Fortebraccio's Elites Guide – Conqueror's Blade
Heroic pike infantry in the Italian style.
Quick facts
- Unit type: infantry
- Tier / era: T4 / heroic
- Weapon type: Poleaxe
- Leadership cost: 210
- Role / classification: pike, anti-cavalry, frontline, brace
- Recommended veterancy line: Top line (16/16 points)
- Core doctrines: Epic Polearm Doctrine I, Epic Polearm Doctrine II, Epic Bloodthirsty Doctrine, Anti-Cavalry Doctrine V
- My tier: A
Updated 1 November 2026
My take: A tier
Overview
Heroic pike infantry in the Italian style. Good at bracing against cavalry and holding a front.
How to Play
- Brace against cavalry charges.
- Hold choke points with the pike wall.
- Put ranged units behind them to control the lane.
Doctrines
- Slot 1 · Epic Polearm Doctrine I
+80 piercing damage · +120 piercing armour penetration
Core polearm damage.
- Slot 2 · Epic Polearm Doctrine II
Brace dazes
Brace dazes what hits it.
- Slot 3 · Epic Bloodthirsty Doctrine
12% lifesteal for 6 s · +12% more below 30% HP
Heals off the damage you deal.
- Slot 4 · Anti-Cavalry Doctrine V
−40% damage taken from cavalry when using Brace-type skills · +16% damage versus cavalry while bracing
Hold the line against charges.
Veterancy
Start
- Cold Blood: 1/1 points · +5% piercing damage
Per level: Lv 1: +5% piercing damage
Top line
- In the Blink of An Eye: 3/3 points · +12% critical value
Per level: Lv 1: +4% critical value / Lv 2: +8% critical value / Lv 3: +12% critical value
- Resistance: 1/1 points · Increases braced weapon armour penetration by 10%.
Tooltip: Increases braced weapon armour penetration by 10%.
- Cold Blood: 3/3 points · +6% piercing damage
Per level: Lv 1: +2% piercing damage / Lv 2: +4% piercing damage / Lv 3: +6% piercing damage
- Cold Blood: 2/2 points · Each level increases damage while bracing by 3%.
Tooltip: Each level increases damage while bracing by 3%.
- Force: 3/3 points · +15% piercing armour penetration
Per level: Lv 1: +5% piercing armour penetration / Lv 2: +10% piercing armour penetration / Lv 3: +15% piercing armour penetration
- Resistance: 1/1 points · −5% ranged damage taken
Per level: Lv 1: −5% ranged damage taken
- Spear Array: 2/2 points · Each level increases armour penetration while bracing by 5%.
Tooltip: Each level increases armour penetration while bracing by 5%.
- Long Reach: 1/1 points · Increases the number of enemies each soldier can attack with a single strike by 1.
Tooltip: Increases the number of enemies each soldier can attack with a single strike by 1.
Bottom line
- Toughen Up: 3/3 points · +9% piercing defence
Per level: Lv 1: +3% piercing defence / Lv 2: +6% piercing defence / Lv 3: +9% piercing defence
- Line: 1/1 points · −5% ranged damage taken
Per level: Lv 1: −5% ranged damage taken
- Bloodbath: 2/3 points · +4% slashing defence
Per level: Lv 1: +2% slashing defence / Lv 2: +4% slashing defence / Lv 3: +6% slashing defence
- Resilient: 0/2 points · Not taken
Per level: Lv 1: −5% damage taken from enemy cavalry / Lv 2: −10% damage taken from enemy cavalry
- Move as One: 0/1 points · Not taken
Per level: Lv 1: +10% movement speed
- Resilient: 0/2 points · Not taken
Per level: Lv 1: −5% damage taken from enemy cavalry / Lv 2: −10% damage taken from enemy cavalry
- The Soldier's Life: 0/3 points · Not taken
Per level: Lv 1: +3% health / Lv 2: +6% health / Lv 3: +9% health
- Thick Armour: 0/1 points · Not taken
Per level: Lv 1: +20% all defences
Build totals
- +11% · piercing damage
- +12% · critical value
- +15% · piercing armour penetration
- −10% · ranged damage taken
- +9% · piercing defence
- +4% · slashing defence
Values from game files · client 1.10.3721.330067.
