What are the Top Main City Defense Generals in Evony?
- Favian the Wise Man
- Mar 14
- 9 min read
Updated: Apr 3
Key Points
The best main city defense generals in Evony depend on your city's dominant troop type, such as ground, ranged, mounted, or siege machines.
Research suggests top choices include Leonidas I for ground, Zachary Taylor for ranged, Queen Boudica for mounted, and Leo III for siege, based on their buffs and ascension potential.
It seems likely that players with mixed troop types should consider William Marshal for his versatile buffs across all troop types.
There’s some controversy over rankings, with sources like CoolTopGames and GamersDecide offering slightly different recommendations, so choose based on your strategy and resources.
Introduction to Defense Generals
In Evony: The King’s Return, your main city defense general, also known as a wall general, is crucial for protecting your keep during PvP battles. These generals provide buffs that enhance your troops’ attack, defense, and HP, making them vital for withstanding enemy attacks. The best general for you depends on your city’s dominant troop type—ground, ranged, mounted, or siege machines—as well as your long-term strategy, including ascension and skill book usage.
Top Generals by Troop Type
Below, we’ve compiled the top recommendations for each troop type, based on recent guides from March 2025. Each general’s buffs are listed as percentages when they are the main city defense general, with ascension potential noted where applicable.
Ground Troops
Ground troops are versatile and common in many cities. Here are the top picks:
Leonidas I: Ground attack +25%, range attack +25%. Effective against ranged and mounted, ideal for PvP.
James Bowie: Ground attack +20%, mounted attack +15%, debuffs enemy mounted. Easy to obtain and versatile.
Oda Oichi: Ground HP +30%, all troop attack +15% (ascends to +45%). Great for durability.
Yi Sun-sin: All troop attack +10% (ascends to +25%), focuses on defense vs. range/ground. Good for new players.
William Marshal: Ground HP +20%. Well-rounded but harder to obtain.
Ranged Troops
Ranged troops excel at distance attacks, making them strong in defense. Top choices include:
Zachary Taylor: Range attack +50%, with additional attack/defense/HP buffs upon ascension. Top-tier for PvP.
Yodo-dono: Range attack +40%, all troop HP +20% (ascends to +35%). Increases resistance.
Ly Thuong Kiet: Range attack +30%, trap triggering +60%. Free and easy to ascend, ideal for smaller accounts.
Leonidas I: Range attack +25%. Versatile if already in use.
William Marshal: Range attack +20%. Well-rounded but less specialized.
Mounted Troops
Mounted troops are fast but can be vulnerable. Here are the best for defense:
Queen Boudica: Mounted attack +30%, ground HP +15%, mounted HP +15%. Versatile and strong in PvP.
Jadwiga: Mounted attack +30%, siege attack +25% (ascends to +55%).
James Bowie: Mounted attack +15%, debuffs enemy mounted, ground attack +20%. Easy to ascend.
Yi Sun-sin: Mounted attack +15%, all troop attack +10% (ascends to +25%). Good for new players.
William Marshal: Mounted HP +20% (ascends to +55%). Durable but harder to obtain.
Siege Machines
Siege machines are crucial for breaking walls but slow. Top generals include:
Leo III: Siege attack +35% (ascends to +50%), all troop buff +10%. Strong against siege and mounted.
Trân Hųng Đąo: Siege attack +30% (ascends to +55%), ground HP +20%. Resilient against ranged.
Jadwiga: Siege attack +25% (ascends to +55%), mounted attack +30%. Complements siege-heavy defenses.
George Dewey: Siege attack increases with ascension, range attack, mounted HP. Easy to obtain.
William Marshal: Siege attack +20% (ascends to +60%), siege defense +50% with ascension. Phenomenal but harder to acquire.
Mixed Troop Types
For cities with balanced or mixed troop compositions, consider:
William Marshal: 20% buff in HP or attack for all troop types. Fits any playstyle.
Yi Sun-sin: All troop attack +10% (ascends to +25%), gains mounted/ground defense buffs. Develops well.
Oda Oichi: All troop attack +15% (ascends to +45%). Useful during early builds.
Jadwiga: Mounted attack +30%, siege attack +25% (to +55%), no range buffs. Strong against PvP.
Yodo-dono: All troop HP +20% (ascends to +35%). Increases resistance across all troops.
Survey Note: Comprehensive Analysis of Main City Defense Generals in Evony (March 2025)
This detailed analysis provides a thorough examination of the best main city defense generals (wall generals) for Evony: The King’s Return, focusing on their suitability for different troop types and overall strategy. The information is derived from multiple authoritative sources, including recent guides and rankings, to ensure accuracy as of March 2025. The following sections cover the methodology, detailed recommendations, and additional considerations for players.
