Overview
Samantha
Strangler
Watchers
Advanced Elite
AOE Damage
3: Primary carry slot. Fires after tanks and supports have applied shields in pos 1-2, maximising the number of Strangler layers accumulated from Hunter’s Instinct before Sweeping Slash fires. Back-row protection with Lurking’s 15% max HP shield on first attack each round.
4: Alternative back-row slot when another carry needs pos 3. Still benefits from shield-triggered Strangler stacking. Fires slightly later in the round, accumulating more Strangler before attack.
5: Latest-firing back-row slot. Maximises Strangler accumulation before Sweeping Slash but sacrifices Super Core cycle priority. Useful when Macklin and Victoria need pos 3-4.
Samantha is a Strangler-stacking AOE carry who builds damage layers through shield interactions, dealing escalating Sweeping Slash hits to all enemies with +2% DMG per Strangler layer (stacking 10). Her Hunter’s Instinct gains a Strangler layer whenever a teammate gains a shield >= 30% max HP, making her exceptionally powerful in shield-heavy Watchers lineups. Flash Hunter UW grants +6% WPN ATK per teammate shield gained (stacking 6) and starts the battle with 4 Strangler layers, while Predator’s Domain gives all Watchers +6% DMG baseline plus +2% per additional Watcher deployed, amplifying the entire faction’s output.
Pros & Cons
- Sweeping Slash hits ALL enemies with +2% DMG per Strangler layer (stacking 10, max +20%), providing consistent AOE pressure that scales with shield generation across the lineup.
- Hunter’s Instinct gains a Strangler layer whenever a teammate gains a shield >= 30% max HP, making Samantha exceptionally powerful in shield-heavy Watchers lineups with Harman and Tucker.
- Flash Hunter UW grants +6% WPN ATK per teammate shield gained (stacking 6, max +36%) and starts the battle with 4 Strangler layers, providing immediate turn-1 pressure.
- Predator’s Domain gives all Watchers +6% DMG baseline plus +2% per Watcher deployed (max +16% with 5 Watchers), amplifying the entire faction’s output.
- Steel Claw exclusive gear 4-piece grants +3% crit rate and +3% crit DMG per round start (stacking to 12%), providing scaling damage that grows stronger in extended fights.
- Anti-shield mechanics (Diesel) prevent teammate shield generation, cutting off Samantha’s primary Strangler stacking source from Hunter’s Instinct and Flash Hunter UW’s ATK scaling.
- Sweeping Slash’s AOE damage is spread across all enemies rather than focused on priority targets, making Samantha ineffective at quickly eliminating key threats.
- Burst lineups that kill teammates before they can generate shields starve Samantha of Strangler stacks and Flash Hunter UW ATK bonuses, crippling her ramp-up.
- No self-sustain or significant defensive abilities beyond Lurking’s 15% max HP shield on first attack each round; fragile with 299 VIT.
Skills
Deals 60%/72%/84%/96%/120% WPN DMG to all enemies and gains 2 layers of Strangler status (Strangler status: Each layer grants 2% DMG Bonus; up to 10 layers can be stacked).
When other teammates gain a shield equal to 30% of their max HP, the hero gains 1 layer of the Strangler status.
The first time being attacked in each round, she gains a shield equal to 7.5%/9%/10.5%/12%/15% of her max HP; the same amount of shield value will be deducted at the end of the round.
When detonating 5 layers of Strangler status altogether, "Sweeping Slash" additionally deals 25%/30%/35%/40%/50% WPN DMG to the back row enemies.
All Watchers in the lineup deal 3%/3.6%/4.2%/4.8%/6% more DMG; for each Watcher in the lineup, 2% more DMG can be dealt additionally.
Gear
Steel Claw is non-negotiable best-in-slot — the guaranteed Strangler layer per round and scaling crit bonuses define Samantha’s identity as a ramping AOE carry. Resolute is mandatory for survivability. Reaper is the strongest offensive alternative, synergising with Sweeping Slash’s ability to hit already-wounded targets across the board. Pair Steel Claw + Resolute as the standard setup.
Exclusive set. 2-piece gains 1 Strangler layer per round start. 4-piece grants +3% crit rate and +3% crit DMG per round start (stacking to 12%). Defines Samantha’s scaling identity — guaranteed Strangler generation even without shield events.
