The Best Damage Dealers
Damage dealers win fights, but each one wants something different from the team around it: debuffs on the target, buffs on themselves, or enemies with no buffs at all. This list covers eighteen Melee and Ranged Attackers worth building, followed by four honorable mentions.
The following damage dealers are listed in no particular order. Each section explains what the Invoker does, what it needs to hit hard, and what to watch for.
To see where each Invoker stands by mode and by Boss, open the Ultimate Tier List. Skills can change with updates, so check an Invoker's page before you invest in them.
Brandis
Brandis is a Legendary Fire Melee Attacker from the Lightseekers, and builds her whole damage plan around Burn. Brand Heresy places Burn on Brandis herself, and while she is burning, Fiery Prayer places a stronger Burn and Conflagration keeps attacking.
That makes her a strong source of Burn damage in PvE. Be wary of Bosses that are immune to Burn or punish it, such as Fire Omnissi and Sakiel: there her damage plan works against her.
Build Brandis if you want heavy Burn damage for fights where Burn works.
Lithat
Lithat is a Legendary Fire Melee Attacker from the Lightseekers, and more of an Arena Invoker than Brandis. Lucent Apex Pulls nearby enemies toward him, attacks them and places Hex, so enemies that die while Hexed cannot be revived, which also makes him useful against Althar.
Alabaster Pyre steals buffs and transfers debuffs. The Pull brings danger close to Lithat, so have protection and follow-up damage ready.
Build Lithat if you want to group enemies up and make sure they stay down.
Falrae
Falrae is an Epic Earth Ranged Attacker from the Eldrin, and her whole kit is built around an enemy with no buffs. Her Ultimate hits three times, steals buffs with each hit, and deals much more Crit DMG to a target that has none.
Curse of Endings places Jinx, which stops new buffs landing on the target, and her other Skills shorten her cooldowns and give her Mana when the target is unbuffed.
Build Falrae if you face teams or Bosses that lean on buffs and you want to take them away.
Durlag the Kingsbane
Durlag the Kingsbane is a Legendary Dark Melee Attacker from the Ironbands, and keeps up area pressure. Void Splinter Launches nearby enemies, Demon Shredder attacks an area four times, and Dark Hail attacks eight times.
Soul Scourge and his Combo Attack extend his own buffs, by more on a critical hit. He is at his best in the Arena and the Spires; be wary of Bosses immune to Control Debuffs, which his Launch will not affect.
Build Durlag if you want a damage dealer who clears and controls whole waves.
Tuskax the Rampage
Tuskax the Rampage is a Legendary Earth Melee Attacker from the Ironbands who steals what the enemy has. Rampager Ax steals buffs and gives him Mana for his Ultimate, and Beast Somersault gives him ATK Up, Crit DMG Up and Immunity.
His Combo Attack gives Titan Mana for each buff on him, so the more buffs he carries, the faster your Titan Mana builds.
Build Tuskax if you want a self-sufficient damage dealer who also builds Titan Mana.
Sgt. Slugg
Sgt. Slugg is an Epic Earth Melee Attacker from the Ironbands, with a kit built as a finishing sequence. Both Barrels places RES Down and pushes the enemy away, Voidstormer Lariat charges the furthest enemy and places DEF Down, and Slugg Special ignores part of the target's DEF for each debuff on it.
Jawbreaker places a short Hex, so a target that dies right after it cannot be revived, which helps against Althar. Keep in mind that the Hex lasts only a few seconds.
Build Slugg if you want an Epic who can set up and then permanently take down a single target.
Marilla the Black Salvo
Marilla the Black Salvo is a Legendary Dark Ranged Attacker from the Nocturna, and her critical hits power her up. Dark Gambit gives her ATK Up, Crit DMG Up and Skill SPD Up when its hits crit, and Monarch Tempo extends her buffs on critical hits.
Her Ultimate attacks random enemies many times. She brings no sustain of her own, so pair her with a healer and a Tank.
Build Marilla if you can give her the Crit Rate her kit runs on.
Vanato the Fiend
Vanato the Fiend is a Legendary Dark Ranged Attacker from the Nocturna, and his damage depends on an enemy with no buffs. Hungering Shell and his Ultimate, Black Wolf Vulcan, both gain damage against an unbuffed target, the Ultimate by a lot.
Ichor Bullet shortens the target's buffs and shortens all of Vanato's cooldowns when it has none. Shortening is not removing, so pair him with Invokers who strip or block buffs.
Build Vanato if your team can keep the enemy's buffs off.
Nistoru the Bloodbought
Nistoru the Bloodbought is an Epic Dark Melee Attacker from the Nocturna, and good at clearing content on his own. Vermillion Arc heals him for part of the damage it deals, Ravenous Edge gives him a Shield based on damage dealt and ATK Up, and Crimson Stinger gives him Move SPD Up.
His Ultimate shortens his Skill cooldowns, by more on a critical hit.
Build Nistoru if you want a damage dealer who needs less help from your healer.
Vagur the Tethered
Vagur the Tethered is an Epic Earth Melee Attacker from the Nocturna, and works against enemy buffs. Excise Soul steals buffs and places Mindworm, Ancient Scar places Jinx, Curseblade shortens buffs, and Millennium Shade steals buffs and adds an extra hit when the target has none.
Be wary of Bosses whose passives cannot be disabled: Mindworm will not switch those off.
Build Vagur if enemy buffs are what keeps beating you.
