• Pang Tong can either use a club card to Chain two characters together or trigger the redraw function.

• When a character is on the brink of death, everyone must be prompted for a Peach. Pang Tong must choose to activate "Nirvana" before it reaches players to his right. When playing in person, this rule can be flexible, but it is enforced strictly in online games.

• When "Nirvana" is activated, Pang Tong returns to his initial state, losing any time delay tools, becoming unchained, and flipping face up.

• If Pang Tong is the king, he returns with only three health when using "Nirvana," even if his maximum health is four. However, he can still use a Peach to restore his health to four afterward.

• "Shackle" and "Nirvana" allow Pang Tong to chain himself to enemies, using self-damaging tools like Wood Armor and Blaze to deal widespread damage, especially useful when Lightning is in play.

• "Shackle" helps by turning unwanted club cards into more useful cards through the trade-in function.

• "Nirvana" grants Pang Tong another opportunity to stay in the game, giving him a safety net when facing death.

• Outside of scenarios involving Lightning or Zhang Jiao's "Lightning Strike", "Shackle" can feel underwhelming, lacking versatility in standard situations.

• Pang Tong only has three health and no other defensive abilities. This means he may die earlier than others, especially if he is forced to use "Nirvana" prematurely.

• Though "Nirvana" can bring Pang Tong back, if the three cards he draws are not defensive, his return may be short-lived.

• Judgement Tinkerers:
  When Lightning is in play, Pang Tong can Chain together enemies, while Zhang Jiao or Sima Yi manipulate judgment outcomes to ensure damage is dealt. Similarly, Zhang Jiao’s "Lightning Strike" can benefit from Pang Tong’s Chains.

• Heavy Damage Dealers:
  Characters that deal significant damage in short bursts can force Pang Tong to use "Nirvana" early. These characters can capitalize on Pang Tong's fragile health and push him to waste his defensive ability. Example include Lu Bu, Xu Chu, and Diao Chan.

King

• • Pang Tong performs adequately as a king. While "Nirvana" provides an extra lifeline, "Shackle" is not particularly effective at keeping him alive against rebels.

Loyalist

• • A solid choice for a loyalist. "Nirvana" ensures that he can endure longer and assist the king in battle. He is particularly strong as a loyalist when Zhang Jiao is the king.

Rebel

• • As a rebel, "Shackle" can be very effective. Pang Tong can Chain the king to loyalists or fellow rebels, creating extra paths for damage to reach the king.

Spy

• • Pang Tong is an average spy. "Nirvana" helps him survive longer, but his offensive abilities may not be enough to sway the game when one side is clearly dominating.

Pang Tong is a decent character but can be overrated by beginners. "Nirvana" does not fully reset the game state as everyone is already aware of his role. If the cards he draws upon returning aren't defensive, he could die again within a few rounds. As "Nirvana" is his only defensive tool, it is crucial to use Pang Tong with caution and not expect an easy recovery.

Pang Tong's "Shackle" ability is directly inspired by his role in persuading Cao Cao to chain his ships together during the Battle of Red Cliffs. When Pang Tong seemingly defected to Cao Cao's camp, he offered strategic advice that greatly pleased the warlord. Cao Cao, impressed with Pang Tong’s reputation, invited him to inspect his naval forces. Pang Tong noted that while the strategy was excellent, the instability of the northern troops on the water due to seasickness posed a problem.

Pang Tong suggested chaining the ships together to stabilize them, allowing even horses to cross between ships and making the vessels more resistant to waves. Cao Cao was thrilled with this idea, ordering blacksmiths to forge iron chains. While this increased stability, it left Cao Cao’s fleet vulnerable to fire. Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang took advantage of this, using a fire attack that devastated the fleet.

This moment ties directly to Pang Tong’s in-game ability, "Shackle," which represents his pivotal role in chaining the ships together, setting the stage for a critical turning point in Cao Cao’s campaign at the Red Cliffs. Pang Tong’s "Shackle" can either create opportunities or leave him vulnerable.