William Wallace is one of the most interesting infantry commanders in Rise of Kingdoms, mainly because he brings the Smite talent tree into infantry gameplay. Instead of being a simple stat-based commander, Wallace is built around strong single-target pressure, Smite damage, normal damage bonuses, and powerful synergy with commanders like Liu Che and Scipio Aemilianus.

If you are an infantry-focused player, William Wallace can give you a very strong open-field march and a useful rally option depending on your commander roster. However, he is not a commander you should invest in blindly. His value depends heavily on whether you have the right pairings, enough legendary sculptures, and a clear role for him in your lineup.

This guide covers the best William Wallace talent build, pairings, skills, skill order, equipment, formation, and whether he is still worth investing in.

William Wallace Commander Overview ⚔️

William Wallace is a Legendary Infantry commander in Rise of Kingdoms. His specialties are:

• Infantry
• Versatility
• Smite

His kit is designed for players who want a durable infantry march that can trade well in open-field fights while dealing heavy Smite damage to a single target. He also has some rally potential, especially when paired with the right commander.

The most important thing to understand is that William Wallace is not an AOE commander. He does not clear multiple enemy marches like Zhuge Liang, YSG, or other area-damage commanders. Instead, he focuses on punishing one target and performing well in direct combat.

That makes him especially useful in these situations:

• Open-field infantry fighting
• 1v1 trades
• Rally setups with Smite synergy
• Focus-fire situations
• Infantry marches built around normal damage and Smite damage

He is strongest when used with full infantry troops, proper equipment, and a commander pairing that can support his Smite-focused playstyle.

Is William Wallace Worth Investing In? 🛡️

William Wallace is worth considering if you are serious about infantry, but he is not an automatic must-max for every player.

For infantry mains, he can be a strong investment because his kit gives a mix of damage, infantry stats, march speed, damage reduction, and Smite bonuses. He works especially well when paired with commanders who can either boost his damage or benefit from his Smite-focused build.

For casual players or free-to-play players, the decision is more complicated. Legendary commander sculptures are limited, and Wallace performs best when you already have strong infantry gear and commanders like Liu Che. If you do not have the right setup, you may get better value by prioritizing more flexible commanders first.

William Wallace is best for:

• Players who focus heavily on infantry
• Players who already have Liu Che or Scipio Aemilianus
• Open-field fighters who want a strong single-target march
• Rally leaders who understand infantry rally setups
• Players with enough sculptures to push him toward a strong skill setup

You may want to skip or delay William Wallace if:

• You are not focused on infantry
• You lack strong infantry equipment
• You need AOE damage more than single-target pressure
• You already have better infantry marches built
• You are saving sculptures for newer meta commanders

Overall, William Wallace is a strong commander, but he becomes much better when your account is already ready to support him.

William Wallace Pros and Cons ⚖️

Pros

William Wallace has strong single-target damage, especially through Smite. His active skill can deal a high damage factor to the target, while also punishing enemy troops that are attacking him.

He also provides excellent infantry bonuses. His second skill improves infantry health, attack, and march speed, which helps him stay competitive in open-field fights.

Another major strength is his synergy with Liu Che. Since both commanders benefit from Smite-related gameplay, this pairing can create a very powerful infantry march.

Wallace also has good durability because he reduces incoming normal damage. This makes him harder to melt in direct fights, especially when supported by strong infantry gear.

Cons

William Wallace’s biggest weakness is his lack of AOE damage. In large open-field battles, AOE commanders often create more value because they can hit several marches at once. Wallace is better at direct pressure than wide battlefield impact.

He is also somewhat pairing-dependent. His best results usually come when he is paired with Liu Che or another commander who fits his damage style. Without the right partner, his performance drops.

Another issue is investment cost. While he can work before expertise, players who want to use him seriously in competitive KvK or rally situations will still need a lot of legendary sculptures.

Best William Wallace Talent Tree Build 🌳

The best talent build for William Wallace is a Smite-focused infantry build.

Since William Wallace has access to the Smite talent tree, you generally want to use him as the primary commander when running him in open field. This allows his march to benefit from Smite talents that a secondary commander cannot activate.

