Difference between revisions of "Drain Teams"

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'''Placeholder / WIP by Reika'''
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'''Originally written by Reika.'''
  
 
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==Overview==
 
==Overview==
  
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Drain Teams are built around [[Rama]]'s [[Drain Pierce]] passive. The team typically runs demons with high Drain resistances, and is sometimes combined with other archetypes like [[Intimidating Stance Teams]].
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Drain Teams are built around [[Rama]]'s [[Drain Pierce]] or [[Demiurge]]'s [[Supreme Creator]] Passive Skills.
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They are a subgroup of the Anti Pierce Teams, which are composed of one Demon that has an Anti Pierce Skill ([[Rama]]/[[Demiurge]]/[[Alilat]]/[[Atavaka]]), which makes the other party Demons, that have draining/repelling attributes, immune to Pierce attacks to those respective Elements.
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 +
They are especially strong against Teams that heavily or completely rely on AoE Skills, because they either cannot attack, or they attack and lose Press Turns.
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 +
To counter Anti Pierce Teams, the adversary has to down the Demon with the Anti Pierce Skill first, what's usually not so easy for Teams focused on AoE attacks.
  
 
===Concept===
 
===Concept===
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*[[Rama]]'s [[Drain Pierce]] passive prevents Piercing skills from working on Drain resistances.
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** Pierce is very widespread in PVP, especially Physical Pierce.
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*[[Drain Pierce]] and [[Supreme Creator]] Passives prevent Piercing skills from working on Drain resistances, while [[Repel Pierce]], [[False God]] and [[War Aid]] prevent Piercing skills from working on Repel resistances.
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** Rama is one of three demons who can provide Anti-Pierce, and the only one which targets Drain.
+
 
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*Drain Pierce protects your team from being swept by Pierce. Enemies will either attack into it and lose Press Turns, or be forced to choose a different action such as passing. Both work to your advantage.  
+
*Pierce is very widespread in PvP and on some PvE areas, especially Physical Pierce.
 +
 
 +
*Running an evasive Anti Pierce Demon + 3 Demons with Drain/Repel Phys attributes or [[Drain Phys]]/[[Repel Phys]] Passives essentially provides the Team immunity to Physical damage. The same is true for other Elements, but Physical immunity is, usually, more important than all others, because a Demon unable to use an AoE Skill can still make a normal Physical attack, which could be devastating if the Anti Pierce Demon was downed.
 +
 
 +
*Drain/Repel Pierce protects your Team from being swept by Piercing Skills. Enemies will either attack into it and lose Press Turns, or be forced to choose a different action such as passing. Both work to your advantage.  
  
 
===Pros and Cons===
 
===Pros and Cons===
  
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
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*Rama is a very flexible unit, capable of acting as a powerful Mage with his signature [[Brahmastra]] or a support with discounted [[Luster Candy]].
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*Many Demons have Drain/Repel resistances, giving you a high degree of control over your team composition.
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*Many demons have Drain resistances, giving you a high degree of control over your team composition.
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*As the minimum requirement is having Rama plus one other Drain demon, you can form Hybrid teams by combining with other archetypes such as [[Intimidating Stance Teams]].
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*As the minimum requirement is having one Drain/Repel Pierce Demon plus one other Drain/Repel Demon, you can form hybrid Teams by combining with other strategies, such as [[Intimidating Stance Teams]].
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*Not too reliant on battle speed, allows you to ignore the speed war.  
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 +
*Not too reliant on Battle Speed, allowing you to ignore who goes first at the beginning of the Waves.
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
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*High entry cost - Rama himself is a gacha exclusive, and most of the good Drain demons are banner exclusives.
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*High entry cost, as [[Rama]], [[Demiurge]] and [[Atavaka]] are Gacha exclusive Demons, and most of the good Drain/Repel demons are banner exclusives, too. The only exception is [[Alilat]], the only fusible Demon with Anti Pierce and one of the lowest Mag cost 5★ Demons to fuse.
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*Does nothing against Almighty damage
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 +
*There's no Drain/Repel resistance against Almighty damage, although that can be somewhat covered by [[Five Elements]], noticing that, unfortunately, [[Huang Long]] itself doesn't have any Drain/Repel attribute.
 +
 
 +
*Anti Pierce Teams only work if the enemies attack with AoE Skills of the Elements the Team can Drain/Repel, otherwise, each will simply target the Demons that are not resistant to its attacks or use AoE that are not drained/repelled by any of Team's Demons.
  
 
==Team==
 
==Team==
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Now lets go in-depth as to how to build this Team.
 
Now lets go in-depth as to how to build this Team.
  
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=== Core Demons===
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===Guidelines===
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The only core demon is Rama, the titular carrier of [[Drain Pierce]].
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*Drain/Repel Teams are not required 3 Drain/Repel demons. It can be simply one Anti Pierce Demon + 1 Drain/Repel Phys demon with 2 non-Drain/non-Repel demons. However, the Team wants at least one Drain/Repel '''Phys''' demon.
 +
 
 +
*Drain/Repel Teams are designed to allow you to survive for at least 1 (or maybe 2) turn, which can often be more than enough to win, depending on your other demons.
 +
 
 +
*Below the core Anti Pierce Demons subsection are only lists of Drain demons. No suggestion for non-Drain demon is given: a lot of freedom is given for building this team. (They can be revivers or damage dealers or ailment cleanser etc.)
 +
 
 +
*The Drain demons themselves are diverse: some are tanky and defensive while others are pure attackers. But there is no requirement to have "1 Drain defensive demon + 1 Drain offensive demon" or any combinations because even Rama + low HP Drain Phys demon can prevent a lot of opposing teams to win in 1 Turn.
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 +
===Core Demons===
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The only core demon is an Anti Pierce Demon. As of September/2021, four Demons have Anti Pierce Skills, [[Rama]], with [[Drain Pierce]] (for Drain Teams), [[Demiurge]], with [[False God]] and [[Supreme Creator]] (for both Repel and Drain Teams), [[Alilat]], with [[Repel Pierce]] (for Repel Teams), and [[Atavaka]], with [[War Aid]] (for Repel Teams).
  
 
====Rama====
 
====Rama====
 
{{DemonIcon|Rama}}
 
{{DemonIcon|Rama}}
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*A very flexible unit, and the cornerstone of this team strat.
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*[[Rama]] is a very flexible unit, capable of acting as a powerful Mage with his signature [[Brahmastra]] or a support with discounted [[Luster Candy]].
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*He can be built as a Support or Mage, depending on your team:
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*He can be built as a Support or Mage, depending on your team. Support build is the most popular.
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**Yellow is his most popular build, as it gives him access to discounted [[Luster Candy]], the strongest non-unique buff in the game. Running him as a support also allows you to focus on survivability, which is important to ensure [[Drain Pierce]] is remains active as long as possible.
+
**For Support builds: Yellow is a popular archetype, as it gives him access to discounted [[Luster Candy]], the strongest non-unique buff in the game. Running him as a support also allows you to focus on survivability, which is important to ensure [[Drain Pierce]] is remains active as long as possible.
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**Purple provides him [[Ice Pierce]]. Combined with his innate [[Mabufudyne]] and decent MAG stat, this lets him act as a powerful Pierce sweeper. This also lets him capitalize on his other unique skill [[Brahmastra]], a devastating Almighty spell that breaks [[Endure]]s and can be spammed near indefinitely thanks to it's MP refund at max level.
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**For Mage builds: Purple provides him [[Ice Pierce]]. Combined with his innate [[Mabufudyne]] and decent MAG stat, this lets him act as a powerful Pierce sweeper. This also lets him capitalize on his other unique skill [[Brahmastra]], a devastating Almighty spell that breaks [[Endure]]s and can be spammed near indefinitely thanks to its MP refund at max level.
 
*His panels are amazing and definitely worth unlocking:
 
*His panels are amazing and definitely worth unlocking:
 
**Panel 1 gives him raw HP (which support builds appreciate) and extra damage on both his spells (benefiting Mage builds).
 
**Panel 1 gives him raw HP (which support builds appreciate) and extra damage on both his spells (benefiting Mage builds).
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**Panel 3 gives him reduced MP cost for all AOE spells. This includes both his attacking spells (6 MP) as well as Luster Candy (5 MP is maxed).
 
