“Strength and strategy are what takes win in the battle.”
Overview
Ivanov
Warhammer
Minutemen
Advanced Elite
AOE Damage
Debuffer
4: Acts after debuffers in pos 3 have applied statuses, maximizing detonation value on Hammer of Judgement.
3: Earlier action means faster Polar Power status application, but fewer statuses to detonate on first cast.
5: Latest action in backrow; most statuses available for detonation but risks being sniped before acting.
Ivanov is a status detonation specialist whose Hammer of Judgement explodes all Poisoned, Burning, and Bleeding effects on enemies for massive burst damage, then reapplies random statuses via Polar Power. His Blizzard exclusive gear redirects detonation to the backrow first and passively applies DOTs to enemy backrow each round, bypassing front-row protection entirely. Brave Soul’s faction-wide DMG buff (+6% base, +2% per Minuteman) makes him a core amplifier in full Minutemen DOT compositions.
Pros & Cons
- Hammer of Judgement detonates all Poisoned/Burning/Bleeding at once for massive burst damage (90/180% WPN DMG base + detonation).
- Blizzard 4pc targets backrow first, bypassing front-row tanks to detonate statuses on vulnerable carries.
- Polar Power applies random Poison/Burn/Bleed on every attack (80% WPN DMG, 2 rounds), self-sustaining the DOT chain.
- Brave Soul grants +6% DMG to all Minutemen (+2% per Minuteman), scaling with full faction lineups up to +16%.
- Battlemaster’s Aid stacks +5% DMG per teammate status proc (max 5 stacks), rewarding DOT-heavy compositions.
- Detonation is only as strong as the statuses applied — if teammates are killed or silenced before applying DOTs, Hammer of Judgement hits for base damage only.
- Fragile (VIT 299) despite being a STR hero; relies on tanks staying alive to protect his backrow position.
- No self-sustain or defensive skills; entirely dependent on team composition for survivability.
- Status cleanse heroes (Penny drones, cleanse skills) can remove DOTs before Ivanov gets to detonate them.
Skills
Attack the enemy’s front row, dealing 90%/108%/136%/144%/180% WPN DMG and detonating Poisoned, Burning, and Bleeding statuses.
When teammates inflict Poisoned, Burning, or Bleeding statuses onto enemies, the hero deals 2.5%/3%/3.5%/4%/5% more DMG, lasting 2 rounds, stackable for up to 5 layers.
The Poisoned, Burning, and Bleeding statuses inflicted by teammates will deal 15%/18%/21%/24%/30% more DMG.
Each attack the hero launches comes with a random status (Poisoned/Burning/Bleeding) onto the target, dealing 40%/48%/56%/64%/80% WPN DMG at the end of the round, lasting 2 rounds.
All Minutemen heroes in the deal 3%/3.6%/4.2%/4.8%/6% more DMG; additionally increases the DMG by 2% for every Minutemen deployed.
Gear
Blizzard is best-in-slot and transforms Ivanov’s targeting from front-row to backrow-first, which is a fundamental change in how he operates. Resolute is the essential survivability backup. Reaper and Ripper are niche options for self-sustaining DOT chains when teammate status application is unreliable. Apocalypse and Death are competitive in burst-focused or snowball scenarios.
Exclusive set. 2pc passively applies random Poison/Burn/Bleed to enemy backrow each round (80% WPN DMG, 2 rounds) without spending actions. 4pc makes Hammer of Judgement target backrow first for detonation and adds +30% Poison/Burn/Bleed DMG.
#1 Best
Standard DPS survivability. +0.4% ATK per 1% HP lost and death immunity with 30% HP restore. Critical for a VIT 299 hero with no defensive skills — Resolute is often the difference between Ivanov surviving to cast a second Hammer.
#2
Normal attacks cause Bleeding, adding a third DOT type to Ivanov’s self-application kit alongside Polar Power’s random statuses. Ensures all three DOT types are present for maximum detonation.
#3
+15% Crit Rate and +30% Crit Damage. Strong when Hammer of Judgement hits multiple targets — detonation damage can crit independently of base skill damage.
