Liu Tang: The Red-Haired Devil Who Loves to Get Hit

Overview

Meet Liu Tang, the "Red-Haired Devil of Water Margin," a Rare (3-star) Fire hero hailing from the Outlaws of Liangshan family. Released in May 2025, this burly bandit brings a mechanic previously reserved for the elite few to the 3-star arena: Taunt. While he moves at a ponderous Slow speed, his ability to redirect enemy fire for a whopping 5 turns makes him a strategic powerhouse. He's essentially a angry, red-headed wall that hits back.

Hero Art & Visuals

Liu Tang certainly lives up to his nickname. The artwork features a rugged, imposing figure with a wild mane of red hair and a matching beard that screams "I woke up like this, and I'm ready to fight." He wields a massive blade that looks like it could slice through a tank (which is ironic, because he is the tank). The vibrant red tones fit his element perfectly, and his expression suggests he's not the type to negotiate. It's a classic Wuxia warrior aesthetic—bold, loud, and undeniably aggressive.

General Info

Hero Stats

When we look at Liu Tang's stats, it's clear his build is focused on survival. With 559 Defense and 801 Health (base), he is incredibly sturdy for a 3-star hero.

To put this in perspective with the modern meta (late 2025), let's compare him to recent 3-star releases:

• Jax (Dec 2025): 568 Defense, 908 Health.
• Ali (Nov 2025): 549 Defense, 914 Health.
• Gunnar Glass Costume (Nov 2025): 534 Defense, 825 Health.

Liu Tang holds his own. His defense is right up there with the latest power-creep heroes, and while his health is slightly lower than the brand-new "Temple" heroes like Ali, it's still well above the average for older 3-stars. His 497 Attack is on the lower side, but given his primary role is to soak up damage, this is a fair trade-off. He is built to take a beating, not necessarily to dish one out—though his special skill has something to say about that.

Special Skill: Rough and Tumble

Rough and Tumble is a multi-faceted skill that does three things, but let's be honest, we're all here for one of them.

1. The Taunt: The caster gets Taunt for 5 turns. This is huge. In 3-star tournaments, especially Rush Attack, preventing enemies from targeting your squishy snipers or healers for five whole turns is often a win condition.
2. The Damage: Deals 265% damage to the target and minor damage to nearby enemies. It's not a nuke, but it's a decent "get off my lawn" slap.
3. The Critical Hit Chance: This is the family's signature gimmick. The special skill has a chance to deal critical hits (50% more damage). If it crits, it also reduces max health. It's a nice bonus when it happens, but don't build your strategy around it. It's the cherry on top of the Taunt sundae.

By the Numbers

• Mana Speed: Slow (12 tiles). In Rush Attack tournaments, this becomes Very Fast (6.5 tiles), which is where he truly shines.
• Damage Potential: With 497 Attack, a 265% hit deals roughly 1,317 raw damage (before defense calculation). It's enough to finish off a wounded 3-star but won't one-shot anyone at full health.
• Taunt Duration: 5 Turns. This is longer than the standard 3 or 4 turns seen on many other Taunt heroes (like Shrubbear's 4 turns). This extra turn can be the difference between your healer charging up or your team getting wiped.

Family Bonus, Passives, Aether Power & Unique Abilities

The Outlaws of Liangshan family brings some very interesting mechanics to the table, making Liu Tang more than just a stats stick.

Family Bonus

The family bonus boosts Critical Chance. While nice for tile damage, it's not a game-changer for a slow defensive hero unless you are running a mono-red team where his tiles might actually hurt.

Passives

This is where Liu Tang gets spicy.

• Righteous Rebellion: This is arguably his best feature.
  • Offensive: If he hits an enemy with higher HP, he heals himself (+20% boosted health).
  • Defensive: If he gets hit by a special skill from an enemy with higher HP, he gains +20% Mana.
  • Analysis: In a format where enemies often have boosted health or just higher base stats (thanks to newer power creep), Liu Tang punishes them for attacking him. That mana gain helps mitigate his Slow speed outside of Rush formats.
• Resist Bleed: A situational but welcome immunity, especially against Barbarian talents or specific bleed-heavy heroes.
• Cleanse on Critical: If his special skill crits, he cleanses the team. Since this relies on RNG (crit chance), treat it as a happy accident rather than a reliable cleanse.

Aether Power

Taunt at the start of battle. This is incredible. For 3 turns (or more depending on LB level), Liu Tang protects his team immediately. This prevents early snipes or status ailments from ruining your setup before you've even matched a tile. It essentially guarantees your team survives the opening salvo.

Legacy & Modern Relevance

When Liu Tang was released in May 2025, he was immediately compared to Shrubbear, the reigning champion of 3-star Taunt.

