King's Bounty: Legions Tips for Duel (PVP)

While the storyline will take you some time to complete, PVP is the end game of this multiplayer game. You can start dueling from level 6 onward, but I wouldn't recommend it, since you will probably get matched with higher level opponents. I started PVPing from level 20 or so, but real matches begin around level 30. When you are below 30 level difference will be serious advantage, but after 30, it will be much less present.

Few tips and tricks

• Don't judge opponent by level. After 30 difference is much smaller, so rather look at his gear and unit upgrades.
• Running away will cost you two random stacks of units and 10 minutes penalty (till you can enter duel again). Since battles can take up to half an hour, running away is still an option when you encounter an army that will defeat you without you doing enough damage to earn at least some gold back.
• Staying in duel even you know you will lose, since you can get some chevrons and even earn gold. If you are sure of your loss, you can at least try to kill legendary unit, that will sometimes drop Officer's Chevron, one of the hardest to get by resource.

• Attack isn't always the best option. Skipping turn works great to ensure you can attack first or move away units to clear the path to the most dangerous foe.
• If you have low stack of units you can use them on enemy so they waste counter attack. Or you can park them in from of ranged unit to block them and waste their attack on low stack.
• Attacking first with higher mitigation unit will benefit you, since it won't take so much damage. After they waste counter attack you are free to attack with your other squishier units.
• Be careful about grouping your units together if your opponent has AOE abilities.
  Use advantage of your unit types and damage they do. Attacking a paladin with physical damage attacker will give poor results, but attacking paladin with ranged healer will do great.
• Fast attackers can take care of archers and healers, while your ranged units will attack their melee.

There are many combinations of units that will work. There isn't really best army since all have some weaknesses. You could say that best army is one, that is balanced against against most combos.

One faction armies

One faction armies work and are especially good at lower levels, since gear below level 30 has certain faction bonuses. If you have one faction army all units can get all gear bonuses, plus you get 5% extra gold per battle.

Ancients

Most common are all ancient armies, since they have high initiative and high magic resistances.

Kingdom

Kingdom units are generaly tough and almost always include Knights that are great special defenders.

Chaos

Chaos armies are a little less common but are great since you can choose from many different units.

Beasts

Only beast army is the rarest, in fact I have yet to see one.

Which are the best legendary units for PVP?

You can have only one legendary unit in your army, so most armies are based around legendaries. Other units are picked to complement strengts of legendary units or to overpass their weaknesses.

Champions

Pros: Fast, stun, AOE
Cons: Weak vs. all ranged

Champions have high initiative and speed of 4, while they are sturdy enough for front line. Stun is nice for disabling high treat units. If they are focused by melee, AOE does great damage. They often come in pair with Inquisitors. While they can stand their ground versus defenders, magical damage team will cause some problems.

If you encounter champions, they should be high priority target along with inquisitors.

Archmages

Pros: slow, speed buff, AOE, 15% damage vs. special and common units, max range
Cons: weak vs. melee and archers

Archmages have AOE with 50% damage (compared to basic attack) that hits all units. Disadvantage is that it is active only after 2nd round. While their basic attack damage isn't so big (even with 15% damage buff), they have lots of utility that can turn the tide of battle. They are best paired with Knights that can protect them against warriors.

Archers and warriors, specially legendary, are good counter for archmages.

Paladins

Pros: high mitigation, AOE, heal
Cons: slow

Paladins are one of the best free units. They can handle focus fire, while still doing good damage. They really shine with proper support (spells and units). With self heal, they can be nasty when they are buffed by Divine Shield or Druid's spell. Slow speed can be overcome with Light Tread or Lake Draconid buff.

It's not always a good idea to focus them, but rather kite them or keep them occupied with one unit that can take some beating. Also watch not to clump units together.

Assassins

Pros: high damage, no enemy retaliation, highest crit chance
Cons: squishy, slow, weak vs melee

Assassins are another nice free unit with highest crits that can really hurt. They are so good because enemy won't counterattack. If they are left alone they can wreak havoc. Players often pair them with other high damage units. Assassins ache for speed buff to move from danger and to reach high priority targets.

When you play against assassins, they should be high priority target or you will quickly loose your valuable squishies to those crits.

Demonologists

Pros: 1st round AOE attack, high initiative, high damage, debuff
Cons: requires support

Demonologist's biggest strength lies in their AOE attack in the first round. If they manage to hit most of enemy's units and they crit, match is already decided. After first round they still do some damage and have a debuff for hard units. Since they are weak against all melee, they require some degree of support that can disable or quickly dispose enemy attackers.

If you encounter Demonologists, disperse your army and try to get them in melee.

Dark Griffins

Pros: speed, AOE, debuff, unlimited retaliation
Cons: weak vs ranged

Dark Griffins are one of the free legendaries, and while they are great for PVE because of unlimited retaliation, they aren't so good in PVP as nobody would attack them with multiple melee units. They can work great in some formations, when you have battlefield control.

If you are against them, try to soften them with ranged units before you attack them with melee.

Gargoyle Shamans

Pros: great range, buff, AOE
Cons: squishy, buff is only good for themselves

Shamans are another free legendary units. It's biggest asset is that is the only free ranged unit. They are great versus defenders like paladins and ents, but can die easily. If you manage to get AOE off when you have three units in range you can guarantee a win. Their buff isn't so great since it only applies to themselves and nearby sorcerers.

If you encounter shamans, watch for AOE. Melee will shred them to pieces.

Ents

Pros: resurrection, highest physical resistance, shield, ranged spell
Cons: slow, weaker against ranged

Ents are real beasts when it comes to survival, thanks to their self heal, that also resurrects fallen units. They will outlast most melee compositions and also many ranged if they have good support.

Be careful when to go all out on ents, as they can resurrect most of their numbers quickly. Once you attack them be sure you can finish them. Any non-physical damage will hurt them allot (hint: fairies and cave spider).

Dryads

Pros: sleep, buff, range
Cons: weak vs melee, low damage

Dryads are ranged legendaries with highest defense. While their damage is not so high, their 2 turn sleep is invaluable when used on right opponent unit. Their buff gives '1 initiatives, that guarantees you first turns.

If you are against them pray you can reach them fast and that the opponent isn't very tactical.

Grey-maned Griffins

Pros: ranged spell, debuff, unlimited retaliation, initiatives buff
Cons: weak against archers

In my opinion Grey-maned Griffins are better version of Dark Griffins. They have higher magical resistance so ranged (except for archers) don't hurt them so much. Melee will hurt them more, but at least you will get some use of unlimited retaliation if opponent decides to go all out with melee.

If you are against them, I would focus other units and attack them with archers to soften them.

Cyclops

Pros: melee and ranged attack, AOE, debuff, fast
Cons: weak vs ranged

Cyclops can choose between high dmg melee attack and lower dmg ranged attack. They also have small debuff.

Treat cyclops as melee and attack them with ranged units first.

Emerald Dragons

Pros: resurrection, AOE, high defense
Cons: slow, weaker vs melee

Emerald Dragons are highest hp units with great defense, so they really shine with defense buffs and heals. They compensate slow speed with ranged AOE spell on cool-down. One of the most annoying or greatest things they have is AOE resurrection that resurrects all units around them.

When you play against them, be sure to focus one unit, and not many, since they will ressurect all. I leave dragons for the last most of the time, since they are less threat to my ranged units.

T-Rex

Pros: fast, debuff, aoe
Cons: Weak vs. all ranged

I don't encounter much of them, but they are similar to champions with their high mobility and dmg.