Marvel Strike Force Doctor Octopus Guide - Theria Games

Introduction

Doctor Octopus, also known as Otto Octavius, is a legendary character in Marvel Strike Force Doctor Octopus Guide, known for his strategic influence and mastery of technology. As the leader of the Sinister Six, he brings a powerful set of abilities that can greatly enhance the effectiveness of the team, particularly in end-game content.

While Doctor Octopus is a valuable asset, he is not essential for progressing through the earlier stages of the game, making him an optional character to unlock. His abilities allow him to control the battlefield with high utility, making team synergies with the Sinister Six particularly strong. Though unlocking Doctor Octopus is not urgent, his presence can make challenging content easier, thanks to his unique kit, which includes healing, debuffing, and controlling enemies.

To maximize his potential, it is recommended to pair him with fellow Sinister Six members, as their synergy boosts his effectiveness, especially in high-level raids and War battles. In terms of ability upgrades, focusing on those that enhance his survivability and control abilities will yield the best results. Additionally, Iso-8 class upgrades that focus on boosting his durability or damage output are ideal, depending on your strategy. With the right upgrades and team composition, Doctor Octopus can serve as a formidable force in your roster, helping to tackle tougher game modes with greater efficiency.

How to Unlock Doctor Octopus

Doctor Octopus is unlocked through a legendary event called Surgical S.T.R.I.K.E.. To participate in this event, you will need a team of five X-Force characters at a minimum of four stars. While earlier requirements suggested a five-star team, the requirement has been lowered to four stars. The following characters make up the X-Force team required for this event: Deadpool, Cable, Negasonic Teenage Warhead, X-23, and Domino.

These characters can be obtained through different methods, with some being more accessible than others. Deadpool is available in the Arena Store for 500 Arena Credits. Cable can be found in the Mystic 1-9 campaign node and the War Store for 1,375 War Credits. Negasonic Teenage Warhead is available in the Doom 1-9 campaign node, which is a late-game node, making her more challenging to farm. X-23 does not have a campaign node and can be found in the War Store for 1,375 War Credits, with her availability being somewhat random. Domino is available exclusively through Blitz Orbs with a 10% drop rate.

While some of these characters are easier to obtain, others may require more time and resources to farm. A recommended team power of approximately 250k to 300k will help unlock a seven-star Doctor Octopus, though a team power of 140k can still potentially complete the event. The Surgical S.T.R.I.K.E. event features multiple tiers, with increasing difficulty as you progress. Focus on taking down the weakest enemies first to ensure success. Completing the final tier of the event will reward players with the legendary Doctor Octopus, along with other rewards.

Doctor Octopus’ Abilities

Doctor Octopus’ abilities revolve around his strategic prowess and ability to manipulate the battlefield to his advantage. His kit is designed to summon allies, apply debuffs, and enhance his team, particularly the Sinister Six.

Master Planner

Level: 1

Gain Block Chance: 20

Sinister Recharge

Level: 1

Apply Charged to Self: 1

Superior Villain

Level: 1

Damage: 110

Tentacle Swarm

Level: 1

Damage: 100

His Passive Ability: Master Planner provides several benefits. On his turn, if charged, Doctor Octopus gains +1 deflect and +2 speed up, up to a maximum of five. In war, this passive grants him, Swarm, and Electro +15% damage. When fully upgraded, he can apply deflect and speed up to himself and adjacent allies if he is charged. However, it’s important to note that the speed up buff currently has a bug where it applies to himself at the start of his turn but expires once his turn ends.

Doctor Octopus’ Special Ability: Sinister Recharge summons a missing Sinister Six ally with the summon order being always the same: Shocker, Vulture, Rhino, Green Goblin, and Mysterio. The summoned ally’s ability levels match Doctor Octopus’s own. Upon summoning Shocker, he gains Offense Up for two turns. This ability also grants +3 Charged to Doctor Octopus and all chargeable Sinister Six allies and provides two regeneration for two turns.

The Ultimate Ability: Superior Villain allows Doctor Octopus to attack all enemies, flipping 2 positive effects into negative effects and prolonging the duration of all negative effects on each target. This attack cannot be counterattacked or dodged, making it a powerful tool for control.

Doctor Octopus’ Basic Attack: Tentacle Swarm attacks a primary target for 260% damage and applies slow for two turns. This attack cannot be dodged, making it a reliable way to hinder enemies.

