Intro:
This is PART 2 of the complete guide to all the Damage Heroes in the game. As the “Damage” category would suggest, these characters specialize in causing a lot of damage as quickly and efficiently as possible. As it is largest category of roles, the heroes featured here also happen to have the greatest variety in functions. Each of them has a place in the game, so this guide will provide insight to each Damage hero’s value.
Disclaimer: This Guide will always be under construction, either through updating information or adding more content as more new heroes are released in the game. I will be doing updates accordingly for as long as I continue to play the game.
Calhoun
Overview
Strengths:
+Frequent backline attacker
+Good AOE skills
+Useful Friendship Disks
+Has comeback factor
+Has Evasion
Weaknesses:
-Slow attacker
-Naturally very weak without comeback mechanic
-Impact relies on downed teammates
Gameplay:
Calhoun is a backline hero who specializes in Normal Damage. She is quite good at inflicting damage on multiple targets, with “Dynamite Gal” and “Cybugeddon” being particularly focused on favoring the backline. With both skills on modest cool downs, Calhoun rarely misses a chance to spread damage accoss the map. Unfortunately, she is naturally very weak, only capable of causing chip damage under normal circumstances. However, she has the potential to turn things around should things start to fall apart. “Sweet Revenge” is a skill that does exactly what you think–vengeance through lethal force. Whenever Calhoun loses a teammate, she gains a rather significant boost to her Basic Damage. Not only will this improve her regular attacks, it also bolsters the damage potential of “Laser Blast” to very threatening levels. This power boost stacks with each ally KO’d, so her comeback factor is nothing to sneeze at. In practice, bringing out her full potential is very, very difficult to pull off, so she often finds herself competing against more reliable backline snipers like Merida and Robin Hood.
Friendship Disks:
Calhoun’s disks gives her more opportunities to apply damage in different ways. Felix’s disk increases Calhoun’s Basic Damage, so it directly improves the power of her Laser Blast. She also gets improved energy gain, which compensates for her lackluster attack speed and allowing her to use Laser Blast sooner and more often. Violet’s disk allows Calhoun to grant her entire team with strong, long-lasting shields at the beginning of every fight. Generally speaking, this makes a great impact on her team’s survivability, allowing everyone a little more resistance against early bursts of damage. Violet’s disk tends to be more useful in many situations, but the raw power of Felix’s disk is also easy to use if Calhoun has more defensive teammates.
Team Options:
Through the use of Violet’s disk, Calhoun can fit in very defensive teams that abuses shields. Of course, this means she works well with Violet and Baymax, but Kevin(Qu), Alice(Qu), and Moana(Mi) are also very notable teammates. Calhoun is fairly mediocre by herself, but she can work together with allies that can help cover her weaknesses. Speed boosters like Goofy, Alice, Anger, or Duke Caboom are great choices for sure, but Woody and especially Animal make for exceptional partners. Not only can they giver her speed, they can also give her more Basic Damage too, which Calhoun will always appreciate. Mickey is an alternative supporting ally who can bestow her an amazing power boost along with some life-saving heals. She is definitely appreciative of allies that can do some nasty Armor shredding like Bo Peep, Merida, or Timon & Pumbaa(Sc), so consider them if you really want to fit Calhoun in a team.
Counters:
Calhoun stands pretty far at the back, and she is unfortunately completely unable to fight off backline divers such as Darkwing Duck, Mr. Incredible, Aladdin, and Moana(Me). Such heroes can quickly KO Calhoun at an earlier point in a fight, preventing her from ever using her Sweet Revenge. The same can almost be said about backline snipers as well. She especially has to be careful against Elsa, Jack Skellington, and Merida, as their skills can always reach her no matter who else is at the back with her. Rex may also get a special mention as he can very quickly eat away at her shields if she has Violet’s disk on.
Darkwing Duck
Overview
Strengths:
+Extremely mobile
+Incredibly efficient skillset
+Reliable backline counter
+Useful Friendship disks
+Good synergy
Weaknesses:
-Terrible Reality Growth
-Susceptible to AOE attacks
-Generally ineffective against frontline targets
Gameplay:
Ever since his introduction as one of the very earliest heroes of 2019, Darkwing more or less foreshadowed the rising power creep of every new batch of heroes that followed after him. Darkwing was greatly coveted due to his highly efficient skillset which focuses on stealth and agility. Much like certain other vigilante heroes who wear masks and capes, Darkwing is specifically designed to be really good at slipping past bulky frontline enemies so that he may reach the frailer, more vulnerable backline. Even backline targets with a strong defensive response like Elsa and Animal will have a difficult time pinning him down thanks to the utilities of “Shadow Stalker” and “Knockout”, providing himself with plenty on opportunities to do lots of damage without fear of retaliation. Indeed, Darkwing is a Damage hero who executes his job with a lot finesse, but recently he finds himself competing against other heroes who can achieve the same results through brute force rather than subtlety. Still, he remains a force to be reckoned with, especially in Coliseum and Guild Wars. He can very good in City Watch and Invasion Breaker Quests, but he will greatly struggle against Mama Bots.
