Pertinax: The Owl That Turns You Into A Ghost (Literally)

Overview

Pertinax, the "Knight Guardian of Owl Tower," swoops into Empires & Puzzles as a 5-star Holy Paladin with one of the most text-heavy special skills we've seen in a while. Released in early 2025 as part of the Owl Tower family, he brings the signature "Moonrise Strike" mechanic and a unique vengeance gimmick that punishes enemies for popping his minions. While he lacks a costume, his base form is designed to be a disruptor, turning attackers into useless ghosts. He's a bird with a grudge, and if you touch his friends, you're going to the shadow realm (or Owlhalla, as he calls it).

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Hero Art & Visuals

Visually, Pertinax is a standout. He's not just an owl; he's a knightly owl. Clad in golden armor with a stoic, "I've seen things" expression, he perches majestically on a sword hilt. The art team nailed the "Guardian" vibe—he looks like he would tirelessly guard a library or a sacred grove, pecking the eyes out of anyone who talks too loud. The color palette of rich browns, golds, and the glowing shield creates a warm yet imposing presence. It's a design that says, "I'm wise, but I will also mess you up."

General Info

Hero Stats

When we look at Pertinax's stats in the context of the current early 2026 meta, the "aging" process is visible.

• Attack: ~1161
• Defense: ~1186
• HP: ~2117

Compare this to modern heavy hitters like Turundh (1320 Atk) or Sizzleomatic (1308 Atk) who are pushing 1300+ in primary stats and 2250+ in HP. Pertinax is sitting about 100-150 points behind the cutting edge. While not obsolete—his Paladin class and decent bulk help—he relies heavily on his mechanics rather than raw stat-checking opponents. He won't survive simply by existing; he needs his minions and passives to stay relevant.

Special Skill: Vengeance of Owlhalla

This skill is a rollercoaster of effects. Let's break down the "Vengeance" loop:

1. The Hit: It deals up to 1620 damage to 3 targets. Note that this is "up to," implying the signature Owl mechanic where damage might fluctuate (often based on enemy mana or defense in other Owls, but here it's a flat cap potential). It never misses, which is a hard counter to Dodge heroes like Costume Kadilen or the newer "Glass" family heroes.
2. The Bait: He summons Owlkyrie Minions with chunky stats (25% HP / 45% Atk) for himself and nearby allies.
3. The Trap: Here is the juice. If an attacker kills one of these minions, they get hit with Full Removal (stripping everything, even undispellable buffs) and are then forced into Owlhalla Ghost form for 3 turns.
4. The Punishment: While in Ghost form, the enemy takes 360 damage per turn (1080 total), gains no mana, and cannot heal. They are effectively removed from the match.

The Catch: The enemy has to kill the minion to trigger this. Smart players can work around this on offense, but on Defense, the AI will happily smash into them. However, modern "Toon" passives and heavy resist stats can sometimes block the Ghost transformation, making the trap less reliable than it looks on paper.

By the Numbers

• Mana Speed: Average.
• Damage Potential: The skill states "up to 1620 damage". If this is distributed or max per target, it's a solid hit-3.
• Minion Bulk: With ~2400 HP (LB1+Emblems), a 25% minion has ~600 HP. That's a sturdy meat shield that requires a dedicated hit to remove.
• Ghost Damage: 360 damage x 3 turns = 1080 fixed damage. This ignores defense, which is excellent against high-defense tanks, provided the effect lands.
• Passive Impact: -80% Mana from Special Skills. This is mathematically devastating for heroes like Nautica or Ludwig. If Nautica tries to give 10% mana, the enemy only gets 2%. It shuts down "Mana generator" loops hard.

Family Bonus, Passives, Aether Power & Unique Abilities

Family Bonus

The Owl family bonus is a niche but powerful counter-measure. Replacing mana ailments with mana generation buffs turns a weakness into a strength. Against mana-slowing tanks (like the classic Waterpipe or modern Slime heroes), Pertinax actually speeds up.

Passives

The Mana Reduction passive is arguably his best feature. Reducing mana gain from Special Skills by -80% applies to all enemies. This is a hard check on the "Special Skill Mana" meta. Heroes that rely on giving mana chunks to allies (Xnolphod style effects) are essentially neutered just by Pertinax being on the field.

Aether Power

Counterattack is a solid, if unexciting, Aether power. Since he is a Paladin and wants to be hit to trigger his class talent (and his minions want to be hit to trigger the trap), reflecting some damage back fits his "thorns" playstyle.

Legacy & Modern Relevance

• Historical Context: Upon release, Pertinax was viewed as a "high text, high complexity" hero. The Owl Tower event itself brought mechanics that players found either fascinating or tedious. Pertinax stood out as a punisher of the "Minion destroyer" meta.
• Power Creep Analysis: His stats have fallen off. The 1161 Attack stat is low for a damage dealer in late 2025/early 2026. However, his Fixed Damage (Ghost form) and Flat Damage Cap (Moonrise Strike) help him bypass the insane Defense stats of modern tanks.
• Modern Viability Verdict: Niche but Dangerous. He is not a "plug and play" hero for every raid. In top-tier play, the prevalence of "Toon" passives (75% chance to resist ailments) hurts him bad. If a Toon kills his minion and resists the Ghost form, Pertinax loses a huge chunk of his value. However, in Rush Wars or against specific mana-heavy teams, his passive alone makes him viable.

