Marvel Strike Force Nobu - Theria Games

General Overview

Marvel Strike Force Nobu is a highly strategic summoner character in Marvel Strike Force, offering a wide range of capabilities that make him valuable across multiple gameplay modes. As a summoner, his abilities allow him to create additional minions, enhancing his effectiveness in battle by increasing his team’s survivability and offensive power. He carries several crucial tags, including Villain, City, Mystic, Controller, Hand, and Underworld, each of which brings a unique set of advantages to different aspects of the game.

The Mystic tag, in particular, boosts his relevance in specific campaign missions, allowing him to excel in those particular scenarios and contribute to completing challenging objectives. Nobu can be obtained through Premium Orbs, which means acquiring him requires a bit of luck, but once obtained, he unlocks at 3 stars with a total of 100 shards.

His status as a member of the Underworld team adds another layer of utility, as he becomes an essential part of War Offense strategies. With his ability to summon additional units and synergize with other Underworld characters, Nobu plays a key role in creating a well-rounded team composition that can perform effectively during war battles. His versatility and summoning power make him an important character to utilize, particularly when paired with the right allies, to maximize his potential and provide tactical advantages in various game modes.

Stats

Nobu has received significant base stat increases following his rework, which have notably improved his Health, Damage, Armor, Focus, and Resistance. Historically, his stats were considered relatively low compared to other characters, which limited his overall effectiveness and made him less viable in various team compositions.

However, with the recent updates, Nobu has transformed into a much more well-rounded and resilient character, making him a more valuable asset for players. His rework has elevated him beyond being just a summoner, allowing him to better withstand damage, deal more meaningful damage to enemies, and contribute more effectively in different game modes. When evaluating his stats, it’s crucial to consider his Steel and Revive abilities, as these provide valuable tactical advantages that can shift the course of a battle in your favor.

The Focus stat plays an important role in Nobu’s ability to apply debuffs to enemies. This increases his effectiveness as a controller, allowing him to weaken opponents and provide additional utility to his team. His ability to apply debuffs becomes even more important in longer fights, where reducing the enemies’ effectiveness can lead to a significant advantage. On the other hand, Resistance helps Nobu resist debuffs from enemies, making him more difficult to control and preventing him from being easily shut down by status effects. This makes him particularly useful in situations where the enemy team relies heavily on debuffs, allowing him to remain effective for a longer period.

Additionally, Nobu’s Steel ability grants him a passive advantage, providing an ongoing benefit that increases his durability over time. This makes him harder to take down, as his resilience grows during the course of a fight. Coupled with his Revive ability, which allows him to bring fallen allies back into the battle, Nobu becomes a key component in team compositions that require sustain and longevity.

His ability to revive teammates can shift the momentum in critical moments, especially during prolonged encounters or war scenarios. Overall, these improvements, alongside his enhanced stats, make Nobu a more strategic and reliable character who can play multiple roles within a team, whether as a summoner, controller, or support character. His versatility and increased durability make him an excellent choice for a variety of gameplay situations.

Abilities

Nobu’s abilities in Marvel Strike Force make him a highly versatile and strategic character, particularly when it comes to summoning allies and providing crucial support for his team.

Shadow Strike

Level: 1

Damage: 100

Unseen Army

Level: 1

Summon Hand Ninja: 1

Ready the Trap

Level: 1

Apply Counter to Random Ally: 2

Secrets of Death

Level: 10

Gain Chance to Revive: 5

His Basic ability, Shadow Strike, allows him to deal damage to a primary target, but its effects don’t stop there. Nobu also has a chance to gain Stealth for one turn, which significantly boosts his survivability by making him harder to target for enemy attacks.

This stealth mechanic not only helps him avoid incoming damage but also provides a tactical advantage by giving him time to reposition or plan his next move. Additionally, Shadow Strike has a 40% chance to gain an assist from a Hand ally, which further enhances Nobu’s effectiveness by leveraging the strength of his Hand allies. This combination of dealing damage, gaining Stealth, and receiving assists makes his Basic attack a key part of his ability set, contributing to both his offensive and defensive strategies.

Nobu’s Special ability, Unseen Army, brings a unique summoning mechanic into play, allowing him to summon two Hand ninjas to the battlefield. These summoned ninjas can either be a Hand Blademaster or a Hand Archer, each bringing distinct advantages to the fight. The Hand Blademaster is particularly dangerous for its high damage output, making it a strong offensive asset capable of applying heavy pressure on enemies.

