Character Guides - Sylas, Fisher of Souls

A more in-depth look at one of the meanest, most dependable fighters in the player's arsenal.

Preface

As someone that has played Armello on and off over the last couple of years, I find myself feeling like there’s not too much information readily available to me at times. There’s a few general ‘how to play’ guides and a couple that discuss most (though not all) of the cast of heroes, but nothing that goes into fine detail, and most information in the Steam guides for Armello doesn’t get updated.

Given that I’ve been enjoying playing Sylas very much, and seeing just how many people are favoring the Wolf clan of late (I’ve seen a lot of games with 2-3 Wolf Clan heroes, usually wearing Rubelite), I feel it might be worth talking about Sylas so he doesn’t get forgotten. Because the truth is, Sylas is just as powerful - and sometimes more powerful - than the Wolf Clan in several respects. Largely, this is because unlike a Wolf wearing Rubelite, Sylas’ passive makes him highly dependable.

I may provide a short guide with general tips on playing Armello later, the sort I wish I had known when I first started enjoying this game. I may create more character guides as time goes on. Lord knows I’m still new to this game compared to some of the experts (level 14 vs. level 100 players), but since coming back this last month I’ve won roughly ½ my multiplayer games. It’s not an amazing record by any stretch, but when there’s 4 players in a match winning half the matches hopefully means I know what I’m doing. Hopefully.

On Character Archetypes

There is certain language I will use throughout this guide refering to character 'archetypes' that might be unfamiliar to those new to the game (or, heck, even to those that play the game; it's not like these 'archetypes' I'm about to mention are listed on the Wiki). As such, I want to express clearly what they are before I continue.

• Fighter - A Hero that specializes in kicking someone else's butt. They typically are good at one job, and that's hitting things until they die. Examples include Sylas, Horace, Brun, and the Wolf Clan in general.
  
• Generalist - A jack-of-all-trades Hero that is very adaptable to the game and situation. These guys are rarely a bad choice for any given game, and can generally be adjusted to fill whatever role you need them to. Examples include Sargon, Scarlet, River, and the Rabbit Clan in general.
  
• Spellcaster - Spell-focused characters, typically with a high Spirit score, that specialize in casting lots and lots of magic. Most have low Fight. Examples include Twiss and the Bear Clan in general.
  
• Trickster - This is a character that is good at getting gold and/or settlements and using trickery cards to great effect. Having lots of gold typically makes them fairly flexible (as it gives them good access to both the item and trickery decks). Examples include Scarlet, Twiss, and the Rat Clan in general.

Note that some characters may fit into different archetypes based on their ring/amulet selection, or just based on how they're played. Twiss, for instance, is very capable of flexing both trickery and spell muscles; Scarlet plays as something between a Generalist and a Trickster; and River can be made to be either heavily Fight-focused or to be more of a generalist. The point is, these categories are useful to keep in mind when selecting characters and making choices on amulets and rings, but they're not hard and fast by any stretch of the imagination.

In general, you should be able to look at the cast of characters (after some time playing the game) and know roughly what sort of roles they'll be fulfilling in the game. This will inform key decisions you make before the first dice roll.

Character Overview

Affinity	Fight	Body	Wits	Spirit	Gold
Night	5	5	3	3	3

As shown by the stats above, Sylas is very much designed for martial combat. He’s not quite as brawny as Magna, Fang, or Horace, but his 3 in Wits and Magic mean he’s a little more flexible than they are. It means that when nightfall comes he can cast Teleport if he draws it (having to burn these feels terrible) as well as Rite of Wyld, and if he happens to have a Moon Juice or to have cast Focus during the day he can throw down the ever-wonderful Lightning Bolt. He can cast a 2 mana and a 1 mana spell at night, which means that if you’re out of gold you’re not starved for things to do at night… at least, not typically.

Sylas’ starting gold is a real pain, however. Having 3 gold (after the first turn income rolls in) means you’ll sometimes be able to use both your starting item and trickery, but you’re just as likely to only be able to buy one - or neither.

Because you start with so little gold as Sylas, it’s important to know your priorities with him. For that, we need to understand his passive.

