Ametrine: The "Dispel First, Ask Questions Later" Ninja

Overview

Ametrine is a 4-star Dark (Purple) hero from the Ninja Tower family. Released back in the "Ninja Wave" of late 2020, she introduced players to the concept of Charge Mana Speed—a mechanic that trades reliability for versatility. Unlike her 5-star counterparts who often try to do everything at once, Ametrine has one very specific, very lethal job: removing buffs before she deals damage. She is a specialized tool for 4-star tournaments and specific war counters, akin to bringing a laser cutter to a knife fight.

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Hero Art & Visuals

Ametrine sports a classic kunoichi aesthetic with a purple gi (naturally) and dual sai daggers. Her stance is low and ready to strike, emphasizing agility over brute force. The white hair and masked face give her that mysterious "I could be anyone, but I'm definitely the one about to ruin your Boril tank" vibe. It’s a clean, sharp design that communicates speed and precision, fitting perfectly with her "Glass Cannon" stat distribution.

General Info

Hero Stats

Let’s be brutally honest: Ametrine’s base stats are showing their age. Her 561 Defense is terrifyingly low by modern standards—for context, some modern 3-star heroes like Jax (568 Def) have better physical durability than she does. Her Attack (716) is respectable for a 4-star of her era but lags behind modern powerhouses like Construct Hotspin (816).

She is the definition of a "Glass Cannon." She relies entirely on her special mechanic (dispelling defensive buffs before hitting) and her Ninja Family dodge chance to survive. If she gets hit, she folds faster than a cheap lawn chair.

Special Skill: Blur of Steel

This is where Ametrine earns her roster spot. "Dispels buffs from the target... THEN deals damage."

Most dispellers in the game (like Sabina or Melendor) deal no damage, or like Caedmon/Sonya, they deal damage then dispel. The "Damage then Dispel" order is fatal against Riposte (Counterattack) heroes like Cyprian, Boril, or Ferant—you take the reflected damage before stripping the buff.

Ametrine flips the script. She strips the Riposte (or Defense Up, or Dodge) first, leaving the enemy naked, and then applies the damage.

• x1 Charge (5 tiles): A surgical strike. Removes buffs and hits one target. Perfect for snipping a taunter or a flank with a dangerous buff.
• x2 Charge (10 tiles): The sweet spot. Hits three, dispels three. At 10 tiles, she matches Average speed heroes but brings utility that most 4-stars dream of.
• x3 Charge (15 tiles): The nuclear option. Hits all, dispels all. Rarely seen in fast-paced PvP, but devastating if you can ghost enough tiles.

By the Numbers

• Mana Speed Analysis:
  • Charge x1: 5 Tiles. (Cannot be improved to 4 tiles practically).
  • Charge x2: 10 Tiles. With a Level 11 Mana Troop (or equivalent bonuses), this drops to 9 tiles, matching Fast speed heroes. This is a critical breakpoint.
  • Charge x3: 15 Tiles. Can drop to 14 or 13 with high-level troops, but usually, you'll fire before this.
• Damage Calculation (Base Stats):
  • x1 Charge: 716 Attack x 220% = ~1,575 raw damage value (Single Target).
  • x2 Charge: 716 Attack x 255% = ~1,825 raw damage value (Target + Nearby).
  • x3 Charge: 716 Attack x 300% = ~2,148 raw damage value (All Enemies).
  • Note: While the percentages aren't sky-high, the fact that this damage bypasses Defense Up buffs (because it dispels them first) effectively increases her DPS against buff-heavy teams.

Family Bonus, Passives, Aether Power & Unique Abilities

The Ninja family bonus is Ametrine's primary survival tool.

Family Bonus

Analysis: The chance to Dodge (and Counterattack) is the only thing standing between Ametrine and death. Even a 5% or 10% dodge chance can turn a match when a sniper targets her. It's unreliable, but when it procs, it feels like cheating.

Passives

Analysis: Ametrine does not have personal passive skills outside of the Family Bonus.

Aether Power

Analysis: Attack Up. A solid choice. Since she is a damage dealer, a passive boost to her Attack stat helps her hit harder at all charge levels. It’s not as game-changing as "Dodge" or "Ailment Immunity," but it reinforces her role.

Legacy & Modern Relevance

• Historical Context: Upon release, Ametrine was a top-tier 4-star. The ability to safely engage Boril/Cyprian tanks in 4-star tournaments without bringing a passive healer like Sabina was revolutionary.
• Power Creep Analysis: Her stats have been crept significantly. Modern 4-stars have ~150 more defense and ~200 more health. However, her mechanic (Dispel First) has not been widely replicated in the 4-star rarity.
• Modern Viability Verdict: Niche Viable. She is no longer a general-purpose hero. You don't bring her for raw damage. You bring her specifically for Buff Booster Tournaments or against heavy buffer teams (Riposte, Taunt). In those specific scenarios, she remains one of the best 4-star options available.

