Grimsteel, The Hermit of the Frozen Mountain: Turning Allies into Juggernauts

Overview

Grimsteel is a Legendary Ice hero hailing from the Goblin Village family, originally released in early 2024. While many Goblins are known for their chaotic speed and withering touches, Grimsteel takes a more deliberate approach. As a Slow mana support hero, he acts as the anchor for his team, providing massive restoration and, more importantly, substantial stat Growth. He represents the "slow but steady" archetype, threatening to make his team unkillable if given the time to cast his spell. While he lacks a costume currently, his base form alone provides enough mechanical complexity to warrant a deep dive. He is essentially the gymbro of the Goblin world, ensuring everyone gets massive gains.

Hero Art & Visuals

Grimsteel's design leans heavily into the "realistic fantasy" aesthetic that many players appreciate, steering clear of the cartoonish style found in the Toon families. He appears as a grizzled, battle hardened goblin clad in intricate dark armor, with a horned mask that gives him a menacing, almost shamanistic vibe. The cool blue tones of his magic contrast sharply with the dark metals of his gear, reinforcing his Ice element. It is the kind of artwork that reminds you this is a game about wars and empires, not just matching colorful gems. He looks like he has seen some things in the Goblin Village that he would rather not talk about.

General Info

Hero Stats

When we look at Grimsteel's stats in the context of late 2025, the power creep is undeniable. His base power of roughly 1063 was impressive in early 2024, but modern heroes are now pushing well past the 1260 mark.

• Attack: His base attack is average by modern standards, though his role isn't primary damage dealing.
• Defense & Health: His bulk was considered tank level upon release. Now, it is merely "solid." However, his Paladin class helps him survive, and his own special skill mitigates this stat gap significantly by adding raw stats on top of his base values.

Special Skill: Spirits of the Mountain

Grimsteel's special skill, Spirits of the Mountain, is a powerhouse of utility, designed to swing the momentum of a battle permanently.

• Heal All: A 54% heal is massive. It is one of the highest percentage based heals in the game, capable of bringing nearly dead allies back to full fighting strength.
• Growth: This is the crown jewel. Adding 450 Attack and 450 Defense to all allies is huge. Unlike standard buffs, Growth modifies the base stats. This means it stacks with percentage buffs (like Boldtusk's attack up) and cannot be dispelled by normal means. It can only be countered by Wither or specific stat resetting abilities.
• Mana Generation: The +30% mana generation buff for 4 turns is the engine that keeps the team going. It helps offset his own Slow speed for subsequent casts and speeds up his allies. The secondary effect (giving immediate mana if removed) is a nice insurance policy against dispellers.

By the Numbers

Let's break down what Grimsteel actually brings to the table mathematically.

• Mana Speed Analysis:
  • Base Speed: Slow (12 tiles).
  • With a level 29 Magic/Styx troop or level 30 Legendary troop, you can shave tiles off, but he will rarely match the 6 or 7 tile speed of modern rush heroes outside of Very Fast wars.
  • However, once he fires, that +30% mana gen buff is significant. It effectively turns Average speed heroes into Fast heroes for the duration.
• Healing Calculation:
  • With a modern LB2 health pool hovering around 2500-3000 HP for many heroes, a 54% heal restores approximately 1350 to 1600 HP. That is practically a full health bar for some older heroes.
• Growth Impact:
  • The 450 Defense increase is roughly equivalent to a permanent +35% to +45% defense buff for a hero with 1000-1200 defense. But because it is a stat modification, a subsequent +50% defense buff applies to the new, higher total, compounding the toughness.
  • The 450 Attack increase turns support heroes into threats and snipers into nuclear weapons.
• Passive Damage:
  • The 60% chance to deal 90% damage is negligible for damage output (likely hitting for 150-200 damage), but the -25% accuracy debuff attached to it can be a game saver, causing key enemy specials to miss.

Family Bonus, Passives, Aether Power & Unique Abilities

Family Bonus

The Goblin family creates a self sustaining ecosystem. While Grimsteel does not apply Wither, pairing him with a Wither goblin creates a massive stat gap between your team (Growing) and the enemy (Withering).

Passives

Grimsteel possesses the standard Goblin passive.

• Damage & Blind: As mentioned, the damage is chip damage, but the blind is the real utility. A 25% miss chance can disrupt enemy combos effectively. It is unreliable at 60% activation, so do not bank your strategy on it, but enjoy it when it happens.

Aether Power

Defense Up is a sensible Aether Power for him. Since his primary goal is to survive long enough to fire his Slow special, any extra mitigation at the start of the battle is welcome. It helps him weather the storm of fast snipers before he can get his healing off.

Legacy & Modern Relevance

• Historical Context: Upon release, Grimsteel was a titan of Rush Attack and Defense. His ability to make a team incredibly durable and hard hitting made him a staple in top tier Rush wars and Mythic Titan teams (for the attack boost).
• Power Creep Analysis: The raw stats of heroes released in late 2025 dwarf Grimsteel's base stats. A modern 5 star hero comes out of the gate with the health and defense Grimsteel has after Limit Breaking. However, the Growth mechanic is timeless. 450 Attack/Defense is 450 Attack/Defense, regardless of the year. It remains a potent equalizer.
• Modern Viability Verdict: Grimsteel has shifted from a "strong tank option" to a "niche specialist." He is too slow for standard high level raids against the blistering speed of modern defenses. However, in Rush Wars and Rush Tournaments, he remains an absolute monster. He is also still premier for Mythic Titans and PvE content where you have time to set up. He is no longer a "must have" for general play, but he is a "must use" in his specific playgrounds.

