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Enhancements: Are They Worth It?

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Introduction

So, the new patch just dropped and this new patch came with a new creature, a few new creature changes, and the biggest introduction was the mechanic enhancements and recombination. This allows you to take your DNA of creatures at level 25 or higher on legendaries, epics, rares, and commons and use it to make these new resources called catalysts. You then use these to make upgrade your level 30 uniques. You first get a 10% hp buff, then a 10% attack buff, then 2 speed, then an extra boost slot, and then you unlock a creature's enhancement. This is almost like an extra passive ability that triggers under certain conditions that may buff your stats or reduce your opponent's stats. Some are good. Some are bad. The important thing to note is that each creature has a set enhancement and THEY ARE ALL UNIQUE (see what I did there). So, what are they and are they worth it in the end?

They are Expensive

Let’s start off with the costs. These things are expensive. I mean really expensive. Not only do you need to get enough DNA to make all of these individual catalysts, bu then you need EVEN MORE DNA for upgrading your uniques in the form of extra DNA of said unique. And then on top of that, you have all the coins you need to spend on recombinations and the actual upgrades themselves. So, how much are we talking? Well, it’s in the ballpark of about 1.8 million common, 361k epic or 1.8 million rare, 75k legendary, and 1650 unique DNA to make all of this possible. And for some of the uniques, this is like paying for a brand new dishwasher and getting a bottle of Dawn and a sponge. We should have more exact cost amounts for you soon. So, are some of these enhancements worth the money? Probably not, but let’s go over them anyways.

Enhancements

Before I break them all down, I want to thank Ludia for giving me access to the content creation build. It took a while to test a lot of these, and I am grateful that they gave me access to do so. And unfortunately, not all were available to me, so shoutout to Ludia’s #1 most wanted: Colomtn and Jimbohi for datamining the rest. So, let’s go over what they do and what my opinion after using them are! Also, these could change at any time. It’ll be some time before we know what they are in the public version of the game and things may change, so don’t take this as the final end-all be-all.

Aenocyonyx: When distracted, +10% critical hit chance for 2 attacks 1 turn

This one is fine. It does work alright thanks to the crit immunity and already decent critical hit chance, so this one isn't that bad. And it also helps synergize with a few other enhancements as a runner.

Alankyloceratops: When hit with a critical hit, +10% speed for 1 turn

This one is alright. If you get hit by a critical hit, a bit of speed isn't bad. And for chompers that are faster, this could catch them off guard enough to get a bleed off and heal up. However in the mirror, this could be a drawback. But hey, better than an infinite battle I guess.

Albertocevia: If opponent’s hp is below 50%, +25% crit chance for 2 attacks, 1 turn

This one makes Albertocevia better as a revenge killer. You can now get the clutch critical hit when a ferocious impact isn't enough. And the best part is that you have a better chance of getting a crit on your swap, boosting your devour abilities.

Albertospinos: If you deal a critical hit, you also deal 10% of opponent hp in bleed for 1 turn

This enhancement is even better than Albertocevia’s. This enhancement not only synergizes well with Albertospinos's kit, but it also better works with its team. How is that? Well, I'll get into that second part in a bit. However, what this enhancement does is bleed your opponent by 10% if you get a critical hit. Albertospinos has a critical boosting counter, a decent critical chance to start, and critical reduction immunity. So already we’re off to a great start! And better yet, you can swap in and deal 40% of bleed if your runner got a critical hit. That's right, if a Pteranokyrie, Aenocyonyx, or some other runner gets a critical hit when they run away, creatures who have enhancements triggered by you getting a critical hit will activate. This means Albertospinos’s swap AND enhancement will activate. While not as good as the other creature who has an enhancement triggered by a critical hit, this makes Albertospinos the bleed king.

Allodrigues: 25% speed boost when below 33% hp for 1 turn

This is a very good ability for Allodrigues to have. You speed up quite a bit when below 33% hp, or at 1 member. A nice 25% speed boost on a fast creature is really good to have. You can either fire off cunning rampages first or heal up before getting hit. This is one of the better enhancement-creature combinations for sure.

Andrewtops: 10% attack buff when slowed for 2 attacks, 1 turn

If you thought its output wasn't enough, you'd get hired by Ludia because they obviously thought the same thing. When slowed, Andrewtops’s attack is increased by 10%, and that comes with the vulnerability too. Andrewtops's resistance works quite well with this one as you'll still be decently fast when you're slowed, and unlike some other creatures we'll see later, this one works well as you get an even stronger counter.

