Tezcatlipoca/Strategy

(This page is for Tezcatlipoca strategy guide. For the standard Tezcatlipoca page, click here.)

Overview

/ Tezcatlipoca

Gameplay-wise, Tezcatlipoca is somewhat of a polarizing unit, but overall a solid attacker with some interesting effects. The former statement stems largely from his second skill, which drains HP and steals and removes buffs from allies when he moves, something that can be very detrimental to a team, especially for newer players who may not know his skills or understand how skills work. Looking past this aspect for the moment, Tezcatlipoca boasts nice damage even as a unit, having access to ATK UpATK Up by 1.1x ~ 2.2x for 4 turns (Buff), which is rarely bestowed by allies, and INFERNAL typing, allowing him to deal roughly 6k damage per square on his own which is admirable for a unit. Furthermore, he inflicts DarknessATK Down by 0.9x ~ 0.45x, block CS activation for 3 turns (Debuff), a status which was introduced alongside him and remains at the time of writing to be a relatively rare ATK lowering debuff. Due to having Infernal typing however, he can still be rather frail, although his innate source of Reflect DebuffReflect debuff once for 4 turns. Vanishes after use. (Buff) may help stave off this issue.

Tezcatlipoca improves on these qualities, while giving him WORLD typing and an innate damage bonus against Darkness to retain his damage. With his new typing, Tezcatlipoca becomes more defensive, alleviating the previous issue of frailty, and he even has an additional source of damage attenuation through applying DazzleATK Down by 0.7x ~ 0.35x for 3 turns (Debuff) after being hit by an enemy. Finally, he has the rare ability of bestowing Berserk+ATK Up by 1.3x ~ 2.6x, DEF Down by 1.3x for 4 turns (Buff) to allies, which is a valuable ability due to the uniqueness of the offensive buff and its power. In short, a lot of the appeal about Tezcatlipoca's kit comes from the fact that his status effects are less commonly used, which improves his ability to fit with others in a team.

Circling back to the issue of Tezcatlipoca's skill after moving, there are some points to be addressed. The first is that Tezcatlipoca's buff steal can be predicted in which buffs are removed, as explained in the description page for Remove BuffRemove one buff (Debuff), so this skill can be planned around. Secondly, the detrimental effects of this skill can be obviated with his extra vertical movement and appropriate team composition through replenishing buffs. Finally, it is usually advocated not to move Tezcatlipoca at all, turning him into a passive offensive buffer/damage attenuator to sidestep the issue entirely. This is a perfectly fine and valid approach to use for Tezcatlipoca. However, the usage of the skill presents more options for a team which this strategy guide will go into detail later.

Highlights

/ Tezcatlipoca

Class:Bruiser, Tank ( only)

Gameplay role:Damage Dealer, Damage Attenuator, Offensive Buffer ( only)

Pros

+ Access to relatively rare status effects such as Reflect DebuffReflect debuff once for 4 turns. Vanishes after use. (Buff) and PossessionBlock CS activation and on-attack skills, vertically reflect range, disables ability to hit enemies, and enable friendly fire for 2 turns. (Debuff)

+ High damage per square through innate ATK UpATK Up by 1.1x ~ 2.2x for 4 turns (Buff) and extra damage from either attribute/skill effect

+ DarknessATK Down by 0.9x ~ 0.45x, block CS activation for 3 turns (Debuff) reduces enemies' damage and is also relatively rare

+ has additional access to DazzleATK Down by 0.7x ~ 0.35x for 3 turns (Debuff) and WORLD for more defense

+ can apply Berserk+ATK Up by 1.3x ~ 2.6x, DEF Down by 1.3x for 4 turns (Buff), a rare offensive buff, to allies passively

+ Can steal enemies' buffs and also allies' buffs to concentrate firepower on self

+ Extra vertical movement

Cons

- can die easily due to INFERNAL typing

- Buff stealing ability can easily backfire if not done cautiously

- HP drain to allies after moving limits usage

Gameplay Role

/ Tezcatlipoca

Buff Stealer

Tezcatlipoca's buff stealing ability has several aspects which are discussed below:

1. Determinism of Remove BuffRemove one buff (Debuff). As mentioned in the summary, Tezcatlipoca removes buffs according to the description of Remove Buff, which removes the first buff listed when tapping on an ally's status or holding down on an enemy. So deciding to move Tezcatlipoca next to allies should entail referring to these lists to know what buffs Tezcatlipoca will acquire. This does not address how the lists are ordered or can be manipulated, but this point is important to know if one wants to move Tezcatlipoca, since it removes the otherwise randomness of buffs received.
2. Stealing from enemies. At a 100% proc rate, this is one of the most consistent ways to remove buffs from enemies, so this can be used if an enemy has EvasionDEF Up by 0.01x ~ 0.005x for 1 turn (Buff) or Guts+1HP when HP is at 0 at the end of the turn for 5 turns. Removed once activated. (Buff). The two square radius range however can be limiting. Having been released shortly after Aegir (Christmas), this is one aspect which Tezcatlipoca shares with him once again.
3. Replenishable buffs. When moving Tezcatlipoca, one should consider whether the buff to be stolen from an ally can be replenished. For example, in the case of Phase Start buffs, moving Tezcatlipoca may rob an ally of a buff which they can't get back during the phase and that may be undesirable. For this reason, buffs which can be replenished such as through When Attacking skills might be attractive, since they can just be replenished once more after being stolen. However, this begs the question of why one would move Tezcatlipoca if the buff can be acquired normally through an ally's skill. There are several reasons listed below:
   1. Enemy buff steal. You might want to steal buffs from the enemies, but don't want to deter your team from performing its job. Replenishable buffs add a protective layer that prevents Tezcatlipoca from stealing your allies' non-replenishable buffs.
   2. Team position. Skill activation ranges may be limited, such as applying status effects only directly adjacent to allies, so stealing a buff with Tezcatlipoca's skill range can allow for greater team flexibility in positioning.
   3. Urgency. You need a certain status on Tezcatlipoca at that very moment such as for his CS and want to guarantee having such a buff.
4. Non-replenishable buffs. Phase Start buffs were mentioned to be non-replenishable previously, but in actuality, they can actually be considered replenishable. In particular, if Tezcatlipoca steals these buffs from his allies in the turn right before the next phase, the team will get back its phase start buffs and Tezcatlipoca will have the buffs which transfer over to the next phase. Similarly, using Aegir (Christmas) who can copy buffs in tandem may blur this definition more, since copied buffs reset their duration. For enemies however, who can only exist in one phase at a time, these buffs at phase start can be stolen by Tezcatlipoca to significantly weaken them.
5. Vertical movement. Tezcatlipoca has extra vertical movement, and this grants him the ability to position his allies to selectively steal buffs from them in vertical maps. For example, if an ally has EvasionDEF Up by 0.01x ~ 0.005x for 1 turn (Buff) able to be stolen, he can move his allies to the back row and steal from just that ally, leaving himself open to enemy attacks to spread DazzleATK Down by 0.7x ~ 0.35x for 3 turns (Debuff).

Damage Dealer

Unit	(Effective) HP		Base ATK		ATK per square		CS ATK per square (SALV1)		Notes
	Unseeded	Seeded	Unseeded	Seeded	Unseeded	Seeded	Unseeded	Seeded
	5835	7754	12897	18762	5988	8443	8942	12608	With ATK UpATK Up by 1.1x ~ 2.2x for 4 turns (Buff), elemental advantage
	5835	7754	30704	45030	14371	20263	21461	30260	With ATK UpATK Up by 1.1x ~ 2.2x for 4 turns (Buff), ArdorATK Up by 1.2x ~ 2.4x, +5CP/turn for 2 turns (Buff), elemental advantage
	6692	8526	16400	25223	8891	11350	26555	33900	With ATK UpATK Up by 1.1x ~ 2.2x for 4 turns (Buff), extra damage to DarknessATK Down by 0.9x ~ 0.45x, block CS activation for 3 turns (Debuff)
	6692	8526	37316	60535	21338	27241	63731	81359	With ATK UpATK Up by 1.1x ~ 2.2x for 4 turns (Buff), ArdorATK Up by 1.2x ~ 2.4x, +5CP/turn for 2 turns (Buff), extra damage to DarknessATK Down by 0.9x ~ 0.45x, block CS activation for 3 turns (Debuff)
	6692	8526	94685	157392	55480	70826	165700	211535	With ATK UpATK Up by 1.1x ~ 2.2x for 4 turns (Buff), ArdorATK Up by 1.2x ~ 2.4x, +5CP/turn for 2 turns (Buff), Berserk+ATK Up by 1.3x ~ 2.6x, DEF Down by 1.3x for 4 turns (Buff), extra damage to DarknessATK Down by 0.9x ~ 0.45x, block CS activation for 3 turns (Debuff)

The above table shows the offensive capability of Tezcatlipoca in both of his standard rarities by himself and with a common offensive buff in the form of ArdorATK Up by 1.2x ~ 2.4x, +5CP/turn for 2 turns (Buff). As shown, Tezcatlipoca can deal a respectable amount of damage for his rarity and can be used as a budget option for something like fast clearing Coin dailies. His version improves on this damage with a higher ATK stat and an opportunity for higher damage in the last row, by stealing back the Berserk+ATK Up by 1.3x ~ 2.6x, DEF Down by 1.3x for 4 turns (Buff) he applies to his allies. So with very lax team building, Tezcatlipoca can easily achieve over 100k damage per square through his CS, and this CS damage greatly improves with SALV due to applying WeaknessDEF Down by 1.2x ~ 2.4x for 1 turn (Debuff). As such, Tezcatlipoca proves himself to be a very capable damage dealer in both of his standard rarities with a little help from his allies.

