
Introduction
Daredevil, the Man Without Fear, is a powerful and versatile character in Marvel Strike Force. In this Marvel Strike Force Daredevil Guide, learn how despite his blindness, Daredevil’s enhanced senses provide him with extraordinary awareness, making him an exceptional fighter who excels in both offense and defense. His agility, coupled with his acute hearing and heightened touch, allow him to anticipate enemy movements, avoid attacks, and strike back with precision.
His unique abilities include disrupting enemy teams, providing crowd control, and inflicting significant damage, especially with his special and ultimate moves. As a farmable character, Daredevil is accessible to players at all levels, regardless of whether they choose to spend money on the game. His availability through the Arena Store and through Premium and Mega Orbs ensures that players can add him to their roster without having to rely on high-cost purchases. This makes him a valuable asset to both free-to-play and spending players.
His early availability in the game, combined with his impressive synergy with the Defenders team, makes Daredevil an excellent choice for players looking to build strong squads from the outset. Whether used as a damage dealer, a disruptor, or a key support role, Daredevil’s versatility and powerful toolkit help players achieve success, particularly in the early game. As a cornerstone of many successful teams, his inclusion is often essential to progressing through key game modes and challenging encounters.
Skills
Strike Without Fear
Level: 1
Damage: 90
Minus Level Level Up!Throw Baton
Level: 1
Damage: 80
Minus Level Level Up!Brawl
Level: 1
Damage: 170
Minus Level Level Up!Enhance Senses
Level: 1
Gain Speed: 5
Minus Level Level Up!Daredevil’s basic attack, Strike Without Fear, allows him to attack a primary target for 90% damage. This attack also has a chance to trigger a bonus attack for 70% damage, effectively enabling him to strike twice in one turn. At level 7, this bonus attack has a 50% chance to activate, making it a reliable source of additional damage.
Additionally, if the target is a Hand enemy, the chance for a bonus attack increases to 40%, enhancing Daredevil’s effectiveness against Hand teams. Upgrading Strike Without Fear to level 7 also guarantees a bonus attack if the target has an active buff, making Daredevil particularly effective against enemies that rely on buffs for their strategies. This combination of consistent damage output and the potential to disrupt enemy strategies makes Strike Without Fear an invaluable asset in multiple game modes, from raids to war and beyond.
Daredevil’s special attack, Throw Baton, unleashes a flurry of attacks, striking the primary target for 200% damage at level 7 and chaining to two adjacent targets for 150% damage. This area-of-effect attack makes Daredevil a significant threat to grouped enemies, and the ability to chain attacks to nearby targets allows him to disrupt enemy squads, especially in the early game.
What makes Throw Baton particularly powerful is its ability to apply two Counter attacks to Daredevil and all Defender allies, allowing them to strike back outside of their normal turn order. This can quickly shift the momentum in battle, turning the Defenders into a formidable force. Upgrading Throw Batonto level 5 increases the number of chain targets to four, expanding its area of effect and further amplifying Daredevil’s damage output. Additionally, the ability is fully charged on spawn, meaning Daredevil can use it right away, making him a strong early-game presence.
To maximize the effectiveness of Throw Baton, positioning Daredevil strategically within your team is key. Placing him next to tank characters like Luke Cage or Ms. Marvel often results in Daredevil taking splash damage from attacks directed at those tanks. This triggers the Counter attacks applied by Throw Baton, allowing Daredevil and his Defender allies to retaliate with a powerful counteroffensive.
Throw Baton is an essential ability for Daredevil, offering significant damage and the ability to control the pace of battle through Counter attacks. Upgrading it should be a high priority to boost both his offensive and defensive potential, particularly when playing with a Defender team.
Daredevil’s ultimate ability, Brawl, delivers a devastating blow to a single target, inflicting 400% damage at level 7. The attack then chains to four adjacent targets for 240% damage, making Brawl an incredibly powerful ability capable of eliminating high-value targets or significantly weakening multiple enemies at once. When upgraded to level 7, the number of chained targets increases to six, further amplifying its damage potential and allowing Daredevil to take down even more enemies with one powerful strike.
