9 Kings: Elf and Shaman Gigantification Build Guide

To run the Elf and Shaman gigantification build in 9 Kings, secure a cheap frontline vanguard first, place your Elves in the middle ranks, and position one or two Shamans directly behind them. Shamans target the nearest allies with enlargement spells that increase an Elf's maximum health pool, weapon reach, projectile hitboxes, and damage output. Proper positioning prevents these powerful growth buffs from wasting away on frontline meat shields.

Grid Positioning and Buff Targeting

Because Shamans prioritize proximate allies, board placement dictates which units receive growth stacks. Placing a Shaman adjacent to expendable frontline units or summoned tokens wastes the enlargement cycles on targets that die quickly.

Position your vanguard in the front row to absorb initial aggro, place your Elves in the middle to back ranks, and tuck the Shaman directly adjacent to or behind the Elves.

Unit Type	Board Placement	Combat Role	Buff Priority
Defensive Blockers	Row 1 (Frontline)	Aggro absorption and delay	None (Keep out of Shaman range)
Elves	Rows 2–3 (Middle to Rear)	Primary ranged carry and wave clear	High (Primary target)
Shaman	Rows 3–4 (Backline)	Dedicated buffer and size multiplier	Low (Self-buff avoided)

Leave lateral breathing room between multiple Elves. As gigantification stacks accumulate, enlarged unit models take up significantly more grid space. Clumping multiple Elves together can cause model collisions that displace adjacent units or block projectile paths. Confining frontline blockers strictly to Row 1 keeps the backline firing lanes open.

Drafting Progression and Stat Priorities

Rushing unbuffed Elves in the earliest rounds leaves your kingdom vulnerable to fast melee rushes. Build your deck in three clear phases:

Establish the Frontline: Draft sturdy blockers or cheap infantry in the opening rounds to absorb melee pressure and prevent early castle damage.
Assemble the Engine: Once your defense holds, draft your first Shaman and recruit duplicate Elf cards to raise their base tier.
Refine Deck Synergy: Avoid drafting secondary ranged carries. Adding unrelated damage units dilutes your draw consistency and risks pulling Shaman buffs away from your Elves.

When selecting card perks and upgrades, prioritize stats that accelerate the Shaman's cast timing:

Starting Mana: Triggers the first enlargement cast immediately when the round begins.
Cooldown Reduction: Shortens the interval between consecutive gigantification cycles.
Attack Speed: Accelerates the firing cadence of your enlarged Elves once their damage scaling kicks in.

Surviving Early Burst and Late-Game Hazards

Elves reset to their baseline size and health at the start of every combat round. Because they require two to three gigantification stacks to become durable powerhouses, the first three seconds of a round represent your greatest failure point. Equip your frontline vanguard with shields, high armor ratings, or revival perks to ensure they stall the enemy long enough for the Shaman to complete initial casts. Once Elves reach peak size, their expanded attack reach cuts down approaching hordes before enemies can close the distance.

In the late game, colossal unit sizes turn Elves into massive targets for enemy siege engines, ground hazards, and wide-beam spells. Compensate for this increased profile by drafting global magic resistance, flat damage mitigation, or temporary invulnerability barriers.

Finally, cap your support investment at one or two Shamans. Drafting three or more Shamans over-invests in size scaling while starving your board of raw baseline firepower. A lean setup of two Shamans supporting a high-tier core of Elves provides the optimal balance of survival, hitbox expansion, and sustained wave clear.