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Analysis by UmbraCorvus
Bantu - Tiki's Guardian

3-4

Obtainable as a 3 - 4 only

Hero Stats

Max Avg Total Stats at Lvl 40
168
HP 45
ATK 34
SPD 28
DEF 35
RES 26

Stat Variations

Level 1 Stat Variation
5★
4★
3★
HP ATK SPD DEF RES
Low 16 9 5 8 6
Middle 17 10 6 9 7
High 18 11 7 10 8

Level 40 Stat Variations
5★
4★
3★
HP ATK SPD DEF RES
Low 42 31 24 32 23
Middle 45 34 28 35 26
High 48 37 31 38 30

IV Sets

Key stats worth increasing through nature if possible.
Complementary stats that matter, but not to the point of picking them over key stats for nature increase.
Relatively worthless stat that can safely be decreased through nature.
HPATKSPDDEFRES

Assets

  • +ATK: More Attack will always be useful in aiding Bantu’s matchups, and is often the safest pick for an Asset to take.

  • +SPD: Bantu’s Speed is naturally below average, sitting at a base 28. A Speed Asset will push Bantu’s Speed to a middling 31, which when invested in can allow Bantu to avoid natural follow-up attacks or even secure his own against slower opponents.

  • +DEF/+RES: A Defense Asset or a Resistance Asset will improve Bantu’s durability, which can be further built upon by skills and a refined weapon. Bantu sports a Resistance Super Asset which makes it quite enticing if one is looking to give Bantu mixed bulk, while a Defense Asset will improve Bantu’s already solid physical bulk.

Flaws

  • -HP: With Bantu desiring that many of his stats stay intact, an HP Flaw ends up being the lesser of evils. Bantu will gain HP from a refined weapon which will bring his HP back up to reasonably strong levels after an HP Flaw is taken.

Skill Sets

Ban-Banking on Success (Bonus Doubler Distant Counter)

Build by
Recommended
Lightning Breath+ (+Spd)
Alternate: Lightning Breath+ (+Def)
A Bonus Doubler 3
Reposition B Null C-Disrupt 3
Alternate: Vantage 3
Sol
Alternate: Bonfire
C Atk Smoke 3
Alternate: Pulse Smoke 3
IVsSQuick Riposte 3
Alternate: Fierce Stance 3

Show Explanation/Analysis

Preferred IV: +SPD or +ATK / -HP

  • A Speed Asset is recommended to push Bantu’s below average Speed stat into a middling one, allowing for more natural follow-ups when combined with the bonuses granted from Speed stacking. An Attack Asset can also be taken and is particularly useful if running Vantage as the B Passive. An HP Flaw is ideal as Bantu would not want to drop his other stats.

Weapon: Lightning Breath (+Spd) / Lightning Breath (+Def) / Lightning Breath (+Res) / Lightning Breath (+Atk)

  • Lightning Breath provides an immediate access to Distant Counter, freeing up the A Passive. A Speed refined Lightning Breath is recommended for general use as Bantu’s natural Speed needs all the help it can get.

  • A Defense or Resistance refined Lightning Breath may also prove useful, as it can increase Bantu’s bulk stats further.

  • An Attack refined Lightning Breath is an option that works especially well when running Vantage in the B Passive.

Assist: Reposition / Player Preference

  • Reposition will prove useful in an assortment of different scenarios as far as Assist skills go, but it can be easily replaced by another Assist skill that the user may desire.

Special: Sol / Bonfire

  • As Bantu will already be capable of outputting strong damage from the benefits of Bonus Doubler, Sol can be a promising choice of Special as it can give Bantu a means of sustaining himself with a decent level of frequency.

  • Bonfire can take advantage of Bantu’s high natural Defense, allowing for an occasional heavy hitting strike.

Passive A: Bonus Doubler

  • Bonus Doubler is the core of this build, as it will enable Bantu’s well rounded stats to be pushed even further once he has access to displayed buffs. Thanks to having innate Distant Counter through Lightning Breath, Bantu will be able to make use of these stat increases all while being able to counter attack ranged units. Be wary for the Panic status or instances where displayed buffs are ignored, as they will shut Bonus Doubler down.

