Snowball and Barkley Double Header Review (Empires and Puzzles)
Snowball and Barkley have just arrived at the Empires and Puzzles Mighty Pets Summoning Portal, sniffing and p!#%ing everywhere, so I’m told. And while they’re both fantastic, it’s Barkley that’s grown significantly since I last saw him (I know, I know, “got to pet him”, but come on, man) in Beta.
Barkley’s a complete maniac now, flying around on his rocket, looking bats#!%t crazy, and landing some of the most thunderous slaps in all of Empires and Puzzles.
Well, my intention is to cover them both in this post, but if you’re interested in the other Mighty Pets Heroes, be sure to check them out here.
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Mighty Pets Family Bonus
Snowball Review
Barkley Review
This post may contain speculation, personal opinion, and adult comedy. It is not advice and is solely for entertainment and informational purposes.
Mighty Pet Family Bonus/Passive (Snowball & Barkley)
Snowball and Barkley are part of the Mighty Pet Family and share the same two Passive Skills.
Mighty Pet Family Bonus (for 1/2/3 Heroes):
- Minions for this Hero inherit +2%/+3%/+4% extra attack.
- Minions for this Hero inherit +2%/+3%/+4% extra health.
- Fiends for this Hero absorb -2%/-3%/-4% less max health.
- Fiends for this Hero inherit -2%/-3%/-4% less attack.
Passive Skills: 1. FRIEND OF THE FAMILIARS ~ When a Minion is summoned to any ally, this character gains 5% health and 5% Mana (can only activate once per turn). 2. WRATH OF PETS ~ When a Fiend is summoned to any enemy, this character deals 85% damage to all enemies (can only activate once per turn).
Snowball – Empires and Puzzles
Key Facts: Nature (Green), Fast, Ranger,
Special Skills (Feral Arrows): 1. Deals 250% damage to the target and nearby enemies. 2. Summons a Barbed Arrow Fiend to the target and nearby enemies. The Fiend damages the enemies with 43% attack every turn. 3. The Barbed Arrow Fiend absorbs healing and disappears after absorbing health equal to 28% of its owner’s max health. 4. When summoned, the Barbed Arrow Fiend increases the damage dealt to its target from all sources by 40%. The effect lasts as long as the target has Barbed Arrow Fiends (can’t be cleansed).
Talent: PIERCE ~ +25% chance to bypass defensive buffs when attacking. This includes counterattacks.
Aether Power: AILMENT IMMUINITY ~ Immune to new Status Ailments for 6 turns.
Is Snowball Worth Levelling? (Empires and Puzzles)
Let’s start with Snowball. He looks ruff. 🙄 Like he’s been put through the wringer of life. And he fights like it, too, producing one of the deadliest Fiends ever seen in E&P.
As a point of reference, 250% to 3 targets at Fast is decent but far from elite. In Beta, Snowball hit for 300%, which is closer to the absolute top-end that we’d see from the likes of Tinsel (340%) Staintongue (330%) and Quenell (320%).
In fact, here’s a useful table from the Staintongue review:
Hero | Mana Speed | Damage | Secondary | OC’s Grade |
Snowball | Fast (8 tiles) | Deals 250% damage to the target & NB | Summons some badass Fiends for 3 targets that increases damage to its target by +40% | ? |
Staintongue | Fast (8 tiles) | Deals 330% damage to the target & NB | Poisons and inflicts reduced accuracy (-30% to -50%) | T2 |
El Naddaha | Fast (8 tiles) | Deals 305% damage to the target & NB | No Status Effects permitted for 3 turns | T2 |
Quenell | Fast (8 tiles) | Deals 320% damage to the target & NB | Gains a +40% power boost for her next Special, with a possible top-end hit of 520% damage to 3 targets (1,560% total) | T2 |
Faline | Fast (8 tiles) | Deals 330% damage to the target & NB | -64% mana generation to the quickest of the Heroes hit (all 3 if the same) | T1 |
Tinsel | Fast (8 tiles) | Deals 340% damage to the target & NB | Summons Minion for 3 and inflicts reduced Defence (-14% to -54%) and accuracy (-10% to -50%) | T2 |
Snowball’s value is clearly going to be predicated on the strength of those Fiends, and it’s Khepri who immediately comes to mind for comparison, although he’s Average speed.
