Costumed Zhuge Liang: Strategist Supreme & Minion Master

Overview

If the original Zhuge Liang was a "Sleeping Dragon," the Costumed version (C1) is the dragon fully awake, breathing fire, and encased in diamond armor. Released in mid-2024, this costume completely revitalized the hero, transforming him from a niche Slow hero into one of the most oppressive defensive walls in the game.

He keeps the Slow speed but gains the Monk class and, most importantly, the "Unstoppable Minions" passive. This isn't just a stat boost; it's a fundamental rewrite of his viability.

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Hero Art & Visuals

The costume swaps the scholarly robes for something more regal and imposing. He looks less like an advisor and more like an Emperor commanding the tides of war. The visual upgrade matches the stat upgrade—he looks expensive, powerful, and ready to ruin your raid streak.

General Info

Hero Stats

The stat difference here is jaw-dropping.

• Base Power: 835 -> 1105 (Costume)
• Health: 1545 -> 2248 (Costume Base) -> 3000+ (Maxed/LB2)

This is a modern stat line. With over 2200 base health (before emblems!), Zhuge Liang C1 sits comfortably among the tankiest heroes in existence. This high HP pool is critical because his primary mechanic—minions—scales off his max health. A bigger Zhuge means bigger bodyguards.

Special Skill: Triumph of Strategy

Analysis: The skill structure remains similar to the base, but the numbers have been juiced to the moon.

1. Minions: Summons minions with 33% HP and 33% Attack.
   • Comparison: Base was 9% HP. This is nearly 4x the durability.
2. Counterattack: Minions grant 55% Counterattack (up from 50%).
3. Fiends: Summons fiends dealing 70% damage and absorbing 55% healing.

Why this matters: A 33% HP minion on a hero with 3000 HP is a 1000 HP Minion. That is not a minion; that is a whole separate 3-star hero standing in front of every ally. These minions do not die to slash attacks. They do not die to single special skills. They stick around, meaning the Counterattack buff sticks around. He creates a wall of 5000 HP across your team that reflects damage.

By the Numbers

• Effective Minion HP: With Limit Break 2 and Emblems, Costumed Zhuge can reach ~3200 HP. 33% of that is ~1056 HP per minion.
• Damage Mitigation: To kill the minion, an enemy must deal ~1000 damage. While doing so, they take ~550 damage back via counterattack.
• Healing Block: The fiend absorbs 55% of the target's max HP. On a 2500 HP enemy, that is 1375 Healing that must be poured in just to remove the fiend.
• Total Swing: Between the extra HP buffer of the minion and the healing debt of the fiend, Zhuge Liang C1 creates a massive HP differential between the two teams.

Family Bonus, Passives, Aether Power & Unique Abilities

Family Bonus

The Kingdom family mana generation is helpful, but the real winner here is the Costume Bonus which we detail below.

Passives

Unstoppable Minions: This is the game-changer.

• Resistance against Minion Removal: Grimble? Topaz? Gobbler? Denied. They cannot instantly eat these minions. They have to chew through the HP the hard way.
• Cannot be prevented: Bera or Kvasir cannot stop him from summoning.
• Minion abilities can't be disabled: The counterattack is guaranteed to work.

This passive removes the hard counters that kept the original Zhuge Liang in check. You cannot "tech" against him with a minion eater; you have to out-damage him.

Aether Power

Mana Boost: At the start of battle, he gains mana. For a Slow hero, this is fantastic, helping him bridge the gap to his first cast.

Legacy & Modern Relevance

• Historical Context: The base hero was forgettable. The Costume release was a "redemption arc." It instantly vaulted him into top-tier War Defense conversations.
• Modern Viability Verdict: Top Tier. He is a staple in high-level Alliance Wars, particularly in Rush, but his raw stats and minion durability make him viable in standard wars as well. He is one of the premier "Time Waster" tanks.

