Burton, The Homunculus Investigator: Insanity, Stoneskin, and Hard Knocks

Overview

Burton is a 5-star Legendary Ice (Blue) hero released in March 2025 as part of the Shadow Summon event. He belongs to the Investigator family, a group of heroes known for their massive stat bonuses when fielded together. Burton fits the archetype of the "hard-boiled detective" quite literally, given his stone fists. He is a high-speed damage dealer who trades his own sanity for massive upfront burst damage and defensive capability.

What makes Burton unique is his interaction with the Insanity mechanic. Unlike many earlier heroes who simply suffered from Insanity, Burton deploys a protective Stoneskin buff before driving himself insane, effectively mitigating the self-damage risk. He is a fast, hitting-three nuker who can take a beating, provided you don't let his Stoneskin shatter too quickly.

Hero Art & Visuals

Burton's design is heavily inspired by classic film noir. He sports a trench coat, a fedora, and a tie, but with a supernatural twist: his face and hands are constructed of glowing, magical stone. The "Petrifying Knuckles" aren't just a name; his actual fists are heavy rocks crackling with blue energy.

The visual contrast between the mundane detective attire and the magical golem-like physiology is striking. It suggests a character who solves problems with blunt force rather than deduction. The blue glow emanating from under his hat brim gives him an ominous, relentless presence, fitting for a hero who punches first and asks questions never.

General Info

Hero Stats

Burton boasts impressive stats that sit comfortably within the modern meta. With a base Attack of 1225 and Defense of 1163, he is well-balanced but leans towards offensive aggression. His 2127 HP is substantial, allowing him to survive long enough for his Stoneskin to matter.

When compared to the latest heroes like Lin Chong (1328 Attack) or Adelitza (1312 Attack), Burton's attack stat is slightly lower but still elite, especially considering his Fast mana speed. He is not the absolute highest attack stat in the game anymore, but he is in the top percentile. His defensive stats are solid, ensuring he isn't a glass cannon despite his high damage output.

Special Skill: Petrifying Knuckles

Analysis: "Petrifying Knuckles" is a powerhouse skill. Dealing 400% damage to the target and nearby enemies at Fast speed is exceptional. For context, many older Average speed heroes struggled to hit these numbers. This allows Burton to cripple the enemy defense line very early in the match.

The secondary effects are where the complexity lies. He inflicts 25 Insanity on his targets, a disruptive mechanic that can cause enemies to attack their own team or heal yours. However, he also inflicts 50 Insanity on himself.

Crucially, he activates Stoneskin before the self-insanity triggers. Stoneskin reduces all received damage to 1 for the next 5 hits. This means when Burton inevitably succumbs to his own Insanity and punches himself, he will only deal 1 damage to himself (provided the Stoneskin is still active). This synergy turns a major drawback into a manageable quirk. The Stoneskin is undispellable, which guarantees him protection against dispellers, though it can still be worn down by multi-hitters or tiles.

By the Numbers

• Effective Mana Speed: Fast. Requires 7 tiles to charge. With a level 29 Magic troop or sufficient mana bonuses, this can be reduced to 6 tiles, making him incredibly dangerous in Rush wars or favorable boards.
• Damage Potential: With 1225 Base Attack, a 400% hit deals approx 4900 raw damage value per target before defense reduction. Hitting three targets yields a massive total damage output for a Fast skill.
• Stoneskin Durability: 5 hits. In a raid, this can disappear quickly if the enemy gets a cascade or uses a multi-hit ranger like Lin Chong. However, against snipers, it essentially negates the next 5 special skills or tile hits.
• Insanity Math: 50 Insanity on self means a 50% chance each turn (when casting or attacking) to target allies/self instead. 25 Insanity on enemies means a 25% chance for them to malfunction.

Family Bonus, Passives, Aether Power & Unique Abilities

Family Bonus

The Investigator family bonus provides a massive stat increase for fielding unique heroes from the same family.

• Bonus for 1/2/3 Heroes: +20% / +30% / +40% Attack AND +20% / +30% / +40% Health. This is one of the strongest family bonuses in the game because it triggers even with a single hero (Solo Bonus). Just having Burton on your team gives him a free 20% stat boost to Attack and HP, making his "real" stats significantly higher than what is shown on the card. This pushes his HP over 2500 and Attack over 1400 easily in battle.

Passives

Burton does not possess innate passive skills. His power budget is entirely focused on his high multipliers and the Investigator family stat bonus.

Aether Power

Attack Up: At level 90, Burton receives an unconditional attack boost for the first 6 turns. This synergizes perfectly with his role as a Fast speed nuker. You want him to fire early while this buff is active to maximize the initial devastation.

Legacy & Modern Relevance

• Historical Context: Released in early 2025, Burton represents the "post-construct" era where hit-3 heroes began dealing damage percentages previously reserved for snipers.
• Power Creep Analysis: Burton is a prime example of modern power creep. A Fast hero dealing 400% to three targets would have been unthinkable two years prior. The Investigator family bonus further cements his stats above the curve.
• Modern Viability Verdict: Burton is highly relevant in the current meta. He is a premier offensive hero for Blue stacks and a formidable defensive flank. While Insanity adds a layer of RNG (Random Number Generation), the raw damage output and Stoneskin protection make him a top-tier choice for competitive play.