**Panel 3 gives him reduced MP cost for all AOE spells. This includes both his attacking spells (6 MP) as well as Luster Candy (5 MP is maxed).
  
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=====Skills and Brands=====
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'''Skills and Brands''':
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*[[Evade]] stacks with his Panel 2 Boost and protects him from Physical skills, most notably [[Masakado]]'s [[Occult Flash]].
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*For Support builds, recommended skills are:
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*[[Enduring Soul]] gives him an extra layer of protection to keep [[Drain Pierce]] active.
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**[[Evade]] stacks with his Panel 2 Boost and protects him from Physical skills, most notably [[Masakado]]'s [[Occult Flash]].
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*[[Butcher]] increases the damage for both his spells.
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**[[Enduring Soul]] gives him an extra layer of protection to keep [[Drain Pierce]] active.
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*[[Auto-Tarunda]] and [[Auto-Rakuka]] are useful spells for initial buff control.
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**[[Auto-Tarunda]] and [[Auto-Rakuka]] are useful spells for initial buff control.
 +
*For Mage builds: [[Butcher]] increases the damage for both his spells.
 
*Either Life or Divine Brands work well on him:
 
*Either Life or Divine Brands work well on him:
 
**Divine Brands allow him to spam his spells repeatedly, especially if you have Panel 3 unlocked. It also allows you to cast [[Luster Candy]] turn 1 going first.
 
**Divine Brands allow him to spam his spells repeatedly, especially if you have Panel 3 unlocked. It also allows you to cast [[Luster Candy]] turn 1 going first.
 
**Life Brands increases his overall survivability.
 
**Life Brands increases his overall survivability.
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**Dodge Brands are the recommended sub-set to abuse Evasion.
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**Dodge Brands are the recommended sub-set to abuse Evasion.
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**You can also go all-in the evade strategy by equipping two sets of Dodge brands. Note that this will not let you cast [[Luster Candy]] T1 unless you also have P3 unlocked.
 +
 
 +
===Demiurge===
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{{DemonIcon|Demiurge}}
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*Currently, the only Demon that can support Repel and Drain Demons at the same time, greatly opening the options for Team building, as both types of demons may be used at the same time.
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*He can be built for damage or for evasion, adding either damage when repelling piercing attacks or healing when draining.
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*Demiurge's Purple Archetype is immune to Mortal Skills, making it harder to down in PvP.
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 +
===Atavaka===
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{{DemonIcon|Atavaka}}
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*[[Atavaka]] has the [[Enemy Annihilation]] AoE Skill, which debuffs all enemies before inflicting Phys Pierce damage, which is a Chain Effect and, therefore, even if it misses or is countered, the Team doesn't lose Press Turns.
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*He has [[Intimidating Stance]] in Purple Archetype, punishing the enemy Team even before it starts fighting.
  
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=== Combo Demons ===
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===Alilat===
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Combo Demons for the Drain Team strat generally have either a high number of Drain resistances, or Drain a specific popular element. Due to widespread Phys Pierce in PVP, demons with [[Drain Phys]] are popular with this strat.
+
{{DemonIcon|Alilat}}
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*[[Alilat]] is one of the cheapest fusible 5★ Demons, so it's relatively easy to get one fully panelled.
 +
 
 +
=== Drain Phys Demons ===
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Due to widespread Phys Pierce in PVP, demons with [[Drain Phys]] are popular with this strat. It is recommended you run at least one [[Drain Phys]] demon to avoid getting sweeped by Phys Pierce. Running three Drain Phys demons with Evasive Rama is a popular strat to wall off Physical teams.
  
 
====Masakado====
 
====Masakado====
 
{{DemonIcon|Masakado}}
 
{{DemonIcon|Masakado}}
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*The OG PVP Nightmare, [[Masakado]] gains [[Drain Phys]] in Teal.
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*The OG PVP Nightmare, [[Masakado]] is a physical powerhouse who gains [[Drain Phys]] in Teal.
 
*Still one of the most powerful demons in the game. Not only does he posses innate [[Intimidating Stance]] and Pierce, his signature [[Occult Flash]] is a high-damage, high-critical single target Physical skill that inflicts Mortal (instant Death).
 
*Still one of the most powerful demons in the game. Not only does he posses innate [[Intimidating Stance]] and Pierce, his signature [[Occult Flash]] is a high-damage, high-critical single target Physical skill that inflicts Mortal (instant Death).
 
**His high Synergy with Rama is one of the reason double [[Intimidating Stance]] is so often run alongside Drain Teams.  
 
**His high Synergy with Rama is one of the reason double [[Intimidating Stance]] is so often run alongside Drain Teams.  
 +
*'''[[Masakado]] is the closest you'll get to a second core demon for this strat.''' There is little reason not to use him if you do have him.
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 +
'''Skills and Brands''':
 
*[[Phys Amp]] and [[Epitome of Carnage]] are good options to boost his damage.
 
*[[Phys Amp]] and [[Epitome of Carnage]] are good options to boost his damage.
 
*[[Great Aim]] and [[Epitome of Aggression]] can be used to patch up his shaky accuracy.
 
*[[Great Aim]] and [[Epitome of Aggression]] can be used to patch up his shaky accuracy.
 
*Auto skills allow him to further support his team. Players who run this build typically use him purely for inflicting Mortal via [[Occult Flash]].
 
*Auto skills allow him to further support his team. Players who run this build typically use him purely for inflicting Mortal via [[Occult Flash]].
 
*Usually runs Life brands to compensate for his rather low HP. Aim brands are the recommended sub-set.
 
*Usually runs Life brands to compensate for his rather low HP. Aim brands are the recommended sub-set.
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*[[Masakado]] is the closest you'll get to a second core demon for this strat. '''There is little reason not to use him if you do have him.'''
 
  
 
====Susano-o A====
 
====Susano-o A====
 
{{DemonIcon|Susano-o A}}
 
{{DemonIcon|Susano-o A}}
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*[[Susano-o A]] gains [[Drain Phys]] in Teal.
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*[[Susano-o A]] is a defense-team oriented Physical Nuker that gains [[Drain Phys]] in Teal.
 +
*He also naturally Drains Force, allowing him to counter Force sweepers like [[Baal]], [[Garuda A]] and [[Cu Chulainn A]].
 
*His unique passive, [[Heavenly Valor]] punishes the enemy for Passing. As such, he is usually used as a dedicated Defense Team demon.
 
*His unique passive, [[Heavenly Valor]] punishes the enemy for Passing. As such, he is usually used as a dedicated Defense Team demon.
 
*[[Violent Slash]] is a hard-hitting single target Physical attack that grows in power the more it is cast.  
 
*[[Violent Slash]] is a hard-hitting single target Physical attack that grows in power the more it is cast.  
 
**Don't let that description fool you tho: The skill has 150 Base Power initially (equal to [[Dragon Blade]]'s initial strike), and can be cast T1 even without Divine Brands. This makes him a surprisingly good T1 attacker.
 
**Don't let that description fool you tho: The skill has 150 Base Power initially (equal to [[Dragon Blade]]'s initial strike), and can be cast T1 even without Divine Brands. This makes him a surprisingly good T1 attacker.
 
*On the downside, his AGI is on the high side, making him a less suitable partner if you wish to run [[Intimidating Stance]] together.
 
*On the downside, his AGI is on the high side, making him a less suitable partner if you wish to run [[Intimidating Stance]] together.
 +
*'''The best combo demon for Defense Teams'''. If you run Drain Teams on Defense, definitely try to slot him in!
 +
 +
'''Skills and Brands''':
 
*[[Phys Amp]] and [[Phys Boost]] can be used to increase his damage.
 
*[[Phys Amp]] and [[Phys Boost]] can be used to increase his damage.
 
*[[Great Aim]] and [[Epitome of Aggression]] can be used to patch up his shaky accuracy.
 
*[[Great Aim]] and [[Epitome of Aggression]] can be used to patch up his shaky accuracy.
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*War Brands are usually used to maximize his damage potential.  
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*War Brands are usually used to maximize his damage potential. Aim brands are the recommended sub-set.
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*The best combo demon for Defense Teams. If you run Drain Teams on Defense, definitely try to slot him in!
 