Unlike his special ability Throw Baton, Brawl doesn’t require specific team compositions to be effective, making it versatile in any squad. It can be used to eliminate key threats or deal heavy damage to several enemies regardless of team setup. However, it’s important to note that using Brawl will break any active chains from Daredevil’s other abilities. To maximize its damage output, it’s ideal to use Throw Baton first to weaken multiple targets, and then follow up with Brawl to finish them off with devastating damage. This approach ensures that Daredevil delivers maximum impact, making Brawl a crucial tool for dealing with multiple enemies or taking down high-priority targets.
Daredevil’s passive ability, Enhanced Senses, provides valuable benefits to both himself and his allies. Daredevil and all Defender allies gain 10% Speed, applied after any character takes an action. This means the speed bonus accumulates with each turn, making the Defenders progressively faster as the battle continues. Additionally, Daredevil gains a 5% Dodge chance, which increases by 5% for each Defender ally, potentially reaching a maximum of 20% Dodge chance. This makes Daredevil significantly harder to hit, adding a layer of survivability to his already strong kit.
Enhanced Senses also boosts Daredevil’s damage output, granting 10% damage, with an additional 5% increase when upgraded to level 3. This passive ability further synergizes with Shadowland allies, who gain 10% Speed, increasing to 20% in War. Additionally, Daredevil gains an extra 5% Dodge chance for each Shadowland ally, further enhancing his evasion capabilities.
This passive ability makes Daredevil and his allies both faster and more evasive, improving their offensive and defensive performance. The speed boost becomes more powerful as the battle progresses, which is especially valuable in longer fights. Prioritizing upgrading this ability to level 5 is crucial for maximizing Daredevil’s effectiveness, particularly in Defender and Shadowland teams. If you’re focusing on building a Shadowland team, upgrading Enhanced Senses should be your first priority.
Daredevil’s Enhanced Senses is a cornerstone of his effectiveness in Marvel Strike Force. It strengthens both his individual capabilities and the overall power of his team, making him an essential character in various team compositions.
Synergies
Daredevil possesses valuable synergies that significantly enhance his effectiveness and that of his allies in Marvel Strike Force. His core synergy lies with the Defenders team, which includes Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and Jessica Jones. These characters have abilities that complement each other, making them a formidable force. Luke Cage’s taunt draws enemy fire, protecting Daredevil and the rest of the team. Iron Fist provides powerful attacks and healing, while Jessica Jones, the team’s controller, removes negative effects and boosts the Defenders’ special abilities, further amplifying Daredevil’s Throw Baton ability. This synergy allows Daredevil to thrive in a team that can both protect and enhance his damage output.
Another key synergy is with Punisher, which can be one of the most potent in the game, especially against villain teams. Punisher’s passive ability allows him to counterattack whenever Daredevil is attacked. This means that whenever Daredevil takes damage, Punisher retaliates with a powerful strike, turning defense into offense. Additionally, Daredevil’s basic attack gains an increased chance to trigger a bonus attack against villains, further maximizing his damage potential and making him even more effective in such matchups.
While not as impactful as the previous synergies, Daredevil also benefits from teaming up with Ms. Marvel. Ms. Marvel gains assists when City Hero allies attack, which includes Daredevil. This allows Ms. Marvel to contribute more frequently to the fight, boosting the overall damage output of the team.
These synergies make Daredevil a highly versatile character who can excel in various team compositions. Understanding and utilizing these synergies is key to maximizing Daredevil’s potential and effectiveness in Marvel Strike Force.
Best Team Compositions
Daredevil’s effectiveness in Marvel Strike Force is significantly amplified when he’s part of a team that leverages his strengths and mitigates his weaknesses. There are several team compositions that work particularly well with Daredevil, each offering unique synergies and advantages.
The Punfenders team is considered one of the best early-game teams a player can assemble. It combines the core Defenders – Daredevil, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and Iron Fist – with Punisher, creating a powerful and resilient squad. Luke Cage acts as the primary tank, drawing enemy fire with his taunt ability and protecting the team. Iron Fist contributes strong single-target damage and healing, while Jessica Jones disrupts enemy strategies by removing negative effects and enhancing the Defenders’ special abilities, which also boosts Daredevil’s Throw Baton.
