Mucktus, The Fiendish Forest Blob: Stealing Your Buffs One Ooze at a Time

Overview

Mucktus is a 5-star Nature (Green) hero from the Super Elemental Summon, belonging to the sticky and resilient Slime family. Originally released in late 2024, he faced a rocky start, often ridiculed for having arguably the weakest fiends in the game's history. However, following the significant "May 2025 Balance Update," Mucktus has solidified himself into a far more menacing shape. He is an Average speed Sorcerer who specializes in spreading damage across the entire enemy team and deploying parasitic fiends that don't just eat healing—they commit petty theft, stealing buffs and Growth effects turn after turn. He's not the nuclear option like some of his Slime brethren, but he is a lingering nuisance that can dismantle buff-heavy teams if left unchecked.

Hero Art & Visuals

Visually, Mucktus is exactly what you’d expect from a "Fiendish Forest Blob." He is a humanoid construct of translucent green slime, wearing what appears to be a mage's cowl and pauldrons that are struggling to stay perched on his gelatinous shoulders. He brandishes a staff topped with a skull, sporting a grin that says, "I'm going to ruin your carpet." The art captures a playful yet gross aesthetic, fitting perfectly with the Slime family's theme of being annoyingly resilient and difficult to pin down.

General Info

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Hero Stats

Mucktus possesses a stat distribution that was considered high upon his release but is now settling into the "solid but not game-breaking" category as we approach 2026.

Attack (1168): respectable for an AoE hitter, though it lags behind the newest powerhouses like Devyani (1303).
Defense (1143) & Health (2053): These bulk stats are his saving grace. Combined with his passives, he is deceptively hard to kill.

Compared to current benchmarks (e.g., Devyani's ~1230 Power vs Mucktus's 1141 Power), Mucktus is slightly behind the bleeding edge of power creep. However, his stats are high enough to keep him relevant in top-tier wars, especially given that his primary utility—stealing buffs—doesn't rely solely on raw stats.

Special Skill: Insidious Goo

The Insidious Goo special skill is a multi-layered attack that serves as both an offensive strike and a disruption tool.

Direct Damage: Dealing 290% damage to all enemies is a solid hit. It won't wipe a team at full health, but it softens them up significantly. This was buffed from an initial 260%, making it far more threatening.
The Slime Fiend: This is the core of his kit. He summons a fiend for every enemy.
- Damage: The fiend hits for 50% attack every turn. This is high for a fiend (buffed from a laughable 28%).
- Healing Absorb: It absorbs healing equal to 40% of the target's max health. This is a massive improvement from the original 10%, meaning these fiends actually stick around and require dedicated healing to remove.
- The Theft: At the end of every turn, the fiend steals one dispellable buff or Growth effect and gives it to a random ally. This is unique. Most stealers take it for themselves; Mucktus redistributes the wealth to your team.

Analysis: The ability to steal Growth (e.g., from Grimsteel or other goblins) is a rare and potent counter. While standard dispels work, stealing turn-based buffs continuously puts the enemy in a deficit while bolstering your own team.

By the Numbers

Mana Speed: Average. He requires 10 tiles to charge, or 9 with a Lv. 23 Mana Troop (or Lv. 11 Magic/Styx). This is his main drawback in a Fast-meta world, but manageable.
Damage Potential: With a base attack of 1168 (before troops/emblems), a 290% hit deals roughly 3,387 damage value spread across 5 enemies (before defense calculations). It's a "softener" hit, not a "finisher."
Fiend Impact:
- The 40% Healing Absorption is significant. On a modern hero with 3000 HP, healers must output 1,200 HP worth of healing just to remove the fiend.
- The 50% DOT is roughly 584 damage per turn (based on raw attack stat) per enemy, which adds up quickly if the fiends aren't cleansed.

Family Bonus, Passives, Aether Power & Unique Abilities

The Slime family is notorious for being annoying, and Mucktus is no exception. His passives are designed to keep him alive long enough to cast his slow-ish skill.

Family Bonus

The Slime family bonus boosts the Attack of Minions, Mega Minions, and Fiends. Since Mucktus summons fiends for everyone, this bonus directly increases his passive damage output. If you pair him with other Slimes (like Sludgus), the damage ramp-up is noticeable.

Passives

Slime Minion Split: If Mucktus takes >25% of his max HP in damage at once, he summons a Mega Minion for himself (50% HP / 40% Atk). This is an incredible survival tool against snipers. Instead of dying, he gets a beefy meat shield.
Slime Minion Upon Defeat: Even if he dies, he leaves behind Mega Minions for his neighbors. This ensures he provides value even in death.

Aether Power

Fiend Resist is situational. It protects him from having his own health bar blocked, which is useful against other fiend summoners, but generally considered one of the weaker Alpha Aethers compared to pure stats or taunt.

Legacy & Modern Relevance

Historical Context: Mucktus was released during the "Slime Invasion" of late 2024. While his family member Sludgus was immediately crowned OP, Mucktus was the "ugly duckling" with fiends so weak (10% absorb) they were cleansed by passive healing.
Power Creep Analysis: The May 2025 Balance Update saved him. By nearly quadrupling the fiend's health absorption and boosting damage, he moved from "Fodder" to "Meta-Viable."
Modern Viability Verdict: Today, Mucktus is a strong niche counter. He isn't a universal defense god, but on offense, he is excellent against heavy buffers and Growth/Goblin teams. In Rush Wars, he is a top-tier threat because his fiends become constant, stealing buffs faster than the enemy can apply them.

