Hunter: The Tentacled Terror Who Turns Friends Into Foes

Overview

Hunter burst onto the scene in mid-2024 as one of the elusive "Secret Heroes" (available via the Shadow Summon), bringing a Lovecraftian nightmare to the match-3 board. As a 5-Star Dark (Purple) hero from the Investigator family, he plays the role of a high-stakes executioner. He isn't just about dealing damage; he's about ending a fight by forcing the enemy team to self-destruct. While his stats have aged slightly compared to the absolute bleeding edge of late 2025, his unique ability to inflict 100 Insanity—instant, guaranteed betrayal—remains one of the most satisfying (and chaotic) mechanics in the game. Just don't let him drive you crazy in the process.

Hero Art & Visuals

Hunter's design is a fantastic blend of noir detective and eldritch horror. He looks like he started investigating a cult in a seaside town and ended up becoming the subject of the investigation. The steampunk goggles, the oversized blunderbuss weapon that looks like it shoots harpoons or perhaps raw chaos, and of course, the Cthulhu-esque tentacles replacing his face—it all screams "I've seen things you wouldn't believe." It's a distinct visual identity that stands out even among the game's increasingly wild roster. He looks dangerous, unstable, and ready to snap—which fits his mechanics perfectly.

General Info

Hero Stats

When Hunter was released, his stats were top-tier. Fast forward to late 2025, and he sits in the "solid but not broken" category. With an attack stat hovering around 1184 (base) and 1460 (LB2), he trails behind the newest Titan Hunters or Three Kingdom heroes who are pushing 1300+ base attack. However, his stat distribution is well-balanced for an attacker, with enough bulk to survive a few hits—essential since he inflicts damage reduction on himself via Insanity. He's no longer the stat king, but he's certainly not a glass cannon either.

Special Skill: Merciless Execution

This skill is the definition of "high risk, high reward," though the risk is mostly managed if you play smart.

• Never Misses: This is crucial. In a meta filled with Dodgers (rogues, ninja, etc.), Hunter guarantees the hit connects.
• Order of Operations: He applies the -25% Defense Down before dealing damage. This effectively increases his 530% hit significantly, often pushing it into one-shot territory against softened targets.
• The Kill Condition: This is the headline feature. If Hunter kills the target, the nearby enemies get 100 Insanity.
  • 100 Insanity means those enemies will immediately cast their special skill on their own team (or heal your team) when their mana fills. It is a guaranteed "Mindless Attack" that doesn't just drain mana—it actively hurts the opponent.
• The Cost: He gives himself 50 Insanity. This gives him 25% damage reduction (passive) but also means his next special skill has a 50% chance to target his own team if you don't cleanse him or let it decay.

By the Numbers

Let's break down the math behind the madness.

• Effective Mana Speed: Fast. He needs 8 tiles to charge. With a level 29 mana troop or a bard bonus, he can easily reach the 7-tile breakpoint, making him a rapid-fire threat.
• Damage Potential:
  • Base Attack (LB2): ~1460
  • Skill Multiplier: 530%
  • Raw Damage Estimate: ~7,738 (before defense).
  • Def Down Impact: The -25% defense down applies first. Against a target with 1200 defense, this effectively treats them as having 900 defense. This creates a massive damage spike, making that 530% feel more like 650-700% relative to a standard hit.
• Insanity Impact:
  • On Kill: 2 enemies incapacitated (effectively silenced and turned traitor).
  • On Self: 50 Insanity = 25% damage reduction from all sources (passive). This makes Hunter surprisingly tanky after he fires.

Family Bonus, Passives, Aether Power & Unique Abilities

The Investigator family and his eldritch connection provide layers of utility that keep him relevant.

Family Bonus

The Investigator family bonus is simple but effective: raw stats. A bonus to Attack and Health makes him hit harder and live longer. Pairing him with another Investigator (like the inevitable newer releases in this family) boosts this further.

Passives

Marked by the Old Ones: This is his survival tool. "All damage received is reduced by 5% per 10 Insanity."

• When he fires, he gains 50 Insanity.
• Result: He instantly gains 25% Damage Reduction from ALL sources. This is huge. It mitigates the "suicide risk" of his own Insanity and makes him very hard to snipe back.

Aether Power

Attack Up: At the start of battle, he gets a +20% Attack boost for 6 turns. Since he is Fast, he will almost certainly fire within this window.

• Synergy: 20% Attack Boost + Family Bonus + Defense Down First + 530% Damage = A massive opening nuke designed to secure that first kill.

Legacy & Modern Relevance

• Historical Context: Upon release, Hunter was a "chase" hero. The ability to turn two enemy flanks against their own team by killing the tank was revolutionary. He was the answer to passive, stall-heavy defenses.
• Power Creep Analysis: While his raw stats have been surpassed by the behemoths of late 2025, his mechanic is timeless. 100 Insanity is a hard crowd control that bypasses standard immunities (unless they are immune to Insanity specifically).
• Modern Viability Verdict: Hunter remains highly viable on Offense. He is a tactical tool. He is less effective on Defense now because the AI cannot judge "kill ranges" effectively, often firing him at a healthy target, failing to kill, and just debuffing himself with Insanity. But in the hands of a human, he is a surgical instrument of chaos.

