Introduction
Get ready to master Rufus with our ultimate Hero Wars Alliance Rufus Guide, and unlock his full potential to dominate every battle!
Rufus, a distinguished hero from the Way of Mystery faction in Hero Wars Alliance, is a tank hero whose abilities make him a cornerstone in specific team compositions, especially when facing enemies who rely heavily on magical damage. His unique skills allow him to absorb and mitigate magic attacks, making him a vital asset to players who need a reliable counter to teams that deal magic-based damage. Unlike traditional tanks who focus primarily on physical defense, Rufus specializes in shielding his team from the devastating magical onslaughts that could otherwise devastate fragile backlines.
Acquiring Rufus’s soul stones is a key part of his progression, and players can gather them in the Grand Arena Shop using Grand Arena coins. These coins can be earned through participation in the Grand Arena, which is a mode that pits players against each other for high-stakes battles. As such, Rufus is often considered a mid-to-late-game hero, meaning that new players may need to invest time in earning the necessary resources to unlock him. Nevertheless, once unlocked, he can make a significant difference in the success of many battles, especially when you’re faced with heavy magic-using adversaries.
One of the most fascinating aspects of Rufus is his backstory, which contributes significantly to his thematic and gameplay mechanics. Rufus’s lore revolves around a drinking bet with the demon Rakashi. The bet, which was likely more about pride than strategy, led to a surprising twist: Rakashi, the demon, ended up being trapped within Rufus’s shield, becoming his eternal companion and protector. This relationship between Rufus and Rakashi is not just a piece of backstory fluff—it directly influences Rufus’s abilities in battle. The power of Rakashi within Rufus’s shield makes him a formidable defender against magical damage, as Rakashi’s essence empowers the hero’s ability to absorb and nullify magic-based attacks.
This lore-based connection is reflected in Rufus’s skills, with the Rakashi’s Barrier being his defining ability. The ability allows him to generate a powerful shield that absorbs all incoming magic damage, making him an exceptional counter against teams composed of heroes like Satori, Celeste, Xe’sha, or Iris, who rely heavily on magical damage to burst down enemies. Additionally, the lore also plays a crucial role in the flavor of his resurrection mechanics, as Rakashi’s essence ensures that Rufus can bounce back from death when struck by magical damage.
While Rufus excels in nullifying magic, it is essential to recognize his limitations. Rufus is not a versatile tank and can struggle against physical damage dealers. Heroes like K’arkh, Keira, Yasmin, and Jhu, who specialize in dealing physical damage, can pose a significant threat to Rufus’s survivability. This vulnerability makes Rufus a situational hero rather than a universally viable tank. For teams that face a variety of damage types, other tanks like Galahad or Judge might be more suitable in the long run. Rufus, on the other hand, should be deployed strategically when the enemy lineup is predominantly magic-focused.
Despite these weaknesses, Rufus remains relevant throughout all stages of the game, with his anti-magic capabilities remaining particularly useful in Asgard, where players face a series of increasingly difficult opponents. His role as an anti-magic wall becomes invaluable in these scenarios, where the bulk of incoming damage can be magical, making him an essential pick for those looking to optimize their defenses in this particular mode.
Moreover, Rufus’s adaptability is noteworthy: while he may not be the best choice for every battle, he offers the opportunity to strategically counter magic-heavy teams, allowing players to gain an edge in specific scenarios. His shield and self-healing mechanics allow him to tank and sustain in prolonged engagements, and with the right team synergy, Rufus can effectively control the flow of battle by rendering magic-based damage useless. However, it’s important to ensure that the rest of your team can handle physical threats and provide other forms of support, as Rufus is most effective when paired with heroes who can deal high physical damage or provide utility.