#1 Best
Standard DPS survivability set. +0.4% ATK per 1% HP lost. 4-piece death immunity with 30% HP restore and +50% DMG on the next attack. Essential safety net for 299 VIT.
#2
+15% Crit Rate and +30% Crit Damage. Compounds with Steel Claw’s per-round crit scaling. Sweeping Slash hits all enemies — each hit can crit independently for massive AOE burst.
#3
+10% ATK and +35% DMG after defeating target. Sweeping Slash AOE can finish weakened enemies, triggering Death’s post-kill bonus for the follow-up Blade & Raid back-row hit.
#4
Normal attacks cause bleeding for sustained damage between skill casts. Budget option for early investment. Bleeding adds pressure between Sweeping Slash casts.
#5
+10% DMG Bonus and +25% DMG to targets below 50% HP. Sweeping Slash hits all enemies every round, and targets softened by teammates are consistently below 50% HP for Reaper’s bonus.
#6
Samantha is a STR-based AOE carry dealing WPN DMG. Prioritize STR and damage stats on weapon and jewelry (offensive slots), and HP/DEF/VIT on helmet and body (defensive slots). Do not roll INT or TAC ATK substats — Samantha has no TAC DMG skills.
DMG Bonus, STR, Crit Rate
DMG Bonus is a universal multiplier for Sweeping Slash AOE and Blade & Raid back-row hits. STR scales WPN ATK directly. Crit Rate compounds with Steel Claw’s per-round crit scaling.
HP%, AGI, VIT
Survivability stats. HP% is the most efficient. AGI reduces incoming damage and helps Samantha act after shields are generated but before enemies can strip her Strangler stacks.
DEF, VIT, DMG Mitigation
Pure defense. Samantha’s 299 VIT makes her fragile; every point of DEF extends her survival for additional Strangler accumulation and Steel Claw crit scaling.
DMG Bonus, STR, Skill Effect Enhancement
DMG Bonus multiplies everything. STR scales WPN ATK. Skill Effect Enhancement boosts Sweeping Slash and Blade & Raid multipliers.
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 
Multi-carry lineup with Samantha, Macklin, and Victoria. Crimson Predator’s ATK, DMG Bonus, and Crit Rate maximise damage output across all three damage dealers.
Primary tank. Scarlet Authority UW grants +10% DMG and +10% healing/shield. Duke exclusive gear adds +4% DMG to all Watchers. Super Core accelerates focus from pos 1. Predator’s Domain gives +16% DMG with 5 Watchers.
Staunch Will shields all allies every cast, simultaneously feeding Samantha’s Hunter’s Instinct (Strangler) and Victoria’s Energy Detection (Lightsword). Chimera Anchor UW deals chip damage per shield event. Alpha Bless provides round 1 shields.
AOE carry. Flash Hunter UW starts with 4 Strangler layers. Hunter’s Instinct gains layers from Harman’s shields. Sweeping Slash hits all enemies with accumulated Strangler bonus. Predator’s Domain buffs all Watchers.
Co-carry. Bounty marks provide team-wide buffs. Executioner kills restore 500 Focus for chain-kills. Samantha’s Sweeping Slash softens all enemies, setting up Macklin’s Executioner kills on bounty-marked targets.
Shield-scaling carry. Energy Detection copies shields from Harman and Alpha Bless. Lightsword adds 250% of shield as burst damage. Same shield events that feed Samantha’s Strangler also feed Victoria’s Lightsword.
Shield-centric Watchers lineup where every shield event feeds both Samantha’s Strangler stacks and Victoria’s Energy Detection simultaneously. Roland provides Watchers Leader buffs and front-line tanking. Harman layers shields every cast, triggering Hunter’s Instinct for Strangler and Energy Detection for Lightsword. Macklin adds single-target assassination with bounty marks that benefit the entire team. Full 5 Watchers for +20% ATK/HP faction bonus plus Predator’s Domain’s +16% DMG to all Watchers.
Beast
Multi-carry lineup with Samantha, Kelly, and Victoria. Crimson Predator’s offensive stats maximise damage output across the damage dealers.
Primary tank. Ruby Shield UW provides 80% max HP shield turn 1. Sword & Shield shields the lowest-HP teammate while charging, triggering Samantha’s Hunter’s Instinct. LumiShield counter-attacks Stun enemies.
Staunch Will shields all allies, feeding Samantha’s Hunter’s Instinct and Victoria’s Energy Detection simultaneously. Alpha Bless provides round 1 shields and crit immunity. Chimera Anchor UW deals chip damage per shield event.