Your main goal is to build around:

• Smite damage
• Infantry durability
• Normal damage bonuses
• Rage efficiency
• March performance in open field

Start by investing into the Smite tree first. The goal is to reach key Smite talents that increase William Wallace’s damage output and improve his ability to trade in direct fights.

After building deep enough into Smite, move into the Infantry tree for extra survivability and troop bonuses. Infantry talents help Wallace stay alive longer, which is important because his march performs best when it can keep fighting and repeatedly trigger its damage cycle.

The Versatility tree is usually less important for standard builds. It can offer some utility, but for most players, Smite plus Infantry gives better value.

Recommended Talent Priority

First, focus on the Smite tree. William Wallace’s identity is built around Smite damage, so this should be your foundation.

Next, grab key infantry talents that improve health, defense, and overall march durability. Infantry health is especially valuable because it improves trades and makes your march harder to punish.

Finally, use remaining points to round out damage and utility depending on how you use him. If you mainly use him in open field, prioritize talents that improve consistency and survivability.

Best Use for This Build

This build is best for:

• Open-field fighting
• Infantry marches
• Smite damage setups
• William Wallace primary with Liu Che secondary
• Players who want a direct fighting march instead of an AOE march

Best William Wallace Pairings 🤝

William Wallace performs best when paired with commanders who can support his infantry and Smite-focused kit. He can work with several infantry commanders, but a few pairings stand out more than the rest.

William Wallace and Liu Che

Best for: Open field, Smite synergy, infantry damage

Liu Che is one of the best pairings for William Wallace because both commanders work extremely well with Smite damage. This pairing gives you a powerful infantry march that can trade well and apply heavy pressure to enemy targets.

For most open-field setups, William Wallace should be the primary commander because he has the Smite talent tree. Liu Che works very well as the secondary commander because he benefits from the Smite-focused setup while adding strong infantry damage.

This is the pairing you should aim for if you want to get the most value out of William Wallace in open-field fighting.

William Wallace and Scipio Aemilianus

Best for: Rallying, objective fights, high-investment infantry players

Scipio Aemilianus is another strong pairing option, especially for rally situations. This pairing is more suited for players who are active in KvK, Ark of Osiris, and objective-based fights where rally strength matters.

If your goal is to rally structures or lead infantry rallies, William Wallace and Scipio Aemilianus can be a strong combination. However, this setup is more demanding. You need strong gear, strong armaments, high skill investment, and good rally support from your alliance.

For free-to-play or low-spending players, this pairing may not be the best priority unless you already have both commanders developed.

William Wallace and Scipio Africanus Prime

Best for: Alternative infantry open-field march

Scipio Prime is still a useful infantry commander and can work with William Wallace if you do not have Liu Che ready. He brings useful buffs, damage, shielding, and march speed, making the march more stable in open field.

This is not always the strongest possible Wallace pairing, but it is a practical option for players who already invested in Scipio Prime and want to get value from their existing infantry roster.

William Wallace and Gorgo

Best for: Alternative open-field infantry setup

Gorgo can also work as a secondary option for William Wallace. This pairing is not usually the first recommendation, but it can be useful if your commander roster is limited or if Liu Che is already being used in another march.

Use this pairing only if it fits your current march lineup. If Liu Che is available, Liu Che is generally the stronger partner.

William Wallace Skills Breakdown 🧠

William Wallace’s skills are built around infantry stats, Smite damage, normal damage interaction, and team utility. His skills are not complicated, but understanding how they work is important because Smite damage does not behave exactly like standard skill damage.

Bas Agus Buaidh

This is William Wallace’s active skill. It requires 1000 rage and deals heavy Smite damage to the target troop. At max level, it deals a high damage factor to the main target and then deals extra Smite damage to up to three enemy troops that are currently attacking Wallace’s troop.

This skill is the core of William Wallace’s damage. It gives him strong single-target burst and also punishes enemies who focus him in open field.

The most important detail is that Smite damage is affected by normal damage bonuses instead of skill damage bonuses. This means you should not build Wallace the same way you would build a traditional nuker. Normal damage bonuses, Smite bonuses, infantry stats, and survivability all matter more.

Scots Wha Hae

This skill improves infantry units while William Wallace’s troop is on the map. At max level, it gives infantry units bonus health, attack, and march speed.

