Marvel Strike Force Karnak - Theria Games

Character Overview

Marvel Strike Force Karnak is a hero, cosmic, skill, controller, and Inhuman character in Marvel Strike Force. He has a latent potential trait, which is specifically used for Crystal’s event campaign. Characters with this trait are bio Inhumans, X-Men, and Brotherhood. As a member of the Inhumans team, Marvel Strike Force Karnak plays a pivotal role in Arena and War. The Inhumans team is particularly effective at neutralizing summoning and reviving, alongside being adept at dealing high damage and distributing debuffs.

Karnak’s usefulness is most notable in Blitz and Alliance War, where he performs well, though he tends to be less impactful in other game modes. While some players consider him the least impressive of the new Inhumans, he is still considered strong within his team. His value largely depends on the player’s roster and their specific goals. Karnak has a speed of 120, high focus, and moderate damage. He does have low health and armor, which is typical for a controller character.

Abilities

Karnak’s abilities in Marvel Strike Force are designed to make him a powerful controller and support character for the Inhumans team.

Precise Attack

Level: 1

Damage: 70

Crippling Blows

Level: 1

Damage: 70

Pressure Points

Level: 1

Damage: 100

The Magister

Level: 1

Gain Focus: 0

His Basic Ability: Precise Attack allows him to clear evade and deal 280% damage to the primary target. If the target has a negative effect, Karnak gains 25% crit chance for the attack, and this attack cannot be dodged.

Karnak’s Special Ability: Crippling Blows targets the primary enemy, dealing 260% damage, while also reducing the target’s speed by 20% and applying slow for 2 turns. This ability chains to 3 adjacent targets, dealing 200% damage to each, and importantly, it cannot be counterattacked.

For his Ultimate Ability: Pressure Points, Karnak attacks the primary target for 400% damage and clears all positive effects from the enemy. If Black Bolt is an ally, Karnak gains +100,000 extra focus for this attack and applies Disrupted to the target.

Karnak’s Passive Ability: The Magister activates on his turn and allows him to choose one random enemy. If the enemy has a positive effect, he will flip the positive effect into a negative one, otherwise, he will apply defense down. Additionally, Karnak gains 10% focus and an extra 10% focus for each Inhuman ally. He also benefits from a 10% dodge chance, making him more elusive in battle.

Usefulness

Karnak is most effective as part of a full Inhumans team, where his abilities shine. He is particularly useful in Blitz and Alliance War, contributing significantly to team synergy. Karnak’s abilities make him valuable for countering teams with counterattacks and evades, clearing taunt, and applying Disrupt to neutralize opponents like Colossus. His ability to flip buffs can dramatically alter the course of a battle, and his slowing effect benefits allies like Crystal, who deals more damage to slowed enemies. Additionally, Karnak excels at removing positive effects from enemies, making him an important tool in controlling the battlefield. His special ability is crucial for manipulating the speed bar of enemies, giving his team an edge in battle.

Karnak’s Disrupt effect is particularly reliable, as it never fails. While some players may feel he is less valuable outside of the Inhumans team, his ability to clear evades and positive effects remains a strong asset. He may not always be as impactful against every team, but he is especially effective against tanks with high resistance, where clearing taunt and removing buffs becomes essential for success. Ultimately, Karnak’s worth largely depends on the player’s roster and specific goals, but within the Inhumans team, he serves a key role in ensuring control and disruption.

Team Synergies

Karnak is essential for completing the Inhumans team, which is required to unlock Ebony Maw. He benefits greatly from being paired with Black Bolt, as his ultimate ability receives +100,000 extra focus and applies Disrupted when Black Bolt is an ally. Additionally, Karnak gains 50% max health and 40% resistance from Black Bolt, making them a powerful duo. Karnak also gains supplemental defense from his Inhuman teammates.

When paired with Yo-Yo, Karnak benefits from a 50% chance to gain evade on Yo-Yo’s turn, as well as receiving defense up when dropping below 50% health. Yo-Yo also provides valuable ability energy to the team. Crystal offers a big heal and cleanse when Karnak’s health falls below 50%, and her ultimate applies stun to all summoned enemies, further complementing Karnak’s kit. Quake helps Karnak gain more focus, and her ability to apply slows synergizes well with Karnak’s own slowing effects, setting up powerful combos, particularly with Crystal’s ultimate.

Karnak’s full potential is realized when paired with other Inhumans, and together, the team has become a formidable force in Marvel Strike Force. Yo-Yo, Crystal, and Black Bolt are considered core members of the Inhumans team, and their synergies with Karnak make this group incredibly effective in battle.

Stats

Karnak’s stats in Marvel Strike Force reflect his role as a versatile Inhuman controller. His speed of 120 is considered relatively fast, allowing him to act early in combat and control the pace of the battle. Karnak’s focus is excellent, and when paired with Quake, he gains additional focus, enhancing his ability to land debuffs and disrupt enemies. His damage is moderate, with his basic attack dealing 280% damage to the primary target. His special ability deals 260% damage, and his ultimate ability delivers 400% damage, while also clearing all positive effects from the target, making him effective against buff-heavy teams.