Passive: Butcher

Let’s discuss the implications here. Sylas is a character that wants needs to have a bounty on his head to be truly effective. He gets +1 sword per bounty level, of which there are three bounty levels; and this means that when you're in a room with trigger happy Spellcasters you will be Public Enemy Numero Uno. Once you hit 2 bounty (Fugitive), people will have you in their laser sights. Every Moonbite, Throwing Axe, Mercenaries, Lightning Bolt, Hidden Trap, and Immolation in the game will suddenly find itself sent in your direction.

Okay, that might be a slight exaggeration, but the point is Sylas starts looking a lot like an All-You-Can-Eat buffet when players are starved for gold or prestige. Effectively, this means that defense should be a priority for you as a player.

In return for this, Sylas turns into a truly dangerous foe to be reckoned with. +1 sword might not sound like much, but +2 or +3 free swords is a lot scarier. Sylas can be walking around the map with 6 health pretty easy early on, or 8 if he has Barkskin up, and he'll still get his +damage. A Wolf Clan hero wearing a Rubelite ring might look scary with 10 Fight on Turn 1 (looking at you, Fang), but they're actually very flimsy: a single Immolation, or sometimes just a Moonbite at night, is enough to take them out. Sylas, meanwhile, just has to keep himself alive to maintain his high bounty level. It can be a difficult task, but it certainly pays off, and it makes him very good at earning a Kingslayer victory.

Also consider that when you attack the King, your Bounty Level automatically goes to the highest possible tier, just like that. So let's say that it's day time when you enter the palace as Sylas, and you don't have a Bounty before then. Okay: so when you first enter, you're Wanted and you get +1 sword. But that same night, when you attack the King, your bounty will jump to Traitor, and you'll get 3 extra swords total.

The above paragraph is no longer true. Sylas is still a very powerful character, but the new bounty increase for attacking Guards and the King applies after the battle in question. This means you need to actually trigger a bounty before you try tackling the King, and in a game with powerful casters this can be dangerous.

Another thing to consider is that bounty level goes up every dawn. Ergo, if your bounty was at 1 the previous night, Dawn will bump it to a 2. Ergo, if you time when you get your bounty right, you can minimize the length you have to wait to start getting serious bonus Swords out of your passive and start kicking everyone's butts.

In short: Butcher is a dangerous passive to possess, but it's also very rewarding. Make sure not to accidentally give yourself diplomatic immunity or remove your bounties, and try to stay alive long enough to enjoy that passive. If you get killed, all your bounty goes away, and the sucker that offed you gets lots of prestige and gold. Survival is by far your most important goal as Sylas.

When To Use Sylas

Some people may want to pick a certain character just because they're in the mood to play that character, or they may let the random character selector do the choosing for them. It is perfectly valid to want to play the character you like most, and no matter what I write here, I sometimes just play the characters I want to play. There are those, however, who want to pick their characters strategically. This section is for those fine folks.

Sylas is a dependable, reliable Fighter that benefits from choosing gear that increases his durability and favors Rings and Amulets that do the same. He'll stand up well enough to most Fighters, but only once his bounty level has gone up; really, despite the big target on his back saying "KILL ME," I find he holds up pretty well to Generalists.

Use Sylas if:

• The other players have chosen Generalists. You'll find Sylas weathers these games pretty well: characters like Amber, Elyssia, Scarlet, and Hargrave are all dangerous because they're adaptable to any situation, but they generally will lack the firepower to bring him down out of combat and will lack the damage to beat him in a direct confrontation. This depends on the situation and the cards dealt, but Sylas typically has enough Wits and Spirit of his own to stay alive.
  
• The other players have chosen a healthy mix of Fighters and other archetypes. While individuals in these games may be able to blast Sylas away or defeat him one-on-one, Sylas still generally possesses the durability to walk out with his tail intact. He'll suffer at the hands of particularly powerful Spellcasters like Ghor or Twiss, and both River and Fang can be a pain to deal with, as can a Brun that's just spent a bunch of spell cards on self-buffs. Again, however, Sylas is durable enough to take the brunt of whatever's thrown at him here: not everyone can out-fight him, and not everyone is going to blast him to Hell and back the moment he leaves stealth.

DON'T use Sylas if:

• All three other players are using Fighters. There are better ways to handle this situation. Pick someone like Ghor, Twiss, Amber, or anyone else that reliably gets lots of gold/mana and card draw. You'll generally do far better against them with such a character.
  