These abilities combine to make Doctor Octopus a formidable support character, enhancing his team’s damage, survivability, and control over the battlefield. His ability to summon Sinister Six allies can turn the tide of battle, while his passive, special, and ultimate abilities further support his team’s success.

T4 Ability Upgrades

When considering which of Doctor Octopus’ abilities to upgrade with T4 materials, it’s essential to prioritize those that provide the most significant benefits to both him and his team, particularly the Sinister Six. The Special Ability: Sinister Recharge should be your highest priority T4 upgrade, as it greatly enhances the team’s overall performance. The T4 upgrade increases the charge from +2 to +3 charge for Doctor Octopus and all chargeable Sinister Six allies, and it also flips three debuffs into positive effects on self and all Sinister Six allies. This functionality change not only boosts Doctor Octopus but also strengthens his summoned allies, particularly enhancing characters like Electro and Swarm by providing them additional charge.

The Passive Ability: Master Planner comes in as the second most important T4 upgrade. The T4 upgrade grants an additional +15% damage to Doctor Octopus and all chargeable Sinister Six allies, which is particularly valuable in War. This damage boost is crucial, especially for improving the performance of allies like Electro and Shocker, and is vital for the team synergy, including supporting Green Goblin (Classic)’s passive.

The Ultimate Ability: Superior Villain is also worth upgrading, though it is not as essential as the special or passive abilities. The T4 upgrade increases the damage of the attack and improves the ultimate abilities of the summoned characters, which is beneficial, especially since Shocker spawns with a high-speed bar, making it even more effective.

The Basic Ability: Tentacle Swarm is the lowest priority for T4 upgrades. While it provides a 60% damage increase to the primary target, it’s not essential for Doctor Octopus, though it can enhance the basic attack of summoned characters.

In summary, prioritize upgrading the Special and Passive abilities for T4, followed by the Ultimate, and lastly the Basic ability. Upgrading these abilities will enhance both Doctor Octopus and his summoned allies, with the Special Ability upgrade offering high value due to its functionality change, while the Passive ability provides a critical damage boost, especially useful in War.

Iso-8 Class

When determining the best Iso-8 class for Doctor Octopus, it’s important to consider his role on the team and how different classes can enhance his abilities. The Healer class is the most recommended Iso-8 class for Doctor Octopus. This class significantly boosts his healing capabilities, which is a key aspect of his kit.

Doctor Octopus already has a passive ability that heals himself and his allies, so choosing the Healer class further increases his healing output, making his team more durable. Additionally, the Healer class enhances his active healing and allows him to apply more regenerations at once. Since Doctor Octopus is often used on defense in Alliance War, the Healer class is particularly valuable for making the team more resilient.

The Skirmisher class is a viable secondary option for Doctor Octopus, especially if you want to focus on applying Vulnerable effects to the enemy team. This class works well with Doctor Octopus because of his naturally high focus, and it can be especially useful when manually playing him for added control.

Other potential options include Raider, which could be beneficial due to Doctor Octopus’ area-of-effect attack with his ultimate ability. However, his crit rate may not be high enough to make this class fully effective. Striker is another possibility if you want to focus on increasing damage, though his basic attack hits only one target, which limits the class’s impact.

In summary, while other classes may offer some utility, the Healer class is the best choice for Doctor Octopus as it enhances his healing abilities, which is central to his role on the team. If healing isn’t your primary focus, the Skirmisher class is a strong alternative.

Team Compositions

Doctor Octopus is a highly versatile character who can enhance various teams, but he shines the most when paired with the Sinister Six. The Sinister Six team is built around synergy, and Doctor Octopus plays a pivotal role in elevating the team’s effectiveness. Key members of the Sinister Six team include Doctor Octopus, who is essential due to his abilities that significantly boost the team’s performance, especially his passive, special, and ultimate abilities. Mysterio is another must-have member, providing deflect to the team at the start of the battle and offering bonus focus. Electro is a great addition, benefiting from Doctor Octopus’s charge mechanic and being a chargeable character herself.

There are also several optional members that can further strengthen the team. Green Goblin (Classic) is especially valuable in war offense, thanks to his passive ability to dispel positive effects on the enemy team and his ability to bypass stealth. He is also a strong counter to Black Order teams. Rhino is great for defense, particularly when facing teams with blind effects, as he can counter those debuffs and provide a taunt to protect more vulnerable team members.