  
 
====Asura Lord====
 
====Asura Lord====
 
{{DemonIcon|Asura Lord}}
 
{{DemonIcon|Asura Lord}}
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*[[Asura Lord]] gains [[Drain Phys]] in Teal.
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*[[Asura Lord]] is a single-target Nuker that carries a valuable aura and gains [[Drain Phys]] in Teal.
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*[[Endless War]] buffs the critical rate and damage of all your teammates.  
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*His unique aura [[Endless War]] buffs the critical rate and damage of all your teammates.  
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*[[Slaughter All]] is a fully unblockable Single Target attack that deal ridiculous damage, can crit, bypasses [[Endure]]s and can be casted T1, either through Divine Brands or Panels.  
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*[[Slaughter All]] is a ''fully unblockable'' Single Target attack that deal ridiculous damage, can crit, bypasses [[Endure]]s and can be casted T1, either through Divine Brands or Panels.
 +
**It is also of the Almighty-element. This gives you the upperhand in mirror matches, as it lets you freely clap Demons with Drain Phys.
 +
**This also makes it hard to boost his damage further, as Almighty does not have dedicated Boosts and Amp skills. [[Master Assassin]] is the best choice.
 
*On the downside, his AGI is on the high side, making him a less suitable partner if you wish to run [[Intimidating Stance]] together.
 
*On the downside, his AGI is on the high side, making him a less suitable partner if you wish to run [[Intimidating Stance]] together.
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*Furthermore, it is hard to boost [[Slaughter All]]'s damage, as it is an Almighty-element Physical attack. [[Master Assassin]] is one of the few ways to boost it.
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*'''[[Asura Lord]] is a solid choice if you plan to run three Physical Demons alongside Rama.''' Not only does he provide [[Drain Phys]] to round up a triple Drain Phys party, his aura also greatly benefits your other sweepers.
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*[[Asura Lord]] is a solid choice if you plan to run three Physical Demons alongside Rama.  
 
  
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''' WIP '''
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'''Skills and Brands''':
 +
*Divine, Life and War brands are all acceptable choices for him. Aim brands are the recommended sub-set.
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**Divine Brands are mandatory if you wish to cast [[Slaughter All]] turn 1 without Panels.
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 +
====Guan Yu====
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{{DemonIcon|Guan Yu}}
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*[[Guan Yu]] is a bulky physical sweeper that gains gains [[Drain Phys]] in Teal (notice a pattern here?).
 +
*His signature [[Dragon Blade]] does heavy damage to a single target, and chains into an AOE physical sweep.
 +
*His unique passive [[Loyal God of War]] heals him and refunds MP upon killing an enemy.
 +
**Paired with his excellent STR, HP and VIT stats, he can quickly snowball off kills and extra Press Turns generated from crits. Not only does [[Loyal God of War]] keep him healthy through healing, it allows him to repeatedly spam [[Dragon Blade]] from the MP refund.
 +
*His low AGI makes him a suitable candidate for [[Intimidating Stance]]. On the flip side, this also gives him accuracy issues.
 +
*Running him in Teal means he loses access to the excellent [[Null Mortal]] in purple. This makes him weak to Alice, who can snipe him with [[Die for Me!]]
 +
*'''[[Guan Yu]] is an excellent choice for slower Drain Teams, as well as defense teams.'''
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 +
'''Skills and Brands''':
 +
*[[Phys Amp]] and [[Epitome of Carnage]] can be used to increase his damage.
 +
*[[Great Aim]] and [[Epitome of Aggression]] can be used to patch up his shaky accuracy.
 +
*Life Brands are usually used to make him tankier. Higher HP also improves [[Loyal God of War]]'s heal efficiency, as the base heal amount depends on your max HP.
  
 
====Cu Chulainn A====
 
====Cu Chulainn A====
 
{{DemonIcon|Cu Chulainn A}}
 
{{DemonIcon|Cu Chulainn A}}
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*[[Cu Chulainn A]] gains [[Drain Phys]] in Teal (are you seeing a pattern here?).
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*[[Cu Chulainn A]] is a dual-element physical sweeper who gains [[Drain Phys]] in Teal (see a pattern now?).
 +
*[[Barbed Spear]] is a piercing Force-element Physical attack that deals multiple hits on all enemies.
 +
**This gives him access to Force-element sweeping, which improves your odds in a mirror match.
 +
**On the other hand, Drain Teams running [[Susano-o A]] will completely wall him.
 +
*[[Culann's Hound]] gives him an Auto-Charge at the end of the turn, threatening major damage if he is not taken out. This forces your opponent to deal with him and in turn alleviate pressure off your other sweepers.
 +
*'''[[Cu Chulainn A]] is a high risk high return pick.''' Against teams without Force Anti-Pierce, he can deal massive amounts of damage while forcing the opponent to respond to him. Inversely, teams that do run Force Anti-Pierce will completely invalidate him.
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 +
'''Skills and Brands''':
 +
*[[Force Amp]] can be used to increase his damage.
 +
*As Accuracy is very important for him (Barbed Spear has 12 chances to miss and lose Press Turns), [[Great Aim]] is recommended.
 +
*Due to [[Barbed Spear]]'s low MP cost, he can run War Brands for increased damage. Aim brands are the recommended sub-set.
  
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*His unique passive, [[Heavenly Valor]] punishes the enemy for Passing. As such, he is usually used as a dedicated Defense Team demon.
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====Mother Harlot====
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*[[Violent Slash]] is a hard-hitting single target Physical attack that grows in power the more it is cast.  
+
{{DemonIcon|Mother Harlot}}
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**Don't let that description fool you tho: The skill has 150 Base Power initially (equal to [[Dragon Blade]]'s initial strike), and can be cast T1 even without Divine Brands. This makes him a surprisingly good T1 attacker.
+
*[[Mother Harlot]] is an Almighty Mage with [[Drain Phys]] in (you guessed it) Teal.
−
*[[Phys Amp]] and [[Phys Boost]] can be used to increase his damage.
+
**She also drains Elec innately, providing your team additional coverage.
−
*[[Great Aim]] and [[Epitome of Aggression]] can be used to patch up his shaky accuracy.
+
*She has a unique niche being the only relevant Drain Phys demon that relies on Magic.
−
*War Brands are usually used to maximize his damage potential.  
+
**This improves your matchup versus the mirror, as you can simply ignore Drain Pierce and just spam Almighty magic.
−
*The best combo demon for Defense Teams. If you run Drain Teams on Defense, definitely slot him in!
+
*[[Babylon Goblet]] deals heavy AOE damage and drains 1 MP all enemies. This is very powerful in triple Drain Phys teams, as enemies out of Mana will simply try to auto-attack [[Rama]] and miss.
 +
**The MP drain also allows her to spam the attack repeatedly, provided the opponent hasn't run out of MP.
 +
**It also punishes greedy builds that run non-Divine brands, as it messes with their overall MP regeneration.
 +
*[[Death Lust]] is a nice bonus when it manages to occasionally charm enemies. You should not build around this passive however, as [[Babylon Goblet]] is her main draw.
 +
*'''Pick her if you feel like balancing out your team. [[Mother Harlot]] lets you add Almighty damage to your team's damage options.''' She is not as explosive as the other sweepers, preferring to slowly grind down her enemies via MP drains.
 +
 
 +
'''Skills and Brands''':
 +
*[[Butcher]] can be used to increase her damage.
 +
*It is recommended to cover up her weakness with [[Resist Force]], as Force is a popular attacking element.
 +
*Life Brands are recommended to increase her overall longevity. This gives her more chances to spam [[Babylon Goblet]].
  
