Haulstone: The Construct Who Carries The Team (Literally)

Overview

Meet Haulstone, the "Carry-It-All Construct" who takes the phrase "putting the team on my back" quite literally. Released in June 2023 as part of the Construct family, this Nature (Green) 5-star Druid is a support tank designed to punish enemies for hitting him. Originally named "L1-FT" in Beta (a name that sounds like an Elon Musk child), he was wisely renamed to something that sounds less like a forklift and more like a fantasy golem. While his stats have aged, his unique mechanics make him a fascinating study in conditional buffs and passive healing.

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Hero Art & Visuals

Haulstone is essentially a rock golem going on a very long camping trip. He is burdened with an enormous backpack filled with crates, bedrolls, and what appears to be a picnic basket on his face? It’s a charming design that emphasizes his role: he is slow, steady, and carrying a lot of baggage (mostly your team's survival). The glowing green eyes and cracks in his stone skin give him that classic "magical construct" energy, while the comically large load adds a touch of whimsy.

General Info

Hero Stats

Base Stats (No Emblems)

Level	Attack	Defense	Health	💪Power
4/80	760	978	1866	926
4/85lb1	819	1054	2011	988
4/90lb2	937	1206	2301	1112

▶Calculate with Emblems

Simulation: 0 Emblems

Level				💪
4/80	760	978	1866	926
4/85lb1	819	1054	2011	988
4/90lb2	937	1206	2301	1112

When Haulstone debuted, his 926 Power and nearly 1900 HP were considered "beefy" and "insane." Fast forward to 2026, and the landscape has shifted dramatically.

• Attack (760): This is now incredibly low. Modern supports often boast 1300+ attack. Haulstone won't be doing tile damage.
• Defense (978): Still respectable for a tank, but modern heroes comfortably sit in the 1300-1400 range.
• Health (1866): His saving grace. Even by modern standards, his base HP is decent, and with Limit Breaks, he can still soak up punishment, which is exactly what his kit requires.

Verdict: His stats are outdated. He relies entirely on his percentage-based buffs and passives to remain relevant, as his raw numbers no longer intimidate top-tier rosters.

Special Skill: Bag of Necessities

Special Skill

Bag of Necessities

Mana Speed

Average

• Each ally receives buffs based on their current health:
• Full HP:
• * The ally gets +50% attack for 3 turns.
• * The ally gets +30% defense for 3 turns.
• Above or equal to 50%:
• * The ally gets +50% defense for 3 turns.
• * The ally gets +34% mana generation for 3 turns.
• Below 50% HP:
• * The ally regenerates 810 HP over 3 turns.
• * The ally gets +50% defense for 3 turns.
• * The ally counterattacks with 130% of the damage received for 3 turns.

⚡ Tile Breakpoints Guide

10Base Tiles

12% Bonus

9Tiles

This skill is a "Swiss Army Knife" of buffs, but it requires you to memorize a flowchart. The effect changes based on each individual ally's health at the moment Haulstone fires:

1. Full HP (100%): The "Win More" mode. +50% Attack and +30% Defense. Great for titans or opening moves if you have an overhealer.
2. Above/Equal to 50% (but <100%): The "Stabilize" mode. +50% Defense and +34% Mana Generation. This is arguably his best mode, as that mana gen boost is massive for turning the tide.
3. Below 50%: The "Save Me" mode. Regen (810 HP over 3 turns), +50% Defense, and 130% Counterattack. This is a desperate attempt to claw back from the brink.

The Kicker: All of this is separate from his Passive Healing. You don't pick one effect for the whole team; Haulstone checks each ally individually. You could have one hero counterattacking while another gets a mana boost.

By the Numbers

• Mana Speed: Average. He needs 10 tiles to fire, or 9 with a level 23 Mana Troop (or 17 Magic/Styx). The +34% Mana Gen buff he gives can push Average heroes to functionally Fast speeds for their next charge.
• Healing Potential: The regen is 810 HP over 3 turns (270/turn). That's a solid heal, but it only triggers for allies under 50% HP.
• Passive Impact: The Repair Core (see below) is where the real math happens. A fully charged core grants 25% Boosted Health. For a team with average 2000 HP, that's a 500 HP immediate heal on top of whatever the special skill does.

Family Bonus, Passives, Aether Power & Unique Abilities

Family Bonus

Family Bonus

Covenant Summon - Constructs

• Members of this family have a Construct Core:
• The Construct Core is charged each time this character receives damage from normal attacks or Special Skills.

The Construct family bonus is unique: the Construct Core charges up when the hero takes damage (from tiles or skills). This means Haulstone wants to be hit. This mechanic makes him an excellent tank or flank, as passive play allows him to charge his core quickly.

Passives

Inherent Abilities

Passive Skills

• 

  Resist Special Skill Blocking

  This character is immune to status ailments that prevent the use of Special Skill.
• 

  Repair Core

  The Construct Core of this character is Repair Core. The Repair Core activates each time this character's Special Skill is cast:
• With fully charged Repair Core, boosts the health of all allies by 25%.
• The healing is scaled by the amount of charge in the Core, All charge is exhausted when the Core is activated.

Repair Core: This is arguably better than his special skill. When he fires, he heals everyone based on his core charge.

• Fully Charged: 25% Boosted Health (Overheal).
• Note: If he fires without taking damage (e.g., via mana potions), this passive does nothing. In raids, if he's the tank, he will almost always have charge. Resist Special Skill Blocking: He cannot be Mindless Attacked or Silenced by standard ailments (like Alfrike or Miki), ensuring he can almost always fire his payload to reset the team.