• All three other players are playing powerful Spellcasters. Sylas can weather a lot, but this is one situation I'd probably avoid. You're better off with someone like Zosha, who is invisible for half the game, Magna, who is super durable without being a Gold/Prestige loot bucket, or Brun, who has the raw health, fighting proficiency, AND magical firepower to hold his own in this situation. If, however, you choose to play Sylas in this situation, there are ways to prepare him for this. More on that later.

Be Afraid Of:

• Ghor. Actually, Ghor is no longer a powerful spellcaster. He can still be dangerous, but he's not the forest-hugging doomsday turret he once was.
  
• Twiss. This may sound crazy to the unitiated, but Twiss is someone you don't want to mess with. If you attack her while holding a vital card in your hand, she most likely WILL survive and therefore WILL take it from you, and you probably won't deal any damage. If you're going to attack Twiss, it's better to do so when you're equipped with a weapon like the Silver Lance to give yourself some PIerce damage, and it's best to do so when you don't have any cards in your hand you're not worried about losing. If you've got fairly useless cards you want to stuff her hand with (Cursed Lands late game when there's no perils between you and the King and Twiss has no mana left) it might be worth trying to stuff her hand with cards she won't. Otherwise... Don't lose your Hot Rot Wine or Strategist card to her because you thought maybe, just maybe your dice would explode a bunch and you'd manage to finish her off.
  
• River. God, I hate fighting River sometimes. For all your durability, a River loaded up with defensive items can potentially just attack you three times in a row and survive in order to whittle down your health. A River with a Poppet is even worse: she can take away 6 health from you in 2 fights without ever dealing a scratch in the actual battle itself. What's worse is she can steal your Kingslayer victory out from underneath you by tapping the King gently with her bow when he's at 1 health. If you must fight her, try to be on the offensive, or to be exactly 3 tiles away so she can only hit you once with that jerk bow of hers.

Victories To Pursue:

Kingslayer is the most obvious route for Sylas, but Sylas CAN be prepped to go for a Prestige Victory as well with the right ring and/or amulet selection. He can chase after a Rot victory just fine, but his ability to do so is largely based on luck. He really shouldn't bother with a Spirit Stone victory unless it throws itself into his lap. Overall, Sylas is a Fighter first and foremost and should expect to either kill the king or keep others away from the king and win with Prestige by stabbing them in the face a lot.

Rings and Amulets

Sylas has some decent options for rings, and a LOT of good options as far as amulets are concerned. The choices you make when choosing these will determine a lot about how Sylas plays in the game, and it's important to consider what characters the other players have chosen and what choices they'll be making before the game starts.

Rings

Truth be told, every ring available to Sylas has a lot to offer him.

Serendibite shines in this otter's claws. It makes it so when you kill a guard you get +1 prestige and +1 gold (for a net total of 0 prestige and +1 gold when killing guards). For Sylas, this ring is the key to being able to pursue a Prestige victory, and therefore it's a favorite of mine. It makes him quite capable of making full use of his passive without sacrificing all that hard-earned Prestige. In short, it makes him more flexible. Flexibility is king in Armello. If you want a chance at a prestige victory, THIS is the ring you must take. Sylas WILL kill guards throughout his journey, and unless he has this ring, he WILL lose prestige for doing so.

Consider this, too: if Sylas has Serendibite, he can attack a guard when he has zero prestige and he'll first "lose" 1 prestige from that - but you can't go below 0. So, after he "loses" that prestige, he gets 1 prestige and 1 gold. If a guard happens to be between you and your quest and you have a good starting item (like Battle Armor) and perhaps an offensive card to soften him up before the fight, you've just won an early prestige boost.

Black Opal is good for a Sylas that worries about nasty Spellcasters and Tricksters melting his face. It's not very powerful - it only provides him stealth in villages - but it does operate both day and night, so there's a lot of potential for Sylas to be untargetable with cards that specifically target "Creature" or "Hero." (See: Immolation, Aflame, Saboteur, Blackmail, Yordana's curses, Banish, Throwing Axe, etc.) Consider it a defensive tool vs. those sorts of characters, and perhaps a must-pick vs. Yordana (if you don't care for Prestige).

Pink Topaz is probably the least useful ring to Sylas. More gold is always nice, it's true, but Sylas just needs a few key items, and a Serendibite-equipped Fisher of Souls can make some quick cash by riling up the local guards and stabbing them a lot. I don't see myself picking this very often in the future, if at all.