Costume & Costume Bonus

At the time of this review, Hunter does not have a costume.

Emblem Path Analysis

Hunter is a Barbarian. His primary job is to kill the target to trigger the secondary effect. Therefore, every point of Attack is mandatory.

The Executioner (Recommended)

• Path: Attack > Defense > Health
• Focus: Take every attack node available. Do not deviate.
• Pros: Maximizes the chance of securing the "Merciless Execution" kill.
• Cons: Slightly squishier before he fires (though his passive helps after).

Final Recommendation

For most players, the Attack/Defense path is the only logical choice. If he doesn't kill, he's just a good sniper. If he kills, he wins the match. Build for the kill.

Strengths

• Game-Ending Mechanic: Triggering 100 Insanity on two enemies is effectively removing three heroes from the board (the dead one + two useless/harmful ones).
• Reliability: "Never Misses" is a godsend against Dodge metas.
• Self-Sustain: The passive damage reduction (up to 50%) makes him surprisingly durable after his first cast.
• Setup: Defense Down before damage maximizes his own output without needing a separate defense breaker.

Weaknesses

• Conditional Power: If he hits a target and leaves them with 1 HP, the secondary effect (Insanity on neighbors) does not trigger. You just have a sniper who made himself crazy.
• Self-Sabotage: If you can't cleanse the 50 Insanity or win quickly, Hunter might turn around and snipe your own healer on his next turn.
• Stat Creep: He may struggle to "one-shot" newer, LB2+ tanks with massive HP pools without prior tile damage.

Best Game Modes

• Raids & Wars (Offense): This is his home. You can calculate exactly when to fire to ensure a kill.
• Tournaments (Buff Booster/Bloody Battle): His speed and raw damage are excellent here. In Bloody Battle, the damage reduction passive is valuable since there's no healing.
• Events: Less useful, as Insanity mechanics are often weird against bosses or just irrelevant compared to pure AoE damage.

Advanced Strategy & Team Compositions

Hunter shines in "Pick" teams where you surgically remove threats.

Sample Team Ideas

• The Soften & Spike:
  • Team: Fast AoE Hitter (e.g., Morel/Costume Kadilen) -> Hunter -> Cleanup.
  • Concept: Use a fast AoE hero to strip buffs or soften the team, bringing a target into Hunter's "kill range." Hunter finishes them, triggering chaos on the neighbors.
• The Dark Stack:
  • Team: Panther (or EDD hero) -> Hunter.
  • Concept: Elemental Defense Down pushes Hunter's damage from "Ouch" to "Goodbye."

Counters & Anti-Synergies

• Counters:
  • Taunt Heroes: If a Taunt hero is active, Hunter is forced to hit them. If he can't kill the Taunt hero (who usually has high defense), he wastes his potential.
  • Minions/Mega Minions: These act as extra HP buffers that can prevent the "kill" condition from triggering.
• Anti-Synergy:
  • Random Hitters: You want focused damage to bring a specific target low for Hunter.

Advice for New Players

If you are lucky enough to pull him from a portal featuring Secret heroes: Max him immediately. He is a carry hero. Even at 3/70, his mechanic can win wars against stronger teams if you manage the kill shot correctly. Focus on finding the weakest link in the enemy defense and exploiting it.

Advice for Veterans

Hunter is a luxury tool. You likely have harder hitters, but few have his crowd control potential. He is worth the tonics if you enjoy manual raid offense. However, think twice before using Alpha Aethers for a second limit break unless you use him daily; his stats are good, but the "Attack Up" aether power is the main draw, and you might get better mileage LB2-ing a modern tank or multi-hitter.

Community Corner: Hot Takes & History

The community reaction to Hunter was a mix of awe and fear.

• One player noted, "It’s like Xnolphod just went absolutely ballistic... the art looks really cool."
• The "kill condition" was a major talking point: "If you're ready to kill, you just snipe them... and you know whoever is next to the guy is going to cast their specials on their own team. It effectively ends the match."
• Others pointed out the risk: "If you don't manage to kill the target... all he's going to do is add 50 Insanity on himself... he might then snipe somebody on your own team for 500% damage which could just ruin your day."
• The consensus? "A surgical instrument. Deadly in the right hands, a liability in the wrong ones."

Final Thoughts

Hunter remains one of the most conceptually interesting heroes in Empires & Puzzles. He captures the essence of his lore—wielding forbidden power that damages the user but obliterates the enemy. While he requires more thought to use than a "fire and forget" AoE hero, the satisfaction of watching two enemy heroes blow up their own team because you timed your snipe perfectly is unmatched. He is a relic of a slightly older meta, but one that still bites hard.

Final Recommendation: If you play manually and love high-stakes gameplay, Hunter is your guy. If you prefer auto-play, leave this madness to the Old Ones.