Eric

Strategy: Eric's defensive design is a pincer rather than a single big number: Conviction reduces your squad's damage taken by 20% while Holy Warrior simultaneously reduces total enemy squad attack by 20%. Both are always active, so the actual damage difference in a fight is larger than either number suggests on its own — you're taking less, and they're dealing less to begin with. Veterancy adds a third layer that scales with how long the fight runs: every hit against Eric has a 16% chance to grant a stacking +20% Defense buff, up to five stacks. A prolonged siege makes him progressively tankier rather than progressively more worn down, exactly the profile you want from a garrison-defense Infantry hero rather than a rally lead built for short, decisive fights. Ground Shock deserves attention as a standalone tool: a 50% Attack Speed reduction for four seconds is one of the strongest available debuffs against any hero whose value depends on attacking frequently — the same category of denial Vivian's Gilded Barrage provides, but Eric gets it as his primary skill rather than needing a Gen 5 pull. Skill priority: Ground Shock first for the debuff and respectable damage, Hammer of Justice second for its stun chance, Veterancy third since it's passive and improves on its own as he takes hits. He's a genuinely solid garrison infantry option through the early-to-mid game — keep him on defense duty until Alcar, Long Fei, or Triton is fully geared, and don't feel rushed to replace him the moment any one of those three is merely unlocked rather than actually invested in.