On the other hand, the Hand Archer specializes in cleansing, with the ability to remove buffs from enemies, making it invaluable against teams that rely on buffing themselves. Not only do the summoned ninjas provide essential support, but they also receive significant stat boosts, further enhancing their effectiveness. Both ninjas are granted Offense Up and Regeneration, which not only boosts their damage but also helps them recover health during battle, making them more resilient over time. This ability not only strengthens Nobu’s role as a summoner but also adds layers of complexity to his strategic options, as he can adapt to different situations by choosing the right type of ninja to summon.

Nobu’s Ultimate ability, Ready the Trap, is a critical defensive tool for both Nobu and his entire team. This powerful ability applies Counter and Deflect to Nobu and all of his allies, allowing them to retaliate against attacks and avoid damage from incoming hits, respectively. Counter gives them the ability to deal damage back when attacked, which can be a game-changer when facing teams that rely on heavy damage output.

Deflect, on the other hand, ensures that incoming damage is mitigated, making it more difficult for enemies to deal significant harm. When used on War Offense, Ready the Trap becomes even more potent, as it also applies Deathproof to Nobu and his allies, ensuring they cannot be instantly eliminated in a single attack. This combination of Counter, Deflect, and Deathproof significantly increases the durability of Nobu’s team, allowing them to endure tougher fights and outlast enemy teams in key battles, particularly in War.

Finally, Nobu’s Passive ability, Secrets of Death, provides substantial support to his team’s longevity. All Hand and Underworld allies benefit from a 10% chance to revive with 20% max health when they are knocked out, offering a crucial lifeline in battle and preventing key characters from being permanently eliminated. All other allies receive a 5% chance to revive with 15% max health, ensuring that even non-Hand or Underworld allies have a chance to get back into the fight.

In addition, Nobu’s Passive grants all allies with Counter an increase in Critical Chance and Critical Damage, making them even more lethal when they retaliate. This enhances his team’s offensive capabilities, particularly for those who can trigger Counter and deal substantial damage. The combination of revival chances and increased critical damage ensures that Nobu’s team remains resilient, with the ability to bounce back from setbacks and retaliate effectively. This makes Nobu a vital support character who not only aids in reviving fallen allies but also boosts his team’s overall effectiveness in battle, solidifying his place as a crucial member of any team that relies on sustainability and strategic support.

Synergies

Nobu has several important synergies that make him a valuable asset to different team compositions in Marvel Strike Force. As a key member of the Hand Team, Nobu thrives when paired with other Hand characters. The Hand team is built around synergy, and Nobu enhances this by increasing the chance for revives among Hand allies, ensuring that key members stay in the fight longer. Furthermore, Nobu benefits from the Hand team’s buffs, which bolster his own damage and survivability, and in turn, Nobu boosts the overall damage output of the Hand team. This makes him an excellent addition to a full Hand team, where his summoning abilities and revive chances can make a significant impact.

As a member of the Underworld Team, Nobu also excels in War Offense. The Underworld team is specifically designed to perform well in this mode, and Nobu’s abilities fit seamlessly into this strategy. His Ultimate ability, which applies Counter, Deflect, and Deathproof to himself and his allies, provides substantial defensive and offensive advantages, especially when used in War Offense. His synergy with other Underworld characters makes him an essential component of this team, providing both sustain and offensive power in the critical moments of a war battle.

Nobu also adds significant value to Summon Teams, where his role as a summoner is particularly beneficial. He can work alongside other summoners, enhancing the team’s overall ability to control the battlefield by adding additional allies. Teams that capitalize on Counter will benefit greatly from Nobu, as his Ultimate ability applies Counter to the entire team, allowing for more retaliatory attacks and increasing the overall damage output of the team. This synergy makes Nobu a versatile character who can be used in a variety of team setups, further amplifying the effectiveness of teams that rely on summons and counterattacks.

Characters to Avoid (Counters)

In Marvel Strike Force, players using Nobu should be cautious when facing characters that can apply Ability Block or other negative status effects, as these can significantly hinder his performance. Nobu relies heavily on his abilities to summon ninjas and support his team, and having his abilities blocked or disrupted can prevent him from fulfilling his role effectively.

