I have been running Thoran in AFK Journey again this year, and the 2026 version of his kit still feels like a high-risk, high-reward puzzle that rewards patience more than raw stats. He is an S Tier Tank in the Graveborn faction with 1 AA-range, and I keep coming back to him because his ultimate can flip a battle that looks completely lost. He is not a plug-and-play frontline hero. He is a setup piece, a timing test, and sometimes a full-on cheese engine. That is exactly why I think he remains worth a careful look in 2026.
Why I Still Rate Thoran as S Tier in 2026
In my latest testing, Thoran still does one thing better than most tanks: he turns incoming pressure into a delayed win condition. His core loop is simple to describe and hard to execute. I let Thoran absorb damage, keep him alive long enough to charge Soul Retaliation, and then punish the enemy with a slash that scales off the damage he took. When the timing lands, it feels less like a tank doing tank things and more like a trap snapping shut.
That is also why I do not treat him as a universal frontline answer. Thoran asks for a specific team shape, a specific pace, and a player who can resist firing his ultimate too early. In 2026, that trade-off still feels relevant. He is a specialist, not a comfort pick.
Thoran Skills: What I Watch in Every Fight
Thoran has six skills that unlock as I level him up. The full kit is built around survival, debuffing, and one massive retribution window.
Ultimate: Soul Retaliation
At level 1, Soul Retaliation has a 0s cooldown, 1 tile range, and needs 200 initial energy. Thoran charges for a short time and slashes enemies in range for 200% damage plus 180% of damage received during the charge. He also gains 20% Life Drain, and he is immune to control effects while casting this skill. That immunity matters more than many players realize. Without it, his charge-up phase would be far too easy to interrupt.
The upgrades are where the trap becomes scary. Level 51 adds 200% of the damage received during the charge. Level 111 lets Thoran's soul complete the slash if the skill is interrupted. Level 171 adds 220% of the damage received, and level 231 adds 240%. In practice, I see Soul Retaliation as a pressure meter. The longer Thoran survives under fire, the more dangerous the payoff becomes.
1st Skill: Soul Plunder
Soul Plunder unlocks at level 11 with a 15s cooldown and global range. Thoran targets the not soul-plundered enemy with the highest HP and drains 18% of the target's current HP to increase his max HP by the same amount. The target also receives 13% more damage for the rest of the battle. The drained HP limit is 600% of Thoran's ATK.
This is the skill I use to pick a victim. The upgrade path is meaningful: level 71 raises the drain to 20% of the enemy's current HP, level 131 raises the enemy's received damage to 16%, and level 191 raises it to 17%. The enhancement adds another layer: Thoran's Ultimate drains another 20% of current HP from all enemies affected by Soul Plunder to increase his max HP by the same amount. That is a lot of hidden value in a skill that can feel quiet at first.
2nd Skill: Resurrection
Resurrection unlocks at level 31 with a TBD cooldown and 2 tile range. Thoran revives with 40% HP restored after a short time when defeated, and the effect can trigger once per battle. Level 91 raises the revive to 50% HP, level 151 raises it to 60%, and level 211 grants 500 energy. I treat this as permission to take risks, but not as an excuse to ignore positioning. A second life is only useful if the team can stabilize around it.
Hero Focus
Hero Focus unlocks after Legendary. Thoran's normal attacks and skills increase his Energy Recovery by 24%, and his Energy Recovery is increased by an extra 6% when Resurrection is not triggered. Level 2 pushes those numbers to 32% and 8%, while level 3 pushes them to 40% and 10%. This is the engine that helps him reach his ultimate window faster, especially when I am deliberately keeping Resurrection in reserve.
Ex. Skill: Soul Pact
Soul Pact unlocks after Mythic with global range. Before a battle starts, Thoran signs a pact with the ally on the tile behind him, agreeing to take 50% damage for that ally until the battle ends. When Thoran is defeated, that ally sacrifices 85% of their current HP to save and heal Thoran by 150% of that portion. After that, Thoran no longer takes damage for that ally.
The Ex. Weapon upgrades change the healing relationship. At +5, 25% of damage dealt by the ally heals Thoran while the pact exists. At +10, that becomes 30%, and at +15 it becomes 35%. I like this skill because it makes Thoran feel deceptively durable when the formation is built around him. It also means a careless pact target can become part of the problem.
Enhance Force
Enhance Force unlocks after Supreme. Its effect applies to Skill 1: Thoran's Ultimate drains another 20% of current HP from all enemies affected by Soul Plunder to increase his max HP by the same amount. For me, this is another reason to spread Soul Plunder before the big ultimate turn.
My 2026 Pros and Cons Check
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Cheese potential: with the right setup, Thoran can flip a battle through delayed retribution | ❌ Setup dependent: he needs a team built around his survival and timing |
| ✅ Deceptively durable: Resurrection, self-healing, and Soul Pact make him harder to kill than he looks | ❌ One-trick pony: his kit is relatively one-dimensional |
| ✅ Scaling damage: his ultimate scales with the damage he absorbs | ❌ Timing is key: too early means low damage, too late means no chance to cast |
| ✅ Debuffing: Soul Plunder makes a target take more damage | ❌ Vulnerable to control outside his ultimate |
| ✅ Immunity: he is control immune during Soul Retaliation | ❌ Limited damage outside his ultimate |
How I Would Use Him Now
I would use Thoran as a targeted answer, not as a default tank. In 2026, I still see his best value in cheese setups that are designed to take down stronger enemy teams. I pair him with allies who can buy time, prevent control, and punish the target marked by Soul Plunder. I avoid using him as a solo frontline tank in fast, burst-heavy fights where he never gets to charge.
My short checklist is simple:
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🛡️ Build the formation around his survival, not around raw tank stats alone.
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⏳ Track his energy and do not rush Soul Retaliation.
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💀 Spread Soul Plunder before the ultimate turn when possible.
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🧠 Protect the Soul Pact target from becoming an easy sacrifice.
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⚠️ Respect crowd control outside his ultimate window.
Thoran is still one of the few heroes who can turn an enemy's own damage into a win condition. That is why I keep testing him. If you want a tank who simply holds the line, I would look elsewhere. If you want a tank who can turn a losing fight into a highlight reel, Thoran remains my pick for that job.