
Dark Phoenix
CosmicA tier
Introduction
Dark Phoenix is a character in Marvel Contest of Champions. Dark Phoenix's role is Cosmic.
On our Marvel Contest of Champions tier list Dark Phoenix is A tier, 101st of the 297 characters ranked, from where 3 current tier lists put Dark Phoenix.
Is Dark Phoenix good?
When Dark Phoenix's buffs fail to trigger, they turn into stronger passives instead of just fizzling, and Safeguard caps incoming and blocked damage as a constant defensive layer. Nova Flame gives her a rare, steady damage-over-time threat, and her Heavy Attack Pulverize strips Armor Up, made stronger by one of her synergies.
She has a lot of counters though: Atrophy cuts her buff durations, Poison shortens
Nova Flame, Buff Immunity shuts off her defenses, and Fateseal removes buffs before they can re-trigger. B tier reflects a kit with real upside that a lot of common tools can dismantle.
Strengths
- Failed buffs re-trigger as stronger passives
- Safeguard caps incoming or blocked damage
- Nova Flame is a steady damage-over-time threat
- Pulverize Heavy Attack strips Armor Up
Weaknesses
- Atrophy cuts her buff durations
- Poison shortens
Nova Flame - Buff Immunity shuts down her defenses
- Fateseal removes buffs before they re-trigger
Profile
Dark Phoenix's full name is Jean Grey.
Background
After the "death" of her beloved Scott Summers, Jean Grey's will had been utterly broken, leaving her psyche little chance to control the ever growing Phoenix inside her.
Upon allowing human emotions to cloud its judgment, the Phoenix became the Dark Phoenix, allowing evil intent to influence decisions.
It's in this state that Phoenix is at her strongest, but unable to control the unquenchable thirst for power and destruction.
Stats
- HP138,724
- ATK11,244
- DEF486
- CRIT Rating1,236
- CRIT DMG Rating1,481
- Rating33,740
At max level. Each bar is measured against the highest value in the Marvel Contest of Champions roster.
Skills
10Passive (Immunities, Accuracy Floor, Buff Re-trigger)
PassiveDark Phoenix's phenomenal cosmic power grants her Immunity to Incinerate, Nova Flame, and Power Drain. Dark Phoenix's Ability and Combat Power Rates cannot be reduced by more than 50%. If any of Dark Phoenix's personal Buffs fail due to Ability Accuracy reduction or are removed due to Stagger or Nullify, they re-trigger as a Passive. Dev Notes: The power of Dark Phoenix allows her strong defensive capabilities and Immunities, also providing her personal effects the strength to persist.
A Phoenix's Flame - Ember Charges
PassiveEmber Charges are indefinite and increase the potency of Dark Phoenix's Nova Flame by 20% per Charge. +1 Charge when landing a second Medium Attack or when Dark Phoenix's Safeguard prevents damage. -1 Charge when Dark Phoenix is knocked down by a Special Attack. +5 Ember Charges at the start of each fight as a Defender. Dev Notes: Ember Charges are charges unique to Dark Phoenix that increase her Nova Flame damage potency per Charge gained. Certain gameplay effects trigger at specific thresholds of Ember Charges, so collecting these continuously over the course of the fight is a must.
Life-Force Control - Safeguard
PassiveAt the start of each fight, Dark Phoenix gains a 5% Safeguard Buff for 10.5 seconds. The damage threshold of this effect is 20% lower when Phoenix has Class Advantage, 40% higher when she has Class Disadvantage, and its potency cannot be otherwise modified. This Safeguard is removed when the Opponent activates a Special Attack 3, and, as an Attacker, after reducing damage. This Buff re-activates every 10 seconds. At 5+ Ember Charges, Safeguard also reduces the potency of incoming Damaging effects and Power Stings from Champions by 75%. Dev Notes: Safeguard provides a consistent stall threat in her kit by damage capping incoming hits. This can be removed to allow for down time, creating damage windows for the Opponent. If not done properly though, with this effect constantly re-triggering, it will practically always be active. When Dark Phoenix ramps up this starts protecting from Damaging effects and Power Stings as well.