Friendship Disks:
Both of Darkwing’s disks further add to the efficiency of his execution in combat. With Nick’s disk, Darkwing becomes yet another shield punisher, slowing down shielded targets he attacks. He gets a generous boost in his Basic Damage, Skill Power, and HP, making this disk very useful even when he doesn’t have to deal with shields. Mr. Indredible’s disk on the other hand punishes critical hits instead–specifically those that are directed at him. The first four times he suffers a critical hit, he counters by stunning that enemy in response. This disk was one of the earliest ways to counter Merlin before the introduction of Timon & Pumbaa. To this day, having Darkwing equipped with this disk is still an effective alternative response for countering Merlin, especially in Coliseum where you may need Timon & Pumbaa to deal with a different team and so you can’t have them to deal with Merlin directly.
Team Options:
Since Darkwing has such a highly efficient skillset, he does tend to play well with just about anyone. As such, consider him a strong pick especially when you have to face a team with key backline threats. Still he could use some help while he’s at it. Mickey(Ja) is a great support who gives Darkwing an incredible power boost. While this may be considered overkill against most backline heroes, the power boost and healing he receives does ease his match ups against tougher frontline targets. Of course, Meg can be linked with Darkwing for the same effect, and Darkwing’s invisibility and stuns usually means Meg will take a little less passive damage than usual. However, be wary of how this affects the rest of the team synergy, as you would be restricted in your choices of heroes who cannot be more front than Darkwing in order for him and Meg to link up. Besides a few notable mentions, Darkwing will generally enjoy the speed boosting of allies like Goofy, Woody, or Animal.
Counters:
While it’s true that Darkwing is meant to elude brawny frontline targets so that he can get to the backline, he will definitely struggle against such targets should he be forced to face them head on. Hercules, Beast, and Miss Piggy are a just a few examples of heroes that can beat him at close range. He struggles even more so against teams that are creative enough to not need vulnerable backline heroes as much. For example, Hercules(Ma) can lead a multi-tank comp with invincibility that’s nearly impossible for Darkwing to even scratch. Though not really direct counters, Finnick and Mad Hatter can cause slows that are absolutely debilitating for Darkwing to deal with. In a similar sense, Rex and Timon & Pumbaa can peel Darkwing off the backline to make things a little harder for him in general, but they also can’t really shut down Darkwing by themselves. The presence of Hakuna Matata will greatly mitigate Darkwing’s specialty of Normal damage though.
Dash
Overview
Strengths:
+High burst damage
+Strong projectile counter
+Has Evasion
+High energy gain
Weaknesses:
-Susceptible to melee attacks
-Poor Reality growth
-Vulnerable positioning
Gameplay:
While Dash himself doesn’t use any speed-boosting skills, his signature power of speed is better reflected by his remarkable energy gain. “Confidence Boost” essentially allows him to use “Swift Strike” much sooner and much more frequently. This is how he uses his speed–as a weapon of raw damage. Dash also has access to a quick burst of Normal damage and can occasionally protect allies from hostile projectile attacks. This makes Dash a very balanced fighter, in theory, and also does rather well against comps that rely on long-range attacks as a primary source of damage. That being said, the offensive side of his playstyle carries some risky implications. Dash is a midline hero, but he is primarily a melee fighter. His regular attacks and “Getting Punchy” cause him to physically run up to the melee range of his chosen target, making him highly susceptible to taking a lot of unnecessary hits in the process. Even with that in mind, Dash’s weaponized speed power can be used as an undeniable force in most game modes. He tends to struggle in the ever-volatile Arena environment, but he will have plenty of chances to shine in Coliseum and Guild Wars.
Friendship Disks:
Dash’s disks provide him with some rather unique utilities. Finnick’s disk gives Dash the ability to deplete energy from enemies whenever he attacks. This does give him a little more influence over the flow of battle, but this disk is exceptionally weak at low star levels. Violet’s disk on the other hand makes Dash a powerful shield breaker, which does carve a pretty solid niche for him. Even without the presence of shields that need punishing, the Skill Power this disk gives is a wonderful treat. Technically speaking, Finnick’s disk is easier to use in more situations. However, while it’s true that Violet’s disk is relatively more situational, it still tends to be more favored a lot of the time. This is because even though both disks may increase Skill Power, Violet’s disk simply offers more of it. This bonus Skill Power directly improves the most important parts of Dash’s skillset, so keep that in mind when choosing to invest on either disks.
