Illaoi: Harsh Lesson into a level-up Rally

Trade some opening protection for a second attack. Harsh Lesson starts your Tentacle growth and makes your strongest Tentacle strike Illaoi's blocker. Crownguard Inheritance Rallies when she levels, giving the enlarged board another chance to attack. Spirit of the Buhru gives your cheap Tentacles the keywords to convert that growth into damage.

This trio has both a guide build and a 10★ clear behind it. Her existing guide uses Black Shield in the Rally slot. Keep that protective version for encounters where a Recall, Silence or removal spell is more dangerous than a slower finish.

Harsh Lesson

Playing the champion Spawn two, creating or growing your Tentacle before combat. When she is blocked, your strongest Tentacle strikes her blocker; use Vulnerable to choose which enemy takes that hit. Regeneration restores her health at Round End if she survives.

Crownguard Inheritance

Leveling her gives an attack token. Use an attack to reach the level condition, then attack again with larger Tentacles and another Spawn trigger. If she levels before you spend an existing token, the Rally does not bank a second token: time your damage so the level-up produces an attack you can actually use.

Spirit of the Buhru

Allies costing one or less have Overwhelm, Quick Attack and Fury. Your low-cost Tentacles gain those benefits even before the champion appears, helping them survive attacks and push excess damage to the Nexus. Level 30 opens the third Rare slot; upgrade two slots for the epic relics.

Keep Watchful Idol or another affordable Spawn source and look for Illaoi. Build a Tentacle early without sacrificing it in a bad block. You need that accumulated body for both your attack and Harsh Lesson's extra strike.

On an attacking round, develop her when you can still attack safely. Challenge the enemy marked Vulnerable so your strongest Tentacle hits a meaningful blocker. That strike and the attack damage both help her level. If the blocker dies, Overwhelm is needed for an attacker to push damage through the vacated block; do not treat the relic as unconditional Double Attack.

After she levels and Rallies, reassess the board before the second attack. Your Tentacle has grown again, but the enemy may still have a Stun or Recall. Use Tentacle Smash to remove a threat only when it preserves the Tentacle you need for combat. If it levels her before combat, check whether you are spending or wasting the Rally token.

Favor cost reduction for an earlier champion, champion draw and protection for your Tentacle. Extra Spawn increases both the ordinary attack and the relic-assisted strike. A safe second attack matters more than adding another expensive follower that delays the champion.

The Black Shield version protects every summoned ally from an eligible enemy spell or Skill. Death's Foil instead protects the equipped champion during attacks, which can help against blockers too large for the Tentacle to kill. Six stars add another Tentacle payoff, but the Rally plan does not depend on randomly summoning a boss unit.

Prophet of an Elder God II Spawn three when allies attack at three stars. Rally lets you use that attack trigger again. Test of Spirit supplies starting mana and marks the weakest enemy Vulnerable at Round Start, allowing you to force a blocker for Harsh Lesson. Four-star Enfeebling Strike can further weaken the blocker when the Tentacle damages it.

• Thoughts on Harsh Lesson by u/mfMayhem, 2026-06-02, 119 points (observed 14 Oct 2026).
• Impressions of six-star Illaoi by u/ConlanAG, 2026-06-04, 33 points (observed 14 Oct 2026).
• Player-voted builds, local snapshot collected 13 Oct 2026.
• Champion guide builds and recorded clears, local snapshot collected 13 Oct 2026.
• Champion mechanics and level rewards, local data checked 14 Oct 2026.