anime vanguards the struggler Guide: Evolution, Stats, Passives, and Best Use Cases
Learn how to evolve anime vanguards the struggler, understand its passives, costs, stats, and best gameplay tips.
Why anime vanguards the struggler matters right now
If you pulled anime vanguards the struggler, you probably noticed one thing fast: the base version feels far weaker than you’d expect from a Secret unit. That is exactly why anime vanguards the struggler matters so much right now, because the evolved form turns a disappointing pull into a high-upside damage dealer with unique mechanics, Bleed synergy, and a powerful active.
For players building around endgame clears, banner value, or limited-unit investment, knowing whether to evolve and fully fund this unit can save a lot of Gold, Essences, and time. This guide breaks down the evolution path, requirements, passives, costs, and practical tips so you can decide if The Struggler (Rampage) deserves a slot on your team.
What is The Struggler in Anime Vanguards?
In Anime Vanguards, The Struggler is the in-game version inspired by Guts from Berserk. The evolved form is called The Struggler (Rampage), a Secret rarity unit with the Unbound element and a kit focused on repeated attacks, Bleed interaction, and scaling damage through Injury stacks.
Based on community reports and the unit page, this form stands out for three reasons:
- It can snowball damage during longer fights
- It has strong attack variety, including wide lines, cone damage, and full-area attacks
- Its active skill grants nonstop attacking plus immunity to status effects and debuffs
Here’s a quick overview.
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Unit Name | The Struggler (Rampage) |
| Base Unit | The Struggler |
| Rarity | Secret |
| Element | Unbound |
| Placement Limit | 3 |
| Evolution Item | Dragonslayer |
| Gold Evolution Cost | 15,000 |
| Main Identity | Scaling DPS / Bleed synergy / active carry |
For general game information, you can also check the official game page on Roblox through the Anime Vanguards experience listing.
How to evolve anime vanguards the struggler
Evolving anime vanguards the struggler is the real key. The biggest takeaway from player experience is simple: the base version is not where the unit shines. The evolved version is where the value begins.
Evolution requirements
To evolve The Struggler into The Struggler (Rampage), you need the following materials:
| Requirement | Amount |
|---|---|
| Dragonslayer | 1 |
| Green Essence | 30 |
| Yellow Essence | 20 |
| Purple Essence | 20 |
| Red Essence | 30 |
| Rainbow Essence | 1 |
| Gold | 15,000 |
How to get the Dragonslayer
According to player experience from the referenced tutorial, the Dragonslayer comes from a special questline tied to The Struggler. The general process is:
| Step | What to Do | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pull The Struggler from the banner | Usually from the Special Banner/community reports mention banner access |
| 2 | Open the Quest tab | Look for the special evolution questline |
| 3 | Evolve two newer update units | Community reports mention units like The Falcon, The Smith, or The King equivalents from that update cycle |
| 4 | Use Griffith/Falcon ability on Guts/The Struggler | Place both units, then activate the ability |
| 5 | Receive the Dragonslayer | This unlocks the actual evolution step |
| 6 | Spend Essences + Gold | Final evolve into The Struggler (Rampage) |
Important evolution tip
A major player-reported advantage is that The Struggler’s evolution appears easier than some other Secret units because it does not rely on a takedown grind for the final evolution itself. Once you have the special item and the essence materials, you can complete the evolve much faster than units with awkward takedown requirements.
Best farming plan for evolution mats
| Material | Best Source Type | Practical Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Green Essence | Legend Stages, crafting, shops | Farm in bulk since many evolutions need it |
| Yellow Essence | Challenges, crafting, shops | Prioritize event shop if available |
| Purple Essence | Challenges, crafting, shops | Save for Secret/Mythic evolutions |
| Red Essence | Challenges, crafting, shops | Usually the bottleneck with aggressive evolving |
| Rainbow Essence | Challenges, crafting, shops | Don’t waste these on mid-tier units |
| Gold | Story, farming teams, event content | Have more than 15k ready before starting |
Passives and abilities explained simply
One reason anime vanguards the struggler gets so much attention is because the evolved kit is layered. On paper it can look complicated, but it’s easier to understand when broken into parts.
Passive 1: Branded One
This passive adds a resource loop after every 5 takedowns:
- A Demon enemy spawns with HP equal to The Struggler’s damage stat
- That Demon grants 100 Yen when defeated
- Killing the Demon gives the unit a 40% damage boost for 10 seconds
- Only the first Struggler placed gets this benefit
That final rule matters a lot. If you place multiple copies, only the first one gets the full passive advantage.
| Branded One Effect | Impact |
|---|---|
| Demon spawns every 5 takedowns | Extra micro-management and scaling interaction |
| Demon gives 100 Yen on death | Small economy boost |
| Demon kill grants +40% damage for 10s | Strong temporary DPS burst |
| First placed copy only | Reduces value of stacking multiple copies early |
Passive 2: The Struggler
This passive is tied to Bleed and Injury stacks:
- While stunned, if enemies in range are not Bleeding, they get Bleed applied
- The unit gains 5% damage per Injury stack
- Every 10 seconds, if a Bleeding enemy is in range, it may trigger bonus attacks
This means the unit naturally rewards longer battles and teams that can maintain Bleed uptime.
