Some units feel strong when you first use them. Shanks doesn’t feel strong—he feels unfair. The more you understand how his kit actually works, the more you realize he’s not playing by the same rules as other units.
If you’ve pulled him, this guide will help you turn that pull into a full damage monster instead of wasting his potential.
How to Get Shanks
Shanks is a Mythic unit from the banner, with multiple evolutions leading into a higher-tier form. There’s also a shiny version, but realistically, just getting the base unit is already a grind.
He’s one of those units you don’t casually get—you either grind hard or commit to summons.
On paper, he’s a crit unit. In reality, he’s an ability loop machine.
Passive Breakdown (Simplified)
- Gains crit damage every time he crits (stacking up to 100%)
- Gets bonus range and keeps it even after death
- Strong bonus damage against bosses
- High crit chance vs bosses
Now the important part:
His Core Mechanic
- Crits instantly trigger abilities
- Abilities can crit too
- Crit abilities reduce cooldown even further
So instead of:
Attack → Wait → Ability
He becomes:
Attack → Crit → Ability → Crit → Ability → Repeat nonstop
And since his crit rate goes over 100%, he basically never stops.
His Damage
Once fully built:
- ~120K base attack
- ~700K–800K ability damage
- Always critting
- Full AoE
But numbers don’t fully explain it.
The real reason he melts everything:
- He’s stacking crit damage constantly
- He’s triggering abilities way faster than intended
- He effectively has double ability output
That’s why enemies just disappear instead of “taking damage.”
Best Shanks Build
This is where most people mess up.
You do NOT build him like a normal DPS.
Core Build Focus:
- Ability Damage
- Ability Cooldown
- Crit Damage
Recommended Setup
1. Crown of Eternity
- Boosts ability damage + reduces cooldown
- Core piece, don’t skip
2. Wings Choice
- If you want more damage: Blacklight Reaver Wings (crit boost)
- If you want smoother spam: Valkyrie Wings (cooldown reduction)
3. Armored Shoes
- More cooldown reduction (very important)
4. Ethereal Lance
- +30% damage
- Extra cooldown reduction
This setup pushes him into near constant ability spam territory.
Best Soul Options
Main Pick:
Soul of Power
- Straight ability damage boost
- Works well with his scaling
Strong Alternative:
Soul of Chance
- Helps trigger abilities even more frequently
In longer fights, this can actually outperform raw damage builds.
Best Stat Rolls / Curses
Prioritize:
- Ability Cooldown
- Ability Damage
- Crit Damage
Do NOT over-invest in crit chance. He already has more than enough.
Invasion Mode
This is basically his playground.
- Mostly boss fights
- His passive gives bonus boss damage
- High crit consistency
Everything in this mode works in his favor. If you’re pushing high waves, he carries hard.
Shanks doesn’t just hit hard—he loops damage mechanics in a way most units can’t.
Once your build is right:
- You stop worrying about cooldowns
- You stop watching numbers
- You just watch waves disappear
Right now, he’s easily one of the strongest units in the update—and unless something major replaces him, he’s going to stay relevant for a long time.
If you’ve got him, build him properly. That’s the difference between “strong unit” and “game-breaking unit.”