−
*The OG PVP Nightmare, [[Masakado]] gains [[Drain Phys]] in Teal.
+
====Hecatoncheires====
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*Still one of the most powerful demons in the game. Not only does he posses innate [[Intimidating Stance]] and Pierce, his signature [[Occult Flash]] is a high-damage, high-critical single target Physical skill that inflicts Mortal (instant Death).
+
{{DemonIcon|Hecatoncheires}}
−
**His high Synergy with Rama is one of the reason double [[Intimidating Stance]] is so often run alongside Drain Teams.  
+
*[[Hecatoncheires]] is a tanky support with (wait for it) [[Drain Phys]] in Teal.
−
*[[Phys Amp]] and [[Epitome of Carnage]] are good options to boost his damage.
+
*He has [[Auto-Rakuka]] in Clear, which is another viable option if you have another Drain Phys demon on your team.
−
*[[Great Aim]] and [[Epitome of Aggression]] can be used to patch up his shaky accuracy.
+
*His unique passive, [[Guards of Tartarus]] reduces all AOE damage your team receives by 15%. Combined with his good bulk, he is usually run as a support demon.
−
*Auto skills allow him to further support his team. Players who run this build typically use him purely for inflicting Mortal via [[Occult Flash]].
+
** This is especially good to soften up damage from [[Archangels]] and [[V☆]] teams.
−
*Usually runs Life brands to compensate for his rather low HP.
+
*Due to his high HP, he is usually left for last. As such, [[Recarmdra]] is a great skill for him as it will revive all his fallen teammates in exchange for his life.
−
*[[Masakado]] is the closest you'll get to a second core demon for this strat. '''There is little reason not to use him if you do have him.'''
+
** The AI is also smart enough to save MP for it. This makes him one of the better demons for Defense teams.
 +
*Unfortunately, he is weak to two very common attacking elements, Light and Force. Consider covering at least one of them.
 +
*'''Consider him if you prefer a more defensive approach to PVP.''' [[Hecatoncheires]] is one of the most accessible [[Drain Phys]] demons and a very good support.
  
−
*Third of the Archangel trio. As his passive does not deal damage, he is not treated as a core demon.  
+
'''Skills and Brands:'''
−
*He does however complement the team very well, being a powerful Force mage. [[Tailwind]] is useful for cleaning up any demons that survive your initial onslaught and it also breaks [[Endure]]s. It should also be maxed with Kasane for reduced MP cost and more damage.
+
*As mentioned above, [[Recarmdra]] is used in almost every PvP build.
−
*Purple is the recommended color, as [[Force Enhancement]] lets him nuke even harder.
+
*[[Enduring Soul]] can provide him a layer of insurance, helping to ensure he gets to cast [[Recarmdra]]. It will also prevent Recarmdra's feedback damage from killing him.
−
*[[Force Amp]] and [[Force Boost]] are good choices to further boost his damage.
+
*Auto skills let him further support his team.
−
*[[Speedster]] and [[Epitome of Swiftness] can be used to raise battle speed.
+
*[[Epitome of Fortitude]] increases his HP and provides Critical Resistance.  
−
*Maxed [[Tailwind]] has a MP cost of 5. As such, he can run Spell brands for more damage and still be able to cast it T1. Speed brands are the recommended sub-set to raise battle speed.
+
*[[Wild Instinct]] provides him even more Critical Resistance, consider this if you constantly face Crit-pass teams like [[Hero Masakado T1]].
−
*Compared to the other options, Raphael is a lot faster, letting the team hit higher battle speeds. On the flip side, Tailwind's random targeting nature might backfire at times due to bad RNG, and it can be stopped by certain Anti-Pierce combinations such as [[Rama]] + [[Susano-o A]].
+
*Life Brands are recommended to boost his bulk further. Shield brands can shore up his magic resistance, making him even tankier.
  
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====Mastema====
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=== Other Drain Demons ===
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{{DemonIcon|Mastema}}
+
While not as widespread as Physical, Pierce in other elements are also often employed in PVP. The demons below are common Drain techs to counter those elements.
−
*Mastema's signature skill [[Trial of Hate]] is a powerful AOE light attack that also applies a random debuff.
+
* Drain Fire counters [[Uriel]] and [[Quetzalcoatl A]].
−
**This attack '''does not pierce''' by default though. [[Light Pierce (weak)]] is mandatory as NDR Light is common.
+
* Drain Force counters [[Baal]], [[Garuda A]] and [[Cu Chulainn A]].
−
**With Panel 3, he will apply two random debuffs instead.
+
* Drain Elec counters [[Nero☆]] and Panel 2 [[Izanami]].
−
*He gains access to [[Light Amp]] in purple, and P1 further increases his light damage.  
+
* Drain Light counters [[Gabriel]].
−
*As he is one of the easier 4x4 fusions in the game, he is one of the more achievable P3 demons.  
+
* While Dark Pierce sweepers are not common, [[Drain Dark]] makes a demon immune to Alice's [[Die for Me!]].  
−
*He needs to run Divine Brands in order to cast [[Trial of Hate]] T1. Speed brands are the recommended sub-set to raise battle speed.
+
* Drain Ice counters Purple [[Rama]]. This is currently the least important element to cover.
−
*Pick Mastema if you want another AOE sweeper to go with your other AOEs.
 
  
−
====Metatron====
+
====Surt====
−
{{DemonIcon|Metatron}}
+
{{DemonIcon|Surt}}
−
*Metatron's [[Fire of Sinai]] is similar to Raphael's Tailwind, a random-targeting skill. However, it does 5 hits instead of 4, and is almighty element instead of Force.
+
*Drains Fire innately.
−
**This makes it a lot safer for him to spam, as Almighty can only be stopped by [[Five Elements]] (which you should not be seeing if you are going first!)
+
*[[Ragnarok]] is a very hard-hitting spell that gives you Fire coverage. Versus the mirror, it gives you the option to snipe demons otherwise protected by [[Drain Pierce]].
−
**As with [[Tailwind]], this is a very useful spell for cleaning up and breaking Endures.
+
**Note that this spell does not Pierce! [[Rama]] nulls Fire, be careful when faced with the mirror match.
−
*Red gains access to discounted [[Mahamadyne]], giving you the option of casting either an AOE or [[Fire of Sinai]] for clean-up.
+
*Clear is the preferred color as it gives him [[Intimidating Stance]]. Paired with [[Masakado]], it allows the team to also function as an [[Intimidating Stance Teams]].
−
**Mahamadyne will '''not pierce''' though, so bear that in mind.
 
−
*Metatron has the highest Base Magic among the options, and has access to [[Infinite Chakra]] by default, allowing him to run Spell Brands and still be able to spam either [[Mahamadyne]] or [[Fire of Sinai]] turn 1.
 
−
**While not easy to achieve, Panel 3 increases all damage dealt by a significant margin.
 
−
*Pick Metatron if you are okay with sacrificing a bit of battle speed for more reliable firepower.
 
  
−
The other Herald / Divine demons don't provide enough advantages to be considered. Please keep your [[Seraph]]s on Democalypse duty.
+
====Shiva A====
 +
{{DemonIcon|Shiva A}}
 +
*Drains Fire and Elec innately, and Force in Teal.
 +
*[[Third Eye]] is an Almighty spell that hits incredibly hard, while giving you another arsenal to bypass [[Drain Pierce]].
  
−
=== Fourth demon ===
+
====Quetzalcoatl A====
−
While you could run 4 Heralds, aesthetics aside there is little reason to do so. Your last team slot is better suited for another demon that compliments the team better, namely for improving battle speed.
+
{{DemonIcon|Quetzalcoatl A}}
 +
*Drains Fire innately.
 +
*[[Ce Acatl]] provides him a second life and acts as a safety net to speedy T1 [[Masakado A]] teams.
  
−
====Masakado A====
+
====Yama====
−
{{DemonIcon|Masakado A}}
+
{{DemonIcon|Yama}}
−
*Arguably one of the most meta-defining demons. [[Guardian of the East]] provides your team an additional Press Turn going first, giving you even more turns to delete them Turn 1.
+
*Drains Fire in Teal.
−
*[[Kuyo Flash]] swings offensive buffs entirely to your favor, countering any defensive Autos.
+
*[[Enma's Judgement]] provides team wide [[Null Mortal]]. This is especially useful to protect Rama from being sniped by Alice.
−
*As his kit is fully self-sufficient, he has great flexibility over transfer skills and brands:
 
−
**[[Speedster]] and [[Epitome of Swiftness] are recommended to raise battle speed.
 
−
**[[Auto-Rakunda]] can be used to increase your combo's damage right off the bat.
 
−
**Double speed brands are recommended to further bump up battle speed. Focus on speed Primary for the Legs, and Speed Tertiaries for everything else.
 