Karnak has low health and low armor, which is typical for a controller character who relies more on debuffs and control than raw durability. However, his team synergies help mitigate this weakness. The Inhuman team provides him with plenty of supplemental defense, including 50% max health and 40% resistance from Black Bolt, which significantly boosts his survivability.

When paired with Yo-Yo, Karnak benefits from a 50% chance to gain evade on Yo-Yo’s turn, and defense up when dropping below 50% health. Additionally, Crystal offers a big heal and cleanse if his health falls below 50%. Yo-Yo also ensures that enemies have offense down at the start of every turn, providing further protection for Karnak and his team. While his base stats may seem unremarkable, the full potential of Karnak shines through when supported by his teammates, making him a valuable asset within the Inhumans team.

Red Stars

Increasing Karnak’s Red Stars can significantly improve his effectiveness in battle, enhancing his stats and overall performance. While some players have managed to obtain a four red star Karnak after opening several red star orbs, it typically takes multiple attempts to achieve a three red star or better Karnak. Red star offers may provide a mix of one, two, or three red stars, but these offers are often seen as less worthwhile unless they come with additional valuable items.

The general value of red star orbs is around three dollars each, but many players consider the randomness of the system frustrating, with some labeling it a “scam.” Because of the random nature of red star promotions, it is often recommended to use a red star simulator to better understand the odds of acquiring higher red stars. However, red star promotions are not something that players need to prioritize immediately. It’s often better to wait until they have powerful characters to take to six red stars, avoiding unnecessary expenditure on lower-level red stars.

Iso-8

Karnak can benefit from either the Raider or Skirmisher ISO-8 class, depending on the specific needs of the battle. The Raider ISO-8 class increases critical hit chance and critical damage, making it a strong choice if you want to boost Karnak’s damage potential. On the other hand, the Skirmisher ISO-8 class enhances Karnak’s focus stat and allows him to apply vulnerability to enemies, improving his ability to land debuffs and support his team. Choosing between Raider and Skirmisher depends on whether you want to maximize Karnak’s damage output or enhance his control and debuffing capabilities in a match.

T4 Prioritization

When prioritizing T4 investments for Karnak in Marvel Strike Force, it’s often recommended to focus on his special, ultimate, and passive abilities for the most impactful upgrades. Many suggest upgrading Yo-Yo and Black Bolt before Karnak, as they provide significant synergies for the Inhumans team.

The special ability (Crippling Blows) is considered a high priority for T4 investment. At T4, it increases the damage to the primary target by an additional 40%, raises the damage to adjacent targets from 160% to 200%, and guarantees that the attack will chain to three adjacent targets. It also increases the speed bar reduction from -10% to -30%, which can significantly disrupt enemy turns, making it highly valuable for controlling the flow of battle.

The ultimate ability (Pressure Points) is another crucial upgrade. At T4, it adds 50% more damage to the primary target, bringing the total damage to 400%. It also doubles the extra focus from 50,000 to 100,000, ensuring that this ability is more likely to clear all positive effects from the target. Given that this is Karnak’s primary attack, it is considered a very important upgrade.

The passive ability (The Magister) is often seen as the most important T4 upgrade. At T4, it grants an additional 5% focus and 5% focus for each Inhuman ally, further boosting Karnak’s ability to land debuffs. Additionally, if the selected enemy does not have a positive effect, Karnak will apply defense down, which is a helpful debuff for weakening opponents. Upgrading the passive can significantly improve Karnak’s utility, especially in Blitz, and is considered essential for increasing the Inhumans team’s chances of winning against similarly strong teams.

The basic ability (Precise Attack) is typically the last T4 upgrade to consider. It increases the damage to the primary target by 40% and boosts Karnak’s crit chance by 10%, bringing the total crit chance to 25%. However, some players do not prioritize this upgrade, as it doesn’t have as much impact on Karnak’s overall utility compared to his other abilities.

In summary, the general recommendation is to prioritize the passive ability (The Magister) first, followed by the special ability (Crippling Blows) and ultimate ability (Pressure Points). The basic ability (Precise Attack) is generally the least essential for T4 upgrades. It’s important to test Karnak’s passive to see if it is being resisted, as this could further justify upgrading it.

How to Acquire

Karnak can be unlocked in Marvel Strike Force with 45 shards. He has been available through various methods, including a $25 offer that guarantees the character unlock. Karnak’s shards can also be obtained from milestone orbs, raid orbs, and premium orbs, providing multiple ways to collect them. Additionally, Karnak is farmable in Nexus 8-6, making him accessible through regular gameplay. Players can also acquire Karnak through red star orbs, as well as the war store. Karnak will also be featured in blitzes, offering another opportunity to earn shards. To further increase your chances of unlocking him, there is a 10% increased drop rate for Karnak in certain events and orbs.

Blitz Viability

Karnak is a valuable character in Blitz when used as part of the Inhumans team, significantly improving your chances of winning against teams of similar strength. The full Inhumans team, even with uneven power levels, can still be effective in Blitz, especially with the new Blitz scoring formula. Karnak’s special and passive abilities are particularly useful in this mode, with his passive ability providing additional focus and the ability to apply defense down, further bolstering his team’s effectiveness in battle. To maximize your Blitz score, it’s important to prioritize characters with the highest red stars.

