Vard, The Astral Void-Bringer: Rush Wars Will Never Be The Same

Overview

Vard is a 5-star Legendary hero from the Astral Dwarfs family, representing the Dark (Purple) element. As a Sorcerer running at Slow speed, he falls into the "Nuclear Deterrent" category of heroes. Released in early 2025, Vard was designed to answer the question: "What happens if we give a hero a skill that essentially ends the game, but make it hard to charge?" The answer is Vard. While he requires patience (or a Rush tournament) to get going, his "Power of the Void" is arguably one of the most devastating single actions a hero can take in Empires & Puzzles.

Hero Art & Visuals

Vard looks every bit the "Grand Master." Clad in heavy, ornate void-armor with the signature Astral star-patterns, he wields a staff that looks like it could crack a planet. His design conveys weight and finality. Unlike the flashy elves or the barmaid Maegwyn, Vard looks like an ancient judge who has seen enough and decided everyone is guilty.

General Info

Hero not found.

Hero Stats

Vard is built to survive the long charge time.

With 1231 Defense and nearly 2000 Health, he is a brick wall. His Attack (1205) might seem "average" for a hitter, but when you multiply it by his skill percentages, it is more than enough. When Limit Broken (LB2), he reaches 1500+ Defense, making him a very viable tank even outside of Rush formats because he simply refuses to die.

Special Skill: Power of the Void

"Power of the Void" is a Slow speed apocalypse.

470% Damage to ALL Enemies: Let that sink in. Most Hit-All heroes at Slow speed hover around 350-400% (like Khufu or Alfrike's random cubes). 470% to every single enemy is a team-wipe event.
Wither: All enemies suffer -350 Attack and -350 Defense. This is a permanent modification to their base stats (unless cleansed? No, Wither/Growth modifies "Ability Scores" and is usually persistent until death or countered by the opposite effect). This means even if they survive the 470% nuke, they are now hitting with pool noodles and defending with wet paper.
-35% Mana Generation: For 5 turns, the survivors (if any) gain mana at a crawl. This prevents them from rallying a counter-attack.

Note: Early versions had him at 450% damage, but he was buffed to 470% shortly after release to ensure he felt truly "Grand."

By the Numbers

Damage Potential:
- Multiplier: 470% x 5 enemies = 2350% Total Damage Multiplier.
- This is one of the highest total damage outputs in the game.
- Against a team with weakened defense (e.g., from a prior Defense Down), Vard is a guaranteed One-Shot Kill (OSK) for the entire board.
Stat Destruction:
- -350 Attack is roughly a -30% attack debuff on a modern hero.
- -350 Defense makes them vulnerable to even tile damage.

Family Bonus, Passives, Aether Power & Unique Abilities

Vard’s kit ensures that his nuke cannot be stopped by common annoyances.

Family Bonus

The passive dispel (20-25%) is great for a Slow hero. While he sits there charging, he might accidentally dispel the enemy's buffs, clearing the way for his eventual cast.

Passives

Perfect Accuracy: This is non-negotiable for a Slow hero. You cannot wait 12 tiles to fire and then miss due to a Blind ailment or Dodge buff. Vard hits. Period.
Superior Bypass Minions: He ignores the meat shields. His 470% damage goes straight to the HP bar. This is devastating against teams relying on minion HP buffers.

Aether Power

Bulwark is the ideal choice. It grants Defense Up that increases every time he is hit. Since he is Slow, he will get hit. This power ensures he survives the barrage long enough to return fire.

Legacy & Modern Relevance

Historical Context: Upon release, Vard immediately replaced Alfrike and Khufu as the "King of Rush." His consistency (hitting everyone vs random cubes) made him preferred.
Power Creep Analysis: A year later, 470% Hit-All is still the benchmark for Slow heroes. Very few heroes can match this raw output. He remains relevant because "killing everyone instantly" is a strategy that never goes out of style.
Modern Viability Verdict: Vard is S-Tier in Rush and A-Tier in General PvP. He has found a home in "Timeout" defenses where he sits in the corner and eventually ends the game if not dealt with.

Costume & Costume Bonus

As of late 2025, Vard does not have a costume.

Emblem Path Analysis

Vard is a Sorcerer. While the Delay talent is nice, his stats are the priority.

The Void Tank (Recommended)

Path: Defense > Health > Attack
Pros: He needs to live. A dead Slow hero does zero damage. Maxing his bulk ensures he casts at least once.
Cons: Slightly less nuke damage, but 470% is high enough regardless.

The Rush Nuke

Path: Attack > Defense > Health
Pros: Maximizes the OSK potential in Rush Wars.
Cons: Riskier in normal speed formats.

Final Recommendation

Go Defense/Health. If he fires, you win. Make sure he fires.

Strengths

Ultimate Finisher: If "Power of the Void" goes off, the match usually ends immediately or shortly after.
Stat Crippling: Wither ensures that even survivors are useless.
Reliability: Perfect Accuracy and Minion Bypass mean there is very little that can mitigate his damage (except Defense Buffs/Taunt, but he hits everyone).
Bulwark Aether: Makes him incredibly tanky.

Weaknesses

Slow Speed: In normal raids, he is vulnerable to mana control (Silence, Mana Cut) before he can charge.
Garrison Guards: Teams with heavy Wither protection or cleanse (though Wither is hard to cleanse, usually requires specific counters) can mitigate the after-effects.
Taunt: While he hits everyone, if a Taunt hero absorbs the ailments, the rest of the team might survive the Wither (though they still take damage).

Best Game Modes

Rush Attack (Wars/Tournaments): S+ Tier. He is arguably the best hero in the game for this format.
PvP Defense (Tank): A+ Tier. Forces the attacker to bring a specific counter or die.
PvP Offense: B-Tier. Too slow for most raids unless paired with Ludwig or Grimsteel.

Advanced Strategy & Team Compositions

Sample Team Ideas

The "Violet Void" Rush Defense:
- Composition: - - Vard - Alfrike - .
- Why: In Rush, pairing Vard with Alfrike is cruel. One stops them from playing, the other kills them.
The Mana Battery Offense:
- Composition: Ludwig - Vard - - - .
- Why: Place Vard next to Ludwig. Ludwig gives him the mana he needs to fire in a normal speed raid.

Counters & Anti-Synergies

Counters: Mana Controllers (Hel, Proteus, silence heroes) are the best way to stop him. Don't let him fire. Counterattack (Cyprian, Elena) can kill him when he casts (though he might kill them too).
Anti-Synergy: None really, other than other Slow heroes without mana support.

Advice for New Players

If you pull Vard, protect him. Put him in the corner of your defense or flank him with a taunter. He is your "Win Button." If you can keep him alive for 12 tiles, you win the map stage/raid.

Advice for Veterans

Vard is your Rush War insurance policy. Limit Break him, emblem him for bulk, and put him in your Rush defense. He is also excellent for clearing hard map stages or towers where you can use mana potions to fire him instantly.

Community Corner: Hot Takes & History

The "One Shot" Complaint: "He just one shot my entire team." This is a common forum post during Rush Wars.
The "Slow" Defense: Some players argued he was "just another boring slow dwarf" until they faced him and realized his Wither makes a comeback impossible.

Final Thoughts

Vard is not subtle. He is a blunt instrument of destruction. In an era of complex passives and micro-interactions, Vard offers a simple proposition: "If I cast this spell, you lose." He is the grim reaper of the Astral Dwarfs, and he is worth every ounce of investment for those moments when you absolutely, positively need to destroy every enemy on the board.

Bottom line: The Void is calling, and it's for you.