Pakal II ROK Guide: Skills, Talent Trees and Pairings

Pakal II is a Legendary Infantry commander in Rise of Kingdoms with Infantry, Conquering, and Defense talent trees. His kit is built around survivability, Infantry Health, damage reduction, anti-swarm mechanics, and prolonged rally combat rather than large AOE bursts.

At his peak, Pakal became famous for the Pakal and Harald rally combination. That pairing could absorb heavy swarm pressure while still dealing meaningful sustained and counterattack damage.

However, Pakal belongs to an older commander generation. He can still perform when already expertised, but starting a new Pakal project is difficult to recommend for most accounts because newer Infantry commanders compete for the same Universal Legendary Sculptures and march slots.

Is Pakal II Still Good in Rise of Kingdoms?

Yes, but only within the correct context.

Pakal remains mechanically strong at surviving pressure. He gains Infantry Health, March Speed, shields, baseline damage reduction, additional damage reduction when surrounded, and further damage reduction after using his active skill once expertised.

That combination still makes him difficult to swarm.

Nevertheless, strong mechanics do not automatically make a commander a strong new investment. Pakal has single-target active damage, several rally-specific skills, limited modern utility, and no major AOE contribution.

Therefore, his current value is highest on accounts that already invested in him during his original meta.

Who Should Still Use Pakal II?

• Players who already have him expertised
• Accounts with an expertised Harald Sigurdsson
• Infantry-heavy rosters needing another march
• Players experimenting with legacy rally setups
• Governors who value anti-swarm durability

Who Should Skip a New Pakal Project?

• New Season of Conquest players
• F2P and low-spending accounts with limited sculptures
• Players building their first modern Infantry march
• Governors needing strong AOE damage
• Accounts without a useful partner for Pakal

Pakal II Quick Overview

How to Get Pakal II

Pakal II is an older Season of Conquest Infantry commander who originally entered the game through the Mightiest Governor Event.

Older commander availability can change as Rise of Kingdoms expands its selection and catch-up systems. Therefore, check the current commander choices available in your kingdom instead of relying on old fixed event schedules.

More importantly, availability should not determine investment priority. Unlocking Pakal does not mean your account should automatically spend Universal Legendary Sculptures on him.

Best Pakal II Skill Order

Pakal is different from commanders that become efficient at a cheap 5-5-1-1 stopping point.

His first two skills are useful, but the third skill contains much of his rally Attack and debuff-removal utility. His fourth skill provides the defining anti-swarm mechanic, while expertise adds another major layer of damage reduction.

Recommended Progression

1. Max Balanced Strategy first.
2. Max Ruler of Palenque.
3. Develop Divine Sovereignty.
4. Finish Holy Tree’s Blessing.
5. Expertise only when Pakal has a permanent role on the account.

If you are considering Pakal from zero in a modern account, stopping before you begin is often more efficient than deliberately creating an incomplete Pakal build.

Pakal II Skills Explained

Balanced Strategy

Skill type: Active
Rage requirement: 1,000

Balanced Strategy deals 1,300 direct damage factor to the current target and grants Pakal’s troop a shield for three seconds with a 500 shield factor.

The active skill itself is straightforward. Its main strength is the combination of damage and immediate protection.

More importantly, expertise later adds additional damage reduction after Pakal uses an active skill, which makes every Balanced Strategy cycle part of his defensive rotation.

Ruler of Palenque

Ruler of Palenque gives Pakal’s Infantry:

• 30% increased Health
• 15% increased March Speed
• 5% increased all damage when Pakal launches a rally

The Health bonus is especially valuable because it improves the effective durability of the entire Infantry march.

March Speed also helps compensate for Infantry’s naturally slower movement, although Pakal remains more comfortable in objective fights than in high-mobility chasing situations.

Divine Sovereignty

Divine Sovereignty is one of the clearest reasons Pakal is a specialized rally commander.

When attacking cities or strongholds:

• Infantry Attack increases by 40%.
• Pakal has a 20% chance to dispel active weakening effects.
• The dispel can trigger once every ten seconds.

Examples of weakening effects include Slow, Poison, Exhaust, and similar negative effects affecting Pakal’s troop.

This distinction is important because a Peerless Scholar question asks which commander can dispel enemy Attack buffs. That commander is Amanitore, not Pakal II.

Holy Tree’s Blessing

Holy Tree’s Blessing gives Pakal permanent damage reduction and makes him progressively harder to kill as additional enemies surround him.

The skill provides:

• 10% reduced all damage taken at all times.
• An additional 5% damage reduction per surrounding enemy while on the map.
• Up to six surrounding enemies are counted.

At six surrounding enemies, the conditional portion can add another 30% damage reduction.

Combined with the baseline 10%, this produces an extremely strong anti-swarm defensive profile.

This is why Pakal became such an uncomfortable rally to swarm. Adding more marches does not simply add more enemy damage. It also strengthens Pakal’s defensive effect.

Mayan Strength

Mayan Strength completes Pakal’s defensive rally identity.

