Marvel Strike Force Ultimus - Theria Games

Ultimus

Character Abilities

Assist/Counter (Passive)

Overwhelming Assault

Void Blast

Domination

Kree Eternal

Ultimus’s abilities after his rework have significantly enhanced his role in Marvel Strike Force, making him a formidable character in several key game modes.

Basic – Overwhelming Assault, Marvel Strike Force Ultimus deals damage with 50% piercing and a 50% chance to apply ability block and defense down. T4 upgrade increases damage and adds mind control, making it a strong disruptor.

Special – Void Blast, turn 1 AoE attack that copies and clears 2 positive effects (excluding stealth/taunt), and heals nearby allies. T4 upgrade clears all buffs, great against buff-heavy teams and initial spawn buffs.

Ultimate – Domination, ready at battle start; flips offense down, gives Ultimus offense up, attacks, and performs bonus attacks for each buff on the enemy. Applies debuffs to protectors and flips negatives to positives for Kree/Annihilator allies. T4 boosts damage.

Passive – Kree Eternal, grants speed when enemies taunt or die, accelerating turns for the team. Provides block chance to self and Kree allies. In Arena, reduces enemy resistance by 20%. T4 adds even more block chance with full non-minion Kree.

In Arena, he lowers the resistance of all enemies by 20%, giving his team an edge in battles. With the T4 upgrade, Ultimus gains even more block chance—up to 40% if paired with a full non-minion Kree team, alongside added block chance for non-Kree Minion allies.

ISO-8 Recommendations

After Ultimus’ rework, the recommended ISO-8 classes are primarily Striker and Raider, each bringing unique benefits to his playstyle. Striker is the more commonly recommended class due to Ultimus’ high damage stat, which ranks among the top 10 of all characters. As a Striker, Ultimus can maximize his damage output, especially with his basic ability, which has a chance to apply ability block and synergizes well with the bonus attack from the Striker class. The added damage from his normal attacks and the follow-up ISO-8 attack makes Striker a solid choice for maximizing his offensive potential.

Alternatively, Raider is also a viable option, particularly within the context of his Annihilators team. Ultimus’ ultimate ability, Cold Domination, grants him multiple bonus attacks based on the number of positive effects on the target. As a Raider, Ultimus can increase the damage output of these bonus attacks through critical hits, which can be especially effective when facing enemies with many positive effects. Raider is also an attractive option if the Striker class is used by other characters on the Annihilators team, allowing them to benefit from it more while Ultimus takes advantage of Raider’s crit-based synergy.

In summary, while Striker is generally the preferred ISO-8 class to maximize Ultimus’ damage, Raider can also be effective, especially when focusing on his ultimate ability and within an Annihilators team composition. Both options enhance his offensive capabilities, with Striker focusing on consistent damage output and Raider taking advantage of critical hit potential.

T4 Ability Priorities

Recommended T4 order: Ultimate > Special > Basic > Passive.

Prioritizing T4 upgrades is key to maximizing Ultimus’ impact. The Ultimate is a high-priority upgrade—it only increases damage, but because the attack includes bonus hits for each buff on the enemy, the damage boost can scale significantly, especially against heavily buffed targets.

The Special is equally important. Its T4 upgrade changes the ability from clearing just two random buffs to clearing all positive effects (except Taunt and Stealth) while also increasing its damage. This makes it a powerful tool against buff-reliant teams.

The Basic is lower priority. Its T4 upgrade adds damage and introduces a mind control effect on a random enemy to attack the primary target. While this can be disruptive, the randomness makes it less consistent than other abilities.

The Passive is the least urgent. Its T4 upgrade adds 5% block chance for Ultimus and non-Kree Minion allies, boosting survivability—especially with a full Annihilators team—but it lacks the direct offensive impact of the other upgrades.

Team Synergies and Placement

After his rework, Ultimus has become a versatile and flexible character, excelling in various team compositions thanks to his plug-and-play potential. His Kree Eternal passive ability allows him to fill his speed bar by 30% whenever an enemy taunts, making him an excellent counter to pre-taunters and reflexive taunters. His Void Blast special ability, ready from turn one, can copy and clear all positive effects from enemies, which is particularly useful against teams that rely on early buffs, further cementing his role as a disruptive force. These abilities allow Ultimus to be effective even without needing specific synergies, making him a valuable asset in a wide range of team setups.

When it comes to Annihilators team synergy, Super Skrull and Ultimus shine as critical members. His passive ability grants block chance to non-minion Kree allies, and the T4 upgrade enhances this by providing an additional 10% block chance per non-Kree Minion ally, potentially reaching up to 40% block chance with a full Annihilators team. This boosts the team’s survivability and makes Ultimus an essential component for their success. As for ISO-8 recommendations, Raider is a viable option within the Annihilators team, especially when other characters are better suited as Strikers, allowing Ultimus to contribute more to the team’s damage output with critical hits.

Ultimus shines as a Tank Cracker, with his Cold Domination ultimate punishing buff-heavy enemies by flipping and striking through their buffs—strong enough to potentially one-shot targets like Apocalypse. While he has the Kree tag, his real value lies in his plug-and-play versatility, especially with the Annihilators, rather than in Kree-specific synergies.