−
*'''Pick Masakado A if you have him.''' The only exception is if you are manually choosing targets and need a faster demon to outspeed.
 
  
−
====Garuda====
+
====Siegfried====
−
{{DemonIcon|Garuda}}
+
{{DemonIcon|Siegfried}}
−
*Second fastest demon in the game.  
+
*Drains Phys innately.
−
*Innate [[Auto-Rakunda]] helps to increase your team's firepower.  
+
*Requires a lot of investment as he only gains Phys Pierce on his second Panel.
−
*Colors don't really matter for him. Most go with Purple for [[Berserker]] for a minor boost in damage.
+
*When properly built however, he hits like a truck. [[Arms Mastery]] is [[Great Aim]] + [[Phys Amp]] rolled into one, and it stacks with both of them!
−
**[[Speedster]] and [[Epitome of Swiftness] are recommended to raise battle speed.
 
−
**[[Bufula L]] is a nice, cheap spell to exploit Ice weakness (which is usually uncovered) for Press Turns.
 
−
**Double speed brands are recommended to further bump up battle speed. Focus on speed Primary for the Legs, and Speed Tertiaries for everything else.
 
−
***P1 is required for him to cast [[Zandyne]] T1 on defense, otherwise he will not have enough MP and end up auto-attacking, running the risk of missing or hitting into [[Tetra Shift]].
 
−
*Panel 3 increases his Battle Speed and is worth aiming for.
 
−
*Garuda is the "tried-and-true, can't-go-wrong" option.
 
  
−
====Kartikeya====
+
====Seraph====
−
{{DemonIcon|Kartikeya}}
+
{{DemonIcon|Seraph}}
−
*The fastest demon in the game.
+
*Drains Fire and Light in Teal. This combination makes him a particularly powerful counter to [[Archangels]], as these are their main attacking elements.
−
*His unique skill [[Skanda]] raises his Crit rate. Combine this with innate [[Mortal Jihad]] (a high base crit rate skill) and high base LUK, he can reliably crit for Press Turns.
+
*He does not provide much outside of his Drain resistances however. Only use him when making targeted attacks against [[Archangels]].
−
*Comes with innate [[Speedster]] in Clear. Some potential transfer skills include:
 
−
**[[Phys Pierce (weak)]] is highly recommended to avoid being walled by [[Tetra Shift]]
 
−
**[[Epitome of Swiftness] can be used to raise battle speed. It's a very rare transfer skill though.
 
−
**[[Savage Glee]] brings his already impressive Crit rate to near-guaranteed levels.
 
−
**[[Auto-Rakunda]] can be used to increase your combo's damage right off the bat.
 
−
**Double speed brands are recommended to further bump up battle speed. Focus on speed Primary for the Legs, Crit rate for the Arms and Speed Tertiaries for everything else.
 
−
***With P1, you can run double speed and still T1 Mortal Jihad. Unfortunately, Kartikeya is notoriously difficult to fuse, costing upwards of 8 million Mag from scratch.
 
−
*Kartikeya is the luxury option. While he brings a lot to the table, he also requires a lot of investment in terms of Magnetite and rare transfer skills.
 
  
 
==Finalized Team==
 
==Finalized Team==
−
To recap, your finalized team should contain both [[Uriel]] and [[Gabriel]], another Herald and one Speedster demon. It should look something like this:
+
To recap, your finalized team should contain [[Rama]] and Drain demons of your choice:
 +
 
 +
=== Triple Phys Drain Team ===
 +
{| border=0 align="left"
 +
| valign="top" |{{DemonBuild:Thin|demon=Rama|archetype=Yellow|skill1=Evade|skill2=Auto-Rakunda|brands=Divine, Dodge}}
 +
| valign="top" |{{DemonBuild:Thin|demon=Susano-o A|archetype=Teal|skill1=Phys Amp|skill2=Auto-Sukunda|brands=War, Aim}}
 +
| valign="top" |{{DemonBuild:Thin|demon=Guan Yu|archetype=Teal|skill1=Phys Amp|skill2=Epitome of Carnage|brands=Life, Aim}}
 +
| valign="top" |{{DemonBuild:Thin|demon=Masakado|archetype=Teal|skill1=Phys Amp|skill2=Epitome of Carnage|brands=Life, Aim}}
 +
|}
 +
<div style="clear: both;"></div>
 +
 
 +
The above team has three [[Drain Phys]] demons and Evasive Rama to wall off Physical threats. [[Susano-o A]] also doubles as Force Anti-Pierce. Rama is built as a support unit, providing [[Luster Candy]] to the party. As the team's main damage source are from physical attacks, [[Auto-Sukunda]] is transferred to increase accuracy.
  
 +
=== Balanced Drain Team with Intimidating Stance ===
 
{| border=0 align="left"
 
{| border=0 align="left"
−
|+ Sample Archangel Team.
+
| valign="top" |{{DemonBuild:Thin|demon=Rama|archetype=Yellow|skill1=Evade|skill2=Auto-Rakunda|brands=Divine, Dodge}}
−
| valign="top" |{{DemonBuild:Thin|demon=Garuda|archetype=Purple|skill1=Bufula L|skill2=Speedster|brands=Speed, Speed|statreq=40% speed, +20 AGI from Mitama}}
+
| valign="top" |{{DemonBuild:Thin|demon=Mother Harlot|archetype=Teal|skill1=Butcher|skill2=Resist Force|brands=Life, Shield}}
−
| valign="top" |{{DemonBuild:Thin|demon=Uriel|archetype=Purple|skill1=Fire Amp|skill2=Speedster|brands=Divine, Speed|statreq=10% speed, +20 AGI from Mitama}}
+
| valign="top" |{{DemonBuild:Thin|demon=Masakado|archetype=Teal|skill1=Phys Amp|skill2=Epitome of Carnage|brands=Life, Aim}}
−
| valign="top" |{{DemonBuild:Thin|demon=Raphael|archetype=Purple|skill1=Force Amp|skill2=Speedster|brands=Spell, Speed|statreq=10% speed, +8 AGI from Mitama}}
+
| valign="top" |{{DemonBuild:Thin|demon=Surt|archetype=Clear|skill1=Auto-Tarunda|skill2=Auto-Sukunda|brands=Spell}}
−
| valign="top" |{{DemonBuild:Thin|demon=Gabriel|archetype=Purple|skill1=Light Amp|skill2=Speedster|brands=Spell, Speed|statreq=10% speed, +20 AGI from Mitama}}
 
 
|}
 
|}
 
<div style="clear: both;"></div>
 
<div style="clear: both;"></div>
  
−
The above team hits 41k battle speed, enough to outspeed every PVE challenge and the vast majority of PVP defenses.
+
A Balanced team consisting of both physical and magic damage, while having three different type of Drains. The team also includes [[Intimidating Stance]] as the demons are fairly slow. Combined with Luster Candy, the team is capable of covering all buffs and debuffs.
  
 
== Checks and Counters ==
 
== Checks and Counters ==
−
While they are a powerful combination, the Archangels are by no means invincible. There are several ways to counter angels both on offense and defense.
+
Drain Teams have very flexible builds, as such they can be difficult to fully counter. Some players even choose to tech non-Drain demons in their team that function as counter-counters.
 +
 
 +
=== Almighty ===
 +
{{DemonIcon|Shiva A}}
 +
{{DemonIcon|Asura Lord}}
 +
{{DemonIcon|Mother Harlot}}
  
−
=== Outspeed ===
+
Almighty is the only element that cannot be drained. With Almighty, you can ignore [[Rama]] and go straight for the main damage demons, completely countering the concept of Drain teams. Be sure to take note of [[Hecatoncheires]] though, who will soften AOE damage significantly.
−
{{DemonIcon|Kartikeya}}
 
−
{{DemonIcon|Nekomata A}}
 
−
{{DemonIcon|Garuda A}}
 
−
*While Archangel teams are fast, they are not the '''fastest'''. This is especially evident if you chose to run Metatron or Mastema as your third Herald.
 
−
*Being outsped is almost an automatic loss. Even if they do not teamwipe you on their turn, losing just one Herald means your chain effects will not trigger the next turn, severely reducing your damage output.
 
