Greel: The Chainsaw-Wielding Goblin That Wants To Be Treevil When He Grows Up

Overview

Greel, the Feral Swashbuckler, is a Rare (3-star) Dark hero from the Abyss Hunter (Monster Hunter) family. Released in 2023 during the Covenant Summon era, he burst onto the scene with a mechanic that screams "Finisher." While his Very Slow mana speed might make seasoned players recoil in horror, Greel serves a very specific purpose: cleaning up the mess his teammates left behind. He’s essentially a specialized janitor for your enemy's health bars.

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Hero Art & Visuals

Greel's design is classic goblin chaos. He sports a horned helmet that looks slightly too big, a makeshift weapon that appears to be a jawbone tied to a stick, and an expression that says, "I'm going to bite your ankles." The purple and green color palette fits perfectly with the Abyss Hunter theme, giving him a toxic, swamp-dweller vibe. It’s a fun, gritty look that perfectly communicates his role as a scrappy, underhanded fighter.

General Info

Hero Stats

Base Stats (No Emblems)

Level	Attack	Defense	Health	💪Power
3/50	526	477	747	487
3/55lb1	596	541	847	543
3/60lb2	737	669	1046	656

▶Calculate with Emblems

Simulation: 0 Emblems

Level				💪
3/50	526	477	747	487
3/55lb1	596	541	847	543
3/60lb2	737	669	1046	656

Stat Analysis: When compared to the modern crop of 3-star heroes, Greel is starting to show his age.

• Attack (526): This is significantly lower than modern 3-star attackers like Rudolph C1 (648) or Jax (533). For a hero whose sole job is dealing damage, this is a drawback.
• Defense (477) & Health (747): These numbers are dangerously low, especially for a Very Slow hero who needs to survive long enough to fire. Modern tanks like Ironvein (976 HP) or Jax (908 HP) eclipse him completely in bulk.
• Verdict: His stats are outdated. He relies heavily on his special skill multiplier and passives to remain relevant.

Special Skill: Stubby Reap

Special Skill

Stubby Reap

Mana Speed

Very Slow

• Deals 210% damage to all enemies.
• If the enemies have less than 50% health remaining, deals 315% damage instead.
• The caster gains 20% mana for each enemy defeated by the attack.

⚡ Tile Breakpoints Guide

13.5Base Tiles

4% Bonus

13Tiles

Skill Analysis: "Stubby Reap" is a high-risk, high-reward skill. At first glance, 210% damage to all enemies at Very Slow speed is terrible. However, the magic lies in the conditional 315% damage if enemies are below 50% HP.

• The Executioner: Greel isn't designed to start the fight; he's designed to end it. If you fire him when the enemy team is softened up, he hits like a truck.
• The Mana Engine: The +20% mana per defeated enemy is the cherry on top. If he wipes 3 enemies, he gains 60% mana instantly, putting him well on his way to firing again.
• The Catch: You have to get him to fire. At Very Slow speed with low defenses, he often dies before he can lift his weapon.

By the Numbers

Let's break down the math behind the madness.

• Mana Speed: Very Slow requires 13.5 tiles to charge. Even with a Mana Troop (if allowed in tournaments) or family bonuses, shaving tiles off this count is difficult in the 3-star arena.
• Damage Potential:
  • Base Hit: ~210% to 5 enemies = 1050% total output.
  • Conditional Hit: ~315% to 5 enemies = 1575% total output.
  • Comparison: This rivals the total output of Average speed hit-all heroes, but requires setup.
• Mana Refund: Killing 5 enemies grants 100% mana, effectively recharging him instantly. In reality, killing 2 enemies (40% mana) is a more likely scenario, which helps him recharge faster for a second wave or clean-up.

Family Bonus, Passives, Aether Power & Unique Abilities

The Abyss Hunter family brings some interesting utility to the table.

Family Bonus

Family Bonus

Monster Island - Abyss Hunters

• Bonus for 2/3/4/5 Heroes:
• +5%/+10%/+15%/+20% defense.
• Event Bonus: Heroes belonging to the Abyss Hunter family receive the following perks on Monster Island:
• * +40% attack, +40% defense, +40% health

The Abyss Hunter bonus boosts attack, defense, or health based on the number of unique family members. While useful, you are unlikely to run a full team of Abyss Hunters in a 3-star tournament, so consider this a minor stat boost rather than a game-changer.

Passives

Inherent Abilities

Passive Skills

• Hunter's Sense

  When this character casts their Special Skill, they transfer the newest cleansable status ailment from themself to the target. If the Special Skill cannot target an enemy, a random enemy is chosen instead. If this character has no cleansable status ailments, they recover 12% health.
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  Damage over Time on Special

  When this character casts their Special Skill, they give a Hunter's Mark on a random enemy. The target receives 150 damage over 3 turns. If a target already has this effect, the duration will be refreshed and the damage will be increased by 150, up to 1500 damage in total.

• Hunter's Sense: This is excellent utility. Transferring a status ailment (like Defense Down or Poison) to an enemy before hitting them is fantastic. If he’s clean, he heals 12%, which helps his survivability slightly.
• DoT on Special: The Hunter's Mark adds 150 damage over 3 turns (50 per turn). It’s not huge, but in 3-star tournaments, every bit of chip damage counts.