Amethyst is a very interesting choice for Sylas. See, Sylas doesn't have a lot of Spirit, but as established earlier, 3 is enough to cast some key spells. But if he has 4 or 5 mana instead of 3, he could cast Lightning Strike or Banish, for instance - both very key spells. Since he's very good at fighting King's Guards, Sylas can safely burn whatever spell he needs when going up against them once he's gotten the right gear, making this ring a strong late game choice if you can stay relevant. It adds more utility to his skillset, meaning he's more flexible, and again: flexibility is king in Armello.

With the ring rebalancing, Amethyst has become my go-to ring for Sylas. Rot spells are now worth 2 mana instead of 1, so something like Cursed Lands suddenly becomes the catalyst to casting a more powerful spell. Definitely consider this ring.

Celestite is a nice ring to have. I think it's a good general use choice if you don't plan on pursuing a Prestige victory, as being able to maneuver around the map more easily helps you a lot in the long run.

Amulets

Not every amulet is equal where Sylas is concerned, but there's a handful that I'd strongly consider depending on the situation.

Resist is typically my first pick, and I'll tell you why: Sylas wants every Shield he can get. Shields are what keep him alive against Banes, King's Guards, the King, and anyone that doesn't have Pierce. It also helps him survive certain Perils, and he'll typically end the game with a Wits score of 4 and a Spirit score of 3, so anything that helps vs. Perils is wonderful. It's especially useful if you're up against any Fighters (with Thane as a possible exception), but note that if you're dragging this bad boy around you'd best watch out for Spellcasters and Tricksters early game. 5 health isn't as big a pool as it seems.

Soak is a good choice if you're up against Spellcasters. It puts you at 6 Body, which means that if someone casts Immolation and Moonbite at you at full health Sylas won't keel over. It doesn't make you invincible, but it makes you that much less of a target for trigger happy high wits deck sifters.

Think is my next choice. Sometimes you really need a little extra card draw, or sometimes you really want to be able to hold onto a Hot Rot Wine or Strategist card if you get it... or you just want to be more of a generalist than usual because everyone else is playing a bruiser. The Think amulet has your back here. It pairs decently well with the Amethyst Ring, too; but I generally would rather focus on Sylas' ability to kick butt and take names.

Decay is an amulet I haven't had the pleasure of trying out yet, but dang does it look good for Sylas. See, Sylas is all about staying alive, right? And Rot has this little problem of making you suffer a little every dawn when you have it, and Sylas' health pool can end up dwindling as other characters try and snipe him for gold and prestige. Well, that's where Decay comes into play: get a point of rot, get 2 health back. It sounds like a pretty good deal to me, and would make me giddy to throw out a Plague for the first time rather than fearful of the act.

Grow is... actually probably a perfectly alright pick. I haven't used it myself yet, but I plan to do so and test it out soon. If Sylas gets 1 point of rot, he'll bleed every Dawn; but with this, he'll get that hit point back every Dusk. For a character so dependent on being not dead, this could be nice. I think I'd rather have Resist in most cases, however.

Favour is an interesting amulet. +2 prestige and never falling below that number could be really nice if you're packing Serendibite. Generally I'd prefer to have a more Fight-oriented amulet, but if you're in a game with lots of characters that typically hunt for Prestige AND are capable of sniping people that go for the king (looking at you two, Ghor and Twiss), this might just be a smart choice. If you get lucky, you could very easily have 4-6 prestige by the first Dawn by killing a guard (adds 1 prestige to the starting 2), doing your quest (1 prestige), and either killing a bane (1 more prestige) or equipping a Feathered Helmet (1 prestige) which is a good item for you to have, by the way. Other things that could happen is a solid combat with another player, rescuing a terrorized settlement from the aforementioned Bane, or finding a Royal Banner as part of your first quest (doubtful, that one).

However, not having +body means you're VERY prone to one of those Spellcasters glaring at you and sizzling you as an afterthought. Note that. It might work out if they're already freaking out over a Fang running around the map. Nobody likes Fang.

Scatch is surprisingly one of my least favorite picks. Again, Sylas doesn't need help killing stuff: he has plenty of +damage already from his passive, Butcher, so having more dice isn't as important as, y'know, not dying as much. If ever you want to take Scratch, just consider the potential benefit of a free shield every battle or of an extra hit point to NOT get murdered by that carebear that turns into a tree-bear when he plays in the woods. Seriously, Scratch is a poor choice for Sylas.