AOE carry. Hunter’s Instinct gains Strangler from Monica’s Sword & Shield teammate shields and Harman’s Staunch Will. Flash Hunter UW starts with 4 layers. Predator’s Domain buffs all Watchers.
Independent assassin. Targets lowest-AGI enemy. Spine Whip UW double-action. Cat Soul shreds target DMG Mitigation. Samantha’s Sweeping Slash softens the field while Kelly eliminates priority back-row targets.
Shield-scaling carry. Energy Detection copies shields from Harman, Monica, and Alpha Bless. Lightsword adds 250% of shield as burst damage. Same shield sources feed both Samantha’s Strangler and Victoria’s Lightsword.
Monica and Samantha share a powerful shield synergy. Monica’s Sword & Shield 2-piece generates shields on the lowest-HP teammate while charging, and Samantha’s Hunter’s Instinct gains Strangler layers from these shields. Monica’s Ruby Shield UW provides front-line durability while LumiShield’s counter-attacks Stun enemies. Harman adds additional shields for both Victoria’s Energy Detection and Samantha’s Strangler. Kelly provides independent single-target assassination.
Beast
Multi-carry lineup with Samantha, Heytex, and Victoria. Crimson Predator’s offensive stats maximise damage output. Buri’s damage distribution handles survivability.
Primary tank. Link of Life distributes 50% of incoming damage with +24% DMG Mitigation. Frosty Coffin grants +15% crit rate and +30% crit DMG, compounding with Steel Claw’s per-round crit scaling. Extended fights maximise Samantha’s Strangler stacks.
Staunch Will shields all allies, feeding Samantha’s Hunter’s Instinct and Victoria’s Energy Detection. Alpha Bless provides round 1 shields and crit immunity. Chimera Anchor UW deals chip damage per shield event.
AOE carry. Buri’s extended fights let Strangler stacks and Steel Claw crit bonuses reach maximum. Flash Hunter UW starts with 4 layers. Frosty Coffin crit bonuses compound with Steel Claw’s per-round scaling for devastating AOE crits.
AOE carry. Marks 3 random enemies with Bullet Rain. Pinpoint Aim makes marked targets take +8% more damage. Buri’s damage distribution keeps him alive for sustained Pursue procs.
Shield-scaling carry. Buri’s damage distribution protects her. Harman’s shields feed Energy Detection and Combat Master stacks. Frosty Coffin crit bonuses turn Lightsword into frequent crits.
Buri’s Link of Life distributes 50% of incoming damage across all heroes, extending fights for Samantha’s Strangler stacks and Steel Claw crit scaling to accumulate maximum value. Frosty Coffin UW grants +15% crit rate and +30% crit DMG while Link of Life is active, compounding with Steel Claw’s per-round crit scaling for devastating Sweeping Slash crits. Harman layers shields feeding both Samantha’s Strangler and Victoria’s Energy Detection. Heytex provides AOE pressure and Pinpoint Aim damage amplification.
Synergies
Every shield event in the lineup feeds both Samantha’s Strangler stacks (via Hunter’s Instinct) and Victoria’s Lightsword burst (via Energy Detection). The same Harman shields that give Samantha +2% DMG per layer also give Victoria +5% DMG per Combat Master stack, creating dual-scaling from a single source.
Harman’s Staunch Will shields all allies every skill cast. Each shield >= 30% max HP triggers Samantha’s Hunter’s Instinct for a Strangler layer. In extended fights, Harman can generate multiple shields per round, rapidly accelerating Samantha’s Strangler accumulation beyond Steel Claw’s baseline 1-per-round generation.
Monica’s Sword & Shield 2-piece shields the lowest-HP teammate with 30% of their max HP while charging. This shield directly triggers Samantha’s Hunter’s Instinct for Strangler stacks. Monica’s LumiShield counter-attacks can Stun enemies that Samantha’s Sweeping Slash has softened, creating AOE pressure from both tank and carry simultaneously.
Tucker’s The Tucker Shield! gives all allies a shield equal to 25% max HP plus +20% ATK and +20% Speed for 2 rounds. The shield triggers Hunter’s Instinct for Strangler, the ATK buff amplifies Sweeping Slash WPN DMG, and the Speed buff lets Samantha act faster to use accumulated Strangler layers before enemies can react.