Aether Power

Aether Power

Rage

At the start of each battle, this Hero gets 15% attack, and a further 1% increase every time they are hit during 6 turns, up to 25% attack.

In battles with multiple waves, the effect is refreshed at the beginning of each wave.

Rage gives him a mana generation buff at the start of battle. For a Very Slow hero, this is arguably the best possible power (outside of straight mana) as it helps him charge slightly faster in those critical opening turns.

Legacy & Modern Relevance

• Historical Context: Upon release, Greel was immediately identified as a "Rush Attack specialist." He was often paired with Treevil to devastate enemy teams in Very Fast tournaments.
• Power Creep Analysis: Greel has suffered from stat creep. New heroes hit harder and faster. His reliance on the enemy being below 50% HP is a restrictive condition in a meta where healing and overhealing are rampant.
• Modern Viability Verdict: Niche but Playable. He is no longer a general-purpose hero. He lives and dies in Rush Attack Tournaments. Outside of that mode, he is too slow and too fragile to be competitive against modern 3-stars.

Costume & Costume Bonus

As of this review, Greel does not have a costume.

Emblem Path Analysis

Greel is a Barbarian. His class talent (Bleed) fits his aggressive nature, but his primary need is survivability to ensure he fires his skill, or raw damage to ensure the kill.

The "Glass Cannon" (Attack Path)

• Path: Attack > Defense > Health
• Pros: Maximizes the 315% multiplier. Ensures that if he fires, enemies die.
• Cons: He remains extremely squishy and might die to a few slashes or a sniper hit before charging.

The "Survivor" (Defense Path)

• Path: Defense > Health > Attack
• Pros: Gives him the bulk needed to survive 13.5 tiles of play. Makes him more viable as a tank or flank in Rush.
• Cons: His kill potential drops slightly, risking leaving enemies with 1 HP.

Final Recommendation

For most players, the Attack Path is recommended. If you are bringing Greel, you are gambling on him firing once to end the game. You want that one hit to be decisive. If you need a tank, use a tank; use Greel to kill.

Strengths

• Finish Potential: Devastating damage against weakened teams.
• Mana Snowball: Can recharge quickly if he secures kills.
• Utility: Passive cleanse/transfer provides unexpected value.
• Rush King: In Very Fast modes, his speed penalty vanishes, making him a top-tier threat.

Weaknesses

• Glacial Speed: Very Slow is painful in normal play.
• Paper Thin: Low defense and health stats by modern standards.
• Conditional Damage: If enemies are above 50% HP, his damage is underwhelming (210%).
• Requires Setup: Needs teammates to soften targets first.

Best Game Modes

• Rush Attack Tournaments: This is his home. When set to Very Fast speed, he becomes a monster.
• Events (Challenge Festivals): Good for clearing waves of mobs if timed correctly to get the mana refund.
• Bloody Battle: The lack of healing means enemies stay under 50% HP more often, triggering his bonus damage.

Advanced Strategy & Team Compositions

Greel is a combo piece. Never bring him alone.

Sample Team Ideas

1. The "Rush" Nightmare: Treevil - Greel - Joukahainen
   • Why: Treevil fires first (Very Fast in Rush), applying Defense Down to everyone. Greel follows up, hitting the def-downed enemies. If they survive Treevil, they are likely under 50% HP, triggering Greel's massive hit.
2. The "Softener" Squad: Maeve - Noril - Greel
   • Why: Fast hitters like Maeve and Noril drop enemy health quickly. Greel sits in the wing, waiting to fire his "Stubby Reap" once the enemies are in the kill range.

Counters & Anti-Synergies

• Counters: Mana Controllers (e.g., Pixie, Hansel) shut him down completely. Overhealers (e.g., Faiez) keep enemies above 50% HP, nullifying his damage bonus.
• Anti-Synergy: Minion Summoners generally don't help him directly. He prefers teammates who deal direct damage or Defense Down.

Advice for New Players

If you pull Greel early, hold onto him, but do not prioritize him. Level your Fast and Average speed 3-stars first (like Bane, Tyrum, or Valen). Greel is a luxury tool for tournaments, not a campaign carry.

Advice for Veterans

You likely have him sitting at 1/1 or maxed for Rush. He is not worth a Limit Break 2 (Alpha Aether) unless you are extremely competitive in 3-star Rush tournaments. The stats gained from LB2 help, but his utility is capped by his speed mechanic. Save your Alpha Aethers for heroes with more versatility.

Community Corner: Hot Takes & History

The community reaction to Greel has always been mixed, centering on his synergy with Treevil.

• "Treevil's new sidekick? Yup. Pain and suffering." - Many players immediately saw the potential of pairing him with the Rush Attack king.
• "If Greel’s special skill kills all 5 opponents, the mana bar would be instantly filled?" - Yes, this mechanic was a source of great excitement (and fear) upon release.
• "I’d hate to be that one Fighter class hero that gets resurrected and has to face the Stubby Reap all by their lonesome…again." - A hilarious but accurate observation of his ability to loop his special.

Final Thoughts

Greel is the definition of a "One-Trick Pony," but it's a pretty cool trick. He isn't going to win you every raid, and he's terrible for farming season stages. But when the stars align in a Rush Tournament and he wipes an entire team off the board in one swing, you'll be glad you leveled the little guy.

Verdict: Keep him for Rush Attack, bench him for everything else.