Mordecai

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

Mordecai’s job is to support his allies. While at times he may be required to enter combat, he’ll typically be in the back Smiting his buffed up allies into the frontlines. +DEF increases his physical bulk and Bonfire damage. +HP allows him to trigger Infantry Pulse on his allies more reliably. He should steer clear of dragons and mages, making -RES the ideal choice for a Flaw.

Weapon: Sabertooth Fang

• Mordecai’s personal weapon and the only weapon available to him. The supportive function of this weapon sets him apart from other blue infantry units.

• It’s worth noting that the debuffing effect of Sabertooth Fang triggers after the movement is applied from Assist skills. For example, the effect will trigger in 2 spaces around a Smited ally (and also Mordecai) after they have been moves by the Assist skill.

Assist: Smite / Shove / Pivot / Swap

• His default Assist is likely his best. Mordecai can safely Smite his allies into enemy territory, debuffing foes within 2 spaces around both the Smited unit and Mordecai himself.

• Skills such as Pivot and Swap that allow Mordecai to place himself into a tanking position amongst enemies also work well.

Special: Ignis / Aether / Bonfire

• Ignis and Aether supplement physical tanking builds, especially with A Skills like Steady Breath or Steady Stance 4. Choose Ignis for more power or Aether for better sustain.

• When not running skills that accelerate Special cooldown, Bonfire is likely Mordecai’s best bet thanks to its 3-turn charge. His sky-high Defense and solid Attack allows him to get the most out of a defensive-based special.

Passive A: Steady Breath / Steady Stance 4 / Bonus Doubler

• Steady Breath’s special cooldown charge is too good to pass up - especially for slow units that are likely to be doubled. Tanks that welcome doubles and retaliate with Quick Riposte guarantee an Aether charge.

• Steady Stance 4 works reliably by preventing the opponent’s special charge. It also provides twice as much defensive bulk as Steady Breath. For those running Bonfire, Steady Stance is the way to go.

• Bonus Doubler synergizes great with Link skills and a supportive C slot like Joint Hone Spd. The downside - it’s extremely expensive to pull off, requiring rare fodder in most of Mordecai’s skill slots. For this reason, it’s not recommended.

Passive B:  Def/Res Link / Atk/Spd Link / Atk/Def Link

• The idea of Link skills with Mordecai is simple. Smite, Shove, or Reposition your allies into enemy range, triggering the Link skill on Mordecai and his targeted ally. Simultaneously, Sabertooth Fang debuffs all foes within 2 spaces of both the targeted ally and Mordecai.

• Link spells synergize extremely well with Hone and Fortify Beast. If possible, look for either Def/Res Link or Atk/Spd Link and run the complementary C slot skill.

• When using Mordecai as a blue wall instead of a support unit, tried and true B skills like Quick Riposte or Guard work best.

Passive C: Hone/Fortify Beasts / Joint Hone Spd / Infantry Pulse / Flexible

• Fortify and Hone Beasts are incredibly powerful buffing abilities and should be considered when running Mordecai on beast teams. With Def/Res Link and Hone Beasts, Mordecai can fully buff an ally before sending them in to debuffed enemy teams. This is a powerful combination, especially with supertanks like Caineghis or Galeforce sweepers like Tibarn.

• Joint Hone Spd functions similarly to the Hone/Fortify skills. The goal here is for Mordecai to buff himself and his allies with Joint Hone Spd and his B slot Link skill, while at the same time debuffing foes. Tactics skills also work well here should Mordecai find himself amongst beorc, where he can also run a Tactics Sacred Seal giving him the ability to fully buff teams.

• Mordecai’s solid HP stat allows him to work on Infantry Pulse teams. He can lower the specials of allies such as Ophelia or Lilina while using Smite to safely get them into range for an easy kill on debuffed enemies.

• Like Infantry Pulse, his solid HP stat allows him to work as a good user of Panic Ploy. HP Assets boost his HP up even further, where few units are able to resist a Panic from Mordecai.

Sacred Seal: Quick Riposte / Def/Res Tactic / Atk/Def Bond / Close Def / Flexible

• Mordecai is extremely flexible when it comes to Sacred Seal selection. The battle-tested Quick Riposte can work for almost any build, allowing Mordecai to retaliate with doubles should he find the need to face combat.