Aether Power

Aether Power

Defense Up

At the start of each battle, this Hero gets 20% defense for 6 turns.

In battles with multiple waves, the effect is refreshed at the beginning of each wave.

Defense Up: A simple but effective boost for a tank. It helps him survive long enough to get that full Core charge.

Legacy & Modern Relevance

• Historical Context: Upon release, Haulstone was a divisive figure. Some players found his conditional skills "boring" or "too random." However, in mid-diamond and war defenses, he quickly earned a reputation as a "menace." His ability to punish bad boards by charging his healing core made him a sticky tank that was frustrating to kill without a dispel or mana control.
• Power Creep Analysis: The game has moved toward faster speeds and higher stats. "Average" speed for a tank is risky in a world of 2-Costume fast snipers. Furthermore, his stats (especially defense) are no longer uncrackable.
• Modern Viability Verdict: Haulstone has moved from a Defense Staple to a Niche PVE/War Depth hero. He is no longer viable as a main tank in top 100 play, but for mid-level wars or as a support in tower events (where his buffs shine), he still has utility. He is mostly a collector's item for established players but can still be a headache in Rush wars.

Costume & Costume Bonus

As of this writing, Haulstone does not have a costume.

Emblem Path Analysis

Haulstone is a tank/support. He does zero damage with his special, and his attack stat is negligible. His entire job is to survive and be hit.

The Unbreakable Wall (Recommended)

• Path: Defense > Health > Attack
• Pros: Maximizes his survivability, allowing him to take more hits, charge his Construct Core fully, and fire off that massive overheal.
• Cons: His tile damage will be nonexistent (but it already was).

Final Recommendation

For virtually every player, the Defense/Health path is the only logical choice. Keep him alive so he can carry the team.

Strengths

• Punishes Tile Dumps: The more you hit him, the more he heals his team when he fires.
• Versatile Buffs: +34% Mana Gen and +50% Attack are top-tier buffs, even if conditional.
• Hard to Silence: Innate resistance to special skill blocking guarantees he can usually fire.
• Boosted Health: The passive overheal is invaluable for long battles.

Weaknesses

• Conditional & Inconsistent: You cannot rely on a specific buff (like healing) on demand. If your team is at 60% HP, they won't get the regen, only the defense/mana buff.
• Passive Reliance: He needs to take damage to be effective. On offense, if the enemy ignores him, his healing output drops significantly.
• Outdated Stats: He melts faster than he used to against modern snipers.

Best Game Modes

• Rush Attack (Wars/Tournaments): His Average speed becomes Very Fast, and he can keep the team constantly overhealed and buffed.
• Titans: If you can keep your team at 100% HP (using potions/items), he provides a consistent +50% Attack buff.
• Map/Tower Stages: His durability and ability to provide mana generation help churn through long waves of bosses.

Advanced Strategy & Team Compositions

Sample Team Ideas

• The "Never Die" Rush Defense:
  • Haulstone (Tank) + 2 Revivers (e.g., Mother North, Heimdall).
  • Why: Haulstone keeps the team overhealed and mana-boosted. If anyone dies, the wings bring them back. The mana gen buff helps the slow revivers charge faster.
• The Titan Buffer:
  • Haulstone + Tarlak/Miki + Defense Down + Elemental Defense Down.
  • Why: Use mana potions to fire Haulstone immediately at full HP for the +50% Attack buff, which stacks with Miki/Tarlak's special stacking mechanic.

Counters & Anti-Synergies

• Counters:
  • Buff Dispellers: His entire kit is buff-based. A fast dispeller (Sabina, Tyrum C) ruins his day.
  • Buff Blockers: Heroes who prevent buffs (Mist, Franz) turn him into a useless stone.
• Anti-Synergy:
  • Other Standard Attack Buffers: Don't pair him with Boldtusk if you plan to be at full HP, as they overwrite each other.

Advice for New Players

If you pulled Haulstone early, celebrate! He is an incredible tank for map stages and lower-tier raids. He will keep your squishy snipers alive and speed them up. Prioritize leveling him as your main green project.

Advice for Veterans

Unless you are lacking a green tank for Rush wars or need depth for Tower events, Haulstone is likely a pass for Limit Breaking. His stats are too low to justify Alpha Aethers compared to modern green monsters like Turundh or Gelert. Keep him at 4/80 or LB1 for War equality or depth.

Community Corner: Hot Takes & History

• The Rename: The community let out a collective sigh of relief when "L1-FT" became Haulstone.
• The "Boring" Label: Many players initially dismissed him. One forum user noted, "I find him too situational. Full health effect is almost impossible to achieve unless you burn one mana pot."
• The Tank Realization: Conversely, players who faced him in raids changed their tune: "I fought an LB2 tank and he was brutally hard. He’s as tough as a coffin nail."
• The "Carry": A user summed it up perfectly: "He’s a nightmare for clean-up folk with relatively weak rosters in wars."

Final Thoughts

Haulstone is the dad of Empires & Puzzles heroes: not flashy, carrying way too much luggage, and obsessed with making sure everyone has their "necessities" (Health, Defense, Mana). While he has lost his spot as a premier tank due to the relentless march of power creep, his unique mechanic of converting damage taken into team healing ensures he will always have a niche. If you need a hero to anchor a Rush defense or carry a fragile team through tough PVE content, Haulstone is ready to shoulder the load.

Value: B+ (Viable Support) Costume: N/A Recommendation: A solid defensive pivot, but save your Alpha Aethers for someone who hits back.