Antarctovenator: 15% speed increase when opponent is below 50% hp for 1 turn

This one works very well with Antarctovenator's role as a revenge killer. When you come into an opponent who is below half hp, you get a 15% speed boost. And 15% speed is quite a bit, and this can allow you to boost up your attack more.

Ardentismaxima: 5% armor increase when distracted at end of turn for 2 attacks, 1 turn

This one sucks. When distracted at the end of your turn, you get a 5% armor increase. Yeah it helps Ardentismaxima against cunnings, but the issue is that there are creatures out there with armor-buffing enhancements that are just way better than this. Ludia did Ardentismaxima dirty once again.

Ardontognathus: 50% speed boost when on the field for 3 consecutive turns for 1 turn

This one is a worse version of an enhancement that I will cover in a bit. However, 50% speed increase is a lot, especially on a creature that already has 3 abilities that can greatly increase your speed. However, with many creatures gaining group moves, 3 turns is still a lot. But with sidestep and definite frenzy, you can easily pull it off and start zooming.

Atrocodistis: When below 50% hp, you gain 15% attack for 2 attacks, 1 turn

Gee wiz as if this thing wasn't enough of a pain. Now it can do even more damage and heal even more with this enhancement. If you fall below 50% hp, you get a 15% attack boost, making this probably the best unqiue in the game in either a tournament or the arena.

Compsocaulus: When at 33% or less hp, you distract opponent by 25% for 2 attacks, 1 turn

Don't expect this to save Compsocaulus from being the worst unique flock. While distracting your opponent by 25% at one member may seem good, it really isn’t in reality. Unlike Allodrigues who gets a buff to its stats, Compsocaulus at less than 33% is already frail enough, but then you're essentially hoping that your opponent can't cleanse or resist distraction, and that is a very small pool.

Compsoraptor: When stunned, You gain 100% critical hit chance for 2 attacks, 1 turn

Compsoraptor is already annoying, however this enhancement isn't really that amazing. You need to get stunned at the end of the turn. But that means you get stunned second, which then means you don't get to use your 100% critical boost. Overall a complete waste and possibly the WORST enhancement.  Luckily it's on Compsoraptor, which is a pain in the rear.

Diloracheirus: When facing a RESILIENT OPPONENT, +15% critical hit chance for 2 attacks, 1 turn

Oh great, if you thought Diloracheirus was annoying, this makes it even more annoying. Now EVERY ATTACK Diloracheirus does against any resilient creature gets a nice meaty critical hit buff of 15%, which is just so dumb. Luckily these things are really expensive, so lower arena players don't worry. You won't be seeing this for a while.

Diorajasaur: If distracted at end of turn, slow opponent by 25% for 1 turn

This one is pretty nice. Diorajasaur now has a better time against pesky cunnings. One of its biggest issues on the field is the lack of speed control, but when it's distracted, it'll slow the opponent down by 25%. So you can easily set up an armor boost then go for a big rampage.

Dracoceratosaurus: If vulnerable at start of turn, increase speed by 25% fir 1 turn

This one is pretty good, especially on a creature with deceleration immunity. So moves like superior vulnerability and resilient moves allow you to speed up by 25% and then cleanse that vulnerability away or speed up on faster resilients to get a rampage off. A very good enhancement on a solid unique.

Dsungascorpios: Slow opponent by 25% if your hp is above 67% for 1 turn

These little arthropods are a pain in the neck, and thankfully they got a mediocre enhancement. If they are above 67% hp, your speed is reduced by 25%. Makes the mirror matchup a bit weirder, but luckily its pretty easy to deny Dsungascorpios its enhancement.

Entelolania: When shielded during action phase, +15% attack for 2 attacks, 1 turn

This one is HOT GARBAGE....on Entelolania that is. If this was on Alankyloceratops, it would be great. Alankyloceratops, Grypolyth, or Monolorhino would all love this enhancement, but it's wasted on Entelolania. Why? Well, the ferocity ability is only triggered when you have a shield up and its during your action phase. Well, what does that mean? Well, if Monolorhino were to have its shield up, this enhancement would trigger, and you could get a boosted impact off. However, Entelolania has only one shielding move: dig in. And this boost in attack doesn't trigger after using the move, so you can't use an impact or devastation after it. And it doesn't trigger before you heal. So when does it trigger? Well, it triggers when you have a shield up and do damage, which means it only applies to the counter. That's right, you spent all those resources and all that DNA to get a slightly stronger counter. And that's if it's not a fierce breaking through. Very disappointing.

