Sun Tzu – Rise of Kingdoms Commander Guide

Overview

• Commander Name: Sun Tzu
• Rarity: Legendary
• Civilization: China
• Primary Role: Versatile Infantry Commander
• Best Troop Type: Infantry
• Best For: F2P / Mid-Spender / High-Spender (All)

Sun Tzu is one of the most versatile and tactical commanders in Rise of Kingdoms, excelling in both open-field battles and garrison defense. Known for his debuff and counterattack skills, he is ideal for players who want a flexible infantry commander who can adapt to multiple scenarios. Investing in Sun Tzu benefits both Free-to-Play and advanced players, especially when paired with the right secondary commanders. His skillset makes him particularly effective for rallies, open-field combat, and PvE content.

Commander Rating

Sun Tzu scores high for versatility and battlefield adaptability. While not the best garrison commander, he is excellent for open-field combat and rally leadership. His high PvE rating makes him ideal for farming barbarian camps and participating in events.

Commander Background

Sun Tzu is the legendary Chinese military strategist and author of ‘The Art of War.’ In Rise of Kingdoms, he embodies tactical brilliance, debuffing enemies and countering attacks with precision. His historical wisdom is reflected in his skillset, making him a favorite for both new and veteran players seeking a reliable infantry commander with strategic capabilities.

Skills Overview

Talent Build

For optimal performance, focus on the Infantry talent tree first, emphasizing damage, counterattacks, and skill enhancement. Secondary talents can include skill-focused builds for PvE farming or supporting rally attacks.

Sun Tzu Talent Tree – Open Field Build

This talent build emphasizes Sun Tzu’s strengths in open-field combat, leveraging his infantry skill damage and debuff potential. The focus is on the Infantry Tree as primary, with supportive points in the Skill Tree for faster cooldowns and stronger active skills. The Cavalry and Defense Trees are mostly ignored, as they do not synergize with his infantry-focused open-field role.

Infantry Talent Tree (Primary)

• Shield of the Ages: Increase infantry defense by 1% per point – max for survivability.
• Iron Spear: Increases infantry attack by 1% per point – essential for stronger skill damage.
• Infantry Formation: Boosts infantry health – increases troop durability in prolonged battles.
• Martial Mastery: Increases skill damage of infantry – key for open-field engagements.
• Weapon Mastery: Additional infantry attack bonus – synergizes with active skills.
• Counterattack: Inflicts damage when hit – perfect for Sun Tzu’s debuff and counterplay style.
• Veteran Training: Reduces troop loss – extends sustainability in large battles.

Skill Talent Tree (Secondary)

• Strategist: Reduces active skill cooldown – allows more frequent debuffs and damage.
• Brilliance: Boosts skill damage – critical for maximizing Sun Tzu’s Perfect Ambush and Decisive Strike.
• Reinforced Skills: Improves skill effectiveness against multiple targets – useful for open-field encounters with multiple enemies.
• Swift Strikes: Speeds up skill activation – increases overall combat efficiency.

Suggested Talent Point Distribution

Summary: Focus primarily on the Infantry tree to boost survivability, attack, and counterattack potential. Use the Skill tree secondarily to enhance cooldown reduction and skill damage. This build ensures Sun Tzu dominates in open-field battles and remains highly effective in rally leadership roles.

Sun Tzu Talent Tree – Garrison Build

Sun Tzu is not the strongest garrison commander, but with the right talents, he can still hold city defenses effectively. This build focuses on **Defense Tree** first to increase troop survivability and reduce damage taken, with **Infantry Tree** secondary to enhance counterattack and defense buffs.

Defense Talent Tree (Primary)

• Fortress: Increases city defense – critical for garrison longevity.
• Last Stand: Boosts troop defense when health is low – helps survive prolonged sieges.
• Defender: Reduces damage taken by infantry – enhances survivability.
• Iron Wall: Further increases troop defense – stacks with other defensive buffs.

Infantry Talent Tree (Secondary)

• Counterattack: Inflicts damage when hit – perfect for city garrisons.
• Shield of the Ages: Increases infantry defense – extends city defense duration.
• Veteran Training: Reduces troop loss – keeps garrison strong over time.

Suggested Talent Point Distribution – Garrison

Summary: Focus primarily on **Defense talents** for survivability, then enhance **Infantry talents** for counterattacks. This setup makes Sun Tzu a functional city defender, though not top-tier.

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Sun Tzu Talent Tree – Skill Build

For players who want to maximize Sun Tzu’s active skill damage in both PvE and open-field skirmishes, the **Skill Talent Tree** is prioritized. This build improves **skill damage, cooldown reduction, and effectiveness against multiple targets**.

Skill Talent Tree (Primary)

• Brilliance: Boosts skill damage – essential for Perfect Ambush and Decisive Strike.
• Strategist: Reduces active skill cooldown – allows more frequent skill usage.
• Swift Strikes: Speeds up skill activation – improves combat efficiency.
• Reinforced Skills: Improves skill effectiveness against multiple targets – critical for open-field scenarios.
• Master Tactician: Increases skill damage based on troop type – synergizes with infantry troops.

Infantry Talent Tree (Secondary)

• Martial Mastery: Increases infantry skill damage – improves synergy with Skill Tree.
• Counterattack: Provides damage when hit – supports passive damage output.
• Shield of the Ages: Increases defense – slightly improves survivability during skill rotations.

Suggested Talent Point Distribution – Skill Build

Summary: Prioritize the **Skill tree** to maximize damage output and skill efficiency. Secondary points in **Infantry** improve survivability and passive counterattack, making Sun Tzu highly effective for both PvE and open-field skill rotations.

Best Commander Pairings

• Yi Seong-Gye: Maximizes infantry skill damage for open-field dominance.
• Richard I: Enhances rally survivability and counterattack potential.
• Charles Martel: Great for defensive synergy in city or garrison scenarios.

Strategy Tips

• Use Sun Tzu as the primary commander for infantry-focused rallies and open-field engagements.
• Pair with defensive commanders to maximize skill uptime and counterattack damage.
• Deploy him for barbarian farming events to quickly clear camps and gain resources.
• Focus on skill upgrades first, as his abilities scale damage and debuff potential significantly.

FAQ

Conclusion

Verdict: Sun Tzu is a must-have legendary commander for any Rise of Kingdoms player looking for a versatile infantry commander. His open-field dominance, skill debuffs, and synergy with other commanders make him a top-tier investment for both F2P and paying players.