Saladin in Rise of Kingdoms: Comprehensive Guide to Skills, Talent Builds, and Strategies

How to Obtain Saladin

Saladin becomes available once your kingdom reaches 120 days old. To summon him, you’ll need 10 of his sculptures, which can be acquired through events, the VIP shop, and golden chests.

Skills Overview

Hold Fast Active Skill	Rage Requirement: 1000 Deals direct damage to the target, then reduces its march speed and healing effects received for the next 5 seconds. Upgrade Preview: Direct Damage Factor: 600 / 800 / 1000 / 1200 / 1400 March Speed Reduction: 10% / 15% / 20% / 25% / 30% Healing Effect Reduction: 20% / 25% / 30% / 35% / 40%
Ghulams Passive Skill	Cavalry units led by this commander gain increased attack, increased defense, and increased march speed. Upgrade Preview: Cavalry Defense Bonus: 8% / 10% / 12% / 16% / 20% Cavalry Attack Bonus: 8% / 10% / 12% / 16% / 20% Cavalry March Speed Bonus: 1% / 2% / 3% / 4% / 5%
Bond of Fate Passive Skill	Troops led by this commander take reduced skill damage and reduced counterattack damage. Upgrade Preview: Skill Damage Taken Reduction: 10% / 15% / 20% / 25% / 30% Counterattack Damage Taken Reduction: 8% / 10% / 12% / 16% / 20%
Generosity Passive Skill	Troops led by this commander deal increased damage to garrisons when attacking cities. However, they cannot plunder resources from these cities. Upgrade Preview: Damage Bonus: 3% / 6% / 9% / 12% / 15%
Praise the Creator Enhanced: Hold Fast	Deals direct damage (Damage Factor 1700) to the target, then reduces its march speed by 50% and healing effects received by 50% for the next 5 seconds.

Optimal Talent Builds

Saladin’s talent builds can be tailored for different roles:

Open Field Build

Focuses on enhancing cavalry stats and improving rage regeneration for frequent skill activation. Prioritize talents in the Cavalry and Support trees, such as “Rejuvenate” for rage restoration and “Emblazoned Shield” for reduced skill damage taken.

Rally (Conquering) Build

Designed for attacking enemy cities and structures. Emphasize talents in the Conquering tree, like “Moment of Triumph” to boost damage when troop strength is above 90%, and “Signal Flare” to increase damage dealt to watchtowers.

Effective Commander Pairings

Pairing Saladin with the right commanders can maximize his effectiveness:

	Alexander Nevsky: Combines durability with high damage output, making them one of the best cavalry pairs.
	William I: Offers a balanced combination of offense and defense, enhancing cavalry capabilities.
	Takeda Shingen: Creates a highly durable pairing, though with slightly less damage output.
	Genghis Khan: Provides high damage potential, with Saladin adding survivability to the duo.
	Yi Seong-Gye (YSG): Adds area-of-effect damage and boosts skill damage, complementing Saladin’s strengths.

Strategies for Maximizing Saladin’s Potential

• Skill Upgrade Path: Aim for a 5-5-5-1 skill configuration before unlocking his expertise to maximize effectiveness and conserve sculptures.
• Equipment Focus: Equip gear that enhances cavalry stats, prioritizing items that boost defense and health to increase survivability.
• Versatility in Roles: Utilize Saladin in both open-field engagements and as a rally leader against enemy structures, adjusting his talent build accordingly.

By understanding and leveraging Saladin’s skills, optimal talent builds, and effective pairings, you can harness his full potential to lead your cavalry forces to victory in Rise of Kingdoms.