Costumed Alucard: The Kingpin of Minion Destruction

Overview

Released in September 2024, the "Vampire Kingpin" costume for Alucard breathes new life—or perhaps un-life—into one of the most beloved utility heroes in Empires & Puzzles. While the original Alucard was starting to feel the weight of age, this costume injects him with modern stats and a sleek mobster aesthetic. He remains a Very Fast Minion Destroyer, but now he boasts the durability to stand toe-to-toe with the fiercest modern defenders. This review focuses on the Costumed version, exploring how this mafia makeover keeps him at the top of the food chain.

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Hero Art & Visuals

Gone are the flowing aristocratic robes. Costumed Alucard embraces a noir, 1920s mobster aesthetic. Dressed in a sharp pinstripe suit with a fedora tipped low, he exudes a different kind of menace—calculated, organized, and ruthless. The "Vampire Kingpin" title fits perfectly; he looks like he runs the underworld of Morlovia. The art is crisp, modern, and distinct from his base form, trading gothic horror for stylish criminal intimidation. It is arguably one of the coolest costume redesigns in the seasonal families.

General Info

Hero Stats

The most significant upgrade in this costume is the stats. With a base attack of 1387 and health over 2200 (before limit breaks), Costumed Alucard has leaped forward several years in power creep.

• Base: ~850 Attack / ~1450 Health.
• Costume: ~1387 Attack / ~2230 Health. This is not a minor adjustment; it is a complete reinvention. He is now statistically competitive with the strongest heroes released in late 2024 and early 2025. He is no longer a glass cannon; he is a reinforced bunker with a cannon attached.

Special Skill: Vampiric Curse

The core identity of Vampiric Curse remains, but with subtle, powerful tweaks tailored for the costume:

1. Minion Destruction: He still destroys all minions from the target and nearby enemies first. Crucially, he deals damage to Mega Minions (approx. 50% of their HP), making him a vital counter to the increasing number of Mega Minion summoners.
2. Damage: He deals 245% damage to three targets. While this percentage is technically 5% lower than the base version, the massive increase in his Attack stat means the actual damage output is significantly higher.
3. Healing Upgrade: This is the big win. He heals all allies for 12% health per destroyed minion (up from 10%). Clearing 3 minions heals 36%; clearing 9 heals 108% (full heal).
4. Mana Generation: He retains the 3% mana gain per minion destroyed.
5. Bypass: He still ignores defensive buffs, ensuring his damage lands.

By the Numbers

• Mana Speed: Very Fast. With the costume bonus providing an extra 5% mana generation and the Morlovia family bonus, hitting the 6-tile charge is trivial. You can often reach 5 tiles on defense with the right troops and emblem nodes.
• Effective Damage: 245% of 1387 Attack is roughly 3,398 raw damage. Compare this to the base version's 2,130. The costume hits over 50% harder in practice.
• Healing: In a minion-heavy environment (e.g., War of Three Kingdoms or against Waterpipe), the 12% heal scales rapidly. Destroying just 5 minions heals the team for 60%.

Family Bonus, Passives, Aether Power & Unique Abilities

The Kingpin benefits from the same Morlovia family ties but utilizes a different Aether Power.

Family Bonus

The mana generation bonus is the backbone of the Morlovia family. Combined with the costume bonus, Alucard is one of the easiest heroes to speed-tune in the game.

Passives

The Steal Buff passive remains. On a Very Fast hero, this is oppressive. Firing every 2-3 turns means the enemy rarely keeps their buffs for long. It provides immense utility beyond just damage and healing.

Aether Power

The costume changes the Aether Power to Revive. This is a massive upgrade for a high-priority target like Alucard. If the enemy focuses him down, he has a chance to come back and fire one last, game-saving special to heal the team back up.

Legacy & Modern Relevance

• Historical Context: The base Alucard was a staple for years. The costume arrived just as Mega Minions were becoming prevalent, ensuring Alucard didn't fade into obscurity.
• Power Creep Analysis: This costume essentially reset Alucard's expiration date. By boosting his stats to modern levels and tweaking the healing to 12%, SG ensured he remains a top-tier pick.
• Modern Viability Verdict: He is a meta-relevant hero. In an era of heavy minions and Mega Minions, he is not just a counter; he is a punish. He turns the enemy's strength (minions) into their downfall. He is viable in Top 100 alliance wars and high-level raiding.

