How to be successful using the Fiend in Monsters and Mortals.
Contents
Guide to Fiend Monster
All credit goes to Ketchup!
Context
When the Monstrum DLC came out, it introduced the Fiend as one of the new playable monsters. At the time, he was one of, if not, THE single best monster in the entire game, which says something considering Clown Gremin was still a busted monster during this time as well. However, when the 1.3.2 Patch was released, Fiend received a massive nerf that made him almost unusable in most players eyes. He was seen as a worse Agatha in the game modes Monsters are allowed in…at least at first. After some time has passed, I did some experimenting with him and found him to be quite a solid character, with a very different playstyle than Agatha. With that said, I made this guide to those who want to succeed with Fiend, as well as explain the differences between him and Agatha.
Background Info
Fiend is a Speed type Monster, meaning he has low damage output and below average HP for Monster standards. To compensate, he is very fast, both in attacking and in mobility. There are two things to take note of when against a Fiend. The first is that unlike other monsters, he makes no footsteps thanks to floating around and instead makes quiet moaning noises. This makes it very easy for the Fiend player to ambush his target, as the target has to pay very close attention to listen for his moaning noises or try to spot his purple aura glowing from the corner. Secondly, the Fiend’s heavy attack pulls targets closer to him, which allows him to get even more hits in if the target can’t land his/her hits on him. However, this also means he must constantly be moving around in order to avoid being struck himself since the pull from the heavy attack can also let the targets have an easier time hitting him.
His main comparison, Agatha, bears a passive hit-and-run playstyle, chipping opponents until theyre in range of her Ultimate, Hello Friend!. This is mentioned because Fiend’s overall playstyle is much different for a speed Monster, bearing a unique mix of stealth and aggression. Since Fiend cannot deal instant damage, he has to play a lot more aggressively than her, weaving in and out of range of his targets and make sure he preserves his health while rapidly whittling the opponents with his attacks. Because of this, Fiend isn’t a “plug-in and play” character like Agatha, instead focusing on high experience in combat, as well as rewarding creative use of his Ultimate, which will be covered below.
Ultimate: Mind Pull
Any character who shares a class with another share the same damage and hp, meaning special characteristics and Ultimates (referred to as Ult in this guide) are what sets a character apart. In Fiend’s case, what sets him apart from Agatha besides the two special traits discussed above is his Ult, Mind Pull. As of currently, Mind Pull deals 10% damage to the weakest player and teleports them to Fiend’s location. This is ideal for subjecting the player with the lowest hp to further torment, likely resulting in them dying. This Ult has a surprising amount of versatility for the character, as it can be used in a multitude of ways. Examples include using the Ult when in front of a banana to stun the target, using Primal Fear as soon as they get teleported for an easy kill, teleport them into a trap thats about to go off in the event the target has more hp than your comfortable with, or even teleporting them straight into Phantom Malak or a boss (Note: This Ult used to stun the target for 5 seconds upon teleporting, but this mechanic was removed in 1.3.2, as it made Fiend overpowered in Maze Escape).
However, this Ult is able to be countered if the Fiend player is unlucky. If the teleported player has their Ult ready, it can spell trouble for Fiend, especially if he’s low on health. Certain items such as Primal Fear, Speed Boost, and Invincibility can also give Fiend a hard time, as the target can reverse-kill Fiend, run away, or render his attempt at damage useless. This is why having a banana stun or a Primal Fear on hand prior to activation can make your life easier when performing this action.
All in all, this is a good ultimate when used creatively, and supports his aggressive playstyle. It doesn’t yield immediate results unlike most ults, but an experienced Fiend player can make your life hell if used resourcefully.
