Marvel Strike Force Fantomex Guide - Theria Games

Introduction

Fantomex is a strategic and versatile character in Marvel Strike Force (MSF), hailing from the Marvel Universe as a mutant created by the Weapon Plus program. Known for his unique abilities and cunning intelligence, Fantomex is a Blaster character who brings a blend of offense and utility to the game. As a member of the Unlimited X-Men team, Fantomex excels in the Cosmic Crucible game mode, where he can play a key role in overcoming tough opponents.

His abilities are designed to control the battlefield by providing a range of debuffs, such as defense down, attack down, and clearing taunts and evade/deflect effects, making him a strategic asset to his team. This Marvel Strike Force Fantomex Guide will help you understand how to make the most of his talents and maximize his impact in battle.

Fantomex’s utility goes beyond his basic attacks. His ultimate ability can deal significant damage, and his death passive ability makes him even more reliable in battle, offering support to his teammates when he is defeated. Despite his strengths, Fantomex is not without criticism. While he can shine within the Unlimited X-Men team, many players find that he does not perform well outside of this synergy.

His reliance on teammates makes him less effective as a solo character, and some players feel that his overall impact in a variety of game modes is limited. Nevertheless, those who utilize him correctly recognize his value, particularly in combination with his team’s strengths. This guide will delve into Fantomex’s abilities, how to unlock him, and strategies to maximize his effectiveness in Marvel Strike Force.

How to Unlock Fantomex

Fantomex can be unlocked primarily through the Heroic Event Campaign, which is similar to the Doctor Strange (Heartless) event. This campaign requires players to use characters with the “Debonair” trait. The campaign features multiple difficulty levels: Easy, Hard, and Heroic, with the harder difficulties requiring a certain number of Debonair characters. By completing campaign nodes and opening orbs, players can earn character shards for Fantomex.

The event offers a special energy system that can be refreshed using power cores. Additionally, Event orbs will be available during the campaign, containing character shards for Fantomex and other Debonair characters. Players who fully clear the Heroic difficulty for the first time will earn 30 free shards and additional rewards. Completing the event will typically unlock at least a 4-star Fantomex, with the possibility of reaching a 5-star unlock.

To enhance the chances of a higher-star unlock, players can spend 200-400 power cores daily on energy refreshes to play through the event campaign. It is generally recommended to save cores for this event, as doing so significantly increases the likelihood of obtaining a 5-star version of Fantomex. Alternatively, character offers may be available for purchase, typically costing around $50, which provide additional character shards. These offers can also be purchased using Amazon Coins for a potential discount of up to 20%. However, some players may opt to skip these offers, as Fantomex can be unlocked for free through the event, and his usefulness outside of his team may be limited.

Fantomex was also made available through the Strike Pass, though some players chose not to purchase this pass. While purchasing offers can provide a quicker unlock, participating in the event campaign and using power cores strategically offers a free method to unlock Fantomex and potentially raise his star level.

Fantomex’s Abilities and Kit

Fantomex is a Blaster character whose kit is centered around dealing piercing damage and applying various debuffs, making him a valuable asset within the Unlimited X-Men team. His abilities are designed to synergize with his teammates, especially in the Cosmic Crucible game mode. Fantomex brings a variety of tactical elements to the field, including taunt mechanics, the ability to clear deflect and evade, applying evades, and counterattacking when he has defense up.

As a Blaster, Fantomex excels at piercing damage and can apply defense down, offense down, and evade. He has a taunt ability to draw enemy fire and can clear deflect and evade effects from his primary target. On spawn, he grants evade to himself and all Unlimited X-Men allies, and he also gains a 100% counterattack chance when he has defense up. He heals for 20% of his Max Health each turn and, upon death, applies offense up and defense up to all allies while calling an assist. Additionally, Fantomex shares armor with his team, bolstering his teammates’ survivability.

Dual Shot

Level: 1

Piercing: 30

Eva Assist

Level: 1

Damage: 100

Stylish Shooter

Level: 1

Piercing: 20

Two Guns, Three Brains

Level: 1

Heal: 0

Fantomex’s Basic Ability – Dual Shot allows him to attack the primary target three times, dealing piercing damage. Each critical hit has a chance to apply defense down on the target, stacking up to five times. If forced to attack an ally, the damage dealt to X-Men characters is reduced.

