AFK Journey features four Dream Realm bosses to encounter, and Skyclops is one of them. In this guide, we will discuss the Skyclops mechanics and the best heroes and teams to use against him to get to the highest damage.
Best Teams for Skyclops
Crafting the ideal team to tackle Skyclops in AFK Journey involves selecting characters that not only fit your gameplay style but also maximize the synergies among various roles.
Below are two example meta teams that illustrate different strategic approaches, depending on your character roster and investment levels.
Team Skyclops #1 – Triple Carry
Smokey & Meerky 
Kruger 
Marilee 
Odie 
Cassadee
- Smokey & Meerky: Fulfill the roles of Tank, Healer, and Buffer. Their versatility allows them to sustain the team while boosting overall damage output.
- Kruger: Serves as the Debuffer. Although not optimal, he’s used here primarily to enhance Marilee’s effectiveness against Skyclops.
- Marilee: Acts as the main DPS Carry, delivering high sustained damage.
- Odie or
Scarlita: Odie provides solid single-target DPS, while Scarlita offers better AOE damage for handling minions and can deal true damage, making her valuable against Skyclops’s resistances. 
Reinier: An alternative to Kruger for boosting true damage capabilities, especially effective if Scarlita is part of the team.- Cassadee: Considered if aiming for a rare Quad Carry setup, replacing Kruger to further maximize damage potential.
Artifact: 
Starshard Spell, enhancing energy accumulation and boosting the team’s overall efficiency in casting spells.
Team #2 – Dual Carry – Ranged Tank
Scarlita Reinier Smokey & Meerky Marilee 
Korin
- Scarlita and Reinier: In this setup, Scarlita handles minion clearance with her AOE capabilities and serves as sub-DPS. Reinier, at a minimum of Mythic+ rarity, debuffs Skyclops to increase the damage it takes, particularly enhancing true damage outputs.
- Odie: Can replace Scarlita for those who prefer focusing on single-target DPS. Odie’s effectiveness is maximized when highly invested, offering superior damage output compared to a low-duplication Scarlita.
- Smokey & Meerky continue to provide tanking, healing, and buffing.
Artifact: Starshard Spell, used to maximize the effectiveness of abilities by improving energy generation.
Strategic Notes:
- These teams emphasize not just survivability but also the strategic layering of DPS and debuffs to optimize damage output against Skyclops.
- Faction bonuses should be considered but not at the expense of overall team effectiveness. Choose the best characters you have that fit these roles, and adjust based on the specifics of your character pool and game progress.
- Dual or Triple Carry setups are recommended because they allow for flexibility in dealing with Skyclops’s high damage resistance and the necessity of clearing minions efficiently.
By tailoring these team compositions to your available heroes and their development, you can effectively challenge Skyclops and utilize your team’s strengths to their fullest potential.
Skyclops Mechanics
Skyclops is one of the challenging Dream Realm bosses in AFK Journey. This guide will cover key strategies and recommended characters to help you effectively navigate the battle against this towering foe.
Early Battle Dynamics:
At the onset, Skyclops identifies the nearest player’s hero as the “Tank,” who will bear the brunt of its attacks.
Periodically, Skyclops pauses its assault to summon four minions or unleash a sweeping laser attack that affects the entire area.
Initially, any traditional frontline tank such as 
Thoran, 
Brutus, 
Granny Dahnie, or 
Lucius can fulfill this role.
However, these choices may not significantly contribute to overall damage output, suggesting a shift towards a more aggressive strategy might be beneficial as you progress.
Minion Summoning and Resistances:
When Skyclops summons minions, it alternates between gaining 90% resistance to physical and magic damage, which underscores the value of characters capable of dealing true damage.
Mid to Late Game Strategy:
In later stages, consider using Smokey & Meerky or Kruger to tank. Their survivability allows for the inclusion of more damage dealers and support characters, maximizing damage output.
Efficiently eliminating minions as they appear is crucial to maintain your tank’s health.
