Kingpin

Villain| City| Skill| Protector| Spider-Verse| Underworld

A demanding crime boss who summons bodyguards and orders allies to attack.

Character Abilities

Assist/Counter (Passive)

– 1 +

Batter

– 1 +

Crime Lord

– 1 +

Boss’s Orders

– 1 +

Mastermind

– 1 +

Marvel Strike Force Kingpin abilities make him a versatile and strategic character, especially for players who focus on using the Underworld faction.

His Basic Ability, Batter, deals 270% damage to the primary target and has a 50% chance to gain an assist, increasing his utility in combat.

Special Ability, Crime Lord: Fully charged at the start with a four-turn cooldown, Kingpin summons 2–3 bodyguards dealing 340% damage and having his full health. The bodyguards taunt enemies and, in War, Kingpin grants Safeguard to the Underworld team for extra defense.

Ultimate Ability, Boss’s Orders: Also fully charged at the start with a five-turn cooldown, it gives Defense Up to all allies and Offense Up to five allies. There’s a 50% chance allies assist, with villains or mercenaries twice as likely. One Underworld and one random ally always assist for more damage and control.

Passive Ability, Mastermind: At turn start, there’s a 25% chance an ally gains team attack. Villains have a 50% chance to get random assists. If Kingpin has Barrier at turn end, summons gain Speed Up and Offense Up. When damaged, Kingpin fills summons’ Speed Bars by up to 20%. He also boosts Underworld allies’ Focus and Resistance by 60%, making his passive great for team synergy.

Synergies

Kingpin thrives when paired with other villains, making him particularly effective in villain-centric teams due to his Passive Ability, Mastermind, which grants a chance for villains to gain team attack. This synergy makes him an excellent addition to teams built around assist attacks, where his abilities to trigger assists and buff teammates are maximized. Kingpin also works well alongside other summoners, such as Yondu and Nobu, as the more summons in play, the greater the chance for assist attacks to trigger, further enhancing the effectiveness of his team.

Additionally, Kingpin synergizes well with Nebula, who has the ability to trigger team attacks when enemies attack her. Kingpin can trigger assists with his abilities, potentially setting up Nebula for more team attacks, making them a powerful combo. As a member of the Underworld faction, Kingpin benefits from synergies within this team, which includes characters like Mr. Negative, Taskmaster, Green Goblin, and Nobu. His Passive Ability will also increase the Focus and Resistance of all Underworld allies, boosting the performance of the team as a whole. Overall, Kingpin’s synergies work best when he's paired with villains, summoners, and other Underworld characters, maximizing his potential to support and amplify his allies.

Team Composition

Kingpin is a highly versatile character in Marvel Strike Force who excels in many team compositions, especially with villains or Underworld allies. A full Villains team maximizes his Passive Ability, increasing the chance for team attacks and boosting overall damage and synergy. He pairs well with characters like Crossbones, Thanos, Yondu, and Elektra, where his summons and assists add protection and offensive power.

He also shines in Mercenary Squads alongside Taskmaster, whose boosts enhance Kingpin’s summons, resulting in greater damage and battlefield control. As a core member of the Underworld team with allies like Mr. Negative, Green Goblin, and Nobu, Kingpin’s Passive Ability strengthens team Focus and Resistance, improving both offense and defense.

Beyond villains and Underworld teams, Kingpin fits well in Zemo-Hydra setups and teams with leftover Sinister Six members, filling protective gaps. If he gains a Spider-Verse tag, he could also support Spider-Verse teams with Spider-Man and Miles Morales. Overall, Kingpin’s adaptability and blend of offensive and defensive support make him a valuable asset in many rosters.

Iso-8

Kingpin performs best when equipped with the Fortifier class in Iso-8, as it perfectly complements his abilities and team role. With recent Iso-8 improvements, Fortifier has become essential to unlock his full potential by enhancing his summons whenever he has a Barrier. At the end of his turn, all summoned bodyguards gain Speed Up and Offense Up, making them stronger, faster, and tougher in battle.

This unique synergy between Kingpin’s Barrier and the Fortifier class buffs his summons in a way no other Iso-8 can match. Fortifier not only boosts Kingpin’s survivability but also maximizes his effectiveness as a protector and damage dealer. For optimizing Kingpin’s offensive and defensive impact, Fortifier is the clear and best choice.

T4 Ability Priority

Next → Back

Recommended T4 order: Passive > Special > Ultimate > Basic.

