Earth-Wind-Hybrid (updated for 2.6.6 anno 2024)

Updated Players Master Guide to the Earth-Wind Hybrid Setup

If this particular build doesn’t catch your fancy, I invite you to explore the rest of my earth build collection. Whether you’re interested in Infinity Kingdom (IK), Player versus Environment (PvE), arena/Tower of Shadows (ToS) builds, or looking for Free-to-Play (F2P)/budget-friendly options, I’ve got multiple builds to suit any taste.

This build excels against all comers. Yes, everything. It’s particularly effective against shadow and fares impressively against holy. Furthermore, it can triumph in a 1:1 matchup against almost anything except the mightiest whale chaos builds or those employing a weakening curse, thanks to its potent mix of wounding, high sustainability, and extreme damage pressure.

It’s crucial to acknowledge that this build has remained a top meta choice for an extended period due to its consistent performance across various end-game stages. Although recent Tower of Knowledge skills have been introduced that challenge this setup, some can also synergize well with it. However, this means you can’t solely rely on a F2P strategy to outplay whales with this build anymore. Instead, variations of the build have emerged, tailored to the player’s progression and access to Triss and Legion of Frostborne skills. In this guide, we will delve into the foundational build accessible to F2P players (including Legion of Frostborne skills, assuming most players have them by now) and discuss enhancements for spenders with Triss skills.

The Core Build

This article focuses on a wind-earth hybrid strategy that might seem unorthodox at first glance, but believe me, it WORKS! We utilize the high physical damage output of Alex and Hannibal, paired with the wind dragon and Zeno for robust sustainability. This combination keeps our frontline damage dealers well-supported, ensuring prolonged damage output. The key lies in leveraging attack speed (to which both Alex and Hannibal Barca respond exceptionally well) through Emperor Qin, who also introduces the vital debuff Wounds, making this team a formidable threat to any setup lacking Athena.

In essence, this build capitalizes on the immense physical damage dealt by Alex and Hannibal, enhanced by their unique artifacts that enable maximum DPS from the fight’s onset. Their rapid attack rates, combined with Zeno and Qin’s contributions, make this team exceedingly powerful.

Weakness

Only a select few immortal and passive combinations can counter this setup effectively, requiring significant investment in Athena and/or the exclusive Triss Tower of Knowledge skills No Escape and Weakening Curse.

Dragon

Regarding dragons, you might wonder whether to opt for an earth or wind dragon. Initially, the wind dragon offered better stat benefits, but with dragon talents introduced in patch 2.4, it became uniquely wind-affiliated, necessitating the use of an earth dragon for this hybrid setup.

The choice of talents—whether to prioritize added attack speed for increased damage output or opt for reduced damage taken for better troop retention early in the battle—remains a topic of debate.

As for it’s talents, there is a bit of debate about this. The added attack speed talent is hugely beneficial to the damage output of this setup, however I usually get more value out of the added protection of the reduction in damage taken talent as retention of troops in the very first seconds of the fight is hugely important.

Strategy and Execution

This setup is built around Alex and Hannibal. With the high stacked attack speed, Zeno Unique and Berserk will provide high amounts of sustaining power and with Fighting Master on Hannibal both our frontlines are immune to control (we have unique artifacts since they are F2P from Mysterium and Stellar). There are a few different options you need to evaluate yourself as to what fits in your server / SvS battlegroup meta. Fighting against different setups will always have a big effect on which passives are best, but this build as a default will always perform well – adding to that a few modifications to counter your enemy and it is nearly unstopable.

There are weaknesses to this build that you need to be aware of. First off, fighting against enemies that counter your frontloaded physical damage with physical shield, Toxin Barrier for example can be a problem. Fighting hybrid vs hybrid physical shield and defense often comes out on top. Moreover, whales with both No Escape and Weakening Curse available hard counter this setup since Weakening Curse it broken and works on Hannibal and Alex despite their Unique artifact disabling their ability to use skills at all. This is a huge deal for this build. Fighting into Weakening Curse can thus cause huge problem for this build. Short of that, this build does wonders. It’s been years now but this is still one of the best builds in Infinity Kingdom and one that you wont go wrong with.