Tank

Unit	(Effective) HP		Base ATK		ATK per square		CS ATK per square (SALV1)		Notes
	Unseeded	Seeded	Unseeded	Seeded	Unseeded	Seeded	Unseeded	Seeded
	26506	37893	5987	7643	2694	3440	6706	8561	With DarknessATK Down by 0.9x ~ 0.45x, block CS activation for 3 turns (Debuff), elemental defense advantage
	73985	108267	5987	7643	2694	3440	6706	8561	With DarknessATK Down by 0.9x ~ 0.45x, block CS activation for 3 turns (Debuff), DazzleATK Down by 0.7x ~ 0.35x for 3 turns (Debuff), elemental defense advantage

On the flip side, Tezcatlipoca in his higher standard rarity also can function as a tank due to an elemental attribute and debuffs. The above table reflects those capabilities. Note that the DazzleATK Down by 0.7x ~ 0.35x for 3 turns (Debuff) Tezcatlipoca applies is only after being struck, so his performance is somewhat in the middle of the two rows. Since Tezcatlipoca's skills also depend on After Buff timings, this indicates that another layer of defense through buffs may be desirable, such as through Marchosias who synergizes by applying CurseATK Down by 0.8x ~ 0.4x for 5 turns (Debuff) and TenacityDEF Up by 0.9x ~ 0.45x for 1 turn (Buff) instead. Tezcatlipoca cannot heal by himself anyways, so such support should be prioritized as well.

Berserk+ Buffer

Tezcatlipoca being able to bestow Berserk+ATK Up by 1.3x ~ 2.6x, DEF Down by 1.3x for 4 turns (Buff) without moving is a very strong ability. Berserk+ by itself stands out from other offensive buffs by having a 2.6x offensive multiplier while lasting four turns at the expense of a slight defense drop. What makes this ability special however is that this buff is very rarely applied to allies. For context, the most common offensive buffs applied to allies are ArdorATK Up by 1.2x ~ 2.4x, +5CP/turn for 2 turns (Buff), Nourishment+150~300HP/turn, ATK Up by 1.1x ~ 1.5x for 3 turns (Buff), and VigorATK Up by 1.2x ~ 2.4x for 3 turns (Buff). By being able to apply Berserk+ instead, Tezcatlipoca can easily synergize with many units since his buff won't overlap with other offensive buffers. And he does so consistently without having to move, allowing one to delegate the ability to move to the team's main offensive buffer.

With that being said, the activation condition for this skill requires a three turn stall until it activates. This means that this ability should not be depended upon for something which prioritizes quick clears, but instead quests which are more drawn-out like those with multiple phases. This plays again into Tezcatlipoca's more defensive nature, which allows him to draw out the battle until that time.

Stats and Seed Usage

Unit	(Effective) HP		Base ATK		ATK per square		CS ATK per square (SALV1)
	Unseeded	Seeded	Unseeded	Seeded	Unseeded	Seeded	Unseeded	Seeded
	5835	7754	4032	5686	1815	2559	2258	3184
	6692	8526	5987	7643	2694	3440	6706	8561
	7335	9342	3857	5411	1003	1407	4011	5627

Skill seeding Tezcatlipoca is recommended to guarantee his Berserk+ATK Up by 1.3x ~ 2.6x, DEF Down by 1.3x for 4 turns (Buff) proc and his application of DarknessATK Down by 0.9x ~ 0.45x, block CS activation for 3 turns (Debuff). His other procs which are sub-100% could also the help from these seeds, although his After Buff procs are actually fairly consistent in a team with multiple buffs applied regularly. From there, stat and level seeds are a big boon to him, with HP seeds improving his tankiness and ATK seeds improving his damage noticeably.

Team Synergy

Buffers

Since Tezcatlipoca has After Buff skill timings, his teammates should be able to buff him in some way regularly. Ideally, they would also be able to buff him defensively or heal him due to his lack of sustainability otherwise. Examples include Gyumao (Valentine), Shino (Valentine), and Tetsuya (Christmas).

CP Batteries

Units who can charge Tezcatlipoca's CS fast can be helpful since his CS is strong and grants his allies Reflect DebuffReflect debuff once for 4 turns. Vanishes after use. (Buff). Units such as Ziz, Kagutsuchi (Jamboree), and Snow are examples.