Punisher, with his passive ability, counters whenever Daredevil is attacked, further increasing the team’s offensive capabilities. The optimal lineup for Punfenders positions Daredevil next to Luke Cage, ensuring that Daredevil takes splash damage from attacks targeting Luke Cage, which triggers Punisher’s counterattacks and maximizes the team’s damage output. This team excels in Arena (early game), Raids, Blitz, Alliance War, and Hero and Nexus Campaigns, making it a valuable option across multiple game modes.
The Defenders team, focusing on the core synergy without Punisher, offers flexibility, especially in the fifth slot. A good choice for the fifth member is Ms. Marvel, who synergizes well by providing assists when City Hero allies, like Daredevil, attack. While this team lacks the raw damage output of the Punfenders, it excels in Raid battles due to its durability and Daredevil’s Counter attacks, allowing the team to survive and deal significant damage against tough opponents.
The Brawlers composition aims to maximize Daredevil’s damage output by pairing him with other powerful Brawlers. An example Brawler team could include Daredevil, Iron Fist, Ms. Marvel, and two additional Brawlers. The synergy between these Brawlers results in high damage output, particularly useful in Blitz and early Arena battles where burst damage is crucial. While Iron Fist provides some sustainability with his healing, this team generally lacks the defensive capabilities of the Punfenders, making it less effective in longer battles or more challenging game modes.
In a Shadowland team, Daredevil benefits from his Enhanced Senses passive ability, which provides additional benefits when paired with Shadowland allies. His ability to apply Counter attacks to himself and other Shadowland allies creates strong defensive synergies. Shadowland teams are further enhanced by Daredevil’s speed bonuses, which become even more powerful in War, and his increased Dodge chance, which improves his survivability. This makes him a viable option for teams focused on speed and evasion.
Daredevil’s versatility makes him a valuable asset in a variety of team compositions. Whether you choose to utilize him in the renowned Punfenders, the core Defenders team, a high-damage Brawler composition, or a speed-focused Shadowland team, understanding his synergies and how to leverage his strengths will ensure his potential is maximized in Marvel Strike Force.
Counters
Daredevil, despite his strengths, is susceptible to certain characters and mechanics in Marvel Strike Force. Recognizing these counters is essential for crafting effective strategies and avoiding potential pitfalls when using him in your roster.
One of Daredevil’s main vulnerabilities lies in characters with Disrupt abilities, such as Stun, Ability Block, or Blind. These effects can significantly hinder his performance by preventing him from using his abilities effectively, thus reducing both his damage output and defensive capabilities. Dr. Strange, with his ability to apply Ability Block, can prevent Daredevil from utilizing his important abilities like Throw Baton and Brawl. Likewise, characters like Spider-Man, who can apply Stun, can disrupt Daredevil’s attack sequence, limiting his ability to retaliate.
Another major counter to Daredevil comes from characters with high burst damage. Heroes capable of dealing significant damage in a single turn can quickly eliminate Daredevil, especially if he’s not protected by a tank. Gamora and Yondu are examples of such characters, as their powerful attacks can bypass Daredevil’s defenses and potentially take him out before he can respond.
Daredevil’s reliance on counterattacks can be exploited by taunt characters with counterattack abilities. Captain America, for example, can taunt and counterattack, absorbing Daredevil’s counterattacks and potentially retaliating. This weakens Daredevil’s defensive advantage and can make him less effective in battles against such characters.
Additionally, Defense Up and Damage Reduction buffs can significantly reduce Daredevil’s damage output. Enemies with high Defense Up or the ability to apply Damage Reduction can mitigate the effectiveness of his attacks, particularly his chain attacks, which deal reduced damage to secondary targets.
Daredevil can also struggle against high Dodge chance characters, such as Spider-Man, who can make it more difficult for Daredevil to land his attacks. While Daredevil himself can achieve a high Dodge chance through his passive ability, facing opponents with similar evasive capabilities can neutralize this advantage and lower his effectiveness.
Finally, high Resistance can impact Daredevil’s ability to apply Blind, especially against enemies with substantial Resistance. Though his 200% Accuracy makes him immune to Blind from characters with lower Accuracy, opponents with exceptionally high Resistance can still reduce the effectiveness of his Blind-inflicting attacks, diminishing his overall impact in such matchups.