Passive B: Null C-Disrupt / Vantage / Lull Atk/Spd / Null Follow-Up

  • Null C-Disrupt will give Bantu the ability to counter attack against foes he would normally not be able to, such as Watersweep users, Firesweep weapon users, or Dazzling Staff users.

  • Vantage will allow Bantu to counter attack before the opponent has a chance to hit him once he has dropped to 75% HP or less. The high Attack ceiling thanks to the bonuses from Bonus Doubler can allow for Bantu to deliver a powerful single strike which can be further amplified by an Attack Asset and Attack refined Lightning Breath.

  • Lull Atk/Spd allows Bantu to ignore the displayed Attack and Speed buffs that his opponent may be using, as well as inflict -3 Attack/Speed to his opponent during combat which aids his tanking capability.

  • Null Follow-Up is a strong B Passive option that disables the foe's skills that automatically grant them follow-up attacks, as well as skills that would prevent them. This will give Bantu a fighting chance against skills such as Bold Fighter or Wary Fighter, as well as a plethora of unique weapons. At this point, follow-up attack determining will depend solely on the Speed stat comparison.

Passive C: Atk Smoke / Pulse Smoke / Res Smoke / Rouse Atk/Def / Atk/Res Oath / Even Atk Wave / Player Preference

  • Atk Smoke will inflict -7 Attack after combat on the enemies that were near Bantu’s target after combat, which can help Bantu survive situations that seem troublesome.

  • Pulse Smoke shows promise as slowing down Special cooldowns can be crucial to surviving otherwise deadly Special activations.

  • Res Smoke inflicts -7 Resistance after combat, which can be very potent if trying to maximize damage output such as when running Vantage.

  • Rouse Atk/Def provides Bantu with 6 Attack/Defense at the start of a turn if he is not adjacent to an ally. While this can make Bantu harder to support with additional displayed buffs outside of skills that do not require start of turn adjacency such as Tactics, it will help Bantu become self sufficient.

  • Atk/Res Oath provides 5 Attack/Resistance if Bantu starts his turn next to an ally, which he can then abuse with Bonus Doubler. Be wary of effects such as Sudden Panic or Aversa’s Night as if Bantu’s HP is lower than the users, his Oath skill can easily be reversed.

  • Even Atk Wave is an accessible skill that provides 6 Attack every even turn, regardless of whether Bantu is adjacent or away from an ally at the start of a turn.

Sacred Seal: Quick Riposte / Fierce Stance / Even Def Wave / Even Res Wave

  • The Quick Riposte Sacred Seal proves to be a useful insurance policy if Bantu’s Speed cannot reach a point where he can naturally secure follow-up attacks, particularly useful when dealing with extremely fast foes.

  • The Fierce Stance Sacred Seal gives Bantu 6 Attack on the Enemy Phase, which is very useful when running Vantage.

  • The Even Def Wave and Even Res Wave Sacred Seals give Bantu a Defense or Resistance buff every even turn, which can help Bantu become more self sufficient in regards to buffing himself to abuse Bonus Doubler.

Ban-Ban goes Bam-Bam! (Dark Breath Duelist)

Build by
Dark Breath+ (+Spd) A Fury (3 or 4)
Alternate: Distant Counter
Reposition B Wrath 3
Alternate: Windsweep 3
Moonbow
Alternate: Bonfire
C Savage Blow 3
Alternate: Time's Pulse 3
IVsSSpeed +3
Alternate: Phantom Spd 3

Show Explanation/Analysis

Preferred IV: +SPD or +ATK / -HP

  • A Speed Asset is recommended to push Bantu’s Speed stat to a reasonable enough level to potentially secure his follow-up attacks and deny his opponents from landing them, though any Asset will also work in theory even if not as ideal. An HP Flaw is taken as Bantu would rather not drop any of his other stats in comparison.

Weapon: Dark Breath (+Spd)

  • Bantu comes with Dark Breath by default, making it a useful budget weapon of choice while also providing some potent effects. Inflicting Attack and Speed debuffs on Bantu’s opponent as well as the ones near his target after combat, this weakening capability can be capitalized on either by Bantu himself or his allies. A Speed refine is taken to push Bantu’s Speed further.

Assist: Reposition / Player Preference

Special: Moonbow / Bonfire

  • Moonbow activates frequently thanks to its low cooldown, making it a useful choice of Special to maximize Special uptime.

