In Empire of Sin, you can choose one of many infamous bosses to invade the streets of Chicago in Prohibition America. With their leadership, you can send booze to anyone passing sick to death of restrictive liquor laws, as well as run illegal gambling clubs and brothels.
If you're looking for more general tips and tricks, we've got an Empire of Sin guide that will go over the best strategies for dominating the competition, either making uneasy alliances in your favor or taking control of the rackets. of a rival and absorbing them into your criminal organization. That said, you can go a long way to beat the game with your choice of bosses – especially those with a good selection of empire bonuses, or just plain great combat skill!
So out of the 14 you can choose from, who are the best bosses in Empire of Sin? Is it the singer, one of the real-life mobsters, or maybe the Mexican lair mother? We'll rank each of the mob bosses below.
Empire of Sin Boss Tier List
Since the game was just released, this list won't cover any expansions. These are just the 14 mafia bosses that come with the base game, so it won't include any crew members you can hire along the way.
Angelo Genna
“Bloody Angelo” was yet another Prohibition-era bootlegger and was responsible for the assassination of Dion O'Banion. His cruelty also extends to his combat skills. Fan of Knives allows him to throw a total of six knives at any number of targets. He can mix and match, but all knives deal a small amount of damage and bleed state disease. These are very powerful in the early game and can make short work of some skirmishes if used correctly. He also benefits from a first-strike overwatch (similar to Maria - one of the first recruits) early in the game, so he's a good candidate for combat-focused tactics.
His empire bonuses are also very good because they have synergy. Breweries now get additional guarding, protecting your stock that you supply to your speakeasies. Speakeasies upgrade costs are also reduced by 5%, allowing you to build your liquor empire very quickly.
Genna also has a number of diplomatic bonuses, provided he honors pacts that have been made. The faction rating increases by one hundred and the earned honor by 50 points, so you will easily make friends among the AI rivals. You'll have to sever those ties eventually, but Angelo is overall better suited for diplomacy than many of the other rivals. We think he's one of the best mob bosses in the game.
Model of the Sai wing
Let's cut to the chase: Sai Wing Mock's Death Blossoms combat skill is insane. As long as he has line of sight, he can throw three poison bombs that explode on impact with the ground. It's guaranteed to hit anyone nearby, dealing massive damage, and poisoning anyone who steps into the gas left behind. It's devastating!
The one thing you definitely need to keep in mind is that you don't want to throw poison gas bombs into confined spaces. Any ally who enters the poison clouds left behind will be poisoned immediately, including Mock. Keep that in mind and he's nearly unstoppable.
His empire and diplomatic bonuses are also quite good, although there is no real synergy. The extra brothel guard and reduced cost of casino games make his adventure in the 'leisure' industry rather smooth, while his 'Enemy of my enemy' diplomacy bonus ensures that a rival gang with which it has a trade agreement, is not reduced when concluding a truce or a trade agreement with an enemy of this faction. If it weren't for the slight lack of synergy in empire bonuses, Sai Wing Mock would be the best Mafia boss in the game.
Mabel Ryley
Mabel Ryley took over the Alley Cats after her husband was "taken care of". It's unclear if she did it, or if other people were involved in her murder, but one thing is certain: Ryley has a ruthless streak and a knack for getting what she wants.
Its greatest strength lies in the Trickster's Shot combat skill. Marking multiple targets, she will fire a shot that ricochets between them, with anyone caught in the crossfire taking damage and having the “Deep Wounds” effect applied. It causes them to take damage at the start of each turn and that's a big chunk of damage.
She also has a decent diplomatic bonus. Having a 10% increased chance of the deals going the way she wants is a big deal, especially if the terms of the deal are obviously in her favor.
The downside is that the casinos are quite risky and Ryley goes out of his way for his empire bonuses. That said, a 10% discount on security upgrades and a 25% discount on his looted casinos is nothing to sniff at, especially when his other abilities are so good! If you're open to headbutting, then Ryley is a great choice.
Maggie Dyer
Maggie Dyer is a lion tamer with a full circus ringmaster outfit, and she's a badass. His combat skills aren't fancy, but they do do a few important things. Her whip wraps around an enemy's neck, before she yanks them out of cover. For good measure, she also punches them in the mouth when the enemy gets up, dealing decent damage. Best used to pull stronger enemies into a more vulnerable position and can turn the tide of a skirmish.
His empire bonuses aren't that bad either. Having less chance of its stowaways being attacked is a good thing, while a 20% reduction in security fees for brothels is a huge saving. Unfortunately, there's little synergy here with the bonuses themselves, putting her at a slight disadvantage, but they're decent bonuses at least.