Costume & Costume Bonus

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

Emblem Path Analysis

Mucktus is a Sorcerer. His primary job is to survive to cast, and then let his fiends do the work. However, his fiend damage scales with his attack stat.

The Balanced Disruptor

Path: Attack > Health > Defense
Pros: Maximizes the 290% AoE hit and, crucially, increases the damage tick of the fiends (50% of Attack). The Sorcerer talent (Delay) also triggers on his special skill damage.
Cons: Slightly squishier, relying on his Mega Minion passive for survival.

The Sticky Tank

Path: Defense > Health > Attack
Pros: Makes him extremely hard to remove, especially combined with the "Spawn Mega Minion on Damage" passive. Ensures he fires at least once.
Cons: Fiends do less damage; AoE pressure is reduced.

Final Recommendation

For most players, the Attack path is recommended. His passive Mega Minion (with 50% HP) already provides immense survivability. You want his fiends to hurt and his special to sting, otherwise, he can be ignored.

Strengths

Growth Stealing: One of the very few heroes who can steal "Growth" effects (like those from Goblins or Construct heroes), which are usually undispellable or hard to manage.
Fiend Pressure: 40% healing absorption is a high bar for healers to clear, often requiring two active heals to remove.
Survival Mechanics: The passive Mega Minion generation makes him surprisingly durable against heavy hitters.
Team Utility: Unlike the Hatter who keeps buffs for himself, Mucktus distributes stolen buffs to random allies, potentially protecting your whole team.

Weaknesses

Average Speed: In a world of Very Fast snipers, Average speed can feel sluggish. He risks dying (or being mana controlled) before firing.
Cleanse Vulnerability: While the fiends are beefy, they perform the steal at the end of the turn. If the enemy has a dedicated cleanser or superior healer ready, they can remove the fiends before the theft occurs.
Passive Reliance: If blocked by "Buff Block" or passive disabling effects, his survivability drops significantly.

Best Game Modes

Rush Wars/Tournaments: At Very Fast speed, Mucktus is a nightmare. He can keep the entire enemy team permanently fiended and stripped of buffs.
War Offense: Specifically against teams relying on Grimsteel, Goldie, or heavy buffers.
Bloody Battle: Fiends that absorb healing are less useful here (since there is no healing), BUT the buff stealing remains premium utility.

Advanced Strategy & Team Compositions

Mucktus works best as a "second chair" hitter—someone who follows up a defense down or supports a primary threat.

Sample Team Ideas

The "Green Goo" Stack: Alberich - Mucktus - Sludgus.
- Why: Alberich keeps them alive/revives. Sludgus and Mucktus trigger the Slime family bonus, boosting all fiend/minion damage. The sheer volume of slime on screen becomes unmanageable.
The Anti-Buff Squad: Mucktus - Hatter - c2.Domitia.
- Why: Mucktus spreads fiends to steal buffs over time. Hatter steals buffs immediately. Domitia dispels whatever is left. The enemy never keeps a buff for more than a turn.

Counters & Anti-Synergies

Counters:
- Grimsteel / Healers: A strong burst healer can still wipe the fiends if timed right (though it's harder now).
- Gargoyles (stoneskin): Mucktus hits all, so he will trigger Stoneskin on everyone if not careful, reducing damage to 1.
- Arco/Esme: Heroes who specifically destroy fiends or replace them with minions are his hard counters.
Anti-Synergies:
- Minion Overload: If your team spawns too many minions, you might run out of space for Mucktus's passive Mega Minions, limiting his survival.

Advice for New Players

If you pull Mucktus, level him. He is a 5-star hero who offers unique utility (Growth stealing) that you cannot find easily elsewhere. Even at 3/70, his passive survival makes him usable in mid-tier wars. Focus on keeping him alive with healers.

Advice for Veterans

Mucktus is a "luxury" tool. You don't need him for raw damage, but you want him for specific matchups against Goblins and construct heroes. If you have the mats, he is worth the ascension, especially for Rush Wars. However, think twice before using Alpha Aethers unless you use him in your primary defense; his Aether Power is underwhelming.

Community Corner: Hot Takes & History

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

Launch Day: "What a joke... He has the weakest fiends in the game. Even Lasalle at his weakest had 12%."
The Consensus: "After the Sludgus big entrance, this one looks meh... like they created it overnight."
The Turnaround: Following the May 2025 buff, the sentiment shifted: "This balance update is a game changer... his fiends can now survive most fast healers."
Current Mood: "The joy of taking Growth effects away from the enemy ranks as one of the Major Joys in the game!"

Final Thoughts

Mucktus is the classic "ugly duckling" story of Empires & Puzzles. Released as a laughingstock with marshmallow-soft fiends, he was buffed into a legitimate threat. While he will never have the raw, terrifying presence of Sludgus, Mucktus offers a cerebral, strategic playstyle that punishes the enemy for relying on buffs. He is the sticky, annoying gum on the shoe of the meta—hard to remove, and ruining everyone's day.

Verdict: A solid, high-utility hero that aged like fine... slime. Worth the tonics.