Kusunoki Masashige Evony Guide 2026: Skills, Best Use & Build

Kusunoki Masashige Evony Guide 2026

Kusunoki Masashige is a specialist Main City Defense General in Evony: The King's Return.

He is best suited to:

• Main City Defense

• Ranged-heavy defensive setups

• Mounted-supported city defense

• anti-Mounted defense

• F2P and low-spend accounts

• players who want an accessible Tavern Wall General

His biggest strengths are:

• strong In-City Ranged Attack

• useful In-City Mounted Attack

• broad In-City Defense

• broad In-City HP

• Hospital Capacity

• Enemy Mounted Attack reduction

• Tavern accessibility

• Relic accessibility

• simple defensive build

Kusunoki Masashige should not be used as a normal attacking Ranged General.

His correct role is Main City Defense.

Is Kusunoki Masashige Good in Evony?

Yes.

Kusunoki Masashige remains a practical defensive General because his entire kit is built around defending the Main City.

His Special Skill provides:

• In-City Mounted Troop Attack +20%

• In-City Ranged Troop Attack +35%

when he is the Main City Defense General.

That gives him immediate value for two important defensive troop types.

His Ascension and Specialties then add:

• more Ranged Attack

• more Mounted Attack

• In-City Defense

• In-City HP

• Hospital Capacity

• Enemy Mounted Attack reduction

Kusunoki Masashige Best Role

Best Role: Main City Defense

Primary Troop Focus: Ranged

Secondary Troop Support: Mounted

Also Good For:

• anti-Mounted defense

• F2P defensive setups

• mixed Ranged and Mounted cities

Avoid Using For:

• attacking Ranged PvP

• Mounted PvP

• Siege PvP

• Monster Hunting

• Subordinate City Mayor

• Duty Officer

Most of Kusunoki Masashige's strongest effects only work while defending the Main City.

Kusunoki Masashige Special Skill

Kusunoki Masashige's Special Skill is:

Tactical Samurai

When Kusunoki Masashige is the Main City Defense General:

• In-City Mounted Troop Attack +20%

• In-City Ranged Troop Attack +35%

This makes Ranged Troops his strongest defensive troop type.

Mounted Troops receive useful secondary support.

Kusunoki Masashige Ascension

Ascending Kusunoki Masashige significantly improves his defensive value.

1 Star

When Kusunoki Masashige is the Main City Defense General:

• In-City Troop Defense +15%

This applies broadly to all troop types inside the city.

2 Stars

When Kusunoki Masashige is the Main City Defense General:

• Hospital Capacity +20%

This is a very useful defensive bonus.

A larger Hospital can help reduce overflow losses during heavy attacks.

3 Stars

When Kusunoki Masashige is the Main City Defense General:

• In-City Troop HP +20%

This gives broad survivability to all defending troop types.

4 Stars

When Kusunoki Masashige is the Main City Defense General:

• In-City Mounted Troop Attack +25%

• In-City Troop Defense +10%

This significantly improves Mounted damage while adding more broad Defense.

5 Stars

When Kusunoki Masashige is the Main City Defense General:

• In-City Ranged Troop Attack +25%

• In-City Troop HP +10%

This is one of his strongest upgrades.

It further improves Ranged damage and broad defensive survivability.

How Much Broad In-City Defense Can Kusunoki Masashige Add?

Kusunoki Masashige gains:

• In-City Defense +15% at 1-Star

• In-City Defense +10% at 4-Star

That gives:

25% broad In-City Troop Defense

from Ascension.

How Much Broad In-City HP Can Kusunoki Masashige Add?

He gains:

• In-City HP +20% at 3-Star

• In-City HP +10% at 5-Star

That gives:

30% broad In-City Troop HP

from Ascension.

How Much In-City Ranged Attack Can Kusunoki Masashige Add?

Kusunoki Masashige gains:

• In-City Ranged Attack +35% from Tactical Samurai

• In-City Ranged Attack +25% at 5-Star Ascension

• Ranged Attack +10% from Ranged Troop Assault

• Ranged Attack +10% from Ranged Troop Ares

• Ranged Attack +25% from Shichisei Hōkoku

That gives:

105% Ranged Troop Attack

from his own fully developed kit in the correct defensive role.