Heroes such as Scarlita, 
Lyca, 
Seth, and 
Cecia, who offer protective abilities, AOE damage, or kill chaining are particularly effective.
Healing
Consistent healing is vital, especially to counteract the sweeping laser attacks that pose a significant threat of wiping your party in the game’s earlier phases.
The absence of skill channeling interruption in this stage makes Smokey & Meerky exceptionally effective, as they can continuously buff the team without disruption.
By adapting your team composition and strategy based on these insights, you can enhance your chances of defeating Skyclops and advancing in AFK Journey.
Skyclops In Action
During a 90-second battle with Skyclops, the boss will perform approximately 38-39 actions, provided you can withstand the entire duration of the fight. Here is an overview of all possible actions Skyclops may take:
- Melee Attack: Executes up to 9 times per cycle, targeting the closest character designated as the “Tank.”
- Ranged Attack: Also occurs up to 9 times per cycle, targeting players from a distance.
- Summon 4 Minions: This action is performed 3 to 4 times throughout the battle. Each summoning phase increases Skyclops’s resistance, alternating between 90% physical damage resist and 90% magic damage resist.
- Sweeping Laser Attack: Carried out 4 times during the fight, this area-wide attack poses a significant threat and is a common cause of party wipes if not properly managed.
Understanding the frequency and type of these actions is crucial for devising effective strategies to mitigate damage and sustain your team throughout the encounter with Skyclops.
Skyclops Best Team Setup
Team Roles for Skyclops
Battling Skyclops in AFK Journey requires a well-rounded team composed of several key roles to counter the boss’s diverse set of abilities. Here’s a breakdown of the essential roles and how to effectively fill them:
- Tank: The frontline defender who absorbs the brunt of Skyclops’s attacks. It’s crucial that this character can withstand heavy damage, especially from melee and ranged attacks.
- DPS Carry: A high damage output character crucial for quickly dealing with minions and reducing Skyclops’s health. This role is key to shortening the battle and managing the minions summoned by Skyclops.
- Buffer: Enhances the team’s overall damage output and survivability through various buffs. The effectiveness of your team can be significantly boosted by a strong buffer.
- Debuffer: Applies negative effects to Skyclops to increase the damage it takes and reduce its damage output, essential for both speeding up the fight and mitigating incoming damage.
- Healer: Vital for maintaining team health, especially in countering the sweeping laser attack that Skyclops employs. Consistent healing is necessary to survive through the entire battle duration.
Maximizing Team Synergy:
- When assembling your team, consider the faction bonuses by including at least three characters from the same faction. This strategic choice can enhance the overall effectiveness of your team.
- Optimize your team composition by using multi-role characters. For instance, Smokey & Meerky can serve as the Tank, Buffer, and Healer. Utilizing such versatile characters allows for greater flexibility in your team setup and the inclusion of additional DPS or specialized roles.
By carefully selecting characters that fulfill these roles while considering their ability to perform multiple functions, you can create a highly efficient team capable of taking down Skyclops and advancing further in the Dream Realm challenges.
Tank
When facing Skyclops, selecting an effective tank is crucial due to the boss’s aggressive attack patterns and the need to manage both melee and sweeping laser attacks. Here are the best choices and alternatives for the tank role:
- Smokey & Meerky: Not only do they serve as a robust tank, but they also double as a buffer and healer, offering significant utility and reducing the need for additional support characters.
Alternatives:
- Thoran: A strong tank who additionally acts as a debuffer, making him valuable for reducing the boss’s damage output.
- Brutus: Similar to Thoran, he provides debuffing capabilities while withstanding substantial damage.
- Kruger: Known for his defensive prowess with shields and life drain, Kruger offers resilience and sustenance, helping him to last longer in battle.
- Seth: Combines the roles of tank and debuffer, effectively weakening the boss while defending against attacks.
Innovative Strategy:
- Reinier: A unique approach involves using Reinier’s ability to grant a ranged DPS carry life leech, which can allow them to out-heal the damage inflicted by Skyclops. This tactic can be particularly effective if executed correctly, essentially turning a DPS into a self-sustaining tank.