Background and Methodology
In Evony, the main city defense general is stationed at the keep to provide buffs during combat, particularly in PvP scenarios such as kingdom events (KE), purges, and server vs. server (SvS) battles. These generals offer percentage-based buffs to attack, defense, and HP for specific troop types when they are the main city defense general, with additional benefits from ascension and skill books. The selection process involves matching the general’s buffs to the player’s dominant troop type—ground, ranged, mounted, or siege machines—as well as considering their availability and ascension potential.
The analysis draws from three key sources:
CoolTopGames, published in August 2024, focusing on troop-type-specific recommendations.
EvonyAnswers, published in March 2024, providing detailed rankings and attribute methodology.
GamersDecide, published in December 2022, offering top 5 lists for each defense type.
Given the dynamic nature of Evony updates, the recommendations prioritize recent data, with cross-referencing to ensure consistency. Where discrepancies exist, such as differing rankings for siege generals, the analysis notes potential controversy and suggests player discretion based on strategy.
Detailed Recommendations by Troop Type
The following tables list the top generals for each troop type, including their key buffs as percentages when they are the main city defense general, with ascension potential noted where applicable. Buffs are sourced from GamersDecide, supplemented by CoolTopGames for additional context.
Ground Troops
Ground troops are often a staple due to their versatility. The top generals are:
Rank | General Name | Key Buffs (% when Main City Defense General) | Notes |
1 | Leonidas I | Ground attack 25%, Range attack 25% | Best for PvP, effective against ranged/mounted, difficult to obtain. |
2 | James Bowie | Ground attack 20%, Mounted attack 15%, Debuffs enemy mounted | Versatile, easy to obtain, good against mounted (counters ground). |
3 | Oda Oichi | Ground HP 30%, All troop attack 15% (ascends to 45%) | High durability, all troop buff increases with ascension. |
4 | Yi Sun-sin | All troop attack 10% (ascends to 25%), Focus on defense vs range/ground | Good all-around, benefits new players, focuses on ground/mounted later. |
5 | William Marshal | Ground HP 20% | Decent for range combat, commonly used in PvP, harder to obtain. |
CoolTopGames also recommends Isaac Brock for ground troops, with stats including Attack: 191, Defense: 105, HP: 115, and additional buffs like Hospital Capacity +20 and Troop death into troop soul rate +10. However, he’s not listed in the top 5 by GamersDecide, indicating potential variation in rankings.
Ranged Troops
Ranged troops are highly effective in defense due to their distance advantage. The top generals are:
Rank | General Name | Key Buffs (% when Main City Defense General) | Notes |
1 | Zachary Taylor | Range attack 50%, Additional attack/defense/HP for range with ascensions | Purchase-only, ideal for PvP, strong ascension buffs. |
2 | Yodo-dono | Range attack 40%, All troop HP 20% (ascends to 35%) | High resistance, buffs all troops, good for city defense. |
3 | Ly Thuong Kiet | Range attack 30%, Trap triggering 60%, Free and easy to obtain/ascend | Underrated, ideal for small/free players, useful for ghosting. |
4 | Leonidas I | Range attack 25% | Second entry, decent for range, complements ground defense. |
5 | William Marshal | Range attack 20% | Well-rounded, harder to obtain, good for mixed troop defense. |
Zachary Taylor’s high range attack buff (+50%) aligns with CoolTopGames, reinforcing his position as a top choice.
Mounted Troops
Mounted troops are fast but can be vulnerable in defense. The top generals are:
Rank | General Name | Key Buffs (% when Main City Defense General) | Notes |
1 | Queen Boudica | Mounted attack 30%, Ground HP 15%, Mounted HP 15% | Most versatile, strong for monster hunters and PvP. |
2 | Jadwiga | Mounted attack 30%, Siege attack 25% (ascends to 55%) | Popular with monster hunters, strong siege buff with ascension. |
3 | James Bowie | Mounted attack 15%, Debuffs enemy mounted, Ground attack 20% | Good against mounted, easy to ascend/obtain, versatile. |
4 | Yi Sun-sin | Mounted attack 15%, All troop attack 10% (ascends to 25%) | Benefits new players, focuses on mounted/ground with ascension. |
5 | William Marshal | Mounted HP 20% (ascends to 55%) | Increases durability, good against range, harder to obtain. |
Queen Boudica’s versatility is echoed across sources, making her a consensus top pick for mounted troops.
