Introduction
Hero Wars Alliance Astrid and Lucas Guide will walk you through everything you need to know about Astrid and Lucas!
Astrid and Lucas are a marksman/warrior duo in Hero Wars, fighting from the back line with agility as their main attribute. They belong to the Way of Progress faction. Astrid is unique because she doesn’t use energy but instead builds up rage with each attack. As she accumulates rage, Lucas, her pet, gains rage as well. Once his rage hits its peak, Lucas transforms and moves to the front line, acting as a mini-tank to absorb damage for the team. However, if Lucas becomes a target for enemy damage dealers, his low health and armor can be a risk, though it can also help the team survive longer.
In the game’s lore, Astrid and Lucas share a deep bond, having gone through a lot together, and this emotional connection is described as fusing their hearts. As a hero, Astrid is considered a top-tier choice, rated ‘S’ for overall performance, though she drops to an ‘A’ tier in Hydra battles. Together, Astrid and Lucas form one of the most powerful and adaptable teams, contributing an extra ally to the battlefield, making a total of six allies in play.
Skills
Astrid & Lucas have a unique set of skills where Astrid accumulates rage instead of using energy. Once her rage meter fills up, Lucas transforms and moves to the front line to attack.
Go for it, Lucas! allows Astrid to accumulate rage with each attack. Lucas starts the battle with 25% rage and gains an additional 25% with each of Astrid’s attacks. When Astrid’s rage reaches 100%, she can activate her first skill. Lucas then transforms into rage form and rushes to the front row. While in this form, Lucas attacks enemies, takes hits, and loses 7% of his rage with each attack instead of taking damage. Once the rage meter empties, Lucas returns to his passive form. The pet’s attack damage is based on physical attack, and this skill includes a knockback effect that cannot be copied.
Rampant Nature boosts Astrid’s attack and skill speed for 9 seconds. If Lucas is in rage form, the attack speed bonus applies to him instead of Astrid. Lucas also receives this buff when he transforms into rage form.
Predator’s Charge is a passive skill where, as long as Lucas is in rage form, each consecutive attack deals increasing damage.
Tracker’s Mark is another passive skill where each of Astrid’s attacks marks the enemy for 4 seconds. If Lucas attacks a marked enemy, the target is stunned for a short period. However, the chance of stunning decreases if the target’s level is above 130 (or 120).
Talismans
Astrid & Lucas can equip talismans that provide stat boosts, enhancing their effectiveness in battle. Two recommended talismans for them are the Talisman of Release and the Talisman of Ordeals.
The Talisman of Release has agility as its main stat and includes armor penetration as a secondary stat. It offers a maximum boost of +2000 to agility, with three slots for armor penetration, each providing +6600. The increased agility from this talisman boosts both Astrid’s physical damage and Lucas’s damage. The armor penetration makes them highly effective against enemy tanks, allowing them to eliminate them quickly. Additionally, Astrid’s armor is enhanced with an extra 2000 points, providing a total of 28,402 protection against piercing damage.
The Talisman of Ordeals focuses on physical attack as the main stat, while the secondary stats boost critical hit chance. It offers a maximum boost of +8000 to physical attack and includes three slots that each provide +2200 critical hit chance. This talisman significantly improves Astrid’s critical damage, a stat she previously lacked. It greatly enhances her synergy with Sebastian, who boosts critical damage for allies. With this talisman, Astrid gains 4,800 critical chance, and when combined with Sebastian’s 12,000 boost, her total critical chance becomes 15,000, making her a much more effective damage dealer.
Sebastian’s ability to further reduce enemy tanks’ armor complements Astrid’s increased critical damage, enhancing her overall performance. Additionally, Sebastian’s passive ability to cause pure damage with critical hits boosts Astrid’s damage output, making this talisman a vital upgrade, especially for players using Astrid alongside Sebastian.
Glyphs Priority
Glyphs enhance Astrid & Lucas’s stats, improving their overall performance. Prioritizing the right glyphs is crucial to maximizing their potential.
Armor penetration takes high priority as it helps to deal more damage. Agility is also highly prioritized to increase their armor and physical attack. Health comes next with medium priority to improve survivability, followed by physical attack with a medium priority. Armor is given the lowest priority in this version.