Others
- Lucius: Offers solid defensive capabilities, though he might not provide the same level of utility as the top choices.
Antandra: Known for her survivability and self-healing skills, making her a potential tank option if others aren’t available.- Granny Dahnie: While primarily used in other contexts, her ability to absorb damage can make her a viable backup tank.
Choosing the right tank involves not only assessing their ability to survive but also considering how they can contribute to the overall team strategy, whether through debuffing the enemy or providing additional team support.
DPS
In your quest to defeat Skyclops in AFK Journey, selecting the right DPS carries is critical. These heroes should be capable of delivering sustained, high single-target damage throughout the encounter. Here’s a guide to the top picks:
- Odie: Known for his powerful single-target attacks, Odie is ideal for consistent, high damage output against bosses like Skyclops.
- Marilee: Offers top-tier damage and is particularly effective in prolonged battles due to her sustained damage capabilities.
- Korin: His agility and damage output make him a strong contender, especially useful in dodging Skyclops’s area attacks while maintaining steady damage.
- Scarlita: Brings high damage along with abilities that can target multiple enemies, useful for clearing minions as well as focusing on the boss.
- Cassadee: Her ability to deliver follow-up attacks and high single-target uptime makes her extremely effective against bosses.
Viable Alternatives:
- Cecia: While not the top choice, Cecia still provides substantial damage, especially useful with her ability to manage multiple battlefield conditions.
Rhys: Offers good mobility and damage, making him a solid choice for maintaining consistent pressure on Skyclops.- Seth: Known for his debuffing capabilities alongside his damage output, Seth helps in reducing the boss’s defenses while contributing to the team’s DPS.
Vala: Provides good damage and mobility, useful in strategies requiring frequent repositioning to avoid Skyclops’s attacks.
Bryon: Although primarily a backline option, Bryon’s damage output can be very effective if he is well-protected.
Dionel: Offers high burst potential, making him useful in phases of the fight where quick damage spikes are needed.
Walker: His ability to lower enemy defenses complements his DPS role, making him a dual-threat on the battlefield.
Temesia: Known for her mobility and decent damage, Temesia can dodge attacks effectively while maintaining damage output.
Choosing the right DPS carry will depend on the other roles filled on your team, as well as your strategic approach to the Skyclops fight. Balancing high damage with the ability to survive Skyclops’s devastating attacks is key to mastering this encounter.
Buffer
Buffers are essential in maximizing your team’s damage output against Skyclops. Here’s a look at the best options for providing offensive buffs, which can greatly enhance your effectiveness in battle.
- Smokey & Meerky: Offers a significant boost with 20% ATK and 30 Haste, while also fulfilling the roles of Tank and Healer. Their multi-functional capability makes them invaluable in any team setup.
Alternatives:
Shakir: Provides 25 Haste and [30% ATK at EX +10], with uptime dependent on his ultimate’s use. Also doubles as a tank, offering great versatility.- Lyca: Increases ATK SPD by 40, with a teamwide 50% uptime. Works well with heroes like Odie to accelerate damage build-up.
Rowan: Grants 320 Energy, which is tied to his ultimate. He pairs well with DPS carries like Odie or Marilee who heavily rely on their ultimates for damage. However, his effectiveness diminishes with heroes such as Cecia.- Cassadee: Her buffs act as a follow-up attack, providing high single-target and teamwide uptime linked to her ultimate, making her a strong support character.
Damian: Delivers 40 Haste at Mythic+ and serves as a healer, adding to his utility.
Koko: Boosts team ATK by 10% and provides an additional 10% ATK to a single ally, enhancing both group and individual performance.
Others:
Fay: Offers 14% ATK and 15 ATK SPD. Her utility is affected by uptime tied to her ultimate and sometimes unreliable targeting but also doubles as a healer.
Hewynn: Provides 30 Haste at [Supreme+] with uptime linked to his healing ability, making him another dual-role character.
