Kingdom Rush Alliance Impossible Hero Challenge - 26. Replication Chamber Heroic

We follow up a challenging campaign mode with what is honestly a pretty trivial heroic mode.  Now, you probably wouldn't think that from looking at the grades below, but I label it trivial because it admits a one hero solution, which has become fairly rare in the bonus and DLC levels (as you would hope).  My standard operating procedure when starting a new map is to do with with Nyru and Grimson.  I cakewalked my way through on the first try, and that's when I knew I could do single-hero.

It's not a trivial matter with a single hero, to be sure.  This map plays the same game as campaign mode, where the Darksteel Hulks on the bottom lane are more about using up your reinforcements when you really need them on the top right lane.  Things can get pretty hairy up there between the waves of Shielders and Hammerers.

Impressions

This is a tale of two maps, as unlike campaign mode where we had a pretty good distribution from top to bottom, here it's feast or famine.  There are six heroes in 'A' tier, six in 'C' tier, and only three in between with 'B's.  I like to call this the 'boob distribution', the reason why being left as an exercise for the reader.

Despite earning a rare 'B' in campaign mode, Streggi falls back down to her usual 'C' here.  I'm realizing with her that it's all about how much pressure the enemy cadence puts on the cooldown of her hero spell.  In campaign mode, every time the enemy broke through and needed to be pushed back her hero spell was available, but on this map the pressure is much greater, and those instances where you need it come faster than the cooldown.

Anya flirts with greatness here again, earning a rare 'A-'.  Similar to Streggi, Anya just needs maps where the stars align properly for her to perform well, which apparently they do here.  I have no doubt that next map she'll be back to her normal dismal performance though.

The rest of the grades hold no surprises.  I'm looking forward to getting done with this DLC, as it hasn't been my favorite.

Final Grades

• Vesper - C
• Raelyn - C-
• Nyru - B-
• Torres - B-
• Anya - A-
• Grimson - C
• Broden - A+
• Therien - B-
• Onagro - C
• Warhead - C
• Lumenir - A+
• Kosmyr - A+
• Stregi - C
• Bonehart - A+
• Sylvara - A+

Kingdom Rush Alliance Impossible Hero Challenge - 26. Replication Chamber Heroic

Kingdom Rush Alliance Impossible Hero Challenge - 26. Replication Chamber Campaign

We have another campaign mode that's not exactly my favorite.  This one is especially frustrating because I just know in my gut that there's a better build for this.  I'm pretty sure it involves Cannoneers, but at this point I just don't have it in me to go back and try again.

The issue is that you need lots of ranged physical DPS for the "boss" fight, as the deformed clones have significant magic resistance until you take down their shield.  That usually means relying heavily on Royal Archers (which are also needed to deal with Drones), but I think I've made my feelings on the Archers known in previous posts.  And they certainly do you no favors in dealing with the waves of Darksteel Hammerers.

Surprisingly the Darksteel Hulks are not that big of a threat.  Linerean reinforcements can stall them indefinitely while towers DPS them down.  The real danger with them is that you then no longer have reinforcements to help with the chaos going on on the upper right exit lane, and believe me there's plenty of chaos throughout the level.

Impressions

We have a very nice distribution from the top all the way to the bottom.  The flying hero chads all earn 'A+'s as usual, while down at the bottom Vesper was an absolute nightmare, earning a 'D'.  His low physical DPS is a perfect mismatch for the enemies here, making completion with him a crapshoot.

The rest of the heroes fill out the middle about what you would expect.  Stregi does a little better than normal with a 'B', as this is one of the maps where her hero spell does quite well in managing the hordes, continually moving mobs back into range of the Tricannon to finish them off efficiently.

Final Grades

• Vesper - D
• Raelyn - C
• Nyru - B
• Torres - C-
• Anya - B-
• Grimson - B
• Broden - A+
• Therien - B-
• Onagro - C
• Warhead - C-
• Lumenir - A+
• Kosmyr - A+
• Stregi - B
• Bonehart - A+
• Sylvara - A+

Kingdom Rush Alliance Impossible Hero Challenge - 26. Replication Chamber Campaign