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Introduction
Marvel Strike Force Bucky Barnes Guide: Bucky Barnes is a powerful Blaster character who joined Marvel Strike Force in April 2023, bringing his expertise as the Winter Soldier to the game. His arrival was highly anticipated by players, especially with his inclusion in the revamped Invaders team, which quickly established itself as a dominant force in Raids. As a cornerstone of the Invaders, Bucky Barnes offers incredible damage potential, tactical versatility, and synergy with his teammates, making him a critical addition for players tackling the most challenging Raid content.
Bucky Barnes stands out for his ability to deal massive damage while also providing utility to his team. His high damage output is complemented by his unique skills that allow him to clear Taunts from enemy Protectors, disrupt enemy formations, and prolong negative effects in Raids, giving players the edge they need in battles that demand precision and efficiency. These abilities make him especially valuable for Skill nodes in Doom Raids, where his performance can shift the momentum of a battle and secure victory for his team.
What makes Bucky Barnes truly special is his synergy within the Invaders team, which includes characters like Captain America (WWII), Union Jack, and Nick Fury. Together, they form a cohesive unit capable of overwhelming enemies in Raid scenarios. Bucky’s passive ability further amplifies the damage output of his allies, ensuring the Invaders maintain their dominance in extended battles. His Charged mechanic adds an additional layer of strategy, allowing players to adapt his abilities based on the situation, whether it’s dealing with high-priority targets or spreading disruption across enemy lines.
Whether you’re building a Raid-focused roster or seeking to enhance your overall team strength, Bucky Barnes is a must-have character who brings power, versatility, and tactical depth to Marvel Strike Force. With his blend of devastating attacks and team-enhancing abilities, he is set to become an essential part of any player’s strategy for conquering Raid challenges and beyond.
Unlocking Bucky Barnes
Bucky Barnes is the newest addition to the Invaders team in Marvel Strike Force, and players can unlock him for free by participating in the “Brother in Arms” event. The event lasts for seven days, during which players can earn points by completing tasks such as participating in Raid battles, spending Campaign Energy, and opening Training Orbs. Bonus points can be earned by using specific characters in Raids, including Nick Fury, Captain America (WWII), Union Jack, Bucky Barnes, and Iron Fist (WWII). However, most players will likely only have Nick Fury and Captain America (WWII) unlocked, unless they claimed free shards before the event began, starting them with five shards toward the 100 needed to unlock Bucky Barnes.
The most efficient way to earn points during the “Brother in Arms” event is by opening Training Orbs, which award 2,000 points per orb. If players can accumulate 20-30 Training Orbs before the event starts, they should be able to unlock Bucky Barnes with ease. To prepare for the event, players should focus on farming as many Training Orbs as possible.
This can be achieved by farming the “Rule Britannia” event, which rewards Training Orb Fragments for each node completed. Even players who don’t have Union Jack unlocked can farm Story mode nodes, as they only require Invaders or Rebirth characters. Additionally, players can farm nodes in the Villains and Mystic Campaigns that reward Training Orb Fragments, including Villains 7-6 (She-Hulk), Mystic 6-6 (Nico Minoru), and Mystic 4-4 (Dagger).
To unlock Bucky Barnes, players need to reach Milestone 35, which requires 97,000 points. Milestone 37, which rewards an additional 20 Bucky Barnes shards, is also attainable, but it is not necessary unless players have a significant number of Training Orbs saved up. Once Bucky Barnes is unlocked, players should aim to rank him up to at least five stars. Red Star orbs can be opened to increase his red star rating, and players can also open his character orb, “Kid Commando,” for additional shards.
To maximize Bucky Barnes’ effectiveness, players should prioritize upgrading his Special and Passive abilities to T4. Additionally, equipping him with the Striker ISO-8 class will enhance his damage output and prolong negative effects, making him an even stronger asset to the Invaders team.
Maximizing Bucky Barnes
Maximizing Bucky Barnes in Marvel Strike Force requires focused investment to fully unlock his potential. It’s essential to level him up to Gear Tier 16 and Level 90 to ensure he reaches his peak performance. Players should aim for at least 4 Red Stars on Bucky Barnes, though a 5 Red Star version will significantly increase his power and effectiveness in battles.
Red Star Orbs become available during promotional events, often tied to the release of new characters, so timing is key for acquiring these upgrades. While some players have managed to get a 5 Red Star Bucky Barnes with minimal orbs, this is not the norm, and acquiring a higher Red Star version may take a bit more effort. When upgrading Bucky Barnes to Gear Tier 16 and Level 90, players will need to manually enhance each piece of gear. This process can be time-consuming, as Scopely has yet to implement quality of life improvements that would simplify gear upgrades.
Abilities
Bucky Barnes’s abilities in Marvel Strike Force are tailored to make him a formidable attacker, especially for the Invader team, with a particular emphasis on Raid performance.
