Greg: Serving Up Mega Minions And A Round Of Bleed For Everyone

Overview

Greg, known by the charming epithet "The Grogsmaster," is a 4-star Ice (Blue) hero from the Garrison Guards family, originally released during the Goblin Summon event in April 2024. While the 5-star Goblins often steal the spotlight with their game-breaking mechanics, Greg quietly (or perhaps loudly, given his appearance) established himself as a powerhouse in the Epic tier. He introduces the Mega Minion mechanic—usually reserved for Legendary heroes—to the 4-star rarity, making him a unique asset for tournaments and events. He is an Average speed Barbarian who functions less as a direct nuker and more as a summoner of doom.

Hero Art & Visuals

Let's be honest: Greg has a face only a mother (or perhaps a very inebriated tavern patron) could love. He is a hulking, pale orc-like figure with a questionable fashion sense involving jugs hanging precariously from his belt. The community has had a field day with the "placement" of said jugs, which create... interesting visual illusions. He looks exactly like the kind of bouncer who would throw you out of a medieval pub for looking at his grog the wrong way. It's gritty, it's ugly, and it fits the "Garrison Guard" theme perfectly.

General Info

Hero Stats

When we look at Greg's stats in the context of late 2025, the power creep is undeniable. Modern 4-star heroes like Breca or Buddy C1 are pushing 800+ Attack and Defense with HP pools exceeding 1500. Greg sits at a modest 688 Attack, 705 Defense, and 1255 HP.

This puts him firmly in the "outdated stats" category. He is significantly squishier than the current generation of Epics. However, stats aren't everything. Because his primary value comes from his Mega Minion (which inherits a percentage of his stats) and the spreading bleed, he scales surprisingly well if you invest heavily in Limit Breaks and Emblems to patch up those base numbers. Without those investments, however, he risks dying before he can even pour his first drink.

Special Skill: Scale of the Newt

The "Scale of the Newt" is a deceptive skill. On paper, "100% damage to all enemies" sounds like a gentle breeze rather than an attack. If you are looking for immediate burst damage, look elsewhere.

The real magic lies in the second and third effects:

1. The Sword Guard Mega Minion: This isn't your average minion. It inherits 300% of Greg's attack. This means every turn, the minion essentially fires a sniper shot at a target.
2. Spreading Bleed: The target hit by the Mega Minion receives Bleed damage. Crucially, this effect spreads to nearby enemies. In a prolonged fight, this turns into a plague that eats away at the entire enemy team.

By the Numbers

Let's break down why Greg performs better than his raw stats suggest.

• Mana Speed: Average. He requires 10 tiles to fire. With a Level 17 Mana Troop (or a combination of costume bonuses/emblems on a 5-star team, though less likely for him), he can drop to 9 tiles. In Rush Attack tournaments, he is terrifying.
• Initial Damage: 100% is negligible. Against a modern 4-star with 800 defense, Greg's initial hit might do ~100-150 damage. It's mostly there to pop existing regular minions.
• Mega Minion Damage:
  • Base Attack (LB1 + Emblems): ~800
  • Minion Attack (300%): 2400 virtual attack stat.
  • When this minion hits, it hits hard. It benefits from Critical Chance buffs (e.g., Shar'Khai), which can make the minion hit for 1000+ damage on a critical strike against a weaker element.
• Bleed Damage: 267 over 3 turns is 89 damage per turn. It doesn't sound like much, but because it spreads, you can quickly have 3-5 enemies bleeding, totaling ~450 damage per turn across the team, ignoring defense.

Family Bonus, Passives, Aether Power & Unique Abilities

The Garrison family and Greg's passives add layers of utility that keep him relevant.

Family Bonus

The Garrison family bonus is less about direct combat stats and more about clearing the annoying "Wither" status effect (permanent stat reduction) often inflicted by Goblin heroes. While situational, it's a lifesaver in Goblin-heavy metas.

Passives

The Resist Mana Reduction passive is a massive asset in 4-star tournaments. It means Greg completely ignores the mana cuts from staples like Li Xiu, Chao, or Azmia. This ensures that once he is charged, he will fire, making him a reliable offensive tool.

Aether Power

Regen is a solid, if unexciting, Aether Power. It helps offset his lower base HP and keeps him alive long enough to summon a second Mega Minion. Given that his minions act as meat shields (approx. 500-600 HP), the regeneration underneath adds to his deceptive durability.

Legacy & Modern Relevance

• Historical Context: Upon release, Greg was hailed as a "must-have" for 4-star content. Players recognized that the low initial hit was a fair trade-off for the absurd damage output of the Mega Minion. He dominated Buff Booster and Bloody Battle tournaments.
• Power Creep Analysis: While his stat line has aged poorly in the last 18 months, his mechanic remains unique in the 4-star roster. There are very few 4-star heroes that can generate a minion with 300% attack.
• Modern Viability Verdict: Greg remains Highly Viable in specific niches. He is a top-tier pick for 4-star Tournaments (especially Bloody Battle where the Bleed and Minion damage shine, and Rush Attack). He is also excellent for Challenge Events where his Mega Minion can one-shot mob waves, saving time and battle items. He is no longer a general-purpose hero for 5-star wars, but he is a king in his own weight class.

Costume & Costume Bonus

Greg currently does not have a costume.

Emblem Path Analysis

Greg faces a classic dilemma: Do you boost his Attack to make the Mega Minion hit harder, or boost his Defense/HP to keep his squishy body alive?

