Yunan: The King of Sand (and Snail-Paced Mana)

Overview

Yunan is a relic from a simpler time in Empires & Puzzles. As the "King of the Sand Empire," he was once a formidable tank that players dreaded facing. A 5-star Nature hero with a Slow mana speed, his kit is designed around attrition—wearing enemies down with Sand damage and preventing them from healing it back. This review focuses on his base version, a hero who has seen kingdoms rise and fall while he slowly charges his mana. He’s the kind of hero who takes so long to get ready, the battle is usually over before he arrives.

max

lb2

Hero Art & Visuals

Yunan's design is classic high-fantasy with a Middle Eastern flair. He stands stoic in golden armor, a turban, and a heavy cloak, gripping a sword that looks like it weighs more than most 3-star heroes. The art captures his role as a sturdy, unmovable object. Unlike his "Baywatch" costume, this version commands a certain regal respect, even if his stats don't anymore. He looks like he’s about to deliver a profound monologue, which is fitting given how long you have to wait for his special skill.

General Info

Hero Stats

Base Stats (No Costume Bonus)

Level	Attack	Defense	Health	💪Power
4/80	618	815	1437	770
4/85lb1	666	879	1549	821
4/90lb2	762	1005	1772	921

Costume BonusApply Stats

▶Calculate with Emblems

Simulation: 0 Emblems

Level				💪
4/80	618	815	1437	770
4/85lb1	666	879	1549	821
4/90lb2	762	1005	1772	921

Let’s be blunt: Yunan’s base stats are ancient history. With a maxed attack of 618 and defense of 815, he is statistically invisible compared to modern heroes who regularly boast 1300+ in both categories. His stats were designed for a game where 700 power was considered "god-tier." In the current meta, his bulk is non-existent, and his attack stat is so low that his direct damage is negligible. He relies entirely on his DoT (Damage over Time) to be relevant.

Special Skill: Sand Storm

Special Skill

Sand Storm

Mana Speed

Slow

• Deals 200% damage to all enemies
• All enemies receive 381 damage over 3 turns
• All enemies get -50% decrease for any healing received for 3 turns. This effect can't be cleansed.
• Cleanses status ailments from all allies.

⚡ Tile Breakpoints Guide

12Base Tiles

10% Bonus

11Tiles

Analysis: "Sand Storm" is a classic attrition skill. It does three things: hits everyone, applies a DoT (Sand Damage), and reduces healing received.

• Direct Damage: 200% to all enemies. With his pitiful attack stat, this is essentially a "tickle" to modern heroes.
• Sand Damage: The DoT is his main source of pressure. It bypasses defense stats, which is good, but it can be cleansed.
• Healing Reduction: The -50% healing reduction is his most unique utility. It prevents enemies from recovering, which synergizes well with the DoT.
• Cleanse: He cleanses himself. In a team game, being selfish with the cleanse is a major drawback, especially for a Slow hero.

By the Numbers

• Mana Speed: Slow. He requires 12 tiles to charge. With a level 29 mana troop, you can get this down, but he will always be lagging behind the pace of modern battles.
• Damage: With ~618 attack, a 200% hit deals very little damage to enemies with 1200+ defense. The bulk of his damage comes from the Sand DoT (381 over 3 turns), which averages to 127 damage per turn. This is dangerously low when modern heroes have 2500+ HP.
• Healing Reduction: Reducing healing by 50% effectively halves the value of enemy healers. Against a 1000 HP heal, you deny 500 HP.

Family Bonus, Passives, Aether Power & Unique Abilities

The Sand Empire family bonus and his passives are largely outdated but still offer some flavor.

Family Bonus

Family Bonus

Monthly Event - Sand Empire

• Bonus for 1/2/3 Unique Heroes:
• +5%/+10%/+20% defense
• The members of this family have additional perks in the Sand Empire event.

The family bonus offers a defense boost (10%/20%) and a boost to healing received. It’s a nice little layer of survivability, but given how fragile his base stats are, 10% doesn't save him from being one-shot by a modern sniper.

Passives

Yunan does not possess modern passive skills like "start battle with mana" or "resist ailments," which further hurts his viability.

Aether Power

Aether Power

Mana Boost

At the start of each battle, this Hero receives a small amount of mana over 6 turns.

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

Mana Boost: Start the battle with a small amount of mana. For a Slow hero, this is helpful, but usually not enough to make him fire before the enemy team decimates yours.

