“Let me clear everything with fire, backoff!”
Overview
Benson
Born of Fire
Minutemen
Advanced Elite
AOE Damage
Support
3: Position 3 is Benson’s optimal back-row slot where he is protected by front-line tanks while being close enough to apply burning via Blaze’s normal attack bonus to front-row enemies.
4: Position 4 works well as an alternative back-row slot, keeping Benson safe while still delivering full Hellfire AOE and normal attack burning.
5: Position 5 is the safest slot but furthest from the front line. Benson’s AOE skills still function fully, making this viable when maximum protection is needed.
Benson is the Minutemen’s primary AOE damage dealer who applies burning to all enemies through Hellfire, creating devastating chain reactions with other status-dependent heroes. His Blaze exclusive gear adds burning on normal attacks and reduces enemy DMG Mitigation by 45% on burning targets, making him a critical debuffer as well as a damage source. Nirvana’s +8% DMG bonus for all Minutemen makes him a universal faction support piece.
Pros & Cons
- Hellfire applies burning to all enemies simultaneously, enabling chain reactions with status-dependent allies
- Blaze exclusive gear reduces burning targets’ DMG Mitigation by 45%, massively amplifying team damage
- Nirvana provides a permanent +8% DMG bonus to all Minutemen allies
- Hellfire UW allows burning to stack up to 10 additional layers, scaling damage over time
- Relatively low single-target damage compared to dedicated carries like Roger or Dylan
- Burning can be cleansed by certain enemy abilities, negating his primary contribution
- Low VIT (299) makes him fragile if front-line protection fails
Skills
Deals 48/55/60/68/80% WPN DMG to all the enemies, turning them into a burning state, dealing 12/13.6/15.2/16.8/20% WPN DMG at each round for2 rounds.
+5/6/7/8/10% WPN DMG Bonus for this Hero
+4/4.8/5.6/6.4/8% DMG Bonus for all Minutemen in the Lineup.
Casting "Hellfire" will deal an additional 15/18/21/24/30% WPN DMG.
+6/7.2/8.4/9.6/12% WPN DMG Bonus and +4/4.8/5.6/6.4/8% DMG Mitigation for this Hero.
Gear
Blaze is mandatory for Benson to unlock his full potential as both a damage dealer and debuffer. Pair it with Resolute for a balanced build or Ripper/Reaper for maximum offensive output. The 45% DMG Mitigation reduction on burning targets is too impactful to skip.
Benson’s exclusive set that adds burning on normal attacks to front-row enemies and reduces DMG Mitigation by 45% on burning targets hit by Focus skill. Essential for maximizing his debuff and damage role.
#1 Best
Strong general DPS set providing WPN DMG and survivability bonuses, ensuring Benson can output consistent damage while staying alive in the back row.
#2
Offensive set that boosts Benson’s raw damage output, useful when the lineup needs more direct AOE damage rather than relying solely on burning.
#3
Endgame offensive set offering strong damage scaling, viable as a secondary set when Blaze is already equipped.
#4
Pure offensive set maximizing Benson’s damage at the cost of survivability, best in lineups with strong healing and tank support.
#5
High-damage set that enhances Benson’s kill potential, particularly effective when paired with heroes who can capitalize on weakened targets.
#6
Benson’s substats prioritize offensive stats on weapon and jewelry to maximize Hellfire’s AOE damage, while helmet and body focus on survivability to compensate for his low VIT. Crit Rate is particularly valuable since it amplifies all burning ticks.
DMG Bonus, STR, Crit Rate
DMG Bonus and STR directly scale Hellfire’s AOE damage, while Crit Rate amplifies burst potential on burning targets.
HP%, AGI, VIT
HP% and VIT provide survivability for Benson’s low base VIT, while AGI helps him act earlier to apply burning before allies attack.
DEF, VIT, DMG Mitigation
Defensive substats compensate for Benson’s fragile stat line, ensuring he survives long enough to stack burning layers.
DMG Bonus, STR, Skill Effect Enhancement
DMG Bonus and STR maximize Hellfire’s damage output, while Skill Effect Enhancement boosts Fire Breath’s +30% WPN DMG bonus.