I think that about covers all the potentially useful amulets. Try and experiment with different rings and amulets, but note that this is the list I would recommend you try out. The other amulets are probably not worth your time on Sylas.

Goals In-Game

Sylas has certain goals in-game that you must consider when playing him. They vary a little based on your ring and amulet selection, but these guidelines generally hold true no matter what you chose, because Sylas at his core exists to get in trouble with the law and stab everyone he meets in the face (with killing the King being his ultimate goal).

Quest Priorities

Assuming you chose the Resist amulet, your stats are still 5 Fight 5 Body 3 Wits 3 Spirit. Your goal by the end of the game should either be 7/6/4/3 or 6/7/4/3; obviously if you chose a stat-boosting amulet your stats will be a little higher.

I typically choose a Wits quest for my first quest. Having more card draw is really, really important here; going from 3 to 4 potential cards per turn is a 33% increase in how many potential cards you can get. However, if a really key item is offered up, I'll change my priorities.

I feel it is absolutely necessary that Fight is at least 6 by the end of the game. If you only have 5 Fight, killing the King will be that much harder, as will finishing off pesky Spellcasters and defending yourself against other Fighters.

Item Priorities

You want +shield items FAST. If a quest offers you a Lionheart Breastplate and it gives you one of the stats you need, you probably want it. The Royal Shield is another good choice, as it reduces your likelihood of screwing up; and I'm definitely a fan of the Helm of Heroes. The Hero's Shield is actually lower priority in my mind as you're already going to be doing lots of damage with your passive; chances are a suit of Leather Armor or Battle Armor is more valuable to you. The Chainmail Shirt is really good for making misses actually work in your favor (or, well, one miss), and I consider it one of the best defensive items available to Sylas as it further minimizes the chance of the King getting one of his dice and exploding several times with it.

For weapons, your best possible grab is the Silver Lance. That piercing damage will help you hurt people that otherwise cannot be injured by you (Twiss or anyone that decides to start toting around 2 tower shields because they're a freaking jerk). The Bane Blade can be an amazing tool, but it's not very useful against the King unless you've either got more Rot than him or you've managed to remove your own Rot somehow. It pairs well with items like Battle Armor, which you want badly.

If possible, you should try and get 2 solid defensive items and 1 solid offensive item. You should seriously consider getting Winged Boots if they become available to you while questing, but be sure to have a weapon or piece of armor to swap to when the time comes to kick the King's teeth in.

One really nice item to get is the Marauder's Gauntlets. Marauder's Gauntlets + Resist + Battle Armor + a solid weapon + being a Traitor = a really nasty, durable otter that will outfight most opponents. Of course, you'll probably do just as well with 2 Battle Armors and a Heavy Flail so long as you maintain the offensive.

And of course, the Ranger's Cloak is useful if you're up against Spellcasters, Generalists and Tricksters (no Fighters). In fact, if Sylas is fighting non-Fighter types and he has the Black Opal, the Ranger's Cloak combined with his ring makes him a very dangerous, very hard to pin down foe.

Of course, you must adapt to the situation as it develops, and you're not guaranteed to get the items you want. Still, focus on getting defensive items first, and then get a solid weapon once you've done so.

Also remember that if you get a Hot Rot Wine, it can be useful for beating the King. (You finish your Palace Entry quest, then immediately activate Hot Rot Wine and go for the throat.) It's worth considering holding onto this card for several turns in preparation for that one moment, but don't be surprised if it gets taken away.

Spells

As Sylas has 3 Magic at Dusk, a good idea is to grab a couple spell cards at night, especially if you're strapped for cash. This is doubly true if you chose the Amethyst ring, as you can burn spell cards to get that extra bit of mana you need.

Some good spells for Sylas to watch out for (and to watch if anyone has used them yet) are Teleport, Mirror Image, Feral, Barkskin, Bloodthirst, Regeneration, and Evil Eye. Evil Eye can be used as soon as you find it (or saved for when you're nearing a Wits quest objective) and helps boost his otherwise flimsy card draw. Mirror Image and Feral are obviously combat boosters; Regeneration, Bloodthirst, and Barkskin keep Sylas alive. Teleport is a powerful utility spell in its ability to speed up your travel and bypass otherwise difficult terrain / situations.