Legacy & Modern Relevance

• Historical Context: In 2018 and early 2019, Yunan was a top-tier tank. His high defense (for the time) and punishing DoT made him a nightmare in Alliance Wars. He was a staple in the green tank meta.
• Power Creep: Power creep hasn't just crept up on Yunan; it has sprinted past him, lapped him, and is now drinking a smoothie at the finish line. His stats are nearly half of what modern heroes offer.
• Modern Viability Verdict: Bench. There is almost no scenario in high-level play where base Yunan is viable. He is too slow, too weak, and his utility is easily countered by cleansers. He effectively serves as a placeholder for his costume.

Costume & Costume Bonus

If you have Yunan, you ideally want his Lifeguard Costume.

• Stats: The costume provides a massive stat boost, pushing his power much higher and making him somewhat durable again.
• Skill Upgrade: The costume changes his role significantly. Instead of just healing reduction, he provides a +33% Mana Generation buff to all allies and cleanses all allies (not just himself).
• Verdict: The costume is superior in almost every way. The base version is strictly for nostalgia or extremely niche situations where you desperately need healing reduction and have no other option.

Emblem Path Analysis

If you insist on using him (or his costume), you need to keep him alive.

The Survivor (Defense/Health)

• Path: Defense > Health > Attack
• Pros: Maximizes his only asset: survivability. Increases the chance he fires his skill at least once.
• Cons: His DoT damage (which scales slightly with attack) remains low.

The Sandman (Attack/Defense)

• Path: Attack > Defense > Health
• Pros: Increases the damage of his Sand DoT and his direct hit.
• Cons: He is likely to die before firing his Slow mana skill.

Final Recommendation

For most players, the Defense/Health path is recommended. A dead Yunan deals zero damage.

Strengths

• Healing Inhibition: -50% healing is a strong debuff that can cripple reliance on heavy healers.
• Bypasses Defense: Sand damage (DoT) ignores the enemy's high defense stats.
• Self-Sustain: He can cleanse ailments from himself, ensuring his DoT keeps ticking if he fires.

Weaknesses

• Snail Speed: Slow mana is a death sentence in the current Fast/Very Fast meta.
• Abysmal Stats: His base stats are essentially those of a modern 3-star or weak 4-star hero.
• Cleansable: His primary damage source (DoT) and debuff can be cleansed by a 4-star Rigard.
• Selfish Cleanse: Base Yunan only cleanses himself, leaving his team to suffer.

Best Game Modes

• Rush Attack Tournaments: The only place he shines. When his speed is set to Very Fast, his devastating skill can actually fire.
• Very Fast Wars: Similar to Rush Tournaments, he can be a nuisance here.
• PvE / Map Stages: His DoT is useful for chipping away at bosses with high defense.

Advanced Strategy & Team Compositions

Yunan essentially needs a team that can keep him alive or speed him up.

Sample Team Ideas

• The "Rush" Defense: Mother North - Yunan - Alfrike. In Rush wars, this wall of meat can be hard to break.
• The Mana Battery: Pair him with heroes like Ludwig or Xnolphod to force his mana to charge.

Counters & Anti-Synergies

• Cleansers: Rigard, Vivica, and modern cleansers completely nullify his kit.
• Mana Controllers: Proteus, Hel, or any mana cutter will ensure he never fires.
• Gargoyles: Their Stoneskin ignores his direct damage (though DoT still helps).

Advice for New Players

If you pulled Yunan early, congratulations, you have a 5-star! He will serve you well in map stages and lower-level raids as a tank. Do not prioritize him over modern 4-star heroes who are faster and more versatile.

Advice for Veterans

He is a Soul Exchange token. Unless you have his costume and plan to use him in Rush Wars exclusively, he is not worth the tonics or emblems. The resource cost to make him "okay" is too high compared to the return.

Community Corner: Hot Takes & History

• "He used to be the king of tanks, now he's just a sandcastle waiting for the tide."
• "His animation is slower than his mana speed."
• "Only useful for the senseless 'very fast' events." - A forum user summing up his modern niche.

Final Thoughts

Yunan is a king without a kingdom. The game has evolved past the slow, attrition-based warfare he excelled in. While his costume gives him a second wind as a lifeguard, the base version is drowning in the deep end of the hero pool. Keep him if you love the art or need a Rush War tank, but don't expect him to rule the desert like he used to.

Final Verdict: A dusty relic best left in the tomb unless you have his costume or a specific Rush War strategy.