At A Glance
- How to unlock event crusaders and what events to focus on
- The most valuable event crusaders to collect and why
- How to use event crusaders efficiently in your main formations
Understanding Event Crusaders
Event crusaders are special heroes that can only be unlocked during limited-time events in Crusaders of the Lost Idols (CotLI). Each event introduces unique objectives, event currency, and one or more exclusive crusaders that you can recruit to your roster.
Unlike base crusaders, event crusaders often have specialized abilities and stronger synergies, making them valuable additions for both DPS and support roles. Once an event ends, those crusaders can’t be unlocked again until the event returns in a future cycle — usually the following year.
Event crusaders can drastically change how your formation works, especially when paired with high-tier talents and strong gear.
How to Unlock Event Crusaders
Event crusaders are obtained through seasonal events, which occur several times throughout the year. These events include campaigns like Kaine’s Mystery Map, Merci’s Mix-Up, Ghostbeard’s Greed, and others.
Here’s how to unlock them:
- Participate in Active Events: Check the current event running in-game. Each one has a set of event objectives.
- Complete Event Objectives: Objectives reward event currency (often themed tokens).
- Spend Event Currency: Use it in the event shop to unlock event crusaders or purchase their chests.
- Use Event Chests: Event crusaders can also be acquired directly from chests dropped or purchased during the event.
Once unlocked, event crusaders remain available permanently in your roster, though their gear is typically only obtainable during the same event period.
Why Event Crusaders Are Important
Event crusaders are often more powerful and flexible than base crusaders because they introduce new mechanics and buffs that aren’t available otherwise. For example:
- RoboSanta offers powerful idle DPS scaling that benefits long farming runs.
- Greyskull the Pirate provides significant single-target damage, making boss fights easier.
- Merci, the Mad Wizard excels in magic-based formations with powerful spell synergy.
- Veronica, the Android Archer synergizes with mechanical and ranged crusaders for rapid damage scaling.
Collecting these unique crusaders helps diversify your team, providing you with more formation options for events, challenges, and high-level content.
Top Event Crusaders to Prioritize
While all event crusaders offer some benefit, certain ones are widely recognized by the community for their exceptional power or utility.
1. RoboSanta (Nate’s Candy Conundrum Event)
- Role: Idle DPS
- Why to Unlock: Excellent for long idle runs; synergizes with automation and idol farming.
2. The Shadow Queen (The Darkest Night Event)
- Role: High-tier DPS
- Why to Unlock: One of the strongest DPS crusaders available; pairs well with evil-aligned teams.
3. Merci, the Mad Wizard (Merci’s Mix-Up Event)
- Role: Support / Magic Synergy
- Why to Unlock: Boosts spell-based teams and works well with magic-type crusaders like Draco.
4. Veronica, the Android Archer (Robotic Rebellion Event)
- Role: Ranged DPS
- Why to Unlock: Excels in mechanical formations; strong at high levels with proper gear.
5. Greyskull the Pirate (Ghostbeard’s Greed Event)
- Role: Boss Killer
- Why to Unlock: Specialized in single-target damage, ideal for boss objectives.
These crusaders not only perform well individually but also combine with others to create powerful meta formations that carry you deep into late-game content.
Maximizing the Power of Event Crusaders
Once you unlock event crusaders, the real key is learning how to build around them. Here’s how to make the most of your new additions:
- Gear Up: Event gear is often unique to each crusader. Prioritize obtaining their epic or legendary gear during the event.
- Experiment with Formations: Event crusaders usually have synergy bonuses with specific tags (e.g., evil, female, mechanical). Test combinations that activate the most buffs.
- Invest in Talents That Complement Them: Talents like Power Overwhelming, Enduring Legacy, and Efficient Crusading enhance event crusader performance significantly.
- Use Event Crusaders in Future Events: Many event objectives restrict crusader selection, but your collection of event crusaders will give you more options for completion.
How Events Rotate
Events typically rotate on a yearly cycle, repeating in roughly the same month each year. However, the game also runs “Encore Events” or “Flash Events” where older event crusaders temporarily return for players who missed them.
Keep an eye out for:
- Seasonal Announcements for upcoming events
- Special Weekends that bring back older crusaders
- Event Chests that feature multiple returning event crusaders at once
Participating in these regularly is the best way to fill your collection over time.
Common Mistakes Players Make
- Skipping Events Early On: Many new players underestimate event crusaders and miss key opportunities.
- Not Farming Enough Event Currency: Event crusaders often require several thousand tokens — farm actively during the event.
- Ignoring Gear Upgrades: An event crusader without their gear performs significantly worse.
- Not Resetting During Events: Frequent resets allow you to farm more currency and complete objectives faster.
Avoiding these mistakes ensures steady progress and faster completion of future events.
Final Thoughts
Event crusaders are among the most valuable assets in Crusaders of the Lost Idols. They bring fresh strategies, unique synergies, and enormous potential for both idle and active playstyles. Whether you’re farming idols or tackling challenging objectives, unlocking and gearing up the right event crusaders can completely transform your gameplay.
Focus on participating in every event, farming enough currency to unlock at least one new crusader each time, and collecting their gear before the event ends. Over time, your expanded roster of event crusaders will give you the flexibility and power to tackle any challenge the game throws your way