Summoners War Tarq Water Hellhound Guide

WATER HELLHOUND

Tarq

★★

ATTACK

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Overview

Summoners War Tarq Water Hellhound is a versatile 3★ monster known for his exceptional team utility and high-speed scaling. Tarq’s main strength lies in his third skill, Team Up, which allows him to attack together with two allies, enabling powerful combo turns, especially in speed-based PvP or PvE teams. His second skill, Mobilize, boosts the team’s attack bar and cleanses harmful effects, offering both support and turn-cycling potential. With his high base speed, Tarq fits well in teams that rely on fast rotations and consistent damage. Though not as tanky as some units, his utility makes him a staple in early-game GB10 teams, Rift Beasts, and situational PvP battles.

Tarq Stats

Base Stats

Awakened Stats

Tarq, the Water Hellhound in Summoners War, has well-rounded stats for a 3★ monster, with a base HP of 7,620, ATK of 736, and DEF of 472 at max level 35 (awakened). His most notable stat is his high base Speed of 115, making him one of the fastest natural 3-star units in the game. This exceptional speed allows him to cycle turns quickly and support his team effectively with skills that scale with his turn frequency. He also comes with a base Critical Rate of 15%, Critical Damage of 50%, Resistance of 15%, and 0% Accuracy. Tarq’s stat distribution supports his role as a utility and speed-synergy unit, especially in content that benefits from rapid team turns and multi-hits.

How to Obtain Tarq

Unknown Scroll

Social Summon

Secret Dungeon

Temple of Wishes

Magic Shop

You can obtain Tarq – Water Hellhound through several summoning methods:

He’s a natural 2★ (evolves into a 3★ when awakened) Attack-type monster, meaning he’s available in the following:

• Unknown Scrolls, Mystical Scrolls, and Social Summons, where he has a low chance of being pulled.
• The Magic Shop, where he occasionally appears for purchase.
• Secret Dungeons—specifically, the Water Hellhound Secret Dungeon (often available on Wednesdays).

farm Unknown Scrolls or do Social Summons, keep an eye on the Magic Shop, and clear the Water Hellhound Secret Dungeon when it rotates in order to acquire Tarq.

Awakening Essence

Essence of Water (Low)

Essence of Water (Mid)

Essence of Magic (Low)

To awaken Tarq – Water Hellhound, you will need the following Awakening Essences:

• 5 Low Water Essences
• 10 Low Magic Essences
• 5 Mid Magic Essences

Once awakened, Tarq gains increased stats and access to his powerful third skill, Team Up, which significantly boosts his utility in both PvE and PvP content.

SKILL UPS

Bite (Skill 1)

• Total Skill-Ups required: 7
  • Levels 2–6: +5% damage each (×5)
  • Level 7: +15% damage
• Boosts damage to approximately 360% ATK and grants self-healing.

Ambush (Skill 2)

• Total Skill-Ups required: 4
  • Levels 2–4: +10% damage each (×3)
  • Level 5: –1 turn cooldown (from 3 to 2 turns)
• Damage scales with speed and applies an attack-speed buff.

Group Hunt (Skill 3, awakened)

• Total Skill-Ups required: 2
  • Level 2: –1 turn cooldown
  • Level 3: –1 further turn (from 6 to 4 turns)
• Unlocks after awakening and enables turns with two allies.

Summary:

• Skill 1: 7 points
• Skill 2: 4 points
• Skill 3: 2 points
• Total: 13 Skill-Up points

Skill-ups for Bite and Ambush improve damage output, while Group Hunt cooldown reduction significantly enhances Tarq’s utility and team synergy.

Skills

Bite	Ambush	Group Hunt (Awakened)
Bites your enemy and recover 30% of the inflicted damage as HP. Multiplier: 3.6*{ATK}	Attacks the enemy and increases your Attack Speed for 2 turns. Damage increases according to your Attack Speed. (Reusable in 3 turns) Multiplier: {ATK}*({SPD} + 140)/50	Performs a fierce cooperative attack with two fellow allies. (Reusable in 6 turns) Multiplier: 4.1*{ATK}
Damage +5% Damage +5% Damage +5% Damage +5% Damage +5% Damage +15%	Damage +10% Damage +10% Damage +10% Cooltime Turn -1	Cooltime Turn -1 Cooltime Turn -1

Rune

Build	4-Set(s)	2-Set(s)	Stat Priorities
Advanced attacker (Mid-End game)	Rage Swift	Blade Will  Nemesis	Spd, Atk, CR, CD
Violent attacker (End Game)	Violent	Blade Revenge Will	Spd, Atk, CR, CD
Swift attacker (Mid-End game)	Swift	Blade Will	Spd, Atk, CR, CD,

Strategy

Tarq – Water Hellhound shines in fast-paced team compositions thanks to his high base speed and team-supporting skills. His third skill, Group Hunt, is a powerful tool that allows him to attack with two allies, making it ideal for teams built around turn-cycling or chaining multiple effects like defense breaks, branding, or healing. This makes him especially valuable in early-to-mid-game dungeons such as Giants B10 and Rift Beasts, where coordinated team attacks can speed up runs. His second skill, Ambush, provides additional utility by granting an attack speed buff and dealing speed-scaling damage, helping him and the team cycle turns faster.

He can also serve in PvP content like Guild Wars or Siege Battles, disrupting enemies and supporting nukers. To maximize his effectiveness, build Tarq with high speed, some accuracy, and enough survivability to consistently activate his skills without being easily taken out.

Strength and Weakness

Strengths:

• High Base Speed (115): One of the fastest 3★ monsters, allowing for quick turn cycling.
• Team Up Skill: Group Hunt enables two allies to attack together, great for speeding up dungeon runs and triggering skill effects.
• Speed-Scaling Damage: His second skill, Ambush, deals solid damage based on his speed and grants a speed buff.
• Useful in Early PvE Content: Excels in early-to-mid game teams for Giants B10, Rift Beasts, and some ToA stages.
• Low-Rarity and Easy to Skill Up: As a 2★ monster, Tarq is easy to obtain and max skill.

Weaknesses:

• Low Survivability: Has relatively low base HP and DEF, making him vulnerable if not built with tankiness.
• Situational in Late-Game PvP: Loses value in higher-level PvP where enemy sustain and control teams are common.
• Team Dependent: His effectiveness relies heavily on who he brings with him during Group Hunt—poor synergy can reduce his impact.
• Needs Skill-Ups and Runes to Shine: Underwhelming without cooldown reductions or strong Swift/Violent runes.

Synergy

Defense Breakers: Works well with monsters like Loren, Bella, or Galleon to maximize team-up damage through defense breaks.

Branders: Pairs effectively with units like Kro or Lucien, who apply Branding debuffs to increase overall team damage.

Multi-Hit Nukers: Combos well with monsters like Lushen or Theomars, enabling powerful burst damage during Group Hunt.

Rift Beast Units: Syncs with monsters like Colleen, Kro, or Xiong Fei to maximize hits and contribute to high Rift scores.

Attack Bar Boosters: Benefits from allies like Bernard, Megan, or Verdehile to cycle turns and skill rotations faster.

Support/Healers: Needs support from units like Fran, Chasun, or Lulu to help sustain him due to his low base durability.

Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q)