Ghealach: The Starborne Mage Who Drinks Your Mana Milkshake

Overview

Ghealach arrived in Empires & Puzzles back in September 2023 as part of the Construct family, bringing a refreshing mix of adorable visuals and absolutely toxic gameplay mechanics. He is a 5-star Ice (Blue) Wizard who specializes in shutting down the enemy team not just by hurting them, but by starving them of their most precious resource: mana.

While he started his life on the Beta server as a terrifyingly fast monster, he was released at Average speed, which initially disappointed some players. However, a significant balance update in December 2023 buffed his stats and skills, cementing his place as a premier mana control hero. He doesn't just stop mana; he steals it, turning the enemy's momentum into your own.

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Hero Art & Visuals

Let's be honest: Ghealach is one of the best-designed heroes in the game purely from an aesthetic standpoint. He looks like a little magical robot—a "Construct"—wearing a wizard's hat that's too big for him, with a face made of a literal glowing star. He summons "Fallen Star Fiends" that look like cute, angry little stars holding knives. It’s a delightful change of pace from the usual grimdark warriors and dragons. He looks like he belongs in a high-budget platformer game, not a match-3 RPG, and we love him for it.

General Info

Hero Stats

Stat Analysis: Here is the hard truth: Ghealach's stats are showing their age. With 997 Attack, 951 Defense, and 1751 Health, he falls significantly behind the modern "god-tier" heroes who regularly sport 1300+ Attack and 2400+ Health. In a world of monster stats, Ghealach is squishy. He will not survive sustained punishment from modern snipers. However, unlike pure damage dealers, his value lies in his utility, which doesn't rely entirely on his stat line. You will need to limit break and emblem him heavily just to keep him alive long enough to do his job.

Special Skill: Star Construct

Analysis: This skill is a Swiss Army knife of misery for your opponents.

1. The Hit: 385% damage to three targets is respectable, if not earth-shattering by today's standards. It’s enough to soften up the defense or finish off weakened foes.
2. The Fiend: The Fallen Star Fiend absorbs healing equal to 45% of max health. On modern heroes with 2500+ HP, that is a massive amount of healing required to remove the fiend (over 1000 HP).
3. The Mana Steal: This is the main event. While the fiend is active, Ghealach steals 45% of the generated mana from the targets. This is not a one-time reduction; it is a continuous drain. Every tile the enemy matches, every turn that passes, they generate significantly less mana, and Ghealach gains it. This allows him to recharge his own skill incredibly fast once the engine is running, often letting him fire again before the fiends are removed.

By the Numbers

Let’s break down why "45% mana steal" is so powerful.

• Mana Speed: Average (requires 10 tiles).
• The Loop: Once Ghealach fires, if he hits 3 enemies, he is effectively leeching 45% of their mana gains. If the enemy matches tiles into those heroes, they are feeding Ghealach. In Rush Attack tournaments (Very Fast speed), this effect becomes oppressive. He can fire, steal mana to recharge, and fire again, keeping the entire enemy team permanently suppressed.
• Destructive Core: Don't forget his passive. After charging up, he deals an additional 180% damage to ALL enemies. This turns his "Hit-3" skill into a pseudo-AoE nuke that softens the entire board.

Family Bonus, Passives, Aether Power & Unique Abilities

The Construct family offers some of the most interesting mechanics in the game.

Family Bonus

The Construct family bonus isn't a traditional stat boost; it's the "Core" mechanic itself. It rewards you for keeping the battle going.

Passives

Destructive Core: The core charges up when Ghealach takes damage. When he fires his special, he unleashes this stored energy. It can add significant chip damage to the entire enemy team, helping to bring them into kill range for your snipers. Resist Special Skill Blocking: This is an underrated gem. Heroes that rely on "Mindless Attack" (like Alfrike or the new Insanity heroes) or Silence (like Miki or Peters) cannot stop Ghealach from firing. He will simply ignore the status ailment and cast his Star Construct anyway. This makes him a fantastic counter to mana-control defenses.

Aether Power

Dodge: For a hero with aging defense stats, Dodge is the best possible Aether Power. It gives him a percentage-based chance to completely ignore damage, which is far more valuable than a small defense boost when you are facing enemies that hit for 1500 damage.

Legacy & Modern Relevance

• Historical Context: Upon release, Ghealach was seen as a "balanced" version of what was a broken beta hero. He quickly found a home in Rush Wars and as a niche tank/flank.
• Power Creep Analysis: While his raw numbers (damage and stats) have been power-crept, his mechanics have not. Mana control is the one mechanic that never truly goes out of style. Stealing 45% of generated mana is just as devastating to a 2025 hero as it was to a 2023 hero.
• Modern Viability Verdict: Viable. He is no longer a "set and forget" defense hero due to his fragility, but on offense—particularly in Rush Attack modes or when paired with taunt heroes—he is a game-winner. If you can keep him alive, he can single-handedly shut down the left side of a defense.

