Axie Infinity lets you battle other players and receive rewards every time you win. It also has a pretty cool and unique combat system that lets you play cards from each individual Axie in a specific order and costs energy.
However, there exists a unique concept in the game that allows Axies to survive for a bit longer, despite getting their health points reduced down to zero.
This mechanic is called “Last Stand.”
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What is Last Stand?
Last Stand is a special state wherein Axies can live for a few more moments, even after losing all their HP.
This gives players more agency when it comes to gameplay, as well as additional tactics to employ.
It also adds a layer of unpredictability to matches, which keeps the game interesting and more reliant on game sense, as well as tactics.
The Beast and Bug classes are the most likely to enter Last Stand, because Morale increases the chance of an Axie entering it.
How Does Last Stand Work?
Last Stand replaces an Axie’s health bar with another one, which consists of red bars, the number of which are dictated by the Morale stat.
Each bar is consumed when any action is performed in the battle. Two bars are consumed when an attack lands.
Any card from either player that is played corresponds to one action. For example, even if either player plays a card that doesn’t affect the Axie in Last Stand, a bar is consumed for that action.
Last Stand is also calculated using the following equation:
[Final Blow – Remaining HP] < [Remaining HP x Morale/100]
This means that the lower the difference between the killing blow and the remaining health of an Axie is, the more likely it will enter Last Stand. It also means that the higher the Morale stat of an Axie is, the difference needed for it to enter Last Stand can be greater.
How is Last Stand Used?
Offense
Axies in Last Stand can still play cards and attack. This gives the player more room for offense, especially if they still have cards on that Axie.
It’s important to note that there are cards that use Last Stand in order to dish out more damage, which I’ll be going into a bit later.
I suggest using your Axie in Last Stand for offense if it attacks first and you have a lot of cards on it that you won’t be able to use once Last Stand ends.
Defense
Axies in Last Stand could also be used for defense, because there are Axies that cannot choose their target, and combos in the game do not carry on to other enemies.
Using Axies in Last Stand as a meat shield could help you gain more energy and survive a possible enemy combo, thus increasing your chances of winning the game.
I suggest using an Axie that’s in Last Stand for defense in situations where your last Axie loses or draws in the 1v1.
Card Conditions
There are cards that utilize Last Stand in its effects, as well as counter it. Cards such as Scale Dart, Nitro Leap, Revenge Arrow, Rampant Howl, and Grub Explode are examples of cards that require Last Stand for their effect to activate.
- Scale Dart lets you draw a card if you hit a target that’s in Last Stand, useful for getting more cards
- Nitro Leap lets your Axie move first if it’s in Last Stand, bypassing the turn order
- Revenge Arrow deals 50% more damage if the user is in Last Stand, good for offensive Last Stands
- Rampant Howl provides Morale+ to the user’s team if it is in Last Stand
- Grub Explode deals double damage if the user is in Last Stand, also good for offensive Last Stands
- On the other hand, Hero’s Bane, Star Shuriken, and Puffy Smack all counter Last Stand in some way
- Hero’s Bane instantly ends a target’s Last Stand, good against Axies with high Morale
- Star Shuriken prevents an Axie from entering Last Stand, great for ending combos
- Puffy Smack lets you ignore Axies that are in Last Stand, rendering defensive Last Stands useless
Because Morale is responsible whether an Axie enters Last Stand or not, as well as the number of bars they have on their health bar, cards that have the buff Morale+ or the debuff Morale- can indirectly influence Last Stand.
- Self Rally increases the user’s Morale by 20% per stack for two rounds, a total of 40%
- Rampant Howl also lasts for two rounds, but only provides one stack and is only given if the user is in Last Stand
- Heart Break reduces an enemy’s Morale by 20% per stack for two rounds, a total of 40%
Pro Tips:
- Sometimes an Axie entering Last Stand could spell the difference between winning or losing a match
- Since Last Stand can be used both offensively and defensively, think of the best strategy and decide which one to use
- You increase the chance of an Axie entering Last Stand by either increasing their Morale through buffs or adding enough shields so that it barely gets taken out
- There may be times where a critical strike happens when you least want it to, making the enemy axie go into Last Stand, while a rare occurrence, it’s still wise to take this into account
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