Erlidominus: When hp below 25%, critical hit chance is 100%

This one makes Erlidominus the critical hit KING. If your hp is below a quarter, you get a 100% critical hit chance. This is really good in a late game scenario when Erlidominus is set up and now just sweeping through your opponent with a 25% boost to every attack.

Erlikospyx: When hit with a critical hit, speed increase by 25% for 1 turn

Erlikospyx got a good buff a while ago, but it lost its ability to speed up. Now it has it once again and can now speed up by 25%!! Issue is you need to be hit with a critical hit. But seeing as Erlikospyx has a lot of distracting abilities and seeing as many of these enhancements buff the critical hit chance, it's pretty good, especially when paired with that buffed deceleration resistance.

Geminititan: 15% armor increase when above 50% hp at the start of 2 for 2 attacks, 1 turn

I liked this one. Being able to just walk in with an armor boost is really nice. And with definite shield advantage, you can keep that boost for longer. Unfortunately, don't expect this to make Geminititan on par with Geminideus.

Giganyx: 15% attack increase when hit with a critical reduction attack for 2 attacks 1 turn

Giganyx won't be beating flocks anytime soon, but if you decrease its critical chance at the end of its turn, Giganyx gets a 15% attack buff. This makes ferocious restore or fierce devouring rampage even more annoying to deal with. A pretty decent enhancement, but Giganyx still struggles too hard with flocks.

Grypolyth: +15% armor and attack when below 50% hp at end of 2 for 2 attacks, 1 turn

This one works pretty well with Grypolyth. When you're below half hp, that armor and attack boost is nice because you can either tank another hit better or heal more with your priority heal. Is this gonna save Grypolyth? No. But does it work well with its specific creatre in mind compared to some of these other enhancements? 100%

Indoraptor: + 25% critical hit chance when slowed for 2 attacks, 1 turn

Indoraptor still misses out on all the love. Indoraptor getting a critical hit boost is nice when paired with bait, but when you're weak to slow and probably relying on evasive stance to not die turn 2,  it makes the enhancement almost worthless. While you can dodge turn 1 and then get slowed, it's still not going to make Indoraptor any better really.

Indotaurus: Regenerate 15% hp whenever you deal a critical hit

On the other hand, Indotaurus got a good enhancement. Seeing as most Indotaurus go bulky, regenerating 15% hp when you have a decent critical hit chance and a counter to maximize your odds is very solid. And with cloak, you can make your Indotaurus last for a long time.

Lystrosavis: +10% armor whenever slowed for 2 attacks, 1 turn

One of the biggest losses from Lystrosuchus to Lystrosavis was the loss of armor. However, when slowed, Lystrosavis now gains 10% armor! It probably still won’t make it the best flock in the game, but now it has a better time of lasting past turn 1 and getting that rally heal off.

Magnapyritor: +50% speed boost when on the field for more than 1 consecutive turn

Magnapyritor has been at the bottom of the barrel for a long time. Does this enhancement change that???? The answer is not really. It's a really good enhancement as most creatures stick around for at least 2 turns. However, this doesn't fix the core issue of its kit. If Magnapyritor had a good kit, this enhancement would be really good, and while this enhancement alone is good, Magnapyritor isn't going up anytime soon.

Mammolania: +20% armor when distracted at end of turn for 2 attacks, 1 turn

Mammolania finally got some more love than Entelolania. This time, it got the better enhancement. Cunnings better look out as you now go up to 70% armor with Mammolania when distracted at the end of the turn. This can really help in matchups like Indolycan or Atrocodistis.

Monolorhino: When slowed, +15% attack for 2 attacks, 1 turn

Monolorhino can take advantage of its speed decrease resistance as when slowed, you get a nice 15% attack boost. That, paired with its already boosted attack stat as a swapper makes definite impact really hurt.

Parasauthops: +25% critical hit chance when below 33% hp for 2 attacks, 1 turn

Like Mammolania, Monolorhino got more from this than Parasauthops. Now, this is a solid enhancement. Issue is that Parasauthops is already pretty slow, and when below 33% hp, it doesn't want to attack. Now if this was during the action phase, it would be better, but because it's at the end of the turn, it's once again another good enhancement on the wrong creature.

