Caineghis

Default
Attack
Special
Injured

Gray Beast

Caineghis - Gallia's Lion King
5 Obtainable as a 5 only

Hero Stats

Max Avg Total Stats at Lvl 40

174

HP 47

ATK 37

SPD 23

DEF 37

RES 30

Stat Variations

Level 1 Stat Variation

Weapon

5★

	HP	ATK	SPD	DEF	RES
Low	22 22 24 24	8 25 10 24	3 3 5 5	10 10 12 12	7 7 9 9
Middle	23 23 25 25	9 26 11 25	4 4 6 6	11 11 13 13	8 8 10 10
High	24 24 26 26	10 27 12 26	5 5 7 7	12 12 14 14	9 9 11 11

Level 40 Stat Variations

Weapon

5★

	HP	ATK	SPD	DEF	RES
Low	44 44 46 46	34 51 36 50	20 20 22 22	34 34 36 36	26 26 28 28
Middle	47 47 49 49	37 54 39 53	23 23 25 25	37 37 39 39	30 30 32 32
High	50 50 52 52	40 57 42 56	27 27 29 29	40 40 42 42	33 33 35 35

IV Sets

	Key stats worth increasing through nature if possible.
	Complementary stats that matter, but not to the point of picking them over key stats for nature increase.
	Relatively worthless stat that can safely be decreased through nature.

HP	ATK	SPD	DEF	RES
Average	Best	Worst	Best	Best

Skill Sets

Beast Wall When? (Far Save)

Build by StanTheWoz

Recommended

	Lion King Fang (+Eff)	A	Svalinn Shield Alternate: Distant Def 4
	Positional Assist	B	Special Fighter 3
	Noontime Alternate: Moonbow	C	A/R Far Save 3 Alternate: D/R Far Save 3
IVs	+Atk or +Def or +Res / -Spd	S	Atk/Def Form 3 Alternate: Mystic Boost 3

Show Explanation/Analysis

Weapon: Lion King Fang (+Eff)

Assist: Positional Assist / Flexible

Special: Noontime / Moonbow

IVs: +Atk or +Def or +Res / -Spd

Passive A: Svalinn Shield / Distant Def 4 / Flexible

Passive B: Special Fighter / Flexible

Passive C: A/R Far Save / Any Far Save

Sacred Seal: Atk/Res Form / Mystic Boost / Deflect Magic / Flexible

This is a relatively standard build for Caineghis that focuses on boosting his Atk and bulk via skills to allow him to tank for his teammates with Far Save.
Lion King Fang is essential for this build, and Caineghis needs to be transformed for it to work, in order to gain the ability to counter at range and extra stat boosts.
The Special is somewhat flexible. Caineghis can run a damage-boosting Special like Moonbow or Glimmer to oneshot weak foes on his first counterattack, or he can run Noontime to heal by 30% of each of his counterattack hits. Noontime is best paired with a stat-boosting seal like Atk/Res Form or similar, while damage boosting Specials pair well with the Mystic Boost seal for healing.
The boon is very flexible, with all of Atk, Def, and Res being useful stats. Spd is arguably the least useful and the best choice for bane.
The A skill is flexible. Caineghis appreciates the large amount of extra stats from Distant Def 4, as well as nullifying his foe’s bonuses in combat. However, there are several prominent ranged threats with effective damage against armored units, including and especially Valentine’s Chrom, which will deal high damage to Caineghis unless he uses Svalinn Shield or another way of removing his armor weakness.
The B skill is flexible. Since Caineghis already has a guaranteed follow-up attack from Lion King Fang, Special Fighter provides good value, giving him extra Special charge and slowing his foe’s Special charge on all attacks.
The seal is flexible. In addition to the aforementioned options, Deflect Magic is also a solid choice to counter units like Winter Lysithea and Ascended Ishtar who strike twice.

Leoshield (Hardy Fighter Far Save)

Build by StanTheWoz

Recommended

	Lion King Fang (+Eff)	A	Svalinn Shield Alternate: Distant Def 4
	Positional Assist	B	Hardy Fighter 3
	Sacred Cowl	C	D/R Far Save 3 Alternate: A/R Far Save 3
IVs	+HP or +Atk or +Def or +Res / -Spd	S	Deflect Magic 3 Alternate: Warding Breath

Show Explanation/Analysis

Weapon: Lion King Fang (+Eff)

Assist: Positional Assist / Flexible

Special: Sacred Cowl

IVs: +HP or +Atk or +Def or +Res / -Spd

Passive A: Svalinn Shield / Distant Def 4 / Flexible

Passive B: Hardy Fighter

Passive C: D/R Far Save / Any Far Save

Sacred Seal: Deflect Magic / Warding Breath / Flexible

Caineghis can also use a build with Hardy Fighter for more reliable damage reduction, up to 51% on the first hit with Sacred Cowl. This combines well with Lion King Fang giving him 70% damage reduction against Area-of-Effect Specials and follow-up attacks. Deflect Magic seal completes the package by providing 80% damage reduction against the second and onward consecutive hits from tomes, heavily reducing the damage from units like Ninja Corrin and Summer Micaiah that can strike twice before being counterattacked.
The boon is flexible; Caineghis appreciates all of HP, Atk, Def, and Res. HP is a surprisingly decent choice when paired with percentage-based damage reduction, since every point of HP goes twice as far with 50% DR, or even farther with 70% and 80%. Spd is generally the best bane.
The other skills are also relatively flexible. The C skill must be some kind of Far Save in order for Caineghis to protect the rest of his team; the build is much weaker without it. Svalinn Shield and Distant Def 4 are both great choices of A skill.