This is one of the reasons Wallace works best with full infantry troops. The health bonus improves durability, the attack bonus supports his damage output, and the march speed helps with open-field movement.

The march speed is especially useful because infantry marches can feel slow compared to cavalry. This bonus helps Wallace move more comfortably during field fights.

Lion of the North

Lion of the North gives William Wallace damage reduction against normal damage. This helps him survive longer in direct combat, especially when he is being targeted by enemy marches.

The second part of this skill improves his Smite damage. When Wallace deals Smite damage above a certain damage factor, there is a chance that the damage is increased. This makes his burst potential stronger and gives him better value from his main damage cycle.

This skill is one of the reasons William Wallace trades well in 1v1 and small-group fights. He is not just dealing damage; he is also reducing incoming pressure.

Battle of Stirling Bridge

This skill increases William Wallace’s Smite damage and normal damage when attacking troops on the map.

This is a very important skill because it supports both parts of his kit. Wallace wants Smite damage, but because Smite scales with normal damage bonuses, the normal damage increase is also valuable.

This skill makes him better in open-field fights where he is constantly attacking enemy marches. It also supports his role as a direct-pressure infantry commander.

Pro Libertate

Pro Libertate is William Wallace’s expertise skill. It activates when his troop uses an active skill or becomes affected by Slow.

When triggered, it removes Slow effects from up to three nearby allied and friendly troops, including his own march. It also grants a damage-absorbing Mighty Shield for a short duration.

This gives Wallace useful team support. The Slow dispel helps nearby allied marches stay mobile, while the shield helps absorb incoming damage during heavy fighting.

His expertise makes him more valuable in group fights, even though he is not an AOE damage commander. Instead of hitting multiple enemies with damage, he helps nearby allies survive and move better.

William Wallace Skill Order ⭐

For most players, the first priority is simple: max his first skill first.

His active skill is the foundation of his damage, so you do not want to rush his levels too early and spread sculptures randomly across all skills.

A safe skill path is:

• Get the first skill to level 5 first.
• Unlock the second skill and continue improving his infantry stats.
• Work toward a strong partial build if you are saving sculptures.
• Expertise him only if you are committed to using him long term.

A budget-friendly target like 5515 can be usable if you want to save sculptures, but expertise is still stronger for serious rally or high-end open-field use.

If you are a low-spender or free-to-play player, do not rush expertise unless William Wallace is part of your main infantry march. It is better to invest carefully than to lock too many sculptures into a commander you may not use every KvK.

Best Equipment for William Wallace 🧰

William Wallace should use infantry equipment. Since he relies on infantry stats, normal damage interaction, and survivability, you should prioritize gear that improves health, defense, and attack.

Beginner Equipment

For early setups, you can use budget infantry gear while you work toward stronger pieces.

Good beginner options include:

• Windswept War Helm
• Windswept Breastplate
• Gatekeeper’s Shield
• Sentry Breeches
• Windswept Bracers
• The Scarlet Hounds

This setup is not perfect, but it is affordable and gives you a usable infantry march while you collect better blueprints.

Mid-Game Equipment

Once you have more materials, start upgrading into stronger infantry pieces.

Good mid-game options include:

• Witch’s Lineage
• Quinn’s Soul
• Sakura Fubuki
• Karuak’s Humility
• Seth’s Brutality
• Frost Treads

This setup gives a better balance of infantry stats and is much stronger for open-field fighting.

Late-Game Equipment

For serious KvK fighting, you should aim for legendary infantry gear. The Eternal Empire set and other high-value infantry pieces are ideal for players who want to use Wallace as a main march.

Strong late-game options include:

• Golden Helm of the Eternal Empire
• Plate of the Eternal Empire
• Shield of the Eternal Empire
• Vambraces of the Eternal Empire
• Greaves of the Eternal Empire
• Sturdy Boots of the Eternal Empire

For accessories, strong options include:

• Horn of Fury
• Ring of Doom
• Vengeance
• Scola’s Lucky Coin
• Concealed Dagger
• Wind Scars

Choose accessories based on your role. If you want faster skill cycles, Horn of Fury is very valuable. If you want more damage, Ring of Doom is a strong option.

Best Formation for William Wallace 🧩

The best formation for William Wallace is usually the Pincer Formation, especially if you are building around Smite damage.

