Gunktus, The Relentless Battle Blob: Fast Fury and Slimy Revivals

Overview

Gunktus, released in June 2024 as part of the Slime family (featured in Solstice Summons), brought a unique "second life" mechanic to the game that feels straight out of a classic RPG boss fight. As a Fast mana speed Barbarian, his primary role is that of a disruptive damage dealer who demands to be answered—often multiple times. While he hails from the mid-2024 era, his unique ability to revive with 100% health as a slime keeps him mechanically relevant, even if his raw stats have been slightly eclipsed by the juggernauts of late 2025. He's the kind of hero you think you've killed, only to realize the boss music hasn't stopped yet.

Hero Art & Visuals

Visually, Gunktus is exactly what you'd expect from a "Relentless Battle Blob." He is a hulking, purple, gelatinous mass encased in what looks like Viking-style armor that's seen better days—probably because it's slowly being digested from the inside. The arrows sticking out of him are a nice touch, emphasizing his role as a damage sponge that just keeps coming. It’s a fun, cartoony design that contrasts with the more "serious" high-fantasy art of newer sets. He looks like he's made of grape jelly and pure rage.

General Info

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Hero Stats

With a base Power of 1133, Attack of 1190, Defense of 1133, and Health of 1963, Gunktus sits in the "solid but not cutting edge" category for late 2025 standards.

When compared to modern powerhouses like Devyani (1303 Attack, 1229 Defense), Gunktus is clearly lagging behind in raw stat density. He lacks the ~150-200 point stat advantage that the newest Temple Summon heroes enjoy. However, because his mechanic relies heavily on Health (for his Slime form), his nearly 2000 base HP is still respectable and serves as a functional foundation for his kit. He isn't a stat monster anymore, but he's not glass either.

Special Skill: Blob of Fury

The Blob of Fury is a multi-layered headache for the opponent. At Fast speed, dealing 535% damage to a single target is already excellent sniping capability. The "minor damage" to nearby enemies (typically around half the primary damage) adds nice chip damage, softening up flanks.

The real meat of the skill, however, is the Slime Revive. Upon casting, Gunktus gains a buff that allows him to reincarnate if killed within the next 2 turns.

The Slime Form: When reborn, he comes back with 100% inherited health. If you have him Limit Broken with 2400+ HP, the Slime has 2400+ HP. That is a massive damage sponge to chew through again.
The Threat: While the Slime has reduced Attack and Defense (50%), it still hits for 350% with its own special ("Slime Slap").
The Timer: If you fail to kill this massive HP blob in 3 turns, Gunktus returns to his original form with the Slime's current health and mana.

This creates a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" loop. If you kill him, you have to kill a 2000+ HP sack of goo. If you ignore him, he hits you for 535%.

By the Numbers

Let's break down the mechanics:

Mana Speed: Fast. He requires 8 tiles to charge, or 7 with a level 23 Mana Troop (or lower with costume bonuses/bards, though he has no costume yet). This allows him to cycle his Slime Revive buff frequently.
Damage Potential:
- Primary Hit: 535% x 1190 Attack = ~6,366 raw damage value (before defense).
- Splash Damage: Assuming ~267% (half of 535%), that's ~3,177 raw damage to neighbors.
- Total theoretical output on 3 targets is significant for Fast speed.
The Attack Buff: He starts with +45% attack. If he gets hit, this can ramp up by +20% per hit. If he survives a few tiles or slash attacks, his Special Skill damage skyrockets. A +100% attack Gunktus is terrifying.
The "Second Health Bar": Effectively, Gunktus brings nearly 200% of his stated HP to the fight if his revive triggers. A fully maxed Gunktus can have effectively 5000+ HP that the enemy must chew through sequentially.

Family Bonus, Passives, Aether Power & Unique Abilities

The Slime family is deceptively strong because it synergizes with the current "minion/fiend" meta.

Family Bonus

The bonus increases the Attack of Mega Minions, Minions, and Fiends summoned by allies. This is a niche but potent buff. If you pair him with strong minion summoners (like Waterpipe or newer summoners), their meat shields become actual threats.

Passives

Gunktus has two excellent defensive passives involving Slime Mega Minions:

On Defeat: He leaves a parting gift of Mega Minions for his neighbors. This makes killing him annoying because even in death, he buffers his allies.
On Heavy Damage: If he takes >25% max HP damage at once, he spawns a Mega Minion for himself. This disrupts snipers. If a sniper hits him for 40% of his life, he instantly gets a meat shield that might absorb the next hit.

Aether Power

Rage gives him a mana boost at the start of battle. For a Fast hero, this is dangerous. It increases the likelihood he fires his special (and thus activates his revive buff) before the enemy can kill him.

Legacy & Modern Relevance

When Gunktus arrived in mid-2024, the community reaction was mixed with fear of his "immortality." He was seen as a potential tank or flank that would stall out wars.