His Special Ability – Eva Assist applies taunt to himself and attacks the primary target for single-target damage. He also applies offense down for two turns and defense up to himself and all Unlimited X-Men allies for two turns. If the primary target is already taunted, he instead attacks the enemy with the highest damage.

Fantomex’s Ultimate Ability – Stylish Shooter clears all deflect and evade effects from the primary target and then attacks them multiple times with piercing damage. The attack deals additional damage for each positive effect on the target and has bonus attacks in Cosmic Crucible.

Fantomex’s Passive Ability – Two Guns, Three Brains grants him the ability to apply evade to himself and all Unlimited X-Men allies upon spawn. He also gains a 100% chance to counterattack while he has defense up and heals for 20% of his Max Health each turn. Upon death, he applies offense up and defense up to all Unlimited X-Men allies and calls an additional attack. He increases his dodge chance for each Unlimited X-Men ally and shares 25% armor with his team.

Fantomex’s kit is designed to be most effective within the Unlimited X-Men team, providing a mix of support, damage, and survivability. However, his effectiveness outside of this team is somewhat limited.

T4 Ability Recommendations

When deciding on T4 upgrades for Fantomex, it’s important to prioritize abilities that maximize his effectiveness within the Unlimited X-Men team, especially in Cosmic Crucible.

The T4 upgrade for his Passive Ability – Two Guns, Three Brains is considered the most important. This upgrade provides evade to all Unlimited X-Men allies on spawn and grants Fantomex a 100% chance to counterattack while he has defense up, with the counterattack also having the potential to apply defense down with a critical hit. Additionally, the passive ability provides self-healing and grants offense up and defense up to the team upon Fantomex’s death. Given its numerous beneficial effects, this is a high priority for T4.

The T4 upgrade for his Ultimate Ability – Stylish Shooter is highly recommended, particularly because it significantly increases damage output in Cosmic Crucible. This upgrade adds an additional bonus attack and improves the ability’s overall damage by making it deal additional damage per positive effect on the target. The ability to clear deflect and evade further enhances its damage potential. Many players consider the ultimate to be underwhelming without the T4 upgrade, making it another priority.

The T4 upgrade for his Special Ability – Eva Assist increases the duration of taunt from one turn to two turns, allowing Fantomex to absorb damage for a longer period. This upgrade also applies offense down to the primary target and grants defense up to Fantomex and all Unlimited X-Men allies. While useful, this ability is not as high a priority as the passive and ultimate abilities.

Finally, the T4 upgrade for his Basic Ability – Dual Shot is generally considered the lowest priority. The damage increase from the T4 is minimal, and while it can apply defense down on critical hits, this is not enough to prioritize this upgrade over others. Since the basic ability hits three times, it can apply defense down multiple times, but the upgrade’s impact is relatively limited.

In summary, players should prioritize upgrading the passive ability first, followed by the ultimate ability, then the special ability, and lastly the basic ability. This upgrade order will ensure that Fantomex reaches his full potential within the Unlimited X-Men team and performs optimally in the Cosmic Crucible game mode.

Iso-8 Class Recommendations

When selecting the best Iso-8 class for Fantomex, the Raider class is widely considered the most effective option. This is largely due to Fantomex’s frequent attacks, with his basic ability hitting multiple times and applying defense down when he scores critical hits. The Raider class increases critical hit chance, making it easier for Fantomex to apply defense down more often. Additionally, Gambit’s passive ability, which boosts the critical chance and critical damage of all Unlimited X-Men allies when Gambit has evade, further synergizes with Fantomex, amplifying his damage output when using the Raider class.

Fantomex also has a 100% counterattack chance when he has defense up, and the extra attacks from counterattacks will benefit from the increased critical hit chance, enhancing his overall damage potential. This synergy with Gambit and the Raider class’s ability to increase critical hit chances make it the optimal choice for Fantomex, benefiting the entire Unlimited X-Men team.

While other Iso-8 classes are also considered viable, they generally don’t offer the same level of synergy and overall benefit. The Skirmisher class can be useful for placing more debuffs, taunting, and removing buffs from enemies, but it is seen as less beneficial for Fantomex compared to the Raider class. The Striker class can increase damage output, but the damage boost provided by the Raider class, particularly through its increased critical hit chance and frequency, is considered more effective for Fantomex.