#4
+10% ATK and +35% DMG after defeating a target. Detonation burst often kills weakened targets, triggering the snowball effect for subsequent rounds.
#5
Normal attacks cause Poisoned status, feeding Polar Power’s random application with an additional guaranteed DOT. More statuses on enemies means larger detonations.
#6
Ivanov is a STR damage dealer with the lowest survivability tier (VIT 299). Prioritize STR and DMG Bonus on offensive slots (weapon, jewelry) and HP/DEF/VIT on defensive slots (helmet, body). Unlike INT heroes, Ivanov benefits from WPN ATK and STR substats — never pick INT variants.
DMG Bonus, STR, Crit Rate
DMG Bonus is the universal damage multiplier; STR scales WPN ATK for Hammer of Judgement and Polar Power; Crit Rate adds burst potential to detonation hits.
HP%, AGI, VIT
Survivability stats. HP% is the most efficient defensive stat; AGI reduces incoming damage and protects against AGI-targeting skills like Kelly’s Hunting.
DEF, VIT, DMG Mitigation
Pure defense. Ivanov has no self-sustain skills so raw defensive stats are his only protection.
DMG Bonus, STR, Skill Effect Enhancement
DMG Bonus and STR maximize detonation damage; Skill Effect Enhancement directly boosts Hammer of Judgement multipliers and Polar Power status damage.
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 
Triple-carry lineup with Benson, Ivanov, and Heytex all dealing significant damage. Crimson Predator’s ATK and DMG Bonus maximize detonation and AOE output.
Primary tank. AC Shield UW for battle-start durability. Super Core accelerates team focus. Alpha Bless grants team-wide shields and crit immunity. Minutemen faction member.
Shielding Barrier enables counterattacks and self-healing. BabyBear inflicts Bleeding on enemy front row, feeding Ivanov’s detonation. Nuke Pulse Launcher UW applies Burning on attacks.
Hellfire burns all enemies, stacking up to 15 layers with Hellfire UW. Each burn is a detonation target for Ivanov. +8% DMG bonus for all Minutemen.
Core detonator. Hammer of Judgement explodes all Poisoned/Burning/Bleeding on targets. Blizzard 4pc targets backrow first. Brave Soul gives +14% DMG to all Minutemen (5 Minutemen deployed).
Blaze Shark fires extra bullets off Benson’s burns and Yolanda’s DOTs. Marks 3 random enemies with Bullet Rain. Pursue generates bonus damage when teammates hit marked targets.
The core Ivanov lineup focused on maximum status application before detonation. Bolton and Yolanda form a durable dual-tank front — Yolanda’s BabyBear Bleeding and UW Burning feed Ivanov’s detonation from the tank position. Benson burns all enemies via Hellfire, and Heytex’s Blaze Shark fires extra bullets off each status proc. Ivanov detonates everything with Hammer of Judgement while Brave Soul buffs the full Minutemen team.
Beast
DOT-heavy lineup benefits from Crimson Predator’s ATK and DMG Bonus to scale all status damage and detonation multipliers.
Primary tank. AC Shield for durability. Super Core accelerates focus. Alpha Bless for team-wide shields. Minutemen faction bonus with all teammates.
Mental Control redirects attacks to Mira, protecting backrow. Mirage UW bleeding triggers DOT interactions. Battlefield Treatment heals front line.
Flaming Feast applies burns to all enemies. Death Descend makes targets take +100% sustained DMG, doubling Ivanov’s detonation damage. Kitten’s Daydream Ash adds another status layer.
Core detonator. Detonates burns from Kobayakawa, bleeds from Mira, and recycled statuses from Margaret. Blizzard targets backrow. Brave Soul buffs all Minutemen.
News Coverage reapplies expiring statuses (50% chance), keeping DOTs alive between Ivanov’s detonations. Joint Signature boosts all Minutemen Poison/Burn/Bleed DMG. Focused stacks increase damage taken.