In summary, Rufus is a unique hero who stands out in specific contexts within Hero Wars Alliance. His abilities are tailored for those who need a strong counter to magic-dominant teams. While he may struggle against physical damage and should not be relied upon as a blanket solution for every situation, his contribution to a balanced team, particularly in magic-heavy battles or modes like Asgard, is invaluable. His magic absorption, self-healing, and resurrection mechanics make him an indispensable asset when facing enemies that rely on magic as their primary form of attack.
Skills
Rufus’s kit is designed to make him a nightmare for magic-based teams. Understanding each of his abilities is key to using him effectively.
Rakashi’s Barrier is Rufus’s signature skill. He conjures a shield over his entire team that absorbs all incoming magic damage. The capacity of this shield scales with his magic attack. This ability should be maxed out first as it provides crucial protection for your entire lineup against magical assaults.
Rakashi’s Mockery (also known as Rakashi’s Taunt) allows Rufus to strike the enemy with the highest magic power, dealing damage over time. While this skill adds some offensive pressure, it’s generally recommended to upgrade this only after his other core skills as its impact is less significant than his defensive capabilities.
Devourer of Magic (also known as Magic Eater) is a vital part of Rufus’s survivability. This passive skill converts a portion of the magic damage absorbed by Rakashi’s Barrier into his own health. This self-healing mechanism allows him to stay on the frontline longer, continuously protecting his team. This skill is a must-upgrade to enhance his longevity.
Rakashi’s Oath (also known as Last Word) is a unique passive ability that makes Rufus immortal against magic and pure damage. If the last attack against him was magic or pure damage, he will resurrect with a portion of his health restored. This resurrection can completely throw off opponents relying on magical burst damage. Maxing this skill is essential to capitalize on his anti-magic nature. However, be aware that heroes with physical damage can bypass this and that Morrigan’s fourth skill can prevent his resurrection.
Prioritizing Glyphs for Maximum Effectiveness
Glyphs enhance Rufus’s core stats, and prioritizing them correctly is crucial for optimizing his performance. The generally recommended order is as follows: Health should be your top priority since Rufus’s resurrection and overall tankiness benefit greatly from a larger health pool. Strength should come next, as it contributes to his health and physical attack, making it a logical choice for further enhancing his tanking ability.
Magic Attack should be the next focus to boost the capacity of Rakashi’s Barrier, his primary defensive tool. Armor is less critical but can help mitigate minor physical attacks, while Magic Defense is the lowest priority, as Rufus is designed to absorb magic damage, not resist it. Some players even suggest keeping his armor low initially to charge his ultimate faster.
For an alternative approach when Rufus is intended as your main tank and in defensive setups, some suggest prioritizing Armor, then Health, Strength, Magic Attack, and finally Magic Defense. This aims to make him slightly more resilient against the physical attacks he is vulnerable to.
Choosing the Right Skins to Enhance Rufus
Skins provide additional stat boosts, and the order in which you acquire and level them can significantly impact Rufus’s effectiveness. The recommended priority is as follows: Angel Skin (Health) is crucial as it increases his health further, enhancing his survivability and resurrection potential. Winter Skin (Health) provides another boost to his health, solidifying his role as a resilient tank. Default Skin (Strength) should come next to enhance his main stat, contributing to his overall tankiness.
Barbarian Skin (Magic Attack) increases his magic attack, directly strengthening Rakashi’s Barrier. Finally, Beach Skin (Armor), while useful, is less important when using Rufus primarily as an anti-magic tank, as he’s not meant to withstand physical attacks. However, in an alternative setup where Rufus is the main tank, particularly in defense, prioritizing the Winter Skin (Armor) before the Angel Skin (Health) might be considered.
Optimizing Artifacts for Rufus
Artifacts provide substantial stat boosts and unique passive effects. The recommended priority for Rufus’s artifacts is as follows: Weapon: Rakashi’s Shield (Armor), as the armor provided by his weapon artifact is beneficial, even though Rufus is vulnerable to physical damage. Its activation chance is always 100%. Ring: Ring of Strength (Strength) boosts his main stat, further increasing his health and physical attack. Book: Tome of Arcane Knowledge (Magic Attack, Health) enhances his magic attack, which strengthens his barrier, and the added health improves his survivability.
