July 2021 Boost Epic/Legendary/Unique All Creatures Tournament Guide

Bringing him back from a couple weeks ago, we have new Gamepress writer, Eduardo! Take it away, E...

Hello again, it’s me, EDUARDO, back with another large serving of knowledge with a side of advice seasoned with some tips and tricks. We don’t yet have sim results on hand, but we are getting those sorted. The person who does those works very hard and is working on getting those to you ASAPossible. So, to help out, I’ve been called upon to help give some mathematical analysis on the best and worst creatures. This weekend, we have ANOTHER Unique skill tournament. What’s different? Well, there are no Rares allowed and NONHYBRIDS are LEGAL (apologies to all the people wanting to test out Albert more). Does this make it much different from last month? Spoiler: Not really. However, there are some things that I will discuss that you will want to consider if you want to get the most boosts this time around. With that being said, let’s jump right into things!

Before we jump into the creatures, first let's go over the Tournament itself.

This weekend, we'll be using ALL our Epic, Legendary, and Unique creatures for the most valuable of prizes, BOOSTS! Everyone knows you can never have too many boosts, especially if you are trying to create viable creatures for Arena, Raids, and Tournaments. Be sure to get your creatures battling in this Tournament for your opportunity at the following:

We'll start with the 4 pillars of this tournament. "Pillars" is the name I give the top 4 creatures in this event. In fact, there is no creature in this format that can 1v1 all of them individually. If you have these 4 creatures, use them. Do not ask, just do. These 4 are absolute monsters in the overall meta and even scarier in this tournament. So, who are these mighty 4?

COMPSOCAULUS

First up, we have the tiny yet terrifying, Compsocaulus. What makes these 3 so deadly? Well, they are a flock, so you need a couple hits just to take them out. Luckily, group attackers are somewhat common here with Geminititan being a popular choice. HOWEVER, these little guys have a trick up their sleeve: Deceleration Immunity. You can’t slow them at all and they resist distraction, swap prevention, AND stun. How lovely. If you want to bleed them, too bad, they have cunning strike to cleanse that. As with its parent, Compsognathus, Compsalocalus has access to Alert Scurry, so these guys will be able to rally heal and keep chipping away at your creatures and your sanity. If you need to save something for later, CompyC has you covered with swap in distraction. To counter this terror, try Smilonemys, Mammolania, Entelolania, Erlikospyx, or Quetzorion.

MONOLORHINO

Next up is an old face that made its debut as a top threat back in 2.0: Monolorhino who needs no introduction here. You have the crazy immunity pool, the defenses, the decent offense, and most importantly, the swap. So, why is Monolorhino so deadly? Well, let’s just say that 2-shotting it is easier said than done. High-attack creatures like Tenontorex cannot reliably 2-shot it allowing it to easily get out of there and come back in for some more swap-in fun. It can also just swap in and kill creatures like Entelolania, Diorajasaur, and Grypolyth. If you want to try and 2-turn Monolorhino, Trykosaurus is probably your best bet.

SCORPIUS REX GEN 3

For the third pillar, we have the newest member of the bunch, someone who can easily take a creature with no repercussions. We have Scorpius Rex Gen 3. SR3 is something that should never be taken lightly. This thing is literally able to kill creatures like Tryk and Dio without taking a single hit. In fact, in our recent tier list, one of the reasons Trykosaurus fell out of tyrant was because SR3 literally pushed it out. How is it taking no damage in so many matchups? Toxic Quills is how. This move is probably the best move in the game if you want my honest opinion. An impact with no delay, a stun, and lethal wound all in one. This is then followed up by a Cunning Rampage that clocks in at 2,700 attack after the initial 2025 attack from the Quills. If you are immune to stuns? Odds are you’ll just get 2-shot anyways (we're looking at you, Geminititan). Oh, and if you need another swapper, well guess what? SR3 is one of those with swap-in Critical Ambush, which is basically swap-in Cunning Strike but trading the damage for more speed and crit chance. You want to counter SR3? Mammolania, Erlikospyx, and Monolorhino are some of your best bets.

