Crimson (Brother) is an A-tier damage unit built around marks, delayed explosions, and damaging pools. It was introduced through the Season 1 Battle Pass, so availability can change after the season closes. Crimson rewards planning: enemies need to remain in a useful area long enough for the five-second mark to pay off.
Crimson quick lookup
How to obtain and evolve Crimson
Crimson’s documented original route is the Season 1 Battle Pass. If that pass is no longer active, do not assume the unit moved to a permanent banner or that trading is enabled. Check the current Battle Pass, event shop, and update panel for a rerun or replacement route.
The published evolution recipe for Crimson (Brother) is:
- 20 Red Sprites
- 20 Pink Sprites
- 1 Rainbow Sprite
- 5,000 Gold
Confirm the live screen before evolving. A malformed percentage has circulated in older skill summaries; this guide deliberately does not repeat it. Use the actual tooltip for current damage values.
How marks and pools work
Crimson marks enemies it attacks. After five seconds, the mark explodes and leaves a damaging pool, turning a delayed hit into continued area pressure. Piercing Crimson adds another part of the evolved attack pattern.
Because the effect is delayed, Crimson can look weak when placed at the very end of a lane. Put it early enough that marked enemies survive for five seconds while remaining in a shared kill zone. Slow, Stagger, Cocoon, or rewind increases the chance that the explosion and pool hit a meaningful group.
For testing, record mark application, explosion timing, pool ticks, and direct attacks separately. Do not compare the card’s direct damage with another unit’s complete rotation.
Best Trait for Crimson
Unbound is the premium recommendation for the largest overall scaling. Draconic is a practical stopping Trait because Crimson uses damage-over-time pressure and also benefits from reduced upgrade cost. Primordial provides a consistent all-round option.
The current ranking specifically does not favor Forsaken as Crimson’s default build. Critical stats can help direct hits, but they do not automatically improve every delayed or pool component. Test the full effect before committing a crit-only setup.
Best equipment
No Crimson-specific unique equipment is confirmed in the current complete equipment index. Use a strong generic Damage/SPA or Damage/Range item while checking the live card’s damage type. Kunai and Magic Orb are broadly useful starting points; Katana, Warrior’s Axe, or Magic Book only make sense when the Physical or Magical tag matches.
Do not label Hexed Blade as Crimson’s gear. The item appears in an EA+ equipment list, but its unit pairing, source, and effect remain unconfirmed.
Best teammates
Salmon Sorcerer slows and Staggers enemies in the pool. String Demon can Cocoon an elite until the mark resolves. Puppet rewinds enemies through the same area and amplifies the priority target. Cursed Student can fit a status-focused team, but its Spirit Bats specifically require Bleed stacks; Crimson’s mark is not automatically Bleed.
Add The Hero or Forbidden Teacher only after confirming Crimson’s live Physical or Magical tag. A farm unit is useful in long modes because Brother’s later upgrades need time and currency to pay off.
Placement and best modes
Place Crimson before a bend where enemies remain covered for at least five seconds. The ideal pool sits under a compact group, not behind enemies that have already left. Targeting the strongest enemy can preserve marks long enough to explode; targeting the first weak unit may waste the delayed effect.
Crimson is useful in Story, Raids, and Tournament stages with durable groups. It is less efficient on very easy farming waves that die before the mark timer. In those runs, a faster direct-damage opener may clear more smoothly.
Common mistakes
- Putting Crimson at the exit, where marks never get five seconds to resolve.
- Treating marks or pools as Bleed without a live status icon.
- Copying a malformed skill percentage from an older article.
- Assuming a Season 1 unit is permanently obtainable after the pass ends.
- Equipping Physical or Magical gear without checking the current card.
Quick answers
Can I still get Crimson?
The documented original route is the Season 1 Battle Pass. Current availability must be checked in the live Battle Pass, event, and update panels; a permanent replacement route is not confirmed here.
Does Crimson need Draconic?
No. Draconic is a strong practical stop for a damage-over-time build. Unbound is the premium target, and Primordial remains a reliable general option.
Related build guides
Use the current tier list and best DPS units guide to compare Crimson with faster carries. The team compositions and unit placement guide explain how to give its delayed mark time to resolve, while best equipment by unit keeps gear choices tied to the live damage-type icon.