Daemon: The Very Fast "No You Don't" Button for Sha Wujing & Luna

Overview

Daemon is a 5-star Fire (Red) hero from the Clash of Knights event, belonging to the Stag Family. Released in early 2024, he was introduced as a precision surgical instrument designed to dissect the heavy-buff meta dominated by heroes like Luna and Sha Wujing. He is a Very Fast sniper who doesn't just hit you; he strips you of your defenses, silences your class talents, and forbids you from doing anything useful for your team.

Think of him as Malosi’s aggressive, red-headed cousin who decided that doing damage was just as important as control. While he doesn't have a costume to update his wardrobe or stats, his base kit is so mechanically sound that he remains a relevant—albeit fragile—tool in any competitive player's box.

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Hero Art & Visuals

Daemon is the "Avenger of the Withered," but he looks more like the "Bachelor of the Year." Standing tall with a rose in hand and a dashing cape, he exudes a romantic, swashbuckling vibe that contrasts sharply with the gritty, armored look of many other Clash of Knights heroes. He’s the guy who silences you with a smile and a single red petal before delivering a fatal blow. It's a fantastic design that screams "confidence"—which you'll need, considering his health pool in the current era.

General Info

Hero Stats

Stat Analysis & Modern Benchmarks: Here is the hard truth: Daemon is a hero from January 2024 living in a January 2026 world.

• Attack (1102): By 2024 standards, this was elite. By 2026 standards, where attackers push 1350+ base attack, it's merely "good." He hits hard, but he won't one-shot a 2LB tank without help.
• Defense (980) & Health (1730): This is the danger zone. Modern heroes boast 1300+ Defense and 2200+ Health. Daemon is significantly squishier than the current generation of heroes (like the Construct or Astral families). He is a "Glass Controller"—he needs to do his job quickly because he won't survive a prolonged beating.

Special Skill: Blood Petals

Skill Analysis: "Blood Petals" is a masterclass in Order of Operations. The specific sequence of effects is what makes Daemon elite:

1. Dispels Buffs First: This is critical. Before he does anything else, he strips the target. Got Taunt? Gone. Got Evasion? Gone.
2. Blocks Talent Skill: This applies after the dispel but before the damage (effectively). This means if you hit a Fighter who has a "Revive" buff, the dispel removes the buff, and the talent block prevents their innate class revive. If you hit a Monk or Rogue, this block attempts to stop them from resisting or dodging subsequent effects.
3. Deals Damage: 485% at Very Fast is a hefty slap.
4. Blocks New Status Effects: The target cannot cast buffs on allies or ailments on enemies.

Why this matters: This kit was specifically engineered to counter heroes like Sha Wujing. Sha Wujing dodges special skills. Daemon dispels the dodge first, then hits. Sha Wujing is a Monk (resists ailments). Daemon blocks the Talent activation (though Monks can resist the block itself, if it lands, Sha is neutered). It also stops Luna and Hippo from applying their game-ending buffs.

By the Numbers

• Mana Speed: Very Fast. He charges in 6.5 tiles. With a level 11 Mana Troop (or even lower with class nodes/costume bonuses from other heroes), he can charge in 6 tiles. This is his saving grace. In 90% of matches, he will be ready to fire before the tank does.
• Damage Potential:
  • Base Attack (LB2): ~1358
  • Skill Multiplier: 485%
  • Rough Damage Value: ~6,586 (before defense calculation).
  • Verdict: He hits harder than Malosi ever did, capable of taking a significant chunk out of a support hero or finishing off a wounded tank.
• Passives:
  • 5% Heal on Buff: If you pair him with a buffer (like a heavy hitter who gives attack up), he self-sustains. It's a small drip-feed of health that might let him survive one extra slash attack.

Family Bonus, Passives, Aether Power & Unique Abilities

Family Bonus

Analysis: The Stag family bonus is excellent for PVP. If an enemy tries to cast an Attack Down ailment on Daemon (e.g., from a Barbarian talent or a hero like Skargremar), it gets flipped into an Attack Buff (+40%/+60%/+70%). This makes him naturally resistant to attack softeners, ensuring his snipe always lands with full force.

Passives

Analysis: Recovering 5% health when receiving a buff or stack is decent. In a buff-heavy team, this adds up, but don't rely on it to save him from a sniper shot.

Aether Power

Analysis: Attack Up is the perfect choice for him. Since he is a Very Fast sniper, you want him to hit as hard as possible as early as possible. This innate boost at the start of the battle helps him secure kills before the enemy healer charges.

Legacy & Modern Relevance

• Historical Context: Upon release, Daemon was hailed as the "Malosi 2.0"—the hero everyone wanted to shut down the dominant "Bubble" meta (Luna, Persa) and the Dodge meta (Sha Wujing). He was a top-tier attacker.
• Power Creep: Two years later, his stats have fallen behind. He is no longer a scary defensive threat because he is too easy to kill with tile damage.
• Modern Viability Verdict: High Utility / Niche Meta Counter. Daemon is no longer a general-purpose sniper. You don't bring him just for damage. You bring him specifically when you see Sha Wujing, Luna, Ludwig, or Phorcys. His ability to shut them down at 6-tile speed is still unrivaled by almost any modern hero. He is a "scalpel" in a world of hammers. If you protect him, he still wins wars.