• Historical Context: Shrubbear had a monopoly on this niche. Liu Tang offered a Fire alternative with better stats and a more offensive bite.
• Power Creep Analysis: Even months later, Liu Tang remains relevant because Taunt is a mechanic that ages like fine wine. His stats are competitive with the "Glass" and "Temple" heroes of late 2025.
• Modern Viability Verdict: High. He is a staple for 3-star Rush Attack tournaments and a very strong contender in Bloody Battle (where his self-heal passive won't work, but his Taunt is invaluable). He is not "outdated" by any means.

Costume & Costume Bonus

As of this review, Liu Tang does not have a costume.

Emblem Path Analysis

Liu Tang is a tank. You want him to stay alive as long as possible to keep that Taunt active.

The Undying Wall (Recommended)

• Path: Defense > Health > Attack
• Pros: Maximizes his survivability. Every point of defense makes his Taunt more effective.
• Cons: His special skill damage becomes negligible.

The "Rough" Brawler

• Path: Attack > Defense > Health
• Pros: Increases the damage of his special skill and the potential critical hit impact.
• Cons: He dies faster. A dead Taunter is a useless Taunter.

Final Recommendation

Go full Defense and Health. His job is to be a punching bag, so make him a high-quality, reinforced leather punching bag.

Strengths

• Taunt: The most powerful defensive mechanic in the game, protecting the entire team.
• Start-of-Battle Taunt (Aether Power): Prevents early pick-offs.
• Righteous Rebellion Passive: Grants free mana when hit by stronger enemies, helping him charge faster than his "Slow" speed suggests.
• Fighter Class: The chance to Revive allows him to steal a win even after being knocked out.

Weaknesses

• Slow Speed: Without Rush Attack rules or his passive triggering, he can be too slow to fire before the battle is decided.
• RNG Dependency: His secondary effects (Crit damage, Cleanse) rely on chance, making them unreliable for strategic planning.
• Passive Nerf: In Bloody Battle, his self-healing passive is nullified.

Best Game Modes

• Rush Attack Tournaments (3-Star): He is S-Tier here. The combination of Very Fast speed + Taunt is broken.
• Buff Booster Tournaments: His Taunt counts as a buff, and he protects the buffers.
• Event Stages: Useful for protecting your team against bosses with nasty single-target hits.

Advanced Strategy & Team Compositions

Sample Team Ideas

• The "Can't Touch This" Defense (Rush):
  • Faiez (Block Ailments) - Liu Tang (Taunt) - Treevil (The Destroyer) - Joukahainen (Dispel/Hit) - Kvasir (Minions)
  • Why: Liu Tang draws fire while Faiez makes the team ailment-immune. Treevil kills everyone.
• The Red Wall (Offense):
  • Buster - Liu Tang - Waqas
  • Why: Buster increases damage taken, Liu Tang protects the team, and Waqas nukes the board.

Counters & Anti-Synergies

• Counters:
  • Dispellers: Heroes like Tyrum (especially the Glass costume) or Mnesseus can strip his Taunt, leaving him vulnerable.
  • Kvasir: Minions can chip away at him, and he doesn't have a good way to clear them.
• Anti-Synergy:
  • Other Taunters: Don't run him with Shrubbear. You only need one Taunt active at a time.

Advice for New Players

If you pull Liu Tang, level him immediately. A 3-star Taunt hero is a rare commodity that will help you clear map stages and win tournament battles that you have no business winning otherwise. He is worth the hidden blades.

Advice for Veterans

You likely have Shrubbear limit broken already. Do you need Liu Tang? Yes. Having a Taunter in a different element allows you to color-stack effectively in tournaments or avoid being weak against a specific tank. His Aether Power (Auto-Taunt) alone makes him worth the Alpha Aethers for serious tournament competitors.

Community Corner: Hot Takes & History

When Liu Tang was in Beta, he was even stronger. The developers nerfed his stats slightly and removed a "Healing over Time" effect from his special skill before release.

• Community Reaction: "Don't think this needed a nerf tbh, seems a bit weak now," lamented one player.
• Another player asked: "Has this character been nerfed? Does anyone remember what the original version was like?" Despite the nerfs, the community quickly realized that Taunt is Taunt, and even a "nerfed" Taunt hero is top-tier in the 3-star arena.

Final Thoughts

Liu Tang is a must-have hero for any serious Empires & Puzzles player. While he may look like a chaotic barbarian, his gameplay is all about control and protection. He forces the enemy to play by his rules, absorbing hits and buying your team precious time. In the world of 3-star heroes, where battles are often decided in a few turns, Liu Tang is the bouncer who decides who gets to hit whom.

Verdict: A solid tank and a Rush Tournament superstar. Level him, limit break him, and watch him laugh as enemies waste their specials on his rugged, red-bearded face.