SKOONASAURUS

Finally, we end with the mightiest of the 4. The recently crowned king of the uniques. We have Skoonasaurus. Anyone who has used or fought against Skoona knows why this creature is so good. You have the insane output, the counter-attack, the bulk, the resistances, and the utility of the kit all wrapped into one monster. You can just kick off the match with a nice 3000 damage or maybe distract to cushion the opponent’s Rampage. If they can’t break shields, you can use instant invincibility to get a nice counter in, slow them down for the next turn, and then hit them with a rampage or an impact. Skoona is on top for a reason. If you want to counter this behemoth, I recommend SR3, Entelolania, or Mammolania.

So, you have half your team right there. What else do you need? There are a few more options out there that can really help bring your team together:

GEMINITITAN: This longneck still hangs out with the big dogs. It’s a good lead and can help test the waters against most opponents out there. It’s very diverse, but also easy to wear down.

MAMMOLANIA: Another good lead who can actually take out 3 of the big 4. It does need a bit of time to get going, but this is something to really consider using on any team and can fit into many roles.

ENTELOLNAIA: Mammolania’s lazy twin is another creature to consider putting on your team. While Mammolania takes some time to get going, Entelolania comes out swinging and hits like a semi. On top of that, it has great bulk. The downside is that it can be stunned by SR3 and MRhino, so keep that in mind (Mammo can not).

DRACOCERATOSAURUS: A unique that got some love recently, and I've really enjoyed using it after dropping Geminititan for it. It has decent speed (and can't be slowed), great output, and Swap-In Savagery. And speaking of Gemini, Dracoceratosaurus has a decent matchup spread and can take other high-tier creatures like Gemini.

TRYKOSAURUS: Forever a familiar face, it is one of the best answers to a Monolorhino that is stuck on the field. And on top of that, it just hits like a truck. However, there are many meta threats that can shut it down like Compsocaulus and SR3, so be careful.

QUETZORION: This pretty bird is weaving its way in and out of the fray thanks to its dodging and shielding abilities which help it out against top threats like Compsocaulus and Mammolania. Not to mention that there is really not much faster than it, so you can always make sure you do some damage. The nullifying counter is always a pleasure to have.

MAGNAPYRITOR:  The OG jack of all trades. It has the tools to take on cunnings, resilients, and fierce. However, it doesn’t hold up as well as it once did and is susceptible to being swapped in on by Monolorhino and Compsalocalus. However, this is a good option nonetheless. 

ERLIKOSPYX: Another cunning that has fallen by the wayside, Espyx is more of a boon and bust than Mags. It can take down SR3 and CompyC but can be slowed and stunned and struggles with armor. However, its revenge abilities help it to be somewhat relevant still.

MEGISTOCURUS: We have one viable Legendary in "Armadoggo". With a 1400 swap-in Defense Shattering Strike, No Escape, and a 30% crit chance, how is this not a must? Well, on the field, many players including myself really didn’t like it all that much. With the inability to cleanse the pin and be slowed, this is usually going to be a one-and-done kind of swapper. However, it is still something to consider.

TENONTOREX: Tenny has a toolbox full of everything pulled from all classes. You can slow, distract, or deal massive damage with that 3,800 Defense Shattering Rampage. This is a great 1v1 creature, but it’s another one of those one-and-done creatures. No matter what, do not take it lightly.

GRYPOLYTH: Grypo still hangs out being able to slowly eat away at tanks like Geminititan, Skoonasaurus, and Mammolania. If you suspect your opponent might try to swap, and it isn't resistant to No Escape, it can also work as a swap-in with the counter and/or no escape. While it does well with Skoonasaurus, it struggles with the other 3 pillars really badly. It is still another good option for your team.

SMILONEMYS: Nemys leaps its way into the tournament and is great when paired up with MRhino or another swapper like SR3. It can then be used a swapper on top of that with Swap-In Stun. With nice output, good resistances, a solid moveset, and great bulk, Smilonemys is one of the few cunnings that can take 2 hits from Skoona, allowing it to run away. This is a great addition to teams looking to run 2 swap-in damage creatures along side.