The health glyph is designed to increase the total health points for Astrid and Lucas. When equipped with this glyph, they are able to withstand more damage before being defeated in battle. With a greater health reserve, Astrid and Lucas can stay in combat for longer periods, making them more effective in prolonged battles or against enemies that deal damage over time. This offers a significant tactical advantage, allowing the heroes to continue contributing to the fight even under pressure. While other glyphs like armor penetration and physical attack are essential for boosting their offensive capabilities, adding health provides an extra layer of survivability, allowing players to adapt their strategy based on the specific needs of each battle.
Skins Priority
Investing in the right skins for Astrid and Lucas can greatly enhance their performance. It’s crucial not to follow the same order as the glyphs when investing in skins to avoid creating an imbalanced hero. The skin priority should be tested alongside the stats from the glyphs to prevent hitting stat caps or building an Astrid and Lucas who get taken down too early.
The Romantic Skin should be the first skin to invest in, with armor penetration as the most important stat to prioritize. It is recommended to reach Level 45 before leveling the next skin, with the final recommended level being Level 60.
The Default Skin prioritizes agility, while the Demonic Skin focuses on physical attack, as does the Spring Skin. The Solar Skin prioritizes health, and while it may not be the primary focus compared to other stats like armor penetration, agility, and physical attack, it is still strategically important. The Super Health Skin increases the total health points for Astrid and Lucas, allowing them to withstand more damage before being defeated in battle.
By equipping the Super Health Skin, Astrid and Lucas can stay in combat longer, especially useful in prolonged battles or against enemies who deal damage over time. This provides a significant tactical advantage, letting them contribute to the fight even under pressure. While other stats like armor penetration and physical attack are vital for boosting offensive power, the addition of health through the Super Health Skin adds a layer of tactical versatility.
This allows players to adapt their strategy according to the specific needs of each battle, balancing offense with increased survivability. The Super Health Skin can complement other skins that focus on defensive or supportive stats like armor or health regeneration. By combining skins that enhance durability and resistance, players can create powerful combos that align with their strategic approach and playstyle.
Artifacts Priority
Leveling up the right artifacts for Astrid and Lucas is crucial to maximize their potential.
The Book (Alchemist’s Folio) has high priority for boosting armor penetration and physical attack. The Ring (Ring of Agility) is of medium priority, improving armor and physical attack, but it should not be leveled as high as the Book. The Weapon (Princess’ Musket) is of low priority, recommended only for higher spenders or competitive players who frequently use Astrid and Lucas. Even then, it should not be invested in as much as the other two artifacts, as it provides an armor bonus for the entire team.
The Alchemist’s Folio (Book) provides armor penetration (+10,680 or +16,731) and physical attack (+3,561 or +5,577). The Ring of Agility (Ring) increases agility by +3,990 or +6,249. The Princess’ Musket (Weapon) has a 100% activation chance and grants armor (+32,040 or +50,190).
Best Teams
Astrid and Lucas can be part of various team compositions, with some excelling in offense and others in defense. They synergize well with heroes who target the front line.
Common Team Compositions include Julius, Judge, Nebula, Isaac, and Astrid and Lucas; Julius, Judge, Isaac, Sebastian, and Astrid and Lucas; Julius, Judge, Isaac, Ginger, and Astrid and Lucas; Julius, Judge, Amira, Isaac, and Astrid and Lucas; Julius, Nebula, Isaac, Ginger, and Astrid and Lucas; Julius, Yasmine, Sebastian, Isaac, and Astrid and Lucas; and Astrid and Lucas, Isaac, Sebastian, Yasmine, and Julius.
Offense Teams could consist of Astrid and Lucas, Isaac, Nebula, Judge, and Julius; Astrid and Lucas, Heidi, Mojo, Kai, Qing Mao, and Jet Fox; Astrid and Lucas, Kai, and Morrigan; or Astrid and Lucas, Ginger, Isaac, Nebula, and Celeste.
Defense Teams include Dorian, Astrid and Lucas, Daredevil, Elmir, Astaroth, and Jet; Astrid and Lucas, Isaac, Arachne, Ziri, and Martha; Astrid and Lucas, Jorgen, Satori, and Astaroth; Astrid and Lucas, Ginger, Heidi, Yasmine, and Chabba; Julius, Judge, Nebula, Isaac, and Astrid and Lucas; Julius, Judge, Sebastian, Isaac, and Astrid and Lucas; Julius, Judge, Isaac, Ginger, and Astrid and Lucas; Julius, Judge, Amira, Isaac, and Astrid and Lucas; and Mushy and Shroom, Alvanor, Mojo, Xe’Sha, and Astrid and Lucas.
