Now that we finally have Ivan in our hands and can confirm how his mechanics actually work, we can start looking at pairing optimization.
We are still waiting for enough real-game data from RoKBattles and DRASTC to draw more definitive conclusions. But our Sim Lab can already give us a sneak preview of how some Ivan pairings should theoretically behave.
One of the first questions we wanted to answer:
If you pair Ivan with Achilles, who should be primary?
Why this question?
At first, Achilles primary sounds like the logical choice.
Achilles uses Pelian Spear before Ivan. His combo attacks can generate Tsar's Authority, and Ivan can then use those additional stacks to increase Ivory Throne's damage.
But Ivan primary has an important advantage of his own.
Ivan can already accumulate Authority before his first active skill. His initial Decree package can contain Verdict, generating an additional combo attack and Authority. If Conquest is also active, that Authority gain can potentially generate another stack. Iron and Steel can also contribute.
Then Ivan casts Ivory Throne, generates a new Decree package, and Achilles fires two turns later. Achilles' powerful combo attacks can therefore benefit from that new package, including First Tsar's +15% Combo Attack Damage multiplier when enough Decrees are active.
Methodology
We simulated 5,000 open-field battles over 25 seconds, with multiple targets available.
We compared:
Ivan / Achilles vs Achilles / Ivan
Our classical setup, including here : Horn + Ring combination, Iron and Steel talent point, Delta Formation and Thrasher as special inscription. As the most common used.
We also simulated a second situation where Ivan re-enters combat while Oprichniki Operations is on its 60-second cooldown, meaning he doesn't receive the initial Decree package.
Fresh engagement
After the first complete round of active skills, Ivan/Achilles was ahead on eDF by +3.1%
After the second completed cycle, Achilles/ivan had caught up.
So Ivan primary appears to have a front-loaded advantage rather than a sustained damage advantage.
Re-entering combat without Oprichniki Operations
Without the initial Decree package, Ivan primary's opening advantage becomes smaller.
After the first completed round of active skills, Ivan/Achilles was still ahead but by a smaller margin.
After the second cycle, Achilles/Ivan moved slightly ahead.
So Achilles primary becomes increasingly interesting as engagements get longer, particularly when Oprichniki Operations isn't available.
But how long are actual fights?
This is probably the most important context.
From the game data we already have for other pairings, typical open-field engagement durations are approximately:
P25: 8 seconds
Mean: 12–14 seconds
P90: 25 seconds
Ivan is too new for us to have enough specific data yet, but this tells us something important: 25-second engagements are already toward the long end of the distribution.
Takeaway
There isn't a clear winner across every situation.
Achilles / Ivan has the better Authority-building sequence: Achilles can generate additional stacks before Ivan consumes them, resulting in stronger Ivory Throne casts.
Ivan / Achilles, however, performs better at the beginning of a fresh engagement. Ivan can already build Authority before his first skill, then refresh his Decree package before Achilles uses Pelian Spear.
Our simulations show that this advantage is mainly front-loaded. Achilles/Ivan catches up as the fight continues, and can eventually move ahead — especially when Oprichniki Operations isn't available.
With the data we currently have showing an average engagement around 12–14 seconds, the early advantage of Ivan/Achilles may be more relevant to the majority of players. However, the choice remains open and could ultimately depend on your playstyle and how long your engagements usually last.
Ivan is still very new, though. We'll revisit this once enough real battle data is available to see whether the simulation translates into actual battlefield performance.