Additionally, characters that are slightly faster than Nobu can pose a problem, as they may disrupt his summons before they have a chance to take effect. Since Nobu’s Special ability is focused on summoning Hand ninjas, any disruption to this process can limit his potential impact on the battlefield. Avoiding these types of characters is key to maximizing Nobu’s effectiveness in battle.

Team Placement/Tier Lists

Nobu is generally considered a low-tier character in Marvel Strike Force, but he can still be effective in certain team compositions and game modes. He performs well in Alliance War Offense/Defense and Blitz when placed with the Hand team, where his summoning abilities and synergy with Hand characters enhance his utility. While he may not be among the highest-tier characters overall, his value in these modes should not be underestimated, especially when utilized in the right context.

When it comes to his Iso-8 class, Nobu is best suited as a Healer. As a summoner, he benefits from the Healer class, which helps improve his sustainability and overall usefulness in battle. This setup allows him to contribute more to his team’s longevity and adds to his role as a support character.

However, investing in T4 Materials for Nobu’s abilities is generally not justified at this time. While he is a valuable character in specific modes, the return on investment for upgrading his abilities with T4 materials does not provide enough of a boost to make it a top priority. Therefore, players should be mindful of where they allocate resources, especially when it comes to T4 upgrades.

Underworld Team

The Underworld Team in Marvel Strike Force is a new team introduced in Version 6.4 with significant potential, particularly in Alliance War. This team is designed to be a powerful response to many of the War META defenses, offering strategic counterplays to some of the strongest teams in the game. While it has broad utility, its primary strength lies in its ability to handle War defenses, including top-tier teams like Darkhold. The team is relatively easy for most players to assemble, as many of its key characters are accessible through regular gameplay. The Underworld team’s composition includes Mr. Negative, Kingpin, Nobu, Green Goblin, and Taskmaster, each bringing unique abilities to the table.

The team’s overall positioning is crucial for maximizing effectiveness. Taskmaster, for example, plays a pivotal role by providing turn meter to the team based on how many Underworld or Villain Mercenary allies he has. His ability to increase his own turn meter while boosting the entire team’s speed makes him an excellent central figure in the team’s setup. Taskmaster also contributes with his Basic, which applies Blind and Heal Block to all enemies, while his Special does more damage and increases focus, making him effective at both debuffing and dealing damage. Additionally, his passive ability to apply Taunt to the enemy with the highest damage helps control the flow of battle.

Green Goblin plays a crucial role in applying Defense Down, which increases the team’s damage output. His ability to place Defense Down for 2 turns on the enemy with the highest resistance is vital, and when Mr. Negative is on the team, this effect applies to all enemies, bypassing resistance checks. Furthermore, Green Goblin provides Armor Up to the entire Underworld team in War, enhancing their durability in battle.

Mr. Negative is another cornerstone of the team, summoning powerful Inner Demons to the battlefield. These demons, which include the Dragon, Demon, and Cyclops, provide critical debuffs like Bleed, Speed Up, Offense Down, and Heal Block. His basic attack increases in damage based on the number of summoned demons, making him a potent offensive character. Additionally, Mr. Negative’s Ultimate ability flips all positive effects on enemies to negative, which can severely weaken opponents and turn the tide of battle.

Kingpin contributes both offensive and defensive support. His ability to summon a Bodyguard, who comes with two Deathproofs, adds a layer of protection to the team. Kingpin’s special ability to call allies to assist in attacks and his ability to apply Safeguard to the entire Underworld team in War makes him a valuable protector. Moreover, Kingpin’s synergy with summons is enhanced when he has Barrier at the end of his turn, as it provides Speed Up and Offense Up to all summons on the screen, making them even more dangerous.

Finally, Nobu rounds out the team, adding both offensive and defensive capabilities. He provides Counter and Deflect to all allies, which not only allows them to retaliate against attacks but also shields them from incoming damage. Nobu’s Passive ability also grants a 10% chance for all Hand and Underworld allies to revive with 20% max health, providing vital sustain to the team during prolonged battles.

Together, these characters form a powerful and synergistic team that can dominate the battlefield, particularly in Alliance War. Each character’s abilities complement the others, creating a balanced and strategic force that can counter a wide variety of enemy teams.

Is Nobu still useless?