Focus on upgrading the Weapon to three stars first, then the Ring to three stars, and finally the Book to three stars. After all three have reached three stars, you can then focus on increasing their star levels further.
Utilizing Rufus’s Talismans Wisely
Rufus has two talismans, each offering different benefits. The Talisman of Oath (Strength and Health) significantly increases Rufus’s health pool, which directly benefits his resurrection ability and overall survivability, especially against magic-heavy teams. It also contributes to faster energy generation as he will take more damage from physical attacks, allowing him to use his shield more frequently. This is generally considered the superior choice for most situations.
The Talisman of Languor (Armor and Magic Attack) improves Rufus’s resilience against physical damage and strengthens his magic attack, thus increasing the effectiveness of his shields. However, the added armor can lead to slower energy generation as he takes less physical damage. While useful for specific strategies requiring a more balanced tank, it’s often less impactful than the Oath Talisman. In most cases, the Oath Talisman is the preferred option as it amplifies Rufus’s core strengths against magic damage and enhances his resurrection potential.
Crafting the Best Teams with Rufus
Rufus’s effectiveness is maximized when paired with heroes who complement his strengths and help cover his weaknesses. By strategically building teams around him, you can make the most of his ability to absorb magical damage while covering his vulnerabilities against physical damage. Here are some examples of strong team compositions featuring Rufus:
Offensive Teams:
One strong offensive team could be Fafnir, Artemis, Tristan, Rufus, and Luther. This composition excels against magic teams by utilizing Fafnir and Tristan’s magic penetration, Artemis’s scaling physical damage, with Rufus as the magic damage absorber and Luther providing control. Another potent team could be Jet, Sebastian, Keira, Andvari, and Rufus. This team is a high-damage physical composition with Keira as the main damage dealer, supported by Jet and Sebastian’s buffs, Andvari’s protection, and Rufus’s magic defense.
Another viable team is Phobos, Faceless, Amira, Jorgen, and Rufus, which focuses on control and energy manipulation. In this team, Rufus tanks magical damage while Phobos, Faceless, Amira, and Jorgen work to disrupt the enemy’s strategy. Additional offensive team compositions include Rufus, Julius, Juiz, Isaac, Astrid & Lucas, which provides a balanced mix of tankiness, damage, and support, and Rufus, Satori, Jorgen, Faceless, and Martha, a powerful magic damage team where Satori is the primary damage dealer, Jorgen handles energy control, Faceless copies abilities, and Martha provides healing.
Defensive Teams:
Defensive teams featuring Rufus could include combinations like Jet, Sebastian, Keira, Andvari, and Rufus, similar to the offensive version but with a defensive focus. Another solid defensive composition could be Fafnir, Artemis, Tristan, Rufus, and Luther, which forms a magic-resistant team capable of holding its own against strong opponents. Fafnir, Artemis, Tristan, Galahad, and Rufus provides an alternative, with Galahad offering additional physical tanking alongside Rufus’s magic defense.
Keep in mind that these team compositions are just examples. It’s important to experiment with different hero combinations based on your roster and the opponents you face. Rufus has been part of many meta teams throughout Hero Wars history, often paired with heroes like Dante, Julius, and others to create resilient and effective offensive or defensive strategies.
Rufus in Hydra Battles
While Rufus might not have specific meta teams for each Hydra head, his ability to absorb significant magical damage makes him a valuable asset against magic-based Hydra heads. Example teams for magic Hydras include combinations like Martha, Mojo, Nebula, Jhu, Rufus.
Counter
Rufus’s Achilles’ heel is physical damage. Heroes who deal high physical damage, such as K’arkh, Yasmin, and Keira, are effective counters. Additionally, Morrigan’s fourth skill can prevent Rufus’s resurrection, making her a direct counter. Other heroes with strong physical attacks or control abilities can also overcome Rufus’s magic-focused defenses.
