Egil

**Egil** (Gil) is a human Hero character encountered in *The Banner Saga* series.

## Background

A young boy growing up in Skogr without parents, Egil spends a lot of time behind a battered metal shield, training to be a fighter. The few who know him well call him Gil.

## Active Ability: Stone Wall

The Raidmaster braces for impact with his heavy shield, resisting damage from each strike for the next turn. Each hit the Raidmaster takes to either strength or armor is reduced, preventing him from taking permanent damage to either.

The Raidmaster can use Stone Wall to rush into a group of enemies and gain a forward advantage, or step in the way of a powerful enemy to block his movement.

**Rank 1:** resists 3 damage per hit

**Rank 2:** resists 5 damage per hit

**Rank 3:** resists 7 damage per hit

## Second Active Ability: Choice

In the second part of *The Banner Saga*, when Egil reaches Rank 6, he can choose a second active ability between:

* Bloody Flail (Thrasher), like Hogun & Mogun
* Run Through (Backbiter), like Onef
* Guts (Grudgewielder), like Ekkill
* Axe Storm (Axe Thrower), like Oli

## Passive Ability: Shield Wall

By standing next to an ally, the raider creates a Shield Wall, raising the armor of both himself and his ally by 1. This bonus remains until the Raider is no longer adjacent to the ally.

When multiple Raiders stand next to each other this effect is magnified as they grant each other their own bonus. Four Raiders standing in a square formation will each gain an additional 4 armor.

## Joining the Party

**Saga 1:** Egil always joins the caravan once Rook returns to Skogr during Chapter 2.

**Saga 2:** He follows the Skogr caravan.

**Saga 3:** He follows the caravan to Arberrang.

## Possible Death or Departure

**Saga 1:** There are a large number of scripted events that can kill poor Egil:

* During Chapter 2, Egil will die protecting Alette if Rook does not loose an arrow at the Dredge threatening Alette after the first fight in Skogr. This event only takes place if Rook allows Alette and Egil to stay and fight along with him and Iver.
* In the end of Chapter 2, Egil will be slain by Onef outside the gates of Frostvellr if Rook tries to ambush the supply-wagon and is defeated in the battle that occurs.
* In their second day in Einartoft, during Chapter 5, Egil will be slain by Dredge if Rook decides to help on the bridge but doesn't actively take place in a battle.
* If Onef was recruited in the start Chapter 4, he will slay Egil during the mutiny that he instigates in Chapter 6.

**Saga 2:** There are not events leading to Egil's death or departure from the caravan.

**Saga 3:**

* While the caravan is patrolling the walls, each action they take to help the other citizens of Arberrang will take time. If they take too long, the group of men sent after the party (either Rugga's thugs or royal guards) will kill Egil. To prevent this, it is recommended the caravan not take action to stop the people trying to leave via the harbor, and not spend too much time helping the mender fixing the walls.
* During the fourth visit to Arberrang, if the player attempts to get more people to help Gunnulf hold up the wall, Egil (and Gunnulf) will be killed when the wall collapses.

## Playstyle

* Egil starts out with weak stats, but is actually the human Hero with the highest Hit-Points (Strength+Armor) in the first game and is only surpassed by Folka in the second!
* It is advised to increase his Break to max (3) and his Armor as much as possible.
* Always remember to make use of the Raiders' passive, Shield Wall, to increase your teams Armor. Pairing Egil with other Raiders is even more efficient, granting +2 Armor to each per adjacency.
* His active ability is *conveniently ignored* by the AI, meaning that enemy units will frequently attack him for no damage at all! This can be exploited to a large extent by increasing his Armor and positioning him aggressive amidst enemy lines. This will make him a 'damage sponge' while giving the rest of your units time to advance on the enemy.
* The nature of this active ability makes the use of items drawing enemy aggression invaluable! A specific item that increases both Armor and aggression is the optimal choice for Egil, letting him completely absorb damage, even of full-Strength attacks from Destroyers or the Bellower himself!

## Trivia

* Egil grew up with Alette as friend. But, as they enter adolescence, the nature of their relationship changes.
* Egil is so prone to perma-death, that there's actually a dedicated achievement just for keeping him alive in the first part of *The Banner Saga*... Nothing can get to him in the second!
* He is purportedly named after the Viking farmer Egill Skallagrímsson, the protagonist of the eponymous *Egil's Saga.*

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