[NA] Winterstruck Summer Monsters!

Winter is coming....

to Monster Strike!

Well the Christmas event is coming up so I'll be writing about the new monsters that will be available!

Christmas Viridion (Wood 5* - Savage)

Class: Dragon

Hit: Bounce
Type: Blast
Ability: Null Gravity Barrier
Max HP: 14405 (+2460) - 16865
Max ATK: 14278 (+1375) - 15653
Max SPD: 205.67 (+20.40) - 226.07
SS (14 turns): Bash and spread shot
Bump: Homing 12 (4305)

Thoughts
He is not a bad Luck 90 monster if you don't have one (or a max luck). He is a blast monster so his Homing has a higher power in 4305. To compare, normal 6* Homing 18 power is 3294. Of course there are more shots but you are comparing a 5* to a 6*. I think this guy is a better pick than Jabbanero. He has an extra ability in NGB which is useful in the Extreme Shell dungeon. Also having more Jabbanero might not have a fast run in farming turtles or sharls. Either way, he might not be useful in most Extreme dungeons, just like Jabbanero.

Since the dungeon is up 24/7 during the event and you can always you get help from other players that have max luck (since they are farming Dream Sharls) to quickly get a Luck 90. Drop rates are better than getting Smydras in normal dungeons. 

Oruga (Water 5* - Extreme)

[Evo]
Class: Fiend
Hit: Pierce
Type: Blast
Ability: Deity Slayer
Gauge: Null Gravity Barrier
Max HP: 16767 (+3900) - 20667
Max ATK: 11389 (+3875) - 15264 (18316)
Max SPD: 203.47 (+71.40) - 274.87
SS (15 turns): Bash and knock up
Bump: Ex Laser L (8662)

[Asc] 

Class: Fiend
Hit: Pierce
Type: Balance
Ability: ---
Gauge: Recovery S / Null Gravity Barrier
Max HP: 17540 (+4200) - 21740
Max ATK: 14367 (+4900) - 19267 (23120)
Max SPD: 282.37 (+99.45) - 381.82
SS (18 turns): Giant Laser
Bump: Volatile Blast M (3189)
Sub: Ex Laser S (2706)

Thoughts

In a way, she is a flip of which one is better. However, most people choose evolve. One reason is that the evolve form is a Deity Slayer and NGB which is a perfect monster for Izanami. She can even replace a Napoleon and still have a relatively stable team. She is a pierce which can take hearts when needed and her SS can help take a bar off in case you need to move on.

As for the ascend version, she is a full time support. She has a Recovery S, a giant ranged blast, and a null ability. Not to mention better stats than the evolve version. But the main reason why people go for the evolve form is the nature of the ascend's gauge. It is a Recovery S which is the fastest moving gauge in the game. Also, if you miss the gauge, you don't even get the NGB for the shot. This version is better than the evolve version outside of Izanami and other Deity bosses but she is really hard to use effectively. Therefore people go for evolve but I do recommend to make both just because she is a limited monster and might never come back again.

Dungeon

Gimmicks: Gravity Barrier, Partial DW, Shield, Poison, Attack Down

Recommended Units

Rad Swagger (Asc)
Merlin (Asc)

Independence (Evo)
Oryo (Asc)

Queen Butterflight (Asc)
Marie Antoinette (Asc)
Typhon (Evo)
Tengu (Asc)
Kushinada (Evo)
Flor (Evo)

Strategy

- Stack NGB and Wood preferred

- Boss is a Deity Slayer, don't bring monsters like HK and Hercules

- Clear mobs over boss

Santa Claus (Fire 6* - Hatcher)

Class: Deity
Hit: Bounce
Type: Balance
Ability: Demonsbane
Max HP: 17232 (+3900) - 21132
Max ATK: 16030 (+5475) - 21505
Max SPD: 207.97 (+73.95) - 281.92

SS (16 turns) - Bash and knock up
Bump: Ex Laser L (6187)

Thoughts

He comes from the Dream Hatcher where you use Dream Sharls to roll. In terms of roll rate, it is relatively high. Probably around getting a Jr in the Gold Hatcher. He can be max luck but he doesn't have strong stats and his ability is not the best. It can be used in like Deathscoil and Ghost (which will come in the near future) but he is easily replaceable with other monsters. Well he is mostly ascend material for Zeus and Oruga. 

Tannenbomber Zeus (Fire 6* - Hatcher)

Class: Deity

Hit: Pierce

Type: Balance
Ability: Null Damage Wall

Max HP: 22298 (+4200) - 26498
Max ATK: 19288 (+3775) - 23063
Max SPD: 304.63 (+62.05) - 366.63
SS (30 turns): Lightning Meteor
Bump: Giga Blast (7499)
Sub: Cross Laser S (3788)

Thoughts

Well if you want to compare to Dark Zeus, they are basically the same, just different elements. However a lot of people go for Fire Zeus just because he is limited. He can be ascended after the event but the ascend materials are only available in this event. Also Zeus does fall off later in JP so people stick with Fire Zeus for the art instead of viability. If you still use him regularly, you can keep it at Dark Zeus. If you don't use him anymore or have dupes, go for Fire Zeus.