Gandr, The Dwarven Wind Warrior: A Slow Burn That Erupts Into Victory

Overview

Gandr is a Legendary Holy hero hailing from the subterranean realms of Nidavellir, introduced as part of the Untold Tales 2: Treasures of Flame and Frost. As a member of this dwarven family, she brings a rugged durability and a kit that screams "do not touch me." Released in late 2024, she represents a modern take on the classic Slow mana powerhouse. She is not just a damage dealer; she is a sustain engine and a punishment mechanism rolled into one stout package. While the meta has sped up significantly, Gandr proves that sometimes, good things come to those who wait (or play Rush Attack). She does not have a costume yet, so this review focuses entirely on her base form. Just don't ask her about the weather; she brings her own gale.

Hero Art & Visuals

Gandr's artwork is a refreshing departure from the typical high fantasy tropes. She is depicted as a sturdy, formidable dwarf woman, adorned in practical yet ornate attire that suggests both nobility and combat readiness. The color palette mixes earthy tones with the bright gold of the Holy element and the fiery reds of her realm. Her expression is one of calm confidence, a warrior who knows exactly what her Spearwand can do. The visual design ties in perfectly with her "Wind Warrior" title, though she looks grounded enough to withstand a hurricane, let alone create one. It is nice to see a hero who looks like she actually eats three square meals a day and can swing a weapon without breaking a nail.

General Info

Hero not found.

Hero Stats

Gandr enters the arena with stats that are quite competitive for her release window. Her base Power of 1165 is solid. The stat distribution is remarkably balanced, with Attack (1168) and Defense (1161) being nearly identical, and a massive Health pool of 2193. When compared to the absolute newest heroes like Devyani (1303 Attack), Gandr's attack might seem a step behind, but her survivability is top tier. The high health pool synergizes beautifully with her Counterattack buff, allowing her to soak up damage and reflect it without dying prematurely. In the current landscape, her stats are considered High, offering enough bulk to survive until her Slow mana charges.

Special Skill: Spearwand Gale

Spearwand Gale is a multifaceted disaster for the enemy team. It is a Slow speed skill, which is its primary limiter, but the payoff is substantial. First, it hits all enemies with the "Firestorm Strike" mechanic, dealing up to 2200 damage based on the attack/defense disparity. This means against softer targets, she hits incredibly hard. The "never misses" clause is a fantastic counter to the Dodge meta.

The secondary effects are what truly elevate her. She heals all allies for 30% of the damage dealt. This is calculated per hit. If she hits 5 enemies for 1000 damage each, she is not just healing a flat amount; she is generating healing instances from each strike. This can often result in a full heal for her team from the brink of death. Finally, the Counterattack (65% for 5 turns) turns her team into a prickly cactus patch. It is a skill that swings the momentum of a match completely: damage, sustain, and defensive pressure all in one button press.

By the Numbers

Mana Speed Analysis: Being Slow speed, Gandr requires 12 tiles to charge.

With a level 29 Mana Troop (+15%) and the Ranger emblem node (+2% or +4%), you can shave off a tile or two, but she will largely remain a 10 to 12 tile hero.
In Rush Attack tournaments and wars, she becomes effectively Very Fast (6.5 tiles), which is terrifying.

Damage Calculation: The skill deals "up to 2200 damage." This is a capped mechanic similar to the Owls.

Base Scenario: If she hits 5 enemies for an average of 800 damage each (a conservative estimate against modern defense), that is 4000 total damage output.
healing Output: 30% of 4000 is 1200 total healing distributed, or effectively healing each ally for a significant chunk. If she hits for the cap (2200), the healing becomes astronomical.

Key Passives Impact:

Molten Core: Adds a Corrosive Burn. At full charge, this deals roughly 315 damage per turn for 3 turns. Across 5 enemies, that is an additional ~4700 damage over 3 turns if uncleansed, plus a -12% defense drop per turn. This passive alone adds a massive layer of pressure.