With Karnak on the team, the Inhumans become a formidable Blitz force, on par with the X-Men in terms of performance. Black Bolt further amplifies Karnak’s usefulness by enabling him to clear all positive effects from enemies. When playing, it’s essential to focus on taking out the enemy damage dealers first to minimize the threat. Additionally, when facing teams with Sif or Loki, it’s advisable to shield Thor and Hela, as the AI tends to target them first. Overall, Karnak’s presence strengthens the Inhumans team in Blitz, making him a solid choice for this mode.

Offer Controversy

The offers for Karnak in Marvel Strike Force sparked some controversy among players, primarily because many were just short on Karnak shards needed to unlock Ebony Maw. The offers themselves were criticized for being expensive and not offering much value, particularly given the amount of shards provided for the price.

For example, the 50 shards for $30 deal was considered overpriced, especially in comparison to previous offers that provided better value for a lower cost. Additionally, some offers included red star orbs with equal chances of getting one, two, or three red stars, but these were seen as not worthwhile without additional items. Many players felt that these offers lacked added incentives, with some content creators expressing disappointment, saying they were expensive and didn’t offer enough “extras” to justify the cost.

The red star system itself also became a point of contention, with some players labeling it a “scam.” Furthermore, offers that included farmable characters from the war store were generally not recommended, as they didn’t provide enough additional value for the price.

Latent Potential

The Latent Potential trait in Marvel Strike Force is a temporary trait applied to characters needed for Crystal’s event campaign. Characters with this trait include those from the Bio, Inhuman, X-Men, and Brotherhood factions. This is not a new tag and will only be relevant during the event for unlocking Crystal. The trait will be active solely for the duration of the campaign and will not persist beyond that.

Gameplay

Karnak’s gameplay in Marvel Strike Force revolves around a mix of single-target attacks, debuffing, and buff manipulation. As a controller, his primary role is to disrupt the enemy team and create opportunities for his allies. He excels at clearing evades, applying slows, disrupting enemies, and flipping positive effects on enemies to negative ones. His attacks are mostly single-target, but his abilities come with added effects, such as applying slow to multiple enemies. Although his animations are not particularly flashy, they are still engaging to watch. Karnak’s abilities also come with long cooldowns, and he is not considered a core character in most teams.

Karnak is most effective when paired with other Inhumans, especially key members like Black Bolt, Yo-Yo, Crystal, and Quake. His kit is designed to complement the Inhumans team’s strengths, focusing on debuffing and controlling the enemy. He can clear taunt and apply disrupt, which is especially useful against characters like Colossus. His slow ability is crucial for Crystal, as she deals increased damage to slowed enemies. Karnak also provides additional focus and applies defense down, which makes him a strong contributor in Blitz battles. His synergy with the Inhumans is significant, as his abilities help the team maintain control over the battlefield.

In specific scenarios, Karnak’s basic attack is useful for clearing evades, such as those from Spider-Man, allowing him to deal damage. His ultimate ability can clear taunt and apply disrupt, making it effective against tanks. Additionally, his special ability is great for manipulating the speed bar of key enemies, delaying their actions and giving the Inhumans team a strategic advantage.

With his high focus, it’s recommended to upgrade his passive ability, which allows him to flip buffs on enemies. If Black Bolt is on the team, Karnak’s ultimate ability becomes even more powerful, gaining extra focus and applying disrupt to enemies. It’s also important to remember that the AI often targets characters like Sif and Loki, so shielding Thor and Hela can help protect key team members. In general, damage dealers should be prioritized and taken out first to reduce the enemy’s threat level.

Overall Value

Karnak’s overall value in Marvel Strike Force is largely dependent on his synergy with the Inhumans team. When teamed up with other Inhumans, his value is maximized, and he becomes a potent force. Outside of this team, his effectiveness tends to be mediocre. As a controller, Karnak’s kit is designed to disrupt the enemy team and create opportunities for his allies. His abilities allow him to clear evades, apply slows, disrupt enemies, and flip positive effects into negative ones, making him a powerful utility character in many battles.

In Blitz, Karnak is useful, especially when paired with a full Inhumans team. His passive ability grants additional focus and applies defense down, boosting the team’s effectiveness in battle. While his attacks are primarily single-target, some of his abilities, like his slow, can affect multiple enemies, making him more versatile against certain threats, but he does not provide significant AoE damage.

When considering T4 prioritization, it’s generally recommended to focus on upgrading key characters like Yo-Yo and Black Bolt first, although Karnak’s special, ultimate, and passive abilities can be worthwhile investments for Tier 4 upgrades. Karnak’s offers have been somewhat controversial due to the high costs and the relatively low number of shards provided for the price, leading some players to feel that the offers lacked value.

In terms of stats, Karnak has a decent speed at 120 and moderate damage output, making him a solid character within his team. For Iso-8 class, Karnak should be equipped with either Raider or Skirmisher depending on the situation, as these classes complement his role in the team effectively.