This is before equipment, refines and account-wide buffs.

How Much Mounted Attack Can Kusunoki Masashige Add?

Mounted Troops gain:

• In-City Mounted Attack +20% from Tactical Samurai

• In-City Mounted Attack +25% at 4-Star Ascension

• In-City Troop Attack +6% from Fortification

That gives useful secondary Mounted support.

Mounted is not his primary troop type, but the extra Attack helps mixed defensive setups.

Kusunoki Masashige Specialties

Kusunoki Masashige has four Specialties.

Ranged Troop Assault

• Ranged Troop Attack +10%

• Ranged Troop HP +10%

This directly supports his main defensive troop type.

Fortification

Applied to Main City Defense General:

• In-City Troop Attack +6%

This gives a broad Attack increase to defending troops.

Ranged Troop Ares

• Ranged Troop Attack +10%

• Ranged Troop Defense +10%

• Ranged Troop HP +10%

This gives a balanced Ranged defensive increase.

Shichisei Hōkoku

• Ranged Troop Attack +25%

• Enemy Mounted Troop Attack -20%

Shichisei Hōkoku is Kusunoki Masashige's standout Specialty.

It improves both:

• Ranged damage

• anti-Mounted defense

How Much Enemy Mounted Attack Can Kusunoki Masashige Reduce?

Shichisei Hōkoku provides:

• Enemy Mounted Troop Attack -20%

This works naturally with his Ranged-focused defensive role.

Ranged Troops are commonly used to punish Mounted-heavy attacks.

Why Kusunoki Masashige Works Well Against Mounted Troops

Mounted Troops are vulnerable to strong Ranged defenses.

Kusunoki Masashige supports this matchup in two ways:

• boosting In-City Ranged Attack

• reducing Enemy Mounted Attack

That makes him especially useful against cavalry-heavy attackers.

Best Skill Books for Kusunoki Masashige

For a Ranged-focused defense build, use:

• Lv4 Ranged Troop Attack

• Lv4 Ranged Troop HP

• Lv4 Ranged Troop Range Bonus

This improves:

• Ranged damage

• Ranged survivability

• engagement range

This is the cleanest build for his main role.

Alternative Defensive Build

If you want more durability, use:

• Lv4 Ranged Troop Attack

• Lv4 Ranged Troop Defense

• Lv4 Ranged Troop HP

This sacrifices Range Bonus for more direct survivability.

The better option depends on:

• your troop composition

• your tech

• your Wall setup

• the attackers you commonly face

Best Equipment and Refines

For a Ranged-focused defensive build, prioritise percentage-based Ranged refines.

Bow

• Ranged Troop Attack % x4

Ring

• Ranged Troop Attack % x4

Armor

• Ranged Troop Defense % x4

Boots

• Ranged Troop Defense % x4

Helmet

• Ranged Troop HP % x4

Leg Armor

• Ranged Troop HP % x4

This gives Kusunoki Masashige a balanced Ranged defense profile.

Kusunoki Masashige for Main City Defense

Main City Defense is where Kusunoki Masashige belongs.

His kit provides:

• strong Ranged Attack

• Mounted Attack

• broad In-City Defense

• broad In-City HP

• Hospital Capacity

• anti-Mounted debuffing

This makes him a practical Wall General for Ranged-heavy accounts.

Kusunoki Masashige for Attacking PvP

Kusunoki Masashige should not be used for normal attacking PvP.

His Special Skill only works when he is:

• Main City Defense General

His Ascension is also heavily tied to defending the Main City.

Using him as an attacking Ranged General wastes most of his best buffs.

Kusunoki Masashige for Siege Defense

Kusunoki Masashige does not specialise in Siege Machines.

However, his broad:

• In-City Defense

• In-City HP

• In-City Attack

still helps Siege troops indirectly.

Dedicated Siege Defense Generals will provide stronger direct Siege support.

Kusunoki Masashige for Mounted Defense

Mounted Troops receive:

• In-City Mounted Attack +20% from Tactical Samurai

• another +25% at 4-Star Ascension

• broad defensive support from Ascension

This gives Mounted a useful secondary role.

However, Ranged remains the stronger focus.

