# Stats chat: Why is Dark Master popular in Defence? **URL:** \ **Category:** Gameplay Chat (PC/Mobile)\ **Created:** [May 2, 2016, 6:53am UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/stats-chat-why-is-dark-master-popular-in-defence/6208 "2016-05-02T06:53:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![actreal](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/actreal/32/1945_2.png) [@actreal](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/actreal)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2016, 6:53am UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/stats-chat-why-is-dark-master-popular-in-defence/6208/1 "2016-05-02T06:53:10Z")
Continuing the discussion from [Weekly Event: Call to Valor](http://community.gemsofwar.com/t/weekly-event-call-to-valor/6201): ![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/uploads/gemsofwar/original/2X/8/876479c363f364de9dd82eb0e36285e3c2bcc8c8.jpg) Okay, so while I don’t necessarily build my own defence teams like this, I understand why every Troop is here on this graph except **Dark Master**. Anyone care to enlighten me? Is it a Troop lots of low level players are using, but no mid-high level players use? ---
**Author:** ![Royalty](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/royalty/32/1683_2.png) [@Royalty](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Royalty)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2016, 6:57am UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/stats-chat-why-is-dark-master-popular-in-defence/6208/2 "2016-05-02T06:57:28Z")
You are probably right about low level players using it much, which could lead to the question whether this graph is actually a good reference or not. ---
**Author:** ![mkshandley](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/mkshandley/32/3549_2.png) [@mkshandley](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/mkshandley)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2016, 6:59am UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/stats-chat-why-is-dark-master-popular-in-defence/6208/3 "2016-05-02T06:59:13Z")
not sure I never really seen that many used edit - don’t really see a lot of chimera either a few but wouldn’t think it would be that high in useage ---
**Author:** ![Ozball](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/ozball/32/36110_2.png) [@Ozball](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Ozball)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2016, 7:00am UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/stats-chat-why-is-dark-master-popular-in-defence/6208/4 "2016-05-02T07:00:27Z")
I don’t use him, but I’ve been frustrated when fighting him, mostly because he packs a punch at lower levels (flat 9 damage hurts more a lower levels I guess) and then summons a Thrall on top of that so you can’t attack him directly with skulls (or axes which might be the main weapon if so many people are Warlord as per the graph Sirrian posted?). Just my thoughts from a “low” level perspective. Though I dunno if I still classify as low level at level 60 or not. EDIT: Also the Thrall’s level is based upon Dark Master’s magic stat, so it can come in at a reasonably high level if Dark Master is also high, making it a decent meat shield. ---
**Author:** ![Sirrian](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/sirrian/32/35758_2.png) [@Sirrian](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Sirrian)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2016, 7:06am UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/stats-chat-why-is-dark-master-popular-in-defence/6208/5 "2016-05-02T07:06:07Z")
We can break it down over different level ranges. Dark Master is quite prolific under 100, but drops off at higher levels. All of the other troops are fairly consistent, except perhaps Gorgotha who really picks up in the higher level ranges. ---
**Author:** ![RiverSong](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/riversong/32/2089_2.png) [@RiverSong](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/RiverSong)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2016, 7:06am UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/stats-chat-why-is-dark-master-popular-in-defence/6208/6 "2016-05-02T07:06:51Z")
Dark Master does 9 damage, summons a thrall, and gives all troops +2 attack if an enemy dies. Not a bad deal. Chimera does 10 (I think) damage to the healthiest troop, burns and poisons them. That’s a killer in the arena, where your healthiest troop is almost always your hero. ---
**Author:** ![Zelfore](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/zelfore/32/22295_2.png) [@Zelfore](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Zelfore)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2016, 7:07am UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/stats-chat-why-is-dark-master-popular-in-defence/6208/7 "2016-05-02T07:07:28Z")
Dark Master is definitely one of the better summoners because of doing actual damage. Not restoring minor health or blindly transforming gems purple. Early game, I could see him being a go to troop when I lack the Kingdom Levels to actually care whether they effect my summoned Thrall or not. If I started over tomorrow and Dark Master was one of my first troops gotten, heck yeah I’d use him! ---