Siege Machines
Siege machines are crucial for breaking walls but slow and vulnerable. The top generals are:
Rank | General Name | Key Buffs (% when Main City Defense General) | Notes |
1 | Leo III | Siege attack 35% (ascends to 50%), All troop buff 10% | Strong default, excels in power/distance, ascension boosts siege. |
2 | Trân Hųng Đąo | Siege attack 30% (ascends to 55%), Ground HP 20% | Resilient, strong against range, good for defense. |
3 | Jadwiga | Siege attack 25% (ascends to 55%), Mounted attack 30% | Formidable siege, complements mounted defense, strong with ascension. |
4 | George Dewey | Siege attack increases with ascension, Range attack, Mounted HP | Steady growth, easy to obtain, lasts well as defense general. |
5 | William Marshal | Siege attack 20% (ascends to 60%), Siege defense 50% with ascension | Phenomenal ascension buffs, well-rounded, harder to obtain. |
EvonyAnswers ranks Takenaka Shigeharu as the top overall in-city defense general, strongest vs. enemy siege, with a score of 1258 and difficulty EXTREMELY DIFFICULT to obtain.
However, he’s not listed in GamersDecide’s top 5 for siege, indicating a potential discrepancy. This suggests players may need to weigh his effectiveness against availability.
Mixed Troop Types
For players with balanced or mixed troop compositions, the following generals provide buffs across multiple types:
Rank | General Name | Key Buffs (% when Main City Defense General) | Notes |
1 | William Marshal | 20% buff in HP or attack for all four troop types | Top choice, fits all players, well-rounded for mixed defense. |
2 | Yi Sun-sin | All troop attack 10% (ascends to 25%), Gains mounted/ground buffs | Heavyweight for mixed, develops well with ascension. |
3 | Oda Oichi | All troop attack 15% (ascends to 45%) | Useful during build, steady increase, good for mixed defense. |
4 | Jadwiga | Mounted attack 30%, Siege attack 25% (to 55%), No range buffs | Strong siege, proficient against PvP, complements mixed defense. |
5 | Yodo-dono | All troop HP 20% (ascends to 35%) | Increases resistance, less balanced but formidable with ascension. |
William Marshal’s universal buffs make him a standout choice for mixed defenses, as noted across sources.
Additional Considerations and Honorable Mentions
Beyond troop-type-specific recommendations, some generals stand out for overall strength or unique attributes:
Takenaka Shigeharu: Ranked first by EvonyAnswers with a score of 1258, strongest vs. all types, especially siege, but EXTREMELY DIFFICULT to obtain (requires ~$2,000 US events). Not in Epic Historic General tokens.
Isaac Brock: Recommended by CoolTopGames for ground troops with Attack: 191, Defense: 105, HP: 115, Hospital Capacity +20, Troop death into troop soul rate +10. Not listed in top 5 by GamersDecide, indicating potential ranking variation.
Joseph E. Johnston: Mentioned by BlueStacks’ 2025 tier list (BlueStacks) as strong for ranged troop and wall defense, though full details weren’t accessible.
These generals may not fit every strategy but are worth considering if resources allow, especially for high-investment players.
Factors Influencing Choice
Several factors should guide your selection:
Troop Composition: Prioritize generals whose buffs align with your dominant troop type for maximum effectiveness.
Ascension Potential: Many generals, such as Zachary Taylor (+50% range attack, additional buffs with ascension) and William Marshal (siege attack +20% to +60%), gain significant buffs with ascension, making long-term investment worthwhile.
Availability and Difficulty: Some generals are easier to obtain, such as Ly Thuong Kiet (free, easy to ascend) and James Bowie (easy to obtain), while others like Takenaka Shigeharu are EXTREMELY DIFFICULT, requiring significant investment. EvonyAnswers provides acquisition details, e.g., Zachary Taylor is Relatively EASY via Relic Chamber Rewards.
PvP Focus: For PvP-heavy players, prioritize generals with strong debuffs or counters, such as Leonidas I (effective against ranged/mounted) or James Bowie (debuffs enemy mounted).
Budget Considerations: Free-to-play or smaller accounts should consider budget-friendly options like Ly Thuong Kiet or George Dewey, while pay-to-play players may target high-investment generals like Takenaka Shigeharu.
Dragon and Skill Book Recommendations
EvonyAnswers recommends the Dragon of Thebes (4th Dragon - Gold) for in-city defense, offering extra in-city troop bonuses. For skill books, top choices include Ground Attack +25%, Ranged HP +25%, etc., though specific combinations depend on your general and strategy.
Conclusion
The best main city defense general in Evony depends on your city’s troop composition and strategic goals. For specialized defenses, consider Leonidas I for ground, Zachary Taylor for ranged, Queen Boudica for mounted, and Leo III for siege. For mixed troop types, William Marshal is a top choice due to his universal buffs. Players should also consider ascension potential, availability, and PvP focus when making their decision. Given the controversy in rankings, such as Takenaka Shigeharu’s top ranking by some sources but absence in others, tailor your choice to your resources and playstyle. This comprehensive guide, informed by recent data, should help you fortify your keep effectively.
Key Citations