You've probably pulled him from a Rare Cat Capsule and felt that immediate sting of disappointment. It’s a feeling most Battle Cats players know well. You wanted a carry unit, a massive damage dealer, or maybe just a Mitama. Instead, you got this tiny guy in a miter. Honestly, Bishop Cat gets a bad rap because he isn't flashy. He doesn't create massive shockwaves and he certainly isn't going to solo a Crazed Stage. But here’s the thing: if you're struggling with Floating enemies—which, let’s face it, are some of the most annoying pests in the game—you might be sleeping on one of the most reliable crowd-control units in the Rare tier.
He's niche. Definitely.
But in a game like Battle Cats, niche is often where the real strategy happens. You can't just brute force everything with ubers unless you've got a bottomless wallet or incredible luck. Most of us have to rely on the specialized Rares to get through the mid-game and early-late game grinds. That is where our holy feline friend comes in.
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The Reality of Bishop Cat in Your Lineup
So, what does he actually do? Basically, Bishop Cat has a 20% chance to slow Floating enemies for about 2 seconds (or 60 frames if we're being technical). His range is roughly 200, which is... okay. It’s not great. It puts him in the danger zone for a lot of bosses. But because he’s cheap and has a fast recharge, the strategy isn't about one Bishop Cat surviving forever. It’s about the stack. You want a literal wall of priests constantly poking at that Bun Bun or Cyclone until they can barely move.
I’ve seen people complain that the 20% proc rate is too low. I get it. It feels like RNG is never on your side when a Moth is pushing into your base. However, when you have five or six of them on the field, that 20% effectively becomes a constant debuff. It’s a math game.
The Evolution: Monk and Sanzo
If you’re still using the base form, stop. Well, don’t stop using him, but make evolving him your priority. The second form, Monk Cat, doesn't change much stats-wise, but the True Form—Sanzo Cat—is a complete game-changer. This is where the unit goes from "trash pull" to "staple unit."
Sanzo Cat gains a massive boost in survivability and, more importantly, the Area Attack attribute. This is the turning point. Original Bishop Cat only hits one enemy at a time. If there’s a stray Mooth in front of the boss, your slow proc is wasted. Sanzo hits everything in that 250-range radius. It makes him arguably the best non-uber Floating CC unit in the entire game. Even if you have Necrodancer or Shaman, Sanzo usually wins out because of his attack speed and stackability.
Why the Meta Shifts Around This Unit
Battle Cats isn't just about damage numbers. It’s about stage control. If you look at high-level play, specifically in Stories of Legend or Uncanny Legends, the "Floating" trait is everywhere. You’ve got the various Bun Bun variants that can tear through your meatshields in seconds. Without a slow or a freeze, your frontline collapses.
Bishop Cat and his evolutions provide a safety net.
Think about the Red Cyclone or the Divine Cyclone. These stages are binary: either you control the boss, or you die. There is no middle ground. While Shaman Cat (Necromancer) offers a freeze, many players prefer the slow from Sanzo because it feels more consistent over a long period. Plus, Sanzo's talents are actually worth the NP.
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Talent Investments: Are They Worth It?
Let's talk talents because this is where people waste their hard-earned NP. Sanzo has a few options:
- Weaken: This is huge. Adding a chance to weaken Floating enemies on top of the slow? It makes your meatshields last twice as long.
- Target Angel: This is the big one. It's expensive, but it allows Sanzo to slow Angelic enemies. Given how fast Angelic Gory or Winged Pigge push, having a spammable Rare unit that can slow them is a massive tactical advantage.
- Survive: Not really necessary, but okay if you have NP to burn.
- Defense/Attack Up: Skip these. He’s not a damage dealer.
Honestly, if you're going to invest, go for the Angel target first. It doubles his utility. Suddenly, he's not just a "Floating specialist," he's a core member of your anti-push squad for two of the most common enemy types.
Comparing Him to Other Crowd Control
It’s fair to ask why you’d use Bishop over something like Fisherman Cat or Necrodancer. Fisherman knocks enemies back. That’s great for creating space, but it can actually be a disadvantage. If you knock back an enemy, your other units might miss their attacks because they have to walk forward again. It "whiffs" your heavy hitters.
Slow is better.
Slow keeps the enemy exactly where they are, allowing your Awakened Bahamut or your ubers to land every single hit. It stabilizes the frontline.
I’ve spent hours testing different combos on the "Cyclone Festival" stages. A combo of Sanzo and Necrodancer is basically a permanent lockdown. The enemy literally cannot move. But if I had to pick just one to level up first? It’s Sanzo every time. The area attack is just too valuable to pass up.
Common Misconceptions and Mistakes
A big mistake I see newer players make is sending out Bishop Cat without enough meatshields. He is fragile. Very fragile. If a Bun Bun even breathes on him, he’s gone. You need at least three layers of meatshielding (like Mohawk, Eraser, and Manic Eraser) to keep your Bishop stack alive.
Another thing: don't expect him to work on non-Floating enemies unless you've unlocked the Angel talent. I know it sounds obvious, but I've seen people try to use him against R.Ost. It won't work. He’ll just stand there and get pecked to death.
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Also, watch out for the "Outranged" problem. Some Floating enemies, like Mecha-Bun or certain late-game bosses, have a much longer reach than 250. In those cases, Sanzo becomes useless because he can't get close enough to land a hit. That’s when you need to switch to long-range CC or just pure DPS.
Practical Steps for Success
If you've just pulled Bishop Cat, here is the roadmap you should follow to make him actually useful for your account.
- Get him to Level 10 immediately. You need Monk Cat for the basic stat increase, even if you don't use him right away.
- Focus on the EOC Fruit. You’ll need Green and Purple fruits primarily to get him to his True Form. Don't waste these on mediocre ubers; Sanzo is more important for your progression.
- Prioritize the Target Angel Talent. Once you start hitting the mid-game, Angels become a nightmare. This talent is the single best way to neutralize them without needing a specific Uber-Rare.
- Learn the Stack. Practice timing your summons so that you have a "conveyor belt" of Sanzo Cats reaching the frontline. You don't want them all bunched up in one spot where a single AOE hit kills the whole group. Space them out slightly.
Ultimately, Bishop Cat isn't going to win the game for you on his own. He’s a support unit, and in the world of Battle Cats, a good support is worth their weight in Cat Food. He turns chaotic, high-pressure stages into manageable grinds. He’s the reason you can beat Bun Bun in the Great Abyss without losing your mind.
Stop looking at him as a "failed pull." Start looking at him as the key to the mid-game. Level him up, get that True Form, and watch those terrifying Cyclones turn into slow-moving targets for your heavy hitters. You'll thank yourself when you're cruising through the late-game stages that others are struggling with.
To maximize your efficiency, check your current treasures in Empire of Darkness; having the anti-trait treasures maxed out will significantly boost the effectiveness of Bishop's procs and survivability. Focus on the "Floating" treasures first to give him the best possible start. Once he's at level 30+ with his talents, there are very few Floating stages that will give you any real trouble.