Historical Context: He was part of the wave of "Super Elemental/Slime" heroes that pushed mechanics over raw stats. The ability to revive with full HP was unheard of at this scale.
Power Creep Analysis: By late 2025, damage dealers have evolved to hit incredibly hard (often bypassing defensive buffs). However, Gunktus's mechanic is purely HP-based. A 5000 damage snipe might kill his first form, but the Slime form spawns after death. This acts as a hard stop to damage overflow. You cannot "overkill" him to skip the slime phase.
Modern Viability Verdict: He remains viable but not top-tier. In the highest level of competitive play, dispellers and buff blockers (like the ubiquitous Hippos or newer Construct heroes) can prevent his Slime Revive buff from activating or sticking. However, in Rush wars or 4-star/5-star tournaments where dispels are scarce, he is still a monster.

Emblem Path Analysis

As a Barbarian, you have access to the Bleed talent, which is okay, but stats are king here.

The Survivor (Health/Defense)

Path: Health > Defense > Attack
Pros: This is the recommended path. Why? The Slime form inherits 100% of the Hero's Max Health. The more HP Gunktus has, the beefier the Slime is, making it harder for enemies to kill it in 3 turns, ensuring his return to original form.
Cons: Lowers his snipe damage slightly.

The Slayer (Attack/Health)

Path: Attack > Health > Defense
Pros: Maximizes the 535% damage hit and the impact of the Rage Aether power.
Cons: The Slime form has 50% defense, so if the HP pool isn't maximized, the Slime might die too quickly to tile damage.

Final Recommendation

For most players, the Survivor (Health focus) path is superior. Gunktus's main threat is his ability to waste the enemy's time and resources. A 3000 HP Slime is a nightmare; a 2000 HP Slime is a snack.

Strengths

Stickiness: The 100% HP revive mechanic forces the enemy to kill him twice.
Fast Speed: He gets his revive buff up quickly.
Damage Ramping: The attack buff on hit punishes players for dumping tiles into him without killing him.
Sniper Disruption: The Passive that spawns a Mega Minion on heavy damage can block follow-up shots.

Weaknesses

Buff Block/Dispel: His revive is a status effect (initially). If he is blocked from receiving buffs or dispelled before he dies, he dies permanently. (Note: The Slime form itself is undispellable once active, but the Slime Revive buff on the main hero can usually be dispelled or stolen before death).
Slime Weakness: The Slime has 50% Defense. While it has high HP, it takes huge damage from tiles and specials.
Dependent on firing: If he is killed before he fires once, he is just a stat bag.

Best Game Modes

Rush Attack Wars: Very Fast Gunktus is almost guaranteed to fire, making him a revival loop nightmare.
Buff Booster Tournaments: His Attack buffs and Revive buffs count towards the booster, and he hits like a truck.
PvP Offense: A great safety net. If he dies, he's not really dead, giving you time to recover.

Advanced Strategy & Team Compositions

Gunktus loves friends who keep him alive or benefit from his family bonus.

Sample Team Ideas

The "Never Die" Defense:
- Composition: Mother North - Gunktus - Hathor - Damage Dealer - Reviver
- Why: Hathor protects Gunktus from status ailments (like Buff Block), ensuring his revive buff works. If he dies and turns to Slime, Mother North might just revive the original him anyway (if the mechanics allow) or keep the Slime healthy.
The Minion Horde:
- Composition: Waterpipe - Gunktus - Queen of Hearts
- Why: The Slime family bonus boosts the attack of Waterpipe's minions. Gunktus acts as a heavy hitter while the minions chip away.

Counters & Anti-Synergies

Counters: Hippo, Erlang Shen, or any hero that blocks buffs or dispels at Fast speed. If Gunktus has the "Slime Revive" icon, simply dispel it before killing him.
Anti-Synergies: Avoid pairing him with heroes that overwrite his Attack buff with a weaker one, though his +45% is quite standard.

Advice for New Players

If you pulled Gunktus, congratulations. He is an excellent carry hero. Focus on keeping him alive until he fires once. Don't worry about his complicated mechanics; just know that "Purple guy hit hard and come back to life." Pair him with your best healer.

Advice for Veterans

Gunktus is a "luxury" depth hero in 2025. He probably won't replace your Devyani or latest Goblin in the main raid team due to the stat gap. However, for War depth (especially Rush wars), he is invaluable. Do not Limit Break 2 him unless you absolutely love the mechanic; Alpha Aethers are better spent on heroes with 2025 stats.

Community Corner: Hot Takes & History

When released, the forums were ablaze with comments like, "So we have to defeat this guy within 3 turns or otherwise his health will be 100%? Look truly OP." Players feared the "infinite loop" of Slime -> Gunktus -> Slime. Another user noted, "I hate this slime hero from Top Troops... And lookee here, this game gets a slime hero finally." Over time, players realized that a simple dispel shuts down the party, moving him from "Game Breaker" to "balanced but annoying."

Final Thoughts

Gunktus is the cockroach of Empires & Puzzles—in the best way possible. He survives nuclear blasts, regenerates, and hits back with surprising force. While his armor might be showing its age stat-wise against the shiny new heroes of late 2025, his ability to force opponents to deal thousands of points of damage to a single target makes him a timeless stall tactic.

Verdict: A fun, sticky, and effective hero who serves as a fantastic meat shield and sniper, provided you can keep those buffs active.