Flags and Patterns | Hero Wars Strategy

Hero Wars Strategy

Flags & Patterns

There is very little talk about Flags & Patterns among players. On the other hand i regularly see guildmates failing battles they should win and wonder why ... until i see their flags. Setting up the right flags to be used with the right team can make a huge difference. And it doesn't need to be maxed flags for this. A reasonably built flag with basic(!) Red ranked patterns will do the trick.

First some general information and tips, before i present examples of how to build each flag. The examples section is then separated into 3 blocks:

1) Flexible flags
2) Niche flags
3) Irrelevant flags

1. Upgrade patterns to Red rank

As said above, it's not essential to upgrade the patterns to the final 2-3 Red ranks (+4 to +6) by spending a gazillion of golden thread, often with annoying results ... of getting nothing for it. However, you should bring them at least to Red rank to benefit from extra bonus you get from the most recent flags, for example Readiness giving extra energy for each Red pattern installed. You should also always spend at least 3.750 thread once to upgrade a Red pattern, as this one is guaranteed. And you might as well get lucky ...

2. Use MAGIC ATTACK and PHYSICAL ATTACK a lot

3. Keep most flags flexible, so they can be used with various sort of teams, esp. both magic and physical teams

A few flags are really there for a niche use (like Warrior flag), but most flags should be built so that they support multiple kind of teams. Since MAGIC ATK and PHYSICAL ATK are the "best" most of the time, you cannot really be wrong using both patterns on a flag - even tho there are a few exception were you might not wanna do it. HEALTH as a defensive pattern is also very flexible, because unlike Magic Defense and Armor - that are effective only vs a specific type of team - it improves survivability vs any enemy team.

4. The PHYSICAL ATTACK pattern should be increased to 11% to let Sebastian use his ultimate asap

Its probably the biggest effect any pattern has on any hero and its really worth investing Golden Thread into upgrading the Physical Atk pattern therefore. Note that Sebastian has to otherwise be fully maxed Physical Attack and Agility stats, incl. level 50 Support Ascension tree apart from having a 11%+ Phys. Atk pattern.

Note: READINESS flag only needs 7.5% (afaik!), because it adds energy already

5. Tip: Upgrade patterns before attaching them to a flag

1. Flexible Flags

This category has flags for multiple uses - in both physical teams and magic orientied teams (or even a mix of both). Its imo true for most flags, that should therefore have both MAGIC and PHYSICAL ATK patterns:

1.1 Pet Flag

1.2 Readiness Flag

1.3 Decline Flag (anti-heal)

1.1 Pet Flag

Probably my most used flag, because enhancing your pets abilities will ALWAYS do sth. And esp. nice with Khorus to reduce RNG. Besides magic and physical attack patterns, i added ARMOR here. Mostly because its an old flag and armor used to be a very strong choice. Not that relevant now with the very heavy magic meta, but there are still enough physical teams out there in CoW ...

1.2 Readiness Flag

I use this a lot too nowadays with Fluffy around - both with Sebastian to insta-ult before Fluffy is active, but also with others like Thea and Polaris in the back for early ults. Here i use MAG DEF as 3rd pattern in reaction to the heavy magic meta these days. Other options for 3rd pattern would be Magic Mastery or Armor Pen, depending on what team you prefer to run with it.

1.3 Decline Flag

With new healers like Guus and Byrna around, there are not many enemy teams without any form of healing these days, making this a widely useful flag. It should also be run with Magic + Phys Atk. Since it is an attack-oriented flag, offensive patterns, i.e. either Armor Pen, Magic Mastery or Magic Penetration, are good choices for the 3rd pattern.

2. Niche Flags

Flags with a fairly specific purpose and used in specific teams. Best example is the Warrior flag. Therefore choice of pattern is more one sided:

2.1 Warrior Flag

2.2 Vanguard Flag

2.3 Tank Flag ("Fervor")

2.4 Healing Flag ("Recovery")

No. 2.3 and 2.4 are a bit debatable and could also fit the flexible flags, but i will come to this later ...

2.1 Warrior Flag

Standard flag to use with Warrior heavy teams like Galahad, Lyria, Tristan, maybe adding Kayla or Ishmael. Or just something with Yasmine. Physical atk is obvious and Armor Penetraion the next best choice to overcome specific armor treshold on the enemy side.

As 3rd pattern, ANTI-DODGE is popular but actually BAD, because you mostly run Lyria and her Anti-Dodge is applied first and doesn't leave much behind for the pattern to reduce further, so it barely has any effect*. Best choice is still ARMOR, since Warrior have high armor to begin with that can be raised over a good treshold. MAG DEF is imo not a great choice despite the new meta since Warrior dont have high Mag Def to raise percentage-based.

*I tested this!

2.2 Vanguard Flag

I consider it "niche" because its a reasonable choice to run with Electra in a magic oriented team, but doesnt see much use outside of that - which doesn't mean it cannot be used anywhere else of course. There are arguably two ways to set it up:
a) Super defensive (like i did) to max raise Electras health (and also protect the rest of the team) - esp. good on defense
b) Very offensive in a magic context ... pretty much what i set my TANK flag up (see next!)

2.3 Tank Flag ("Fervor")

The niche use is debatable, but i feel like i would not use this flag in physical teams with a "physical" tank like Asta, Julius, Corvus, Cleaver, Chabba. Although its definitely an option - and then you want to build the flag as discussed in section 1 ("flexible": Phys & Mag Atk and probably Armor or Health).

I decided to use the flag offensively in Magic teams with mage tanks like Electra, Mushy, Aurora. And therefore fully focus on Magic Atk and Magic Penetration spread on all three patterns. Which is however also an option to do with the Vanguard flag. In that case this Tank flag should indeed be built "flexible".

2.4 Healing Flag ("Recovery")

I dont use it! And i also dont see this flag as super useful. But it might be good in CoW City Hall. In which case i would specifically build it for this kind of team: Mag Atk (to increase healing), Health (so there is more room to heal) and Phys Atk (keeps it flexible and also boosts healer like Guus and Nebula).

3. Irrelevant flags

Two flags that i dont see a reason to build right now:

3.1 Frost Flag:
I feel like it is too slow with its 18 sec activation time and also believe the effect is too small to matter much. It might however getting a little better in the current meta ...

3.2 Armor Flag ("Bastion" - the latest one):
I dont feel how armor matters much in the current meta. Unless it somehow works with Electra - i.e. the timing allows Electras armor to apply to the team before it is transferred into health. Which i don't know about. But even then i would probably still prioritize the Vanguard flag ...