Phorurex: +50% critical hit chance after taking and surviving an attack for 2 attacks 1 turn

Remember those critical counters on Albertospinos or Ardontognathus? Well,  this is that but better. Now whenever hit by an attack and surviving it, Phorurex gets a 50% critical hit buff. Those rampages will really pack a punch.

Poukandactylus: +25% attack when hp is below 25% for 2 attacks, 1 turn

This is a good ability. Issue is that Poukandactylus is pretty passive, but with that being said, it can easily use this enhancement to make those counters really hurt. And seeing that it can soak up fierce hits, it's can sometimes last for some time. Not a bad enhancement at all.

Pterovexus: When facing a WILDCARD OPPONENT, +10% speed and attack boost

Pterovexus is got one of the few enhancements that are determined by an opponent’s class. This time, if you’re a wildcard, you get a speed and attack buff. That is pretty good for Pterovexus, but that still won’t be catapulting it to the top, and with how uncommon wildcards are, this is a good buff locked behind very specific conditions.

Pyrorixis: When locked down during action phase, +25% critical hit chance for 2 attacks, 1 turn

You get a 25% crit buff when you get locked down. Surely this would activate after berserk decimating wound, right? Well, it doesn’t. Trust me, I tried in the content build. It doesn't work. It does activate after the swap, with isn’t bad and can be useful against Geminideus, but this ability had so much potential when paired with Pyrorixis and it was just a bit of a letdown.

Quetzorion: When made vulnerable during action phase, +15% attack and 25% speed for 2 attacks, 1 turn

Quetzorion doesn’t like resilience. However, this ability makes it so you get a 25% speed buff and 15% attack buff. Pretty sweet, right? But, there’s a catch. If you go first, and say a slower Testacornibus uses superior vulnerability, that speed and attack buff is triggered, but then does not carry over. However, if you are slower than that Testacornibus and they hit you with superior vulnerability again, your next attack will be boosted by the enhancement. So it looks good on paper, but Quetzorion’s speed gets in the way of it.

Scorpios Rex gen 3: When bleeding, + 25% speed for 1 turn

This one makes Scorpios 25% faster when bleeding. This is pretty good on many creatures, but with instant ambush and swap in ambush, this feels a bit redundant.

Skoonasaurus: When bleeding +100% critical hit chance for 2 attacks, 1 turn

I love swapping my Dimodactylus in on Skoonasaurus, and I still will love to do so based off how expensive these things are. However, if these were pretty cheap, then I’d be in trouble because if Skoonasaurus is bleeding, its critical hit chance goes from 20% to 100%. That includes the counter too. And this isn’t a one-time trigger. If you are bleeding for 2 turns in a row, this triggers for both turns. Definitely one of the best enhancements on the right creature.

Smilonemys: When below 25% hp, +50% speed

Did this unique get something to compete with its apex hybrid? No. But hey, a 50% speed boost is pretty nice, even if you’re below 25% hp. And with your bulk, many priority attacks will still struggle to KO you.

Spinoconstrictor: When facing a FIERCE OPPONENT, + 25% speed boost for 1 turn

This is the last of the class-dependent abilities for now. If your opponent is fierce, you get a 25% speed boost. I mean with that and the strike buff, this snake is unstoppable…..NOT. But hey, better than a lot of these that’s for sure.

Stygidaryx: If distracted at end of turn, cleanse

If you're distracted at the end of your turn, you cleanse. That's pretty good, especially if you just swap in on a cunning move like super distraction or cunning rampage. The you can either run into something else or now not have to deal with distraction that much. Overall a very good enhancement for Stygidaryx.

Tenontorex: At start of turn, if hp is over 50%, +10% damage for 2 attacks, 1 turn

Speaking of an old unique getting a good enhancement that fits its kit, Tenontorex is next. And if you thought 1900 attack was a lot, now if you're above 50% hp, you get a 10% attack buff, which combos really well with your devour ability. Again, you won't see Tenontorex catapult to a higher tier, but this is an enhancement that actually helps this struggling unique.

Testacornibus: If bleeding, +25% damage for 2 attacks, 1 turn

One of the biggest weaknesses Testacornibus faces is bleed, and this fixes that. Now, you get a 25% attack boost if you're bleeding at the end of the turn, allowing your impact, devastation, or dig in to become far more punishing. And as a Testacornibus user myself and with Ref being a common sight in the library, this makes swapping Testacornibus in on Ref even easier. Very good enhancement for Testacornibus.

