Wow this champion screams Hydra - 2 hit A1 provoke each with 50% chance to land (75%) while counterattacking), an AOE Dec Speed, great defensive abilities in the A3. 

I could also see this champ being really solid in arena just purely being a damage soaker with the A3 - maybe even paired with like UDK or something no one could die ever. 

mm ... that's a very crowded space he occupies. The A1 is deceptively "bad" - remember that Decay is almost certainly not going to be attacking him. So, comparing him with Visix is probably the best analog. Visix has a guaranteed provoke, which is a massive advantage over this guy - even with the mastery, he's still only at 80% chance. Both Visix and he bring speed down, and both bring ally protect. Both self-shield themselves. 

The advantages he brings are - the team DEF up, and the team healing. The disadvantages are - ironically, the counterattack, which is just going to make him a liablity against Torment, and the lack of guaranteed provoke.

Personally I expect he'll occupy the dustbin. I don't see any reason to use him over the large number of alternatives.

I dunno, feels like an A1 provoke is much better than a "wasted" A3 on Visix that does nothing other than a Provoke (with a shield). Visix A1 is useless in Hydra. Also Visix's A3 shield scales with her HP, while she is a DEF champ...

This champ's A1 is a double hitter each with 50%, I know that doesn't "equal" 100%, but there are a lot of other champs that can support (Husk usually). 

I could see your point on Counterattack, but not if you're running Shamael in the team. 

Also this champ's passive is pretty solid, considering Visix has none. 

IMO this champ outshines Visix in every part of her kit. 

So, let me give you an analogy here. People use Bivald as their provoker, in relentless. I use Bivald as a provoker, in relentless. I'm running him at 270 speed. And I have *three* SPD up champs on my team. *And* I have Ukko on the team, in a provoke set, as lead for Sham to boost.

Without the A2, he'd have zero chance of keeping provoke active. And that's on Hard. On higher difficulties? Even less likely to work.

Remember that this guy needs to land a hit to get the provoke. That means he's going to be completely useless on weak-affinity, and he also will struggle when you happen to miss a poison cloud.

Conversely, I run Angar in Reflex on my Brutal team, and he is able to keep provoke active no problem.

Having a guaranteed placement move is really, really valuable. You really want to have your run that you just spent 45 minutes on, fail because your 80% provoke happened to miss?

since i managed to pull Bivald for the provokes also - gonna skip this time. Last fusion burned me out so i'm not mad lol.

Good hunting everyone who wants him!

Its a skip for me, although he isnt a bad champ. To be honest i dont mind as i havent picked up any sacreds and have several champs to build anyway.

I'm using Bivald in Relentless on my top team. I pair him with a Provoke set AoE champ that is turning over turns cnstantly and that's still not enough. With the number of turns a Hydra fight is, every single run you'll get a point where Bivald hits him several times and the provoke set champ even more and he just won't be provoked. Basically a run killer. And that's not even counting the random 3% resists on his A2 guaranteed provoke that also tanks runs or sets up the A1 provoke failure from above.

Reasonable Hydra utility champ for some, I think. 

Not personally excited about it, crowded space as kram said. So I'm iffy on bothering with Islin. 

Davey too fast, stole my job.

I like him as a solid Hydra utility option.  Will be very stat heavy but another good support in the back pocket is never bad IMO.

Those are dedicated provokers though, I don't think anyone should be trying to use this guy in that role.  I like him more for the survivability and decrease speed that just happens to have a provoke built into his kit.  He's far from the best support option you can have but on paper I like him better than Visix.  Of course will need to see stats and multipliers to find out if that's actually the case.

I mean, if this guy has stupid amounts of base defense that may change my mind but as of right now I would prefer to continue to prepare for the next one to ensure that I have everything I need to get it done. Don't get me wrong. This is a good champion but if it is between someone like this and a champion like Gnut, I am going to make sure I have everything I need for Gnut. 

Definitely a fair concern.  I'm deep enough in the game I can do every fusion without much issue but if you're not at that stage yet not a bad idea to be very selective on the ones you do and don't do.

Am surprised there's no warm up event for this.

Maybe time to farm some oil??? Hmmm? Oil Baron Skillz?

There is never a bad time to farm oil.  Though I will say SandMan Super Raids ruined it for me.

Give you one nice thing and you hate the normal things.

I am never taking you to Disneyland, you'll complain anytime you're anywhere else.

His main value to me would be FW.  I am at 20 3 star with several slots that are only 1 star.  I cant keep a full team alive.  I dont see the merit in doing a fusion to get one faction champ.  

Is he even useful to you as a protector in High Elves? That is normally one most people do okay with due to an easier FW boss and the fact most people have Arbiter for revives and such. (And that High Elves was one of the most populated factions early)

You never take me anywhere, even when I get all prettied up for you.

I keep bouncing back and forth on this champion.

Pros:

• Fragment champ - doesnt take as much effort to level the food for a traditional fusion
• Fragment champ - gets to stay in portal for later use Champ Chases
• Solid kit imo - good buffer, potential mischief tank, has decrease speed and an A1 provoke at the very least for backup. 
• His self shield scales with his DEF (unlike Visix whose is from HP)
• All around I think he's a better champ than Visix, who is already quality. 

Cons: 

• Doing a fusion - lol
• Moderate potential to be a vault warmer.