  
−
=== Repel Pierce ===
+
=== Sniping ===
 +
{{DemonIcon|Indrajit}}
 
{{DemonIcon|Asura Lord}}
 
{{DemonIcon|Asura Lord}}
−
{{DemonIcon|Vairocana}}
+
{{DemonIcon|Mahakala}}
−
{{DemonIcon|Atavaka}}  
+
 
−
{{DemonIcon|Alilat}}
+
In a similar vein, powerful single target attackers can soft-counter Drain Teams by targeting elements they are not immune to. [[Indrajit]] is a very notable check, as none of the Physical Sweepers Drain Elec and his [[Five Elements]] upon kill allows him to wall [[Mother Harlot]] indefinitely. Some players try to get around this by running double Defensive Autos and Life brands on all of their demons, greatly reducing the odds of being sniped.
−
*[[Asura Lord]] and [[Vairocana]] innately repel both Fire and Light, the main two elements in an Archangel team.
+
 
−
*[[Alilat]]'s [[Repel Pierce]] and [[Atavaka]]'s [[War Aid]] both prevent Repel resistances from being pierced.
+
=== Mortal ===
−
*This team composition is extremely hard to attack into, as the repelled attacks will carry over their piercing properties, dealing full damage to you. Casting AOEs like [[Sunrise]] will also result in Press Turns being burned as a penalty for attacking into NDR.
+
{{DemonIcon|Alice}}
−
*It is almost impossible to wipe this team T1, and they will no doubt hit back hard on their counterswing.
+
{{DemonIcon|Masakado}}
 +
 
 +
Taking out [[Rama]] instantly makes the rest of the team vulnerable to Pierce. [[Alice]] is the best candidate for this as she ignores [[Endure]]s and Rama's Evasion. Some teams tech [[Yama]] and [[Masakado A]] to protect themselves against Mortal, take note when you see these demons.
 +
 
 +
=== Garuda A ===
 +
{{DemonIcon|Garuda A}}
 +
{{DemonIcon|Nekomata A}}
  
−
=== Asherah and Daisoujou ===
+
This is a hilarious counter for teams that run [[Susano-o A]]. With enough Evasion investment, [[Susano-o A]]'s [[Heavenly Valor]] can be dodged, triggering [[Garuda A]]'s own [[Brilliant Wings]] passive. Repeatedly spamming pass will result in [[Susano-o A]] killing his own team, after which you can mop up using [[Gale Talon]]. [[Nekomata A]] is recommended to give your whole party added Evasion.
−
{{DemonIcon|Asherah}}
 
−
{{DemonIcon|Daisoujou}}
 
−
*[[Asherah]] and [[Daisoujou]] are both bulky support demons that are often run together as a support duo.
 
−
*[[Asherah]]'s Panel 2 halves the damage she takes from Fire attacks, while [[Daisoujou]]'s Panel 1 halves the damage he takes from Light attacks. These resistances '''cannot be pierced''' as they are not your typical NDR.
 
−
*Combined with their natural bulk, they are almost impossible to burst down T1.
 
−
*[[Asherah]] carries [[Mother's Creation]], the strongest revival spell in the game. It resurrects a teammate while refunding a full press turn, giving the revived teammate a chance to act immediately.
 
−
*[[Daisoujou]] typically carries [[Recarmdra]], a party-wide resurrection.
 
−
*They can usually tank your entire combo, revive their fallen DPS demons and wipe you on the counterswing.
 
  
−
=== Quetzalcoatl A ===
+
==See also==
−
{{DemonIcon|Quetzalcoatl A}}
+
*[[Tier List]]
−
*[[Quetzalcoatl A]] is a deadly Fire mage that is capable of dealing high amounts of damage, thanks to having innate [[Fire Amp]] and [[Butcher]].
+
*[[Skill List]]
−
*His unique passive [[Ce Acatl]] automatically revives him if he is dead at the start of your turn, and refunds a Press Turn icon.
+
*[[Brands]]
−
*When paired with a bulky demon like [[Orcus]] or [[Asherah]], he becomes a soft counter for Archangel teams used on defense.
+
*[[PVP Team Guide]] for more Team guides
−
** As long as the tank survives, [[Quetzalcoatl A]] will come back to life the next turn and respond with two [[Aztec Pulses]] (pass on the tank).
 

Latest revision as of 06:57, 24 June 2022

Originally written by Reika.

Overview

Drain Teams are built around Rama's Drain Pierce or Demiurge's Supreme Creator Passive Skills.

They are a subgroup of the Anti Pierce Teams, which are composed of one Demon that has an Anti Pierce Skill (Rama/Demiurge/Alilat/Atavaka), which makes the other party Demons, that have draining/repelling attributes, immune to Pierce attacks to those respective Elements.

They are especially strong against Teams that heavily or completely rely on AoE Skills, because they either cannot attack, or they attack and lose Press Turns.

To counter Anti Pierce Teams, the adversary has to down the Demon with the Anti Pierce Skill first, what's usually not so easy for Teams focused on AoE attacks.

Concept

  • Pierce is very widespread in PvP and on some PvE areas, especially Physical Pierce.
  • Running an evasive Anti Pierce Demon + 3 Demons with Drain/Repel Phys attributes or Drain Phys/Repel Phys Passives essentially provides the Team immunity to Physical damage. The same is true for other Elements, but Physical immunity is, usually, more important than all others, because a Demon unable to use an AoE Skill can still make a normal Physical attack, which could be devastating if the Anti Pierce Demon was downed.
  • Drain/Repel Pierce protects your Team from being swept by Piercing Skills. Enemies will either attack into it and lose Press Turns, or be forced to choose a different action such as passing. Both work to your advantage.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

  • Many Demons have Drain/Repel resistances, giving you a high degree of control over your team composition.
  • As the minimum requirement is having one Drain/Repel Pierce Demon plus one other Drain/Repel Demon, you can form hybrid Teams by combining with other strategies, such as Intimidating Stance Teams.
  • Not too reliant on Battle Speed, allowing you to ignore who goes first at the beginning of the Waves.

Cons:

  • High entry cost, as Rama, Demiurge and Atavaka are Gacha exclusive Demons, and most of the good Drain/Repel demons are banner exclusives, too. The only exception is Alilat, the only fusible Demon with Anti Pierce and one of the lowest Mag cost 5★ Demons to fuse.
  • There's no Drain/Repel resistance against Almighty damage, although that can be somewhat covered by Five Elements, noticing that, unfortunately, Huang Long itself doesn't have any Drain/Repel attribute.
  • Anti Pierce Teams only work if the enemies attack with AoE Skills of the Elements the Team can Drain/Repel, otherwise, each will simply target the Demons that are not resistant to its attacks or use AoE that are not drained/repelled by any of Team's Demons.

Team

Now lets go in-depth as to how to build this Team.

Guidelines

  • Drain/Repel Teams are not required 3 Drain/Repel demons. It can be simply one Anti Pierce Demon + 1 Drain/Repel Phys demon with 2 non-Drain/non-Repel demons. However, the Team wants at least one Drain/Repel Phys demon.
  • Drain/Repel Teams are designed to allow you to survive for at least 1 (or maybe 2) turn, which can often be more than enough to win, depending on your other demons.
  • Below the core Anti Pierce Demons subsection are only lists of Drain demons. No suggestion for non-Drain demon is given: a lot of freedom is given for building this team. (They can be revivers or damage dealers or ailment cleanser etc.)
  • The Drain demons themselves are diverse: some are tanky and defensive while others are pure attackers. But there is no requirement to have "1 Drain defensive demon + 1 Drain offensive demon" or any combinations because even Rama + low HP Drain Phys demon can prevent a lot of opposing teams to win in 1 Turn.

Core Demons

The only core demon is an Anti Pierce Demon. As of September/2021, four Demons have Anti Pierce Skills, Rama, with Drain Pierce (for Drain Teams), Demiurge, with False God and Supreme Creator (for both Repel and Drain Teams), Alilat, with Repel Pierce (for Repel Teams), and Atavaka, with War Aid (for Repel Teams).