Vulture is a strong choice if he is sufficiently powerful, especially when paired with Swarm, as Vulture’s basic attack deals increased damage to enemies suffering from bleed, which Swarm can apply. Swarm is most effective under Doctor Octopus’ leadership, as his abilities rely heavily on the charge mechanic, and he is fragile without Doctor Octopus’ support.

This Sinister Six team excels in Blitz, War, and Raids, with a focus on sustainability due to constant healing. In War, it’s especially useful to place them on defense, as their healing and resistance to offense down make them tough to defeat. When facing teams with many buffs, including Green Goblin ensures that the enemy’s buffs can be stripped.

Additionally, Doctor Octopus can summon a random Sinister Six member, depending on the characters already on the field. The order of summons is always: Shocker, Vulture, Rhino, Green Goblin, and Mysterio, so it’s beneficial to leave out some of these characters in the starting lineup to guarantee the summoned character. The summoned character’s abilities will match Doctor Octopus’ ability levels, making them even more valuable.

Another strong team composition is the Superior Six, which is led by Green Goblin (Classic) and includes Doctor Octopus, Lizard, Spider-Slayer, and Kraven the Hunter. This team excels in Cosmic Crucible, and all members have the Sinister Six tag, making them compatible with other Sinister Six characters. Doctor Octopus should be placed next to Green Goblin (Classic) and Lizard to provide deflect and speed up, ensuring strong defense and speed. This team has exceptional buff manipulation capabilities, including the ability to apply Trauma and Safeguard, making them difficult to take down. When using this team, it’s recommended to start with Lizard’s ultimate to ensure the team gains multiple buffs and clears any Disrupted debuffs.

In addition, Doctor Octopus can pair well with Symbiotes such as Symbiote Spider-Man, Anti-Venom, Carnage, and Scream to counter Black Order teams in the arena. This composition is capable of punching up by as much as 100k in power.

When selecting your team composition, it’s essential to consider the game mode and the synergies between characters. The Sinister Six team benefits greatly from Doctor Octopus’ charge mechanic, and using them can be advantageous for unlocking Invisible Woman and Shuri, as well as progressing in the Dark Dimension. By strategically selecting the right team members, you can maximize Doctor Octopus’ potential and dominate in Marvel Strike Force.

Usage in Game Modes

Doctor Octopus is a versatile character who proves valuable across multiple game modes in Marvel Strike Force, thanks to his ability to enhance the Sinister Six team. His kit allows him to be effective in many areas of the game, supporting his team with healing, buffs, and damage boosts. Here’s how Doctor Octopus can be used in different game modes:

In Blitz, Doctor Octopus is an essential member of any Sinister Six team. His ability to summon a Sinister Six ally and provide buffs makes the team very powerful, often regarded as one of the top blitz teams. A strong composition for blitz includes Doctor Octopus, Mysterio, Electro, Rhino, and Swarm, all of whom work synergistically to dominate in this mode.

In Alliance War, Doctor Octopus is a major asset on both offense and defense. His passive ability grants a 15% damage boost to himself and other chargeable Sinister Six characters, which is crucial for war. Additionally, his healing is doubled during war, making him an excellent support character. On offense, including Shocker is beneficial, especially against City Heroes, as his offense-up buffs improve the team’s damage. On defense, Vulture and Green Goblin provide valuable utility, with their slowing and cauterizing abilities helping to keep the team alive. A recommended composition for war includes Doctor Octopus, Mysterio, and Electro.

In the Arena, Doctor Octopus is a strong counter to Black Order teams, particularly because of his resistance to offense down. He can also be paired with Symbiotes (Symbiote Spider-Man, Anti-Venom, Carnage, and Scream) to counter Black Order teams, enabling you to punch up by 100k in power.

In Cosmic Crucible, Doctor Octopus shines in the Superior Six team, which is led by Green Goblin (Classic). This team is designed to be one of the strongest options in this game mode. Green Goblin (Classic) boosts the speed bar by 36% at the start of the match, and using Lizard’s ultimate first can provide crucial buffs to the entire team, giving them an advantage in the Crucible battles.

In Dark Dimension, Doctor Octopus is a valuable character, especially in the legendary nodes where his sustainability, healing, and tankiness make him a key asset. Many players use him in Dark Dimension 3’s city nodes to help push through difficult stages, though he is not strictly required unless aiming for endgame content.