Alliances

Kingpin plays a crucial role in Alliance War Defense, where he can be a key member of the Underworld team. The Underworld team, which includes Kingpin alongside Mr. Negative, Nobu, Green Goblin, and Taskmaster, is specifically designed to counter current meta War defenses. This team is optimized for Alliance War, making it a strong option for defensive setups while also offering potential for offensive use in War.

Kingpin’s Special Ability in War is particularly valuable, as it places Safeguard on the entire Underworld team, increasing their durability and reducing the risk of debuffs. His effectiveness in War is comparable to his role outside of it, making him a versatile asset. Additionally, Kingpin’s synergy with Nobu in War enhances their collective performance, as their combined abilities work well to sustain and control the flow of the battle. Overall, Kingpin is an essential character for any Alliance War strategy, especially within the Underworld team.

Counters

When using Kingpin in Marvel Strike Force, it’s important to be aware of certain counters that can hinder his effectiveness. Vision is a notable threat due to his ability block, which can prevent Kingpin from using his Special or Ultimate abilities. Vision’s high speed allows him to apply ability block quickly, disrupting Kingpin's key moves. Additionally, enemies with high attack speed can overwhelm Kingpin, reducing his ability to summon or control the flow of battle. On the flip side, heroes that apply slow debuffs can significantly reduce Kingpin's attack speed, hindering his performance.

Kingpin’s minions also have relatively low health, making them vulnerable to quick elimination, especially against high-damage enemies. Hela is another strong counter, as her ability to summon "мір" can wipe out Kingpin's bodyguards, removing his taunt and leaving him exposed to direct attacks. Being aware of these counters will help in building strategies to mitigate Kingpin’s weaknesses in battle.

Game Modes

Kingpin can be effectively utilized across several game modes in Marvel Strike Force, showcasing his versatility in different aspects of gameplay. In Blitz, he serves as a valuable asset, helping to control the flow of battle with his ability to summon bodyguards and support his team. He also sees use in the Real-Time Arena, where he can be part of troll teams or more competitive setups, contributing to team durability and assist attacks.

In Alliance War, Kingpin excels when placed on defense, particularly as a key member of the Underworld team, providing strong protection and control for your team. He is also viable in Cosmic Crucible battles, where his synergy with other characters makes him an effective defender. Kingpin’s presence in Raids adds tactical depth, supporting his allies and stalling enemies with his summons. Additionally, Kingpin is a solid choice for Dark Dimension, where his ability to summon bodyguards and provide defensive buffs can be pivotal in progressing through difficult nodes. Overall, Kingpin’s versatility allows him to be a useful character in a wide range of game modes.

Tier List Placement

Kingpin is generally not considered a top-tier character in Marvel Strike Force. While he has useful abilities, especially in villain-focused teams, he has several downsides that prevent him from reaching the highest ranks. One of his main drawbacks is that he may feel shoehorned into villain teams, limiting his flexibility in other team compositions. Additionally, Kingpin suffers from slow attack speed, which can hinder his effectiveness, especially when up against faster enemies.

As a result, Kingpin is often rated as a D-tier character overall. His power has been somewhat outdated due to the introduction of newer characters, making him feel "power crept" in comparison to some of the more modern options available. Despite this, Kingpin still has niche utility in specific team setups, particularly within the Underworld faction and villain teams, but he doesn't stand out as one of the top picks in the game.

Kingpin Rework

There is ongoing speculation and hope within the Marvel Strike Force community for a potential rework of Kingpin to make him more viable and effective. Several key suggestions have been made to improve his performance and versatility. One major idea is to give Kingpin a Spider-Verse tag, which would allow him to synergize with Spider-Man, Miles Morales, and other Spider-Verse characters, expanding his utility in team compositions. Another idea is the creation of a Gangs category, which could introduce more characters, such as Hammerhead, to complement Kingpin’s abilities and expand his faction.

Reworking Kingpin to synergize with any villain, or specifically City Villains, could make him more versatile and allow him to fit into a wider range of teams. Players have also suggested boosting his stats, particularly his speed, which would help Kingpin remain competitive in the game’s current meta. Providing Kingpin with a guaranteed first turn, using his ultimate to boost his team’s stats, would significantly enhance his impact in battle. Additionally, making Kingpin’s summons more effective with Speed Up and Offense Up at the end of his turn would further increase his value as a support character.

A potential rework could also tailor Kingpin to work better with mercenary minions, making him a more valuable asset in mercenary-based teams. Updating his kit and improving his synergy with the Underworld team, along with a rework of Bullseye, could help make mercenaries stronger overall. Lastly, updating Kingpin's animations and visuals to match his character could provide a more immersive experience for players. These changes would help revitalize Kingpin and make him a more formidable character in Marvel Strike Force.

Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q)