If you get Focus, save it for daytime and cast it on yourself on your turn. That extra mana you get at night can enable you to cast more powerful spells like Lightning Bolt or high-damage Spirit Strikes. Otherwise, burn it; it's not much use to you if you have to cast it at night, and you can always use it in a fight or peril. Other than that, use offensive spells as they come and keep your small hand clean. You've got limited space for cards and you want to maximize your chances of getting something like Mirror Image, Strategist, or Wyldsap when you prepare to fight the King.

In general, using Banish, Teleport, and Haste to get to your quests faster is vital. You want to do them as quick as you can before bullrushing your way into the King's face... unless, of course, you're comfortably enjoying what looks like a certain Prestige Victory.

If you ever lack a good target to cast an offensive spell at and you really need more card draw, consider chucking one at a guard if you don't have a bounty, especially at night. A Moonbite tonight is worth two swords in combat tomorrow.

Trickeries

Sylas is in the unique position of needing only a couple decent items and being able to make do with wahtever else lands in his hands, so late game you'll probably be digging through this deck more than you might at first suspect. Once you've gotten two decent defensive items and a nice weapon, you can start chucking trickeries at people you don't like as it suits you. Dropping Mercenaries on a low-health Fang with Rubelite is a great way to remind him who is boss.

The card you really want from this deck is Strategist. If you luck out and get it, it can be useful for killing the King. (You finish your Palace Entry quest, then immediately activate Strategist and go for the throat.) It's worth considering holding onto this card for several turns in preparation for that one moment, but don't be surprised if it gets taken away.

Trickeries are generally self-explanatory as to why you want them, but don't forget that Sylas WANTS to have a bounty on his head. The Bounty card can be an odd blessing for you if there's no King's Guards around.

Witch Hunters could be very useful for fighting Spellcasters. On a similar note, setting fire to the central part of Ghor's favorite forest via Arson is one of the most cathartic experiences I have ever had the pleasure of having.

Utility Items

Sylas wants to survive. Ergo, Sylas wants Wyld Weed and Wyldsap. Pretty self explanatory. I've made more than a few people mad by using one of those items in the middle of their flurry of "I KILL YOU NOW" spells/trickeries and saved my high bounty level in the process.

Sylas also likes ticking off the King's Guard. Got a Poisoned Gift? Why, that's one of the best things to give them. Find yourself a Throwing Axe? You can always get yourself in trouble with the law with one if you don't feel like saving it for a player.

Moon Juice is useful if you can get it at night, or at dawn if you haven't used up your mana. Mountain Moss can save you from rotting, so it's useful to use at night before the Dawn arrives if you've got 2 or less Rot.

Most other utility items are self-explanatory or weak for Sylas.

Followers & Declarations

Followers

Sylas likes the Blacksmith a lot. The Blacksmith is a great friend. Get the Blacksmith.

Sylas also likes the Apprentice. The Apprentice makes it so much easier to cast those spells you love so dearly but have so little mana to cast them with. Get the Apprentice.

The Apothecary is a VERY good friend of Sylas'. He keeps him alive after people throw traps and spells nd mercenaries at him, or when he rots in the afternoon. But then, the Apothecary also offers Sylas +1 Body as an option when recruited, which may be more important depending on the situation. +1 Body can't be stolen from you, but the Apothecary can.

Sylas does NOT like the Berserker if he's having trouble getting good +shield items to wear. The Berserker gives +1 Fight, but not being able to use, say, Shimmering Shield to give yourself much needed armor vs. the King or an angry Fang is pretty awful. Of course, if you already have +4 Shields he should be okay to bring along.

Generally speaking, every Follower is useful to some degree, but these are the ones of special note.

King's Declarations

So by now you understand the general theme of Sylas: make yourself tough, keep a bounty on your head, and try and make life as hard for everyone else as you can. Once Sylas has enough gold he worries little about keeping it (though he'll need a few coins to throw down trickeries), and generally speaking he wants to stay alive.

Choose King's Declarations based on this and on the situation. Giving everyone automatic stealth is great for you, as it leaves you untargettable by whatever tricks others have up their sleeves; but this is obviously a bad idea if the other players have Scout items or Yordana has a Pact that lets her see you forever. You also don't want to choose the Stealth declaration if the Palace got breached early by someone - unless you plan on sneaking in and fighting the King immediately.

