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Aircraft Squad Guide (Season 1)

Class Guide · 2026-03-12

Aircraft in Season 1: The Dominant Meta

In Season 1, Aircraft squads transition from a secondary build to the dominant meta. If you started collecting Aircraft heroes during pre-season, now is the time to commit. DVA-led Aircraft squads are the strongest PvP composition in Season 1.

The Shift

Aircraft is now the primary squad for competitive players. Tank squads are still strong for PvE and rallies, but Aircraft wins the open PvP meta. If you have not started building Aircraft yet, Season 1 is the time.

What Changed from Pre-Season

Aircraft Is Now Viable as a Primary Squad

In pre-season, Aircraft was a "build second" squad. In Season 1:

  • Most players have established Tank squads, making Aircraft's type advantage universally relevant
  • DVA at 3-4 stars with gold gear is devastating
  • Exclusive Weapons for Aircraft heroes start becoming available
  • The Murphy Exception becomes the optimal formation for high-investment players

The Murphy Exception Is Now Standard

Murphy's Exclusive Weapon (Mitigation Master) makes him viable in Aircraft squads. At high investment, replacing Carlie with Murphy in the front row is now the standard late-Season 1 formation:

  • Murphy's individual tankiness with Exclusive Weapon exceeds Carlie's even with the type bonus loss
  • You drop from 20% to 15% type bonus (4 Aircraft + 1 Tank) — but Murphy's mitigation more than compensates
  • Requirement: Murphy needs Exclusive Weapon at Level 20+ and high Tactics Cards to justify this swap

Exclusive Weapons

  • DVA's Energy Master — transforms DVA into an energy damage powerhouse. One of the strongest weapons in the game
  • Murphy's Mitigation Master — enables the Murphy Exception. Essential for this formation
  • Both should be pushed to Level 20 as a priority

The Squad: Season 1 Formation

Standard Formation (Early Season 1)

If Murphy's Exclusive Weapon is not yet at Level 20, run the full Aircraft lineup:

Standard Aircraft Formation (Season 1)
Front Row — Protection
Left
Carlie
Aircraft Tank
Absorbs damage for the back row. 40% energy damage reduction protects against enemy skill bursts. Left position anchors the line.
Right
Lucius
Defensive Tank
Silver Armor reduces damage for front-row allies. Knights Spirit gives team-wide energy damage reduction. Right position — buffs apply to both front-row heroes.
Back Row — Kill Squad
Left
DVA
Main DPS
Strongest single-target burst in the game. Energy Master Exclusive Weapon makes her even more devastating. Left position behind Carlie for maximum protection.
Centre
Morrison
Defence Shred
Armor-Piercing Shot reduces enemy defence by up to 25%. Centre position gives dual tank coverage.
Right
Schuyler
Crowd Control
Stuns key enemy targets, disrupting their damage rotation. Right position behind Lucius.

Murphy Exception Formation (Mid-Late Season 1)

Once Murphy has his Exclusive Weapon at Level 20+ and high Tactics Cards:

Murphy Exception Formation (Season 1 Meta)
Front Row
Left
Murphy
Off-Type Tank
Tank hero with Exclusive Weapon. Superior tankiness compensates for the 5% type bonus loss. Left position as primary damage absorber, shielding DVA directly behind him.
Right
Lucius
Defensive Tank
Silver Armor buffs both front-row heroes. Knights Spirit gives team energy damage reduction. Silver Armor now makes Murphy even harder to kill.
Back Row — Kill Squad
Left
DVA
Main DPS
Energy Master Exclusive Weapon transforms her burst. Left position behind Murphy for maximum protection from the strongest tank available.
Centre
Morrison
Defence Shred
Armor-Piercing Shot amplifies DVA's burst against shredded targets. Centre position for dual coverage.
Right
Schuyler
Crowd Control
Stuns disrupt enemy carries, buying DVA time to eliminate them.
When to Switch to Murphy Exception

Only switch when Murphy has Exclusive Weapon at Level 20+ and Tactics Cards at Level 30+. Below this threshold, Carlie with full type bonus is still stronger. Test both formations in Arena — the one that wins more consistently is your answer.

Hero Investment Order (Season 1)

1. DVA (First Priority)

DVA with Energy Master Exclusive Weapon is the strongest DPS hero in Season 1:

  • Push Exclusive Weapon to Level 20, then Level 30
  • Max Tactics cards (ATK and Crit Rate)
  • Push toward 4 stars for Super Sensory passive
  • Her Gun should be at Level 40 and starting star promotion

2. Murphy (Second Priority — Murphy Exception)

If running the Murphy Exception, Murphy's investment is critical:

  • Push Exclusive Weapon to Level 20 minimum
  • Max defensive Tactics cards (HP, DEF)
  • His Radar should be at Level 40
  • Note: Murphy investment benefits both your Tank and Aircraft squads — he is never a wasted investment

2b. Carlie (Second Priority — Standard Formation)

If not running Murphy Exception, Carlie remains second priority:

  • Focus on defensive skills
  • Radar at Level 40 for survivability
  • Start collecting Exclusive Weapon materials — Carlie's weapon arrives in Season 2

3. Morrison (Third Priority)

Defence shred specialist unchanged from pre-season:

  • Gun for offensive contribution
  • Tactics cards for ATK and attack stats
  • His defence shred amplifies DVA's burst further