For a Progress Team, a full progress team might include Julius, Ginger, Isaac, Nebula, and Judge, but it could be worth experimenting with switching Ginger or Nebula for Astrid and Lucas.
Other potential teams include Jorgen, Faceless, Astrid, Lian, and Martha. Astrid and Lian both pair well with heroes who target the front line, offering potential synergies.
Synergy: Astrid and Lucas work well with heroes who can keep enemies down and keep Lucas active for longer periods.
Progress Teams: They are currently being tested in new progress teams, but may not outperform existing setups.
Flexibility: Astrid can make Julius more versatile in team compositions.
Testing: Conducting training tests can help determine the optimal team for specific situations.
Astrid and Lucas are rarely used in Hydra battles, and no meta team with them is effective at countering the Hydra. However, a potential Hydra team could include Astrid and Lucas, Isaac, Nebula, Judge, and Julius.
How to Counter Astrid & Lucas
Astrid and Lucas, while a strong duo, have weaknesses that can be exploited. Knowing their counters will help you defeat teams that include them.
The following heroes are effective against Astrid and Lucas. Iris activates her Inner Fire skill for all Tracker’s Marks applied by Lucas when attacking the front line. Cleaver can pull Astrid to the front line with his Rusty Hook skill, making her vulnerable due to her low health. Chabba can swallow Lucas while he’s in his raging form, preventing him from causing damage or acting as a tank. Dante will stun and knock back Lucas while he is attacking the front line.
Ishmael will stun Lucas at the front line with his Storm Blades skill. Dark Star can disable Astrid and Lucas’s buffing skills, push Lucas away, and disable his movement as the nearest enemy. Aurora absorbs most of the magic damage (80%, max) with her 4th skill, Rainbow Halo, and damages nearby enemies when the shield explodes. Orion can target Lucas as the nearest enemy with his antimatter blast. Alvanor & Mojo can also be used against them.
To counter Astrid and Lucas, you can focus on targeting Astrid, as she has low health and is vulnerable once she’s pulled to the front. You should also control Lucas by using heroes that can stun, knock back, or disable him to minimize his impact in rage form. Lastly, you can exploit their weakness to magic damage to deal significant harm.
Consider including the above-mentioned heroes in your team to directly counter Astrid and Lucas’s abilities and strengths.
General Strategies
Astrid and Lucas are a unique duo in Hero Wars, with Astrid being the only hero to have an animal companion. Instead of energy, Astrid uses fury, which, when full, transforms Lucas into his rage form. Mastering their combined abilities and understanding their roles is key to using them effectively.
The fury mechanic works by Astrid gaining fury with each attack, and when it reaches 100%, Lucas transforms, moving to the front line to attack and absorb damage. In his rage form, Lucas can act as a mini-tank, taking enemy hits and protecting the team, though his health and armor are low. His attacks have the ability to stun enemies, especially those marked by Astrid’s “Tracker’s Mark” skill. Additionally, Lucas’s damage increases with each consecutive attack while in rage form, adding to their offensive capabilities. Astrid and Lucas are versatile, making them effective in both Campaign and Tower modes.
To maximize their potential, focus on building Astrid to accumulate rage quickly, allowing Lucas to transform frequently. Timing Lucas’s transformation strategically is important to disrupt enemy skills or protect vulnerable allies. When it comes to target prioritization, focus Lucas’s attacks on marked enemies to maximize stun potential. Combining the Talismans of Release and Ordeals will help maximize damage and quickly eliminate enemies, with the armor penetration Talisman making Astrid and Lucas strong enough to eliminate enemy tanks. With the Talisman of Ordeals, Astrid gains 4,800 critical chance, which, combined with Sebastian’s 12,000 boost, totals 15,000 critical chance, significantly enhancing their offensive output.
Pairing Astrid and Lian with heroes who target the front line can be effective, and integrating Astrid and Lucas into Progress teams, potentially replacing Ginger or Nebula, is another viable option. Astrid also pairs well with Julius, enhancing his versatility.
