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Dragon claws – Goodgame Empire

Dragon claws

Defensive Melee Special

Reliable melee defense that you mainly take because they hold the walls for free in terms of food. This is exactly the case for unattended castles where you want a solid wall and don’t want to worry about supplies. As a special or event unit, you also essentially get them as a free bonus. Not a universal unit, average against ranged attackers, but for the melee line and garrison economy, they deliver exactly what you expect from them.

1Attack
250Melee defense
180Ranged defense
—Speed
—Food upkeep

Quick overview

TypeDefensive, Melee
SourceSpecial
Game stageSpecial
Cost—
RecommendationMore likely yes

rating

Attack
Defensive
Cost
Speed

Dragon Claws are purely defensive melee units, and the numbers will tell you what they are for: 250 defense against melee combat, 180 against ranged attackers, and an attack value of just a symbolic one. Never send them into attack; they hold your walls. The main attraction is zero food consumption, so you can have them in your garrison by the hundreds without burdening your supplies even by a grain.

How to use it

You deploy them exclusively for defense on the walls, where they replace or supplement regular melee defensive units. That 250 against melee is their strong point, which allows them to form the main wall against melee attackers. Against ranged attackers, they have 180, which is decent but not particularly high, so don’t consider them as primary defense against archers. Defenders in GGE are divided into wings (flanks) and the castle moat, not according to any gates or towers, so place the Claws where you expect melee pressure, and balance the rest with another unit.

What to combine it with

The Claws pull melee defense with that 250; that’s their job. Since their own value against ranged attackers (180) is their weak side, supplement them with a unit strong against ranged attackers to cover both lines. Under the defensive commander and with the right castle and defensive tools, their numbers will increase, so it makes sense to place them in a castle where you already have defensive bonuses from decorations and buildings. Classic setup: Claws for melee, strong ranged units for ranged defense, plus defensive tools on the walls.

Weaknesses and what to avoid

Never send them into attack, whether for gathering or raiding NPC camps. That attack of 1 is essentially zero, and the army would just die without effect. Similarly, do not place them in an attacking wave when conquering foreign castles. They have no listed speed or cost, so don’t count on them as a mobile force for marches; consider them purely as garrison defense that won’t move from the castle.

Pro player tipHere you fully utilize that zero food consumption. Regular defensive units eat into your supplies, and with a large garrison, it hurts; the Claws do not. When you are dealing with food and still need a solid wall, stuff the garrison with them. They are mainly suited for castles that you leave unattended for a long time, as you can have them packed to full capacity without worrying about supplies.
Common mistakeA common mistake is to evaluate them based on stars and expect better attack. The attack remains at 1 even at five stars (stars 1 to 5: attack=1, defense=5, cost=0), so upgrading adds defense, not attack, and don’t attribute any offensive potential to them. Another mistake is leaving them in reserve instead of on the walls. They only make sense as active defenders in the garrison; in reserve, they do absolutely nothing.

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