Here’s the table from his review, showing the old guard of Fiend Summoners:
Hero | Mana Speed | Strike | Fiend Affliction | Fiend Damage | Healing Absorbed by Fiend |
Snowball | Fast (8 tiles) | Deals 250% damage to the target and nearby | +40% damage from all sources | 43% | 28% |
Khepri | Average (10 tiles) | Deals 275% damage to the target and nearby | N/a – Fiend explodes after 3 turns dealing 600 damage to target and minor to nearby | 38% | 30% |
Elizabeth | Average (10 tiles) | Deals 175% damage to all | -24% mana generation | 43% | 28% |
Hannah | Fast (8 tiles) | Deals 215% damage to the target and nearby | -20% attack | 43% | 20% |
Hannah serves as a nice reference point here because, at Fast, she deals 215% damage on what will also be lower Atk Stats (S.861 Vs H.780).
And Hannah’s Fiends don’t do anything nearly as significant as Snowball’s do.
Snowball looks great in this company.
(There’s also a Fiend table in Kai’s review, for those interested in more data)
Snowball’s Passive Empires & Puzzles
It has been said before, but what Snowball brings at Fast could mark the beginning of The Age of the Fiends (Esme cough, cough).
Before we grade, check out Snowball’s Wrath of Pets Passive. -That’s 85% damage to all enemies when a Fiend is summoned to any enemy.
So that’s another 85% damage to all enemies in addition to his 250% main hit.
And his other Passive grants him 5% health and Mana when a Minion is summoned to any ally.
Two excellent Passives on a near OP Hero.
For my grading, the matter of import is the +40% damage that the Fiends induce.
To have such a powerful ability accessible at Fast is scary, and to have that ability inflicted by Fiends, is doubly scary.
If you don’t have a great Healer to hand, who’s ready to apply some First Aid at that very moment, then 3 of your Heroes will cause squinting with their every whimper.
And this Ailment could endure for the entire length of the battle.
On a happier note, “Fiend Resist” Passives, Arco types, healing, and Minions will all protect against it.
Although, all but one of those methods will leave a window of opportunity.
In honesty, I can’t see how I grade Snowball any lower…
Hero Grade for Snowball (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 ⭐⭐★
Barkley – Empires and Puzzles
Key Facts: Fire (Red), Average, Fighter
Special Skills (Missile Mania): 1. Deals 300% damage to the target and 2 random enemies. 2. Summons a Missile Fiend to hit enemies. The Fiend damages the enemies with 55% attack every turn. 3. The Missile Fiend absorbs healing and disappears after absorbing health equal to 28% of its owner’s max health. 4. If an enemy is defeated while it has a Missile Fiend, nearby enemies receive 500 damage.
Talent: Revive ~ +30% chance to revive with 1 HP after a fatal attack. The revive is applied at the end of the turn.
Aether Power: AILMENT IMMUINITY ~ Immune to new Status Ailments for 6 turns.
Is Barkley Worth Levelling? (Empires and Puzzles)
Barkley is an awesome character, really fun to look at and to play with.
But when I first got him in Beta, I was frankly disappointed with his feeble performance.
Undeterred, I headed directly over to the Beta Suite and ordered my free complimentary meal (a large serving of Bouillabaisse).
While I waited, I requested the busboy fetch me the morning paper.
When he returned, I put the paper aside, no longer interested in reading it. I didn’t tip. Instead, I mulled over what I would say to the Beta Honchos.
I chose my words carefully:
“…some people will really love it (Sir. Barkley is to whom I referred) only to be disappointed by the Special.
…make him sting on the back-end with the Fiend explosion, should you delete (dispose of, kill, otherwise make unavailable) the target.”