King of the Jungle (Near Save)

Build by StanTheWoz

Recommended

	Lion King Fang (+Eff)	A	Close Def 4 Alternate: Svalinn Shield
	Positional Assist	B	Special Fighter 3 Alternate: Wily Fighter 3
	Moonbow Alternate: Aether	C	D/R Near Save 3 Alternate: A/D Near Save 3
IVs	+Atk or +Def / -Spd	S	Atk/Def Form 3 Alternate: Steady Breath

Show Explanation/Analysis

Weapon: Lion King Fang (+Eff)

Assist: Positional Assist / Flexible

Special: Moonbow / Aether / Flexible

IVs: +Atk or +Def / -Spd

Passive A: Close Def 4 / Svalinn Shield / Flexible

Passive B: Special Fighter / Wily Fighter / Flexible

Passive C: D/R Near Save / Any Near Save

Sacred Seal: Atk/Def Form / Flexible

Despite the Distant Counter effect of transformed Lion King Fang, its other effects also make Caineghis a solid choice for Near Save. In particular, the damage reduction on follow-up attacks is effective against units like Brave Eirika whose follow-up attack tends to be their stronger hit.
The Special is flexible. 2-cooldown Specials like Glimmer and Moonbow can be activated on Caineghis’s first counterattack, making them solid choices; however, melee threats generally have more bulk than ranged so it is more difficult to KO them in one hit. Longer-cooldown Specials like Aether and Ignis can provide more power at the cost of not activating until Caineghis’s second counter; Aether requires a Special-charge effect like Special Fighter or Steady Breath, and requires Caineghis’s foe to follow-up attack before Caineghis can activate it. However, it is powerful and provides healing, making it a solid choice.
Svalinn Shield is still a highly useful A skill for Near Save due to prominent threats with armor-effective damage such as the aforementioned Brave Eirika. Close Def 4 provides a large stat boost along with neutralizing melee foe stat bonuses, making it another great choice. Other skills like Atk/Def Unity can also be good choices.
The B skill is flexible, with Special Fighter providing good utility by giving Caineghis Special charge and slowing his foe’s Special charge. Other options like Wily Fighter or Slick Fighter provide useful effects like neutralizing his penalties or his foe’s bonuses, but the guaranteed follow-up attack is somewhat redundant with the guaranteed follow-up from Lion King Fang. However, it does allow him to follow-up against foes using effects like Sturdy Impact.
The seal is also flexible, with stat-boosting seals like Atk/Def Form and Close Def being great options.

Strengths

Refined Lion King Fang

With Lion King Fang’s new refine, Caineghis gains a variety of great effects: 70% damage reduction against Area-of-Effect Specials and follow-up attacks, various stat boosts, and the ability to counterattack at range and a guaranteed follow-up attack when transformed. These effects make him a great choice for many different enemy phase builds, and his player phase also benefits from the guaranteed follow-up.

Great HP, Atk, and Def, decent Res

Caineghis’s base 47 HP, 37 Atk, and 37 Def are still good by modern standards, if a bit worse than when he was released. His base 30 Res is a bit lower but still very workable. In combination with the stat boosts from Lion King Fang, his statline leaves little to be desired apart from maybe Spd.

Colorless Beast Armor

Caineghis’s status as a colorless armored beast allows him to counterattack at range when transformed, and gives him access to great skills like A/R Far Save and Hardy Fighter. With these skills and others he can protect several units with extremely strong enemy phase combat.

Weaknesses

Low Spd

Caineghis’s base 23 Spd is low, rendering him vulnerable to follow-up attacks and foes with Null Follow-Up. While he does get a boost of 4 Spd from Lion King Fang, he needs significantly more from skills and ally supports in order to keep up with fast units.

Beast and Armor-Effective Damage

Caineghis’s status as an armored beast gives him two weaknesses. Armor effectiveness, in particular, is commonly found on powerful meta units like Valentine’s Chrom and Brave Eirika. Caineghis can use Svalinn Shield to remove his armor weakness, at the cost of using another A skill like Distant Def 4. Beast effectiveness is rarer, but he has no reliable way to remove that weakness.

Competition

While there is only one other colorless beast armor in Fire Emblem Heroes at the time of writing, Fallen Edelgard, and she is less specialized for enemy phase combat, Caineghis does face competition in his role as an enemy phase tank from other armored units like Brave Hector and Ascended Fjorm. In particular, his Distant Counter effect requires him to be transformed, making him more awkward to use for Far Save than most other popular choices. However, he is still a strong choice that is competitive with other great units.