Balance history
2026-01-22 · buff
Reduced Leadership to 210.
January 22 Unit Balance Adjustments2025-12-18 · buff
Mastery added: Nodes 1 & 3: +270 Health; Nodes 2 & 4: +50 Piercing Defence; Node 5: +50% Brace damage below 50% HP; Node 6: +300 damage vs Cavalry; Node 7: -400 Arrow damage taken; Node 8: 50% chance to ignore control effects in Brace.
Roses: Ash and Bloom Season Update - Part 12025-08-14 · bugfix
Fixed an issue where the acquisition method in the Barracks interface was incorrectly described.
August 14 Online Update Log2025-06-27 · buff
Base movement speed increased (3.8 to 4.3) and turning speed increased (50 to 120). Brace turning logic optimized to prioritize enemies at closer ranges (4m for crouched, 6m for standing).
June 26 Balance Update Annoucement2025-05-29 · buff
Brace attack speed boost damage cap increased by 300%; minimum speed affected by speed boost increased to 9m/s.
May 29 Update Log2025-04-16 · buff
Piercing damage increased (1492 to 1592), attack interval reduced by 20% while using brace, piercing defence increased (461 to 501), and slashing defence increased (432 to 452).
Unit Mastery and Balance Adjustments2025-02-19 · bugfix
Fixed an issue where the unit would move forward and backward abnormally while in Dispersed Formation.
February 20 Update Log2024-02-01 · bugfix
Fixed the issue of unit models floating in the air after death.
Feb 1st UPDATE LOG2023-12-07 · bugfix
Fixed the issue where changing units might cause skill locking with a certain probability.
December 7th Update Notice2023-12-07 · bugfix
Fixed the issue where the Unit's head model would behave abnormally when changing Unit Attire.
December 7th Update Notice2023-12-07 · bugfix
Fixes the issue where some Units couldn't face the enemy while using their skills.
December 7th Update Notice2023-07-12 · nerf
Reduced the speed at which they turn while moving or during Brace.
July 13 Update Log2023-03-22 · rework
[Brace] now has higher priority than formation orders.
MAR 23 UPDATE LOG2022-10-26 · buff
Damage to cavalry of [Impeding Force] characteristic increased to 26% (was 16%).
10.27 Unit Balance Changes2022-10-26 · buff
Increased hitbox of [Brace], reduced minimum attack range to 2m, and Brace now follows enemy movement. Increased Brace armor penetration and damage by 10%, attack rate by 35%, and reduced damage taken from cavalry during Brace by 15%. Improved AI of free attacks (range usage) and increased attack rate by 28%.
10.27 Unit Balance Changes2022-09-29 · rework
Received balance adjustments (details in separate notice).
SEP 29 UPDATE LOG2022-09-29 · buff
Initial health increased to 6,646 (from 6,543).
Sept. 29 Balance Changes2022-09-23 · other
Scheduled for balance changes in the September 29 update. Details to be announced.
Preview | September 29 Balance Changes
Questions about Fortebraccio's Elites
Which veterancy line do I use for Fortebraccio's Elites?
My imported build puts the most points in Top line: 16/16 points.
Which doctrines are in the Fortebraccio's Elites guide?
Epic Polearm Doctrine I, Epic Polearm Doctrine II, Epic Bloodthirsty Doctrine, Anti-Cavalry Doctrine V
How much leadership does Fortebraccio's Elites cost?
Fortebraccio's Elites costs 210 leadership.
What is the latest recorded balance change for Fortebraccio's Elites?
2026-01-22 · buff: Reduced Leadership to 210.
Related units
All Conqueror's Blade units · Best units for beginners · All doctrines