And you know what? I think it helped.
In Beta, Barkley hit 3 enemies for 150% damage, and his Fiends dealt 150% damage if the target was defeated.
When I was finally reunited with Barkley this morning, he was all over me, ruffing all types of nonsense about how he’s an “Alpha” now. ~Telling me how pleased he was about the extra fuel they put in his rocket pack and how he won’t let me down by licking lampposts like my dog does.
And that’s great. Really is. But I think the Dev who upgraded Barkley slipped on the keyboard…
Do they realise he does 300% damage to the target, then hits another 2 randomly, then drops a Fiend on their heads, and should one die from the onslaught, then the neighbours get 500 damage EACH? Plus, 85% Damage on the Passive!
Barkley’s Chit Chat, Empires & Puzzles
I really want a Barkley. He’s an excellent Hero now, the Hero Card looks fun, and his animation is cool.
You could easily build a team around him and focus all of their energy on exploiting that 500 damage.
Let’s quickly check his competitors…
For starters, I always think of Adalinda when I think of Average hitters. She hits for a massive 395% to 3 enemies and inflicts a massive -56% reduced Defense for 4 turns. She also happens to dump a troublesome Fiend on their heads too.
Cupido, also Average, does 295% damage to 3, and Aramis, 375%.
There’s also Khepri, from up in the Snowball section, too. -He not only hits for 275% to 3 at Average, but his Fiends will explode after 3 turns causing 600 damage to the targets and minor damage to the nearby enemies.
And while I prefer Khepri’s Fiends, I’d much rather Barkley’s slap.
See, Barkley hits “the target and 2 random enemies”. Like Kullervo, or Bjorn does, -although they both only hit two enemies in total.
So he could double up or triple the same target -THAT’S CRAZY.
Imagine Barkley in a Rush War…
Barkley, Slapping in Style
For me, Barkley’s slap mechanism is much more useful than, say, Khepri’s more traditional outburst.
On top of that, he has this utility that could cause a further 1500 damage to each nearby enemy.
This sort of direct fixed damage is becoming more common with the likes of Thunderclap, Sorrow, and Green Knight.
But what I really like here with Barkley is that once you manage to defeat one enemy, he has a good chance of completely tipping the balance of play by removing (or nearly removing) the other two nearby.
And the more enemies you dispose of, the more juice the others will have to endure via Barkley’s slap.
Still, the Fiend damage part of the Special is more conditional (as it requires the aforementioned death of the target).
OK, let’s wrap this up.
Barkley’s incredibly strong, offers massive and multiple hits, and a huge bite on the ass if you don’t manage his Fiends, AND he offers synergy, direction, and, most importantly in life, purpose.
He’s great.
The caveat is what I see in the Khepri comparison. Khepri has the better, less situational set of Fiends, which have the potential of doing greater damage.
That said, Barkley’s Atk Stat is 877 Vs Khepri’s, 776. And due to his Stats and Passive, Barkley hits harder than both Khepri and Adalinda (according to my poor math).
At the end of the day, I would grade them equally; however, it’s Barkley’s 3-slap mechanism that makes him more powerful, in my view.
900% to one enemy is possible with him, and he hits like a truck with those Power Stats.
Hero Grade for Barkley (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 ⭐⭐★
Related: The Best Heroes in Empires and Puzzles by Hero Grade
Snowball & Barkley (Empires and Puzzles)
My final thoughts:
There you have it, two fantastic Heroes. Both designed to dismantle the opposition.
At Fast, Snowball will likely be the fan favourite, but the hit and double random follow-up, plus the awesome Fiends, may give Barkley all he needs to lead the pack… Boooooooooooo.
Both are dangerous, but it’s Barkley that excites me. I would love to introduce him to my Ludwig.
What do you make of these monsters?
[Please always check in-game Hero Cards to confirm details and never chase Heroes]
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Copyright: oldcynic.com
Images used by way of review/tutorial – Copyright owned by Empires & Puzzles: Small Giant/Zynga Games
Entertaining read, informative review… you never disappoint.