  • Bonfire is active less often by comparison due to the 3 charge cooldown, but it gives Bantu a chance to abuse his high natural Defense to deliver a strong strike.

Passive A: Fury (3 or 4) / Distant Counter

  • Fury boosts all of Bantu’s stats, and allows him to be a reasonable all rounder provided his Speed stat has been pushed higher than normal.

  • Distant Counter allows Bantu to abuse his debuffs that he applies even against ranged opponents in the Enemy Phase.

Passive B: Wrath / Windsweep / Swordbreaker / Vantage

  • Wrath is not only a potent Special that gives Bantu 10 true damage on his Special activation once he has reached 75% HP or less, but it also charges Bantu’s Special at the start of a turn once he has reached his HP activation range. With the release of Astram, Wrath will be quite accessible for Bantu to obtain.

  • Windsweep is an interesting option for a B Passive that can give Bantu the chance to safely setup his debuffs from Dark Breath if he attacks a physical attacker that he outspeeds. It is recommended to use the Phantom Spd Sacred Seal if running Windsweep in order to maximize what he can activate Windsweep against.

  • Most of the time Bantu will struggle against sword users as they tend to be some of the fastest units in the game. As such, Swordbreaker can give Bantu a fighting chance against these units as he can deny their follow-up attack while securing his own.

  • Vantage is a reasonable budget skill that will let Bantu counter attack before his opponent can strike in the Enemy Phase once he has met the HP activation requirement.

Passive C: Savage Blow / Time’s Pulse / Player Preference

  • Savage Blow is Bantu’s default C Passive and inflicts 7 chip damage on opponents near who he initiates combat against. This pairs nicely with Dark Breath as the opponents will not only be hit by the chip damage, but also an Attack/Speed debuff.

  • Time’s Pulse can aid in Bantu’s Special uptime, and has immense synergy with Wrath. Once Wrath’s HP condition has been met, Bantu can charge his Special by 2 at the start of a turn if his Special did not have any cooldown charges prior. This can result in Bantu being able to fully charge a Wrath Moonbow and use it immediately on initiation.

Sacred Seal: Speed +3 / Atk/Spd 2 / Phantom Spd

  • The Speed +3 Sacred Seal grants Bantu 3 Speed in both the Player and Enemy Phase, which is important to his overall performance.

  • The Atk/Spd 2 Sacred Seal provides Bantu with a bit less Speed than the Speed +3 Sacred Seal in exchange for some extra Attack.

  • The Phantom Speed Sacred Seal is an option if Bantu is running Windsweep in his B Passive, otherwise this Sacred Seal should not be considered.

Ban-Ban the Guardian (Defensive Breath Tank)

Build by
Water Breath+ (+Def)
Alternate: Lightning Breath+ (+Def)
A Warding Breath
Alternate: Steady Breath
Reposition B Quick Riposte 3
Alternate: Guard 3
Ignis
Alternate: Aether
C Atk Smoke 3
IVsSClose Def 3
Alternate: Distant Def 3

Show Explanation/Analysis

Preferred IV: +ATK or +DEF or +RES / -SPD or -HP

  • An Attack Asset can be run to maximize Bantu’s counter attack damage, while a Defense or Resistance Asset can be taken to increase Bantu’s durability. In addition to an HP Flaw, a Speed Flaw can be considered due to the fact that Bantu will not be attempting to patch up his Speed for this build.

Weapon: Water Breath (+Def) / Water Breath (+Res) / Lightning Breath (+Def) / Lightning Breath (+Res)

  • A Defense or Resistance refined Water Breath will grant Bantu 4 Defense/Resistance during the Enemy Phase, pushing his defensive stats even further.

  • Lightning Breath can also be used if Distant Counter is desired on Bantu, though it will grant less of an increase to Bantu’s bulk compared to Water Breath as well as inflict a +1 Special cooldown penalty.

Assist: Reposition / Player Preference

Special: Ignis / Glacies / Aether

  • Ignis and Glacies are powerful specials that scale off Bantu’s Defense or Resistance, and are easily utilized in conjunction with Breath skills. Which should be taken depends on which of Bantu’s Defense or Resistance ends up being the higher value.