After expertise:

• Rally attacks deal 5% additional all damage.
• Pakal’s troops deal 3% increased counterattack damage.
• After using an active skill, the troop takes 20% less damage from all sources for five seconds.

The final effect is the most important.

Balanced Strategy already gives a shield. Expertise then adds 20% all-damage reduction for five seconds after the active skill fires. Holy Tree’s Blessing adds another layer of permanent and anti-swarm reduction.

That stacking defensive structure explains why Pakal performs much better at expertise than on a weak partial build.

Best Pakal II Rally Talent Tree

The rally talent build should primarily use Defense and Infantry.

Interestingly, investing heavily into Conquering is not necessarily the best way to maximize Pakal’s actual mechanics. His value comes from staying alive, cycling skills, and surviving the point where many other rally marches begin collapsing.

Defense Tree Priority

For rallying, push deep into Defense and aim for talents that become valuable during extended combat.

Desperate Elegy is especially relevant for rally use because rally armies can legitimately fall below the troop-strength threshold during long objective battles.

The extra Rage generation helps Pakal reach another Balanced Strategy faster, which means:

• Another 1,300 damage-factor hit
• Another shield
• Another expertise damage-reduction window

Infantry Tree Priority

After the key Defense talents, invest into Infantry for:

• Infantry Health
• Infantry Defense
• Rage generation
• Additional Infantry combat statistics

The purpose of the rally tree is not simply to maximize paper damage. It is to keep Pakal’s rally fighting efficiently for as long as possible.

Best Pakal II Open-Field Talent Tree

The open-field build uses a similar Defense and Infantry foundation but should avoid talents that require the march to become severely depleted.

In open field, a march below roughly one-third strength is usually a march that should be returning to the city rather than trying to generate more Rage.

Open-Field Priorities

• Infantry Health
• Infantry Defense
• Consistent damage reduction
• Rage generation
• Counterattack-damage reduction
• March durability

Buckler Shield is useful because open-field marches frequently take counterattack damage while attacking enemy troops.

Avoid overbuilding around low-strength effects simply because they look powerful on the talent tree.

Best Formation for Pakal II

Pincer Formation

Pincer is a practical current formation for Pakal when he is used as primary.

However, armament quality remains extremely important. Do not replace excellent armaments simply to force Pincer if another formation gives substantially stronger Infantry Health, Defense, all-damage reduction, and useful inscriptions.

Useful Pakal Armament Stats

1. Infantry Health
2. Infantry Defense
3. All-damage reduction
4. Infantry Attack
5. All Damage
6. Counterattack-related effects
7. March Speed

Best Pakal II Pairings

Pakal’s best pairings are mostly legacy combinations. They remain useful when the investments already exist, but they should not be mistaken for modern new-account targets.

Pakal II and Harald Sigurdsson

Best for: Legacy rally and anti-swarm combat

Pakal and Harald Sigurdsson remain the signature combination associated with Pakal.

Pakal provides the defensive framework:

• Health
• Shields
• All-damage reduction
• Anti-swarm reduction
• Rally bonuses

Harald contributes much more offensive pressure, including counterattack and anti-swarm mechanics of his own.

Use Pakal as primary when you want his Defense and Infantry talent setup.

This pairing can still function on an older developed account, but building both commanders from zero today is difficult to justify.

Pakal II and Alexander the Great

Best for: Durable legacy open field

Alexander provides additional shielding and Infantry statistics, creating a difficult march to remove.

The weakness is offensive impact. Neither commander provides the kind of large multi-target pressure expected from current high-end field marches.

This is best treated as a roster fallback for an account that already owns both commanders.

Guan Yu and Pakal II

Recommended: Guan Yu primary, Pakal secondary

Guan supplies AOE damage and Silence while Pakal contributes durability and anti-swarm effects.

This makes more sense for open field than rallying. However, the combination is still an older setup and should primarily be used when both commanders are already developed.

Best Troops for Pakal II

Use Infantry.

Not every Pakal skill strictly requires a 100% Infantry march, but Ruler of Palenque, Divine Sovereignty, and his Infantry talent tree make Infantry the obvious choice.

A full Infantry march also provides better synergy with:

• Infantry equipment
• Infantry armaments
• Infantry talent nodes
• Infantry-focused secondary commanders
• Civilization troop bonuses

Mixed troops unnecessarily reduce his efficiency.

Best Equipment for Pakal II

Pakal’s equipment should reinforce his primary strength: surviving sustained pressure.

Equipment Stat Priority

1. Infantry Health
2. Infantry Defense
3. All-damage reduction
4. Infantry Attack
5. Counterattack-related value
6. March Speed

Ruler of Palenque already gives significant Health, but additional Health remains useful. Pakal’s goal is to extend the effective life of the march and keep cycling his shield and expertise reduction.

Build Transferable Infantry Gear

Do not create a permanent equipment plan that works only on Pakal.

Use Infantry pieces that can later move to a newer primary commander. This is particularly important because Pakal is no longer a high-priority new investment.

