While Joyful Captain is the best overall Hybrid unit, Ancient Mage and Pirate King dominate their respective placement types — Hill and Ground. Ancient Mage provides the longest range in the game with devastating burst damage, while Pirate King delivers the highest sustained single-target DPS on the ground. Together with Joyful Captain, these three units form the S-tier core that defines the UTDZ meta. This guide covers optimal builds, placement, and team compositions for both units.
Ancient Mage — Best Hill Unit
Ancient Mage is the definitive Hill DPS carry with unmatched range and burst scaling. Its elevated placement keeps it safe from ground-level threats while dealing massive damage from afar.
Ancient Mage Base Stats
| Stat | Base Value | Evolved | With Ruler + Etherealized |
|---|---|---|---|
| DPS | 1200 | 2400 | 7200 |
| Range | 15 tiles | 17 tiles | 22.1 tiles |
| SPA | 5.0s | 4.2s | 3.4s (with Fused Warrior) |
| Cost | 3000 | 3500 | 2975 (with Sacred) |
| Attack Type | Burst | Burst | Burst |
Ancient Mage's 15-tile base range is the longest of any unit in UTDZ. This allows it to hit enemies from safe elevated positions, well outside the range of most enemy attacks.
Best Traits for Ancient Mage
| Trait | Effect | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Ruler | +200% DMG, -20% CD, +30% RNG | Best — 22.1 tile range is game-changing |
| Sacred | +25% DMG, +25% RNG, -15% Cost | Great — cost reduction helps its high 3000 cost |
| Wizard | +15% Elemental DMG, -10% SPA | Good — if Ancient Mage deals elemental damage |
Ancient Mage benefits enormously from Ruler's +30% range bonus because its base range is already the highest in the game. The multiplicative scaling means each range bonus is worth more on Ancient Mage than on any other unit.
Ancient Mage Placement
| Map Feature | Placement | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Central hill | Middle of hill | Maximum coverage radius |
| Corner hill | Edge position | Covers two path directions |
| Multi-level | Highest elevation | Range bonus from height |
Always place Ancient Mage on the hill position that gives the widest coverage. Unlike Ground units, Hill placement positions are limited, so securing the best spot early matters.
Pirate King — Best Ground Unit
Pirate King is the king of sustained single-target DPS. Its ground placement and fast attack speed make it the go-to carry for Story Mode wave clearing and Infinite Mode endurance.
Pirate King Base Stats
| Stat | Base Value | Evolved | With Ruler + Etherealized |
|---|---|---|---|
| DPS | 1800 | 3600 | 10800 |
| Range | 8 tiles | 9 tiles | 11.7 tiles |
| SPA | 3.5s | 3.0s | 2.4s (with Fused Warrior) |
| Cost | 2000 | 2500 | 2125 (with Sacred) |
| Attack Type | Single target | Single target | Single target |
Pirate King's 1800 base DPS is the highest raw damage output of any unit. While its range is shorter than Ancient Mage, the faster SPA and higher per-hit damage make it the best ground-level damage dealer.
Best Traits for Pirate King
| Trait | Effect | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Ruler | +200% DMG, -20% CD, +30% RNG | Best — 10800 DPS is the highest in the game |
| Duelist | +35% Boss DMG, +25% Crit, +20% RNG | Great — best for Raid boss encounters |
| Prodigy | +30% DMG, +10% Crit | Good early — accessible at 2% chance |
For Raid content specifically, Duelist Pirate King may outperform Ruler Pirate King because the +35% Boss DMG applies multiplicatively to the boss damage calculation. Consider keeping a Duelist Pirate King as a Raid specialist.
Relic Comparison for Both Units
| Unit | Best Set | Key Stat Priority | Set Bonus Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ancient Mage | Fused Warrior | Range > CD > Damage | -7.5% CD + 15% Range extends burst zone |
| Pirate King | Fused Warrior or Warlord | CD > Damage > Crit Rate | Fused for general, Warlord for Raids |
Both units benefit most from the Fused Warrior set. However, for Pirate King in Raid content, the Warlord set's +20% Boss DMG bonus can outperform the Fused Warrior set's range and CD bonuses. Check our relics guide for detailed stat ranges.
Etherealization Priority Comparison
| Priority | Ancient Mage | Pirate King |
|---|---|---|
| When to etherealize | Second (after Joyful Captain) | Third (or second if no Hybrid) |
| Shard investment | Full (all tiers) | Full (all tiers) |
| Key milestone | Exclusive L5 (+100% DMG) | Exclusive L5 (+100% DMG) |
If you already have Joyful Captain fully etherealized, Ancient Mage should be your second priority because its Hill position and range provide unique tactical advantages that Pirate King cannot replicate. See our etherealization guide for shard farming routes.
Team Compositions
| Composition | Units | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Triple S | Joyful Captain + Ancient Mage + Pirate King + Farm + Support + Flex | All endgame content |
| Hill Fortress | Ancient Mage + Support + Farm + 3 Hill units | Maps with strong Hill positions |
| Ground Rush | Pirate King + Duelist unit + Farm + Support + 2 Ground | Raid boss encounters |
| Hybrid Core | Joyful Captain + either S-tier + Farm + Support + 2 Flex | General progression |
The Triple S composition is the strongest team in UTDZ when all three units are built. It covers all placement types, has the highest combined DPS, and adapts to any map layout.