Strategic Deployment of Rufus
Rufus excels when facing teams that heavily rely on magical damage. He can be a solid replacement for early-game tanks like Galahad or Judge when you start encountering more magic-heavy compositions. When building a team around Rufus, consider heroes who can provide healing, physical damage, or reduce enemy magical resistance to further enhance his effectiveness. Positioning him on the frontline, protected by supportive heroes, is crucial to maximizing his utility as the main magic tank. However, remember that he is not ideal as a main tank against all team compositions due to his vulnerability to physical attacks.
Rufus in the Heat of Battle
In battles against magic-heavy opponents, Rufus shines as the master of magical defense. His Rakashi’s Barrier can completely negate devastating magical attacks, providing crucial protection for his allies. His Rakashi’s Taunt adds some offensive pressure against magic users. The Magic Devourer ensures his sustainability on the frontline, and Rakashi’s Oath provides a frustrating layer of immortality for magic-based attackers. He is particularly strong against heroes like Satori, Celeste, Xe’sha, Iris, Orion, and the Twins (Krista and Lars).
Weighing the Pros and Cons of Rufus
To summarize, Rufus has several key advantages and disadvantages.
One of his main positive points is that he provides team-wide protection against massive amounts of magic damage, making him highly effective in magic-heavy battles. Additionally, Rufus has the ability to regenerate health when he receives magic damage, further enhancing his tanking ability. He can only be killed by physical damage, and if he takes lethal magic or pure damage, he will resurrect with a portion of his health restored. Rufus is also relatively easy to obtain and improve, making him accessible for most players. His relevance extends throughout all stages of the game, and he is considered one of the best tanks for the Asgard game mode.
However, Rufus does have some notable drawbacks. He often struggles against teams focused on physical damage, as his defenses are weaker against such attacks. Rufus is a situational hero, meaning he may not be the best choice for every battle and is less effective in certain situations. His armor artifact can also be less useful when he’s only facing magic teams, as it doesn’t provide much benefit in those cases. Lastly, his resurrection ability can be countered by Morrigan, which can significantly reduce his effectiveness in certain matchups.
Conclusion
Rufus is an exceptional tank when facing magical adversaries in Hero Wars Alliance. His unique abilities make him a powerhouse against magic damage, and with the right strategy, he can become an unstoppable force on the battlefield. By fully understanding his skills, prioritizing his upgrades effectively, and strategically incorporating him into teams that complement his strengths, you can maximize his potential and turn him into an impassable wall against magical damage. His ability to absorb and mitigate magic damage through skills like Rakashi’s Barrier, combined with his self-healing and resurrection, makes him a vital asset in many scenarios, especially when facing teams that rely heavily on magic-based attacks.
However, it’s important to remember that Rufus has weaknesses, particularly when it comes to physical damage. He struggles against heroes that deal high physical damage, such as K’arkh, Yasmin, or Keira, and his effectiveness can be significantly reduced when facing teams built around physical damage. As such, it’s crucial to use him judiciously, making sure he is deployed in situations where his strengths shine. This means carefully evaluating the composition of your opponents and using Rufus primarily against magical teams or in modes like Asgard, where his magic resistance and tanking abilities are most valuable.
Building Rufus in parallel with your overall strategy will ensure that he remains an invaluable part of your team. His synergy with certain heroes, his ability to absorb magic damage, and his resurrection skills can make him the backbone of your defensive setup when combined with the right support heroes. Whether you are looking to create a magic-resistant frontline or need a tank that can help your other heroes survive longer against magical threats, Rufus offers unique advantages.
Always remember that while he is an excellent tank in the right conditions, his role should be carefully considered in each battle, especially against physical damage dealers. With proper management and team composition, Rufus will prove to be an essential protector and one of the most reliable tanks in the game.