Daredevil’s counters largely depend on the specific team composition he’s facing and the strategy being employed. By understanding these weaknesses and pairing him with allies who can help mitigate them, you can maximize Daredevil’s effectiveness and better navigate the challenges posed by these counters in Marvel Strike Force.
Game Modes
Daredevil’s versatility makes him a valuable asset across multiple game modes in Marvel Strike Force. His abilities and synergies allow him to excel in various settings, contributing meaningfully to a range of challenges.
In the Arena, Daredevil shines, particularly when paired with the Punfenders team. His synergy with the Defenders and Punisher’s counterattacks allows him to compete against higher-power teams in the early stages. Daredevil’s ability to apply Blind and deal significant damage can shift the balance in your favor. However, as you progress to higher Arena tiers and face more powerful teams, his lack of sustainability and vulnerability to control effects may limit his effectiveness against highly developed squads.
In Raids, Daredevil’s sustained damage output and synergy with Defenders, particularly through Luke Cage’s Taunt and Iron Fist’s healing, make him a valuable addition. His Counter ability further boosts the team’s survivability, enabling them to endure tough raid encounters and continue dealing damage. Daredevil’s contribution to both offense and defense in Raids is crucial for tackling challenging enemy forces.
In Blitz, Daredevil’s strong offensive capabilities make him an excellent choice, especially where burst damage is essential to quickly eliminate enemies. His effectiveness is most noticeable in early Blitz tiers, where his synergy with the Punfenders team allows for swift victories by overwhelming opposing squads.
In Alliance War, Daredevil’s synergy with the Defenders and Punisher makes him a reliable pick for both offensive and defensive strategies. The Punfenders’ combined strength offers resilience, while Daredevil’s ability to apply Counter can disrupt the enemy’s plans and bolster the team’s defense.
For Hero Campaigns, Daredevil and the Defenders form a strong team that can efficiently progress through these nodes. Their combined abilities allow them to overcome the challenges posed in the Hero Campaigns, earning valuable rewards and experience.
In Nexus Campaigns, Daredevil’s usefulness is somewhat limited. While the Defenders can still be employed, their lack of AoE attacks makes them less effective against the more challenging enemy compositions in later nodes of the Nexus Campaigns.
Daredevil does have limitations in certain game modes. He is not usable in Villain Campaigns, as these require villain-only teams. Additionally, since Daredevil lacks the Cosmic tag, he is ineligible for participation in Cosmic Conflicts. In Mystic Forces Rising, only Iron Fist among the Defenders has the Mystic tag, and although Daredevil can be paired with Iron Fist, the team alone cannot complete this mode. Finally, the Defenders, including Daredevil, do not meet the specific criteria for unlocking Legendary characters, reducing their utility in Legendary Events.
Though Daredevil may not be ideal for every game mode, his adaptability and strong synergies make him an essential character in various contexts. By understanding his strengths and weaknesses, you can make the most of his potential and use him effectively in different game modes.
Iso-8 Class
The ideal Iso-8 class for Daredevil in Marvel Strike Force is the Striker class, as it significantly enhances his offensive capabilities and makes him an even more powerful damage dealer. The Striker class increases Daredevil’s damage output, allowing him to deal higher damage with his abilities, particularly his basic attack, Strike Without Fear, and his special ability, Throw Baton. This increased damage is essential in amplifying his impact in both regular and high-stakes battles.
Daredevil also benefits from the synergy between the Striker class and Vulnerable debuff. When enemies are marked as Vulnerable—a debuff that can be applied by teammates like Jessica Jones or Punisher in the Punfenders team—Daredevil can deal even more damage to those targets. This synergy makes him even more effective at taking down priority targets quickly.
Additionally, Daredevil has multiple abilities that can take advantage of the Striker class’s increased damage output. His basic attack, Strike Without Fear, his special attack, Throw Baton, and his ultimate ability, Brawl, all benefit from the Striker class’s damage boost. This is particularly effective because Daredevil has a high frequency of attacks, meaning that the Striker class maximizes his potential to inflict substantial damage over the course of a battle.