The Punisher

• Path: Attack > Defense > Health
• Pros: Maximizes the Mega Minion's attack stat. Since the minion inherits 300% of the caster's attack, every point of attack added to Greg is effectively tripled for the minion. Also increases Bleed damage slightly.
• Cons: Leaves Greg very fragile. If he dies before firing, he is useless.

The Defender

• Path: Defense > Health > Attack
• Pros: Significantly increases survivability. Greg needs to stay alive to summon the minion. The minion also inherits HP, making the "meat shield" thicker (approx. 35% of Greg's HP).
• Cons: Sacrifices the raw damage potential of the Mega Minion.

Final Recommendation

For most players, the Punisher (Attack-focused) path is recommended, specifically taking the Defense sub-nodes where possible. The reasoning is that Greg's primary job is damage. If you want a tank, use a tank. If you bring Greg, you bring him to kill things. Pair him with a taunter or defensive support to keep him safe, and let his Mega Minion do the heavy lifting.

Strengths

• Mega Minion Damage: The Sword Guard hits harder than many 4-star snipers, and it does it every turn automatically.
• Spreading DoT: The Bleed effect creates pressure on the entire enemy team without needing to hit them all directly.
• Mana Protection: Immune to mana cuts, making him reliable against controllers like Li Xiu.
• Meat Shield: The Mega Minion provides a substantial health buffer (roughly 500-600 HP) that protects Greg from snipers.

Weaknesses

• Outdated Stats: His base stats are low by 2025 standards, making him vulnerable to modern fast snipers.
• Weak Initial Hit: The 100% AoE is negligible and can be a liability against counter-attackers (Riposte) if you aren't careful, though it's usually too weak to kill him via reflection.
• Minion Removal: Heroes who destroy minions (e.g., Captain of Diamonds, Gobbler, Grimsteel) or prevent summoners effectively neuter him.

Best Game Modes

• 4-Star Tournaments: He excels in Rush Attack (fires immediately), Buff Booster (minion counts as a "buff" in terms of utility, though not literally for the rule), and Bloody Battle (Bleed damage and Minion damage ignore healing restrictions).
• Challenge Events: His Mega Minion persists between waves. If you charge him in Wave 1, his minion can auto-kill enemies in Wave 2 and 3, saving seconds on the clock.
• Titans: The Mega Minion adds a significant chunk of damage per turn, especially when buffed with Critical Chance.
• Auto-Farming: The Mega Minion makes auto-farming safer and faster.

Advanced Strategy & Team Compositions

Greg is not a solo act; he thrives when his Mega Minion is empowered.

Sample Team Ideas

• The Crit Squad (Titan/Event): Shar'Khai - Greg - Nordri - Grimm - Jott.
  • Why: Shar'Khai provides Critical Chance. Critical hits apply to Minions. A Mega Minion with 300% inherited attack critting is devastating.
• The 4-Star Rush Defense: Li Xiu (C) - Greg - Franz - Colen (C) - Rigard (C).
  • Why: In Rush, Greg fires fast. Franz increases all damage received (including Bleed and Minion hits). The pressure becomes unmanageable quickly.

Counters & Anti-Synergies

• Counters: Gormek (C1/C2) and Captain of Diamonds are Greg's worst nightmares. They destroy minions instantly. Kalo can also be dangerous if he copies a minion destruction skill. Xiahou Dun generates minions that dispel, which can be annoying.
• Anti-Synergy: Avoid pairing him with too many other minion summoners if you are hitting the minion cap (3 per hero), though Mega Minions sit alone, regular minions might crowd the bar. The main anti-synergy is simply Slow teams without mana control; if Greg dies before firing, he does nothing.

Advice for New Players

If you pulled Greg, rejoice. He will carry you through the map stages. That Mega Minion is essentially an extra hero on your team. Prioritize leveling him, but be aware he needs materials to survive. Use him on the wings of your defense team or behind a taunter/healer.

Advice for Veterans

Greg is a specialized tool for your 4-star roster. He is worth the Limit Break (LB1 definitely, LB2 if you care about competitive tournaments) because his mechanics are unique. His stats are his only bottleneck. If you have Shar'Khai, leveling Greg is mandatory to abuse the crit-minion mechanic in Challenge Events and Mythic Titans. Do not use him in 5-star wars unless you are desperate or fighting a very specific minion-heavy team where his durability helps.

Community Corner: Hot Takes & History

The community's reaction to Greg was... mixed, mostly due to his aesthetics.

• "Got Greg today. Gotta be the ugliest hero of all time." - A common sentiment upon release.
• "When i look at the image i thought thats his bollocks." - An observant forum user regarding Greg's belt accessories.
• However, once the jokes settled, the gameplay verdict was clear: "Greg murdered everyone in the 4* Buff Booster Tournament. 24-1... rarely reached the 5 minute countdown mark."
• Veterans quickly identified the synergy: "Try Sharky with Greg if you have him, it makes those minions hit like trucks."

Final Thoughts

Greg is the definition of "don't judge a book by its cover." He is an ugly, lumbering brute with lackluster base stats, but he brings a mechanic to the 4-star game that is undeniably powerful. The Sword Guard Mega Minion acts as a turret, dealing massive damage while protecting Greg from harm. While he may not survive the burst damage of the absolute latest 2025 snipers without protection, if he gets his skill off, the battle shifts heavily in your favor.

Verdict: A Ugly Duckling that grows into a Murderous Swan. Essential for serious 4-star tournament players.