Family Bonus, Passives, Aether Power & Unique Abilities

The Nidavellir family kit is built for attrition and punishing specific enemy types. It turns Gandr from a simple damage dealer into a strategic hazard.

Family Bonus

The Nidavellir family bonus is unique in that it is tied to the "Molten Core" mechanic. It charges when the hero takes damage. This encourages placing Gandr in a position where she takes hits (like Tank or Flank), charging her core so that when she finally fires, the secondary effects are maximized.

Passives

Empowered Resist Burn: This is an incredible defensive passive. Not only is she immune to Burn (ignoring many red DOT makers), but she actually gains 450 Boosted Health and 5% Mana when she resists it. Facing a team of burners turns their offense into her battery. Molten Core: As mentioned, this adds a Corrosive Burn and Defense Down to her special. The Defense Down (-12% per turn) is particularly nasty because it ramps up, making the enemy team softer and softer the longer the burn lasts. It also deals extra damage to Minion/Mega Minion owners, giving her a slight edge against summoners.

Aether Power

Ailment Immunity for the first 6 turns is a top tier Aether Power for a Slow hero. One of the biggest risks for Slow heroes is getting silenced, mana blocked, or blinded before they can fire. This power ensures that for the opening phase of the match, Gandr can charge her mana without being hindered by status ailments. It guarantees she gets to play the game.

Legacy & Modern Relevance

Historical Context: Upon release, Gandr was immediately identified as a Rush Attack monster. Players compared her favorably to other heavy hitters, noting that her healing mechanic was often underestimated. She was part of the wave of heroes pushing "capped damage" mechanics, moving away from flat percentages.

Power Creep Analysis: Gandr's stats hold up well. While newer heroes like Devyani push Attack stats over 1300, Gandr's defensive bulk keeps her relevant. Her special skill mechanics (Never Miss, Percent Healing, Counterattack) are timeless utilities that do not degrade as strictly as raw damage numbers. The "up to 2200" damage cap means she scales; as long as you can buff her attack or lower enemy defense, she can still hit hard.

Modern Viability Verdict: Gandr remains Highly Viable, specifically in Rush Attack modes and on defense teams designed to stall. In standard speed play, she is niche, often too slow for high-level raiding against Very Fast defenses unless supported by mana generators (like Ludwig or Xnolphod). However, in Rush Wars and Tournaments, she is a Tier 1 threat. She is not a relic; she is a specialist.

Costume & Costume Bonus

Gandr currently does not have a costume. She relies entirely on her base kit.

Emblem Path Analysis

As a Ranger, Gandr has the ability to bypass defensive buffs, which is excellent for a damage dealer. However, her role is often to survive long enough to fire her game-changing special.

The Survivor (Recommended)

Path: Defense > Health > Attack
Pros: Maximizes her ability to stay alive to cast Spearwand Gale. Increases the effectiveness of her Counterattack (as she can take more hits). Synergizes with her high base health.
Cons: Slightly lowers the damage output of her special, potentially reducing the healing received (since healing is % of damage).

The Wind Fury

Path: Attack > Defense > Health
Pros: Pushes her damage closer to that 2200 cap. Increases the healing output for the team. Makes her bypass talent hit harder.
Cons: Makes her squishier, risking death before she charges her Slow mana.

Final Recommendation

For most players, the Survivor (Defense/Health) path is recommended. A dead Gandr deals zero damage and provides zero healing. Her base damage potential is already high enough to be impactful; ensuring she lives to use it is the priority.

Strengths

Massive Swing Potential: Her special does everything—damage, heal, and protect. Firing it once can completely reverse a losing match.
Rush Attack Dominance: At Very Fast speed, she is oppressive.
Anti-Dodge: "Never misses" is crucial against heroes like Constance or costumed Kadilen.
Self-Sustain: Immune to Burn and gains health/mana from it, making her a hard counter to red DOT heavy teams.
Scaling Healing: The healing potential against a full enemy team is enormous.