Once you have your basic necessities covered, Declarations which make other players lose the resources they need to harm you are generally good bets. Take away gold from them if they're already low and they depend on trickeries; or use Tribute of Spirit early on if you don't mind losing magic/prestige but the enemy does. Better yet, if they have TOO MUCH gold and you have very little, you can give yourself a Prestige lead by playing the Green-Eyed Monsters.

Most of this is situational, obviously, but there's a few declarations that stand out for Sylas:

• Royal Challenge: Prestige leader given Bounty and +4 Gold
  
• For Royal Eyes Only: Any hero currently in a stone circle or dungeon, or who enters one before the next dawn, receives a bounty.
  
• Palace Lockdown: The King places a bounty on the prestige leader's head and recalls all idle King's guards back to the palace, giving them "Defending Palace" status.
  
• War Drums: Bounties to all heroes, add 2 King's Guard.
  
• Life Support: The King and the prestige leader heal for 1 HP.

All of these are very useful to Sylas for obvious reasons. Bounties keep Sylas strong; Life Support can extend the game longer if the other players are shooting for Prestige wins; you get the drill. Remember what Sylas wants, and always be mindful of the situation. Otherwise, be flexible as a player and remember to check the Hero Shelf and Inventory Shelf of the other players if you're in doubt as to what a good course of action is. Map awareness is key in this as well (other players are already standing on Stone Circles/Dungeons? Bounty them up with For Royal Eyes Only!).

Winning and Losing

The Ideal Start

One of the best possible starts I have seen with Sylas looks something like this:

You start the game with Evil Eye, Battle Armor, and a trickery card. You get a quest that offers an item you want, such as the Silver Lance or Lionheart Breastplate, and find another player (weaker than you physically) is heading in the same direction. With your armor equipped and your spell cast, you are in a very good position. There is a King's Guard and a Settlement on the way. You kill or injure the King's Guard, take the settlement, and finish your quest all in one go while standing in a position that limits the passage of the other player; they must either go through you, delay their quest for a turn, or expend resources to go around you somehow.

This scenario is unlikely to happen, but I have seen it once, and this catapulted me forward very quickly. However, generally speaking, you are in good shape if you get a +Shield item, a solid spell to help you in your current situation (whether it be Evil Eye for card draw / a Wits Quest or Feral for a Fight quest / upcoming combat), and you have a chance to complete your quest before you beat someone up. If your situation looks something like that, you're probably going to take an early lead.

Maintaining the Lead

Sylas has a habit of staying in the lead once he takes it because he's not as luck-dependent as other Fighters. He gets +3 flat Swords from his passive; he gets +1 flat Shield from Resist; then he wears some flat +Shield items and he's rolling around murdering things. It's easy to get cocky when this happens, but Armello is a game of chance as well as strategy. You cannot dismiss the possibility of losing your lead.

When you've gotten all the equipment you need, rotate out the cards you don't need by burning them on Perils you know are safe, or against King's Guards that you know you're going to beat. When you're unsure if you'll win a given fight, use cards with Shields to protect yourself. (On that note, Shimmer Shield is a perfectly alright card to cast on yourself, assuming you've got high bounty and a decent weapon.)

If you're close to dying with a high bounty and you know there's players waiting for your turn to end so they can draw spell or trickery cards and fry you, seriously consider having Sylas murder himself. A Fugitive is worth 3 prestige and 7 gold; a Traitor is worth 4 prestige and 10 gold. You do NOT want to give that to someone that could take Prestige Leader from you, or that has sorely needed gold throughout the game. Keep the other players starved. You can always get your bounty back.

And remember, there's nothing wrong with kicking a player while they're down so long as it doesn't take you off track. Try to keep other players from finishing THEIR quests. Focus on doing yours, but if spells align properly or if you get the opportunity to stab someone, don't show mercy. Kill them. You are Sylas the Butcher, the Fisher of Souls. Take your revenge.

Falling Behind

Sylas doesn't always get off to a good start, however, especially because he's everyone's favorite target. Again, you have to remember that Sylas is often viewed as a prestige and gold farm, and bad luck or poor decisions can always factor into your gameplay.

The chief thing to remember with Sylas in these situations is to figure out what victories are going to be possible. If Magna is just ten times a better fighter than you are due to lucky gear drops and quest successes, chances are you're not going to outfight her. If Amber is pulling ahead with prestige and the gap is infinitely wide, you won't win that way either. Unlike characters like Horace or Thane, you are NOT entirely locked into one victory; you can pursue a Prestige, Rot, or Kingslayer victory potentially (unless you chose a ring besides Serendibite; but if that's the case, you should be better equipped than usual to kill the King).

