Belladonna: The Witch of Ward and Wellness

Overview

Belladonna is a 5-star Dark (Purple) healer from the Bard Family, originally released during the Challenge Festival II in March 2023. Depicted as a somewhat hag-like potion brewer with an electric cello (a bard's got to play, right?), she brings a mix of healing, offensive buffing, and protection to the table. In her prime, she was a highly sought-after support hero. Today, she stands as a "classic" example of excellent utility fighting against the relentless tide of stat inflation.

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Hero Art & Visuals

Belladonna embraces the "wicked witch" aesthetic but with a musical twist. She sports a classic pointed hat, a mischievous grin, and a basket full of questionable potions (and eyeballs). The most striking element is her instrument—a cello that seems to be powered by purple magic rather than electricity. It’s a character design that screams "I will heal you, but I might turn you into a newt if you complain."

General Info

Hero Stats

When we look at Belladonna's stats, we have to address the elephant in the room: Power Creep.

• Belladonna (Base): ~859 Attack / ~850 Defense / ~1553 HP
• Modern Hero (Base): ~1300 Attack / ~1300 Defense / ~2300 HP

Her base stats are significantly lower than modern 5-star heroes. Even with a second Limit Break (LB2), her stats (approx. 1059/1049/1915) barely scratch the surface of what a modern hero has out of the box. She is incredibly fragile by today's standards and will struggle to survive against the massive damage output of current snipers and AoE hitters.

Special Skill: Mystical Concerto

Analysis: Belladonna's special skill, Mystical Concerto, is a Swiss Army knife of support.

1. Healing (42%): A solid heal at Average speed. It's reliable, though not an overheal (boosted health), which is a slight drawback in the modern era of max-health reduction.
2. Fiend Counter (+8% per Fiend): This is a unique mechanic. Instead of just removing fiends, she turns them into fuel for more healing. If your team is covered in fiends, she heals more effectively, helping to clear those parasitic pests and top up your team in one go.
3. Attack Buff (+54%): A massive attack boost for all allies. This is excellent for turning the tide of battle and crushing the enemy team with tile damage or specials.
4. Dispel Immunity: The crown jewel. Making your buffs (including her own massive attack up) undispellable for 4 turns is huge. Thanks to updates (specifically v61), this also protects against "stealing" and "reallocation" of buffs, shutting down heroes like The Hatter or Ithar.

By the Numbers

• Mana Speed: Average. With the Bard Family bonus (+5% mana generation to solo heroes), she can help herself or teammates reach mana breakpoints easier.
• Healing Potential: 42% Base.
  • With 1 Fiend per ally: 42% + 8% = 50% Healing.
  • With 3 Fiends per ally (e.g., vs Elizabeth): 42% + 24% = 66% Healing.
• Buff Protection: 4 Turns of guaranteed +54% Attack. This essentially guarantees high damage output for your team unless the enemy kills you outright.

Family Bonus, Passives, Aether Power & Unique Abilities

Family Bonus

The Bard Family bonus is fantastic for roster diversity. Giving +5% mana generation to any "solo" hero (a hero with no other family members on the team) allows you to mix and match powerful standalone heroes and still gain a significant speed advantage.

Passives

Mana Increase Reduction (-50%): This passive targets heroes who gain mana via Special Skills (e.g., Xnolphod, Grimble). While less critical in today's meta compared to when she was released, it still provides a nice layer of disruption against mana-boosting teams. Note: The exact percentage has been debated between 50% and 80% in various data sources, but practically, it significantly cripples mana gain.

Aether Power

Defense Up: At the start of battle, she gets a defense buff. Given her outdated stats, this is arguably the best Aether Power she could ask for to help her survive the opening turns.

Legacy & Modern Relevance

• Historical Context: Upon release, Belladonna was a top-tier support. Her high attack buff combined with dispel immunity made her a staple in war attacks and a solid defensive flank.
• Power Creep: The stat gap is undeniable. She dies easily. A modern sniper can likely one-shot her even through her Aether defense buff.
• Modern Verdict: Viable but Niche. She is no longer a top-tier defensive option. However, on Offense, she is still a playmaker. Her ability to lock in a +54% attack buff is invaluable for Titans and specific war attacks where you can protect her. She has transitioned from a "Must-Have" to a "Strategic Tool."

Emblem Path Analysis

Belladonna is a Rogue, which gives her a chance to Dodge direct damage. This is crucial for her survival.