Some sleeper picks this time around are POUKENDACTYLUS and TESTACORNIBUS. These 2 stack up quite well against the big guys. Pouken and Cornibus are some of your best bets against both Compsocaulus AND SR3. They are also quite unique with their movesets which could allow them to carve out a good niche in this tournament.

Now, let’s cover some do NOTs. First up, as per usual, make sure you pick something that isn’t basically a downgraded version of another creature. Do not pick Ardentismaxima if you have access to Geminititan and/or Skoonasaurus for example. Also, make sure the creature you have stacks up well in the meta of this tournament. Diorajasaur is a great example of this. Due to the meta somewhat working against this, you really don’t want to use a predictable creature like Dio. And if you want a second opinion, here’s top player ALAN with his opinion on this tanky counter-attacker:

"Not as effective as it once was. While great against anything that cannot break shields (CompyC, Mammolania, Entelolania), it really struggles against the fierce. What's even worse is SR3 makes quick work of Dio and maybe takes one counter. If you don't have a better option, then it's an OK 8th option. However I do not recommend using this weekend as you will see plenty of Tenonto, Tryko, SR3, and others."

I couldn’t have put it in any simpler words myself

This is a tournament is certainly catered to the more advanced players and newer players will struggle. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it’s a fact. HOWEVER, that doesn’t mean that lower tier creatures cannot compete. There are many easy-to-make options that can be extremely valuable this weekend.

WOOLLY RHINO: If you want the most swap-in damage around, look no further than WRhino. This solid epic is well-known for being a major pain in the rear due to the massive output it has and could actually be viable at the top.

THYLACOTATOR: Another epic that does pretty well with its deadly 1-2 combo. Maiming Wound can also be a pain for flocks to take (CompyC aside).

TITANOBOA: The only other nonhybrid that could be viable near the top is that sneaky snake. With the well-known terror of On Escape Rampage, Titanoboa can squeeze that clutch victory out of your opponent in a pinch.

BRONTOLASMUS: Charging in as another great epic candidate, we have the mighty Brontolasmus. With great output, good bulk, deceleration immunity, and slowing abilities, Brontolasmus is a good option for almost anyone. If you need something to clear away that Tenontorex opener or take out a Quetzorion or Erlikospyx that may be bugging you, Brontolasmus has your back.

If you have access to Legendaries, there are a lot that can still compete well.

DRACOCERATOPS: Like its superhybrid, DC has Swap-In Savagery to get that cheeky takedown on the swap along with the ability to leave right away with cleansing impact. It can also do a Fierce Impact if preferred.

MAMMOTHERIUM: Look to Therium f you want a legendary that can actually compete with the big dogs. Not only can it stand up to Compsocaulus AND SR3, it also has great setup potential and a great kit. While nowhere near as good as Mammolania, if you don’t have any good uniques, Mammotherium is a deadly pick. Other great options include Diplodocus, Indominus Rex Gen 2, and Sarcorixis for epics and Scorpius Rex, Eremoceros, Phorusaura, and Allosinosaurus for legendaries.

As copied from Bart's previous article, here are some tips that you have to keep in mind when building your team. They might not all be as important as others, but they should be things that you keep on your mind.

1. Prepare counters for top threats. Estimate what the big threats are going to be and how you're going to counter them. Are there creatures that can counter multiple threats at once? The 4 Pillars are likely to appear on most teams, how am I going to counter them?
2. Are there any creatures that I want to use? Of course, doing well is important. But you should never forget the fun aspect of the Tournaments. See if you can incorporate one of your favorite creatures in your team and make it work! However, this will be a bit of a stretch if it's a creature you know will likely not work.
3. Do I have a balanced team? With the wretched class system, you'll need to make sure you have counters for each class. If your team is filled with Cunning creatures, a team of opposing Resilient creatures will wipe the floor with you. Be sure to have a good variety of creatures in your team, preferably from each class.

All in all, this weekend shouldn’t play out all that differently than last month’s similar tournament. And maybe some nonhybrids like Titanoboa or Woolly Rhino may make an appearance. Again, this is more catered to higher players, but I hope this guide will help ALL players this weekend. May the RNG be with you and I hope to see you all this weekend. Pop by our Discord and let us know what's working for you!