Since Dyer has a more volatile personality, her would-be allies won't be as annoyed if she breaks treaties or trade deals, allowing her crew to take what they want and when a rival is bled. , stab him in the back. . She's one of the best low-key bosses in the game, but it takes her some time to figure out exactly how to best utilize her talents.
Goldie Garneau
For beginners, Goldie Garneau is a good choice. Her Killer Queen combat skill allows her to target up to three separate enemies, shooting them with bullets that ignore armor. This is especially useful when facing mafia boss fights.
Additionally, she has boosted speakeasies revenue – presumably because she is a star in her own right and her name attracts bettors. It also has a small reduction in the cost of casino upgrades, which isn't fabulous but better than nothing.
Her talents also ensure that people don't freak out when she flexes her muscles in enemy territory. If she shares a district with a rival, the amount of threat generated is reduced by 50%. She's not the best mob boss, but she's definitely better than most.
Al Capone
In real life, Alphonse Capone was one of the most infamous mob bosses, and for very good reason. While widely believed to be responsible for the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, Capone has been portrayed in films by Hollywood greats such as Robert De Niro in The Untouchables.
It's really ironic that Empire of Sin is asking Al Capone's organization to reduce the risk of infections in all brothels because the cause of his death was due to complications from syphilis. However, it's a useful bonus to have, as STDs are extremely bad for your crew to contract. More fitting is the bonus to breweries his faction gives, allowing you to create regular brew early in the game. His passive faction rating gain in defensive pacts is also very good.
Really, it's just a shame that his combat skills are a bit off. Rain of Fire has Capone fire a Tommy Gun into a cone for the next round, anyone who enters it is suppressed and takes damage, anyone including your guys and girls. It's a double-edged sword on most maps, as you'll want to get up close to take pot shots with the rest of your team. It also stops as soon as Capone gets shot, like with Overwatch. While certainly not the worst combat skill in the game for a boss, Capone's skills are definitely found elsewhere.
Frankie Donovan
Frankie Donovan is an Irish brawler who is no stranger to scrap. Armed with a shillelagh, Dovovan's 'Unleash Fury' combat skill has him rambling up to an enemy and hitting them repeatedly. If the enemy dies as a result of the slaughter, Donovan recovers all his AP to use immediately.
However, each time Donovan uses this skill, he exhausts himself for two turns. Melee damage is reduced by 20% and he receives penalties for his movement (2 cells) and his melee skill (-50).
Although his combat skill has a pretty bad downside, his empire bonuses have great synergy. Speakeasies have a reduced Word of Mouth stat upgrade cost, while increased brewery production rates ensure your speakeasies are well stocked with liquor. He also has fewer negative effects with factions his crew was previously at war with, meaning he can switch allegiances when it suits him. It's not that flashy, but it does the job.
Dion O'Banion
Capone's bloodiest rival in real life, Charles Dean “Dion” O'Banion was an Irish Catholic who began his criminal career as a bootlegger. So his empire bonus for reducing brewery upkeep by 15% and the ambiance cost of speakeasies by 20% are appropriate and valuable bonuses to have.
However, he is a bit of a double crosser, so diplomatic bonuses may not work to your advantage. Truces last half as long, while trade deals are 20% harder than for everyone else. That's a big downside, but there's a good reason for his inclusion: his combat skill is pretty insane.
“Blastphemy” has O'Banion pull out a shotgun with explosive slugs, which, upon hitting an opponent, is guaranteed to knock them back and destroy their armor in the process. For bulkier Bodyguards, this greatly reduces the time it takes to kill them. If you're a hyper-aggressive mob boss who doesn't need friends, then O'Banion might be the boss for you.
Frank Ragen
Sometimes introducing a bat to the face does the job, and Frank Ragen is no stranger to meeting and battling. His Home Run combat skill smashes an enemy's face with his baseball bat. If Ragen kills the enemy with his bat, he will get the “Batter Up!” Which will make him hit any enemy who gets too close to him with his bat. Since it can move immediately after the first hit, you can use it to potentially down two enemies at once.
Along with having a pretty good, but not the best ability, Ragen also has two empire bonuses that sync well with each other. Speakeasy upkeep costs are reduced by 15%, while production at breweries is up 5% compared to most competitors, so it's worth specializing in the liquor business.
His diplomatic bonus is also very good. When riding with a crew of 6 or more, the amount of threat produced by its crew is reduced by 20% compared to what it would be if you had six or more allies in your current party. He might be a little vulnerable in fights as his ability relies on attacking one enemy at a time, but other than that, Frank is a pretty good choice.
Joseph Saltis
This Slovak-American mobster was one of the worst performers in real life, but one of the few not to be absorbed into Al Capone's criminal organization until much later. He was, however, one of the first to start providing speakeasies when the Prohibition era began. However, his territory was quickly taken over by Capone and he fled to Wisconsin.
