Barkley: The Pug of War, Explosive Fiends, and Taunt Busting

Overview

Barkley arrived in Empires & Puzzles in May 2023 as part of the Mighty Pets family, riding a rocket and looking absolutely manic. At the time, he was a chaotic force of nature, dealing heavy damage and planting "ticking time bombs" in the form of fiends.

He is a 5-star Legendary Fire (Red) hero with an Average mana speed. His gimmick is pure chaos: he hits a specific target and then sprays two more missiles at random enemies. While his stats have undeniably aged, his unique mechanic—punishing the enemy team when a fiend-afflicted hero dies—keeps him in the conversation for specific offensive strategies.

max

lb2

Hero Art & Visuals

Barkley’s design is a masterpiece of unhinged energy. It’s a pug. On a rocket. With goggles. The sheer panic and excitement in those bulging eyes perfectly capture the "Missile Mania" skill name.

Unlike the stoic warriors or terrifying monsters usually found in the game, Barkley brings a cartoonish, chaotic vibe that screams "I have no idea what I'm doing, but everything is about to explode." The detail of the bomb basket and the fiery exhaust is fantastic. It’s hard to stay mad at him for nuking your team when he looks this ridiculous.

General Info

Hero Stats

Stat Analysis: Let’s be blunt: Barkley’s stats are severely outdated. With a maximum Limit Broken (LB2) power of roughly 1055, he is sitting nearly 475 points lower than modern heavyweights like Jwala or Telonius C1, who push past the 1530 mark.

• Attack: His ~1100 attack is now comparable to modern 4-star heroes.
• Bulk: His defense and health (approx. 1000 Def / 1880 HP) mean he is incredibly fragile by today's standards. A single hit from a modern sniper can likely one-shot him.

To use him effectively today, you absolutely must protect him or use him in formats where his specific utility outweighs his lack of raw stats.

Special Skill: Missile Mania

Skill Analysis: "Missile Mania" is a skill that tries to do everything, and when it works, it's devastating.

1. The Triple Hit: He deals 300% damage to the target and 2 random enemies. This is a total of 900% damage distributed across the team. In the current meta, 300% is on the lower side for a "snipe," but it's respectable for a hit-3.
2. The Fiend (The Bomb): The real star of the show. He summons a Missile Fiend to everyone hit. The damage (55%) is negligible, but the secondary effect is the killer: If the enemy dies with the fiend, nearby enemies take 500 flat damage.
3. Healing Absorption: The fiend absorbs 28% of max health. This is a decent amount, forcing healers to work overtime.

The "Bomb" mechanic makes Barkley an interesting finisher. If you pair him with a fast sniper who can kill a target after Barkley applies the fiend, you trigger a massive 500-damage explosion on the neighbors.

By the Numbers

• Mana Speed: Average. He needs 10 tiles to charge, or 9 with a modest mana troop (Level 11-17 depending on talents/costume bonus). He doesn't have a costume or huge mana buffs, so he is strictly Average.
• Damage Output:
  • Direct Damage: 300% x 3 targets = 900% Total Damage.
  • Fiend Explosion: If you manage to kill a central target with a fiend, the two neighbors take 500 damage each. That is effectively an extra 1000 damage for the team, bypassing defense stats.
• Healing Denial: 28% of a modern 3000 HP hero is roughly 840 healing absorbed. That essentially nullifies one average heal from a support hero.

Family Bonus, Passives, Aether Power & Unique Abilities

Family Bonus

The Mighty Pet bonus focuses on minion/fiend interactions. It makes his minions beefier and his fiends weaker for the enemy to deal with. It's nice, but rarely a game-changer unless you are running a full "Pet Shop" team.

Passives

Barkley has two excellent passives:

1. Wrath of Pets: Deals 85% damage to all enemies when an enemy summons a fiend. This is free damage against Waterpipe, Balur, or other heavy fiend summoners.
2. Friend of the Familiars: Gains 5% HP and 5% Mana when an ally summons a minion. This makes him pair beautifully with fast minion summoners (like a Freya or Motega), effectively speeding him up.

Aether Power

Ailment Immunity for the first 6 turns is arguably one of the best Aether Powers in the game. It guarantees that Barkley won't be silenced, mana-blocked, or defense-broken before he gets a chance to fire. Given his fragility, this is crucial for his survival.

Legacy & Modern Relevance

• Historical Context: Upon release, Barkley was seen as a "fixed" version of the hero Carol. He was a menace in wars, especially against Ludwig tanks. Players realized that Barkley’s random hits would often pile up on a taunting hero, loading them with fiends. When the taunter died, the resulting explosions would wipe out the flanking heroes.
• Power Creep Analysis: Power creep has been unkind to the glorious pug. His damage percentages (300%) are merely "okay" now, and his stats are abysmal compared to the 2025/2026 gods.
• Modern Viability Verdict: Barkley is Niche / Bench. He is no longer a top-tier defender or a primary attacker. However, he finds a home in Bloody Battle tournaments (where fiends can't be healed) and as a specific counter to Taunt heroes if you lack a dispeller.