**Author:** ![Shimrra](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/shimrra/32/87_2.png) [@Shimrra](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Shimrra)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2016, 7:14am UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/stats-chat-why-is-dark-master-popular-in-defence/6208/8 "2016-05-02T07:14:53Z")
The thing is that Dark Master does a whole 9 damage regardless of level. So at lvl1 he can one-hit something. I mean, he still costs 14 mana but the damage is considerable. Its a problem with a number of troops (particularly summoners but not _exclusively_) where there is a set amount of damage attached to something _else_ and the something else scales with magic and the damage doesn’t. Such as Dark Master, Ghiralee, etc. WTB dual scaling. ---
**Author:** ![Jainus](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/jainus/32/34949_2.png) [@Jainus](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Jainus)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2016, 8:12am UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/stats-chat-why-is-dark-master-popular-in-defence/6208/9 "2016-05-02T08:12:12Z")
> [@Shimrra](#): > > WTB dual scaling Summoning doesn’t need Magic scaling - summoned troops should just come in as they are in your own collection (and level 1 and useless if you don’t own a copy) - as I believe I may have requested _a lot_ here… Dark Master could then have damage scaling with Magic as usual… and so could other troops with buffs, after all, not _every_ troop has to have scaling with Magic does it? We’ve a few where an arbitrary (and unnecessary and random) stat buff got popped on a troop that didn’t need it just for the sake of keeping a Magic stat… Goblin Shaman or Skeleton I am looking at you… ---
**Author:** ![Rasper](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/rasper/32/2363_2.png) [@Rasper](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Rasper)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2016, 3:12pm UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/stats-chat-why-is-dark-master-popular-in-defence/6208/10 "2016-05-02T15:12:09Z")
> [@Sirrian](#): > > We can break it down over different level ranges. Dark Master is quite prolific under 100, but drops off at higher levels. All of the other troops are fairly consistent, except perhaps Gorgotha who really picks up in the higher level ranges. Is the graph based on: “Number of players whose defense team uses troop x” or “Number of pvp defends whose defense uses troop x” Because the first is obviously easier, but it counts people that haven’t done much of anything the same as a 100+ trophy a week player. The second would give people with high invade/defend activity more weight and be more indicative of actual use, but would also lowball teams that are avoided (such as when people skip a 4x celestasia or a full traited stoneskin set) ---
**Author:** ![Sirrian](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/sirrian/32/35758_2.png) [@Sirrian](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Sirrian)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2016, 3:18pm UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/stats-chat-why-is-dark-master-popular-in-defence/6208/11 "2016-05-02T15:18:34Z")
It’s based on the defend team of unique attacking players, I believe… otherwise the results get a little flawed. 1. If we look at ALL DEFEND TEAMS, then it includes the teams of players who aren’t PvPing 2. If we look all DEFENSES, then it wouldn’t include teams that were skipped by attackers 3. If we look at the Defense team of EVERY ATTACK, then it would skew towards teams used by players who play A LOT! So my understanding is that if 50,000 people were involved in PvP this week, then it would grab 50,000 Defend Teams, one every time a player played their first PvP battle of the week. ---
**Author:** ![Rasper](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/rasper/32/2363_2.png) [@Rasper](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/Rasper)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2016, 3:20pm UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/stats-chat-why-is-dark-master-popular-in-defence/6208/12 "2016-05-02T15:20:31Z")
Excellent! ---
**Author:** ![kzintiwife](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/community.gemsofwar.com/kzintiwife/32/2350_2.png) [@kzintiwife](https://community.gemsofwar.com/u/kzintiwife)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2016, 10:19pm UTC](https://community.gemsofwar.com/t/stats-chat-why-is-dark-master-popular-in-defence/6208/13 "2016-05-02T22:19:44Z")
is there a way to grab all the unquie attack teams? i know i have 4 setup… and i never defend with goblins, but one of my attack teams is goblin and one is skeleton… wonder if it would change things?