Team Options:
Dash naturally loves speed boosting from the likes of Goofy, Woody, Animal, and others. More speed actually makes him much harder to pin down, and this usually means he’s less susceptible to being hit as he attacks while still enjoying the obvious benefits of speed boosts. Bo Peep can make for an interesting partner. Together, they can deny a great deal of damage coming from projectiles. Of course, it should come as no surprise that he works well with any member of his family. He particularly appreciates the protection he receives from Violet’s shields. As a hero that specializes in Normal damage, he partners well with Study users like Barbossa, Baymax, and Robin Hood and/or Armor shredders like Bo Peep(Wo), Merida, Mr. Incredible(El), and Simba & Nala. Lastly, consider making an ally out of Joy, Kevin, or Sally(Ya), as these heroes can give Dash some much needed Reality stats.
Counters:
Dash will have a very difficult time gaining momentum especially when he is being delayed at the beginning of the fight. Baymax(Ol) and Yax(Fi) can be considered as soft-counters for this reason. Timon & Pumbaa(St) and their Hakuna Matata are very, very annoying for Dash to deal with. The insane Armor this grants is a very difficult hurdle for Dash to overcome in most cases. Dash is typically very vulnerable against potent melee fighters. The Beast and Miss Piggy are some of the biggest threats to him. Dash unfortunately has naturally pathetic Reality, so Ducky & Bunny and Jafar(Sc) can devastate him very early on. Anger is almost as much of a key threat, although he does have to build up power before becoming a real threat. And lastly, Dash should watch out for heroes that specialize in potent damage over time. Jack Skellington (who has high Armor) with his splashing pumpkins and Sally with her relentless poison can put a lot of pressure on Dash with their Fantastic Damage. Their damage over time will continue to affect Dash, even when he can avoid them with Swift Strike, the burning/poison is inescapable.
Ducky & Bunny
Overview
Strengths:
+Incredible damage potential
+Diverse attack patterns
+Great synergy
+Very high durability
+Has Evasion
Weaknesses:
-Susceptible to CC
-No spatial control
Gameplay:
Ducky & Bunny has become the new standard of power. They are extremely potent damage dealers, capable of causing wicked amounts of destruction at a rate that was never seen before their introduction. Their offensive skills specialize on Fanatastic damage, and they are arguably one of the absolute best when it comes to using Fantastic damage. Their attack patterns are also incredibly versatile–being capable of using AOE attacks to hurt multiple enemies as well as using “Plush Rush” to snipe a backline target. As a frontline unit, they are gifted with remarkable durability, boasting incredible HP that can make most Tanks blush, and a self-healing skill with “Extra Fluffy”. They truly are an incredible force with weaknesses that are easy to work around with. They are highly effective in any game mode, leaving a trail of devastation in their wake.
Friendship Disks:
Ducky & Bunny’s disks provide them with extra utilities to enhance their performance and team synergy. Timon & Pumbaa’s disk adds a stun effect to Carney Clash and a burn effect on Laser Eyes. The burning effect is particularly great, as Laser Eyes is already one of their best moves. This also gives an extra bit of Evasion, making them less susceptible to disables. The stun effect, however, is only specific to Damage heroes. Merlin’s disk increases Basic Damage as well as granting more stats for Control and Support allies. Support allies will get more improves healing and Control allies more attack speed. Technically speaking, these disks are somewhat situational, so switch them around in accordance to team composition and/or strategies.
Team Options:
Because of the straightforward nature of their skillset, Ducky & Bunny are very easy to fit in nearly any team. They should simply be considered a strong pick especially when a team is in need of a solid Fantastic Damage specialist. They are team Blue’s best option for Fantastic damage, so they should be constantly be teamed with Genie and Meg. Speaking of which, Meg is one their very best Support partners. Her link grants them even more firepower, and they can easily replace nearly any Tank Hero with her help. Their power has been infamously paired with Jafar(Sc). The combination of Whirling Dervish being immediately followed up with Laser Eyes and Plush Rush has been a proven formula that can wipe out unprepared teams in an instant.
