Capital and Artifact Sanctuary Behavior

For many players in Iron Throne, The Capital will be the ultimate destination. The battle will be fierce, as the King has many resources at hand to defend against challengers. What is on the line when you engage in the Iron Throne Capital Battle? This guide is here to help you identify useful resources and targets on your way to the Capital that will aid you in your final goal to overthrow the King and sit on the Iron Throne!

First up: residing in the forest around the Iron Throne is the Artifact Sanctuaries. Let’s take a closer look.

Artifact Sanctuaries; Behavior and Rewards

There are six Artifact Sanctuaries, and occupying them offers unique boosts for your Alliance. Conquering an Artifact Sanctuary takes thirty minutes. Only R5 can hold a Sanctuary. If a lower rank tries to hold, their Defense Hero will not engage and the troops will die. Once the Sanctuary is conquered, the Alliance holding it receives 3,000 gold every six hours. Half of this goes to the Alliance Leader and a half to the vault, where the R5 can distribute to Alliance members if desired.

An Artifact Sanctuary Battle opens every 18 hours (that’s not within the Capital War Period).  The Sanctuary War gives generous Gold rewards to each player who has more than 1 troop occupying at the end of the War, and the Alliance leader.

Sanctuaries will lock after the Capital War for 12 hours. During those 12 hours, the Alliance Leader of the holding Alliance can bestow Sanctuary Tribute Chests to Alliance members. These can only be given to members of your Alliance, unlike Capital Chests, which can be given to any player.

Each Sanctuary has specific Essences, which must be filled to utilize the Artifact Dragon Skills. Filling an Essence takes approximately 24 hours, so many kingdoms use diplomacy to rotate the Sanctuaries and fill their coffers.

A specific boost is granted for holding each one, and an Alliance can only hold one at a time. The Artifact Sanctuaries have the following boosts when under control (not during the Capital War)

• Diadem Sanctuary: Research Speed +10%
• Blade Sanctuary: Troops Training Speed +10%
• Scripture Sanctuary: Equipment Crafting Speed +10%
• Chalice Sanctuary: Resource Production Rate +10%
• Staff Sanctuary: Equipment Crafting Cost Reduction +10%
• Aegis Sanctuary: Troop Training Cost Reduction +10%

Artifact Dragon Skills

Once the applicable Essences have been filled, there are three Artifact Dragon Skills to consider. Each skill has a cooldown period, so be sure to account for this.

• Creator: Creates 20 Gold Resource Centers in the area. This skill requires Staff Essence, and cooldown period is two days
• Enormous Shield: Grants a one-day Peace Shield to all Alliance Members in the affected area. Required Essences are Aegis, Chalice, and Diadem. The cooldown period is 2 days 12 hours. Purchase this Skill with gold if the required Essences are not available.
• Shackles of Disaster: All six Artifact Essences are required for this Skill. This Skill debuffs the march speed of the enemy Castles in the affected area, and the cooldown period is three days.

Capital War

Now we come to the ultimate battle: the Iron Throne Capital Battle. The Iron Throne will be open for three hours once the shield drops. Winning the Throne requires one hour of continuous occupation time. If there is no one Alliance who held the Throne for the hour at the end of the three hour time period, whoever currently holds it will win.

Once the Iron Throne closes, it becomes invulnerable again for ten days. In addition to the use of the Ancient Dragon Skills, there are other benefits to being the Ruler of the Kingdom.

Iron Throne Shop

Royal Funds can be used to purchase Kingdom Boosts. Available are two different Kingdom Research Boosts, one lasting 5 minutes and one lasting 60 minutes.

Ancient Dragon Skills

The Ancient Dragon Skills are only available for use once the Iron Throne has been conquered.  There are two Ancient Dragon Skills; one benevolent and one for combat.

• Infernal Breath: This is the skill everyone is talking about! It’s a shield dropper but comes with a few caveats. The Cast Time is one hour, so it would behoove you to be sure your target is asleep before casting. Additionally, there is an offsetting buff called Divine Protection. The target may fortify their shield using Divine Protection and the Infernal Breath will go to waste, as there is a six-day cooldown. Use this judiciously!
• Ancient Dragon’s Blessing: For the more benevolent ruler, the Ancient Dragon’s Blessing randomly applies one of the following buffs the entire kingdom: Effectiveness of Speed Up Items +10%, Research Speed +20%, Troop Training Speed +30%. The cooldown is also for six days.

Capital Titles

Everyone loves Titles!  There are seventeen Titles to be bestowed. Note that the King must have troops camped in the Capital to assign titles. Each Title has applicable Buffs, some positive, and some negative.

Additional King Benefits

• Alliance Gold Rewards
• Alliance Honor points
• Silver Tax of other R5 in the Kingdom (if you’re not holding the Throne don’t open all your silver!)
• Rename the Kingdom!

Capital and Sanctuary mechanics

• You must be inside the Black Forest to participate in Capital and Sanctuary Wars.
• If your Castle is in the Sanctuary forest you cannot attack the Capital.
• Peace shields drop when entering the Black Forest (this is a change from earlier, be prepared!).
• During a Capital War special buffs will be given to participants to help with the fact that they cannot shield.
• A Unity Rally Buff and Debuff are available for Capitals and Sanctuaries.
• Upon the first Conquering the Capital a buff will be placed, which will decrease by 20% every minute. If the Capital changes hands the buff goes away.

Tips for Iron Throne Combat

The War for the Throne promises an intense battle. Here are some things to remember;

• Be sure you have enough troops in your Castle to defend against counterattacks. The player holding the Throne is especially vulnerable, as they cannot shield. Alliance members should reinforce the King’s Castle.
• Troops will be considered injured during Capital War and Artifact Sanctuary War (and healing cost reduced) unless hospital capacity is maxed.
• Only the R5 can hold the Iron Throne. This is important! Just like the Sanctuaries, only the R5 can hold. However, R4 and above can appoint any member’s Guard Captain to defend.
• Appoint the Hero you want defending while occupying the Throne. Don’t leave your troops defenseless inside!
• Work with friendly Alliances to hold multiple Sanctuaries during the Capital War. If a friendly Alliance takes a Sanctuary during the Capital War, you will receive at 100% Troop Attack buff, which can stack to 400%.
• Instant rallies are available. This makes it incredibly hard to swap troop types to defend against a missile attack.
• Capital and Sanctuary fillers cannot shield. This is important for two reasons. First: if you are a filler, watch your back. Second: attackers may wish to take advantage of this and burn the opposition out of the forest.
• Set your City Buffs. Often overlooked, be sure to set your city buffs before competing. Spend silver to get the ones you want!

What’s Next?

Ready to take on the True World and vie for the title of Emperor/Empress? Check out True World War to learn all about it!

Curious about the Blood Moon and all it entails? Take a look at Maximizing Your Time at the Blood Moon.

The time to battle is near! Many Alliances will fight for the throne. Do you have what it takes to be King?

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