Deserter — guide

In short

Deserter is an Uncommon Magic Attack champion from the Barbarians with neither damage nor survivability. His only argument is the 50% Heal Reduction on his second skill once booked. The site verdict is blunt: he is food — don't invest beyond what a Faction Wars slot filler needs.

Strengths

• «Kлеймящая стрела» — Branding Arrow reaches 100% chance to place 50% Heal Reduction for 2 turns at skill level 6, with cooldown down to 3 turns.
• The default skill hits random targets twice, each hit able to place 30% Decrease DEF (35% at level 5).
• Two genuinely useful debuffs — one offensive, one anti-heal — on a single cheap champion.
• Magic affinity gives him an edge against Spirit enemies in early content.

Weaknesses

• Overall rating 1.0: 1112 ATK and a weak base kit mean effectively no damage.
• Low debuff chances, and the A1 hits random targets — you cannot aim Decrease DEF where you need it.
• No buffs, no revive, no passive — just two debuffs.
• Low HP and DEF with 96 SPD — he dies to the first cleave.

Where to use

His best and only sensible home is Faction Wars (1.5/5): a body to fill the Barbarian slot on early stages. Dungeons and Clan Boss — 1.0/5: very early game, as a Heal Reduction carrier against healing waves. Arena, Hydra, Chimera, Hard mode, Doom Tower — 0.5/5: do not bring him, he only wastes a slot.

Stats and gear

If you truly need the Faction Wars slot, build speed and accuracy, not damage:

• SPD 170–200 so debuffs land before the enemy acts.
• ACC 100–150 for Faction Wars stages, otherwise Heal Reduction will be resisted.
• C.RATE 100% and as much ATK% as you can spare, only if you want any damage at all.
• Remaining substats into HP%/DEF% so he survives to a second turn.
• Sets: Speed + Perception is the cheapest way to reach accuracy; Speed + Lifesteal works if he keeps dying.

Masteries and blessings

• Offense tree: standard crit rate and ATK masteries, finishing on Warmaster or Giant Slayer only if you drag him into boss fights.
• Support tree: Pinpoint Accuracy (+10 ACC) — the only mastery that genuinely matters for his debuffs.
• Blessings: skip them. Any essence spent here is wasted, even the cheapest damage blessing.

Tombs

Book Branding Arrow (A2) first, up to level 6: 100% Heal Reduction and a 3-turn cooldown is the only reason this champion exists. The A1 comes second, to level 5 for the 35% Decrease DEF chance. Realistically, wait for duplicate copies instead of spending Tomes.

Verdict

Food. Deserter justifies neither Tomes nor gear — feed him to stronger champions or use duplicates as skill-ups for a Barbarian worth building.