Units with good buffs to steal

Since one part of Tezcatlipoca's kit is his ability to steal buffs from allies, teammates with strong self buffs can be used to capitalize on this aspect if employed. Examples include Wakan Tanka (Fashionista), Hombre Tigre (Summer), and Hephaestus (Summer). On the flip side, it should be warned that he can steal Immobility+12CP/turn, cannot move at will for 3 turns (Buff) from allies, which might prove undesirable.

AR Equipment

Tezcatlipoca

Tezcatlipoca can equip Shooting Stars for clearing enemies with EvasionDEF Up by 0.01x ~ 0.005x for 1 turn (Buff) such as in Coin dailies. As an INFERNAL unit, he can also equip Coming from the Sea Abyss for Reflect DebuffReflect debuff once for 4 turns. Vanishes after use. (Buff) to allies and Wandervogel! for improved survivability through Guts+1HP when HP is at 0 at the end of the turn for 5 turns. Removed once activated. (Buff). On another note, Survival Resort can actually be used to knock out enemies' Nullify DebuffPrevent receiving debuff once for 4 turns. Vanishes after use. (Buff) or Reflect DebuffReflect debuff once for 4 turns. Vanishes after use. (Buff) if they aren't immune to Drain-10% skill activation rate, -10CP/turn for 2 turns (Debuff) so this is also a possible option.

Tezcatlipoca

The point about Shooting Stars above still holds true, but as a WORLD unit, Tezcatlipoca's options are more limited. Sun and Oil! is a nice option to have, and he can lean into his more defensive nature by using ARs such as Ogres' Nightlife and Sunset Youth.

Checks and Counters

/ Tezcatlipoca

Immobility

Tezcatlipoca can steal Immobility+12CP/turn, cannot move at will for 3 turns (Buff), so this can actually check him a bit if he is moved without caution. For a player's Tezcatlipoca, it isn't particularly worrisome since most dislike moving him at all, but for an enemy Tezcatlipoca, this can be used to manipulate the AI a bit.

Multiple Debuffs

While Tezcatlipoca does have access to Reflect DebuffReflect debuff once for 4 turns. Vanishes after use. (Buff), multiple debuffs will counter him since he otherwise has no immunity to them. Examples of such counters include Azazel and Benten who can skill lock him without much worry.

Movement-restricting Debuffs

In a situation where movement-restricting debuffs such as FearCannot move at will, -10CP/turn for 5 turns (Debuff) are applied to the rest of the team except Tezcatlipoca, which he could avoid through Reflect Debuff as an example, this can become an issue where Tezcatlipoca is forced to move frequently, making him deplete his team's HP and buffs. This is largely an issue for the player, since enemy unit HP pools are much larger in comparison and enemy buffs are generally weaker than player buffs due to quest level.

Teambuilding Options

This section consists of user-submitted builds that may not necessarily be viable for high level quests.

Full Offense

Team Details (submitted by milk)
Teda 【Damage Dealer, Offensive Buffer】	Snow 【Damage Dealer】	Gyumao 【Healer, Offensive Buffer】	Tezcatlipoca 【Damage Dealer, Offensive Buffer】
Cost: ≥48

This is a team used to emphasize offense with four offensive buffs being traded around to allies: ArdorATK Up by 1.2x ~ 2.4x, +5CP/turn for 2 turns (Buff) from Teda, LimitATK Up by 1x~2x → 2x~4x as HP→0 for 1 turn (Buff) and Nourishment+150~300HP/turn, ATK Up by 1.1x ~ 1.5x for 3 turns (Buff) from Gyumao (Valentine), and Berserk+ATK Up by 1.3x ~ 2.6x, DEF Down by 1.3x for 4 turns (Buff) from Tezcatlipoca. Each of the three damage dealers all have their own innate offensive buff which does not overlap with the aforementioned buffs: BrawnATK Up by 1.15x ~ 2.3x for 4 turns (Buff) for Teda, VigorATK Up by 1.2x ~ 2.4x for 3 turns (Buff) for Valentine Snow, and ATK UpATK Up by 1.1x ~ 2.2x for 4 turns (Buff) for Tezcatlipoca. Since Teda can copy buffs and Tezcatlipoca can steal buffs, this can lead to major sources of damage through the accumulation of these buffs. While it is not very practical defensively, it does have some perks from Tezcatlipoca's debuffs, DarknessATK Down by 0.9x ~ 0.45x, block CS activation for 3 turns (Debuff) and DazzleATK Down by 0.7x ~ 0.35x for 3 turns (Debuff), and Valentine Gyumao's ability to heal and lock down enemies with OppressionCannot move at will for 2 turns (Debuff).