Saltis' combat skill is Stampede, which causes him to charge forward, plowing his great mace into an opponent with sheer force. This causes them to take damage and knocks them back. This can be very useful with some troublesome enemies, but it puts Saltis at risk of being destroyed. If you lose your mob boss, it's game over.
To compensate for this risky game, Saltis has excellent bonuses for opening speakeasies. They automatically start at the second level of upgrades when opened, and the threat level is much lower when opened. Unfortunately, this doesn't really work in synergy with increasing brothel revenue, so supplying speakeasies with booze can be tricky. Still, it hits with the force of a bull and it's worth considering.
Daniel Mckee Jackson
If you choose Daniel Mckee Jackson, you're not choosing him exactly because of his lack of combat prowess, but rather his fantastic late-game ability to reduce threat generation by 25% with a large empire. Picking Jackson means you're hoping to play the long game, or just grow as quickly as possible.
His empire bonuses go a long way to doing just that. Brothels are 25% less likely to be looted, while casino revenue is increased by 20%. If you can make sure there's a steady flow of cash, you're sure to catch up before your rivals.
Getting territory might be the hardest thing for Jackson. Her combat skill is extremely situational, but dear lord is she powerful in these circumstances. If the enemies are all low on health, Jackson can unload an entire clip from his pistol to deal damage to a target. If that target dies, it moves to another within range, and so on until the clip is empty or all nearby enemies are dead.
Additionally, each enemy kill reduces the cooldown of this ability, so killing many enemies causes it to activate sooner. But as mentioned before, it's extremely situational. You're more likely to end up swimming with the fish than having an unlikely potential killing spree. He's definitely the one to take for his empire bonuses rather than his combat skills.
Stephanie St. Clair
Although she never set foot in Chicago in real life, Stephanie St. Clair was known for hosting a numbers game in Harlem and was an activist in the black community. She has been rightly dubbed “the queen of political rackets” by some. For a time, St. Clair's gaming network remained untouched until the end of Prohibition, when mobsters like Dutch Schultz waded into its business interests.
The game is part of St. Clair's main empire bonus, with a 20% reduced security cost for its casinos. Although the Card Sharks were never said to have produced any alcohol, brewery storage costs are also reduced by 20%. These are great bonuses, but Stephanie has a few decent tricks up her sleeve.
The first is the diplomatic bonus. Every time she opens a casino, the neighborhood threat generation is half of what it would be for anyone else. This means the cops will be knocking on doors less often, and the locals' mood won't be as tense. Her combat bonus is also great in a pinch, as she can command her allies around her to fire at a target at the same time.
Where his blueprint stands out is the range at which his ability activates. Allies must be close enough to her to attack, and they must also be able to see the target. It's downright dangerous when thrown explosives come into play, as you'll clump your crew together in such a way that a well-aimed molotov can take out multiple targets at once. Use it at your own risk.
Reyna Salazar
Salazar Reyna is a Mexican mobster who made it to Chicago with ruthless tactics. Chief among these is his combat skill: Santa Muerte. When activated, Reyna will shoot all enemies in the very large circle, admittedly. This is very good for dealing with clusters of enemies, or whenever Reyna is surrounded.
His empire bonuses are decent, but lack that desirable synergy. Still, a steep cut in ambiance costs for more attractive brothels and casinos is not something to sniff out.
Reyna is not really willing to make new friends. His diplomatic bonus is anything but, since threat generation is reduced by 50% when his gang kills another boss. This is good because you are less likely to draw the ire of the rest of the AI gangs for taking care of a rival. If you're a very aggressive player who just wants to punch enemies, then Reyna isn't a terrible option. Remember that he is not phenomenally successful in economics.
Elvira Duarte
Sometimes the best allies are your enemies: as Elvira Duarte's Devil's Breath combat skill proves. It's a charming short-range ability that lasts four turns, but will make the enemy your ally for a good chunk of any battle. If she's controlling a powerful enemy, that's one less problem to deal with and the numbers will be in her favor.
It's a good thing that her combat skills are really good, because she's otherwise pretty mediocre. While the reduction in cost of brothel security is significant and the additional casino guard is handy, they don't really synergize well. However, increasing the faction's rating each time it makes a non-aggression pact with other factions is very helpful as it means rivals are less likely to overtake it at first. Unfortunately, there's not much to say about Duarte, other than that she's probably the most difficult boss to succeed with.
And this is the list. When the two expansion passes arrive for Empire of Sin, it's likely there will be at least one or two new faces to add to the roster. We'll keep an eye out to see how they stack up against our current racketeer king and queen, but until then, get out there and make Chicago yours!
