Verdict: Early-game progression only — epic heroes carry early progression but fall off hard once legendaries arrive.
Conquest Stats (Max Level)
| Attack | Defense | Health |
|---|---|---|
| 2,220 | 2,157 | 12,942 |
Shard Costs per Star Level
Unlock cost: 10 shards. Each star has six tiers — the table below shows shards per tier and the total per star.
| Star | T1 | T2 | T3 | T4 | T5 | T6 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1★ | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| 2★ | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 15 | 40 |
| 3★ | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 40 | 115 |
| 4★ | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 100 | 300 |
| 5★ | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 600 |
| Total to 5★ | 1,065 | ||||||
Unlocked via: Hero Recruitment.
Skills & Per-Level Upgrades
Shielded Strike
Howard gives an enemy a solid whack with his heavy shield, knocking the target back while dealing Attack * 280% Area of Effect damage.
| Lv 1 | 200% Damage |
| Lv 2 | 220% Damage |
| Lv 3 | 240% Damage |
| Lv 4 | 260% Damage |
| Lv 5 | 280% Damage |
Joint Defense
Howard leads the effort to fortify defenses, increasing Defense by 15% for all heroes.
| Lv 1 | 5% Defense |
| Lv 2 | 7.5% Defense |
| Lv 3 | 10% Defense |
| Lv 4 | 12.5% Defense |
| Lv 5 | 15% Defense |
Shield Block
Howard trades in his shield for an upgraded model, reducing damage taken by 30%.
| Lv 1 | 10% Damage Reduction |
| Lv 2 | 15% Damage Reduction |
| Lv 3 | 20% Damage Reduction |
| Lv 4 | 25% Damage Reduction |
| Lv 5 | 30% Damage Reduction |
Expedition Mode
| Bonus | Value |
|---|---|
| Infantry Attack | +140.11% |
| Infantry Defense | +140.11% |
Defenders' Edge
Weaken
Howard's intimidating presence reduces the total Enemy Squads' Attack by 20%.
Upgrade Strategy
Howard sits in D Tier — founding roster: early-game progression only — do not spend current-era shards here. Epic heroes carry early progression but fall off hard once legendaries arrive — keep them functional, never prioritize them.
- Star priority: unlock at 10 shards, then push stars while each tier still costs under ~100 shards; slow down at 4★–5★ and keep this hero matched to your current-era roster.
- Skill order: level the damage skill first, then the survival skill — check the upgrade tables above and feed whichever skill scales hardest per level.
- Class fit: Infantry soaks damage for the whole march — pair them with your frontline research before judging their performance.
- Stop signal: Do not invest current-era shards here at all. Use the hero only if you have spare shards lying around.
Fully starring any hero takes 1,065 shards (+10 to unlock). That is months of event income — spend it where the tier list says it compounds, not on older-generation carries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Howard worth investing in Kingshot?
Howard is early-game progression only in the current Gen 7 era (D Tier — founding roster). Match your spending to your kingdom's generation — younger kingdoms get more mileage from older generations.
How many shards does it take to max Howard?
1,065 shards across all five star levels, plus 10 shards to unlock. The 5★ jump alone costs 600 — over half the total.
How do you get Howard shards?
Unlock/sources: Hero Recruitment. Shards also come from Intel Missions, Conquest stages, Hero Hall, VIP Shop, recruitment, events and packs — matching the Epic shard rarity.