Last updated: July 2026
Tears of Metal Emblem Planner
Interactive Emblem family planner for Tears of Metal. Select Emblem clans, preview synergy bonuses, and plan devastating builds before your next campaign run.
Select Emblem Families
Select at least two families to preview synergies.
Plan Your Emblem Build Before You Deploy
Emblems are the backbone of every Tears of Metal run. With eight Emblem families at Early Access launch — each offering tiered upgrades and cross-family synergies — choosing the right combination before you enter the battlefield can mean the difference between a triumphant campaign and a humiliating retreat. This interactive planner lets you select up to four Emblem families and instantly see which synergy bonuses activate.
The demo featured four incomplete families (Caithness, Orbs, Smite, and Mark). Early Access expands the roster to eight full families with three tiers each, plus unique cross-family Emblems that unlock when you commit to specific combinations. Use this tool alongside our Emblem Families guide and Best Emblem Synergies page for deeper strategy.
How to Use the Planner
Select Emblem families from the grid below. As you pick families, the synergy panel updates to show active bonuses, recommended pairings, and notes for each Act difficulty. Families marked with a star are particularly strong for co-op teams where one player focuses on crowd control while another stacks damage Emblems.
For your first few campaigns, we recommend starting with Caithness for survivability paired with Smite for area damage — a combination that performs well in Act 1 and scales into Act 2. Once you unlock the Training Grounds and Scout Tent village upgrades, pivot toward elite-focused builds using Mark and Ross families. See our Emblem Synergies guide for act-by-act recommendations.
Emblem Family Quick Reference
Each Emblem family in Tears of Metal represents a distinct combat philosophy rooted in Scottish clan identity and Dragon Stone power. Caithness Emblems emphasize blocking and damage reduction. Orbs provide delayed damage and explosion effects. Smite delivers radial area-of-effect devastation. Mark targets elites and bosses with amplified single-target damage.
Early Access adds Dunbar (mobility and dodge bonuses), Ross (battalion-wide buffs), Stirling (combo meter acceleration), and Iona (healing and sustain — rare but powerful). Cross-family synergies like Caithness + Iona create defensive sustain builds, while Smite + Mark produces elite deletion strategies ideal for Act 2 and Act 3.
- Caithness: Block enhancement, damage reduction, shield breaks
- Orbs: Delayed explosions, debuff stacking, zone control
- Smite: Radial AoE, horde clearing, combo extensions
- Mark: Elite targeting, boss damage, precision strikes
- Dunbar: Dodge buffs, mobility, repositioning tools
- Ross: Battalion-wide auras, troop empowerment
- Stirling: Combo meter speed, chain attack bonuses
- Iona: Sustain, healing procs, recovery between fights
Related Pages
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Emblem families can I use in one run?
You can invest in multiple Emblem families during a single campaign, but synergy bonuses typically activate when you commit to two or three families with complementary effects. Spreading too thin reduces your peak power.
Do Emblem choices persist between campaigns?
Emblem selections reset each campaign run. However, village upgrades, unlocked Emblem tiers, and Charms purchased between runs provide permanent meta progression that makes future Emblem combinations stronger.
Which Emblem family is best for beginners?
Caithness is the most forgiving family for new players because it enhances blocking and reduces incoming damage — critical since healing is extremely scarce in Tears of Metal.
Are cross-family synergies better than single-family stacking?
Cross-family synergies often outperform single-family stacking in Acts 2 and 3 where enemy variety demands both crowd control and elite damage. Act 1 rewards simpler single-family focus.