Counters:
There aren’t really any heroes that can directly counter and explicitly shut them down, but there are ways to exploit the gaps that they leave wide open. Joy cannot directly counter their presence, and she can easily be pressured or even sniped out by the use of Laser Eyes and Plush Rush. However, Joy can potentially build enough stacks of Happiness that can last for the entire fight, even when she is KO’d. This protection that she bestows upon her team is often enough to provide plenty of opportunities for retaliation. Sally(Ya) and Kevin can also offer this kind of protection to a certain degree. And that’s the key here, really. Should a team be capable of surviving that initial burst of damage coming from Laser Eyes and Plush Rush, then almost any strategy can be employed as a counter against them. For example, relentless freezing from Elsa/Olaf/Merida(El), or a scare-lock from Jack Skellington/Mike(Su), or transformation abuse from Merlin/Barbossa(Ti)/Aladdin will become viable methods. Baymax(Ol), Yax, and Bogo(Ca) may not really be counters to Ducky & Bunny, they can serve as checks. Baymax can freeze them at the beginning of the fight, Yax can slow them, and Bogo can stun. These delays are key ways of opening opportunities to deal a lot of damage to these menacing plush toys. Maleficent can sometimes do a great service, especially with her Forest of Thorns, but she is otherwise helpless from Ducky & Bunny’s assault if they are lucky enough to evade her stuns.
Duke Caboom
Overview
Strengths:
+High damage potential
+Good utilities
+Great synergy
+Very good White Skill
Weaknesses:
-Vulnerable positioning
-Mediocre close range fighter
Gameplay:
Speed and power are Duke’s specialty, showcasing surprising flexibility in his skillset despite its relative simplicity. Duke mostly specializes in causing a lot of Normal damage, but a well-invested “Stunt Double” allows him to also do decent Fantastic damage over time. The speed boost he gives to the whole team, especially because it’s early on, is a key move that helps swing the momentum of the match to his favor. The fact that he provides this speed periodically makes him a favourite pick for any team comp. He is great in any game mode, and his speedy shenanigans can take a team pretty far in any given situation.
Yes I Can-ada!:
Duke Caboom’s Red Skill is just about as simple as the rest of his skillset. The main effect of this skill is that it increases the damage done by Stunt Spectacular by 30%. This is a lot bigger than it sounds–the damage will be shot up to nearly sky-high levels, and this is improving the damage on a skill that is practically unstoppable once it activates. Should you choose to invest on his skill, be highly diligent in keeping up with levels. The bonus damage will be much less effective on max level enemies should you fail to keeping up with investments. But at the very least, Duke’s Red Skill does come with bonus HP, Skill Power, and additional damage for Stunt Double. The Skill Power in particular offers a very generous boost, directly improving the damage of Stunt Spectacular (and Pop A Wheelie) even without the 30% damage bonus. Overall, it is a relatively simple skill that doesn’t affect Duke’s playstyle too much, but does provide him with nifty stat bonuses.
Friendship Disks:
Duke has a Friendship disk with Woody that gives an added effect to his Oh Yeah skill. With it, Duke will heal the entire team every time he uses Oh Yeah. The strength of the healing is based on a percentage of his max HP, and it increases for every star level. The disk also improves his own personal HP and Armor, making him more durable overall.
Team Options:
Duke is very easy to fit in a variety of teams. Toy Story heroes are unsurprisingly great choices for him. He is especially fond of Woody, who can pull hard-to-reach targets in so that they can be devastated by Pop A Wheelie. Of Course, Woody is also a great partner to abuse speed with, along with Goofy and Animal. Alice and Judy are also excellent speed-boosters that are capable of initiating a strong tempo with their own cooldown-based speed boosts. Heroes that can direct attention away from Duke are also amazing to work with, especially Aladdin and Gonzo. Mickey(Ja) is an exceptional high-utility hero who can provide great healing while also increasing Duke’s damage potential. His absolute best partner is Meg. With her Link, Duke can safely build Energy to consistently use Stunt Spectacular. If he has his Red Skill unlocked, Meg’s presence can almost guarantee Duke the chance to pull off a team wipe.
Counters:
Duke tends to have losing match-ups against powerful melee fighters. The Beast, Miss Piggy, and Ducky & Bunny can easily and quickly outmatch him at close range. They can even heal themselves to mitigate much of the damage Duke will do. Hercules is an interesting response to Duke. His invincibility makes it very hard for Duke to get past him. The only way for Duke to overcome these characters is to use Stunt Spectacular in an attempt to temporarily escape them and do damage to their allies. However, Duke cannot reliably beat them is most cases. He surprisingly has a difficult time against Alice as well. The damage caused by this Stunt Spectacular cause her to turn enormous rather early, and she will avoid much of his damage in the process. Her destructive tendencies during her enormous state are extremely difficult for him to deal with.
More in Part 3 (CLICK HERE!)