  • Aether will allow Bantu to sustain himself while also being able to bypass some of his opponent’s Resistance when it activates.

Passive A: Warding Breath / Steady Breath / Fierce Breath

  • Warding Breath or Steady Breath increases Bantu’s Resistance or Defense by 4, alongside granting Bantu a cooldown bonus during the Enemy Phase which allows him to use higher cooldown Specials with relative ease.

  • Fierce Breath gives Bantu 4 Attack rather than increase his defenses further. This will help not only Bantu’s Special activations, but also his damage on his normal attacks. As Legendary Young Tiki possesses Fierce Breath, Bantu may have to destroy that which he swore to protect should he choose this A Passive.

Passive B: Quick Riposte / Guard / Null C-Disrupt

  • Quick Riposte will give Bantu a means of securing follow-up attacks in the Enemy Phase, and is crucial to run as Bantu is not investing in his Speed.

  • Guard can deny opponent’s Special cooldowns so long as Bantu remains within the HP activation range.

  • Null C-Disrupt will allow Bantu to counter attack against opponents he would normally not be able to, but this B Passive should really only be considered if running Lightning Breath so that he can counter attack Firesweep Bow and Dazzling Staff users as well.

Passive C: Atk Smoke / Player Preference

  • Atk Smoke is a useful Skill for those expected to Enemy Phase often, as it can help Bantu potentially survive multiple instances of combat in the Enemy Phase.

Sacred Seal: Close Def / Distant Def / Quick Riposte

  • The Close Def Sacred Seal will provide Bantu with 6 Defense/Resistance during combat if the opponent attacks him at close range, perfect for a close range tank when running Water Breath.

  • The Distant Def Sacred Seal grants 6 Defense/Resistance during combat if the opponent attacks from a distance, which should be considered only if running Lightning Breath.

  • The Quick Riposte Sacred Seal is mandatory if Bantu is running a B Passive that is not Quick Riposte, otherwise he will struggle immensely with securing his follow-up attacks.

Introduction

Being added straight into the three and four star summoning pools, the elderly fire dragon, that keeps a watchful eye over Naga’s daughter Tiki, arrives as an accessible red dragon for Summoners to keep an eye out for. Bantu may not be anything very spectacular to the common Summoner over previously accessible red dragons such as Adult Tiki or Garon, but this old dragon can prove that sometimes the most simple of beings can be quite efficient.

Bantu’s stats look to be promising from the start because he mirrors a popular dragon that has been around since the launch date, that being the blue dragon Nowi. Sharing Nowi’s HP of 45 and Attack of 34, and then taking one point away from Nowi’s Resistance and plugging it into Bantu’s Speed so that he reaches 28 Speed and 26 Resistance makes Bantu nearly a carbon copy of the youthful blue dragon. Outside of the slight redistribution, Bantu also has a few more base stats, sporting 35 Defense compared to Nowi’s base 30 Defense. This statline effectively means that any build that Nowi was able to run prior, Bantu will also be able to accomplish albeit being a red dragon rather than a blue dragon. Whether it be Lightning Breath sets or something more of a gimmick such as through his default Dark Breath, Bantu is surprisingly versatile enough and can easily carry himself to victory.

If Bantu seems interesting based on his statline, he will definitely prove to be a useful addition to a Summoner’s barracks. Unfortunately, Bantu’s statline is the only trait that he has going for him. Bantu lacks any form of unique weapon, which can put the old dragon out of the job, as any other dragon will likely be able to pull off any build he could try to run. Even if Bantu utilizes builds with inheritable dragon breath weapons well, it can be difficult to recommend him over another red dragon such as Adult Tiki who can run these builds alongside having her Breath of Fog to fall back on.

Bantu may suffer great competition in his red dragon duties, but this gentle hearted fire dragon is not quite ready to let his younger dragons get the best of him. Bantu still possesses strong enough qualities to warrant investing in should Summoners desire an additional red dragon or if they have yet to invest in the other accessible ones. With years of experience by his side alongside a burning passion to protect his adoptive daughter from harm, Bantu can scorch his opponents to the ground all while having enough time to pickle some vegetables for Tiki.

