Dima, The Hogmaster: Bringing Home the Bacon (and Bleed)

Overview

Dima, affectionately known as the "Hogmaster" (or simply the guy with the giant pig), is a Legendary Fire hero hailing from the Garrison Guards family. Released in late 2024, he operates at Average mana speed and fills a hybrid role of damage dealer, defense breaker, and summoner. His kit is heavily centered around the modern Mega Minion mechanic, making him a distinct tactical piece rather than just a blunt instrument. While he might look like a simple guard, his ability to spread bleed damage across the enemy team makes him a persistent nuisance in long battles.

Hero Art & Visuals

Dima's visual design is a delightful blend of stoic duty and whimsical charm. Clad in heavy Garrison armor with a distinct "Eastern European guard" aesthetic, he stands proudly next to his massive, armored battle boar. The color palette is dominated by warm earth tones, leathers, and the vibrant red of his element. The artwork does a fantastic job of conveying his bulk and durability. It is hard not to smile at a hero whose primary companion is a war-pig that looks ready to truffle-hunt through the enemy's defense team.

General Info

Hero Stats

When we look at Dima's stats in the context of late 2025, the power creep is evident but not debilitating. With a base power of 1122 and fully Limit Broken (LB2) power reaching 1354, he sits a tier below the absolute cutting edge heroes like Adelitza or the latest Construct heroes, who are pushing 1500+ power.

His LB2 attack stat of 1447 is respectable but no longer elite compared to the 1600+ attackers running rampant in the current meta. However, his health pool remains robust. While he isn't the stat monster he was upon release, his numbers are high enough to keep him competitive, especially since his value lies more in his Mega Minion and status effects than raw initial hit damage.

Special Skill: Spotting Trouble

"Spotting Trouble" is a multifaceted skill that packs a lot of utility into a single cast:

1. Hit-3 Damage: 400% damage to the target and nearby enemies is a solid, if standard, output for an Average speed hero. It provides good board control without wiping teams instantly.
2. Defense Down: The -25% defense ailment is moderate. While -34% or -44% is the gold standard for pure defense breakers, -25% is sufficient to soften targets for follow-up attacks. The unique "reset on heal" mechanic forces enemies to be careful with their timing, though in the fast-paced current meta, battles often end before this nuance comes into play significantly.
3. The Sword Guard Mega Minion: This is the crown jewel of his kit. Inheriting 300% of Dima's attack allows this minion to hit very hard. Since Mega Minions act as a separate entity/meat shield, it effectively gives Dima a second health bar (approx. 700-800 HP) and a potent auto-attack.
4. Spreading Bleed: The bleed damage (456 over 3 turns) applied by the Minion's hit is nasty. Crucially, it spreads. This turns Dima into a "fire Shimmerscale," capable of infecting an entire enemy team with a damaging ailment that ticks away their health while they struggle to deal with the Mega Minion itself.

By the Numbers

Let's break down what Dima brings to the table mathematically:

• Mana Speed: Average (10 tiles). This is his biggest hurdle in a Very Fast meta, but manageable with mana troops.
• Direct Damage: At ~1450 Attack (LB2), a 400% hit deals roughly 5800 raw damage value distributed among three targets (before defense calculations). This is a strong "softening" blow.
• Mega Minion Damage: The Mega Minion inherits 300% Attack. That is a massive auto-attack every turn it survives, often hitting harder than many support heroes' special skills.
• Bleed Output: 456 damage over 3 turns is 152 damage per turn. If this spreads to 5 enemies, that is 760 passive damage per turn across the enemy team, purely from status ailments.
• Durability: The Mega Minion adds roughly 35% to his max health, pushing his effective HP pool well over 3200 in a fully leveled state.

Family Bonus, Passives, Aether Power & Unique Abilities

The Garrison Guards are built for attrition and reliability, and Dima is no exception.

Family Bonus

The Garrison family bonus (often involving clearing ailments or providing stat boosts based on family members) reinforces his role in longer fights. In mixed teams, you won't rely on this heavily, but it's a nice perk if you pair him with other guards.

Passives

Dima possesses two incredible passives:

1. Resist Mana Reduction: This is huge. In a game full of mana cutters and controllers, Dima ensures he will fire eventually. He cannot be stopped by the likes of Waterpipe or generic mana cut heroes, making him reliable on defense.
2. Guard Rally (Remove Wither): Wither is one of the most debilitating permanent ailments in the game. Automatically cleansing this every 4 turns makes Dima a specific counter to heavy Wither teams, preserving your team's stats for the long haul.

Aether Power

Attack Up is a straightforward and effective choice. Since his Mega Minion's stats and his Bleed damage are derived from his Attack stat, this Aether Power directly scales his most dangerous mechanics. It is the correct choice for his kit.