Weapon Skills

Weapons	SP	Rng.	Mt.
Whelp (Armored) At start of turn, if unit is adjacent to only beast or dragon allies or if unit is not adjacent to any ally, unit transforms (otherwise, unit reverts). If unit transforms, grants Atk+2, and unit can counterattack regardless of foe's range.	50	1	4
Yearling (Arm.) At start of turn, if unit is adjacent to only beast or dragon allies or if unit is not adjacent to any ally, unit transforms (otherwise, unit reverts). If unit transforms, grants Atk+2, and unit can counterattack regardless of foe's range.	100	1	6
Adult (Armored) At start of turn, if unit is adjacent to only beast or dragon allies or if unit is not adjacent to any ally, unit transforms (otherwise, unit reverts). If unit transforms, grants Atk+2, and unit can counterattack regardless of foe's range.	200	1	9
Lion King Fang Grants Atk+3 . If foe initiates combat, grants Atk/Spd/Def/Res+4 during combat. At start of turn, if unit is adjacent to only beast or dragon allies or if unit is not adjacent to any ally unit, unit transforms (otherwise, unit reverts). If unit transforms grants Atk+2, and unit can counterattack regardless of foe's range. Learns by default at 5 ★ Unlocks at 5 ★ Non-Inheritable skill.	400	1	14

Weapon Evolution

Weapon Upgrades

Weapons	HP	SP	Rng.	Mt.
Lion King Fang (+Eff) Grants Atk+3. If foe initiates combat or foe's HP ≥ 75% at start of combat, grants Atk/Spd/Def/Res+4 to unit during combat. If foe initiates combat, reduces damage from area-of-effect Specials (excluding Røkkr area-of-effect Specials) and foe's follow-up attack by 70%. (For standard weapons, "follow-up attack" means the second strike. For weapons that grant "unit attacks twice," it means the third and fourth strikes.) At start of turn, if unit is adjacent to only beast or dragon allies or if unit is not adjacent to any ally, unit transforms (otherwise, unit reverts). If unit transforms, grants Atk+2 and unit can counterattack regardless of foe's range. At start of combat, if unit's HP ≥ 25%, inflicts Atk/Def-5 on foe during combat and unit makes a guaranteed follow-up attack, and also, if unit is transformed, grants bonus to unit's Atk/Def/Res during combat = 25% of foe's Atk at start of combat, - 8 (min 0, max 10).	+3	400	1	14

Special Skills

Special Skills	SP	Turns
Glowing Ember Boosts damage dealt by 50% of unit's Def. Learns by default at 4 ★ Unlocks at 3 ★ Non-inheritable by Staff-wielding units.	100	4
Bonfire Boosts damage dealt by 50% of unit's Def. Unlocks at 4 ★ Non-inheritable by Staff-wielding units.	200	3

Passive Skills

Passive Skills	SP	Slot
Distant Def 1 If unit is attacked by foe using bow, daggers, magic, or staff, unit receives Def/Res+2 during combat. Inheritable by all units.	60	A
Distant Def 2 If unit is attacked by foe using bow, daggers, magic, or staff, unit receives Def/Res+4 during combat. Inheritable by all units.	120	A
Distant Def 3 If unit is attacked by foe using bow, daggers, magic, or staff, unit receives Def/Res+6 during combat. Inheritable by all units.	240	A
Distant Def 4 If foe initiates combat and uses bow, dagger, magic, or staff, grants Def/Res+8 and neutralizes foe's bonuses (from skills like Fortify, Rally, Etc.) during combat. Inheritable by all units. Unlocks at 5 ★	300	A
Vengeful Fighter 1 If unit's HP ≥ 90% and foe initiates combat, grants Special cooldown charge +1 per unit's attack, and unit makes a guaranteed follow-up attack. (Does not stack.) Only inheritable by armor units.	60	B
Vengeful Fighter 2 If unit's HP ≥ 70% and foe initiates combat, grants Special cooldown charge +1 per unit's attack, and unit makes a guaranteed follow-up attack. (Does not stack.) Only inheritable by armor units.	120	B
Vengeful Fighter 3 If unit's HP ≥ 50% and foe initiates combat, grants Special cooldown charge +1 per unit's attack, and unit makes a guaranteed follow-up attack. (Does not stack.) Only inheritable by armor units. Unlocks at 5 ★	240	B
Distant Guard 1 Allies within 2 spaces gain: "If foe uses bow, dagger, magic, or staff, grants Def/Res+2 during combat." Inheritable by all units.	60	C
Distant Guard 2 Allies within 2 spaces gain: "If foe uses bow, dagger, magic, or staff, grants Def/Res+3 during combat." Inheritable by all units.	120	C
Distant Guard 3 Allies within 2 spaces gain: "If foe uses bow, dagger, magic, or staff, grants Def/Res+4 during combat." Inheritable by all units. Unlocks at 4 ★	240	C