Honda Tadakatsu – The Deer of Tokugawa

Honda Tadakatsu

Rarity: Legendary
Japan | The Deer of Tokugawa
Leadership | Versatility |  Skill

Background

Honda Tadakatsu (1548 – 1610), also known as Honda Heihachiro, was one of the most prominent samurais, generals, and daimyo of the late Sengoku and early Edo periods. He is sometimes called one of the “Four Heavenly Kings of the Tokugawa” or “The Seven Great Spearmen of Japan.” He spent his youth serving the Tokugawa clan and first distinguished himself on the battlefield at the age of 15. Later, he played an important role in the battles of Atsukidzake, Anegawa, Nagashino, and many others.

For his courage, Honda Tadakatsu has earned the praise of many of his powerful opponents. Oda Nobunaga called him “the Japanese Zhang Fei” and “the best of samurai”, and Toyotomi Hideyoshi called Japan’s best warriors “Honda Tadakatsu in the east and Tachibana Muneshige in the west”. At the age of 42, Honda Tadakatsu took possession of the Otaki principality, becoming its daimyo, and lived the rest of his life in seclusion.

Despite participating in 57 major battles, Honda Tadakatsu was never injured, earning him the nickname “Warrior, Before Death”. On the battlefield, he was noted for the famous helmet with antlers and a spear called “Cutting Dragonflies”. His unusual outfit made him even more famous among his contemporaries and descendants.

Honda Tadakatsu Skills

Skill	Description
Dragonfly Cutter Active	Deals direct damage to up 3 targets in a forward-facing fan-shaped area (Damage Factor 1500, or 750 as secondary commander). Damage dealt to each target is reduced by 15% for each additional target. Upgrade Preview: Direct Damage Factor: 1500 / 1700 / 1900 / 2200 / 2500 Damage Factor (Shen Secondary Commander): 750 / 850 / 950 / 1100 / 1250
Samurai of the East Passive	Troops led by this commander gain 2% increased march speed and an extra 3% increased attack plus 10% when attacking troops. Upgrade Preview: Attack Bonus: 2% / 4% / 6% / 8% / 10% March Speed Bonus: 3% / 6% / 10% / 15% / 20% Extra Attack Increase: 10% / 15% / 20% / 25% / 30%
Samurai Among Samurai Passive	Troops led by this commander take 1% reduced damage. An active skill cast will cause the target to suffer damage over time (Damage Factor 100) and 20% reduced march speed for 2 seconds. This effect can be triggered once every 5 seconds. Upgrade Preview: Damage Taken Reduced by: 1% / 2% / 3% / 4% / 5% Direct Damage Factor: 100 / 120 / 140 / 160 / 200 March Speed Reduction 20% / 25% / 30% / 40% / 50%
Tokugawa Heavenly King Passive	Troops led by this commander gain 2% increased troop capacity, and deal 1% (or 5% with 2 or more different unit types) Increased skill damage per 8% units lost; the skill damage bonus cannot exceed 60%. Upgrade Preview: Troops Capacity Bonus: 2% / 4% / 6% / 8% / 10% Skill Damage Bonus: 1% / 2% / 3% / 4% / 5%
The Undefeated Expertise	Troops led by this commander take 30% reduced damage from normal attacks on the map. This effect can trigger up to 57 times per hour after leaving your city.

Advantages

Disadvantages

Summary

Honda Tadakatsu is a commander focused on open-field PVP. His main attributes are his incredible damage skill and troop capacity, in addition to having a strong attack buff and damage reduction.

“Dragonfly Cutter” is a skill with incredible damage, one of the most devastating in Rise of Kingdoms, although it is decreased to 50% when Tadakatsu acts as a secondary commander.

“Samurai of the East” a very offensive passive skill that increases march speed and attack bonus, in addition to increasing extra damage when attacking troops. “Tokugawa Heavenly King” This skill increases Tadakatsu’s troop capacity in addition to increasing the damage skill by 5%. “Dragonfly Cutter” will be a much stronger skill. “The undefeated” incredible “Expertise” with great damage reduction when Tadakatsu fights on the map.