How to Use Pakal II in Open Field

Do Not Play Him Like an AOE Nuker

Pakal’s active skill hits one target.

His value comes from absorbing pressure and maintaining combat effectiveness rather than immediately damaging several marches.

Use the Anti-Swarm Mechanic

Holy Tree’s Blessing becomes stronger when more enemies surround Pakal.

This makes him a frustrating target to swarm, especially when expertised.

However, “hard to swarm” does not mean “impossible to kill.” Do not intentionally walk alone into a full enemy murder ball.

Stay With Allied Marches

Pakal performs best inside a coordinated Infantry group where allies can punish enemies that commit too many marches to surrounding him.

Cycle Balanced Strategy

Every active-skill cycle gives Pakal:

• Direct damage
• A shield
• A five-second 20% all-damage reduction window when expertised

Therefore, Rage generation has both offensive and defensive value.

Retreat Before the March Becomes Inefficient

A durable commander can tempt players to remain on the field too long.

Even Pakal loses total battlefield value as troop count falls. Refresh the march when trades become inefficient rather than treating damage reduction as unlimited sustain.

Pakal II Strengths and Weaknesses

Common Pakal II Mistakes

• Starting Pakal because an old guide calls him top tier: Investment priority has changed even though his mechanics remain strong.
• Stopping permanently at 5-5-1-1: His third, fourth, and expertise effects define much of his specialist value.
• Calling Divine Sovereignty an enemy-buff dispel: It removes weakening effects affecting Pakal’s troops.
• Using mixed troops: His strongest bonuses are Infantry-focused.
• Using him as a garrison: Defensive skills do not make him a dedicated garrison commander.
• Expecting large AOE damage: Balanced Strategy is single-target.
• Ignoring anti-swarm scaling: Holy Tree’s Blessing gains reduction for surrounding enemies.
• Swapping into Conquering talents automatically: Defense and Infantry often better support his actual mechanics.
• Using the rally low-strength talent build in open field: Open-field marches should retreat before becoming severely depleted.
• Building Pakal-specific equipment: Use transferable Infantry gear.
• Building Pakal and Harald from zero today: The combination is primarily valuable when those investments already exist.
• Staying on the field indefinitely: Damage reduction does not replace troop refreshes.

FAQ

Is Pakal II still good in Rise of Kingdoms?

Yes. Pakal remains durable in open field and rally combat, especially when already expertised. However, he is now a legacy specialist rather than a priority new commander investment.

What is the best Pakal II skill order?

Max Balanced Strategy first, then Ruler of Palenque. Serious Pakal usage ultimately wants 5-5-5-5 because Divine Sovereignty, Holy Tree’s Blessing, and expertise are important parts of his niche.

What is the best Pakal II pairing?

Pakal II and Harald Sigurdsson remain the classic Pakal pairing for rally and anti-swarm gameplay. Alexander the Great and Guan Yu are older open-field alternatives.

Should I expertise Pakal II?

If Pakal already has a permanent role on your account, expertise significantly improves him through additional rally damage, counterattack damage, and 20% all-damage reduction after his active skill. Starting a new expertise project is usually low priority today.

What troops should Pakal II use?

Use Infantry. His Health, Attack, equipment, armaments, and talent-tree synergies are all strongest with an Infantry-focused march.

Can Pakal II dispel debuffs?

Yes, under Divine Sovereignty’s conditions. When attacking cities or strongholds, Pakal has a 20% chance to remove active weakening effects such as Slow, Poison, or Exhaust, with a ten-second trigger cooldown.

Which ROK commander can dispel enemy Attack buffs?

Amanitore is the Peerless Scholar answer. Pakal II instead dispels weakening effects affecting his own march through Divine Sovereignty.

What formation is best for Pakal II?

Pincer is a practical current formation when Pakal is primary. However, Infantry Health, Defense, damage reduction, and strong inscriptions can matter more than forcing one formation with weak armaments.

Conclusion

Pakal II remains an interesting example of the difference between a strong commander kit and a strong modern investment.

His defensive mechanics are still impressive. Balanced Strategy provides 1,300 damage factor and a shield, Ruler of Palenque adds 30% Infantry Health, and Holy Tree’s Blessing gives baseline damage reduction that scales upward when enemies surround him.

At expertise, every active-skill cycle also provides another five-second 20% all-damage reduction window. These effects explain why Pakal became so effective in sustained rallies and why Pakal with Harald was historically difficult to swarm.

However, most modern accounts should not start a new Pakal project simply because those mechanics remain strong. He requires deep skill investment, has limited AOE contribution, and competes with newer Infantry commanders for Universal Legendary Sculptures.

If Pakal is already expertised, continue using him where his durability provides value. Pair him with an already-developed Harald, use Infantry troops, choose durable equipment and armaments, and avoid treating him as a modern AOE damage commander.

Explore more Infantry builds, commander guides, equipment advice, and KvK strategies in the Rise of Kingdoms guide collection.