Spiked Dome in Butcher Hero
Spiked Dome is an Uncommon helmet of the Smashing type. It does not add one flat number of its own: Iron Merge and Steel Merge copy 30% to 60% of your Cut Defense and Pierce Defense into Smash Defense, and Impact Guard adds more Smash Defense each time an enemy hits you.
Spiked Dome at a Glance
The dome fills the helmet slot and protects against Smashing hits. Its card is unusual, because two of its three abilities do not create defense from nothing. They read the Cut Defense and Pierce Defense on your hero and move a part of them to the Smash side.
| Slot | Helmet |
|---|---|
| Defense type | Smashing |
| Rarity | Uncommon, with a Divine form |
| Abilities | Iron Merge, Steel Merge, Impact Guard |
| Ability unlocks | Iron Merge from the start, Steel Merge at item level 1, Impact Guard at item level 9 |
| Highest ability level | Item level 15 |
See the Butcher Hero item list for every helmet, shield and weapon side by side, and the equipment guide for how slots and copies work.
Abilities by Item Level
Iron Merge adds a share of Cut Defense to Smash Defense, Steel Merge does the same with Pierce Defense, and Impact Guard adds Smash Defense for each hit you take. The shares in the table are percentages of the stat that is being moved, not of your total defense. A dash means the ability has not opened yet.
| Item level | Iron Merge (Cut Defense share) | Steel Merge (Pierce Defense share) | Impact Guard per hit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base | 30% | - | - |
| 1 | 30% | 30% | - |
| 2 | 33% | 30% | - |
| 3 | 36% | 30% | - |
| 4 | 36% | 35% | - |
| 5 | 39% | 35% | - |
| 7 | 39% | 40% | - |
| 8 | 42% | 40% | - |
| 9 | 42% | 40% | +3% |
| 10 | 42% | 45% | +3% |
| 11 | 46% | 45% | +3% |
| 12 | 46% | 45% | +4% |
| 13 | 46% | 50% | +4% |
| 14 | 50% | 50% | +4% |
| 15 | 60% | 60% | +5% |
How Merging Works
Think of the two merge abilities as a bridge between three defense stats. If your gear gives you Cut Defense, Iron Merge lets a share of it count as Smash Defense too. If your gear gives you Pierce Defense, Steel Merge does the same. Both abilities add a share to the Smash side.
The size of the effect depends on what you already wear. Stone Bind is a Common Cutting shield whose Stone Veil raises Cut Defense, and the Cutting Guard Charm and Piercing Guard Charm accessories raise Cut and Pierce Defense with their own mastery abilities. The Crushing Guard Charm does the same for Smash Defense directly. The stats guide explains how percentage stats from different sources combine.
Spiked Dome Video
The video shows how to read enemy damage hints and swap gear to beat strong monsters, the same check you use to decide when the dome belongs in your helmet slot.
Against Smashing Damage
A defense type only matters when enemies attack with it. In the top-right corner the red icon names the damage type of nearby enemies, while the green icon names the weapon type that suits them best. Wear the dome when the red icon points to Smashing.
Two of the game's tips apply here: look at the enemy type hints on the minimap before you pick gear, and keep in mind that fitting an enemy's weakness or resistance can outweigh a few extra item levels.
Other Smashing Helmets
The other Smashing helmets are Slime spawn (Common, Vital Harvest), Golden spikes (Rare, Thorn Core, Thorn Surge and Rage Guard), Prismcore Drillmask (Epic, Wound Edge, Wound Focus and Wound Burst) and Cogsmith Mask (Legendary, Guard Heal, Fortress Value and Fortress Chance). Spiked Dome is the one that works through other defense stats, so it rewards a build that already stacks Cut Defense or Pierce Defense on other slots.
The weapon side of Smashing is covered by the Titan Hammer page and the best weapons page, which list the hammers by rarity.
Levels and Copies
The dome's ladder has 15 steps up to item level 15. Impact Guard opens last, at level 9, so a low-level dome relies on the two merge abilities. Raising the item level takes copies of the same item, and evolving it later leads to the Divine form. Evolving an item can also open abilities it did not have before.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Spiked Dome do in Butcher Hero?
Spiked Dome raises Smash Defense, but it does it by borrowing from your other defenses. Iron Merge adds a share of your Cut Defense to it, Steel Merge adds a share of your Pierce Defense, and Impact Guard adds a stack of Smash Defense for every hit you take.
What rarity and type is Spiked Dome?
Spiked Dome is Uncommon and has the Smashing type, so it is a Smashing helmet. The Uncommon helmets are Steel guard, Dragon spikes and Spiked dome, one for each damage type. Evolution turns it into a Divine helmet.
How does Impact Guard stack?
On every hit you take, Impact Guard increases Smash Defense by 3% at item level 9, 4% at level 12 and 5% at level 15. It stacks up to 20 times, so a full stack at the top level adds up to 100%.
Does Spiked Dome need Cut Defense and Pierce Defense?
Yes, to get the most from it. Both merge abilities pass on a share of what you already have, so a hero with little Cut and Pierce Defense gains little from them. A shield such as Stone Bind or the Cutting Guard Charm and Piercing Guard Charm accessories raise those two stats.
When should I wear Spiked Dome?
Check the red marker in the top-right corner. If it names Smashing, the enemies around you hit with that type and the dome matches. The tips in the game add that an item which fits what the enemy is weak to or resists often beats a higher item level.
Read Next
Compare it with Dragon Spikes for Piercing defense, check the best builds page for full loadouts, or read about the Mythic set in the Mushroommancer Shield guide.