Hawkeye

Hawkeye – The World’s Greatest Marksman

Champion Breakdown

About Hawkeye

Character Class: Skill

Brief Overview: Clint Barton, also known as Hawkeye, is a master marksman and a valuable member of the Avengers. His prowess with the bow and arrow, coupled with his ability to transform nearly any projectile into an accurate weapon, makes him a versatile and formidable champion in Marvel Contest of Champions (MCoC). With strengths like Bleed and Power Control, and the new Perfect Release mechanic enhancing his utility, Hawkeye is a character that stands out in battles.

Hawkeye Origin: Originally created by Marvel Comics, Clint Barton first appeared as Hawkeye in "Tales of Suspense" #57 in 1964. Since then, he has become a key member of the Avengers, known for his exceptional archery skills and unwavering heroism.

Lore Background

Hawkeye History: Clint Barton’s journey began as a troubled youth who ran away from an orphanage to join the circus. Under the tutelage of a master swordsman and performer, Barton honed his skills to perfection. Later, inspired by Iron Man, he decided to turn his skills to heroism, eventually joining the Avengers and earning his place among super soldiers and gods.

Personality Traits: Hawkeye is known for his tenacity, bravery, and sense of humor. He’s a grounded and relatable hero who relies on skill and determination rather than superpowers. His strategic mindset and precision directly influence his fighting style in MCoC, focusing on critical hits and rapid debuffs.

Hawkeye's Gameplay Mechanics

Basic Abilities: Slow, Bleed, Suppression, Fragility

In Marvel Contest of Champions, Hawkeye’s basic attacks are precise and devastating, leveraging his archery skills to inflict various debuffs and control the flow of battle. His basic abilities make him a strategic powerhouse in the right hands.

Basic Attacks:

  • Light Attacks: Quick and precise, these attacks pause all Bleed debuffs on the opponent for 1 second, helping to maintain consistent damage over time.
  • Medium Attacks: Balanced and effective, these allow Hawkeye to keep up offensive pressure while managing his debuffs.
  • Heavy Attack: Causes a Slow Debuff on the opponent for 10 seconds, preventing them from evading attacks and reducing their combat effectiveness.

Passive and Active Basic Abilities:

  • Dialed In: During Special Attacks, press Block after the first hit to slow down time. A precise release grants a Perfect Release bonus, increasing the duration of debuffs by 10% (max 5 stacks).
  • Perfect Release: Enhances Hawkeye’s special attacks, making them guaranteed critical hits with additional effects.
  • Power Drain: Drains 75% of a bar of power from the opponent with Special 1.
  • Critical Bleed: Special 3's Bleeds leverage Hawkeye’s high Critical Rating to inflict long-lasting and potent damage.

Special Attacks:

  1. Special Attack 1 – E.M.P. Arrow:
    • Effect: 100% chance to inflict Power Drain, removing 75% of a bar of power. Perfect Release adds a Suppression Debuff, reducing the opponent’s Combat Power Rate by 50% for 8 seconds.
    • Strategy: Ideal for controlling the opponent's power and setting up for more powerful attacks.
  2. Special Attack 2 – Incendiary Arrow:
    • Effect: 100% chance to inflict a 25-second Fragility Debuff. Attacks on fragile opponents gain +964.29 Critical Damage Rating and reduce Block Proficiency by 50%. Perfect Release inflicts an additional Fragility Debuff.
    • Strategy: Great for amplifying damage over a prolonged period, especially useful against tanky opponents.
  3. Special Attack 3 – Explosive Barrage:
    • Effect: All Bleeds triggered during this attack gain up to +200% duration based on Hawkeye’s Critical Rating. Bleeds can be Critical Bleeds, multiplying the Bleed’s Potency by Hawkeye’s Critical Damage Multiplier.
    • Strategy: Maximizes damage output and can decimate opponents with high Critical Rating.

Signature Ability: Hemorrhage

  • Always Active: Landing a Critical Hit with an Arrow Shot will cause any personal Bleed Debuff triggered to become a Critical Bleed, multiplying the Bleed’s Potency by Hawkeye’s Critical Damage Multiplier. Each Bleed Debuff on the opponent reduces their Physical Resistance by 592.
  • Impact: Awakened ability significantly enhances Hawkeye’s Bleed damage potential, making him a lethal opponent in extended fights.

Strategy and Playstyle

General Strategy: Leverage Hawkeye’s Power Control and Bleed abilities to maintain offensive pressure and control the opponent’s power. Use Special Attack 1 to manage the opponent’s power levels and Special Attack 2 to amplify damage through Fragility Debuffs. Hawkeye’s Special 3 should be used strategically to inflict maximum Bleed damage.

Advanced Techniques:

  • Utilize the Perfect Release mechanic to enhance Special Attacks.
  • Maintain heavy offensive pressure to keep Bleed debuffs active and maximize damage output.
  • Pair with characters that enhance critical hit rates or extend debuff durations.

Mastery Tips

Skill Mastery:

  • Deep Wounds: Maximizes Bleed damage and extends the duration of Hawkeye’s Bleeds.
  • Precision: Important for maximizing the effectiveness of his Special 3’s Critical Bleeds.

Team Composition:

  • Hawkeye benefits from synergy bonuses that enhance his Bleed and critical hit potential.
  • Strong choices include characters who can control power, extend debuffs, or increase critical damage ratings.

Synergy Bonuses:

  1. Nerve Toxin Arrows:
    • With: Abomination, Immortal Abomination, Diablo, King Groot
    • Bonus: Arrow strikes pause all Slow Debuffs on the opponent for 6 seconds per level of Special Attack. Allies gain +7% Attack Rating.
  2. Adamantium Arrows:
    • With: M.O.D.O.K., Old Man Logan, Wolverine (X-23), Wolverine (Weapon X)
    • Bonus: Arrow Strikes remove all Rock Stacks & Rock Charges from the opponent. Allies gain +7% Attack Rating.
  3. S.H.I.E.L.D. Survival Gear:
    • With: Nick Fury, Black Widow, Black Widow (Deadly Origin), Quake
    • Bonus: Gain Immunity to Poison Debuffs from Non-Mutant Champions. Allies gain +7% Attack Rating.
  4. Friends:
    • With: Hulk, Iron Man, Moon Knight
    • Bonus: All Champions gain +130 Armor Rating.
  5. Romance:
    • With: Scarlet Witch (Classic)
    • Bonus: All Champions gain +5% Power Gain.

Countering Hawkeye

Counter Tactics: Look for champions with Bleed immunity or those who can capitalize on Hawkeye’s reliance on Bleed debuffs. Power Control champions can also disrupt Hawkeye’s ability to manage the fight tempo.

Hawkeye Counters:

  1. Colossus: Immune to Bleed, making Hawkeye’s primary damage source ineffective.
  2. Vision: Strong Power Control abilities that can neutralize Hawkeye’s attacks.
  3. Iron Man (Infinity War): Great at mitigating Bleed damage and countering Hawkeye’s offensive strategy with his innate armor and defensive abilities.

Conclusion

Final Thoughts: Hawkeye is a versatile and powerful champion in MCoC, with his Bleed and Power Control abilities making him a valuable addition to any roster. His Perfect Release mechanic adds depth and strategy to his gameplay, making him a rewarding character to master.

Encouragement to Experiment: Players are encouraged to explore various team compositions and mastery setups with Hawkeye to find optimal strategies. With his unique abilities and rich history, Hawkeye offers both fun and functionality for seasoned and new players alike.