Costume & Costume Bonus

Comparing the Kingpin to the Scion:

• Stats: The Costume wins, hands down. It's not close.
• Class: The Costume is a Wizard. This grants the Jinx ability (+15% damage per active buff on enemies). Given that minion summoners often have other buffs, this synergizes perfectly with his damage dealer role. The Base Sorcerer class (Delay) is useful, but Jinx makes the Costume hit significantly harder.
• Healing: Costume heals 12% vs Base 10%. This 2% difference adds up quickly across multiple minions.
• Conclusion: The Costumed version is superior in 95% of scenarios. The only reason to switch to base is if you desperately need the Sorcerer class for a specific Trial quest.

Emblem Path Analysis

With his stats modernized, you can afford to be aggressive.

The Kingpin's Wrath

• Path: Attack > Health > Defense
• Pros: Maximizes the Jinx potential and his Hit-3 damage. With stats this high, he doesn't need to hide behind defensive emblems.
• Cons: Slightly less durability, but the Revive Aether power mitigates this.

The Balanced Boss

• Path: Health > Defense > Attack
• Pros: Makes him an unmovable object. With over 2700 HP (LB2), he becomes very difficult to remove before he fires multiple times.
• Cons: Sacrifices some kill pressure on the special skill.

Final Recommendation

The Kingpin's Wrath (Attack Focus) is recommended. He is Very Fast, meaning he defends himself by killing enemies and healing quickly. Maximizing his damage makes his Bypass ability more threatening to support heroes.

Strengths

• Stat Monster: Massive base stats allow him to compete with the newest heroes.
• Enhanced Healing: 12% per minion allows for full team heals from the brink of death.
• Mega Minion Counter: One of the few reliable answers to Mega Minions at Very Fast speed.
• Wizard Class: Jinx adds significant damage against buff-heavy teams.
• Revive: Adds a layer of safety that the base version lacked.

Weaknesses

• Still Dependent on Targets: While his damage is good, his "God Mode" only activates when there are minions to eat.
• AoE Cap: Hitting only 3 targets limits his board control compared to hit-all heroes.

Best Game Modes

• War of Three Kingdoms: He is arguably the MVP of this mode due to the sheer volume of minions.
• Raids: Essential against any team running Miriam & Midnight, Hulda, or the new Goblin Mega Minion summoners.
• Towers: His mana generation and healing save items in long tower climbs.

Advanced Strategy & Team Compositions

Costumed Alucard pairs beautifully with heroes who benefit from mana boosts.

Sample Team Ideas

• The Mana Battery: C-Alucard + Xnolphod/Ludwig. Alucard eats minions to give mana, while the others generate more mana. Your team enters an infinite loop of special skills.
• The Anti-Summoner: C-Alucard + Ogima. Ogima destroys minions for damage; Alucard destroys them for health. Use Alucard first if you need health, Ogima first if you need raw damage.

Counters & Anti-Synergies

• Lunar Heroes: Heroes like Xiaara who resist minion removal or punish it can be tricky, though Alucard's bypass helps.
• Fiends: Alucard does not remove Fiends. Do not bring him thinking he counters Elizabeth or Hypnos; he only handles Minions.

Advice for New Players

If you have the costume, prioritize leveling this hero immediately. The stats alone make him a tanky, hard-hitting carry for early game, and his utility ensures you will use him forever.

Advice for Veterans

Costumed Alucard is worth the LB2 (Alpha Aethers). The stats justify it, and the Revive passive is excellent for War Defense. He is a flexible tool that fits into almost any red stack. Don't overlook the fact that he damages Mega Minions; this keeps him relevant against the latest power creep.

Community Corner: Hot Takes & History

The community reaction to the costume was mixed initially regarding the skill percentage drop, but jubilant regarding the stats.

• On the visual design: "Another stat boost costume... but finally! Some old heroes with interesting mechanics are back in the game."
• Regarding the usefulness: "This buff puts him back in the conversation for more frequent use. Mega minions aren’t ideal for him but there are also now plenty of others... that he can be teamed up to function well even against MMs."
• One player noted the specific synergy: "So... a very useful support hero even at 85-20 even against only MM’s against top meta raid teams."

Final Thoughts

Costumed Alucard proves that you can teach an old vampire new tricks—mostly by giving him a Tommy gun and gym membership. He retains the tactical brilliance of the original design but sheds the weakness of outdated stats. Whether you are facing a horde of tiny minions or a few massive Mega Minions, the Vampire Kingpin is ready to execute the competition.

Verdict: A top-tier refresh of a classic hero. Essential for modern wars and high-level play. If you have the costume, he is a red staple.