The Survivor (Recommended)

• Path: Defense > Health > Attack
• Pros: Maximizes her survivability. She needs every point of defense and HP she can get to live long enough to cast.
• Cons: Lowers her tile damage slightly, but a dead healer heals no one.

The Titan Slayer

• Path: Attack > Defense > Health
• Pros: Increases tile damage for Titan hits.
• Cons: She becomes paper-thin in raids and wars.

Final Recommendation

For almost all players, the Survivor (Defense/HP) path is the only logical choice. Her base stats are too low to risk going Attack path unless she is exclusively used for Titans.

Strengths

• Undispellable Buffs: Protects your team's buffs from being wiped or stolen.
• High Attack Buff: +54% is a significant damage increase for the whole team.
• Fiend Management: unique mechanic that turns fiends into extra healing.
• Bard Bonus: passively speeds up other solo heroes on the team.
• Rogue Class: The dodge chance can occasionally save her from a lethal hit.

Weaknesses

• Outdated Stats: Extremely fragile compared to modern heroes.
• Average Speed: In a "Very Fast" meta, Average speed can feel like an eternity.
• No Overheal: Cannot boost health above max, leaving the team vulnerable to one-shots even after healing.

Best Game Modes

• Titans: Excellent. High attack buff + Dispel immunity (prevents Titan from removing your buffs) = massive scores.
• War Attack: Good. Great for cleansing fiends and setting up a protected kill-shot with her attack buff.
• Buff Booster Tournaments: Great. Her buffs can't be dispelled, guaranteeing the attack boost points.
• PvE / Towers: Good. Dispel immunity is very useful against bosses that spam dispels.

Advanced Strategy & Team Compositions

Belladonna shines when she is protecting other high-value buffs.

Sample Team Ideas

1. The "Unstoppable Force" (War Attack)
   • Team: Belladonna + Ludwig + heavy hitters.
   • Why: Ludwig gives Taunt and Mana. Belladonna makes Ludwig's Taunt undispellable. If you fire Belladonna first, then Ludwig, the enemy cannot dispel the Taunt, forcing them to hit Ludwig while your team charges up.
2. The "Bardic Speed" (Rainbow/Mixed)
   • Team: Belladonna + 4 Solo Heroes (e.g., 1 Construct, 1 Goblin, 1 Owl, 1 Astral).
   • Why: Belladonna gives +5% mana to everyone. This allows Average speed heroes to charge in 9 tiles (with a modest mana troop) or Fast heroes to charge even quicker.

Counters & Anti-Synergies

• Anti-Synergy: Miriam & Midnight. M&M heals based on minions; Belladonna heals based on fiends. They don't conflict, but they don't really synergize perfectly either.
• Counters: Hypnos / Deucalion (Buff Blockers). While she prevents dispels, she cannot prevent buff blocks if they are applied before she casts. If she is blocked, she casts nothing.

Advice for New Players

If you pulled Belladonna, level her immediately. Even with "low" stats for veterans, for a new player, a 5-star healer who gives +54% attack is a game-changer. She will carry you through map stages and early raids.

Advice for Veterans

She is likely a "bench" hero for your main war defense. Do not use Alpha Aethers (LB2) on her unless you use her daily for Titans or have a specific war attack team that relies on her dispel immunity. There are simply better, sturdier clerics/healers available now (like the Toon costumes or recent Goblins).

Community Corner: Hot Takes & History

• The Translation Drama: Upon release, there was confusion about whether she healed for each enemy fiend or ally fiend. It turned out to be ally fiends, leading to comments like, "Just remove the fiends before healing... no need to introduce a new mechanic for absolutely no reason."
• The Dispel Hype: Players immediately recognized her value against dispellers. "The immunity to buff dispel... me likey."
• The "Old Lady" Shock: Many expected a beautiful "Belladonna" and got a witch. "Is this Boldtusk’s older brother who went to the dark side to grow dope and play bass in a doom metal band?"

Final Thoughts

Belladonna is a hero who has aged gracefully in utility, if not in physique. Her stats may be creaky and arthritic compared to the young whippersnappers of the Astral and Construct families, but her Mystical Concerto still plays a tune that can win games. The combination of a massive attack buff and the ability to say "No" to dispellers ensures she remains a valuable tool in any tactician's roster.

Verdict: A fragile but potent support. Keep her safe, and she'll make your team unstoppable.