Battle Rifle
Level: 1
Damage: 80
Buckshot
Level: 1
Damage: 100
Grand Ole Time
Level: 1
Piercing: 150
Plucky Sidekick
Level: 1
Damage: 0
His Basic, “Battle Rifle,” deals damage to the primary target and chains to an adjacent target if he has Charge. He loses 1 Charge with each attack, and this ability cannot be countered. At Level 6, it also prolongs all negative effects on the primary target, excluding Ability Block, Stun, and Trauma outside of Raids.
The Special, “Buckshot,” is a key part of Bucky’s kit. It allows him to attack the primary target and, for each Charge he has, repeat the attack on up to four adjacent targets. Each attack consumes 1 Charge, and this ability ignores Stealth. It applies Offense Up to all Invader allies and clears Taunt from the primary target. In Raids, it also applies Disruption. At Level 6, the Offense Up lasts for two turns, and the T4 upgrade adds 100% additional damage, enhancing its impact further.
Bucky’s Ultimate, “Grand Ole Time,” has him attack adjacent targets for each Charge, losing 1 Charge per attack. In Raids, it clears Taunt and applies Bleed to the targets. At Level 6, the ability applies an additional 50% Piercing damage to both the primary and adjacent targets. However, with a five-turn cooldown, this ability’s upgrade is a lower priority compared to his Special and Passive abilities, due to its longer downtime.
The Passive, “Plucky Sidekick,” gives Bucky 1 Charge on spawn. If Bucky doesn’t have Charge at the end of any character’s turn, he applies Offense Down to all enemies and gains 1 Charge. At Level 6, his attacks and those of his Invader allies deal additional damage. The T4 upgrade extends the duration of Offense Down to 2 turns and increases Bucky’s damage by 40% in Raids, which is also granted to Invader allies. Additionally, if he lacks Charge at the end of any turn, his Speed Bar is filled by 50%, allowing him to act more frequently.
Overall, Bucky Barnes’s abilities are designed to enhance his role as a powerful Blaster, especially in Raids, where his Charge mechanics and ability to provide Offense Up and clear Taunt are vital. While his Basic can extend debuffs, its effectiveness is more notable in Raids. The Special and Passive abilities should be prioritized for upgrades, with the Ultimate being less critical due to its higher cooldown.
Best T4s for Bucky Barnes
When upgrading Bucky Barnes in Marvel Strike Force, players should prioritize his Passive and Special abilities first, followed by his Basic attack, and lastly his Ultimate. Upgrading his Passive ability, “Plucky Sidekick,” is crucial as it grants a 50% Speed Bar fill when he does not have Charge, allowing him to take turns more frequently. Since many of his abilities rely on Charge, this upgrade significantly enhances his overall performance.
Next, focus on upgrading his Special ability, “Buck Shot,” which grants Offense Up for two turns to the entire Invader team and increases his damage. This ability, with its three-turn cooldown, becomes even more valuable after an upgrade, as it allows Bucky to attack the primary target and then, for each Charge he has, attack additional adjacent targets—up to a maximum of five. Each attack consumes one Charge.
Upgrading Bucky Barnes’s Basic attack, “Battle Rifle,” adds more damage to his attacks. This upgrade is especially useful if you plan to use Bucky with the Striker ISO-8 class. His Basic attack targets the primary enemy and chains to an adjacent target if he has Charge, losing one Charge with each attack. This attack also cannot be countered, making it reliable for high-damage output.
Finally, upgrading Bucky’s Ultimate ability, “Grand Ole Time,” should be considered a lower priority. This ability, which has a five-turn cooldown, only adds piercing damage with the upgrade. While it functions similarly to his Special ability by attacking adjacent enemies for each Charge, it applies Bleed instead of Disrupt. Despite its potency, the longer cooldown and limited impact make it a less essential upgrade compared to his other abilities.
Best ISO-8 Class for Bucky Barnes
The best ISO-8 class for Bucky Barnes in Marvel Strike Force is Striker, as it maximizes his damage potential, which is central to his effectiveness. There are several reasons why Striker is the optimal choice for Bucky Barnes:
First, his Basic attack, “Battle Rifle,” prolongs all negative effects on the primary target in Raids, and the Striker class enhances this damage, making the debuffs last longer and deal more damage. Second, Bucky Barnes has synergy with Captain America (WWII) when Captain America uses his Basic attack. This synergy is even more effective when Bucky is a Striker, as the added damage output complements their combined efforts, unlike the Skirmisher class, which focuses on increasing his chances to land critical hits.
Additionally, Bucky’s Passive ability boosts his damage and, in Raids, grants this increased damage to all Invader allies. This damage boost is amplified with the Striker class, making it a better choice than Skirmisher, which offers less of a direct damage advantage.