Astrid and Lucas do have weaknesses to consider. They are vulnerable to non-physical magic damage. Lucas also loses rage quickly from multiple attacks, and they are weak against summoning heroes like Morrigan, Elmir, and Mushy and Shroom. The stun period from Tracker’s Mark can be too short to be consistently effective, and Astrid and Lucas are not generally recommended for Hydra battles.
For optimal performance, prioritize glyphs that boost Armor Penetration, Health, and Agility. When it comes to skins, focus on the Romantic Skin first to increase Armor Penetration. Regarding artifacts, for the Mobile version, the priority is to level the Book first, followed by the Ring, and lastly the Weapon.
By keeping these strategies in mind, you can effectively utilize Astrid and Lucas in various game modes and team compositions.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Astrid and Lucas possess a unique set of strengths and weaknesses that determine their effectiveness in Hero Wars. Understanding these aspects is crucial for strategic team building and gameplay.
Lucas can act as a mini-tank in his rage form by moving to the front line and absorbing damage. They can stun enemies with the Tracker’s Mark skill and provide knockback effects, making them effective at controlling enemy movement. Additionally, they have good armor penetration stats, making them effective against physical teams. Astrid uses fury instead of energy, which is unique to her. She accumulates rage with each attack, and when it reaches 100%, Lucas transforms into rage form, boosting their offensive capabilities.
In rage form, Lucas’s damage increases with each consecutive attack, adding to their damage potential. They are versatile and effective in Campaign and Tower modes. Astrid also has the ability to counter Ishmael by stopping his vampirism, which can be an important strategic advantage. Furthermore, Astrid can make Julius more versatile in battle. With their combined abilities, Astrid and Lucas effectively add an extra ally to the team, bringing the total number of allies to six on the battlefield.
However, they do have their weaknesses. Astrid is vulnerable to non-physical (magic) damage, which makes her weak against mage teams. They also have low health and magic defense, further exacerbating this vulnerability. Lucas quickly loses rage from multiple attacks, reducing the effectiveness of his rage form. Additionally, they are weak against heroes that summon additional creatures, such as Morrigan, Elmir, and Mushy & Shroom. The stun period from Tracker’s Mark can be too short to have a significant impact on some enemies. Astrid and Lucas are rarely used in Hydra battles, as their abilities don’t provide a strong counter to Hydra teams. Lastly, only one of Astrid’s skills uses physical attack, limiting her overall offensive capability.
Proper use of Astrid and Lucas requires understanding how to maximize their strengths while mitigating their weaknesses. Building a team that compensates for their weaknesses is essential, as well as focusing on evolution priorities like armor penetration and agility to enhance their strengths.
Community Opinion/Tier List
Community opinion and tier lists offer valuable insights into the effectiveness of Astrid & Lucas compared to other heroes in Hero Wars. These rankings reflect their performance across various game modes and team compositions.
Astrid and Lucas have emerged as one of the most powerful and versatile teams in Hero Wars Alliance, securing their place in the current meta of the game. They are considered a solid choice for general gameplay scenarios. Some players feel that Astrid is not superior to existing heroes, while others suggest obtaining her to provide more options for countering different defense lineups. There is a consensus that before the rework, Astrid was seen as useless, and it remains to be seen if she is any good now.
On the overall tier list, Astrid is positioned in the ‘S’ tier, highlighting her effectiveness and versatility across general gameplay scenarios, making her a top pick for most teams. In Hydra battles, however, Astrid drops to an ‘A’ tier, suggesting that while she performs well against Hydra, there are other heroes who may specialize more effectively in this area. Astrid currently holds a hero rank of C and a Hydra rank of C.
The overall ranking of Astrid and Lucas is based on their total synergies, as Hero Wars revolves heavily around the synergies between heroes rather than the individual strength of any one hero. While Astrid will at least be useful in niche situations, she may also fit well into a great all-around team. It is recommended to perform training tests to evaluate team performance. Building Astrid and Lucas the right way is only half of the equation; a good team is essential to complement their abilities. Astrid remains a solid choice, excelling in various roles but with room for improvement, particularly in Hydra encounters.
Recommendations from community resources are not official Nexters recommendations. Players who spend significantly on the game, often referred to as whales, will determine whether Astrid is truly valuable for any team.