Costume & Costume Bonus

Burton currently does not have a costume. This review focuses on his base form.

Emblem Path Analysis

Burton is a Barbarian, which grants a chance to inflict Bleed on normal attacks. This fits his aggressive playstyle.

The Pure Power Path

• Path: Attack > Defense > Health
• Pros: Maximizes the damage of his 400% hit. Since Stoneskin reduces damage to 1 regardless of his defense stat, raw defense is slightly less critical for survival against special skills, though still needed against tile damage once Stoneskin fades.
• Cons: Lower health pool makes him vulnerable once Stoneskin is stripped.

The Survivalist Path

• Path: Defense > Health > Attack
• Pros: Increases the value of the 20% family HP bonus. Makes him a thicker meat shield on defense.
• Cons: Sacrifices the kill potential of his special skill.

Final Recommendation

For most players, the Attack path is recommended. Burton's primary job is to delete three enemies before they can move. The Stoneskin provides artificial durability, so you should lean into his strength: hitting very, very hard.

Strengths

• Massive Fast Damage: 400% to three targets at Fast speed is elite damage efficiency.
• Stoneskin Safety Net: Mitigates the downside of self-inflicted Insanity and protects against enemy snipers.
• Solo Stat Boost: The Investigator family bonus gives him huge stats even if he is the only family member on the team.
• Undispellable Defense: Stoneskin cannot be dispelled, forcing enemies to waste hits to remove it.

Weaknesses

• RNG Factor: Insanity is inherently unpredictable. If Stoneskin is stripped early, he becomes a liability to his own team.
• Stoneskin Counters: Heroes with "reduce damage to 1" buffs are vulnerable to high tile volume or multi-hitters (like Rangers) who strip layers quickly.
• Healing Cleanses Insanity: Note that healing removes Insanity stacks. While this sounds good, it resets the mechanic, which might be neutral, but if you rely on him functioning as a chaos agent, it changes the flow.

Best Game Modes

• PvP Offense: Excellent. He can shatter a defensive flank/tank setup quickly.
• War Defense: Strong. Placed on the Flank, he charges fast and forces the attacker to deal with huge incoming damage and the Insanity debuff.
• Monster Island/Events: Great for clearing waves quickly due to high AoE damage.

Advanced Strategy & Team Compositions

Sample Team Ideas

• The Blue Hammer: Kiril (Costume) - Frida - Burton.
  • Why: Kiril provides Attack Up/Def Down. Frida provides Elemental Defense Down. Burton follows up with a massive hit against three targets who are now extremely vulnerable. This combo effectively wipes one side of the board.
• The Insanity Squad: Dolores - Burton - Bubbles.
  • Why: Combining multiple Insanity heroes can overwhelm the enemy with status effects, forcing them to miss turns or attack themselves.

Counters & Anti-Synergies

• Counters:
  • Multi-Hitters: Heroes who deal multiple hits per special (e.g., Master Rangers, certain Ninjas) can strip his Stoneskin layers instantly.
  • Minion Summoners: Minion hits count as hits for stripping Stoneskin. A team with Bera or Freya can render his Stoneskin useless in a single turn.
• Anti-Synergies:
  • Pophit: Be careful pairing Burton with Pophit. Pophit casts Softskin, but Burton's Stoneskin will overwrite it. Since Stoneskin is generally better for Burton's specific needs, this isn't fatal, but it wastes Pophit's buff on Burton.

Advice for New Players

If you pulled Burton, congratulations. He is a carry hero. Prioritize leveling him immediately. Even without emblems or limit breaks, his 400% hit will clear map stages and low-level raids effortlessly. Put him in your defense team as soon as he is maxed.

Advice for Veterans

Burton is worth the Alpha Aethers. His damage scaling at Level 90 with the Attack Up aether power makes him a relevant threat in top 100 wars. He is a "fire and forget" missile. Don't worry too much about the Insanity; the math is in your favor given the damage he outputs before the confusion sets in.

Community Corner: Hot Takes & History

The community reaction to Burton was a mix of awe at his damage and confusion regarding his mechanics.

• One user noted, "It's sneaky that they give him bypass. Stoneskin can't protect him from damage from Insanity." Wait, actually, the consensus corrected this: "Read again, Stoneskin, not Softskin... Stoneskin drops damage to 1."
• There was significant debate about the "Softskin vs. Stoneskin" interaction, with players confirming that "Burton's Stoneskin will overwrite Pophit's Softskin."
• A common sentiment regarding the Insanity mechanic: "Surprisingly competent as an insane hero."
• Humorous takes included players predicting a "NERF TIME" five days after the portal closes, a classic trope in the E&P community regarding powerful new heroes.

Final Thoughts

Burton is a detective who doesn't need a magnifying glass to find your weak spot; he just punches a hole in it. He represents a successful implementation of the Insanity mechanic where the hero feels powerful rather than just chaotic. While the risk of punching himself exists, the Stoneskin insurance policy makes him a premium choice for aggressive players.

He is a top-tier Ice hero who will serve you well in wars and raids. Just remember: if he starts glowing and looking confused, maybe don't stand too close to him.

Verdict: A fantastic, high-damage bruiser who fits perfectly into the fast-paced modern meta. Worth the mats.