth noting that her Taunt can be ended by damage or a minion killer.
Hi!
One thing I didn’t see mentioned. With all the minion killing heroes going around (Skadi, Grimble, Eloise, Penolite, Etc.), considering that Krampus summons (weak) minions, It is in many situations in the current meta a plus that she doesn’t summon minions. Krampus might protect the other 4+ minions, but only for 3 turns, and not his own.
Cheers!
Totally agree, pound for pound best Hotm in ages 😉
Best HOTM ever was Telluria, was actually the best hero in game for a long time. I love your passionate rewievs!
hi dear, i am wolf, again,
i like your review, you have explain very good in detail, but can you make it further clear, how Kara’s special skill works ,in following worlds, so that people will understand better, like, if kara fires before enemy heroes or titan, and all opponent heroes are Attaking everyone, that due to fired Kara’s special, 4 heroes will not inflict damage . and kara having new defece up 74% , she will only get little less than 50% of targeted damage, in other words, if enemy heroes fires after kara, than enemy heroes if doing damage 400 per hero, it will be 200 to kara only ( 2000 total intended damage will reduce to 200 only, ) far less damage than sif can reduce. 2. with heroes like kara healing heroes should be having overheal property like garnet, gulli or costumed ariel, to gain maximum benefit and surviving war/raid longer. thanks.
Thanks wolf!
Kara is a very bad hero, I am the only one in my alliance and I have already lost two wars with her in the middle like a tank, every time they attacked me, they defeated me, they made a score of 9000
Just like every hero, Kara must be supported by other heroes that work together.
I have Black Knight, and he is supported by Raffaele and Ursena. This may not be an ideal match up but they do keep me in low diamond
Kara is no different, she needs strong support, you cannot just throw her in the deep end thinking that she will save you by herself Do yourself a favor and play with her as opposed to thinking you know she will just perform. Pair her with your other heroes and see which setups she works best in.
I have her in a defense team with treevil papyros octros and iris, they have had consistant wins in raids in the past week i have actually gained 200 trophies in enemy raids she has to have good support. She takes the damage so others will live long enough to dish theirs out
Taunt heoes should never be the tank. Best position is flank.
Ok got some mileage on her now.
…aaaand she is bloody amazing..
As others said you need to pair her up with proper support, but in yellow there are plenty of support.. we must not forget she is Hotm and hotm arent up to par with heavy event heroes like Krampus or Bk.. unless!.. you play mono and the elemental links pan out properly.
Kara paired up with Hanitra and Delilah is a solid tripod.. once theyre up and running you can just add some fast dps and take on pretty much anything.
Kara isnt budging one inch due to -def immunity, and with the links/skills from her friends enemies need extreme luck to take you over..
Its rush tournament right now and this combo even works at that..
This is on offense…. On defense bk/krampus are still on top 😉
If you got her, bring her up…. Just saying.
Thanks for the detailed breakdown and insight Cougar!
I’ve got 3 Ludwig (1 full full, 1 maxed), 1 C.Krampus 3-70, 3 Kara (1 3-70) and tokay got 2 BK. What to do with them? Krampus is my next blue. BK I will start to ascend. May take over Asterius. Kara i do not know. I just maxed Aouda and my next holy is planned to be Hanitra.
Wow, congrats on a great roster. No idea what you do with the extras, but thank goodness the Soul Exchange is a thing. Maybe there’ll be something next time that takes your fancy?
Never use a taunter as a tank. except Ludwig.