Nightguard Aleksu
Nightguard Aleksu is an Epic Fire Ranged Attacker from the Nocturna, and one of the hardest-hitting Epics once his targets carry debuffs. His Ultimate, Make Peace, hits harder against enemies with debuffs and much harder against those with three or more.
Vigilant Eye places DEF Down and ATK Down, and Scour Healing places Heal Reduction, which helps against Ulgorim. He has little HP, so keep a Tank in front of him.
Build Aleksu if your team places plenty of debuffs and you want someone to cash them in.
Kosmi the Voidsmith
Kosmi the Voidsmith is a Legendary Dark Melee Attacker from the Stonehearts, with a lot of buff control. Destructor Shard places DEF Down on a group, and Void Striker steals buffs and places Jinx.
Her Combo Attack extends her own buffs. She deals damage herself while making the target easier for everyone else to hit.
Build Kosmi if you want DEF Down and buff control all from one damage dealer.
Elder King Thalbrennar
Elder King Thalbrennar is a Legendary Wind Melee Attacker from the Stonehearts, and generates a lot of Titan Mana, which makes him especially strong against Pentiax, who takes extra damage from Titans. Royal Mandate gives him Mana for his Ultimate, plus Titan Mana on a critical hit, and his Ultimate grants more Titan Mana.
Crush Dissent gives him Crit Rate Up, and From On High extends his buffs. His Ultimate hits harder against a target with no buffs.
Build Thalbrennar if you want a top damage dealer who also builds Titan Mana effectively.
Devi of the Six
Devi of the Six is a Legendary Fire Melee Attacker from the Magi, strong in PvE and in the Arena. Astral Blows gives her a large Crit DMG Up, Skyward Breaker gives her Mana and Skill RECOV Up, and her Combo Attack shortens Skyward Breaker's cooldown.
Spectral Straight shortens her own debuffs on a critical hit, and Six-Fold Beatdown shortens an ally's Skill cooldown. All of it pays off when she crits, so build her Crit Rate first.
Build Devi if you want a damage dealer who carries a team on her own.
Railbolt Sarienne
Railbolt Sarienne is an Epic Earth Ranged Attacker from the Magi, and stronger than her low profile suggests. Empyreal Calibration gives her Crit Rate Up and Crit DMG Up, and Eliminator Bolt gives her Mana, more on a critical hit and more again on a kill.
When Soulpunch Driver kills its target, it brings her third Skill back almost at once and gives more Mana, so she snowballs through waves.
Build Sarienne if you want an Epic damage dealer who clear entire waves by herself.
Gawara the United
Gawara the United is a Legendary Fire Melee Attacker from the Cambion, with a focused set of debuffs. Duality Slash places RES Down and then DEF Down, and Duo Kick places Heal Reduction, which reaches 100% at Max Level.
Ebb and Flow gives him Mana for his Ultimate and Titan Mana on a critical hit, and Judgment Nexus shortens his third Skill's cooldown. Duo Kick's Heal Reduction is short, so time it for when the enemy heals.
Build Gawara if you need damage and full Heal Reduction all from one Invoker.
Realm Wanderer Sakamoji
Realm Wanderer Sakamoji is a Legendary Earth Melee Attacker from the Cambion, and his damage depends on the team around him. Setting Sun gains damage for every debuff on the enemy, and Silent Earth gains damage for every buff on Sakamoji.
Setting Sun also gives him Combo SPD Up on a critical hit, and Rising Star gives him Willpower. With a team that buffs him and debuffs the target, his damage climbs very high.
Build Sakamoji if your team already places plenty of buffs and debuffs.
Duchess Kanraku
Duchess Kanraku is a Legendary Dark Ranged Attacker from the Cambion, and a strong damage dealer against Bosses, including Omnissi. Unchained Claw places DEF Down on a short cooldown, and Abyssal Hands gives her Mana for each critical hit.
Rift Collapse Launches enemies and places two Burns, and Oblivion Crush places Stun. Be wary of Bosses that are immune to Burn or Control Debuffs.
Build Kanraku if you want a Boss damage dealer who brings her own DEF Down.
Benkoro the Void Wrangler (Honorable Mention)
Benkoro the Void Wrangler is an Epic Earth Melee Attacker from the Cambion, built around Titan Mana: his critical hits generate it from several Skills. Ensnare The Guilty Pulls nearby enemies, and Spikegust places DEF Down.
Sunspot Ricklow (Honorable Mention)
Sunspot Ricklow is an Epic Fire Ranged Attacker from the Magi. Volcanic Sphere gives him Mana for every enemy hit, his Ultimate places Burn on groups, and critical hits bring his Skills back sooner, which makes him strongest against crowded waves.
Granvil (Honorable Mention)
Granvil is an Epic Fire Melee Attacker from the Stonehearts. Molten Crucible steals buffs and keeps them, Helter Smelter places Mindworm, and Forge Destiny generates Titan Mana when the target has no buffs.
Highguard Hundrik (Honorable Mention)
Highguard Hundrik is an Epic Wind Melee Attacker from the Stonehearts. Stern Rebuke gains damage for every debuff on its target, Beneath My Heel gives him Mana and shortens his cooldowns, Back, Fiend! transfers debuffs, and Shining Sweep places ACC Down.
Best Damage Dealers Video
This video from Invokers Insider ZoX breaks down these Invokers in greater detail - check it out!