While Daredevil can be effective in other Iso-8 classes, the Striker class complements his role as a primary damage dealer, maximizing his damage potential and making him a more formidable force in various game modes, especially when paired with teammates who can apply the Vulnerable debuff.
T4 Ability Priority
Daredevil’s T4 ability upgrades in Marvel Strike Force can significantly enhance his performance, especially when utilized in the right team compositions like Defenders or Shadowland. Prioritizing the correct upgrades will maximize his potential, improving both his offensive and defensive capabilities and making him a formidable presence on the battlefield.
The most important T4 upgrade for Daredevil is his Passive: Enhanced Senses (P). This upgrade provides a significant boost to the entire Shadowland team’s speed and survivability. It also increases Daredevil’s dodge chance by 25% when he is in a full Shadowland team. Additionally, the speed boost applies to Defenders, making this upgrade crucial for both team compositions. The enhanced speed and dodge chance make Daredevil more resilient and versatile, elevating his overall effectiveness in combat.
The next priority upgrade should be his Special: Baton Throw (S). This upgrade unlocks the full potential of Daredevil’s special ability by granting him the ability to apply two Counter attacks to all Shadowland allies. This dramatically boosts the team’s defensive capabilities, particularly in War, allowing Shadowland allies to retaliate efficiently. It turns Daredevil into a key support character, enabling him to contribute to both defense and offense.
Ultimate: Brawl (U) is also an important upgrade, especially for War offense. This T4 upgrade increases the damage and expands the chain to 4-6 targets, which is a powerful synergy with Moon Knight’s opening attacks in a Shadowland team. This upgrade makes Daredevil a stronger damage dealer, contributing to the team’s ability to eliminate multiple enemies effectively.
Lastly, the Basic: Strike Without Fear (B) upgrade, while not as essential as the others, still provides a significant boost to Daredevil’s basic attack. This upgrade increases the damage output and guarantees a bonus attack, making his basic attack a more reliable source of damage, particularly against single targets.
By prioritizing these T4 upgrades in this order, you can maximize Daredevil’s potential and ensure he becomes a highly impactful character in both offensive and defensive strategies, especially within Shadowland and Defenders team compositions.
Conclusion
Daredevil, the Man Without Fear, is a powerful Brawler in Marvel Strike Force, known for his high damage output, counterattack abilities, and strong synergy with both the Defenders and Shadowland teams. He is an excellent character for new players to farm early in the game, as he can be acquired for free by linking your Facebook account, making him an easy addition to any roster.
Daredevil’s strengths include high single-target damage with a chance to chain attacks, the ability to apply Blind to enemies, and his counterattack abilities, which provide a strong defensive advantage, particularly when paired with Luke Cage’s Taunt. His synergy with the Defenders team is particularly strong, especially when paired with Punisher in the “Punfenders” composition. Daredevil is also valuable in multiple game modes, including Arena, Raids, Blitz, Alliance War, and Hero Campaigns, due to his versatile abilities and synergy with various team compositions.
However, Daredevil does have weaknesses. He is susceptible to control effects like Stun and Ability Block, which can hinder his performance. He is also vulnerable to burst damage from characters like Gamora and Yondu, which can quickly eliminate him if not properly protected. Additionally, he struggles against high Defense Up and Damage Reduction effects, which can reduce the effectiveness of his attacks. His usefulness may diminish in later game modes that require more specialized teams.
Daredevil excels in the Defenders team, which consists of Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, and Punisher, as well as in Shadowland, where he works well alongside Moon Knight, Elektra, Hand Sorceress, and a fifth character of choice, such as Nobu. He can be farmed from the Arena Store, and players should prioritize gear and abilities to at least 5 stars for early-game effectiveness. For his Iso-8 class, the Striker class is ideal, as it enhances his damage output and synergy with Vulnerability, making him a more formidable threat.
While Daredevil may not be a top-tier character in the late game, his accessibility and synergy with powerful teams make him a valuable asset, especially for new players. By understanding his strengths and weaknesses and strategically utilizing him in the right team compositions and game modes, players can unlock his full potential and make him a key force in their journey through Marvel Strike Force.