Thoradolosaur: When opponent hp is over 90%, +15% attack for 2 attacks, 1 turn

One of Thoradolosaur's biggest weaknesses is a 1v1 matchup scenario. It's great with revenge kills, but not amazing in the 1v1 department. However now it gets a 15% attack buff. The issue is that your opponent needs to have over 90% of its hp. So we can expect to see more nitro Thoradolosaur now.

Thylos Intrepidus: When distracted at end of turn, +50% attack

This is the big one. In fact, this is probably the BIGGEST one. Now while this enhancement may not be the best on its own, this is the best combination and this is the unique that is going to see the biggest improvement with its enhancement. Atrocodistis and (as you'll soon see) Tyrannometrodon will be better uniques when fully maxed, but now Thylos Intrepidus is a threat. So, why is it so good? Well, if you're distracted, at the end of your turn, you get a 50% damage buff. That's right. You can now always one shot Geminideus after a prowl even if they use disarming rampage. And not just Geminideus. Now you can deal big damage to creatures like Indolycan or all the other cunnings it originally struggled with. This is probably the most impactful enhancement-creature combination. And in all honesty, if these things were easier to obtain, I wouldn’t be surprised if Thylos Intrepidus usage spiked almost instantly.

Troodoboa: When hit with critical reduction move, +25% shield and +10% speed and attack for 2 attacks, 1 turn

While Thylos Intrepidus may have the best combination, Troodoboa probably has the best enhancement overall. If your critical hit chance is reduced, you get a 10% boost to your attack AND speed ON TOP OF a 25% shield. This is probably the best enhancement (on its own) in the game so far. Is Troodoboa going to make a splash in the shores? Probably not. But this is a very useful ability to have when taking on those pesky cunnings.

Trykosaurus: When hit with a critical attack, +10% armor for 2 attacks, 1 turn

Trykosaurus got an ability to help increase its good armor stat. The issue is that you need to be hit with a critical attack. And saying that, 10% armor is OK. And seeing as most resilients have low critical hit chances while most fierce have higher ones, this enhancement doesn't really help Trykosaurus out that much. However, it's still not bad.

Tuoramoloch: 25% speed boost when below 33% hp for 1 turn

This raid unique still is pretty bad in PVP. A 25% speed boost when below 33% hp is good, but Tuoramoloch can't take advantage of it that well. I mean you already have group acceleration, and when you speed up, are you going to get another heal off. This is somewhat useful for raids, but not worth the cost. A decent enhancement on a bad creature. Unfortunate. Also on a side note, remember when I said all of these are unique? Well, I lied. This is the only enhancement shared by 2 creatures. Allodrigues also has this one.

Tyrannometrodon: 10% speed boost for 1 turn after dealing critical hit

This is another really big one. Tyrannometrodon has the kit and immunity to capitalize on this ability. If you get a critical hit, you buff your speed by 10%. And like Albertospinos, if a creature runs into Tyrannometrodon and gets a critical hit while doing so, you STILL get the speed boost. Definitely one of the best combinations and this could catapult Tyrannometrodon back into the top of the shores meta.

Utarinex: When slowed, reduce opponent attack by 50% for 2 attacks, 1 turn

Our last unique means our last enhancement of the patch. And to end it, Utarinex has a solid enhancement. If you are slowed down, you distract your opponent by 50%, which definitely puts some uniques like Compsocaulus to shame that's for sure. This can give you enough time to fire off a rampage and run and get out of there.

Parting Words

So, that’s every single enhancement-creature combination for now. So, the real question is: Are they worth it?

That’s the simple answer. While some of these would be really annoying buffs to deal with (Atrocodistis), these are just, at the moment, way too expensive. The amount of DNA and coins you need for ONE enhancement is ludicrous. And for some creatures, you get squat for what you paid for. I’m releasing this article as soon as I can so that some poor sap doesn’t waste everything on something like Compsoraptor to have a useless ability added to it. In all honesty, the best use of these catalysts is to get the extra damage, hp, and speed added to your creature and maybe the extra boost. After that, don’t really bother. Thank you for reading, and hopefully these things will be addressed because for what you pay, you get such a minimal return.

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About the Author(s)

Hi there, I'm Eduardo. I love catfish, and you're looking at my Bullhead Axel here. Huge fisherman and half the time I'm out the door at 4 a.m. as those fish won't catch themselves. Love to cook and circus peanuts are delicious. 

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