Nobu’s role in Marvel Strike Force has been a subject of debate, with some players considering him one of the most useless characters in the game. However, his value is primarily tied to his inclusion in the Underworld team, where his Underworld tag is crucial for team synergy. While some suggest that characters like Dormammu, Kestrel, or Zemo could replace him, others argue that Nobu is far from useless. In fact, when used correctly within the Underworld team, Nobu plays an essential role in countering the Darkhold team, offering a strategic advantage in War Offense.

Nobu’s abilities provide significant utility, especially in the right contexts. His Ultimate ability applies Counter and Deflect to both himself and his allies, making him a reliable defensive support character. Additionally, in War Offense, he can apply Deathproof to his entire team, protecting them from being eliminated by a single attack. His Passive ability provides a 10% chance for Hand and Underworld allies to revive with 20% max health, which enhances the team’s durability and sustainability in battle. Furthermore, allies with Counter gain increased Critical Chance and Critical Damage, further boosting their offensive capabilities.

Ultimately, Nobu’s usefulness is highly dependent on the team composition, particularly with the Underworld team, and the game mode being played. In the right context, Nobu offers both offensive and defensive value, and while he may not be a top-tier character, he certainly isn’t without merit.

Store Guide

In Marvel Strike Force, managing resources and making smart store purchases is crucial for progression, particularly when considering characters like Nobu. In the War Store, it is generally not recommended to purchase Nobu, as there are higher priority characters like Sif that should be prioritized instead. The War Store also holds mini uniques, which are important for advancing to gear tier 14, so it’s better to focus on acquiring those essential items.

In the Raid Store, while characters like Cable and Nobu are important for unlocking legendary characters, they eventually become available through campaign nodes, making it less worthwhile to farm them from the Raid Store once those nodes are unlocked. Instead, players should focus on other store items that provide more immediate benefits.

When navigating the General Store, it’s essential to manage your gold wisely, especially when purchasing gear. Focus on gear pieces in multiples of 72,000 or 50,000, with the latter being referred to as superior mini uniques. These items are crucial for gearing up your characters, and while some can be farmed through Doom 1, it’s generally recommended to acquire them through raids or orbs rather than consistently buying them from the store. Additionally, avoid spending cores on gear, and instead, invest them in campaign energy for more efficient farming.

In the Blitz Store, key early-game characters to focus on are Mantis, Rhino, and Gamora. Purchasing orbs with 350 Blitz tickets offers better value than buying characters outright for 500 tickets, as the orb also provides a chance to unlock Domino. It’s advisable to stop farming characters when they reach six stars, as further farming beyond that point can become less efficient.

Finally, the Arena Store is another vital resource for unlocking legendary characters. Notable characters to focus on include Heimdall (for Black Bolt) and Crystal (for Ebony Maw). Once characters in the Arena Store are maxed out at seven stars, and if you’re facing a shortage of training mats, consider opening the Kingpin orb as an alternative investment. Prioritizing these strategies across the different stores can help optimize your resources and improve your progression in the game.

Conclusion

Nobu’s value in Marvel Strike Force has evolved significantly, especially with his recent rework and role in the Underworld team. Once considered a low-tier character with limited usefulness, Nobu’s inclusion in the Underworld team has made him more viable, as he now provides valuable team support through revives, stat buffs, and tag synergies. His primary role is to offer the Underworld tag and support the team with abilities like Counter, Deflect, and the potential to revive fallen allies, making him an important character for Alliance War Offense.

In the context of the Underworld team, Nobu’s contributions are crucial to the team’s success. The team, which includes Mr. Negative, Kingpin, Green Goblin, and Taskmaster, is specifically designed to excel in Alliance War Offense and counter powerful teams like Darkhold. Taskmaster’s ability to manipulate turn meter adds a strategic element to the team, and Nobu’s abilities further enhance the team’s defensive and offensive capabilities. While there has been some suggestion that characters like Dormammu, Kestrel, or Zemo could replace Nobu, his contributions remain valuable in the right team composition.

In terms of store purchases, it is not recommended to buy Nobu in the War Store, as other characters like Sif are generally higher priority. If you need Nobu shards, it is more efficient to farm them through campaign nodes rather than purchasing them from the Raid Store, as they eventually become available through regular farming methods.

Ultimately, whether to invest in Nobu depends on your individual priorities and the specific needs of your Underworld team for Alliance War Offense. If you’re building that team and need a reliable support character, Nobu becomes a more justifiable investment.