Recommended lineups
Archetype tags describe playstyle. Each card shows recommended gear (helmet icons), APC parts, and War Beast. Open APC · View details for part skills and calculator link.
Beast 
Crimson Predator amplifies the lineup’s DPS-heavy strategy, boosting both Benson’s Hellfire damage and Heytex’s Blaze Shark follow-up for faster kills.
Primary tank who chains damage across enemies, spreading the impact of Benson’s burning effects and providing front-line durability.
Secondary tank providing team-wide DMG Mitigation through Guardian of Justice while Justice gear debuffs back-row enemies to amplify burn damage.
Core AOE damage dealer applying burning to all enemies through Hellfire and reducing their DMG Mitigation by 45% with Blaze. Nirvana boosts all Minutemen damage by 8%.
Primary carry whose Blaze Shark UW fires additional bullets for each burning status on enemies, converting Benson’s burns into massive sustained damage.
Healer sustaining the front line while First Aid’s passive triggers off Benson’s burning effects for stacking healing and DMG Mitigation bonuses.
The signature Minutemen AOE lineup where Benson’s Hellfire applies burning to all enemies, triggering Heytex’s Blaze Shark for follow-up bullet procs on every burning target. Benson sits in position 3 as the primary AOE damage dealer and debuffer, with his Blaze gear reducing burning targets’ DMG Mitigation by 45%. Ricardo chains damage while Bolton and Mira provide front-line durability.
Beast
Crimson Predator boosts the dual-carry damage of Heytex and Rebecca, ensuring the lineup has enough offensive power despite the supportive full-faction build.
Primary tank benefiting from full faction HP bonus, making his AC Shield even larger. Justice gear turns Righteous Strike into AOE with back-row debuff.
Front-line support keeping Bolton alive while First Aid stacks healing bonuses from Benson’s burning. Full faction bonus boosts her survivability.
Core AOE dealer whose Hellfire burns all enemies and Blaze debuffs their DMG Mitigation. Full faction bonus gives him +20% ATK for stronger Hellfire ticks.
Primary carry leveraging Blaze Shark procs off Benson’s burning. Full faction bonus provides both ATK and HP, making Heytex more durable.
Secondary carry adding single-target burst damage, completing the full Minutemen faction for maximum stat bonuses.
A full Minutemen faction lineup that maximizes the +20% ATK/HP faction bonus with all five heroes from the same faction. Benson occupies position 3 as the AOE damage core, applying burning to fuel Heytex while benefiting from the full faction stat bonus. Rebecca provides additional carry damage from position 5 while Bolton and Mira hold the front line.
Beast
Crimson Predator enhances the damage output of both Ivanov’s detonations and Heytex’s Blaze Shark procs, maximizing the DOT chain’s offensive potential.
Primary tank providing team-wide DMG Mitigation and Justice’s back-row debuff to amplify DOT damage on enemy back-line heroes.
Secondary tank providing front-line durability and STR-based tanking to complement Bolton’s mitigation-focused defense.
Core AOE dealer whose Hellfire applies burning to all enemies, setting up Ivanov’s detonation. Blaze’s DMG Mitigation reduction makes detonations hit harder.
DOT carry who detonates Benson’s burning effects for massive burst damage, creating a devastating combo that scales with the number of burning stacks.
Secondary carry whose Blaze Shark procs off Benson’s burning, adding sustained AOE damage alongside Ivanov’s burst detonations.
A late-game DOT-focused lineup where Benson’s burning combines with Ivanov’s detonation mechanic for massive burst damage on status-afflicted targets. Benson holds position 3 applying burning to all enemies, which Ivanov then detonates for amplified damage. Yolanda provides front-line tanking alongside Bolton while Heytex adds carry damage from the back row.
Synergies
Heytex’s Blaze Shark UW fires a 30% chance bullet for each burning status on enemies. Benson’s Hellfire applies burning to all enemies simultaneously, creating maximum Blaze Shark proc opportunities every round.
Mira’s Mirage UW causes bleeding on damage, and her First Aid gear triggers healing and DMG Mitigation bonuses when Minuteman teammates cause Poisoned, Bleeding, or Burning effects. Benson’s burning reliably triggers these bonuses.
