Elite Monastic Knights Guide – Conqueror's Blade
Plate cavalry that builds power on a long charge: up to three Chargers stacks of speed and damage.
Quick facts
- Unit type: cavalry
- Tier / era: T5 / golden
- Weapon type: Lance Cavalry
- Leadership cost: 300
- Role / classification: cavalry, chargers, tanky, lance, shock
- Recommended veterancy line: Top line (17/17 points)
- Core doctrines: Epic Lance Doctrine I, Lancer-Last Stand, Attack Doctrine V, Mobility Doctrine V, Epic Leadership Doctrine
- My tier: B
Updated 1 November 2026
My take: B tier
Overview
Plate cavalry that builds power on a long charge: up to three Chargers stacks of speed and damage. Heavy armour, fire-resistant. One big, well-prepared charge, then they stay in and grind. Forgiving, and a good unit to learn cavalry on.
Strengths
- Chargers: up to 3 stacks of speed and damage during the charge
- Massive armour, resists fire
- Very forgiving
- Wedge breaks soft targets and shield walls
- Keeps dealing damage in melee after the charge
Weaknesses
- Slow to turn, needs planning
- Less charge damage against isolated heroes
- Needs a long, straight lane for full stacks
- Poor at hit-and-run
- Braced pikes stop the charge
How to Play
- Take distance before every charge. The stacks grow with the run-up.
- Narrow Wedge for the hit.
- Aim at unbraced infantry blobs and shield walls, from the side or behind if you can.
- After impact, stay in melee. This is not a hit-and-run unit. The armour takes the return damage.
- A charge that isn't perfect is fine. They survive it and keep fighting.
Doctrines
- Slot 1 · Epic Lance Doctrine I
+225 charge damage
Bigger charge damage.
- Slot 2 · Lancer-Last Stand
Below 60% men: +40% damage
Hits harder when the unit is thin.
- Slot 3 · Attack Doctrine V
−50% damage taken while charging · +9% movement speed
Survive the charge, arrive faster.
- Slot 4 · Mobility Doctrine V
+7% speed · Sprint +15% for 12 s
Faster, with a sprint.
- Slot 5 · Epic Leadership Doctrine
−16% Leadership cost
Room for one more unit.
NEW · 300 → about 252 leadership
Veterancy
Start
- Cold Blood: 1/1 points · +2% piercing damage
Per level: Lv 1: +2% piercing damage
Top line
- Force: 3/3 points · +15% armour penetration
Per level: Lv 1: +5% armour penetration / Lv 2: +10% armour penetration / Lv 3: +15% armour penetration
- Thick Armour: 3/3 points · +6% all defences
Per level: Lv 1: +2% all defences / Lv 2: +4% all defences / Lv 3: +6% all defences
- Fear Nothing: 2/2 points · Each level increases charge damage by 5%.
Tooltip: Each level increases charge damage by 5%.
- 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
- Fear Nothing: 3/3 points · Each level increases charge damage by 5%.
Tooltip: Each level increases charge damage by 5%.
- Second Wind: 2/2 points · Each level reduces charge cooldown by 3 seconds.
Tooltip: Each level reduces charge cooldown by 3 seconds.
- Fear Nothing: 1/1 points · Increases charge damage by 5%.
Unit identification changed to: Elite Monastic Knights
Tooltip: Increases charge damage by 5%. Unit identification changed to: Elite Monastic Knights
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
- Thick Armour: 3/3 points · +6% all defences
Per level: Lv 1: +2% all defences / Lv 2: +4% all defences / Lv 3: +6% all defences
- Reflexes: 1/1 points · −4% ranged damage taken
Per level: Lv 1: −4% ranged damage taken
MISMATCH
- Bloodbath: 3/3 points · +9% slashing defence
Per level: Lv 1: +3% slashing defence / Lv 2: +6% slashing defence / Lv 3: +9% slashing defence
- Close Quarters: 1/1 points · −20% melee damage taken
Per level: Lv 1: −20% melee damage taken
MISMATCH
- The Soldier's Life: 0/3 points · Not taken
Per level: Lv 1: +3% health / Lv 2: +6% health / Lv 3: +9% health
- Unswerving: 0/1 points · Not taken
Per level: Lv 1: +12% blunt defence
Build totals
- +8% · piercing damage
- +15% · armour penetration
- +12% · all defences
- +9% · piercing defence
- −4% · ranged damage taken
- +9% · slashing defence
- −20% · melee damage taken
Values from game files · client 1.10.3721.330067.
Balance history
2025-12-18 · nerf
Leadership cost increased from 295 to 300.
Roses: Ash and Bloom Season Update - Part 22025-11-20 · buff
Increased base Piercing Armour Penetration and Piercing Damage; Charge cooldown reduced and duration increased; Added 'Judgement Thrust' when Charge is interrupted; Very Heavy Armour tag now grants stacking movement speed when attacked.
November 20 Balance Adjustment Announcement2025-04-16 · buff
Piercing armour penetration increased (1674 to 1874) and piercing damage increased (908 to 1008).
Unit Mastery and Balance Adjustments2024-02-01 · bugfix
Fixed the issue of unit models floating in the air after death.
Feb 1st UPDATE LOG2023-12-07 · bugfix
Fixes the issue where some Units couldn't face the enemy while using their skills.
December 7th Update Notice2023-12-07 · 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 Notice2023-07-12 · rework
Very Heavy Armor updated: Gain immunity to Dazed while attacking. Grants initial 48% damage reduction, decreasing by 2.5% per hit taken down to 18%.
July 13 Update Log2023-06-28 · buff
Leadership cost reduced from 305 to 295.
JUN 29 UPDATE LOG2023-05-30 · other
New exclusive doctrine 'Zealous Knight' added: converts 100 ranged damage taken into bleed damage over 3s, while increasing damage and movement speed by 15% during the effect.
Sengoku: Blazing Katana Season Notice2023-03-22 · buff
Improved the hitbox of charge skills for melee cavalry and Coutiliers, reducing chance of missing.
MAR 23 UPDATE LOG2023-01-09 · rework
Adjusted the cooldown reduction effect: When [Judgment Rush] is interrupted by the Crowd Control of hero skills, the cooldown reduction can only be triggered up to 3 times.
Hotfixes2023-01-09 · bugfix
Fixed an issue where the cooldown reduction of [Judgment Rush] could be triggered erroneously when interrupted by a wall.
Hotfixes2023-01-09 · bugfix
Fixed an issue where the cooldown reduction might be triggered when arriving at the aiming area for [Judgment Rush].
Hotfixes2022-10-26 · buff
First part of [Judgment Rush] immune to CC. Cooldown reduced by 6s for every knight interrupted during the charge.
10.27 Unit Balance Changes2022-09-29 · rework
Received balance adjustments (details in separate notice).
SEP 29 UPDATE LOG2022-09-29 · buff
When [Charge] is interrupted, enemy heroes and units before them will be concussed and take 30% increased damage.
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 Elite Monastic Knights
Which veterancy line do I use for Elite Monastic Knights?
My imported build puts the most points in Top line: 17/17 points.
Which doctrines are in the Elite Monastic Knights guide?
Epic Lance Doctrine I, Lancer-Last Stand, Attack Doctrine V, Mobility Doctrine V, Epic Leadership Doctrine
How much leadership does Elite Monastic Knights cost?
Elite Monastic Knights costs 300 leadership.
What is the latest recorded balance change for Elite Monastic Knights?
2025-12-18 · nerf: Leadership cost increased from 295 to 300.
Related units
All Conqueror's Blade units · Best units for beginners · All doctrines