Emblem Path Analysis

The Glass Cannon (Attack Path)

• Path: Attack > Health > Defense
• Pros: Maximizes his 485% hit. At Very Fast speed, his job is to kill or cripple a target immediately. Every point of attack helps break through modern defense stats.
• Cons: He remains extremely fragile. A stiff breeze or a stray cascade might kill him.

The Survivor (Defense Path)

• Path: Defense > Health > Attack
• Pros: Keeps him alive long enough to use his utility. His primary value is the Dispel and Block, not the damage. If he's dead, he can't stop Sha Wujing.
• Cons: His snipe becomes a "tickle" against 2026 heroes with 1600+ Defense.

Final Recommendation

For modern play, The Survivor (Defense/Health) path is recommended for most players. His utility (Dispel/Block) is his main selling point. He doesn't need high attack to dispel a taunt, but he does need high defense to survive the tiles needed to charge him. However, if you are confident in your board manipulation, the Attack path makes him a threat rather than just a tool.

Strengths

• Speed: Very Fast (6 tiles). He moves before the meta does.
• Priority Dispel: Dispels before hitting, countering Taunt, Dodge, and Defense Up.
• Total Shutdown: Blocks both Class Talents (bye-bye Revive/Dodge) and Status Effects (bye-bye Buffs/Ailments).
• Anti-Ailment Synergy: Stag family converts Attack Down into damage fuel.

Weaknesses

• Outdated Stats: His defense and health are low for the current era. He is prone to dying early.
• Single Target: He only controls one enemy. In a meta with "Hit All" monsters, shutting down one hero might not be enough if the other four kill you.
• Monk RNG: While he is designed to counter Monks (like Sha), Monks still have a roughly 30% chance to resist his negative effects before they apply. If Sha resists the block, the plan fails.

Best Game Modes

• War Attack: Specifically for dissecting defenses with key buffers (Ludwig tanks) or dodgers.
• Rush Attack: He is already Very Fast, so Rush doesn't change his speed much, but his ability to stop a Rush Alfrike or Rush Khufu from gaining buffs or reviving is valuable.
• Tournaments: Deadly in Buff Booster (he dispels them) and Bloody Battle (he hits hard and fast).

Advanced Strategy & Team Compositions

Sample Team Ideas

• The "Red Blitz" (6-Tile Red Stack):
  • Daemon + Tetisheri + Marjana (C): A team designed to kill one side of the board instantly. Marjana lowers defense, Daemon strips buffs, Tetisheri nukes. All charge rapidly.
• The "Anti-Taunt" Specialist:
  • Bring Daemon against Ludwig or Phorcys tanks. Match 3 red tiles into the tank (if possible) or ghost 3. Fire Daemon. The tank is now naked, silenced from casting buffs, and damaged.

Counters & Anti-Synergies

• Passives that resist Ailments: Heroes like the Constructs or Astral Demons often have passives that resist mana reduction or specific ailments. While Daemon doesn't reduce mana, be aware of heroes immune to "Status Effect Blocking."
• Monks: As mentioned, Monks are a soft counter to him because of the resist chance. If Sha resists the block, the plan fails.

Advice for New Players

If you pulled Daemon, you have struck gold. He is an "undo" button for difficult bosses and annoying raid teams. Prioritize leveling him. He will teach you the value of timing—wait for the enemy to buff, then punish them, or fire him early to prevent them from buffing at all.

Advice for Veterans

You likely have newer, shinier toys with 1300+ Power. But do you have a 6-tile dispel that also blocks talent activation? Probably not many. Daemon is worth keeping on your roster for specific counter-picking in War. Do not limit break him a second time (Alpha Aethers) unless you use him daily; his stats won't scale enough to make him a tank, and his utility works fine at LB1. Save the Alphas for a multi-target hitter.

Community Corner: Hot Takes & History

• "This is Malosi in his final form." — The immediate reaction upon his release. Players recognized that adding damage to Malosi's kit made for a monster.
• "The best anti-Luna/anti-Hippo hero." — A common sentiment. Stopping the "passive damage" meta was his main selling point.
• "He will suck at his job because Sha is a monk." — A heated debate raged about whether Sha Wujing would resist Daemon. The consensus: It's a gamble, but Daemon is still your best bet because he strips the dodge first.

Final Thoughts

Daemon is the James Bond of Empires & Puzzles: handsome, fast, and equipped with a very specific gadget for a very specific job. He brings a rose to the battlefield, but the thorns are what the enemy remembers. While he may not have the brute force of the 2026 heavyweights, his ability to say "No" to the game's most powerful specials keeps him relevant. He’s a classic control hero who aged gracefully into a niche role.

Verdict: A fragile but essential tool for the thinking player.