Open-field Build

Versatility Talents

• This time you will not use any of the talents of “ Versatility”

Skill Talents

• Heraldic Shield: Reduces skill damage taken by 6%. Great talent for open-field and more reduction damage to Tadakatsu’s troops.
• Burning Blood: Normal attacks grant an additional 9 rage. Excellent talent for hitting with your Active Skill ASAP.
• All for One: After the primary commander uses a skill, active skill damage of the secondary commander is increased by 6%. If we have a secondary commander with high damage per skill, similar to Suleiman I. This talent is ideal for increasing his blows during combat.
• Tactical Mastery: Increases active skill damage by 3%. Excellent.
• Clarity: After using an active skill, skill damage increases by 6% for the next 6 seconds. In 6 seconds “Clarity” + “Tactical Mastery” = 9% Damage Skill. Great!
• Rejuvenate: Instantly restores 60 rages whenever a skill is used. Excellent way to use the active skill much faster.

Leadership Talents

• Fresh Recruits: Increases maximum troop capacity by 3%. “Fresh Recruits” + Skill “Tokugawa Heavenly King” = + 13% maximum troop capacity.
• Healing Herbs: Enhances healing effects received by troops by 9%. Tadakatsu does not have healing effects; however, as long as he is paired with a commander who has a healing skill. This is a good talent to heal a percent of the army.
• Hidden Wrath: Grants an additional 6 rage every time this commander’s troops are attacked. Good talent for open-field, it will help regenerate rage during battle so you may reuse your skill much faster.
• Armored to the Teeth: When armies led by this commander contain 3 or more different unit types, all damage taken is reduced by 3%. Essential talent for using Tadakatsu’s mixed troops in open-field.
• Armed to the Teeth: When armies led by this commander contain 3 or more different unit types, all damage dealt is increased by 3%. Excellent!
• Strategic Prowess: After using this skill, it will increase troop defense by 20% for the next 2 seconds. Extremely useful talent
• Close Formation: When the army led by this commander has been reduced to 50% strength, increase attack by 12%.

Honda Tadakatsu is a powerful commander specialized in leading units of any type. Thanks to his “ Leadership” talents, he has one of the most powerful damage skills in the game, as well as a strong offensive buff for open-field combat. This build is focused on combat throughout the map. Some talent arrangements between “ Skill” and “ Leadership” may offer a different approach, but the results may not be ideal. Tadakatsu has unusable “ Versatility” talents.

Best Commanders Pairings for Honda Tadakatsu

	Excellent commander who arrives together with Tadakatsu, both specialists in leading mixed troops with favorable talents and skills. The combination of both is powerful for open-field, incredible damage skill, damage reduction, and each weakness is compensated by its synchronization.
	Trajan is one of the best commanders for open-field specialized in “Leadership” and mixed troops, strong buff and debuff, in addition to constant improvements to his units make him one of the best pairings for Honda Tadakatsu.

Recommended Equipment for Honda Tadakatsu.

Equipment	Delay Time	Stats
	40 days	Cavalry Attack +8% Infantry Attack +3% Archer Attack +3%
	72 days	Cavalry Defense +13% Archer Health +6% Infantry Health +4%
	48 days	Cavalry Defense +8% Archer Attack +5%
	32 days	Archer Attack +4.5% Infantry Attack +3% Cavalry Attack +3%
	48 days	Archer Defense +8% Cavalry Defense + 5%
	32 days	Archer Health +5.5% Cavalry Attack +3%
Total	272 days	Cavalry Attack + 22% Cavalry Defense + 21% Cavalry Health +0%   Archer Attack + 15.5% Archer Defense + 7.5% Archer Health +11.5%   Infantry Attack + 9% Infantry Defense + 0% Infantry Health +4%