Kusunoki Masashige vs Modern Wall Generals

Kusunoki Masashige remains useful, but modern premium Defense Generals can provide much larger packages.

Newer Wall Generals may offer:

• stronger all-troop buffs

• stronger In-City buffs

• bigger enemy debuffs

• Siege support

• Covenants

• Skins

• larger total defensive ceilings

Kusunoki Masashige's biggest advantage is accessibility.

Is Kusunoki Masashige Still Relevant in 2026?

Yes.

He remains relevant because he is:

• Tavern-accessible

• Relic-accessible

• easy to Ascend

• strongly Ranged-focused

• naturally anti-Mounted

• straightforward to build

He is especially useful for:

• F2P players

• low-spend players

• developing Wall setups

• secondary Defense builds

Is Kusunoki Masashige F2P Friendly?

Yes.

Current sources list Kusunoki Masashige as available from:

• Tavern

• Relics

Current Tavern data lists his cost at:

• 60,000,000 Gold

This gives F2P and low-spend players realistic access to:

• the General

• duplicate copies

• Ascension

How to Obtain Kusunoki Masashige

Kusunoki Masashige can be obtained from:

• Tavern

• Relics

• some premium recruitment routes

Current Tavern data lists his cost at:

• 60,000,000 Gold

His accessibility is one of his biggest advantages over premium-only Wall Generals.

Is Kusunoki Masashige Worth Ascending?

Yes, if he is your active Main City Defense General.

His Ascension adds:

• In-City Defense

• Hospital Capacity

• In-City HP

• In-City Mounted Attack

• more In-City Ranged Attack

These are all directly relevant to his primary role.

However, Blood of Ares is valuable.

If you already own a stronger long-term Wall General, compare the return before heavily Ascending him.

Is Kusunoki Masashige Worth Specialties?

Yes, if he remains your main defender.

His Specialties add:

• Ranged Attack

• Ranged HP

• Ranged Defense

• broad In-City Attack

• Enemy Mounted Attack reduction

Shichisei Hōkoku is particularly useful because it adds:

• Ranged Attack +25%

• Enemy Mounted Attack -20%

However, Runestones are expensive.

Do not fully max him from zero if you already plan to replace him with a stronger modern Wall General.

Is Kusunoki Masashige Worth Investing In?

Kusunoki Masashige is worth investing in if:

• you are F2P or low-spend

• you need an accessible Main City Defense General

• your defense is Ranged-heavy

• Mounted attacks are a common threat

• you can farm copies through Tavern or Relics

• you already have him partly developed

He is less attractive if:

• you already own a stronger modern Wall General

• your city is heavily Siege-focused

• your Blood of Ares is limited

• your Runestones are limited

• you are building a premium endgame defense from zero

TEBA 2026 Reality Check

Kusunoki Masashige is not a modern top-end Wall General.

But he remains genuinely useful.

His fully developed defensive kit can provide:

• strong In-City Ranged Attack

• useful Mounted Attack

• broad In-City Defense

• broad In-City HP

• Hospital Capacity +20%

• Enemy Mounted Attack -20%

His biggest advantage is not absolute power.

It is accessibility.

A General you can realistically obtain, Ascend and develop can be more useful than a premium General you cannot finish.

TEBA Verdict

Kusunoki Masashige is an accessible Ranged-focused Main City Defense General with useful anti-Mounted support.

His base Special Skill provides:

• In-City Mounted Attack +20%

• In-City Ranged Attack +35%

while he is the Main City Defense General.

His Ascension then adds:

• broad In-City Defense

• Hospital Capacity

• broad In-City HP

• more Mounted Attack

• more Ranged Attack

while his Specialties add:

• more Ranged Attack

• Ranged Defense

• Ranged HP

• broad In-City Attack

• Enemy Mounted Attack -20%

His biggest strengths are:

• strong Ranged defense

• good anti-Mounted utility

• useful Hospital Capacity

• Tavern accessibility

• Relic accessibility

• realistic F2P Ascension

His biggest weakness is age.

Modern premium Wall Generals can provide much stronger total defensive packages.

For F2P and low-spend players, Kusunoki Masashige remains a very practical Main City Defense General in 2026.

For advanced accounts, he is best viewed as an accessible stepping-stone or secondary defensive option rather than the final endgame Wall General.