The ultimate DOT composition pairing Ivanov’s detonation with Margaret’s status recycling and Kobayakawa’s burn/Ash application. Bolton holds the front while Mira provides healing and Mirage UW bleeding. Margaret’s News Coverage reapplies expiring statuses (50% chance), ensuring Ivanov always has targets to detonate. Kobayakawa’s Death Descend (+100% sustained DMG) doubles detonation damage on debuffed targets.
Beast 
Buri lineups prioritize survivability. Metallic Dragon’s HP, DEF, DMG Mitigation, and Crit Immunity keep the damage-sharing pool healthy across all linked heroes.
Link of Life distributes 50% of incoming damage across all heroes with +24% DMG mitigation. Guardian STR UW casts Link at battle start. Frosty Coffin grants +15% crit rate and +30% crit DMG.
AC Shield for battle-start durability. Super Core accelerates focus. Alpha Bless for team-wide shields. Minutemen faction bonus with Benson, Ivanov, and Mira.
Hellfire burns all enemies for Ivanov’s detonation. Hellfire UW for 15 burn stacks. +8% DMG bonus for Minutemen. Burns also trigger Frosty Coffin crit bonuses on crit hits.
Core detonator. Buri’s damage distribution keeps him alive for multiple Hammer casts. Blizzard targets backrow. Polar Power self-applies statuses for detonation.
Heals front line (critical with Buri distributing damage). Mirage UW bleeding feeds Ivanov’s detonation. Battlefield Assistance buffs highest-ATK ally.
Pairs Ivanov’s detonation with Buri’s damage distribution for improved survivability. Buri’s Link of Life spreads incoming damage across all heroes, keeping Ivanov alive longer to cast multiple Hammer of Judgements. Benson and Mira provide burns and bleeds for detonation. Bolton adds tank durability and faction bonus. Less damage ceiling than dedicated DOT lineups but significantly more durable against burst-heavy opponents.
Synergies
Benson’s Hellfire burns all enemies every skill cast, stacking up to 15 layers with Hellfire UW. Each burn stack is a detonation target for Hammer of Judgement. Benson’s +8% DMG for Minutemen boosts Ivanov’s detonation damage. Winter Drink makes Benson’s burns deal +30% more damage before detonation.
Margaret’s News Coverage has a 50% chance to reapply expiring Poison/Burn/Bleed, ensuring Ivanov always has fresh statuses to detonate. Joint Signature boosts all Minutemen Poison/Burn/ Bleed DMG by +10% (+2% per Minuteman). Focused stacks from Focus Report make detonation targets take even more damage.
Kobayakawa’s Flaming Feast applies burns to all enemies, and Death Descend makes targets take +100% sustained DMG for 2 rounds. Ivanov detonating burns on debuffed targets deals doubled detonation damage. Kitten’s Daydream Ash interacts with the Minutemen status chain.
Yolanda’s BabyBear exclusive gear inflicts Bleeding on enemy front row (4% remaining HP/round). Nuke Pulse Launcher UW applies Burning on normal attacks and counterattacks (150% TAC DMG). Both statuses feed Ivanov’s detonation from the tank position — statuses applied without spending backrow action economy.
Bolton’s AC Shield UW (200% max HP shield at battle start) provides the durable front line Ivanov needs to survive. Guardian of Justice gives +5% DMG mitigation to all allies. As a Minuteman, Bolton benefits from Brave Soul’s faction-wide DMG buff.
Interactions with other heroes’ ultimate weapons.
Hellfire UW lets burning stack up to 15 layers and applies Burning after heroes deal damage (up to 5 procs/round). More burn stacks means larger Hammer of Judgement detonations. Each detonated Burning stack triggers Thunder Hammer’s +3% ATK (stacks 12), so Ivanov’s ATK scales rapidly in burn-heavy compositions.
When teammates inflict Poison/Bleed/Burn, Margaret gains +4% DMG (stacks 10). Ivanov’s Polar Power applies random statuses every attack, constantly feeding Margaret’s damage scaling. When targets exit these statuses (including via Ivanov’s detonation), Lion Blaster reduces their ATK by 5% (stacks 5), progressively weakening the enemy team.