The Fortifier class can improve Fantomex’s sustainability and provide a barrier from Dazzler, but given that Fantomex has self-healing and the ability to taunt to draw enemy fire, many players believe the Raider class is a better fit for maximizing damage output rather than relying on extra health and armor.

In conclusion, while other Iso-8 classes may have specific benefits, the Raider class is generally considered the best option for Fantomex due to his frequent attacks, ability to apply defense down, and strong synergy with Gambit. The increased critical hit chance and damage output will make Fantomex a more powerful contributor to the Unlimited X-Men team.

Team Synergies and Usage

Fantomex is primarily designed to be used as part of the Unlimited X-Men team, where his abilities and kit are optimized to work alongside his teammates, particularly in the Cosmic Crucible game mode. His effectiveness is significantly heightened when he is with the full Unlimited X-Men roster, and while he may have some utility outside of this team, he is not considered a plug-and-play character.

The core Unlimited X-Men team consists of Fantomex, Gambit, Dazzler, and Rogue, and this team excels in both offensive and defensive capabilities within Cosmic Crucible. Fantomex contributes several key benefits, including applying evade to all Unlimited X-Men allies on spawn, taunting to draw enemy fire, defense up to protect the team, and counterattacks when he has defense up, increasing his team’s damage output. Additionally, his attacks deal piercing damage to bypass armor and can apply defense down on critical hits to amplify damage.

His offense up and defense up abilities on death provide further support to the team. Gambit boosts the team’s critical hit chance and critical damage when he has evade, which synergizes well with Fantomex’s Raider class, while his counterattacks also work in tandem with Fantomex’s abilities. Dazzler helps by flipping negative effects, applying blinds, and granting barriers to the team, while Rogue, the legendary member, brings a powerful kit that enhances the team’s overall effectiveness. Although the fifth member of the team is not yet confirmed, Nightcrawler is widely speculated to be part of the lineup. The team’s speed is considered on the slower side, which requires players to implement specific strategies to offset this.

The Unlimited X-Men team is highly effective in Cosmic Crucible, where they gain additional bonuses that make Fantomex’s ultimate ability even more potent. On offense, they can defeat most teams with ease, especially when Rogue is utilized strategically. Defensively, the team is challenging to overcome due to their multiple attacks, evade buffs, healing, and significant damage output, especially when the T4 upgrades are applied. However, the team can be countered by characters who manipulate speed, as this can cause them to lose their evade buffs before they get a chance to take their turns.

Outside of the Unlimited X-Men team, Fantomex is less effective. He is not considered a strong “plug-and-play” character and may be overlooked by players who don’t see value in his abilities beyond the team or for unlocking Apocalypse. Some players choose to substitute Cable for Fantomex to ensure that Rogue goes first, which can be particularly advantageous in mirror matches. Other characters who provide speed manipulation, such as Zemo, Emma Frost, or Loki, can also be used to boost the team’s speed and increase their chances of success, especially in situations where Rogue needs to attack first.

While Fantomex’s kit has potential synergy with other teams, such as A-Force or other mutant teams, his effectiveness is still limited without the synergy provided by the full Unlimited X-Men roster.

In conclusion, Fantomex is most effective as a member of the Unlimited X-Men team, where his abilities support and enhance the team’s performance in Cosmic Crucible. His role outside of this team is less impactful, and players should prioritize building the full team to unlock his full potential.

Event Preparation

Preparing for the Fantomex event requires an understanding of the event structure, team requirements, and efficient resource management. The event will focus on characters with the “Debonair” trait, a mix of farmable and unfarmable characters, and players must use these characters to progress through the event.

The event will have three difficulty levels: Easy, Hard, and Heroic, with the Heroic difficulty offering the best rewards but demanding a stronger roster. The event will feature special campaign energy that refreshes daily and will last for 15 days, so planning is crucial to maximize shard acquisition. It follows a similar structure to previous events like the Doctor Strange Heartless event. There will be a special orb available for purchase with cores or earned through the event campaign, and the event store will offer items that can be bought with event currency. However, it is important to prioritize refreshing event energy to gain the most shards.

To participate in the event, players will need a team of at least five Debonair characters, especially for the harder difficulties. Recommended Debonair characters include Doctor Strange (Heartless), Sharon Carter, Dagger, Phyla-Vell, Loki, Star-Lord, Invisible Woman, Spider-Woman, Nico Minoru, Multiple Man, Mr. Sinister, Wolverine, and Star-Lord T’Challa. Prioritize characters that are also useful in other game modes. For example, Sharon Carter is beneficial in Doom raids, and Doctor Strange (Heartless) is a strong choice in the arena meta. Newer characters like Madelyne Pryor and Spider-Woman might be good options, but building them up last minute may not be practical.