Immortal Setup Guide

Alex: Combo + Duel Master/Heavenly Thunder + Berserker/Physical Shield

Alexander is a formidable damage dealer with various options tailored to your opponent. He’s designed to maintain troop count even when facing enemies with wound debuffs. Therefore, Duel Master is essential for Alex. If not contending with a wound setup, you have the freedom to incorporate an additional damage skill (such as Berserker or Heavenly Thunder) or a defensive skill to counter enemy frontline physical damage dealers, like Physical Shield or even Toxin Barrier.

• Example Builds:
  • Combo + Berserker + Duel Master for enemies with wounds.
  • Physical Shield + Duel Master + Combo for enemy hybrids.
  • Combo + Berserker + Heavenly Thunder for enemies focusing on backline damage.

Barca: Anger + Fighting Master/Toxin Barrier + Cleave

For Hannibal Barca, Anger is key to enhancing his damage output. Pair this with Cleave, a Tower of Knowledge (ToK) skill, to add more damage on top of his already potent cleave from his ultimate ability. You have several options for the final skill slot. Cleave pairs well with Berserker, especially if not used on Alex. Against enemies with significant frontline damage, such as in a mirror matchup, Fighting Master is crucial for countering stuns, and you might choose Toxin Barrier over Anger if the enemy utilizes Purify.

• Example Setup:
  • Anger + Fighting Master + Cleave as a standard configuration.
  • Consider replacing Fighting Master with more damage or defense options (like Heavenly Thunder, Toxin Barrier, Berserker, or even Death Breath) depending on the enemy composition.

Zeno: Berserk + Wine and Dine + Blessing of War

This team thrives on Berserk Aura to maximize attack speed, a critical aspect we excel in. The aim is to enhance attack speed as much as possible, using Berserk Aura in conjunction with Qin’s Ultimate ability, Zenobia’s Unique Artifact, and Blessing of Speed (applied here on Qin). Early battle power is paramount, hence the inclusion of Blessing of War. Wine and Dine is also essential, as Zenobia’s consistent healing of Alexander and Hannibal, paired with their increased damage output, proves invaluable.

For high spenders with access to Triss skills, consider swapping out Blessing of War or Wine and Dine for Purify or Energy Shield. Note that pairing Purify with Wine and Dine is advantageous, as it can activate Wine and Dine’s effects. If possessing both Purify and Energy Shield, applying Energy Shield on Emperor Qin is recommended.

Qin: Blessing of Defense + Oaken Guard + Blessing of Speed

Qin’s default skills include Blessing of Defense, Blessing of Speed, and Oaken Guard—essential for navigating the physical damage meta. The strategy focuses on asserting dominance within the first 20 seconds of combat. Note that if your dragon talents lag, and accuracy becomes an issue, Coercion becomes indispensable, potentially replacing Blessing of Speed.

Spenders with access to Triss skills might consider different configurations. Healing Aura significantly boosts Zenobia’s healing capabilities, thereby improving frontline troop sustainability. Energy Shield offers substantial sustain and should be utilized if available. No Escape, a contender for the best Tower of Knowledge skill, should be incorporated whenever possible.

• Example Configurations for Qin:
  • Healing Aura + Energy Shield + No Escape for a powerful setup.
  • A blend of standard and spender setups, such as Oaken Guard, Energy Shield, and No Escape or Oaken Guard, Blessing of Defense, and No Escape/Energy Shield.

These recommendations provide a framework for optimizing your immortals based on the opponent you’re facing and the resources at your disposal. If you have all the Triss Skills available I would try out this as a baseline and develop based on your specific battleground and opponents.

By meticulously selecting and synergizing the abilities of Alex, Barca, Zeno, and Qin, players can create a balanced force that excels in both offense and defense, capable of taking on a wide range of opponents with confidence. Whether you’re a seasoned spender with access to exclusive skills or a committed free-to-play gamer, these guides underscore the importance of adapting your strategy to your available resources and the evolving battlefield dynamics. Remember, success in Infinity Kingdom lies not just in the strength of your immortals but in how well their powers are harmonized to exploit the weaknesses of your adversaries. By following these expertly crafted strategies, players can enhance their gameplay, achieving greater victories and enjoying a more rewarding experience in the vast, competitive landscape of Infinity Kingdom.

Published: 29-02-2024