Finally, Bucky’s Special ability, “Buck Shot,” is highly beneficial, as it clears Taunt from enemy Protectors, applies Disrupt to stop them from gaining Buffs, and provides Offense Up to the entire Invader team. Given its low cooldown and ability to hit up to five targets, the Striker class further enhances the damage output of this powerful ability.
While some players might consider Skirmisher for its synergy with Captain America (WWII), the added damage from Striker makes it the superior choice for both Bucky Barnes and the Invader team.
Bucky Barnes in Doom Raids
Bucky Barnes is a powerful Blaster character in Marvel Strike Force, specifically designed as a damage dealer for the Invaders team, particularly in Doom Raids. His kit is optimized for taking down enemies that rely on Taunt, making him a strong choice for Skill nodes. His Special attack, “Buck Shot,” clears Taunt from the primary target and, with the T4 upgrade, applies Offense Up to all Invaders for 2 turns. His Ultimate ability, “Grand Ole Time,” clears Taunt from each target in Raids, making him invaluable for countering Taunt-heavy teams.
In Raids, Bucky Barnes’s Passive ability, “Plucky Sidekick,” provides him with a 60% damage boost, which he also shares with his Invader allies. This makes him an essential member of the Invaders team, greatly increasing their overall damage output. Additionally, his Basic attack, “Battle Rifle,” prolongs all negative effects on the target, including Ability Block, Stun, and Trauma, which is especially useful for controlling enemies and preventing them from acting.
Players have found success using Bucky Barnes in Doom Raids, particularly in Skill nodes. However, there are some instances where Bucky Barnes alone may not be enough, such as when trying to auto the second Skill node in Doom Raid 3.3 with just Bucky, Captain America (WWII), and Nick Fury. To improve survivability and damage output, players have recommended pairing him with Kestrel for additional damage, as Iron Fist’s healing abilities might not be enough without a Protector.
For players looking to maximize Bucky Barnes’s effectiveness in Doom Raids, the following tips are essential:
Pair him with other Invaders to take full advantage of his damage-boosting Passive in Raids.
Upgrade his Special ability to T4, as it boosts damage and grants Offense Up to all Invaders for 2 turns.
Use the Striker ISO-8 class on Bucky Barnes to further enhance his damage output.
Pair him with characters who can apply Vulnerable, such as Union Jack, to make his high damage even more effective against those targets.
Be mindful of his cooldowns, as his Special and Ultimate have cooldowns of 3 and 5 turns, respectively, which require careful timing in battles.
Overall, Bucky Barnes is a valuable asset for players tackling Doom Raids. His ability to clear Taunt, prolong negative effects, and boost the damage of his Invader allies makes him an indispensable force in these challenging battles.
Conclusion
Bucky Barnes is a powerful Blaster character in Marvel Strike Force, designed to be a major damage dealer for the Invaders team, especially in Raids. His arrival has sparked excitement among players, particularly due to his potential to impact the meta, especially with the upcoming Incursion Raids. His kit revolves around the Charge mechanic, giving him versatility and engagement in combat. With his abilities, players can choose between applying Disruption to all adjacent targets with his Special, “Buckshot,” or using his Ultimate, “Grand Ole Time,” to apply Bleed to adjacent targets. Both of these abilities clear Taunt from targets in Raids, making him especially useful against Taunt-heavy teams.
Upgrading his Special to T4 is highly recommended for the 100% additional damage boost and for applying Offense Up to all Invaders for 2 turns, which significantly enhances his and the team’s overall performance. Upgrading his Passive to T4 is also a strong option, as it provides additional damage, a Speed Bar fill, and a 40% damage boost to all Invaders in Raids. This upgrade further amplifies his value on the team, ensuring both Bucky and his allies are even more formidable.
The best ISO-8 class for Bucky Barnes is Striker, as it enhances his damage output and prolongs negative effects, which synergizes well with his kit. While some players might consider Skirmisher for synergy with Captain America (WWII), the damage increase from the Striker class makes it the superior choice, especially considering Bucky’s Passive ability, which provides increased damage and shares that boost with his Invader allies in Raids.
Players who have unlocked Bucky Barnes have found him to be a valuable asset to the Invaders team, particularly in Doom Raids. Pairing him with Union Jack for Vulnerable application and Nick Fury’s summons has proven effective. One player, equipped with only three red stars and three yellow stars, successfully cleared the first two Skill nodes of Doom Raid 3.3 with Bucky, Captain America (WWII), and Nick Fury. However, they were unable to auto the second node, as the team was defeated by Ghost Rider. The player recommends swapping Iron Fist for Kestrel to increase damage output, which could improve both speed and survivability during clears.
While it is still early to gauge the full potential of the Invaders team, initial impressions are optimistic. Players are excited about how the team will improve the management of Skill nodes in Doom Raids and are eagerly awaiting their performance in the upcoming Incursion Raids.