Resource management is key during the event. Power Cores should be saved for refreshing the event energy. It is recommended to refresh the campaign energy four times a day with 50 power cores each to maximize shard gain. For those aiming for a 5-star unlock, consider spending 100 or 200 cores daily on refreshes. It’s better to prioritize power cores for event energy refreshes rather than purchasing character offers.

When it comes to Training Modules and Gold, be mindful of these resources as building multiple characters at once can quickly deplete them. Focusing on a team of five characters rather than spreading resources too thin is usually the best approach. Red Star Orbs will feature a 15% increase in the drop rate for Fantomex during the event, so consider saving orbs until the event goes live to take advantage of the boosted drop rate.

For team composition, aim for a team that can clear Heroic difficulty nodes. A team of characters around level 85, gear tier 15, and ability level 6 will typically be sufficient to progress through the Heroic campaign. A team power of about 150-180k should be able to clear the Hard difficulty nodes. Having a strong team is vital for maximizing free shard fragments. It’s important to have a balance of offensive, defensive, and support characters in your team to ensure success.

General tips for the event include participating daily to collect all the free shards, as this is a great opportunity to unlock Fantomex. Be mindful of your resources and consider if they will be useful in other game modes. If you’re unsure about which characters to use, consult your alliance mates for advice. Finally, enjoy the event without feeling too overwhelmed, and be strategic in how you allocate your resources.

By focusing on building a strong team of Debonair characters, using power cores for energy refreshes, and managing resources wisely, players can maximize their shard gains and potentially unlock Fantomex at a higher star level for free.

Conclusion

Fantomex is a unique and valuable character in Marvel Strike Force, designed primarily for use within the Unlimited X-Men team, which excels in the Cosmic Crucible game mode. While he may not be the most versatile character outside of this team, his synergies with his teammates make him a strong asset when utilized correctly. Fantomex’s kit is designed to complement the abilities of his teammates, specifically Gambit, Dazzler, and Rogue, and likely Nightcrawler as the fifth member.

Fantomex is most effective when part of the Unlimited X-Men team, which is tailored to perform well in Cosmic Crucible on both offense and defense. His role is to enhance the team’s overall damage potential and survivability. The Raider Iso-8 class is the most recommended for Fantomex due to his frequent attacks, ability to apply defense down, and synergy with Gambit’s boosts to critical hits and damage. This makes him even more effective within the team. When prioritizing T4 upgrades, it is suggested to focus on his passive ability, which grants evade to his allies and enables counterattacks for himself. While his special and ultimate abilities are useful, the passive is considered the most important.

When preparing for the Fantomex event, players must use Debonair trait characters and manage their resources, including power cores, training modules, and gold. Refreshing event energy daily is critical to maximize shard acquisition. Building a team capable of clearing the Heroic difficulty nodes is essential, and it is recommended to prioritize spending power cores on event energy refreshes rather than purchasing character offers. Additionally, the event will feature a 15% boosted red star rate for Fantomex, making it an ideal time to open red star orbs for his promotion.

Fantomex brings several strengths to the table, including piercing damage to bypass enemy armor, the ability to taunt and protect teammates, evade for the team, counterattacks when he has defense up, and on-death effects that provide offense and defense up to allies while calling an attack on the most injured enemy. However, his speed is a downside, as the team may struggle to keep evade buffs active. Additionally, his effectiveness is limited outside of the Unlimited X-Men team, and some of his damage relies on enemies having positive effects, which can be inconsistent.

Some players have opted to use Cable instead of Fantomex on the Unlimited X-Men team to ensure that Rogue goes first, providing a strategic advantage. There is also some controversy surrounding Fantomex, with some players feeling he may be underwhelming compared to other recent releases, while others appreciate the importance of balance in the game and understand that not every character is meant to be overpowered.

In conclusion, while Fantomex may not drastically change the game on his own, he is a crucial component of the Unlimited X-Men team. By investing in the full team and focusing on team synergy, resource management, and strategic planning, players will find Fantomex to be a strong and valuable asset, especially in Cosmic Crucible.