Strengths

Strong Statline

Bantu’s physical and magical bulk stats are strong, sitting at 80 physical and 71 magical bulk respectively. Bantu also sports a reasonable Attack stat of 34 alongside a surprisingly middling Speed stat of 28. Bantu’s Speed being at such a middling value is at the point where users can choose to push Bantu’s Speed to usable defensive values, or dump it entirely depending on what they are aiming for. Keen observers will note that Bantu’s statline is almost identical to Nowi, a popular blue dragon that has been held in high regard for a long time.

Dragon

Bantu’s status as a dragon allows him to not only take advantage of adaptive damage against ranged units that do not have a means of negating adaptive damage such as through Mystic Boost, but it also gives him access to potent dragon breath weapons such as Lightning Breath for an easy way to utilize Distant Counter.

Weaknesses

Weak to Dragon Effectiveness

While Bantu may sport strong defensive capability, dragon effectiveness weapons such as Falchion, or the dragon effectiveness buff that can be bestowed through a skill such as Divine Fang can put Bantu in early retirement. Bantu users must take great care to avoid running into dedicated dragonslayers.

Competition is Fierce

Unlike many of Bantu’s fellow red dragons, Bantu lacks a unique weapon of his own forcing him to have his statline be his major selling point. While his statline is certainly strong in its own regard, units such as Adult Tiki with her Breath of Fog or Garon with his Breath of Blight can make Bantu look less interesting in comparison.

Weapon Skills

Weapons SP Rng. Mt.
Fire Breath
Learns by default at 1 ★
Unlocks at 1 ★
Only inheritable by Dragon units.
50 1 6
Fire Breath+
Learns by default at 3 ★
Unlocks at 2 ★
Only inheritable by Dragon units.
100 1 8
Dark Breath

After this unit attacks, foes within 2 spaces of target suffer Atk/Spd-5 through their next actions.

Learns by default at 4 ★
Unlocks at 3 ★
Only inheritable by Dragon units.
200 1 9
Dark Breath+

After this unit attacks, foes within 2 spaces of target suffer Atk/Spd-5 through their next actions.

Learns by default at 5 ★
Unlocks at 5 ★
Only inheritable by Dragon units.
300 1 13
Wizened Breath

At start of combat, if unit's HP ≥ 25%, grants Atk/Spd/Def/Res+4 to unit during combat, and also, if no effect neutralizes penalties to foe's Atk/Spd/Def/Res, inflicts penalty on each of those stats during combat = 6 - current penalty on each of those stats (min: 0; calculates each stat penalty independently).

If unit's HP ≥ 25% at start of combat, inflicts Atk/Spd/Def/Res-6 on foe through its next action after combat. If foe's Range = 2, calculates damage using the lower of foe's Def or Res.

Unlocks at 5 ★
Non-Inheritable skill.
400 1 16
Weapon Evolution
Weapon Upgrades
Weapon Upgrades

Special Skills

Special Skills SP Turns
Dragon Gaze

Boosts damage by 30% of unit's Atk.

Learns by default at 4 ★
Unlocks at 3 ★
Non-inheritable by Staff-wielding units.
100 4
Dragon Fang

Boosts damage by 50% of unit's Atk.

Unlocks at 4 ★
Non-inheritable by Staff-wielding units.
200 4

Passive Skills

Passive Skills SP Slot
Fierce Stance 1

If foe initiates combat, grants Atk+2 during combat.

Non-inheritable by Staff-wielding units.
Unlocks at 1 ★
50
A
Fierce Stance 2

If foe initiates combat, grants Atk+4 during combat.

Non-inheritable by Staff-wielding units.
Unlocks at 2 ★
100
A
Fierce Stance 3

If foe initiates combat, grants Atk+6 during combat.

Non-inheritable by Staff-wielding units.
Unlocks at 4 ★
200
A
Savage Blow 1

If unit initiates combat, deals 3 damage to foes within 2 spaces of target after combat.

Inheritable by all units.
Unlocks at 3 ★
50
C
Savage Blow 2

If unit initiates combat, deals 5 damage to foes within 2 spaces of target after combat.

Inheritable by all units.
Unlocks at 4 ★
100
C
Savage Blow 3

If unit initiates combat, deals 7 damage to foes within 2 spaces of target after combat.

Inheritable by all units.
Unlocks at 5 ★
200
C

Other Info

Origin
Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem
Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem

Banners Featured In

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