Gafar, The Sand Vizier: Dust, Decay, and Death to Healers

Overview

Gafar is a classic 4-star Dark (Purple) hero from the Sand Empire seasonal event. Originally released way back when dinosaurs roamed the match-3 board, he was once a premier 4-star sniper known for his ability to completely shut down enemy healers.

As a Cleric, he has the potential to resist mana-stopping ailments, which pairs nicely with his fast mana speed. He serves as a "glass cannon" sniper—hitting quickly and disrupting healing, but shattering if you look at him the wrong way.

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Hero Art & Visuals

Gafar’s design is a clear nod to the classic "evil vizier" trope (looking at you, Jafar). Clad in desert robes with a stern, bearded visage and wielding a golden snake staff, he exudes authority and malice. The art style is distinctly from the earlier era of Empires & Puzzles—less flashy particle effects, more "painted portrait" style. It’s a solid, thematic look that tells you exactly who he is: a guy who probably plots to overthrow the Sultan in his spare time.

General Info

Hero Stats

Let’s be brutally honest here: Gafar’s stats are showing their age.

• Attack (711): This was once considered high. Now, it's merely "acceptable" for a 4-star.
• Defense (633) & Health (988): This is the danger zone. Modern 4-star heroes like Hotspin or Breca boast health pools in the 1400-1500 range and defense nearing 800. Gafar is incredibly fragile by modern standards. Even some modern 3-star heroes have better survivability than this Vizier.

Special Skill: Sand Gale

Analysis: The skill, Sand Gale, is a mixed bag in the current meta.

• 260% Damage: At Fast speed, this used to be a decent snipe. Today, with heroes dealing 350-400%+ or bypassing defenses, 260% is essentially a "tickle" against modern tanky heroes.
• Sand Damage (DoT): 228 damage over 4 turns is... okay. It helps finish off low-health enemies or keep pressure on, but it won't win the match on its own.
• -100% Healing: This is the crown jewel. Blocking all healing for 2 turns is a massive utility. It completely neutralizes healers like Rigard, Kiril, or heavy regen effects. The fact that it’s uncleansable (because it’s a healing reduction that prevents the cleanse if the cleanse comes with a heal, though savvy players know a pure cleanser can still remove it if they fire before a heal) makes it a tactical nuke against sustain teams.
• Self Cleanse: A nice cherry on top. If Gafar is blinded or attack-downed, he cleans himself before (or whilst) firing, ensuring he stays effective.

By the Numbers

• Mana Speed Analysis:
  • Base: Fast (8 tiles).
  • With Level 23 Mana Troop: 7 tiles. This is his sweet spot, allowing him to charge in just three matches (including a ghosted match) or a lucky cascade.
• Damage Calculation:
  • Base Attack: 711.
  • Skill Multiplier: 260%.
  • Rough Damage Output: ~1848 raw damage value (before defense reduction). Against a modern 4-star with ~800 defense, this might hit for around 350-450 damage. It's not a one-shot kill.
• Utility Calculation:
  • Healing Block: 100% reduction. If a Rigard would heal for 600 HP, Gafar effectively "deals" that 600 damage by preventing it. This is where his "virtual damage" skyrockets.

Family Bonus, Passives, Aether Power & Unique Abilities

The Sand Empire heroes are from an older generation, so their kit is simpler. They lack the complex passives of the "Construct" or "Astral" families.

Family Bonus

The Sand Empire family bonus boosts defense. This is critical for Gafar. Pairing him with another Sand hero (like the 3-star Hisan or 5-star Rana) gives him a much-needed survivability bump. It’s not flashy, but it helps patch his biggest weakness.

Passives

Gafar comes from an era before passives were handed out like candy. He has no innate passives. What you see is what you get.

Aether Power

Attack Up is straightforward. It boosts his snipe and his tile damage. While a defensive Aether power might have helped him survive, leaning into his role as a damage dealer is fine. It helps ensure his "Sand Gale" actually leaves a mark.

Legacy & Modern Relevance

• Historical Context: When Gafar was released, he was a top-tier 4-star. Field Aid wars (where defenses healed automatically) were his playground. He was the answer to the annoying Rigard/Boril tanks of 2018.
• Power Creep Analysis: The game has moved on. His stats are now comparable to a well-trained 3-star. His damage multiplier hasn't kept pace with the massive health pools of newer heroes.
• Modern Viability Verdict: Niche / Bench. He is no longer a general-purpose hero. You cannot bring him into a standard Diamond Arena raid and expect him to survive. However, he retains specific viability in 4-Star Tournaments (especially Buff Booster or Rush where healers are prevalent) and specifically for the Cleric Class Quest, where hitters are rare.