A Phoenix Rising - Nova Flame
PassiveUpon reaching 10+ Ember Charges for the first time each fight, Dark Phoenix gains a Phoenix Rising Charge. This Charge is consumed when Dark Phoenix would be Knocked Out, granting an Immortality Buff for 12 seconds. Upon consumption, the Opponent is inflicted with a 11244 Nova Flame Passive for 20 seconds, reducing Block Proficiency by 60%. As a Defender this scales with Base Attack only. If suffering from Poison when activated, the duration is reduced by 20% per Poison. Max reduction from Poison inflicted by non-Mystics: 40%. Dark Phoenix Passively Regenerates Health equal to 100% of the Energy Damage caused while Immortal. Dev Notes: Dark Phoenix is looking to ramp up all fight to gain her ultimate charge, the Phoenix Rising Charge. This grants Immortality when she would be Knocked Out, providing a second chance to be Reborn, consumed upon doing so. When Immortality is triggered, Opponents are inflicted with her personal Nova Flame, and she passively Regenerates the Energy Damage she inflicts upon her Opponent while Immortal.
At tier 7
Heavy Attack (Pulverize)
PassivePulverize 2 Armor Up effect if any are active, dealing a burst of 2811 Direct Damage per Armor Up removed. Removing an Armor Up this way grants 1 Ember Charge. Dev Notes: The Pulverize on Heavy allows for Dark Phoenix to go after decent Armor Up ramping Tech Champions and benefit with some additional damage and another avenue for ramping her Ember Charges faster.
At tier 7
Ease into Darkness
Signature AbilityAs a Defender, gain a Phoenix Rising Charge at 5+ Ember Charges. At the start of each fight, lower the Health threshold on Safeguard by 10 - 60.02%. While Immortal, Special Attacks are Passively Unblockable. Dev Notes: Dark Phoenix’s Signature Ability really empowers her Safeguard effect, making her way more of a stall threat and damage resistant Champion. The first point starts her off well ahead as a Defender and the final point allows for a well-timed strike when really needed.
Special Attacks (general Nova Flame channel)
PassiveUpon finishing her Special Attacks, Dark Phoenix continues siphoning energy from the Phoenix Force over 3 seconds. Upon expiry, she inflicts the Opponent with her personal Nova Flame. Striking her during this time disrupts her channeling, reducing the duration of this Nova Flame by 13% per hit. Dev Notes: One of the ways to answer Dark Phoenix’s Nova Flame is to strike her after she finishes a Special Attack. During a brief window here, the player can register hits to reduce the duration of the impending Nova Flame caused after each Special Attack. This makes countering the effects of her Special Attacks even more important, as to allow you to get strikes in on time.
Special 1 - Concussive Blast
Special AttackStrikes the Opponent with a focused blast. On activation, gain an Unstoppable Buff for 5 seconds. As an Attacker, the duration is decreased by 5% per Ember Charge, excluding permanent ones. On activation, gain 3 Ember Charges. Then, if at 5+ Ember Charges, gain a Power Gain Buff granting 15% of Max Power over 5 seconds. Max stacks: 2. As an Attacker, this gains +10% flat potency. Dev Notes: This is the ramp special, primarily used to push yourself to an empowered Special Attack 2 where you can benefit from a strengthened Fury. As a Defender, if not prepared for, the Unstoppable in combination with the Power Gain can prove to be a formidable threat, stalling you while her Nova Flame chips away.
Special 2 - Gusts of Flame
Special AttackCatches the enemy in a flurry of fire and wind dealing great damage. On activation, Dark Phoenix's telekinetic powers inflict a Root Passive until after the last hit. On activation, gain a non-stacking 3373.2 Fury Buff for 35 seconds. This Fury gains +30% flat potency per Ember Charge. As an Attacker, at the end of this attack consume half of all Ember Charges. Dev Notes: This is the payoff strike, used after building up a decent stock of Ember Charges to strengthen the Fury in this Special. As an Attacker, the Fury can be used to increase the potency of her Nova Flames and as a Defender, the Charges aren’t consumed and this attack provides a lengthy Attack Boost to deal with.
At tier 7
Special 3 - A Phoenix Unbound
Special AttackUnleash the power of the Phoenix upon the Opponent. Gain +3 permanent Ember Charges which cannot be removed. Max stacks: 9. Inflict an indefinite Nova Flame Passive, dealing 281.1 Energy Damage per second. As a Defender, this scales with Base Attack only. Max stacks: 3. Gain a non-stacking Power Gain Buff, granting 100% of Max Power over 30 seconds. Dev Notes: This Special can be used in longer fights to help push the damage floor with this champion. A threatening Power Gain is accompanied by permanent Ember Charges which cannot be removed and by Nova Flames that are indefinite. These are not effects you want to grant her as a Defender as they cannot be messed with.
At tier 7
How to get Dark Phoenix
Exclusive; obtainable only through the Heart of Fire event (Sunstorm Solo Event for Tier 6, Phoenix Force Solo Event for Tier 7)