Weaknesses

Slow Speed: In standard play, 12 tiles is an eternity. She can be killed or controlled before she ever fires.
Damage Dependent Healing: If the enemy has high defense or damage reduction (like huge defense buffs), her damage drops, and consequently, her healing drops.
Dispel Vulnerability: Her Counterattack is a buff that can be dispelled.
Passive Reliance: To get the full effect of the Molten Core, she needs to take damage first, which is a risky game to play.

Best Game Modes

Rush Attack Wars & Tournaments: This is her kingdom. She is an S-Tier tank or flank here.
PvE / Map Stages: Her survivability and healing make her great for long boss fights and auto-farming hard stages.
War Equalizer: While the cleanse hurts her DOT/Counterattack, her upfront damage and burst heal are still valuable.
Defensive Tank (Standard): Can work in standard formations if flanked by fast heroes or mana boosters, serving as a "punishment" if the attacker gets a bad board.

Advanced Strategy & Team Compositions

Gandr shines when she is protected or accelerated. She hates being the last one standing; she wants to support the team while crushing the enemy.

Sample Team Ideas

The Mana Battery: Ludwig (Tank) + Gandr (Flank). Ludwig forces mana onto Gandr, overcoming her Slow speed. Once she fires, the team is healed and protected by counterattack.
The Rush Wall: Gandr (Tank) flanked by heavy hitters or revivers (like Mother North). In Rush, this formation forces the enemy to bring a dispeller or risk killing themselves on the counterattack.
The Burn Bait: Use Gandr against a heavy burn defense (e.g., against multiple red heroes). Her passive will feed her mana and health, making her charge faster than usual.

Counters & Anti-Synergies

Mana Control: Hel, Proteus, or Silence heroes completely shut her down.
Buff Dispellers: Heroes like Sabina or Kageburado remove her Counterattack immediately.
Minion Blockers: While she does extra damage to minions, heroes that block healing or reduce attack (like checking her attack stat) can neuter her effectiveness.
Anti-Heal: Heroes that block healing prevent her secondary sustain, leaving her as just a damage dealer.

Advice for New Players

If you pulled Gandr early, congratulations! She will carry you through almost all map stages and difficult quests. Focus on keeping her alive. Do not worry too much about her Slow speed in the early game; matches are slower there anyway. Pair her with mana potions in PvE to fire her immediately at boss waves.

Advice for Veterans

Gandr is a tool for your Rush Attack toolbox. Do not force her into your main raid offense unless you are facing a specific passive team or a burn-heavy defense. She is worth the Limit Break materials if you care about War performance, but perhaps save the Alpha Aethers unless you really need that Ailment Immunity for your Rush defense. She competes with other top-tier yellows, so assess your roster's need for a slow AoE vs. a fast sniper.

Community Corner: Hot Takes & History

The community reaction to Gandr was mixed but generally positive regarding her potential.

One player noted, "Her special reads 'heals allies for 30% of damage dealt', which is deceptive... it heals allies 30% of damage PER hit enemy... that is a crap load of heal!"
Another user lamented facing her in Rush: "I went for a Gandr-tank war team in rush war and got obliterated. Gandr single-handedly took me out."
There was some debate about her power level, with some calling her "Over Powered" on release, while others felt her speed kept her in check. "Slow, but for AoE attack that never misses... great combo," was a common sentiment.

Final Thoughts

Gandr is a hero who demands respect. You cannot ignore her on the battlefield, or she will eventually erupt, wiping your health bars while restoring her own team's. She is the definition of a "turn-around" hero—you might be winning against her, but one cast of Spearwand Gale changes the entire landscape. While she may not be the fastest dwarf in the mountain, she is certainly one of the heaviest hitters. Use her wisely, and let the winds of Nidavellir blow your enemies away.

Verdict: A mandatory keeper for Rush formats and a solid, durable option for depth in wars.