Direct Comparison
| Metric | Ancient Mage | Pirate King |
|---|---|---|
| Role | Hill | Ground |
| DPS Type | Burst | Sustained |
| Range | 15 (longest) | 8 (shortest of S-tier) |
| Best Mode | Challenges, Raids | Story, Infinite |
| Flexibility | Hill-limited | Ground-limited |
| Safety | High (range keeps safe) | Medium (closer to danger) |
Choose Ancient Mage when map layout favors Hill positions or when you need long-range safety. Choose Pirate King for raw DPS output and ground-level dominance. For maximum flexibility, Joyful Captain remains the best choice — see our Joyful Captain guide.
Unit Stat Comparison and Analysis
Understanding the detailed stat differences between units helps you make informed decisions about team composition and investment priority. Here is a comprehensive stat comparison across all unit tiers:
DPS Comparison by Role
| Unit | Role | Base DPS | Evolved DPS | Full Etherealized DPS | Ruler DPS | DPS/Gem Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joyful Captain | Hybrid | 1000 | 2000 | 6000 | 9000+ | ★★★★★ |
| Ancient Mage | Hill | 900 | 1800 | 5400 | 8100+ | ★★★★ |
| Pirate King | Ground | 1100 | 2200 | 6600 | 9900+ | ★★★★★ |
| Super Roku | Hybrid | 800 | 1600 | 4800 | 7200+ | ★★★ |
| Ultiorra | Hill | 750 | 1500 | 4500 | 6750+ | ★★★ |
| Shunks | Ground | 850 | 1700 | 5100 | 7650+ | ★★★★ |
| Zora | Hybrid | 600 | 1200 | 3600 | 5400 | ★★★ |
| Sasuke | Ground | 650 | 1300 | 3900 | 5850 | ★★★ |
| Ace | Hill | 550 | 1100 | 3300 | 4950 | ★★ |
Range and SPA Comparison
Range and SPA (Seconds Per Attack) determine how effectively a unit can cover the map and how frequently it attacks:
| Unit | Base Range | Max Range | Base SPA | Min SPA | Effective Attacks/Minute |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ancient Mage | 15 | 22 | 2.0s | 0.96s | 62.5 |
| Ultiorra | 14 | 20 | 1.8s | 1.0s | 60 |
| Joyful Captain | 12 | 18 | 1.5s | 0.72s | 83.3 |
| Pirate King | 8 | 13 | 1.0s | 0.48s | 125 |
| Shunks | 9 | 14 | 1.2s | 0.6s | 100 |
| Ace | 11 | 16 | 2.2s | 1.1s | 54.5 |
| Super Roku | 10 | 15 | 1.4s | 0.75s | 80 |
| Zora | 10 | 15 | 1.6s | 0.85s | 70.6 |
| Sasuke | 7 | 11 | 1.1s | 0.55s | 109 |
Unit Cost Efficiency Analysis
| Unit | Deployment Cost | Cost/DPS Ratio | Cost Efficiency Rating | Best Investment Stage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pirate King | High | Low (best) | ★★★★★ | Mid-to-Late game |
| Joyful Captain | Medium-High | Low | ★★★★★ | All stages |
| Ancient Mage | High | Medium | ★★★★ | Mid-to-Late game |
| Shunks | Medium | Medium-Low | ★★★★ | Early-to-Mid game |
| Super Roku | Medium | Medium | ★★★ | Mid game |
| Zora | Low | Medium | ★★★ | Early game |
| Sasuke | Medium | Medium-High | ★★ | Mid game |
| Ace | Low | High (worst) | ★★ | Early game only |
Unit Positioning Guide
Proper unit positioning can increase effective DPS by 20-50% depending on the map layout:
Positioning Principles
| Principle | Description | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Maximize path coverage | Place units where they can attack the longest path segment | +20-30% effective DPS |
| Use range advantage | Long-range units on Hill for elevation bonus | +15% range |
| Avoid overlap | Do not place units where they cover the same path segment | Prevents wasted DPS |
| Farm proximity | Place Farm units near the path for maximum income | +10-20% income |
| Boss focus | Position DPS units near the boss spawn for maximum uptime | +25%+ boss damage |
Positioning by Role
| Role | Ideal Position | Avoid | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hybrid DPS | Center of map, Hill if available | Isolated corners | Maximize AoE coverage |
| Hill DPS | Elevated position with path view | Ground (loses range bonus) | +15% range is significant |
| Ground DPS | Near path center | Far from path | Short range needs proximity |
| Support | Between DPS units | Far from buff targets | Buff range is limited |
| Farm | Adjacent to enemy path | Isolated positions | Income based on proximity |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which should I build first — Ancient Mage or Pirate King? If you already have Joyful Captain, build Ancient Mage second for range diversity. If you lack a Hybrid unit, Pirate King's raw DPS makes it an excellent primary carry.
Can I use both Ancient Mage and Pirate King in the same team? Yes, and you should. The Triple S team (Joyful Captain + Ancient Mage + Pirate King + Farm + Support + Flex) is the meta composition for endgame content. They cover all placement types.
Is Duelist better than Ruler for Pirate King in Raids? It depends on your Raid team. For pure boss DPS, Duelist Pirate King with Warlord set may slightly outperform Ruler. For all-round use, Ruler is universally better. See our tier list for mode-specific rankings.
How do I get Pirate King or Ancient Mage? Both are Legendary units available through the summon banner. Featured banners have increased rates. Save Gems for pity pulls on featured banners. Check our summoning guide for optimal pull strategy.