Pincer Formation works well because William Wallace’s kit is centered around Smite. If your armaments support it, this formation can improve his damage and make his march more effective.

However, not every player will have strong Pincer armaments ready. If your Pincer armaments are weak, you can use Arch Formation as an alternative, especially because it supports normal damage.

The best choice depends on your armament quality. A perfect formation with bad armaments may perform worse than a slightly less ideal formation with excellent stats.

How to Use William Wallace in Open Field 🏹

William Wallace is best used as a focused infantry damage march. He is not the kind of commander you throw into the center of a swarm and expect massive AOE value. Instead, use him to target important enemy marches and win direct trades.

In open field, try to:

• Run full infantry troops.
• Use Wallace as the primary commander for Smite talents.
• Pair him with Liu Che when possible.
• Avoid getting surrounded by too many enemies.
• Focus targets that your alliance is already attacking.
• Keep him close to friendly marches for support.
• Watch your rage cycle and avoid wasting his damage on low-value targets.

Because Wallace lacks AOE damage, positioning matters. You want him fighting efficiently, not standing in the middle of too many enemies where AOE commanders can punish him.

Is William Wallace Good for Rallying? 🚩

William Wallace can be used for rallying, especially with Scipio Aemilianus. This pairing can be strong for objective fights when properly supported.

However, rallying is not only about commanders. You also need:

• Strong equipment
• Strong armaments
• Maxed or near-maxed skills
• Good tech
• Alliance support
• Proper troop reinforcements
• Good target selection

If you are not a rally leader, you should not invest in William Wallace only for rallying. For most players, his open-field value is more important.

Common Mistakes to Avoid ❌

The first mistake is using William Wallace without full infantry. His second skill gives infantry-specific bonuses, so mixed troops reduce his value.

The second mistake is building him like a normal skill-damage nuker. Smite damage works differently, so normal damage bonuses and Smite bonuses matter more than standard skill damage bonuses.

The third mistake is using him as a secondary commander when you need his Smite talent tree. In many cases, Wallace should be primary so the march benefits from his talent build.

The fourth mistake is investing in him without a good pairing. Wallace is much stronger with Liu Che or Scipio Aemilianus. Without the right partner, he may not feel worth the sculptures.

The final mistake is expecting him to perform like an AOE commander. Wallace is strong, but his value comes from focused damage and trading power, not massive multi-target nukes.

FAQs

Is William Wallace good in Rise of Kingdoms?

Yes, William Wallace is a strong infantry commander, especially for open-field fights and Smite-focused setups. He is best for players who already focus on infantry and have the right commanders to pair with him.

What is the best talent tree for William Wallace?

The best talent tree for William Wallace is a Smite-focused build with additional points in the Infantry tree. This setup improves his Smite damage, infantry stats, and open-field durability.

Who is the best pair for William Wallace?

Liu Che is generally the best open-field pairing for William Wallace. Scipio Aemilianus is a strong rally pairing, while Scipio Prime and Gorgo can work as alternatives depending on your roster.

Should William Wallace be primary or secondary?

William Wallace is usually better as the primary commander because he has access to the Smite talent tree. This is especially important when pairing him with Liu Che.

Does William Wallace need expertise?

Expertise is ideal if you want to use him seriously in competitive KvK or rally situations. However, a partial investment can still work for open field if you are trying to save sculptures.

Is William Wallace good for free-to-play players?

He can be useful for free-to-play infantry players, but he is not always the safest investment. If you do not have Liu Che, strong infantry gear, or enough sculptures, you may want to prioritize more flexible commanders first.

Conclusion

William Wallace is a powerful infantry commander in Rise of Kingdoms, especially for players who want a Smite-focused march with strong single-target pressure. His best use is in open field with Liu Che, while Scipio Aemilianus gives him strong rally potential for high-investment players.

He is not perfect. He lacks AOE damage, depends heavily on good pairings, and requires proper infantry gear to shine. However, when built correctly, William Wallace can become a reliable march for KvK, Ark of Osiris, and direct infantry combat.

If you are building your infantry lineup and want more commander guides, talent builds, and strategy breakdowns, explore more Rise of Kingdoms guides on Heaven Guardian.