Harald Sigurdsson in Rise of Kingdoms: Comprehensive Guide to Skills, Talent Builds, and Strategies
Harald Sigurdsson, also known as Harald Hardrada, is a formidable legendary infantry commander in Rise of Kingdoms. Renowned for his aggressive combat style, Harald excels in open-field battles and city assaults. This guide provides an in-depth look at Harald’s skills, optimal talent builds, effective commander pairings, and strategies to maximize his potential on the battlefield.
Introduction to Harald Sigurdsson
Harald Sigurdsson was introduced as a Viking legendary commander, embodying the fierce spirit of the Norse warriors. His skill set is tailored for players who favor offensive infantry tactics, making him a valuable asset in both PvP scenarios and city conquests.
How to Obtain Harald Sigurdsson
Harald becomes available in kingdoms that have been established for at least 310 days. Players can unlock him through the “Wheel of Fortune” event, where they have the chance to obtain his sculptures and enhance his skills.
Skills Overview
 Berserker Active | If not surrounded, troops led by this commander deal direct damage to the current target. If surrounded, troops deal direct damage to up to 3 targets within a circular area of effect. Damage dealt to each target is reduced for each additional target. After using this skill, troops gain increased damage for 2 seconds. Upgrades: Direct Damage Factor: 600 / 700 / 800 / 1000 / 1200 Damage Factor (Surrounded): 600 / 900 / 1100 / 1300 / 1500 Damage Bonus: 10% / 12% / 14% / 16% / 20% |
 Viking Battleaxe Passive | When attacking strongholds and cities, infantry units led by this commander gain increased attack and whenever they take damage, they have a 10% chance to reduce that damage. This damage reduction effect can trigger once every 5 seconds. Upgrades: Infantry Attack Bonus: 2% / 4% / 6% / 8% / 10% Damage Taken Reduced By: 10% / 15% / 20% / 25% / 30% |
 Varangian Guard Passive | Infantry units led by this commander gain increased attack and increased march speed. When this commander uses their active skill, all infantry units under their command gain more attack, but lose defense (This effect lasts 8 seconds, and can stack up to 15 times). Upgrades: Infantry Attack Bonus: 10% / 15% / 20% / 25% / 30% March Speed Bonus: 2% / 4%/ 6% / 8% / 10% Infantry Attack Increase (Per Stack): 1% / 2% / 3% / 4% / 5% Troop Defense Decrease (Per Stack): 1% / 2% / 3% / 4% / 5% |
 Stamford Bridge Passive | When troops led by this commander are on the map and deal damage, this commander has a chance to cast their active skill and grant their troops immunity to all defense reduction for 3 seconds. This skill can trigger once every 5 seconds. Upgrades: Probability: 3%, 8% / 11%/ 15% / 20% |
 Valhalla Expertise | Counterattack damage dealt on the map is increased by 20%. If surrounded, counterattack damage dealt will be further increased (Bonus Damage = number of surrounding enemies X 2%, with an upper limit of 10 surrounding enemies). |
Optimal Talent Builds
Harald’s talent tree focuses on Infantry, Conquering, and Skill specializations. Depending on your playstyle, consider the following builds:
Open Field Build
Prioritize talents that enhance rage generation and skill damage to maximize Harald’s active skill frequency and overall damage output.
Conquering Build
Focus on talents that boost damage against enemy garrisons and structures, improving Harald’s effectiveness during city assaults and rallies.
For detailed talent configurations, refer to specialized guides or community resources that provide visual representations of these builds.
Effective Commander Pairings
To fully harness Harald’s capabilities, pairing him with complementary commanders is crucial:
 | Guan Yu: Combining Guan Yu’s high skill damage and area-of-effect capabilities with Harald’s offensive prowess creates a formidable force in open-field engagements. |
 | Alexander the Great: Alexander offers defensive benefits through his shielding abilities, balancing Harald’s offensive focus and enhancing troop durability. |
 | Leonidas I: Leonidas provides additional defense and synergizes well with Harald’s skills, making the pair resilient and deadly in prolonged battles. |
Strategies for Maximizing Harald Sigurdsson’s Potential
- Embrace Aggressive Play: Harald thrives in offensive roles. Utilize his skills to lead charges, focusing on high-priority targets and disrupting enemy formations.
- Capitalize on Surround Mechanics: Position Harald where he’s likely to be surrounded to trigger enhanced damage effects, especially in large-scale PvP battles.
- Monitor Defense Debuffs: Be mindful of the defense reduction from the Varangian Guard skill. Pairing Harald with commanders who offer defensive buffs or using equipment that boosts defense can mitigate this drawback.
- Equip Appropriately: Focus on gear that enhances infantry attack, defense, and health. Prioritizing equipment that boosts these stats will amplify Harald’s battlefield effectiveness.
In conclusion, Harald Sigurdsson is a powerhouse commander for players who favor aggressive infantry tactics in Rise of Kingdoms. By understanding his skills, optimizing talent builds, selecting effective pairings, and employing strategic gameplay, you can unleash Harald’s full potential and dominate your adversaries.