Legacy & Modern Relevance

• Historical Context: Upon release, Dima was seen as a "Red Shimmerscale"—a high-value damage dealer who introduced the spreading DoT mechanic to the Fire element via a Mega Minion. He was a breath of fresh air for players tired of generic snipers.
• Power Creep Analysis: While his stats have been surpassed by the "Titan Hunter" and "Construct" waves of late 2025, his mechanics have aged gracefully. The Mega Minion remains a potent threat that demands a specific counter (minion removal), and the spreading bleed is timelessly annoying.
• Modern Viability Verdict: Dima is Still Viable, particularly in Wars and specialized PvP formats. He is no longer a top 10 defense hero due to his Average speed, but on offense, he is a wrecking ball. The ability to hide behind a Mega Minion while bleeding the enemy team dry allows him to win wars of attrition against even statistically superior foes.

Emblem Path Analysis

Dima is a Barbarian, which gives him a chance to apply another bleed effect on basic attacks. This synergizes hilariously well with his kit.

The Aggressive Hog (Attack Focus)

• Path: Attack > Defense > Health
• Pros: Maximizes the HP and Attack of the Mega Minion. Increases the damage of the spreading bleed. Increases Special Skill damage.
• Cons: Makes Dima slightly squishier initially, though the Mega Minion compensates.
• Analysis: This is the way. Dima's entire threat model relies on his Attack stat. The harder he hits, the scarier his pig is.

The Fortified Guard (Defense Focus)

• Path: Defense > Health > Attack
• Pros: Keeps him alive longer to cast his skill.
• Cons: Neutrals his offensive pressure. A weak Mega Minion is easily cleared, negating his bleed spread.

Final Recommendation

For almost every player, the Aggressive Hog (Attack) path is recommended. You want that Mega Minion to be a nightmare to remove, and you want that bleed damage to sting.

Strengths

• Mega Minion Utility: Provides a massive meat shield and high consistent damage.
• Spreading DoT: The bleed effect can quickly spiral out of control if the enemy cannot cleanse or kill the minion.
• Reliability: Passive immunity to mana reduction ensures he gets to do his job.
• Wither Cleanse: A niche but invaluable passive against certain modern meta heroes.

Weaknesses

• Average Speed: In a Very Fast rush meta, he can sometimes be too slow to influence the match before it's decided.
• Minion Counterplay: Heroes who destroy minions (e.g., Grimsteel, cookie cutters) or block minion summoning neutralize a large part of his kit.
• Conditional Defense Down: The defense down resetting on heal is a drawback, though often a minor one.

Best Game Modes

• Alliance Wars: Excellent on both offense and defense (Rush Attack and Equalizer specifically).
• PvP Raids: A great offensive tool against passive teams.
• Monster Island/Events: The Mega Minion adds survivability for long stages.
• Buff Booster Tournaments: His buffs and minion make him a strong contender.

Advanced Strategy & Team Compositions

Dima shines in "death by a thousand cuts" teams or teams that protect his Mega Minion.

Sample Team Ideas

1. The Minion Wall:
   • Composition: Dima - Shimmerscale - Waterpipe - -
   • Strategy: Overwhelm the enemy with minions. Shimmerscale and Dima both spread DoTs, creating a "plague" effect that melts the enemy team while they struggle to target your heroes.
2. The Red Wrecking Crew:
   • Composition: Pepperflame - Dima - Gestalt
   • Strategy: Use Pepperflame for the initial buff/hit, followed by Dima to defense break and summon the pig. The synergy between modern high-power reds allows for devastating chain reactions.

Counters & Anti-Synergies

• Minion Destroyers: Heroes like Ogima or Grimsteel are his worst nightmare. They remove his protection and his source of DoT.
• Lunar Heroes: Heroes from the Lunar New Year families often have passives that punish minion summoners.
• Cleanse Blockers: If you can't cleanse his bleed, you die. If you prevent him from summoning, he is just a mediocre hitter.

Advice for New Players

If you are lucky enough to pull Dima early, he will carry you. Prioritize leveling him. His Mega Minion effectively doubles his HP in map stages, making hard bosses trivial. Don't worry about the complex mechanics; just fire him and let the pig do the work.

Advice for Veterans

Dima is a luxury tool. He isn't the "I win" button that some Fast heroes are, but he is incredibly fun and effective in war depth. He is worth the Limit Break materials if you lack a strong Red Mega Minion summoner. However, think twice before using Alpha Aethers if you have the absolute latest "Titan Hunter" reds, as their raw stats might offer better longevity.

Community Corner: Hot Takes & History

The community reaction to Dima was generally positive, with many drawing immediate comparisons to Shimmerscale.

• One user noted, "He is a slightly slower Shimmer with a poor class. But he does a fraction higher damage and DOT with a tiny DD which is a bonus."
• Another player highlighted the synergy: "I already enjoy Shimmer and Pepper in my offense... If Dima joins the party its going to be an awesome threesome."
• There was some debate about his tank viability, but most settled on him being a superb Flank or Wing hero. "That MM Dot will melt most teams in few turns."

Final Thoughts

Dima is a hero who ages well because he offers utility over raw damage. The Hogmaster brings a unique flavor to the Red roster, offering a defensive playstyle that results in offensive devastation via Bleed. While he may not be the fastest gun in the west, once he summons his boar, the clock starts ticking for the enemy team. He is a solid, reliable, and incredibly annoying hero to face—exactly what a Garrison Guard should be.

Final Verdict: A strong A-tier hero who remains a staple for war teams and minion-based strategies. Keep him, level him, and let the hog run wild.