Parisa: Enhances a single target with 30 ATK SPD and adds 30% Normal Attack Damage, ideal for supporting high-value DPS characters.- Reinier: A modest boost with 4% ATK increase, providing a smaller yet consistent enhancement to team damage output.
Choosing the right buffers can drastically influence the pace and outcome of the battle against Skyclops. Consider the synergy between these buffers and your DPS characters to optimize damage and streamline your strategy.
Debuffer
Effective debuffers are crucial for any strategy against Skyclops as they can significantly increase the team’s damage output by weakening the boss’s defenses or amplifying the damage it takes. Here’s a guide to the best debuffers to consider:
- Reinier: At [Mythic+] rarity, Reinier increases the damage Skyclops takes by 25%, making him extremely effective in maximizing team damage.
- Kruger: Provides a dual benefit by reducing Skyclops’s Physical Defense by 40% and increasing the Physical Damage it takes by the same percentage, dramatically enhancing physical attacks against the boss.
Alternatives:
- Thoran: Increases the damage Skyclops takes by 17%, a solid option for boosting overall team damage.
- Lyca: Can decrease Physical Defense by up to 37%, which softens the boss for physical attacks.
- Koko: Boosts damage taken by Skyclops by 10%, providing a moderate but useful enhancement to damage output.
Others:
These options may have limitations such as lower uptime, less impactful debuffs, or suboptimal synergy with faction bonuses, but can still be useful in certain team compositions:
Eironn: Offers a substantial -40% Magic Defense debuff, which is top-tier; however, the current selection of single-target magic DPS carries does not fully capitalize on this, limiting his effectiveness.- Brutus: Reduces Physical Defense by 30%. If Kruger is already on the team for his similar debuff, Brutus’s utility might be redundant.
Carolina: Applies a -15% Magic Defense reduction, useful in a magic-focused attack setup.- Walker: Debuffs include -10% Physical Defense and -10% Critical Resistance, providing dual debuff capabilities.
- Cassadee: At [Supreme+], she decreases Magic Defense by 20%, aiding teams that leverage magical attacks.
- Fay: Versatile debuffer who reduces either Physical or Magic Defense by 10% depending on the enemy’s damage type, adding flexibility to your debuff strategy.
Kafra: Lowers Physical Defense by 15%, straightforwardly bolstering physical damage.- Seth: Provides a scaling debuff that reduces Physical Defense by 15% at 67% of the boss’s health and by 30% at 34%, becoming more effective as the fight progresses.
- Temesia: Offers a modest 6% reduction in Physical Defense.
Selecting the right debuffers will depend on your existing team composition and the specific needs of your battle strategy against Skyclops. Adjust your choices based on the types of DPS characters you plan to include to ensure optimal synergy and damage output.
Healer
In the battle against Skyclops, having a reliable healer not only sustains your team but can also contribute to overall damage output. Here’s a rundown of the best options for this role:
Best in Slot:
- Smokey & Meerky: A standout choice due to their robust healing abilities combined with buffs. They are particularly effective as they don’t suffer from interruption issues with this boss, allowing them to continuously support the team.
Alternatives:
- Hewynn: Offers strong healing capabilities and can boost the team’s haste, providing both healing and a performance boost in battle.
- Damian: Known for his healing and additional benefit of providing haste at Mythic+, Damian enhances both survivability and team attack speed.
- Rowan: Not only does he heal, but Rowan also provides energy boosts, which are crucial for speeding up your team’s ultimate abilities, thereby increasing overall damage output.
- Koko: While primarily known for his buffs, Koko can also offer supportive healing, making him a flexible addition to any team.
- Fay: Provides targeted healing and can boost either physical or magical defense depending on the enemy’s attack type, though her targeting can be less reliable. She’s useful for teams needing a balance between healing and additional defensive support.
Selecting the right healer involves considering how they can synergize with the rest of your team, not just in terms of healing but also in how they can augment your team’s offensive capabilities. With Skyclops, uninterrupted healing is crucial, making Smokey & Meerky particularly valuable for this encounter.