Also remember there is something to be said about "laying low" in an Armello game. It doesn't matter how good that Magna is at killing people if you're the one that gets to the King first, and Sana and Amber might be too preoccupied with frying Magna to worry about the extra prestige or gold they'd get from killing you instead. (In fact, you can avoid giving yourself a bounty for a while if you know you don't need to fight anything for a bit; after all, you'll be declared a Traitor as soon as you attack the King. You're less likely to be targeted by Spellcasters if you're worth no more than the real threat to them.)

Get enough equipment to fight the King, try and have a Hot Rot Wine or Strategist card handy, and teleport to finish your quest objectives faster if you can. Otherwise, use trickeries to slow down the other Fighters, and take advantage of any openings other players give you.

It's never too late to make a comeback.

Final Thoughts

In summary, Sylas is one of the toughest, meanest characters in the game if played right. His passive lets him focus on bolstering defense while his stats, rings, and amulets give him a fair amount of versatility and variability in playstyle. I've found him very fun to play since purchasing the Bandit Clan, and even though Zosha and Ghor will always hold special places in my heart, Sylas is the hero that's taken the limelight from them.

With the state of the game being what it is, you'll find that most people that play Fighters want to go for one of the wolves because they have Rubelite. You'll find they get a lot more attention from the other players at the start. But Sylas can easily prove to be their equal - or their better! - as the game progresses.

This is my first time writing a guide on Steam, so I apologize for any errors I may have made. I am also very, very open to any input the Armello community has at large, both positive and negative. I want feedback! If this is the sort of thing you would like to see, please let me know; and if my writing is dull and my advice is terrible and I should eat guano and die, you let me know. I won't take offense.

I'm especially open to members of the Armello community offering me advice if I continue doing this, or giving me suggestions on things to try in-game. I'll try and keep this guide (and any others I may write) updated as time goes on, but no promises.

I also want to thank League of Geeks for the awesome game they've created. I've got my gripes about things I like voicing now and then (Rubelite could use a slight nerf and the lobby ghosts are a real pain I tell you what), but you guys have made a game that's brought me back several times. I'm having fun, and I'm able to share this game with my nieces, and that's an awesome experience.

Thank you for reading this far, and good luck in Armello!

[Starkwolf]

You also seem to think very highly of Twiss (unless I am mistaken), and she is also a character that does not impress me, for the reasons you mention: if a smart player attacks you, it is because they want you to steal a card they don't like, or because they have a lot of pierce, and in this case your evade works against you (hence whenever I see Twiss, Thane is pretty much an autolock for me). She has the easiest ability to negate, since you only have to not attack her. And if you have pierce, her ability works against her.

We have come into this game with very different strategies, and I would love to learn more about your way of thinking.

[Starkwolf]

I'm between level 50 and 60, with a very different playstyle. I saw a positive guide on Sylas and was very intrigued because in the games I played, he is exactly as you mentioned a number of times: a prestige&gold farm, especially if you are playing a heavy spellcaster like I will as Ghor if someone autolocks Sylas. You make some very interesting points about durability. And it is interesting to hear it works out well for you.

[Meeky]

Hi, you're right! @CrazyYanmega - I actually stepped away from the game for a few months because of a schedule change that kept me from playing with the folks I normally hang with. However, I plan to join back in, update my guides, and rejoin the land of the living now that I'm no longer working the graveyard shift at my job.

[Extendo-Weasel]

Very nice guide, thank you. Might want to update it though, since there have been some changes to the game that affect his playstyle. Biggest one being that Bounties kick in AFTER combat, so Sylas doesn't get a free +3 Swords vs the King.

[Applesauce]

I'd definitely be interested in similar guides for other characters. The two you've done so far are the most informative (and entertaining) Armello guides I've found! As someone who's new to public multiplayer, I found the "when to use" section extremely helpful.

[Meeky]

@Quichotte That's cool! My next one will probably be Ghor. I'm very familiar with the doom marshmellow.

[Quichotte]

I really like like this in depth guide for a character. I am currently writing one for Twiss and consider to change my format to fit to yours. I actually use the same character archetypes :D