Auricarc: The Sandman with a Bow (And a Kleptomaniac Streak)

Overview

Auricarc, known as "The Master Marksmoth," fluttered into Empires & Puzzles in May 2025 as part of the Night of Moths alliance event. A Holy (Yellow) Ranger operating at Fast mana speed, he quickly established himself as a premier tactical sniper. He is not just about dealing damage; his kit is designed to dismantle enemy strategies by stealing their assets (minions and mana) and incapacitating key threats with his signature Deep Sleep. While he arrived earlier in the year, his utility remains razor-sharp in the current meta.

Hero Art & Visuals

The artwork for Auricarc is widely praised for being "refreshingly new" and "majestic." He is depicted as a humanoid moth archer, clad in yellow and brown leathers that perfectly match the Holy element aesthetic. The design balances the delicate nature of a moth with the poised lethality of a master archer. The wings are grand, and the color palette is warm yet striking, standing out against the darker backgrounds often seen in the game. It is a design that says "I am beautiful, but I will absolutely ruin your raid."

General Info

Hero Stats

Auricarc boasts an Attack stat of 1330 and a Defense of 1116. Comparing this to the latest heroes released in December 2025 (like Adelitza with 1312 Attack or Lin Chong with 1328 Attack), Auricarc's offensive stats are still incredibly competitive, actually surpassing some of the absolute newest releases. His Defense and Health are slightly lower than the bleeding-edge power creep (where Health is pushing 2200+), but his Attack stat ensures his sniper hits remain relevant. He is built as a glass cannon that relies on speed and disruption rather than raw durability.

Special Skill: Riches to Poor

This special skill is a masterclass in disruption. At Fast speed, it does four distinct things, any two of which would make for a decent skill:

1. Minion/Mega Minion Steal: This is a hard counter to the Mega Minion meta. Instead of just destroying them, he takes them. Stealing a Mega Minion not only removes a massive meat shield and damage source from the enemy but grants it to Auricarc, significantly boosting his survivability.
2. Mana Steal (40%): This is arguably the most potent part of his kit. Stealing 40% mana from a target is devastating. If the target is full, they drop to 60%. If they are at 40%, they go to zero. Even better, this stolen mana is distributed to allies. This functions as a mana battery for your team while crippling the enemy.
3. Damage (530%): A classic sniper hit. With his high attack stat, this hurts.
4. Deep Sleep: The cherry on top. The target falls asleep, takes 80% increased damage, and cannot gain mana or attack. The condition that they wake up upon taking 750 damage creates an interesting tactical dynamic. You can leave a threat sleeping while you deal with others, or use the sleep to set up a massive hit from a teammate that benefits from the +80% damage increase.

By the Numbers

• Mana Speed: Fast. With a level 29 mana troop or adequate bard/family bonuses, he can fire in 7 tiles, making him extremely reliable.
• Damage Potential: With a base attack of roughly 1330 (before troops/emblems), a 530% hit deals roughly 7049 raw damage points before defense reduction. Against a target with ~1300 defense, this translates to a severe blow, likely stripping 40-50% of their health in one go, not accounting for the Deep Sleep damage bonus for subsequent hits.
• Mana Swing: The 40% steal creates an 80% mana swing potential (Enemy -40%, Team +40% split). In a 5-hero team, distributing 40% mana means each ally gets 10% mana. This is equivalent to roughly 1-1.5 tiles of mana for every ally, which can be the difference between firing this turn or next.

Family Bonus, Passives, Aether Power & Unique Abilities

Family Bonus

Heroes from the Moth family typically benefit from bonuses that aid in survivability or mana generation, reinforcing their role as slippery, high-impact units.

Passives

Dodge Special Damage: Auricarc has a 15% chance to dodge Special Skills that deal damage. While 15% is not a reliable strategy to build around, it is a "save your bacon" mechanic that occasionally wins matches by causing a key sniper hit to miss entirely.

Aether Power

Special Boost: This Aether Power increases the damage of his special skill. Given that he is already hitting for 530% at Fast speed, this amplifier ensures he remains a threat even against modern tanks with inflated health pools.

Legacy & Modern Relevance

• Historical Context: Upon release in May 2025, Auricarc was immediately recognized as a top-tier threat. The ability to steal Mega Minions was a specific answer to the dominating Minion meta of late 2024 and early 2025.
• Power Creep Analysis: Seven months later, his stats have held up remarkably well. His attack stat is still top-tier. While defensive stats for newer heroes have crept up, his damage output and utility have not diminished. The Deep Sleep mechanic is unique and timeless; control effects rarely go out of style.
• Modern Viability Verdict: Auricarc is still highly viable in top-tier play. He is excellent in War Attack teams where surgical removal of threats is required. In defense, he can be annoying on the wing or flank, punishing attackers who bring minion summoners. He has not been relegated to the bench; he is a active starter for most rosters.

Costume & Costume Bonus

As of this review, Auricarc does not have a costume. This review focuses on his base form.

Emblem Path Analysis

The Punisher (Attack Path)

• Path: Attack > Defense > Health
• Pros: Maximizes the 530% damage hit. Increases the threshold for the "Deep Sleep" wake-up if you rely on tile damage, although the wake-up is fixed at 750 damage received. High attack ensures he kills or severely maims the target, making the mana steal purely a bonus.
• Cons: He becomes squishier. With only ~1100 base defense, he can be vulnerable to heavy hitters if he doesn't dodge.