Rama

Rama.jpg Rama

  • Rama is a very flexible unit, capable of acting as a powerful Mage with his signature Brahmastra or a support with discounted Luster Candy.
  • He can be built as a Support or Mage, depending on your team. Support build is the most popular.
    • For Support builds: Yellow is a popular archetype, as it gives him access to discounted Luster Candy, the strongest non-unique buff in the game. Running him as a support also allows you to focus on survivability, which is important to ensure Drain Pierce is remains active as long as possible.
    • For Mage builds: Purple provides him Ice Pierce. Combined with his innate Mabufudyne and decent MAG stat, this lets him act as a powerful Pierce sweeper. This also lets him capitalize on his other unique skill Brahmastra, a devastating Almighty spell that breaks Endures and can be spammed near indefinitely thanks to its MP refund at max level.
  • His panels are amazing and definitely worth unlocking:
    • Panel 1 gives him raw HP (which support builds appreciate) and extra damage on both his spells (benefiting Mage builds).
    • Panel 2 gives him increased Evasion and raw MATK.
    • Panel 3 gives him reduced MP cost for all AOE spells. This includes both his attacking spells (6 MP) as well as Luster Candy (5 MP is maxed).

Skills and Brands:

  • For Support builds, recommended skills are:
  • For Mage builds: Butcher increases the damage for both his spells.
  • Either Life or Divine Brands work well on him:
    • Divine Brands allow him to spam his spells repeatedly, especially if you have Panel 3 unlocked. It also allows you to cast Luster Candy turn 1 going first.
    • Life Brands increases his overall survivability.
    • Dodge Brands are the recommended sub-set to abuse Evasion.
    • You can also go all-in the evade strategy by equipping two sets of Dodge brands. Note that this will not let you cast Luster Candy T1 unless you also have P3 unlocked.

Demiurge

Demiurge.jpg Demiurge

  • Currently, the only Demon that can support Repel and Drain Demons at the same time, greatly opening the options for Team building, as both types of demons may be used at the same time.
  • He can be built for damage or for evasion, adding either damage when repelling piercing attacks or healing when draining.
  • Demiurge's Purple Archetype is immune to Mortal Skills, making it harder to down in PvP.

Atavaka

Atavaka.jpg Atavaka

  • Atavaka has the Enemy Annihilation AoE Skill, which debuffs all enemies before inflicting Phys Pierce damage, which is a Chain Effect and, therefore, even if it misses or is countered, the Team doesn't lose Press Turns.
  • He has Intimidating Stance in Purple Archetype, punishing the enemy Team even before it starts fighting.

Alilat

Alilat.jpg Alilat

  • Alilat is one of the cheapest fusible 5★ Demons, so it's relatively easy to get one fully panelled.

Drain Phys Demons

Due to widespread Phys Pierce in PVP, demons with Drain Phys are popular with this strat. It is recommended you run at least one Drain Phys demon to avoid getting sweeped by Phys Pierce. Running three Drain Phys demons with Evasive Rama is a popular strat to wall off Physical teams.

Masakado

Masakado.jpg Masakado

  • The OG PVP Nightmare, Masakado is a physical powerhouse who gains Drain Phys in Teal.
  • Still one of the most powerful demons in the game. Not only does he posses innate Intimidating Stance and Pierce, his signature Occult Flash is a high-damage, high-critical single target Physical skill that inflicts Mortal (instant Death).
    • His high Synergy with Rama is one of the reason double Intimidating Stance is so often run alongside Drain Teams.
  • Masakado is the closest you'll get to a second core demon for this strat. There is little reason not to use him if you do have him.

Skills and Brands:

  • Phys Amp and Epitome of Carnage are good options to boost his damage.
  • Great Aim and Epitome of Aggression can be used to patch up his shaky accuracy.
  • Auto skills allow him to further support his team. Players who run this build typically use him purely for inflicting Mortal via Occult Flash.
  • Usually runs Life brands to compensate for his rather low HP. Aim brands are the recommended sub-set.

Susano-o A

Susano-o A.jpg Susano-o A

  • Susano-o A is a defense-team oriented Physical Nuker that gains Drain Phys in Teal.
  • He also naturally Drains Force, allowing him to counter Force sweepers like Baal, Garuda A and Cu Chulainn A.
  • His unique passive, Heavenly Valor punishes the enemy for Passing. As such, he is usually used as a dedicated Defense Team demon.
  • Violent Slash is a hard-hitting single target Physical attack that grows in power the more it is cast.
    • Don't let that description fool you tho: The skill has 150 Base Power initially (equal to Dragon Blade's initial strike), and can be cast T1 even without Divine Brands. This makes him a surprisingly good T1 attacker.
  • On the downside, his AGI is on the high side, making him a less suitable partner if you wish to run Intimidating Stance together.
  • The best combo demon for Defense Teams. If you run Drain Teams on Defense, definitely try to slot him in!

Skills and Brands:

  • Phys Amp and Phys Boost can be used to increase his damage.
  • Great Aim and Epitome of Aggression can be used to patch up his shaky accuracy.
  • War Brands are usually used to maximize his damage potential. Aim brands are the recommended sub-set.

Asura Lord

Asura Lord.jpg Asura Lord

  • Asura Lord is a single-target Nuker that carries a valuable aura and gains Drain Phys in Teal.
  • His unique aura Endless War buffs the critical rate and damage of all your teammates.
  • Slaughter All is a fully unblockable Single Target attack that deal ridiculous damage, can crit, bypasses Endures and can be casted T1, either through Divine Brands or Panels.
    • It is also of the Almighty-element. This gives you the upperhand in mirror matches, as it lets you freely clap Demons with Drain Phys.
    • This also makes it hard to boost his damage further, as Almighty does not have dedicated Boosts and Amp skills. Master Assassin is the best choice.
  • On the downside, his AGI is on the high side, making him a less suitable partner if you wish to run Intimidating Stance together.
  • Asura Lord is a solid choice if you plan to run three Physical Demons alongside Rama. Not only does he provide Drain Phys to round up a triple Drain Phys party, his aura also greatly benefits your other sweepers.

Skills and Brands:

  • Divine, Life and War brands are all acceptable choices for him. Aim brands are the recommended sub-set.
    • Divine Brands are mandatory if you wish to cast Slaughter All turn 1 without Panels.

Guan Yu

Guan Yu.jpg Guan Yu

  • Guan Yu is a bulky physical sweeper that gains gains Drain Phys in Teal (notice a pattern here?).
  • His signature Dragon Blade does heavy damage to a single target, and chains into an AOE physical sweep.
  • His unique passive Loyal God of War heals him and refunds MP upon killing an enemy.
    • Paired with his excellent STR, HP and VIT stats, he can quickly snowball off kills and extra Press Turns generated from crits. Not only does Loyal God of War keep him healthy through healing, it allows him to repeatedly spam Dragon Blade from the MP refund.
  • His low AGI makes him a suitable candidate for Intimidating Stance. On the flip side, this also gives him accuracy issues.
  • Running him in Teal means he loses access to the excellent Null Mortal in purple. This makes him weak to Alice, who can snipe him with Die for Me!
  • Guan Yu is an excellent choice for slower Drain Teams, as well as defense teams.

Skills and Brands:

Cu Chulainn A

Cu Chulainn A.jpg Cu Chulainn A

  • Cu Chulainn A is a dual-element physical sweeper who gains Drain Phys in Teal (see a pattern now?).
  • Barbed Spear is a piercing Force-element Physical attack that deals multiple hits on all enemies.
    • This gives him access to Force-element sweeping, which improves your odds in a mirror match.
    • On the other hand, Drain Teams running Susano-o A will completely wall him.
  • Culann's Hound gives him an Auto-Charge at the end of the turn, threatening major damage if he is not taken out. This forces your opponent to deal with him and in turn alleviate pressure off your other sweepers.
  • Cu Chulainn A is a high risk high return pick. Against teams without Force Anti-Pierce, he can deal massive amounts of damage while forcing the opponent to respond to him. Inversely, teams that do run Force Anti-Pierce will completely invalidate him.

Skills and Brands:

  • Force Amp can be used to increase his damage.
  • As Accuracy is very important for him (Barbed Spear has 12 chances to miss and lose Press Turns), Great Aim is recommended.
  • Due to Barbed Spear's low MP cost, he can run War Brands for increased damage. Aim brands are the recommended sub-set.