Costume & Costume Bonus

This is a review of the Costumed version, but it's worth noting the Costume Bonus:

• Stats: +35% Attack, +35% Defense, +45% Health, +5% Mana. These percentages are absurdly high compared to older costumes (which were 5/5/10/5). This massive health multiplier is exactly why his minions are so oppressive.

Verdict: The Costume is strictly superior in every way. There is no scenario where you would use the base form if you have this unlocked.

Emblem Path Analysis

The Iron Wall (Defense/Health)

• Path: Defense > Health > Attack
• Pros: Maximizes his HP pool, which directly increases minion HP. A 3000 HP Zhuge makes 1000 HP minions. A 2500 HP Zhuge makes 825 HP minions. Go for HP.
• Cons: Lower attack for tile damage (but who cares?).

Final Recommendation

Defense/Health is the only logical path. You want him to survive to fire, and you want his minions to be as fat as possible.

Strengths

• The 1000 HP Minion: The sheer size of the minions acts as a pseudo-overheal for the entire team.
• Uncounterable: The "Unstoppable Minions" passive means classic minion counters do not work.
• Healing Denial: The fiends force the enemy to bring massive healing, limiting their offensive slots.
• Stats: He is a stat monster.

Weaknesses

• Slow Speed: He still requires 12 tiles. If the board is bad, he might die before firing (though his high stats make this hard).
• Dispel: While the minions can't be removed, the counterattack is a property of the owner provided by the minion. However, the card says "This effect can't be dispelled." So actually, this is barely a weakness.
• Passive Play: He doesn't kill you instantly; he kills you slowly. If the attacker has infinite time, they might grind him down.

Best Game Modes

• Rush Attack: He is a god here. Firing these huge minions at Very Fast speed is almost an instant win condition.
• War Defense (Tank): His massive stats and stalling capability make him a frustrating tank to face.
• PvE/Auto-Farming: The minions provide so much safety that your team essentially becomes immortal.

Advanced Strategy & Team Compositions

Sample Team Ideas

• The "Wall of China": Sha Wujing - Zhuge Liang C - Queen Guowang - ...
  • Why: Kingdom Family synergy boosts mana and healing. Stacking these high-stat heroes makes the team incredibly hard to break.
• The "Undying Rush": Mother North - Zhuge Liang C - Huttgin - ...
  • Why: Revivers bring him back, he summons walls. It becomes a zombie apocalypse of minions.

Counters & Anti-Synergies

• Counters: Hypnos (can disable buffs? No, passive blocks it). Honestly, the best counter is Raw Damage. Heroes like Jove or Gestalt who can slam through the minions.
• Silence/Mana Control: Proteus, Hel, or Tetisheri to stop him from firing is the most effective strategy.

Advice for New Players

If you pull this Costume, you have won the lottery. Put him in your defense team immediately. Even partially leveled, his stats will outshine most of your roster. Prioritize HP in emblems.

Advice for Veterans

Costumed Zhuge Liang is worth the Alpha Aethers. He is a primary candidate for Limit Break 2 solely for the stat stick potential to boost those minions. He is a key piece for Rush Wars and a solid option for your main defense team to prevent 1-shots.

Community Corner: Hot Takes & History

When the costume details leaked, the community reaction was immediate:

• "Did we really need to go that far SG?" - referencing the 3000+ HP potential.
• "The Costume bonus here is insane... 45% extra health."
• One YouTuber noted: "Your nemesis has arrived."
• Another reaction to the minions: "33% HP... significantly stronger... sacrificing just 2% healing on Diaochan for these beefy minions."

The transition from "meh" to "monster" was widely acknowledged.

Final Thoughts

Costumed Zhuge Liang is a masterclass in how a costume can save a hero. He went from a dusty library strategist to a frontline warlord. With minions that have more HP than some 3-star heroes and a passive that says "No" to counters, he demands respect.

If you see him in Rush Attack, bring your heavy hitters and pray for tiles. If you own him, enjoy the sight of your enemies breaking their weapons against your walls.

Verdict: S+ Tier (Rush) / A+ Tier (Overall)