Emblem Path Analysis

Grimsteel is a Paladin, which grants him a chance to get a defense buff when damaged. This synergizes perfectly with his role as a tank or durable support.

The Survivor (Recommended)

• Path: Defense > Health > Attack
• Pros: Maximizes his bulk, ensuring he survives tile damage and sniper hits to fire his skill at least once. The Paladin class nodes for defense are valuable.
• Cons: His tile damage and the damage from his passive will be minimal.

The Titan Slayer

• Path: Attack > Defense > Health
• Pros: increases tile damage for Titan hits.
• Cons: Makes him significantly squishier in PvP, which is risky for a Slow hero.

Final Recommendation

For almost every player, the Survivor (Defense/Health) path is the correct choice. Grimsteel's value is entirely binary: did he fire his special? Yes/No. If he dies with full mana, he is useless. Keep him alive.

Strengths

• Permanent Stat Gains: Growth (Attack/Defense) cannot be dispelled (only Withered). This makes your team permanently stronger as the fight goes on.
• Massive Recovery: 54% heal is one of the strongest single bursts of healing available.
• Mythic Titan Utility: The attack growth stacks with normal attack buffs (like Miki or Tarlak), allowing for astronomical tile damage scores.
• Rush War Dominance: At Very Fast speed, his Slow mana drawback vanishes, leaving only his overpowered effects.

Weaknesses

• Slow Mana: Outside of Rush modes, 12 tiles is an eternity. He can easily be killed or controlled (Mana blocked/silenced) before he does anything.
• Vulnerable to Wither: Goblin Wither effects directly subtract from his Growth, neutralizing his main advantage.
• No Cleanse/Immunity: He heals, but he does not cleanse ailments or block them. If your team is defense down or blinded, he bumps their stats but leaves the ailment active.
• Stat Creep: His survivability is not what it used to be against 2025 damage dealers who can hit for 1500+ damage effortlessly.

Best Game Modes

• Rush Attack & Defense: This is his home. He is S Tier here.
• Mythic Titans: Essential for high scores due to Attack Growth.
• Alliance Quest/Tower Events: Great for surviving long, grueling waves and boosting stats for the boss floors.
• Auto Farming: His bulk and healing make auto farming safe and reliable.

Advanced Strategy & Team Compositions

Grimsteel shines when he is the anchor that enables other heroes to perform better.

Sample Team Ideas

• The Rush Wall: Grimsteel (Tank) - Alfrike - Mother North - Khufu - Guardian Owl. In Rush wars, this setup is nightmare fuel. Grimsteel buffs the team's defense so they survive, and then the slow nukers wipe the enemy.
• The Goblin Synergy: Grimsteel - Darkfeather - Deadboot - Acidfire - Goldie. A full Goblin family team maximizes the passive activation. Grimsteel and Goldie keep the team healthy and growing, while the Dark/Fire goblins Wither the enemy, creating a massive stat disparity.
• The Titan Crusher: Grimsteel - Miki/Tarlak - Frida - Bobo - Jott/Alexandrine. Grimsteel provides the base Attack Growth, Miki provides the % Attack buff, and the rest provide defense down and tile alteration.

Counters & Anti-Synergies

• Wither Goblins: Enemy Goblins like Acidfire or Darkfeather apply Wither, which directly subtracts from the Growth Grimsteel applies.
• Growth/Buff Stealers: Heroes like Fungustine or stealing heroes (e.g., Hatter, Rover) can take his massive buffs and use them against you.
• Mana Controllers: Hel, Proteus, or Silence heroes render him a statue.
• Anti-Healers: Sand Empire heroes or vampires that block healing reduce his utility to just the buffs.

Advice for New Players

If you are lucky enough to pull Grimsteel early, he will carry you through the entire map (Season 1-3 easily). His healing and defense boost will make your team unkillable in normal stages. Prioritize leveling him, but be aware he might be frustrating to use in Raids until you have the troops to speed him up.

Advice for Veterans

Grimsteel is a luxury tool for specific jobs. You likely do not need him for your daily war attacks if you have faster options. However, do not neglect him for Mythic Titans or Rush Wars. He does not necessarily need Alpha Aethers to do his job in PvE, but if you use him on Rush Defense, the extra stats from Limit Break 2 are necessary to keep him relevant against modern snipers.

Community Corner: Hot Takes & History

The community's relationship with Grimsteel has been a rollercoaster.

• Initial Skepticism: Upon release, many were underwhelmed. As one user put it, "Garbage Goblin though... fighting the mega minions for second worst." The slow speed was a major turn off for players used to the hyper fast meta.
• The "Slow" Realization: Opinions shifted as players faced him in Rush. "He will be a nightmare in V fast," noted one forum goer. The community quickly realized that 450 Defense/Attack is not a joke.
• The Art Appreciation: Unlike the polarizing Toons, Grimsteel won the beauty contest. "I really approve of this artwork... put that next to a Toon and ask yourself which is objectively better."
• The Buff: It is worth noting Grimsteel received a balance update after release to tune his numbers, cementing his place as a strong, albeit slow, contender.

Final Thoughts

Grimsteel acts as the "Old Guard" of the Goblin family. He isn't flashy, he isn't fast, and he doesn't do twelve different things in one special skill description. But what he does—making your team incredibly hard to kill and incredibly hard hitting—he does better than almost anyone else. While the speed of the game has largely left him behind in standard formats, he remains a king in his castle when it comes to Rush modes and Titan scores.

Final Verdict: A specialized juggernaut. Keep him well fed for Rush wars and Titan hits, but maybe leave him at the lodge for standard raiding.

Costume Note: At the time of this review, Grimsteel does not have a costume. His base form carries the entire weight of his frozen legacy.