Trolls are often depicted as lumbering, slow, stupid creatures with bad tempers. Bert is no different but has an appetite to match his aggression. Bert may be a troll and trolls may not be exceptionally bright but nevertheless he proves an exceptionally useful asset in battle.

What to do

Bert is a big troll with bulky arms and a modestly thick hide but this doesn’t make him the semi-predictable hulking monster you’d expect to charge into his foes. Bert has more strategy to him than that and his abilities have him placed in the tactician class. Bert should be kept at medium range from fights, while he has decent survivability he will not last long if charged into a squad of enemy guardians. His basic attack does not do huge damage and is best saved for taking out pesky soldiers as it is his abilities you want to focus on. Half of his abilities are to be used at range and this is what you should remember. However, since these abilities are pretty easy to spot that means these could make you a target so, again, try to keep a safe distance away and stay near defenders or strikers whom can keep you covered.

Tacticians are all about lane control, you want to place fire down strategically that will maneuver enemy guardians where your allied guardians can get to them out of the range of opposing towers. Bert can throw down an area of fire that damages enemies that walk into it, meaning you can soften up or potentially wipe out soldiers before they have a hope of pestering you, your fellow guardians or your towers. Bert’s fire abilities also damage towers, which is of course a huge convenience. Run in, throw a bonfire down right onto a tower and retreat, this will damage the tower somewhat whilst also hurting any soldiers who run through it. Should things get too manic, do not be afraid to run back and regain some health or capture a shrine whilst your abilities are on cooldown. Make every second count whether you are hurting the enemy or assisting your team.

Where to be

Bert works very well at being a sort of support character, you can deal damage to towers, soldiers and guardians from a distance and though it isn’t much it might just be enough for an allied warrior to stroll in and finish the job. This means Bert should be where the fighting is, note, not IN the fighting. Have him follow allied warriors or defenders and see what pops up first. If you stumble across a tower then you can throw a bonfire onto it and wait for your soldiers to go in and soak up its damage, giving you time to keep on setting it ablaze. This also means enemy soldiers looking to attack you and your soldiers will likely not get to do a great deal.

Should Bert find himself in the thick of it and on the wrong side of an enemy guardian’s sword/staff/bow/axe then you can use the spirits ability to quickly increase your resistance and movement speed, giving you the energy boost you need to get to safety. Again, Bert should be close to the fight but not in the fight. Try to stay near the enemy’s tower your team is most focused on destroying. Once it’s weakened you can simply set it ablaze and run, meaning nobody on your team is hurt and that tower will soon be smoldering ash.

Abilities

Bonfire

Bert may not be much smarter than your average troll but his cooking skills know no bounds it would seem as when he applies his knowledge of troll catering on the battlefield to cook enemy guardians to a crisp. Bonfire is the prime ability for this as Bert sets a small area ablaze a short distance away from himself which can scorch soldiers, guardians and towers alike. This will be your prime go-to ability and you’ll want to be using this every chance you get.

Spirits

Spirits gives Bert a short boost of energy, increasing his resistances and increasing his movement speed noticeably. This is great for wanting to hasten your way to a shrine yet to be captured or to escape a battle that is becoming too hot for even the troll-chef himself. Don’t neglect this ability as it could very save your life and deter you from facing a lengthy respawn.

Mutton

Treating enemy guardians like a yet to be prepared dinner, using the Mutton ability has Bert grab enemy guardians or creatures and pull them towards him hastily, dealing some damage and stunning them briefly. This is ideal for if an enemy guardian gets too close. Risking pulling them closer to stun them could be coupled with using spirits, giving you a second or two to dash away as they seek to regain mobility. Or, should you fancy your chances you could attempt to take down a weakened enemy guardian using this ability but this could go either way and depends on your loadout as Bert’s basic attacks are not exactly back-breaking.

Stumbling Rage

Unlocked at level 5, using this ability as Bert toss his keg at medium range, striking fear into all enemies unlucky enough to be within its blast radius. If the keg is tossed nearby to a bonfire then damage is increased. Consider this carefully as this could further aid you in taking down a tower that has been butchering you and your allied guardians all game. Plus, throwing down a bonfire first and then using this when enemy guardians are within range could have them run uncontrollably into the bonfire, dealing further damage.

Loadouts

Gems and Relics

In terms of gems and relics, since you want Bert to be out of harm’s way most of the time, there’s only one main focus you want to draw your attention to and that is ability damage. Since Bert’s fire tossing abilities and his mutton attack both focus on ability damage, this is what you want to buff up on. What I advise is to load up on blue gems/relics like there’s no tomorrow, focusing on ability damage itself and possibly ability cooldown reduction. You have seven slots in your belt, so two or three relics focusing on abilities with one relic or a sole gem that lends to survivability and keeping Bert alive. Of course, if you want to dedicate the entire thing to ability damage, go for it! You could achieve a balance between the two but really it’s down to how you play. It might be worth experimenting to see which works best for how you use Bert.

Commands

Commands, in their righteous glory, can save a quickly spiraling situation. With Bert being at medium-distance from the more savage areas of battle, this means you can use supporting commands to truly turn the tide of battle. Commands such as the healing totem can help to keep you alive but more importantly, the warriors and defenders whom are slugging it out with enemy guardians to keep you and your towers safe! 

Another command I would advise is refresh, which refreshes a percentage of your ability cooldowns instantly whilst doing as for a little less for allied guardians in range. If you use all of your abilities, then trigger refresh that means you’ll be able to go all out sooner rather than later and if you couple this with a fellow tactician or an allied enchanter in range, then you can bring a world of hurt to anything unfortunate enough to cross you. When you use them just be sure that your teammates are within the radius that appears so they can benefit from the bonuses as well.

Potions

Potions stand for the most part as the same as commands where you want to focus on either staying alive or increasing the damage of your abilities. Whether it be increased health regeneration or an instant heal, just make sure you use it only when totally necessary so it is not wasted. The same goes for ability damage potions, should you use one then only do so when you feel it will greatly benefit yourself and your teammates. A one on one with another guardian may not be regarded as a crucial combat, but if you think your potions could assist you in taking down a tower or a large bulk of soldiers about to take down one of your towers, do so if you feel it is right. Again, it’s one of those things that is down to you and how you play.

Bert a big troll who runs around with a huge keg looking to toast anything that gets in his way which alone makes him stand out. Again, don’t assume Bert to be just another thick-headed troll, it takes cunning to master him and his abilities on the battlefield. Do your best to keep him at a safe distance and hurl bonfires at the enemies like it’s the fourth of July! Just remember, the longer you stay alive, the more control you can hold over the lanes and the more of the enemy team you can cook.