Ricardo’s chain-linking mechanic spreads damage across enemies, amplifying the impact of Benson’s burning effects as chained damage combines with burn ticks on multiple targets.
Kobayakawa’s Kitten’s Daydream UW has a 40% chance to apply Ash on burning targets. Benson’s Hellfire burning all enemies maximizes Ash application across the enemy team.
Ivanov’s abilities detonate burning effects for massive burst damage. Benson’s Hellfire ensures all enemies have burning stacks for Ivanov to detonate simultaneously.
Interactions with other heroes’ ultimate weapons.
Blaze Shark fires a bullet with 30% chance per burning status on enemies. Benson’s Hellfire stacking up to 10 extra layers via his UW means each enemy can trigger multiple Blaze Shark bullets per round.
Kitten’s Daydream applies Ash with 40% chance when enemies are burning. Benson’s mass burning from Hellfire maximizes Ash coverage, adding another DOT layer across all enemies.
Mira’s Mirage causes bleeding when she takes damage, and her First Aid gear gains stacking bonuses from Minuteman teammates’ status effects. Benson’s burning combines with Mira’s bleeding for dual-status synergy.
Ultimate weapons
Star 1
The burning status triggered by Focus skills can be stacked for up to 5 layers(s).
Unlocked
The Burning status can be stacked for 5 more layers. After your heroes deal damage to enemies, they will subject the targets to the Burning status (can be triggered up to 2 time(s) each round).
★
The Burning status can be stacked for 6 more layers. After your heroes deal damage to enemies, they will subject the targets to the Burning status (can be triggered up to 2 time(s) each round). In zombie fights, the Burning damage will be increaed by 25% additionally.
★★
The Burning status can be stacked for 7 more layers. After your heroes deal damage to enemies, they will subject the targets to the Burning status (can be triggered up to 3 time(s) each round). In zombie fights, the Burning damage will be increaed by 30% additionally.
★★★
The Burning status can be stacked for 8 more layers. After your heroes deal damage to enemies, they will subject the targets to the Burning status (can be triggered up to 3 time(s) each round). In zombie fights, the Burning damage will be increaed by 35% additionally.
★★★★
The Burning status can be stacked for 9 more layers. After your heroes deal damage to enemies, they will subject the targets to the Burning status (can be triggered up to 4 time(s) each round). In zombie fights, the Burning damage will be increaed by 40% additionally.
★★★★★
The Burning status can be stacked for 10 more layers. After your heroes deal damage to enemies, they will subject the targets to the Burning status (can be triggered up to 5 time(s) each round). In zombie fights, the Burning damage will be increaed by 50% additionally.
Counters
- Casino (Hard Counter) — Casino’s focus drain prevents Benson from reaching the Focus threshold for Hellfire, severely limiting his ability to apply burning and trigger chain reactions.
- Cleanse Effects (Hard Counter) — Heroes or abilities that cleanse status effects remove Benson’s burning stacks, negating his primary contribution and breaking the burning chain synergy.
- High DMG Mitigation Tanks (Soft Counter) — Tanks with extremely high DMG Mitigation can partially resist Benson’s burning damage, though Blaze’s 45% DMG Mitigation reduction helps offset this.
- Multi-Hero Lineups (Hard Counter) — Hellfire’s AOE burning hits all enemies simultaneously, making Benson devastating against lineups that rely on having all five heroes alive for faction bonuses or team synergies.
- Shield-Reliant Lineups (Soft Counter) — Blaze’s 4-piece effect reduces DMG Mitigation by 45% on burning targets, cutting through shield-based defense strategies that rely on mitigation stacking.
Rating
A Tier. Benson is the backbone of Minutemen AOE strategies and appears in nearly every Minutemen lineup due to Nirvana’s faction-wide damage buff and Hellfire’s burning application. He is A-tier because he relies on other heroes to capitalize on his burning effects rather than carrying alone.
Videos
Official: (none in data)
Unofficial:
Skins
None
Trivia
- Benson’s appearance resembles both Pyro from Team Fortress 2 and Colonel Khlebnikov from Metro: Exodus, as both characters wield a flamethrower as their main weapon.
- His quote also resembles that of an OSKOM flame trooper from Metro: Exodus.