Costume & Costume Bonus

Note: This review focuses on the base version of Gafar. While Gafar does have a costume in the live game that updates his stats and changes his class, the base version reviewed here suffers significantly from "stat rot." The costume is almost a mandatory upgrade to bring his stats even remotely close to modern standards. Without the costume bonus, base Gafar is extremely fragile.

Emblem Path Analysis

Because Gafar is made of glass, you have a difficult choice: try to fix his weakness or go all-in on his strength.

The "Glass Cannon" (Full Attack)

• Path: Attack > Defense > Health
• Pros: Maximizes his tile damage and snipe.
• Cons: He will die if a stiff breeze hits him. Not recommended for modern play.

The "Stayin' Alive" (Defense/Health) - RECOMMENDED

• Path: Defense > Health > Attack
• Pros: Pushes his defense closer to the 700 mark and health over 1100. This might let him survive one slash attack or a stray special skill.
• Cons: Hits softer, but a dead Gafar deals 0 damage.

Final Recommendation

For most players, the Defense/Health path is mandatory. Gafar’s utility is his healing block. He needs to survive long enough to cast it. Dead snipers don't stop heals.

Strengths

• Healing Block: -100% healing is still one of the most potent debuffs in the game.
• Fast Mana: He can charge and fire before the slow/average healers on the enemy team.
• Self-Cleanse: Immune to attack drops or blind if he can fire his skill.
• Tile Damage: High base attack for a 4-star makes his purple tiles hurt.

Weaknesses

• Paper-Thin Durability: His defensive stats are ancient. He is easily one-shot by modern snipers.
• Low Skill Multiplier: 260% doesn't scare anyone anymore.
• Cleanse Vulnerability: While he stops healing, a monk resisting the ailment or a cleanser firing before the heal can negate his primary function.
• Outdated Stats: He effectively has 3.5-star stats in a 5-star world.

Best Game Modes

• 4-Star Tournaments: Specifically Bloody Battle? No, healing is already blocked there. Rush Attack and Buff Booster are his homes. In Rush, he can shut down the enemy healers before they undo your work.
• War Cleanups: If you're facing a team with a pesky healer left alive, Gafar is a great surgical tool to ensure they don't recover.
• Cleric Class Quest: The Cleric trial is notoriously short on damage dealers. Gafar shines here simply because he can actually hit things.
• Titans: Decent tile damage for hitting yellow Titans if you lack better options like Sergei or Tiburtus.

Advanced Strategy & Team Compositions

The key to using Gafar is protection. You must shield him so he can deliver his payload.

Sample Team Ideas

• The "Anti-Sustain" 4-Star Team:
  • Team: Gafar - Mist - Proteus - Kiril - Caedmon
  • Why: Mist slows mana and drops special defense, Proteus stops mana entirely, and Gafar ensures that even if they get mana, they can't heal. It’s a control-heavy team.
• The "Purple Stack" (Titan/War):
  • Team: Tiburtus (C) - Sergei - Gafar - Rigard - Proteus
  • Why: Tiburtus drops defense, Sergei buffs purple damage, and Gafar hits (harder).

Counters & Anti-Synergies

• Counters: Monks (resist the ailment), Garnet/Grazul (block the ailment), Cleansers (Rigard, if he fires without healing first, or other cleansers).
• Anti-Synergy: Don't pair him with other healing blockers if you can avoid it; the effects don't stack, they just overwrite.

Advice for New Players

If you pull Gafar early, he is a fantastic asset. His high attack will carry you through map stages, and his ability to stop bosses from healing is invaluable in Season 1 and 2. Max him out, but be wary of spending too many emblems unless he is your main sniper.

Advice for Veterans

He is likely a bench warmer for you. Unless you are competing hard in 4-star tournaments or have a deep roster need for War Cleanups, he probably isn't worth the ascension materials compared to modern 4-stars. Do not Limit Break him unless you have his costume and plan to use him competitively in tournaments.

Community Corner: Hot Takes & History

The community has always had a soft spot for the Sandman, mostly due to his high attack (for the time).

• “I used him everywhere, didn’t care much about his cons, he turned the tide countless times in field aid wars.” — An early adopter's nostalgia.
• “He’s very useful actually. It’s between him and Stonecleave and stone lost the toss.” — A sentiment from the past that still holds up; Gafar is generally more reliable than Stonecleave.
• “Glass cannon. Hits hard, dies fast.” — The universal consensus.

Final Thoughts

Gafar is a relic of a simpler time. He does one thing—stops healing—and he does it fast. While his stats have crumbled to dust over the years, that specific utility keeps him hanging onto the edge of relevance by his fingernails. He’s not the terrifying Vizier he once was, but in the right tournament, he can still ruin a healer's day.

Verdict: A situational tool for tournaments, but too fragile for the main stage. Keep him for the depth, but don't build your empire on this sand.