In Raids, Doctor Octopus and the Sinister Six team are highly effective. His area-of-effect damage, particularly from his ultimate, can significantly impact raid battles, making this team a good choice for many raid types.

Overall, Doctor Octopus is an optional but powerful end-game legendary character. While not required for unlocking other legendary characters, his presence greatly enhances the Sinister Six team, turning them into a viable and formidable option in multiple game modes. His charge mechanic benefits other Sinister Six members, and his ability to keep the team alive and strong is especially useful for maintaining a competitive edge, even when other members are less developed. Investing resources into Doctor Octopus is highly recommended, as his utility spans several areas of the game, ensuring long-term value to your roster.

Synergies

Doctor Octopus has numerous synergies with both his Sinister Six team and other characters, making him a valuable asset in Marvel Strike Force. His abilities are designed to enhance the Sinister Six, particularly those who can benefit from the charge mechanic, and his ability to summon Sinister Six allies adds additional strategic depth to his playstyle.

One of the key synergies is with chargeable allies. Doctor Octopus’s passive ability, Master Planner, grants deflect and speed up to himself and adjacent allies when charged. In Alliance War, his passive also boosts the damage of chargeable Sinister Six allies by +15%. His special ability, Sinister Recharge, provides +3 charge to himself and all chargeable Sinister Six allies, making him crucial for empowering characters like Electro and Swarm, who significantly benefit from the charged mechanic. This makes Doctor Octopus essential for maximizing the effectiveness of these characters.

Another important synergy is his ability to summon Sinister Six members. His special ability summons a missing Sinister Six ally in a specific order: Shocker, Vulture, Rhino, Green Goblin, and Mysterio. The summoned character’s abilities and gear level match Doctor Octopus’s, allowing for additional strength. If Shocker is summoned, he gains offense up for two turns, further boosting the team’s offensive capabilities. It’s important to consider your starting lineup carefully to ensure you summon the character you want.

The Sinister Six team synergies are also notable. Mysterio provides deflect and bonus focus at the start of the match, ensuring greater team survivability. Green Goblin excels in dispelling buffs and removing stealth, making him a valuable counter to teams that apply many positive effects. Rhino is great for defense, able to taunt and protect his squishier teammates, while also countering the blind status. Vulture deals more damage to characters with bleed and synergizes with Swarm, whose attacks benefit from Vulture’s damage. Electro, Vulture, and Shocker bring valuable speed, helping to win the action economy battle. Swarm benefits from Doctor Octopus’s charge mechanic, as he becomes much more effective when his charged stacks are managed properly.

Doctor Octopus also has strong synergies with the Superior Six team, which consists of Green Goblin (Classic), Doctor Octopus, Lizard, Spider-Slayer, and Kraven the Hunter. All members of this team have the Sinister Six tag, allowing for mixed synergy with other Sinister Six characters. The team’s synergy is bolstered by Safeguard on spawn, and Doctor Octopus enhances the team further by providing +20% block chance, +40% Max Health, and +15% damage for himself and other chargeable Sinister Six allies. For maximum effectiveness, Doctor Octopus should be placed next to Green Goblin (Classic) and Lizard to provide speed up and deflect.

In addition to his Sinister Six synergies, Doctor Octopus can be paired with Symbiote Spider-Man, Anti-Venom, Carnage, and Scream to counter Black Order teams in the arena. The Sinister Six team is also useful for unlocking legendary characters such as Invisible Woman and Shuri, further expanding their value in the game.

By understanding and leveraging these synergies, you can maximize Doctor Octopus’s potential, strengthening your team’s performance in various game modes and dominating the battlefield.

Counters

Doctor Octopus and his teams, the Sinister Six and Superior Six, are powerful, but they do have vulnerabilities that can be exploited with the right strategies and team compositions. To effectively counter them, players should focus on disrupting their synergies and targeting key characters.

One of the most effective general strategies is to focus fire on Doctor Octopus first. His passive healing and support abilities are essential to the survivability of his team, so removing him early can cripple their effectiveness. If Doctor Octopus is difficult to eliminate, Green Goblin (Classic) should be targeted next, as he is a key player in the Superior Six.