He's not a top pick for Arena, where Mythic characters dominate, but he excels in Alliance War and Cosmic Crucible as a counter to taunters and buff-reliant enemies. Post-rework, Ultimus is best used strategically for matchups needing buff clearing, utility, and support.

Ultimus in Different Game Modes

Ultimus’ rework has significantly improved his performance across multiple game modes. In Arena, he is not considered a top-tier option, as the mode is dominated by Mythic characters. While he can fill a flex slot, his utility is better suited for other modes where buff-clearing and bonus attacks have greater impact.

In Alliance War, Ultimus truly shines. His Cold Domination ultimate can deliver devastating damage to buff-heavy targets, even one-shotting key enemies like Apocalypse. His Void Blast special, which clears buffs on spawn, is especially effective against teams like Infestation or Spider Society. His passive also helps counter taunters by boosting his speed and providing turn meter on kills.

Cosmic Crucible is another mode where Ultimus thrives. He’s an excellent counter to teams that rely on buffs, charges, or revives. His special ability provides consistent value by clearing early buffs, while his ultimate punishes stacked enemies, making him a reliable option in many Crucible matchups.

In Raids and Dark Dimension, Ultimus benefits from his improved stats and overall flexibility. He fits well into various raid teams, offering strong damage and utility, especially when facing buff-heavy waves. In Blitz and Real-Time Arena, he serves as a dependable plug-and-play character who can help deal with taunters and support fast-paced team comps.

Ultimus' Strengths and Weaknesses

After his rework, Ultimus has become a powerful and versatile character, combining strong damage with useful utility. His Kree Eternal passive grants turn meter when enemies taunt or die, boosting both Kree and non-Kree allies, which helps speed up his team’s rotation. His Void Blast special, ready on turn one, becomes especially effective with a T4 upgrade, allowing him to clear all buffs—making him a strong counter to buff-heavy teams in Alliance War and Cosmic Crucible.

His Cold Domination ultimate is a key strength, dealing heavy damage and bonus attacks based on enemy buffs. With its T4 upgrade, it becomes a powerful tank-breaking tool. His Basic adds Ability Block and, with T4, can mind control a random enemy to attack—though the randomness limits reliability. He also adds survivability through up to 40% Block Chance for allies when used with the right team, particularly non-Kree Minions.

Ultimus performs well in Dark Dimension, thanks to his boosted stats and AoE potential. While effective in several modes, he struggles in Arena, where Mythic characters dominate the meta. His reliance on enemy buffs, lack of unavoidable attacks, and average speed can be drawbacks in certain matchups. Still, with proper investment, Ultimus is a valuable plug-and-play character with strong performance in Raids, War, and Crucible.

Conclusion

After his rework, Ultimus has become a powerful plug-and-play damage dealer, especially within the Annihilators team. His Kree Eternal passive fills his speed bar on enemy taunts, countering taunters, while his Void Blast clears all buffs (with T4), making him effective against buff-reliant teams.

His Cold Domination ultimate is a strong "tank cracker," dealing significant damage and bonus attacks based on enemy buffs, and he can even one-shot high-buff enemies like Apocalypse. His passive also boosts block chance for non-minion Kree allies, enhancing his team's survivability.

Ultimus excels in Alliance War, Cosmic Crucible, and Raids, thanks to his ability to clear buffs and disrupt buff-heavy teams. While not a top pick in Arena, his versatility in other modes makes him a valuable asset. Prioritize T4 upgrades for his special and ultimate abilities, and consider Striker ISO-8 for maximum damage output. Fully investing in Ultimus will unlock his full potential, making him a strong addition to various team compositions, especially in War, Crucible, and Raids.

Frequently Asked Question (F.A.Q)

How does Ultimus' passive ability, Kree Eternal, work?

Ultimus' Kree Eternal passive gives him a 30% speed bar fill whenever an enemy taunts, allowing him to counter taunters. Additionally, it increases his allies' turn meter on enemy kills, with Kree allies getting 20% and non-Kree allies 15%. This makes him a great asset in speeding up his team's turn rotation.

Which ISO-8 class should I choose for Ultimus?

For Ultimus, Striker is recommended due to his role as a damage dealer, enhancing his ability to deal bonus attacks. Raider is a viable alternative, especially when used in synergy with the Annihilators team, improving his overall damage output.

How does Ultimus perform in Raids?

Ultimus performs excellently in Raids, thanks to his high stats post-rework. His abilities, such as clearing buffs and dealing substantial damage, make him a strong contributor to raid teams. His history in the Ultimus VII raid further highlights his effectiveness in these settings.

Should I prioritize Ultimus’ T4 upgrades?

Yes, it’s highly recommended to prioritize Ultimus' special and ultimate T4 upgrades. These upgrades significantly improve his damage output and enhance his utility by allowing him to clear all buffs and increase the bonus attacks from his ultimate. His basic ability upgrade is less critical but still adds useful utility through a mind control effect