William Wallace Talent Tree Build – Pairings, Equipment & Skills

William Wallace is a legendary infantry commander in Rise of Kingdoms. If you have just unlocked him and are wondering what the best build for him is you’ve come to the right place. This guide covers everything you need to know about William Wallace in Rise of Kingdoms. 

William Wallace Talent Tree Builds

The Smite talent tree is the only build that truly fits William Wallace. He was introduced to the game with this path in mind, and it’s designed specifically to take full advantage of his unique strengths.

William Wallace Open-Field Smite Infantry Build

Start by focusing all your talent points on reaching Thunderous Smite at the end of the Smite tree. This is William Wallace’s core damage-dealing talent, boosting Smite damage by up to 10%, and should be your top priority early on.

After unlocking Thunderous Smite, shift your focus to the Infantry branch, aiming for Strong of Body and Hold the Line. You’ll pick up some additional melee troop buffs along the way. 

Best William Wallace Pairings

William Wallace will work well with most infantry commanders. However, for maximum synergy these are the best pairings for him currently. 

Lui Che (Best Pairing)

Lui Che is the best pairing for William Wallace, due to them both dealing smite damage. 

In this pairing, William Wallace should be used as the primary commander since he has access to the smite talent tree. Until Bai Qi makes his way to the game, no other infantry commanders offer this talent path, making Wallace and Lui Che the best smite combination so far. 

Scipio Africanus Prime

Scipio Prime is still one of the best infantry commanders in Rise of Kingdoms. He is the ideal pairing if you haven’t unlocked Lui Che or already have Scipio Prime. Scipio Prime’s versatile skillset brings a mix of powerful buffs, ranging from increased damage and shielding to enhanced march speed, making him a strong alternative for infantry-focused commanders.

In this pairing William Wallace will also be better suited as the primary commander. 

William Wallace Skill Levelling

As recommended in all Rise of Kingdoms builds, maxing out the first active skill is a priority. The same should be applied to William Wallace. 

After this, level his skills however you want to expertise. All of his skills are useful and complement each other well. 

Best Equipment For William Wallace

Below is the recommended equipment setup for William Wallace, broken down by different stages of the game. Your long-term goal should be to work toward the late-game gear, so whenever you get your hands on the blueprints for any of these pieces, it’s best to craft them right away.

Beginner Equipment

• Windswept War Helm (Helms)
• Windswept Breastplate (Chest)
• Gatekeepers Shield (Weapons)
• Sentry Breeches (Legs)
• Windswept Bracers (Gloves)
• The Scarlett Hounds (Boots)

Mid-Late Game Equipment

• Witches Lineage (Helms)
• Quinn’s Soul (Chest)
• Sakura Fubuki (Weapons)
• Karuak’s Humility (Legs)
• Seth’s Brutality (Gloves)
• Frost Treads (Boots)

Late-Game Equipment

• Helm of the Conqueror/God Helm of the Eternal Empire (Helms)
• Hope Cloak/Plate of the Eternal Empire (Chest)
• Hammer of the Sun and Moon/Shield of the Eternal Empire (Weapons)
• Eternal Night/Greaves of the Eternal Empire (Legs)
• Sacred Grips/Vambraces of the Eternal Empire (Gloves) 
• Shilo’s Return/Sturdy Boots of the Eternal Empire (Boots) 

Accessories

• Horn of Fury
• Ring of Doom
• Vengeance 
• Scolas Lucky Coin
• Concealed Dagger
• Wind Scars
• Call of the Loyal

William Wallace Best Formation

The Pincer formation, which has recently been introduced is the best formation for William Wallace. With more smite commanders set to arrive in-game the new Pincer formation boosts smite damage by 10%. Since William Wallace is all about smite damage this formation makes the most sense.

However, new formations mean new armaments are required. If you haven’t got good Pincer armaments yet then the arch formation will work perfectly well for now as this boosts normal damage by 5%. 

How Do I Obtain William Wallace?

William Wallace is a legendary infantry commander that can be unlocked through the Infantry Wheel of Fortune event. To recruit him, you’ll need to collect 10 William Wallace sculptures. Once unlocked, you can upgrade his skills using universal legendary commander sculptures.

Be aware, you can only use William Wallace in kingdoms that have reached Season 3 or later. Prioritize focusing on him when you are in the Season of Conquest.

Summary: Is William Wallace Worth Investing In?

Up until April 2025, William Wallace and Liu Che were the top infantry commanders for dealing Smite damage in Rise of Kingdoms. 

However, with Bai Qi entering the game as a new infantry smite commander, Wallace may end up obsolete. For now, it’s recommended to avoid investing in William Wallace, as least until Bai Qi is tried and tested. As William Wallace was the first smite commander to enter the game there’s a very high chance much more powerful ones will be available very soon.