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Ugh... Ever since I got past AR Tier 11, I just can't seem to get any more Lift.
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It's strange. I've been trying ever so hard to raid other keeps, but that doesn't seem to change anything.
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What's strange is that you haven't done anything to strengthen your defensive map.
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You can't just focus on offense. You need to prepare for your foes' attacks as well by placing structures on your defensive map and assigning a defensive team.
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B-but Alfonse! Don't all the strategists say the best defense is a good offense?
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That's more of an adage than a strategy. When it comes to Aether Keeps, it's just as important to get your defensive map in good shape.
When to Work on Defense
Once you reach AR Tier 11, you will lose Lift if you fail to defend your keep. When your AR Tier is around 10 or so, you should look to work on your defensive structures and team so that you can successfully defend your Aether Keep and be able to defeat as many members of your opponent's raiding party as you can. One key part of this strategy will be to keep on top of strengthening your Fortress (D) to ensure that it doesn't have a much lower level than your opponent's Fortress (O).
Try Auto Setup First!
Auto Setup will let you try several arrangements for your defenses, so take advantage of it while you're still getting used to how the structures work and where to best position them. When you feel like you've got the hang of it, try customizing the placement of structures to step up your defending strategy.
Additionally, Auto Setup will place bonus structures automatically, which can help when planning layouts that include these structures.
Build a Defensive Team!
You can have up to four allies in your defensive team when you're starting out, but this can be increased to a maximum of 7 allies by increasing your AR Tier and taking advantage of a Mythic Hero's Mythic Effect 2. Don't hesitate to include your strongest allies and any Heroes who are currently designated as bonus characters. However, bear in mind that if your AR Tier goes down, you may lose the extra team slot you gained by increasing your AR Tier.
Locking Your Team
Locking your team will keep the team members' levels, skills, and Sacred Seals in their current state. This means that even if you change skills or Sacred Seals in the Allies menu or other menus, these changes won't affect your defensive team.