Maze Escape
Fiend is a very good Monster in this gamemode, being superior to Agatha here in my opinion. While not as good as Brute or Clown Gremlin, Fiend cannot be underestimated. This is due to the Mortals having significantly lower health than the Monsters, meaning his attacks can weaken them very quickly if they fail to avoid him. Since he’s a speed class, he outruns everyone except PenPen, who he ties with in the speed department. Despite having low hp, engaging against an experienced Fiend player can be risky due to the amount of damage he’s able to dish out in a short amount of time while also being tricky to hit thanks to his speed. However, if there’s more than one Mortal engaging a Fiend, the Fiend player usually doesn’t win thanks to his frailty being on full display in this scenario.
In regards to maps, the Fiend excels on Stranger Sewers and Silent Sacrifice thanks to the map layout favoring Speed classes in general, but also because he can abuse trap time with Mind Pull. Very notably, he forms a very brutal combo with the bosses of those maps, as Mind Pull often leaves players disoriented, which offers more than enough time for Doom Ducky to get a kill or for Pyramid Head to stun, then go ham on the target. On Monstrum Madness, he can traverse the map quickly and use Mind Pull when steam is active or assist the Super Brutes out. He’s okay on Monkey Business since the amount of bananas provide him with Mind Pull abuse, and the narrow corridors can make it hard for players to avoid getting hit. His worst map is Deadly Decadence, as unlike the other maps, he can’t make use of trap time as effectively, and the Titan Watcher’s axes are random, so not very reliable.
Matchups
- Performs well against: Nikson, Doug, PenPen, SuperHorrorBro, Dawko
- Performs decently against: Bierce, Cybil, Evans
- Performs poorly against: Vince, 8-BitRyan, Borisov, Heather
Notice something? Fiend has a very hard time against all power Mortals. Now, most Monsters are threatened by the power class, as they’re actually able to fight back against them effectively, but Fiend (as well as Agatha) struggles even more against them since they can only take four heavy hits before dying. Do not attempt combat with them unless theyre weakened, you feel confident in baiting them, or you have a helpful item, such as Frenzy Mode (damage increase powerup).
Shard Mayhem
Unlike Maze Escape, where Fiend is very good in, he suffers in Shard Mayhem due to the Monsters having much higher health and damage. Agatha is seen as the best character in this mode since she’s fast and has an Ult that deals meaningful damage on Monsters, which matters a lot more than in Maze Escape since everything’s way more threatening. However, this isn’t to say Fiend is bad in this mode, as being fast is always good in this mode thanks to the focus on shard collecting. He’s just not as good since he can be killed much more easily here and is now vulnerable to Primal Fears. It is recommended to gather shards as Fiend, but if he chooses to engage in combat, he must select his fights carefully, and often when his targets are already crippled.
In regards to the maps, everything stays the same as in Maze Escape, although he now has to worry about the bosses in each of the maps.
Matchups
- Performs well against: Robbie, Nurse, Murder Monkey, Fiend (himself)
- Performs decently against: Clown Gremlin, Dread Ducky, Agatha
- Performs poorly against: Gold Watcher, Malak, The Brute
Just like in Maze Escape, Fiend struggles against the power class for all the same reasons, only now he dies in three heavy hits as opposed to four. In addition, he does not handle their Ults well. Brute in particular absolutely wrecks Fiend thanks to Fiend being outsped by him when Magma Charge is active. Unless you have a strategy in mind and/or they’re chipped, do not attempt combat with power classes.
Note: Fiend is Agatha’s #1 target in this mode due to Fiend sharing the low hp with her. It is advised to fight Agatha as much as you can to avoid getting smacked by Hello Friend!. He performs well against her in combat, and so can she, so make sure you be careful if there’s an Agatha in the match (and chances are, there will be).
Closing
Overall, Fiend is a character who requires experience in the game to wield effectively. He has a unique blend of intelligence and aggression, which can reward players who play as such. Because of these traits in comparison to the rest of the cast, he is not an easy character to use and requires practice in order to consistently win games with. When starting out, I would stick to Agatha due to her ease of use. However, for any experienced players wanting a more challenging, creative, yet still fun character, I would recommend the Fiend to you.
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