While I have to say that I was not on the same page with your Thunderclap review (he has a few big flaws in my opinion that need to be addressed with a buff or fix), I fully agree with your verdict on Barkley… that pug is now so strong, it’s kind of overcompensating… especially with the upcoming changes from on the horizon…
I am now faced with the decision, what red I should prioritize next in leveling… And I have hoped on your opinion here… Erebos, Roughian & Nurgib or Barkley… all great, but who gets the most bang for the buck?
Thanks and best regards!
Cheers Redknarf, fair enough on TC, he is fun. Re. The 3, it really depends on if you need Minion control.
R&N is fast and some players really don’t like to deal with slower heroes, but the numbers I was getting for Barkley’s 3 hits was top drawer for Ave. For me, the fact that he also doesn’t lose any juice, even if a couple of targets are missing, makes him even better.
I use R&N and think she’s awesome but she’s a top tier HotM, Barkley, imho, is better.
That said, as always, please ask around and get other opinions!
Thanks for reading!
Thanks for the input. Will do! And keep up the great work here and I hope you never lose your dedication! You are doing a great job here and your posts are a great service to the community! As a former games journalist I know how tough and tiresome it can be, squeezing good content (and a bit money) out of something that is normally just considered a fun hobby and not a full-time job 😉
Really good new heroes. Wish I get one of them, or one of the legendary pets. Thanks for the review.
Thank you PHLOL6!
Barkley joins Bastet in the “Too Cute to Die” category of E&P. 😂
Also, the first thing that comes to mind when I see Barkley’s Special is “The missile knows where it is at all times.”
In local news, I got Cupcake. It’s on the waiting list of heroes to build because I’m still leveling Bera.
Congrats Nortaneous! Deffo on the cute and funny factor, but I’d never openly admit it 😁
Great overview as always!
I managed to pull Barkley
I have him at 3/70 and he will definitely be my next levelled red
I have a few other on deck for Red but Barkley will be jumping the queue!
I have been toying around with him while farming and he’s been great. I think he will come in handy in a few different situations for both offenders and defence, rush wars etc..
I am usually a mana snob and I usually prefer speed…but I really think Barkley is going to be a pain to deal with. Just need to pair him with a solid healer
Hey True North, congrats 🥳 🎉 on the great pull, I’m sure he’s gonna be awesome, albeit, a little slower. Thanks for stopping by!
Barkley in a team with ogima or any bard family (5% mana) and troops with 20% mana can reach 8 tiles to fire. I will easily use him with phenexa in attack or ogima in defense. Imagine phenexa firing before him with the 50% attack boost.
😄 I agree, he will shred the targets.
It seems like you give every new released hero 3 or 2 deity rating nowadays (except hotm) ?
😬😄 This is very true. -Most of the time. Although, one or two may get the T1 treatment.
In honesty, you could actually get by with:
1. The elite near OP heroes that will win battles via damage or skill
2. The elite, but specialised heroes
3. The HotM level hero, designed to give hope to the f2p/c2p
4. The bad heroes, which aren’t really produced as much as they used to be
But this is all expected in my view, because the business model for these games is to constantly produce better heroes so that the new ones are always more desirable than what came before.
All I do is *attempt* to value them overall, measuring them against the past, consider synergy and counters, while adding as much fun to proceedings as possible.
Thanks for commenting Baller!
Great review! I’m not sure if you realise but it’s actually 500 to nearby enemies per fiend, so if a hero has 2 or 3 fiends the nearby enemies can get even 1k or 1.5k each damage 🙂
Thanks for the info, I’ll update the post when next on. Thanks for visiting!
Thanks Old Cynic, I was lucky and got Hypnos and Barkley, but have only 9 rings. Who should I take first?
Btw, as always, great review, as always, you had me in stitches.
Hello Sam, congrats. Both are awesome! I have a post about who to level here, and also, I have a free facebook group where you can ask a bunch of E&P players, here.