Pantheon

Pantheon is a 2-cost Timebreaker, Brawler and Replicator champion that usually plays as a frontline sustain unit. Its sustain or shielding makes it valuable when it survives long enough to buy time for the rest of the board. Pantheon appears in Void Arcane and Stay Groovy lines, so keep copies when those boards are open.

Consider playing around Pantheon when you naturally upgrade it between Stage 2 and Stage 3 and can afford to slow roll. For items, Bramble Vest and Gargoyle Stoneplate are strong signals that Pantheon can stay on the board. For team direction, it fits naturally when you are already moving toward Void Arcane and Stay Groovy. If it stays one-star, the traits do not activate, or the items point elsewhere, treat it as a transition unit instead of forcing the line.

Bramble Vest, Gargoyle Stoneplate and Sunfire Cape are recommended. Bramble Vest covers physical and critical-hit pressure, Gargoyle Stoneplate scales well when several enemies target the same frontliner and Sunfire Cape applies burn and anti-heal from the front row. The point of the setup is to keep it alive long enough to cast and hold the frontline.

When the perfect setup is not available, use Dragon's Claw, Warmog's Armor, Steadfast Heart and Evenshroud as substitutes. For frontline substitutes, prioritize durability, sustain, and opening damage reduction without stealing every carry item. If Pantheon is only a trait slot, one useful item is enough and the premium items should go to your real carry or main tank.

Early: a two-star Pantheon can stabilize well when Timebreaker, Brawler and Replicator is already active. Mid game: decide between slow rolling for upgrades or using it as a bridge while leveling. Late game: keep it when the items and traits still point toward it; otherwise upgrade into a higher-cost carry or tank.

Place Pantheon as a main frontliner, usually same side as the enemy carry so it absorbs the first wave. If the opponent has strong single-target burst, add another tank beside it. It starts with some mana, making the first cast timing important.