Ability Disruption is another valuable tactic; characters that can apply Ability Block or Stun can prevent Doctor Octopus from using his special ability and summoning additional Sinister Six members. Additionally, charged removal can be used to great effect, especially against the Superior Six, as removing their charge effects leaves them vulnerable. Offense Down is a powerful tool as well, since it reduces the damage output of the Sinister Six and Superior Six. While Doctor Octopus has significant resistance to Offense Down, the rest of the team is vulnerable to it.

Several specific team counters are effective against Doctor Octopus and his teams. The Black Order is a strong counter to Doctor Octopus in Alliance War, despite his ability to counter them in the Arena. Ebony Maw’s special ability puts defense up on his team and offense down on the enemy, but Doctor Octopus’s team has resistance to offense down, making them a soft counter to Ebony Maw’s effects. X-Force is another formidable counter in Alliance War, with strong offensive capabilities that can overpower Doctor Octopus’s team.

The Skill Military team is also a potential counter, though its effectiveness is still being tested. The Supernatural team with Baron Zemo can punch across against Doctor Octopus, but their success depends on debuffs landing, which makes them less reliable. Teams like Secret Defenders and Underworld can inflict Blind on Doctor Octopus’s team before Green Goblin (Classic) acts, forcing him to waste his skills. Finally, the Gamma team is able to flip Regeneration buffs into Bleed, causing significant damage to Doctor Octopus and his team, as he applies Regeneration buffs.

The Superior Six team, designed specifically for Cosmic Crucible, is more difficult to counter in this game mode. They start with Safeguard, making it challenging to remove positive effects, and they also begin with Offense Up and are immune to Offense Down. Blind is a useful tool against this team, especially if applied before Green Goblin (Classic) acts, as it causes him to waste his best abilities. Another strategy is to flip Regeneration effects into Bleed, significantly damaging the Superior Six. Lastly, removing Charged effects from the Superior Six, particularly from Green Goblin (Classic), will leave them vulnerable and can tip the balance in your favor.

By understanding these counter strategies and focusing on disrupting the synergy of the Sinister Six and Superior Six, you can effectively counter Doctor Octopus and his teams. Controlling their key characters, applying the right debuffs, and exploiting their weaknesses will lead to victory in battle.

Conclusion

Doctor Octopus is a powerful and versatile legendary character in Marvel Strike Force, offering significant enhancements to both the Sinister Six and Superior Six teams. While he is not essential for progression in the early to mid-game, his value grows considerably in end-game content. His primary role is to boost the performance of these teams through his unique abilities, such as summoning missing allies, providing charges, and offering healing and buffs, which help transform the Sinister Six and Superior Six into formidable forces across multiple game modes.

Doctor Octopus excels in several key game modes, including Blitz, Alliance War, Arena, Cosmic Crucible, and Dark Dimension. His abilities receive additional bonuses in Alliance War, making him particularly strong in this mode. He is also a solid counter to Black Order teams in Arena, and his tankiness and sustain make him invaluable in Dark Dimension. Doctor Octopus’s synergies with specific Sinister Six characters, such as Electro and Swarm, who benefit from his charge mechanic, as well as Mysterio and Green Goblin, who can enhance the team’s offense, defense, and control, make him a key asset in these teams. Additionally, his synergy with the Superior Six characters further solidifies his role in various strategies.

Strategically, when using Doctor Octopus, it’s crucial to focus on the right team composition to summon the most beneficial Sinister Six allies at the right time. Upgrading his special and passive abilities should be a priority, as these abilities are central to his kit. Using the Healer Iso-8 class amplifies his healing capabilities, making him even more effective. In the Superior Six, starting with Lizard’s Ultimate allows you to copy the opponent’s positive effects and apply them to your team, boosting their strength. When fighting against Doctor Octopus, it is important to focus fire on him first, as he provides significant support to his team.

While Doctor Octopus is an optional end-game legendary and not required to unlock other legendary characters, his versatility makes him a valuable addition to your roster in the later stages of the game. Though he is not essential for progression, he is worth pursuing for his strong contributions in war, dark dimension, and arena. He is a character you don’t need to rush toward but will greatly benefit from once unlocked.

In conclusion, Doctor Octopus is a powerful, versatile, and strategic character that enhances the Sinister Six and Superior Six teams, making him an important asset for tackling difficult end-game content. By understanding his synergies and how to use him effectively in different game modes, you can maximize his impact on your Marvel Strike Force roster. However, as he is not essential for progression, prioritize him according to your current goals in the game.