Commanders: Commander directory · Pairing decisions · Equipment progression
Quick Answer
Bai Qi is a legendary infantry smite commander. His field kit combines area pressure with Malice interactions and effects that change as combat develops. Liu Che and Sun Tzu Prime are relevant partners to compare. Use an infantry march and a damage setup that actually supports smite.
Do not leave a nearly empty army fighting merely to activate a low-troop effect. A conditional damage window is not a promise that the next hospital bill will be worth it.
Understand Malice Before Buying the Pair
His active hits a fan, while the wider kit builds and spends Malice under field-combat conditions. He also gains infantry stats and normal-damage benefits. Expertise includes powerful conditional effects when the troop is reduced. The skill block is more useful than that page's contradictory summary, which incorrectly calls him cavalry in one sentence.
The practical implication is that a short duel and a sustained field engagement are not the same test. Your result depends on how long the march attacks, which targets the fan catches and whether the opposing side lets you stay in contact. Compare reports that resemble the fight you actually intend to take.
Pairing Decisions
| Pair | What to evaluate | Cost question |
|---|---|---|
| Bai Qi / Liu Che | Smite pressure with an established infantry secondary | Is Liu Che already developed? |
| Sun Tzu Prime / Bai Qi | Repeated smite hits during Prime's Military Sage window | Can you finish both instead of fielding two partial investments? |
| Existing infantry partner / Bai Qi | A temporary way to use an unlocked commander | Does the partner improve this damage type or merely share the troop label? |
Bai Qi has Infantry, Versatility and Smite talents. The Smite tree gives a reason to consider him leading, but it does not settle every pairing order. Compare the finished primary setup and the partner's conditions.
Investment and Equipment
Max the active skill first, then plan the whole kit. Malice and conditional effects are why arbitrary intermediate configurations can be misleading. A budget player should decide which march is being completed and hold the rest of the sculptures until that plan is affordable.
Build infantry gear on the primary. Compare normal/smite bonuses rather than blindly importing a skill-damage preset. Keep a useful balanced armament set while collecting stronger pieces; rolling for one named inscription can absorb resources without fixing weak base stats.
This guide gives talent direction, not a verified point-by-point tree. Use current in-game connectors and an appropriate full visual reference before a reset.
How to Fight With Him
Approach with your allied group, choose an angle that catches multiple enemies and keep checking who is attacking you. If the route home is closing, leave. Staying for one more theoretical burst can turn a manageable trade into an expensive rout.
When reviewing reports, record starting troops, remaining troops, damage taken and the length of useful contact. Do not compare a short clean fight with a long surrounded one and attribute the entire difference to a commander swap.
Is he automatically worth starting for every infantry player?
No single commander bypasses the account budget. He belongs in the comparison, but finishing a strong existing pair and its equipment can be more useful than starting another partial legendary.
Sources and Review
Source review: 9 September 2026. Game mechanics are drawn from the references below; spending priorities and play examples are editorial recommendations. This is source-reviewed guidance, not a claim of independent in-game testing.