The Best Builds for 7 Accessible Champions in Live Arena

With the Live Arena seasons heating up in RAID: Shadow Legends, more players than ever are diving into PvP. Seasonal rewards have made the mode more attractive, and even mid-game players are beginning to find their footing thanks to systems like bot matches and more forgiving point drops. Still, Live Arena can be daunting, and the difference between a win and a loss often comes down to how well your champions are built.

Here’s a breakdown of seven champions that are accessible to many players and viable in Live Arena, including optimal gear, masteries, and blessings.

Sun Wukong remains a potent damage dealer even at high-end levels of Arena. His value lies in his unique revive mechanic, which allows him to die, come back, and swing the fight with his devastating AoE abilities. The key to making Wukong shine is speed. A fast Wukong can take a turn quickly after reviving, making the most of his second chance. Building him with around 330+ speed, or even higher if possible, gives him a better chance to act before getting dropped again.

The best gear setup for Sun Wukong is a 9-piece Merciless set. It’s not easy to achieve, even on top accounts, so Savage combined with Pinpoint or Feral gear is a strong alternative. Accuracy is also valuable – especially if you’re hoping to Sheep enemies using Polymorph. Cat’s Gaze as a relic enhances his A2’s ignore defense potential, pushing his burst even further. His blessing of choice? Polymorph remains excellent for any champion capable of dishing out or drawing debuffs.

Karnage might have flown under the radar initially, but he’s proven to be a dangerous pick in the right setups. His kit thrives when built to counterattack, which makes him deadly against enemies who fail to kill him in one clean burst. For most builds, Stoneskin is essential to keep him alive through the first wave of attacks.

Pairing Stoneskin with Lethal or Pinpoint can give Karnage enough accuracy to land his debuffs and spread control. At least 400 accuracy is a reasonable target, allowing him to handle most damage dealers who generally don’t stack resistance. If you can equip Lightning Cage as a blessing, it adds another layer of protection against buff-stripping champions.

Mastery-wise, you can go with Helm Smasher for damage, but if you’re struggling to hit the accuracy breakpoint, swapping to Eagle Eye is acceptable. Polymorph remains a top-tier blessing here too, although Karnage can also benefit from stat-boosting relics like Cat’s Gaze or Orb of Transfixion.

Gnishak continues to shine in Live Arena due to his ability to bypass many traditional defenses. He’s a rare blend of utility and offense, and his bombs ignore Stoneskin and can dismantle tough mythicals. The ideal build here mixes survivability and damage. A four-piece Stoneskin set combined with Pinpoint ensures he can survive long enough to land his bombs.

Attack and accuracy are your top priorities. Around 300 speed and 500+ accuracy is the baseline to be effective, though top-end builds can push these stats significantly higher. His relic should be one that amplifies bomb effectiveness. Wand of Submission is still the gold standard blessing for PvP bombers, as it gives a chance to turn the tides when you’re out of luck.

Ultimate Death Knight doesn’t dominate the way he once did, but he still sees consistent use, especially when countering specific threats like Rotos or Supreme Elhain. His passive protection and provoke tools make him a solid pick in go-second teams.

Most players run UDK with six-piece Stoneskin and triple reaction accessories. Whether you go high resistance or high HP/defense depends on the threats you’re facing. Resistance builds are effective at mid-ranks, while high-end players often favor raw durability since debuff denial becomes increasingly unreliable.

Relics that add survivability, such as Chrysalis of Rebirth or Life Harvest, work well. If you’re not using him to land debuffs, focus on relics that increase tank stats or resist crowd control. Polymorph and Life Harvest are excellent blessing choices, but Lightning Cage also has value in preventing early buff removal.

Armanz is still the poster child for speed control at most levels of play. His ability to manipulate turn meter, control threats, and keep your team in the fight is what makes him an Arena staple. For lower-tier players, he’s often the most reliable first pick in any draft.

Building Armanz for high speed is non-negotiable. Speed takes priority over accuracy, as even modest accuracy is enough to shut down most nukers, which are his primary targets. While the top-end meta has ways to counter him, Armanz remains punishing for underprepared opponents.

Supersonic gear is excellent if you can make it work. Otherwise, traditional speed sets and a solid relic like the Wand of Submission or the Orb of Transfixion can do the job. Intimidating Presence is a great blessing to further boost your team’s chances of winning the speed race.

Lady Noelle is a hybrid support champion that offers AoE freeze, increased speed, and healing. She’s more popular at mid-ranks than at the top end of Live Arena, but when built well, she can still control the pace of a battle.

While resistance builds are an option, it’s often better to focus on speed and utility instead. Equip her with as much resistance as your gear allows if you’re aiming to use her to tank debuffs, but don’t neglect accuracy if you want to land her freeze. Relics that enhance healing, revive, or freeze effectiveness—like Chrysalid of Rebirth or Wand of Submission—are top-tier picks. Life Harvest and Lightning Cage are common blessing options to boost her impact.

Fabian may be a newer champion, but he’s already seeing use in many Arena compositions. His A3 offers potential for crowd control and extra turns, though consistency can be hit-or-miss depending on the enemy’s setup.

For Fabian, speed and accuracy are everything. A build with max speed in a Swift Parry or Supersonic setup helps him get the first move and lock down dangerous threats. Stone Skin can work too, but it’s more situational.

He benefits from relics like the Orb of Transfixion or others that interact with weak hits or lockouts. His main drawback is his A3’s unreliable extra turn trigger, which doesn’t work against some sets or passives, which makes him a bit less consistent than his kit suggests. Nonetheless, he can surprise opponents who don’t expect him to control the match.

Live Arena rewards consistency, adaptability, and preparation. These seven champions offer a strong core for any roster and are especially valuable for players who may not have access to the rarest or most meta-defining champions. With correct builds, smart relics, and the right blessings, each of these champions can carry their weight and then some in Live Arena.

As always, tailor your builds to your account’s strength and Arena bracket. Whether you’re breaking into Gold or pushing toward the top 100, the foundation of your team’s success lies in how well you prepare them for battle.