Roland’s Scarlet Authority UW grants +10% DMG and +10% healing/shield. Duke exclusive gear adds +4% DMG to all Watchers. These buffs compound with Samantha’s Predator’s Domain (+16% DMG with 5 Watchers) for massive faction-wide damage amplification.
Interactions with other heroes’ ultimate weapons.
The same shield events that feed Samantha’s Strangler via Hunter’s Instinct also feed Victoria’s Energy Detection for Lightsword burst. Thunder Blade’s +200 Focus lets Victoria fire early while Samantha’s Predator’s Domain amplifies Victoria’s damage. Both carries scale from the same shield sources without competing for resources.
Every teammate shield event triggers Chimera Anchor chip damage. In Samantha’s shield-heavy lineups, the high volume of shield generation means Chimera Anchor fires multiple times per round. Samantha’s Flash Hunter UW and Hunter’s Instinct both trigger on shield events, and each event also triggers Chimera Anchor for sustained chip damage.
Flash Hunter’s +6% WPN ATK per teammate shield (stacking 6, max +36%) compounds with Steel Claw’s per-round crit scaling and Hunter’s Instinct’s Strangler generation. In shield-heavy lineups, Samantha’s ATK can reach +36% WPN ATK bonus from Flash Hunter alone, on top of Strangler’s +20% DMG and Steel Claw’s 12% crit bonuses.
Ultimate weapons
- Ultimate Weapon’s Energy 6,700
- WPN ATK 25%
- STR 25%
- HP 80%
Unlocked
Each time a teammate gains a shield, she deals 2% more WPN ATK; up to 5 layers can be stacked.
★
Each time a teammate gains a shield, she deals 3% more WPN ATK; up to 5 layers can be stacked.
★★
Each time a teammate gains a shield, she deals 4% more WPN ATK; up to 5 layers can be stacked. At the beginning of the battle, gains 1 layers of the Strangler status.
★★★
Each time a teammate gains a shield, she deals 5% more WPN ATK; up to 5 layers can be stacked. At the beginning of the battle, gains 2 layers of the Strangler status.
★★★★
Each time a teammate gains a shield, she deals 6% more WPN ATK; up to 5 layers can be stacked. At the beginning of the battle, gains 3 layers of the Strangler status.
★★★★★
Each time a teammate gains a shield, she deals 6% more WPN ATK; up to 6 layers can be stacked. At the beginning of the battle, gains 4 layers of the Strangler status.
Counters
- Diesel (Hard Counter) — Diesel’s anti-shield mechanics prevent teammate shield generation, cutting off Samantha’s primary Strangler stacking source from Hunter’s Instinct. Flash Hunter UW’s +6% WPN ATK per shield stack also fails to accumulate. Without shields, Samantha relies solely on Steel Claw’s 1-per-round Strangler and her starting 4 layers.
- Burst damage lineups (Hard Counter) — Burst lineups that kill Samantha’s shield-generating teammates (Harman, Tucker) before they can cast shields starve her of Strangler stacks and Flash Hunter ATK bonuses. Without her shield-dependent ramp, Samantha’s Sweeping Slash deals mediocre base damage.
- Shield-heavy lineups (Hard Counter) — Samantha’s Predator’s Domain gives all Watchers +6% DMG baseline. Against shield-heavy enemy lineups, Samantha’s own Strangler stacking from Hunter’s Instinct reaches maximum quickly, and her Sweeping Slash AOE hits all enemies regardless of their shield status.
- Back-row DPS heroes (Soft Counter) — Blade & Raid detonates 5 Strangler layers for Sweeping Slash +50% WPN DMG specifically to the back row. Back-row DPS heroes without self-sustain take concentrated damage from both Sweeping Slash AOE and Blade & Raid’s targeted back-row burst.
Rating
S Tier. Samantha is an S-tier AOE carry from Season X8 onward. Her Strangler stacking mechanic is uniquely powerful in shield-heavy Watchers lineups — Hunter’s Instinct passively gains stacks from teammate shields, and Flash Hunter UW starts with 4 layers for immediate pressure. Predator’s Domain provides a faction-wide damage buff that scales with Watcher count, making her a team amplifier beyond her own damage. While her reliance on shield generation for Strangler stacking makes her vulnerable to anti-shield mechanics, her unmatched AOE scaling and faction-wide amplification earn S-tier status.
Videos
Official: Link
Skins
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Trivia
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