• Like Hone/Fortify Beast skills, Tactics skills also synergize with Link skills and Sabertooth Fang. Should Mordecai find himself on mixed teams, running Def Tactic in the C slot and Res Tactic Sacred Seal (or vice versa) along with Atk/Spd Link allow him to fully buff his allies before triggering Sabretooth Fang.

• Other typical defensive oriented Seals work for Mordecai. Bond Seals work well with Link Skills and Sabertooth Fang, especially after Swaps and Repositions.

Preferred IV: +ATK or +DEF/ -SPD

This build turns Mordecai into a battering ram. After triggering Sabertooth Fang and debuffing his foes, Mordecai gains a significant stat advantage over the battlefield. With an additional +4 to all stats, Mordecai can pull off some out of the box builds, such as Speed-focused Galeforce sets with Heavy Blade or full force bulldozer mode builds. +ATK or +DEF is ideal with this set, transforming Mordecai into an offensive brawler, though a +SPD Galeforce set has its merits.

Weapon: Sabertooth Fang

• After being Smited or Shoved in, Mordecai debuffs all enemies within 2 spaces of wherever he lands. He’ll tower over his weakened enemies with his sky high Defense and beast transformation bonus of +10 Special damage.

Assist: Reposition / Flexible

• This build uses Mordecai offensively, and as such Swap or Pivot would typically place him into a defensive position. Reposition is used for flexibility, though anything that works with his team fits here.

• Sabertooth Fang will trigger from Mordecai’s allies with this build. Firing it himself wastes his offensive turn, but he can still utilize it on allies should he be at a color disadvantage.

Special: Bonfire / Ignis

• The power of Mordecai’s Bonfire is unmatched. With his very high Defense, Sturdy Impact, and Brazen Atk/Def, Mordecai’s Defense will reach incredible heights. Topped off with Sabertooth Fang’s Wo Dao effect, and he should handle almost any foe.

• Ignis can also be used with Heavy Blade sets, even further pushing the bonuses gained from Mordecai’s Defense.

• With the +10 damage effect and debuffs from Sabertooth Fang, Mordecai can take down even the bulkiest greens. He’ll even be able to dent foes like Surtr or Fallen Robin (M).

Passive A: Sturdy Impact / Brazen Atk/Def

• Sturdy Impact grants Mordecai even more Attack and Defense while preventing followups from his foes. Not only does this boost his damage, but also the damage caused by Bonfire or Ignis.

• Brazen Atk/Def is also a viable option here, especially considering the luxury of Sturdy Impact. It provides a similar bonus, as foes’ counter attacks may do little to no damage at all.

Passive B:  Brash Assault / Wrath

• As Mordecai has no need for Chills or other debuff skills, Brash Assault synergizes well with both Sturdy Impact and Brazen skills, guaranteeing him doubles should he fall below 50%. Mordecai can handle almost any opponent by doubling them after Sabertooth Fang’s debuff.

• Wrath can also be used for special-centric builds, adding 10 more damage on top of Sabertooth Fang.

Passive C: Even/Odd Atk Wave / Panic Ploy / Join Hone Spd

• An Attack Wave of choice can be used to boost up Mordecai’s Attack should he be unable to be buffed from his allies.

• Panic Ploy can be used to further punish his enemies after a Sabertooth Fang debuff, setting Mordecai up for an even more brutal Player Phase.

• Galeforce builds can utilize Speed buffs such as Joint Hone Spd, further increasing Mordecai’s Speed stat.

Sacred Seal: Brazen Atk/Def / Heavy Blade / Brash Assault

• Brazen Atk/Def pushes Mordecai’s Attack and Defense stats higher with intimidating power.

• Heavy Blade also synergizes well with Brash Assault, Wrath, and Sturdy Impact, though with such high Attack against debuffed foes, Mordecai will likely not require special damage to get the job done.

• Brash Assault seal can also be run with B slots like Desperation or Guard as Mordecai’s stats are already incredibly high. These are solid budget options that work well with Brazen builds.