Jebus Cross

Yeah, and in the utopias, Ivor is better and can take a hit just as well as Mephala.
Of course, Ivor is the best choice for most neutral creatures. But I wouldn't rely on elves in Fortress battles. Just my opinion.

As far as I understand Jebus, there's not much point in focusing on him in Fortress battles. Two things are mainly important:
1) To eat as much as possible in the first week.
2) To get to the center as early as possible in the second week (ideally on day 121-122).

Point 2 directly depends on point 1. An extra 2-3 days in the center, and specializing in armor will look like a weak strategy compared to stats and power.

So, Ivor, in addition to being the most powerful rampart hero, also has an army that is much stronger in the hands of a beginner than Mephala's army in the hands of a beginner. And this opens up opportunities for building chains, eating more valuable resources, and scouting respawn points more effectively.

I can imagine a scenario where Mephala's advantages are more important - early hives, fast growth (attacking first), but on average, Ivor seems like a more stable option.