Best Beginner Team in RAID: Shadow Legends
A complete guide to building your first team — which roles you need, which champions to slot in, and how to make it all work from day one.
Introduction
The best beginner team in RAID: Shadow Legends is Kael + Coldheart + Deacon Armstrong + Rector Drath + Skullcrusher. This combination covers your three most important early-game activities — campaign farming, Dungeon clears, and Clan Boss damage — and all five champions are either free or farmable without spending. Team composition matters from week one because the wrong five champions will hit a wall fast, even if each individual champion is strong on paper.
Why Team Composition Matters Early
Attack
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Defense
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Support
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HP
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Every effective RAID team needs at least one champion from each key role to function. An Attack champion deals your primary damage, a Defense or HP champion soaks hits and enables Clan Boss mechanics, a Support champion boosts your team's speed and places debuffs, and a Healer or Reviver keeps your team alive in longer fights. Without coverage in these roles, your team will stall in mid-game content — no matter how hard your damage dealer hits.
Recommended Starter Team
These five champions form a solid, well-rounded team that covers all the roles you need to clear early-game content. For individual champion rankings, see our guide on best starter champions for new players.
| Champion | Role | Why in the team |
|---|---|---|
| Kael | Attack — Dark Elves (Starter) | Best starter champion. AoE poison for Clan Boss and Dragon, strong campaign farmer, and solid early Arena nuker. Always pick Kael at the start. |
| Coldheart | Attack — Dark Elves (Rare) | Best rare in the game. A3 deals Enemy Max HP damage and depletes turn meter — clears Spider Den and Fire Knight. Farm her from Ancient Shards ASAP. |
| Deacon Armstrong | Support — Sacred Order (Epic) | Speed aura for all battles, Decrease DEF, and Turn Meter boost. Arguably the most valuable epic in the entire game. Build him as your second 6-star. |
| Rector Drath | Defense — Knight Revenant (Epic) | Provides Unkillable buff for Clan Boss and extends all team buffs. Keeps your team alive in Clan Boss — the key to consistent daily damage output. |
| Skullcrusher | Defense — Ogryn Tribes (Epic) | Counterattack buffer for Clan Boss. Lets your whole team hit the boss on his turn — a massive damage multiplier for mid-game Clan Boss progression. |
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Best Free-to-Play Picks
You don't need to spend money to build a competitive early-game team. RAID gives new players two free login champions (Artak and Wukong), a guaranteed starter choice (pick Kael), and regular shard rewards from quests and events. Coldheart is farmable from Ancient Shards which you'll accumulate naturally in the first few weeks. The four champions below form the backbone of a strong free-to-play start.
| Champion | Role | Why in the team |
|---|---|---|
| Kael | Attack — Starter (free) | Free from the very start. The best of the four starters by a wide margin — pick him and build him to 6 stars before anyone else. |
| Coldheart | Attack — Rare (Ancient Shards) | A rare champion farmable from Ancient Shards. Essential for Spider and Fire Knight. Prioritize getting her to 6 stars in your first month. |
| Artak | HP — Orcs (Login Reward) | Free champion from the login calendar. HP Burn on all enemies, then activates it for AoE damage. The best free champion for Spider Den and Ice Golem. |
| Wukong | Attack — Skinwalkers (Login Reward) | Free login champion who steals enemy buffs and places Block Buffs. Surprisingly strong in Arena — build him as your first free epic-quality pick. |
FAQ
What is the best beginner team in RAID?
The strongest early-game team is Kael (damage + poison), Coldheart (Enemy Max HP damage), Deacon Armstrong (speed aura + Decrease DEF), Rector Drath (Clan Boss Unkillable), and Skullcrusher (Counterattack). This team covers campaign farming, Spider Den, and Clan Boss — the three pillars of early progression.
Which champions should I level first?
Level Kael to 6 stars first — he'll carry you through the campaign and Clan Boss. Then focus on Coldheart for Dungeons, and Deacon Armstrong if you pull him. Avoid spreading resources across many champions early: one maxed champion beats five half-built ones every time.
Do I need to spend money to build a good team?
No. Kael, Coldheart, Deacon Armstrong, Artak, and Wukong are all free or farmable without spending. You can reach Silver Arena, Dragon 20, and Clan Boss Brutal on a fully free-to-play account. Spending gives access to more options faster, but the fundamentals are all free.
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