Emblem Path Analysis

Ametrine is a Barbarian. This class offers the Wound talent (bleed damage), which is nice but not essential. The real question is survival vs. damage.

The Glass Cannon (Attack Path)

• Path: Attack > Defense > Health
• Pros: Maximizes her damage potential. At x2 and x3 charge, she hits surprisingly hard.
• Cons: She remains extremely fragile. A stray stiff breeze or a slash from a modern sniper will vaporize her.

The Survivalist (Defense/HP Path)

• Path: Defense > Health > Attack
• Pros: Patches her terrible defense stat. Allows her to survive long enough to reach x2 charge more consistently.
• Cons: Lowers her threat level as a finisher.

Final Recommendation

For most players, the Attack Path is recommended. Why? Because you cannot "fix" her defense enough to make her tanky against modern heroes. If she gets hit, she dies regardless of the path. You might as well ensure that when she does fire, she hits hard enough to kill the target. If you use her strictly for utility, you can mix some defense nodes, but generally, lean into her strengths.

Strengths

• Dispel BEFORE Damage: The safest way to deal with Counterattack (Riposte) and Defense buffs.
• Versatility: Can snipe (5 tiles) or wipe a team (15 tiles) depending on the board.
• Ninja Dodge: Occasional "Get Out of Jail Free" card.

Weaknesses

• Paper Armor: Base defense of 561 is critically low.
• AI Inconsistency: On defense, the AI fires randomly at x1, x2, or x3 charge, making her unreliable as a defender.
• Resource Heavy: Requires Limit Break 1 and 2 to survive in the current meta.

Best Game Modes

• 4-Star Buff Booster Tournaments: Her absolute playground. Enemies buff themselves; she removes them and deals damage.
• War Attack: Excellent depth hero for cleaning up teams with 4-star counterattackers or taunters.
• Events: Useful for bypassing pesky boss buffs at critical moments.

Advanced Strategy & Team Compositions

Sample Team Ideas

• The "Purple 9-Tile" Squad:
  • Composition: Rigard (Costume) - Tiburtus (Costume) - Ametrine
  • Why: With Mana troops, you can get Tiburtus and Ametrine to fire in 9 tiles. Tiburtus drops defense, Ametrine dispels any defensive buffs and hits. It’s a classic 1-2 punch.
• The "Anti-Riposte" Specialist:
  • Composition: Ametrine - Any Healer - Sniper
  • Why: Use Ametrine solely to strip the Riposte from a tank like Ferant or Boril, opening the door for your heavy hitters to finish them off safely.

Counters & Anti-Synergies

• Mana Controllers: Hansel, Gretel, or Proteus shut her down completely. Since she relies on charging up, stopping her mana generation makes her a sitting duck.
• Fast Snipers: Any modern fast sniper (like a Toon sniper) will likely one-shot her before she can charge.

Advice for New Players

If you pull Ametrine early, level her immediately. Her ability to dispel while doing damage is unique and will help you clear map stages and early raid tiers where Boril/Cyprian tanks are common roadblocks. She teaches you how to manage mana and timing.

Advice for Veterans

She is a "luxury" hero for veterans. If you are competitive in 4-star tournaments, she is worth the Limit Break. If you don't care about tournaments, she likely sits on your bench. Do not use Alpha Aethers on her unless you are chasing top 100 in 4-star tournaments; there are better 5-star targets for those rare resources.

Community Corner: Hot Takes & History

Back in the day, the community debate was fierce:

"In a 4* universe she is a killer, in 5* she is a support hero... I chose to keep her Defense/HP path because I want her to live longer and value her debuff more highly than her pure damage." — Anonymous Forum User

Others swore by her damage:

"She’s one of few dispel-first damage-later heroes so she’s still worth a lot... I went with most damage and Glass Cannon build." — Anonymous Forum User

The consensus has shifted over time. Initially, she was seen as a damage dealer. Now, she is viewed primarily as a utility scalpel that needs protection to do her job.

Final Thoughts

Ametrine is a relic from a time when "Ninja" meant mysterious and deadly, not just "overpowered stats." While her physical stats have withered with age, her Blur of Steel technique remains timeless. She is the best solution to the specific problem of "I need to hit that guy, but he has a Counterattack buff."

If you have her, keep her ready. She might not be your everyday hero, but on the days you need her, she is the only one who can do the job with such style.

Verdict: Viable in 4-star Tournaments. Bench for 5-star War.