Mother Harlot

Mother Harlot.jpg Mother Harlot

  • Mother Harlot is an Almighty Mage with Drain Phys in (you guessed it) Teal.
    • She also drains Elec innately, providing your team additional coverage.
  • She has a unique niche being the only relevant Drain Phys demon that relies on Magic.
    • This improves your matchup versus the mirror, as you can simply ignore Drain Pierce and just spam Almighty magic.
  • Babylon Goblet deals heavy AOE damage and drains 1 MP all enemies. This is very powerful in triple Drain Phys teams, as enemies out of Mana will simply try to auto-attack Rama and miss.
    • The MP drain also allows her to spam the attack repeatedly, provided the opponent hasn't run out of MP.
    • It also punishes greedy builds that run non-Divine brands, as it messes with their overall MP regeneration.
  • Death Lust is a nice bonus when it manages to occasionally charm enemies. You should not build around this passive however, as Babylon Goblet is her main draw.
  • Pick her if you feel like balancing out your team. Mother Harlot lets you add Almighty damage to your team's damage options. She is not as explosive as the other sweepers, preferring to slowly grind down her enemies via MP drains.

Skills and Brands:

  • Butcher can be used to increase her damage.
  • It is recommended to cover up her weakness with Resist Force, as Force is a popular attacking element.
  • Life Brands are recommended to increase her overall longevity. This gives her more chances to spam Babylon Goblet.

Hecatoncheires

Hecatoncheires.jpg Hecatoncheires

  • Hecatoncheires is a tanky support with (wait for it) Drain Phys in Teal.
  • He has Auto-Rakuka in Clear, which is another viable option if you have another Drain Phys demon on your team.
  • His unique passive, Guards of Tartarus reduces all AOE damage your team receives by 15%. Combined with his good bulk, he is usually run as a support demon.
    • This is especially good to soften up damage from Archangels and V☆ teams.
  • Due to his high HP, he is usually left for last. As such, Recarmdra is a great skill for him as it will revive all his fallen teammates in exchange for his life.
    • The AI is also smart enough to save MP for it. This makes him one of the better demons for Defense teams.
  • Unfortunately, he is weak to two very common attacking elements, Light and Force. Consider covering at least one of them.
  • Consider him if you prefer a more defensive approach to PVP. Hecatoncheires is one of the most accessible Drain Phys demons and a very good support.

Skills and Brands:

  • As mentioned above, Recarmdra is used in almost every PvP build.
  • Enduring Soul can provide him a layer of insurance, helping to ensure he gets to cast Recarmdra. It will also prevent Recarmdra's feedback damage from killing him.
  • Auto skills let him further support his team.
  • Epitome of Fortitude increases his HP and provides Critical Resistance.
  • Wild Instinct provides him even more Critical Resistance, consider this if you constantly face Crit-pass teams like Hero Masakado T1.
  • Life Brands are recommended to boost his bulk further. Shield brands can shore up his magic resistance, making him even tankier.

Other Drain Demons

While not as widespread as Physical, Pierce in other elements are also often employed in PVP. The demons below are common Drain techs to counter those elements.

Surt

Surt.jpg Surt

  • Drains Fire innately.
  • Ragnarok is a very hard-hitting spell that gives you Fire coverage. Versus the mirror, it gives you the option to snipe demons otherwise protected by Drain Pierce.
    • Note that this spell does not Pierce! Rama nulls Fire, be careful when faced with the mirror match.
  • Clear is the preferred color as it gives him Intimidating Stance. Paired with Masakado, it allows the team to also function as an Intimidating Stance Teams.

Shiva A

Shiva A.jpg Shiva A

  • Drains Fire and Elec innately, and Force in Teal.
  • Third Eye is an Almighty spell that hits incredibly hard, while giving you another arsenal to bypass Drain Pierce.

Quetzalcoatl A

Quetzalcoatl A.jpg Quetzalcoatl A

  • Drains Fire innately.
  • Ce Acatl provides him a second life and acts as a safety net to speedy T1 Masakado A teams.

Yama

Yama.jpg Yama

  • Drains Fire in Teal.
  • Enma's Judgement provides team wide Null Mortal. This is especially useful to protect Rama from being sniped by Alice.

Siegfried

Siegfried.jpg Siegfried

  • Drains Phys innately.
  • Requires a lot of investment as he only gains Phys Pierce on his second Panel.
  • When properly built however, he hits like a truck. Arms Mastery is Great Aim + Phys Amp rolled into one, and it stacks with both of them!

Seraph

Seraph.jpg Seraph

  • Drains Fire and Light in Teal. This combination makes him a particularly powerful counter to Archangels, as these are their main attacking elements.
  • He does not provide much outside of his Drain resistances however. Only use him when making targeted attacks against Archangels.

Finalized Team

To recap, your finalized team should contain Rama and Drain demons of your choice:

Triple Phys Drain Team

ArchYellow.png Rama.jpg Rama
Skills
Evade
Auto-Rakunda
Brands
Divine, Dodge
ArchTeal.png Susano-o A.jpg Susano-o A
Skills
Phys Amp
Auto-Sukunda
Brands
War, Aim
ArchTeal.png Guan Yu.jpg Guan Yu
Skills
Phys Amp
Epitome of Carnage
Brands
Life, Aim
ArchTeal.png Masakado.jpg Masakado
Skills
Phys Amp
Epitome of Carnage
Brands
Life, Aim

The above team has three Drain Phys demons and Evasive Rama to wall off Physical threats. Susano-o A also doubles as Force Anti-Pierce. Rama is built as a support unit, providing Luster Candy to the party. As the team's main damage source are from physical attacks, Auto-Sukunda is transferred to increase accuracy.

Balanced Drain Team with Intimidating Stance

ArchYellow.png Rama.jpg Rama
Skills
Evade
Auto-Rakunda
Brands
Divine, Dodge
ArchTeal.png Mother Harlot.jpg Mother Harlot
Skills
Butcher
Resist Force
Brands
Life, Shield
ArchTeal.png Masakado.jpg Masakado
Skills
Phys Amp
Epitome of Carnage
Brands
Life, Aim
ArchClear.png Surt.jpg Surt
Skills
Auto-Tarunda
Auto-Sukunda
Brands
Spell

A Balanced team consisting of both physical and magic damage, while having three different type of Drains. The team also includes Intimidating Stance as the demons are fairly slow. Combined with Luster Candy, the team is capable of covering all buffs and debuffs.

Checks and Counters

Drain Teams have very flexible builds, as such they can be difficult to fully counter. Some players even choose to tech non-Drain demons in their team that function as counter-counters.

Almighty

Shiva A.jpg Shiva A Asura Lord.jpg Asura Lord Mother Harlot.jpg Mother Harlot

Almighty is the only element that cannot be drained. With Almighty, you can ignore Rama and go straight for the main damage demons, completely countering the concept of Drain teams. Be sure to take note of Hecatoncheires though, who will soften AOE damage significantly.

Sniping

Indrajit.jpg Indrajit Asura Lord.jpg Asura Lord Mahakala.jpg Mahakala

In a similar vein, powerful single target attackers can soft-counter Drain Teams by targeting elements they are not immune to. Indrajit is a very notable check, as none of the Physical Sweepers Drain Elec and his Five Elements upon kill allows him to wall Mother Harlot indefinitely. Some players try to get around this by running double Defensive Autos and Life brands on all of their demons, greatly reducing the odds of being sniped.

Mortal

Alice.jpg Alice Masakado.jpg Masakado

Taking out Rama instantly makes the rest of the team vulnerable to Pierce. Alice is the best candidate for this as she ignores Endures and Rama's Evasion. Some teams tech Yama and Masakado A to protect themselves against Mortal, take note when you see these demons.

Garuda A

Garuda A.jpg Garuda A Nekomata A.jpg Nekomata A

This is a hilarious counter for teams that run Susano-o A. With enough Evasion investment, Susano-o A's Heavenly Valor can be dodged, triggering Garuda A's own Brilliant Wings passive. Repeatedly spamming pass will result in Susano-o A killing his own team, after which you can mop up using Gale Talon. Nekomata A is recommended to give your whole party added Evasion.

See also

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