Emblem Path Analysis

Ghealach is a Wizard, which gives him a chance to deal extra damage (Jinx) against enemies with buffs. However, his primary role is Control, not Damage.

The Survivor (Recommended)

• Path: Defense > Health > Attack
• Pros: Maximizes his survivability. He needs to stay alive for the mana steal to work. The longer he lives, the more mana he steals, and the more times he fires.
• Cons: His hit-3 damage will be lower.

The Star Nuke

• Path: Attack > Defense > Health
• Pros: Increases the damage of his 385% hit and the 180% Core passive. Makes him hit surprisingly hard.
• Cons: He will die very quickly against modern snipers.

Final Recommendation

For most players, the Survivor (Defense/Health) path is recommended because a dead Ghealach steals zero mana. His utility is far more important than his damage output.

Strengths

• Mana Control: Stealing 45% of generated mana is crippling. It effectively makes Average heroes Slow, and Fast heroes Average.
• Healing Denial: The fiends absorb a massive amount of healing (45% of max HP), acting as a pseudo-silence for enemy healers.
• Resist Block: Immunity to Silence and Mindless Attack ensures he can almost always fire when ready.
• Self-Sustain: The mana steal helps him recharge his own skill faster.

Weaknesses

• Outdated Stats: His defense and HP are low by modern standards. He is prone to being one-shot.
• Cleanse Vulnerability: While the mana steal is tied to the fiend (which can't be cleansed, only healed), if the enemy has a strong healer who can "overheal" the fiend away quickly, the effect ends.
• Passive Play: He requires the enemy to actually generate mana for him to steal it. If the board is dry, he does nothing.

Best Game Modes

• Rush Attack Tournaments/Wars: This is his kingdom. At Very Fast speed, he can fire immediately, locking the enemy team out of their specials before they can start.
• PvP Offense: Great against slow, heavy-hitting defenses or teams that rely on healing.
• Events: The mana control is excellent for boss waves, keeping bosses from firing their devastating specials.

Advanced Strategy & Team Compositions

Ghealach shines when he is protected and when he can fire repeatedly.

Sample Team Ideas

1. The Mana Vacuum: Ghealach + Ludwig (or any mana booster). Ludwig forces mana onto Ghealach, ensuring he fires. Ghealach then steals enemy mana, creating a loop where the enemy never fires.
2. The Fiend Party: Ghealach + Arco or Numbskull. Overload the enemy with fiends so healers can't keep up.
3. The Blue Wall: Miriam & Midnight + Ghealach. M&M provides healing and minions for survivability, while Ghealach controls the mana.

Counters & Anti-Synergies

• Counters: Arco and Esme are hard counters. They destroy fiends instantly or replace them with minions, removing Ghealach's mana steal effect immediately.
• Anti-Synergy: Don't pair him with heroes that completely stop mana generation (like Proteus or Hel). If the enemy cannot generate mana, Ghealach has nothing to steal! You want them to gain mana so you can take it.

Advice for New Players

If you are lucky enough to pull him, level him immediately. He will carry you through map stages and raids simply by stopping bosses from killing you. Focus on keeping him alive with healers and defensive items.

Advice for Veterans

Ghealach is a "luxury" tool. He isn't a universal defense hero anymore, but he is a devastating counter-pick in wars. If you see a defense relying on slow, powerful heroes or healers, bring Ghealach. Is he worth an Alpha Aether? Only if you use him in your main war team or Rush defense. The Dodge is very helpful, but he competes with many stronger blues for those Aethers.

Community Corner: Hot Takes & History

• From the Archives: When he was first previewed in Beta, players were terrified. "He charged in beta every turn stealing 50% mana... he was way too OP."
• The Nerf: His release version was slowed to Average, leading to cries of "They ruined him!" and "He's just a blue Onatel now."
• The Redemption: The December 2023 balance update silenced the critics. Increasing his stats and bumping the mana steal to 45% made him a force to be reckoned with again. "He will kill a lot of people," one YouTuber predicted correctly.
• The Name: The community struggled with his name ("Gilac?", "Gerlach?"). Many simply call him "The Little Star Mage" or wished he was named "Cosmo."

Final Thoughts

Ghealach is the definition of "small package, big surprise." He might look like a cute mascot, but his ability to drink the enemy team's mana makes him one of the most annoying heroes to face when the tiles go his way. While his stats are gathering dust, his skill set remains timelessly toxic.

Verdict: A top-tier pick for Rush Attack and a solid niche offense hero for mana control.

And yes, the costume bonus... oh wait, he doesn't have one yet. But when he does, pray it gives him some modern defense stats.