The Survivor (Defense/Health Path)

• Path: Defense > Health > Attack
• Pros: Keeps him alive longer to fire his skill multiple times. The mana steal and disruption are arguably more valuable than the raw damage in long fights.
• Cons: Sacrifices the one-shot potential of his special skill.

Final Recommendation

For most players, the Punisher (Attack) path is recommended. Auricarc is a Ranger; his job is to eliminate threats. At Fast speed, you want his special skill to be as lethal as possible. The faster an enemy dies, the less damage you take.

Strengths

• Utility Compression: He packs damage, mana control, minion control, and hard crowd control (Sleep) into one skill.
• Mega Minion Counter: Stealing a Mega Minion is significantly better than destroying it, as it swings the HP advantage heavily in your favor.
• Fast Speed: He can often fire before the enemy defenses are fully set up.
• Mana Support: He doesn't just reduce enemy mana; he speeds up his own team, acting as a pseudo-mana booster.

Weaknesses

• Deep Sleep Wake-Up: The sleep is fragile. 750 damage is easily broken by a cascade of tiles or a stray minion hit. It requires careful play to maximize.
• Passive Reliance: His survival often depends on that 15% dodge chance if he doesn't steal a minion to protect himself.
• Cleanse Vulnerability: While Deep Sleep is uncleansable, other effects might not be. Wait, the Deep Sleep is uncleansable, which covers his main control weakness. However, he offers no protection against ailments for himself.

Best Game Modes

• PvP Raids & War Attack: His primary home. He can dissect defenses by removing the tank or a dangerous flank.
• Minion Wars: He is an absolute monster here. Stealing minions in a mode defined by them is game-changing.
• Tournaments: Excellent in Buff Booster (steals buffs/minions) and Bloody Battle (high damage + control).

Advanced Strategy & Team Compositions

Sample Team Ideas

1. The "Yellow Hammer" Stack:
   • Composition: Costume Vivica (Def Down) + Auricarc + Joon (Costume)
   • Strategy: Use Vivica to drop defense, then Auricarc to hit the most dangerous target. If they survive, the mana steal usually prevents them from retaliating, and the sleep locks them down while Joon finishes another target or the same one.
2. The Sleep & Nuke:
   • Composition: Auricarc + Khufu (or any slow, massive AoE hitter)
   • Strategy: Auricarc puts a key target (or the tank) to sleep. The +80% damage received debuff applies. You then fire your massive AoE hitter. The sleeping target takes catastrophic damage, likely dying instantly before they can wake up.

Counters & Anti-Synergies

• Counters: Heroes with pre-cast taunt (like Phorcys or Ludwig) can force Auricarc to target them. Heroes who block status ailments (like Hathor or Garnet) can prevent the Deep Sleep if cast beforehand.
• Anti-Synergy: DoT (Damage over Time) Heroes. DoT ticks count towards the 750 damage threshold to wake up the enemy. If you pair him with heavy burn/poison heroes, they will wake the target up immediately, wasting the control effect.

Advice for New Players

If you pulled Auricarc early, congratulations. Focus on leveling him immediately. He works perfectly fine at 3/70 due to his utility, but he needs max ascension to survive. Learn to time his special: target enemies who are about to fire their special skill to steal their mana and put them to sleep.

Advice for Veterans

Auricarc is a prime candidate for Limit Breaking. The stat boost keeps him relevant against 6000+ TP teams. He solves specific problems (Mega Minions) that older heroes struggle with. While he may not be the flashiest "hit-all" hero, his surgical precision is invaluable in high-level wars.

Community Corner: Hot Takes & History

The community reaction to Auricarc has been overwhelmingly positive, with many considering him a top-tier prize.

• The "Green Mimic" Consolation: Many players pulling for the elusive Mimic heroes found themselves with Auricarc instead and were pleasantly surprised. As one player noted, "Did few pulls for blue mimic but got this instead... With 1 token I was able to get him and couldn’t believe it!"
• The Deep Sleep Debate: There was significant discussion regarding the "Deep Sleep" mechanic. Some players worried it would be "massively unfun" to play against, citing the frustration of having a healer fall asleep for an unknowable duration. However, in practice, players found it balanced by the damage wake-up threshold: "Did a few test runs with the deep sleep. Its good, but unfortunately minions and mega minion chip away at the 500 damage and can awaken the hero."
• Visual Praise: The art received high marks, with comments like "What a beautiful majestic Moth!!!" and "Amazing... Refreshingly new."
• Nerf/Buff History: In Beta, there were concerns he was too strong, with calls for nerfs to his direct damage and mana steal. The final version settled on 40% mana steal (down from 50% in some early iterations) and 530% damage, which players still found "incredibly strong."

Final Thoughts

Auricarc is a hero that ages like fine wine. His stats are robust, but his mechanics are what make him timeless. Mana control is the strongest mechanic in Empires & Puzzles, and Auricarc does it better than almost anyone else by also acting as a damage dealer and crowd controller. He is not just a sniper; he is a tactical nuke. If you have him, use him.

Verdict: A versatile, lethal, and tactical powerhouse that belongs in every roster.

Note: This review is based on the hero's state as of December 20, 2025.