Tag: formation

  • Dwarves’ Complete Formation List: Glory, Death, and Solving Loot

    Dwarves’ Complete Formation List: Glory, Death, and Solving Loot

    Brute forcing your way through Dwarves: Glory, Death And Loot without adjusting your formations will likely lead to defeat. Whether you’re setting up your main clan or your profession group, it’s important to tailor your team’s build to match the key settings.

    We’ll show you how to unlock each formation quickly, explain what each one does, and help you choose the best options for your clan. Here is everything you need to understand about formations in the game.


    What Are Formations?

    Formations are strategies for positioning your dwarves during battles, influencing their movement and attack style. There are two types:

    1. Clan Formations
    2. Profession Formations

    Clan Formations

    These control how fast your dwarves move and how aggressively they attack. They are available regardless of the number of dwarves or their professions, but only one can be used each battle. These formations impact the speed and combat behavior of your entire clan.

    Profession Formations

    These provide bonuses based on the specific professions of your dwarves, offering different advantages depending on your team composition. You can mix these with clan formations, but each one must be used in a battle at least once to unlock its full potential.


    How to Use Clan and Profession Formations

    Using a clan formation requires selecting one of four options before each fight:

    Formation Name How It Works
    Free For All All dwarves rush forward as fast as possible
    Strength in Numbers Dwarves farther from the center slow down to catch up
    Phalanx Dwarves’ speed is limited by the dwarf directly ahead; speed updates only at fight start
    Hold the Line Dwarves stay stationary, but gain increased range and resistance

    Once you pick a formation, it stays active for that entire battle. Each formation has its own strengths:

    • Free For All is best for melee units.
    • Strength in Numbers is versatile, especially if you want to keep front and back lines separated.
    • Phalanx suits shield-heavy or ranged compositions.
    • Hold the Line is situational, mainly for defense with ranged attacks.

    You can switch to a different formation for each fight, but only one per battle. Some setups are better for specific strategies based on your team makeup.


    Profession Formations

    There are 13 different formations based on professions, each offering unique benefits. These are unlocked by using certain combos once in battle, and then continued use grants additional bonuses.

    Formation Name Unlock Condition Main Boon Notes
    Bannerlords Have at least 3 Supporters Supporters’ ultimates heal 20% of clan members’ HP Good for support-heavy teams
    Berserkers Use 3+ two-handed weapon users Parry chance increases by 8% per berserker, gain Berserker passive Great against damage reflection
    Burning Legion 80% of clan can apply Burning Burning chance +10%, damage +50% Best with magic, archers, thieves
    Crusade Only Knights, Priests, Paladins; min 3 Priests and 3 Knights AoE damage based on dwarf weight Strict profession restrictions
    Order of Frost 80% of clan can Cool or Freeze Chance to Chill enemies Useful for magic teams
    Pack of Thieves Use ≥3 Thieves Poison damage increased by 10% stacking per Thief Focused on stacking damage
    Rangers 3+ Archers and 3+ Cannoneers Jumpback based on Dexter, 25% armor penetration Keeps ranged units alive
    Ragtag All 7 professions present All stats +15% End-game boost for maximum gain
    Soldiers of Heaven 80% can Shock enemies Shocked enemies do less damage, take more damage Versatile, especially against magic teams
    Wizardry 5+ magic users 30% chance to cast Ultimate twice with each use Boosts healing and damage output
    Battlerune: Celestial Arrows Have Ultimates: Staggering Shock, Piercing Arrow, Arrowgance Special arrow-based damage bonus Effective against foes weak to arrows
    Battlerune: Inferno Have Ultimates: Phoenix, Eruption, Pyromania Access to inferno effects Strong for fire-based attacks
    Battlerune: Cataclysm Ultimates: Harvest, Nightmare, Void Slash Unlocks devastating effects Powerful for large-scale damage

    After unlocking these formations through initial use, you can combine them strategically to amplify damage and maximize your clan’s strengths.


    Unlocking and Combining Formations

    You gain access to a formation by deploying it at least once in battle. Continued use unlocks additional benefits, especially when you repeat the same formation. Combining different formations during battles helps you stack buffs and increase overall damage output, making your team more effective.

  • Mastering the Eight Gates Formation in Dynasty Warriors: Origins

    Mastering the Eight Gates Formation in Dynasty Warriors: Origins

    Liu Bei’s campaign in Dynasty Warriors: Origins features a unique and challenging battle at Xinye. During this encounter, Cao Cao’s forces utilize the Eight Gates Formation, essentially a defensive structure made up of heavily armored soldiers. The only hope for victory comes from strategist Xu Shu, whose strategic insights reveal how to dismantle this formidable setup.

    While overcoming the Eight Gates Formation is straightforward once you understand its weaknesses, missteps can lead to significant trouble. Here’s a guide to securing victory at Xinye.

    Overview of the Battle of Xinye

    In the Battle of Xinye, the focus is primarily on understanding the complexities of the Eight Gates Formation. Here are some key points to remember:

    • You cannot attack the Eight Gates Formation until you have captured both northern camps. This allows Xu Shu to scout and identify the enemies’ vulnerabilities. Attempting a direct assault from the southern route will not be effective.

    • Once you launch your attack on the formation, enemy reinforcements will start to appear from the northwest. Their goal is to reclaim the bases and take out Xu Shu, which would result in losing the battle.

      • Zhou Cang can defend the western base for a while, but he cannot hold it indefinitely.
      • Bailuan will appear to prevent Zhang Liao from joining the reinforcements, but his mist will clear once the Eight Gates Formation is defeated.
    • After the Eight Gates Formation falls, you still need to defeat Xiahou Yuan before Zhang Liao can break through and defeat Xu Shu, all while ensuring Liu Bei’s safety.
      • The good news is that breaking the formation will demoralize the remaining enemy troops, making them easier to defeat than usual.

    Strategies to Break the Eight Gates Formation

    Xu Shu’s critical advice is to enter the Eight Gates Formation through a gate that is distinct from the others. Each gate has its characteristics, but there is one notable difference that becomes clear once you know what to look for:

    Choose the entrance that lacks a burning torch. This gate is known as the Gate of Life, Gate of View, or Gate of Opening, and serves as the weak point.

    By entering through this weak point, you will face two mid-level officers consecutively. After defeating the second officer, many armored soldiers will flee. At this point, you should step back outside the formation and wait for a cutscene. You’ll see the Eight Gates rearranging, but your objective is to locate another entrance without a torch. Repeat this process three times to confront Jia Xu; defeating him will ultimately cause the entire formation to collapse.

    Can You Defeat the Shield Troops?

    The shield troops that make up the walls of the Eight Gates Formation cannot be moved, trampled, damaged, or jumped over. The only way to get past them is by defeating the officer commanding that section.

    What If You Choose the Wrong Gate?

    If you mistakenly enter a gate illuminated by a burning torch, you can still tackle that section of the formation, but it will be significantly more challenging. Instead of facing two officers, you will contend with three elite officers from Cao Cao’s army, such as Zhang He or Yu Jin. Choosing the wrong gate will strain your resources, Guards, and the amount of time Zhou Cang can hold the northern line.

    By following this strategy, you can effectively navigate the challenges of the Battle of Xinye and secure a crucial victory for Liu Bei’s forces.