When Minutemen teammates apply Poison/Bleed/Burn, 40% chance to apply Ash. Ivanov’s Polar Power applies random statuses on every attack, triggering Ash frequently. Kobayakawa’s Focus skill then detonates Ash for +80% ATK DMG, creating a parallel detonation chain alongside Ivanov’s Hammer of Judgement.
Ultimate weapons
- Ultimate Weapon’s Energy 6,700
- WPN ATK 25%
- STR 25%
- HP 80%
Unlocked
Each time a Focus Skill detonates a layer of Poison, gains 50 Focus. For each layer of Burning status detonated, the hero gains 2% ATK, stackable for up to 10 layers.
★
Each time a Focus Skill detonates a layer of Poison, gains 60 Focus. For each layer of Burning status detonated, the hero gains 2.2% ATK, stackable for up to 10 layers.
★★
Each time a Focus Skill detonates a layer of Poison, gains 70 Focus. For each layer of Burning status detonated, the hero gains 2.4% ATK, stackable for up to 10 layers. For each layer of Bleeding status detonated, restores some HP for the teammate with the lowest HP equal to 14% of that teammate’s max HP.
★★★
Each time a Focus Skill detonates a layer of Poison, gains 80 Focus. For each layer of Burning status detonated, the hero gains 2.6% ATK, stackable for up to 10 layers. For each layer of Bleeding status detonated, restores some HP for the teammate with the lowest HP equal to 18% of that teammate’s max HP.
★★★★
Each time a Focus Skill detonates a layer of Poison, gains 90 Focus. For each layer of Burning status detonated, the hero gains 2.8% ATK, stackable for up to 10 layers. For each layer of Bleeding status detonated, restores some HP for the teammate with the lowest HP equal to 18% of that teammate’s max HP.
★★★★★
Each time a Focus Skill detonates a layer of Poison, gains 100 Focus. For each layer of Burning status detonated, the hero gains 3% ATK, stackable for up to 12 layers. For each layer of Bleeding status detonated, restores some HP for the teammate with the lowest HP equal to 20% of that teammate’s max HP.
Counters
- Casino (Hard Counter) — Casino’s Double Down drains 200 Focus from all enemies, preventing Ivanov from casting Hammer of Judgement. Without his Focus skill, statuses sit undetonated and Ivanov contributes only Polar Power’s modest 80% WPN DMG per attack.
- Penny (Soft Counter) — Penny’s drones clear Poisoned/Burning/Bleeding from allies, directly removing the statuses Ivanov needs to detonate. The +20% DMG mitigation granted to cleansed heroes further reduces Ivanov’s remaining damage output.
- High DMG Mitigation tanks (Soft Counter) — Heroes with extreme DMG mitigation (Buri’s Link of Life, Iris’s scaling Iron Barrier) reduce detonation damage significantly. Since detonation is a single large burst per status, DMG mitigation applies fully to each hit rather than being overwhelmed by many small hits.
- Status-reliant lineups (Hard Counter) — Lineups that apply their own Poison/Burn/Bleed (Reaper/Ripper gear, DOT-based heroes) give Ivanov additional statuses to detonate via Battlemaster’s Aid (+5% DMG per teammate status proc) and Winter Drink (+30% DOT DMG). The enemy team unintentionally fuels Ivanov’s burst.
- Low-cleanse lineups (Soft Counter) — Lineups without status removal let DOTs stack freely. Blizzard’s passive backrow application and Polar Power’s per-attack statuses accumulate without interference, leading to devastating multi-status detonations after 2-3 rounds.
Rating
A Tier. Ivanov is the premier status detonation hero in Minutemen compositions from X7 onward. His ability to explode all three DOT types simultaneously creates massive burst that bypasses sustained-damage defenses. Blizzard exclusive gear targeting the backrow is a game-changer against lineups that hide carries behind tanks. He requires a team built around applying statuses for him to detonate, which limits his flexibility but maximizes his ceiling in dedicated DOT compositions.
Videos
Official: (none in data)
Skins
None
Trivia
None