Emblem Path Analysis

Barkley is a Fighter, which gives him the chance to Revive with 1 HP. This is fantastic for a squishy damage dealer.

The Aggressive Pug (Recommended)

• Path: Attack > Health > Defense
• Pros: Maximizes the punch of his 300% hits and increases the tick damage of the fiends (which scales off Attack).
• Cons: He remains very squishy.

The Survivalist

• Path: Defense > Health > Attack
• Pros: Keeps him alive longer to maybe fire twice.
• Cons: His 300% hit will feel like a wet noodle against modern defenses.

Final Recommendation

Go full Attack. Barkley’s only job is to cause chaos and damage. If he’s not hitting hard, he’s just a cute dog taking up a roster slot.

Strengths

• Explosive Finish: The 500 damage explosion upon host death is unique and ignores defense.
• Taunt Punishment: If hits land on a taunter (or random hits circumvent taunt when it's not active), he sets up a "bomb" that punishes the enemy for letting their tank die.
• Passive Damage: Free damage when enemies summon fiends.
• Revive: Fighter class talent can clutch wins.

Weaknesses

• Glass Cannon: Extremely low defense and health stats by modern standards.
• RNG Factor: You can't control where 2 of the 3 hits go. They might hit a hero about to die anyway, wasting damage, or wake up a sleeper.
• Average Speed: In a world of Very Fast nukers, Average can feel like an eternity.
• Cleansable: While the explosion is nice, a strong healer can clear the fiend before the host dies, diffusing the bomb.

Best Game Modes

• Bloody Battle Tournaments: This is his playground. Enemies cannot heal off the fiends, meaning the "Bomb" is permanent until the hero dies or the match ends.
• War (Cleanse Aid/Arrow Barrage): He is decent here. Avoid Equalizer wars if possible, as while Equalizer doesn't remove fiends, it removes the ailments that might help you kill the fiend host.
• PvE / Map Stages: The random hits are less risky here, and the fiends help control boss healing.

Advanced Strategy & Team Compositions

The "Bomb Squad"

Pair Barkley with fast snipers or executioners. The goal is: Barkley fires -> Sniper kills the target with the fiend -> BOOM (500 damage to neighbors).

• Team: Barkley + Gestalt/Deadboot (or any strong sniper) + Defense Down.

The Minion Engine

Leverage his passive (Mana on ally minion summon).

• Team: Freya/Bera + Barkley. Every time Freya fires, Barkley gets mana and health, helping him cycle faster.

Counters & Anti-Synergies

• Strong Healers (Hathor, Arco): They can easily overheal the fiend's absorption limit, removing it instantly.
• Taunt (Double Edged): While he can punish Taunt, a taunter protects the team from his random hits spreading. If you can't kill the taunter, Barkley is useless.
• Minion Destroyers (Grimble, Ogima): They don't destroy fiends, but they destroy the minions that might be fueling Barkley's passive.

Advice for New Players

If you pulled Barkley early, rejoice! He will carry you through map stages and lower-level raids. His damage is high enough to wipe teams in Gold/Platinum arenas. Focus on keeping him alive with a good healer.

Advice for Veterans

Barkley is likely a fun toy rather than a war staple for you. He is worth ascending if you love the art or need depth for Bloody Battle. Do not use Alpha Aethers on him unless you have a surplus and a deep love for pugs; there are simply better stats out there.

Community Corner: Hot Takes & History

• The Beta Buff: Initially, Barkley only dealt 150% damage in Beta. The community rioted, calling him a "dull thud." SG listened, doubling it to 300% and buffing the explosion to 500 damage. One user noted: "Suddenly Barkley looks in line with SG’s policy of 'New Heroes: OP Only'."
• The "5-Star Carol": Many players compared him to the hero Carol, but noted he is "a way better Carol."
• The Taunt Tech: Players quickly realized his potential against Ludwig: "Barkley is great against taunters... When the sniper takes out the taunter the fiends damages 1500 HP to nearby."

Final Thoughts

Barkley is a perfect example of a hero who lived fast and aged... somewhat gracefully. While his stats have fallen off a cliff compared to the monsters of 2026, his kit remains undeniably fun and mechanically unique. He brings a chaotic energy to the battlefield that few other heroes can match.

If you want a hero who is reliable, sturdy, and predictable, look elsewhere. If you want a pug who straps himself to a rocket to blow up the neighbor's yard? Barkley is your good boy.

Verdict: A fun, chaotic blaster who excels in Bloody Battle but requires protection in serious play.

Strategy Note: While he has fallen out of the top meta, never underestimate the power of a well-timed "Fiend Bomb" in a close match!