Emblem Path Analysis

Pertinax is a Paladin. His primary goal is to survive to cast his special, summon minions, and keep his passive active. His damage output is partially fixed (Ghost DOT) or capped (Moonrise), so raw Attack is less critical than staying power.

The Guardian Build (Recommended)

• Path: Defense > Health > Attack
• Pros: Maximizes his Paladin defense boost. Increases the HP of his minions (since minion HP is % of caster Max HP), making the "trap" harder to disarm but ensuring he survives to set it.
• Cons: Lower direct damage from the initial hit.

The Striker Build

• Path: Attack > Defense > Health
• Pros: Pushes the "up to 1620" damage closer to its cap against high defense enemies (if the damage formula allows). stronger tile damage.
• Cons: Minions are flimsier, and Pertinax dies faster, losing the passive aura.

Final Recommendation

For most players, the Guardian Build (Defense/HP) is the way to go. You want him to be an annoying, unkillable object that keeps the -80% mana aura active while his minions force the enemy into difficult choices.

Strengths

• Mana Suppression: The -80% mana gain from specials passive is an absolute hard counter to specific meta archetypes.
• Anti-Dodge: "Never misses" is timeless utility.
• The Trap: Full Removal + Ghost Form is one of the strongest punishments in the game. It strips undispellable buffs, which is incredibly rare.
• Fixed Damage: Ghost damage ignores defense buffs and stats.

Weaknesses

• Resist Meta: The current meta is dominated by heroes who resist ailments (Toons, Monks, Clerics). If the Ghost effect is resisted, Pertinax does very little.
• AI Dependency: On offense, you can choose not to kill his minions. He relies on the opponent making a mistake or being forced to use AoE.
• Aging Stats: He is squishier than the newest Construct or Astral gods.
• Complexity: His mechanics are convoluted. If you don't understand how "Full Removal" interacts with specific immunities, you might waste his potential.

Best Game Modes

• Rush Attack/Defense: His mana speed becomes Very Fast, and his passive cripples enemy mana boosters.
• Bloody Battle: Minions provide "fake healing" (HP buffer), and the Ghost damage racks up without healers to mitigate it.
• War Defense: As a Flank, he protects the Tank with minions and punishes tile dumps that accidentally kill minions.

Advanced Strategy & Team Compositions

Sample Team Ideas

• The "Touch Me Not" Defense:
  • Tank: A heavy taunter (e.g., Phorcys or a modern Construct).
  • Flanks: Pertinax + Another Minion Summoner (e.g., Waterpipe).
  • Why: Phorcys forces hits. Waterpipe reduces mana. Pertinax adds more minions and mana control. The enemy drowns in minions and mana cuts.
• The Yellow Stack (Offense):
  • Heroes: Pertinax, Goose of Golden Feather (or modern equivalent), Topaz.
  • Why: Pertinax provides the safety (minions) and mana control, while pure damage dealers clean up.

Counters & Anti-Synergies

• Toon Family: Their high resist chance makes them excellent at popping Pertinax's minions without suffering the Ghost consequence.
• Lunar Heroes: Some heroes specifically counter minion effects or are immune to the "Moonrise" mechanics.
• Passive Disablers: Heroes that block passives remove his -80% mana aura.

Advice for New Players

If you pulled Pertinax, level him. His stats are still high enough to carry you through map stages and lower-tier raids easily. His minion protection is invaluable for keeping squishier heroes alive. Don't worry too much about the complex Ghost mechanic; just treat it as a nice bonus when it happens.

Advice for Veterans

Pertinax is a situational tool. Do not use him as your primary damage dealer. Use him specifically to counter teams that rely on Special Skill Mana Gain (like Nautica, Ludwig, Xnolphod types). If you are facing a full team of Toons, leave him on the bench—the resist RNG will frustrate you. He is worth Limit Breaking (LB1) for the stats, but think twice about LB2 unless you use him in your main War Defense.

Community Corner: Hot Takes & History

The community has a love-hate relationship with Pertinax.

• The "Mayhem" Factor: One user noted, "This one makes Minion Killers absolutely useless... I'm sure this is going to become a scroll." highlighting the sheer length and complexity of his skill.
• The Disappointment: Others found him underwhelming in practice: "Owlhalla seems to be blocked by everyone... Damage is just ok."
• The "Broken" Debate: Initial reactions called him "Pure stupidity" and "Super powerful," fearing the 7-part special skill would break the game. However, reality set in with the resist meta, leading to a more sober view: "Had they left him as he was in beta, he would be very good. As of now... he is pretty disappointing overall."

Final Thoughts

Pertinax is a prime example of a hero who looks like a god on paper but struggles against the specific immunities of his era. He is the King of Complication. When his trap works—stripping a fully buffed god-hero naked and turning them into a helpless ghost—it is the most satisfying feeling in Empires & Puzzles. When it gets resisted by a pesky Toon passive, he feels like just another average-speed hitter. Use him for his passive, enjoy the minions, and pray to the RNG gods for the Ghost form to land.

Verdict: A strong technical hero for your roster depth, but not the meta-breaker the prophecies foretold.

Costume Note: Currently, Pertinax does not have a costume available, which leaves him reliant on his base stats and mechanics to compete.