4. Lucius (Fourth Priority)

Front-row defensive anchor:

  • Defensive Tactics cards (HP, DEF)
  • Radar for survivability
  • Silver Armor and Knights Spirit remain essential

5. Schuyler (Fifth Priority)

Crowd control specialist:

  • Stun skills and reliability
  • Gear after other heroes are equipped

Gold Gear Craft Order (Season 1)

If transitioning to Aircraft in Season 1 and starting fresh:

1
DVAYour carry. Biggest damage increase possible. Combined with Exclusive Weapon, devastating
Gun
2
Murphy / CarlieYour main tank. Murphy if running the Exception (may already have Tank Radar), Carlie if standard
Radar
3
MorrisonDefence shred hero. Gun boosts Armor-Piercing Shot effectiveness
Gun
4
LuciusSecond front-row tank. Radar increases energy defence
Radar
5
Murphy / CarliePhysical defence for main tank
Armor
6
DVACrit rate and damage — multiplies Exclusive Weapon burst exponentially
Chip
7
LuciusPhysical defence for second front-row tank
Armor
8
MorrisonCrit bonuses for defence shred hero's damage
Chip
9
SchuylerGun for CC hero's attack stats
Gun
10
SchuylerCrit bonuses for CC hero
Chip
11
DVAEnergy defence for carry survivability
Radar
12
DVAPhysical defence for carry
Armor
13
MorrisonEnergy defence for back-row survivability
Radar
14
MorrisonPhysical defence rounds out Morrison
Armor
15
SchuylerEnergy defence for CC hero survivability
Radar
16
SchuylerPhysical defence rounds out Schuyler
Armor
17
Murphy / CarlieAttack stats for main tank
Gun
18
Murphy / CarlieCrit bonuses complete main tank gear
Chip
19
LuciusAttack stats for second tank
Gun
20
LuciusCrit bonuses — lowest priority, completes gear set
Chip
Murphy Exception Gear Advantage

If running the Murphy Exception, Murphy already has Tank gear from your pre-season squad. His Radar and Armor transfer directly. You only need to craft Aircraft-specific gear for DVA, Morrison, Lucius, and Schuyler — effectively saving 4 craft slots worth of materials.

Hero Skills Reference

Each hero has three skills: Auto Attack (basic attack, fires automatically), Tactics (tactical ability), and Passive (always-on bonuses).

HeroAuto AttackTacticsPassive
CarlieDual-string RocketInferno BlazeEnergy Adaption
LuciusLightning Triple StrikeKnights SpiritSilver Armor
DVAVortex MissileSteel BarragePrecision Upgrade
MorrisonFull-Auto Machine GunArmor-Piercing ShotFull Firepower
SchuylerPower BarrageBlast FrenzyAntimatter Armor

Skills Upgrade Priority (Season 1)

1
DVA — Exclusive Weapon to Level 20Energy Master is game-changing. Push to Level 20 before other skill investments
Weapon — Energy Master
2
DVA — Tactics to Level 40Steel Barrage is the strongest single-target burst in the game. ATK and Crit Rate cards multiply Exclusive Weapon damage
Steel Barrage
3
Murphy — Exclusive Weapon to Level 20Enables the Murphy Exception. Should already have high Tactics from Tank squad
Weapon — Mitigation Master
4
Morrison — Tactics to Level 30Defence shred hero. ATK Tactics cards improve his debuff effectiveness
Armor-Piercing Shot
5
Lucius — Tactics to Level 30HP and DEF cards for front-row survivability
Knights Spirit
6
Schuyler — Tactics to Level 30CC specialist. Tactics cards improve stun reliability
Blast Frenzy
7
Remaining Exclusive Weapons to Level 20Get all squad members' weapons to Level 20 before pushing DVA to 30
Weapon — All Squad
8
DVA — Exclusive Weapon to Level 30Maximum power on your carry weapon after all others are at 20
Weapon — Energy Master
9
Push all remaining skills to Level 40DVA → Murphy → Morrison → Lucius → Schuyler
All

Playing Aircraft in Season 1

PvP Dominance

Aircraft squads are the PvP kings in Season 1:

  • DVA with Exclusive Weapon eliminates enemy carries before they can act
  • The Murphy Exception makes your front line nearly unkillable
  • Schuyler's stuns lock down threats while DVA delivers burst
  • You counter Tank squads, which are still the most common squad type on most servers

Watch for Missiles

As Aircraft becomes dominant, smart players build Missile counter-squads:

  • Scout before engaging — a well-built Tesla Missile squad can destroy you
  • In Alliance Wars, let your Tank teammates handle Missile opponents
  • Do not blindly attack — the combat triangle punishes overconfidence

Rallies

Aircraft squads are excellent rally participants in Season 1:

  • DVA's burst can eliminate key enemy heroes early
  • Morrison's defence shred benefits the entire rally
  • The Murphy Exception gives your rally contribution both damage and durability

Preparing for Season 2

  • Carlie's Exclusive Weapon arrives in Season 2 — approximately 10% increase to HP, Defence, and Attack per level. Essential upgrade
  • Continue starring up DVA — she only gets stronger with more stars
  • Collect Carlie shards for her Exclusive Weapon unlock
  • Aircraft dominance continues into Season 2 — your investment will not be wasted

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