Passive 3: Beast of Darkness
This is a follow-up damage mechanic:
- When hitting Bleeding enemies, it can trigger another attack for 50% of current damage
- Enemies hit by the follow-up are repulsed
- It has a local 2-second cooldown
- The follow-up does not create Injury stacks
This adds extra control and extra damage, especially against packed enemy waves.
Active: Berserker Armor
The active skill is the biggest selling point.
| Active Skill | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Berserker Armor |
| Type | Active |
| Cooldown | 5 seconds |
| Main Effect | Attacks nonstop once toggled |
| Extra Effect | Full status effect and debuff immunity |
| Scaling Effect | Gains 1 Injury stack per attack in this state |
In practice, Berserker Armor turns The Struggler (Rampage) into a sustained pressure unit that keeps swinging while building its own scaling.
Stats, attack progression, and upgrade costs
The full stat sheet is long, but the important part is the trend: anime vanguards the struggler starts modestly, then ramps into very high damage with broad coverage.
Core upgrade profile
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Initial Placement Cost | 1,200 |
| Total Cost to Max | 137,800 |
| Placement Limit | 3 |
| Final Upgrade Count | 12 |
| Final Attack | Rage Filled Onslaught |
| Final Attack Hits | 8 |
| Final Max Range | 40–47 depending on variant/trait display |
| Final SPA | Around 7.1–9 |
| Final Damage (listed ranges from source page) | 82,828 to 414,142 display values |
Major attack breakpoints
| Upgrade Tier | Attack Name | Pattern | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Berserker Armor attack | Wide line | Decent lane coverage right away |
| 3 | Cannon Shot | 90° cone | Better for curved paths and grouped targets |
| 8 | Slab Slam | Wider line, 2 hits | Strong mid-to-late lane control |
| 12 | Rage Filled Onslaught | Full AoE, 8 hits | Big endgame wave clear and burst potential |
Cost curve snapshot
| Upgrade Level | Cost |
|---|---|
| Placement | 1,200 |
| 1 | 2,800 |
| 2 | 4,000 |
| 3 | 5,600 |
| 4 | 6,800 |
| 5 | 8,200 |
| 6 | 10,200 |
| 7 | 11,800 |
| 8 | 13,200 |
| 9 | 15,900 |
| 10 | 17,400 |
| 11 | 19,500 |
| 12 | 21,200 |
The total cost is high, which means this is not the kind of unit you max early in a low-economy run unless your team is already built to support it.
Best ways to use The Struggler (Rampage)
anime vanguards the struggler performs best when you play around its strengths instead of forcing it into every map.
Best use cases
| Scenario | Performance |
|---|---|
| Long matches | Excellent |
| Bleed-focused teams | Excellent |
| Boss damage | Good to very good |
| Dense waves | Very strong once upgraded |
| Early-game defense | Weak to average |
| Budget farming runs | Not ideal |
Placement tips
1. Don’t rush full investment too early
The total cost is steep. Place support and economy first unless the map is forgiving.
2. Let one copy lead
Because the Branded One passive only fully benefits the first Struggler placed, your first copy should be the priority upgrade target.
3. Pair with Bleed-friendly teams
The unit gets more value when Bleed is active often. Any roster that helps maintain crowd pressure and enemy uptime in range makes The Struggler better.
4. Use Berserker Armor when pressure spikes
The active is strongest during dangerous waves, boss entrances, or late-round leaks. The nonstop attacks and immunity can swing a run.
Team-building priorities
| Team Need | Why It Helps The Struggler |
|---|---|
| Strong economy unit | Lets you reach expensive later upgrades faster |
| Crowd control | Keeps enemies inside line and cone ranges |
| Bleed synergy | Enables follow-up and periodic attack value |
| Boss support/debuffs | Helps capitalize on scaling damage |
| Reliable wave clear partner | Covers its weaker early-game phase |
Is anime vanguards the struggler worth evolving?
For most players, yes. If you already pulled the base unit, evolving anime vanguards the struggler is strongly recommended because the value gap between base and evolved form is huge.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Secret rarity with strong ceiling | Base form feels underwhelming |
| Excellent scaling in longer runs | Expensive total upgrade path |
| Unique active with immunity | Needs setup and smart timing |
| Good Bleed interaction | Not the best early-game carry |
| Strong endgame AoE options | First-copy passive limits multi-place value |
Who should evolve it first?
You should prioritize this unit if:
- You already have the banner pull
- You can afford the Essences and 15,000 Gold evolve cost
- You play longer modes, harder content, or endgame waves
- You enjoy micro-managing active abilities
You may want to delay the evolution if:
- Your account still lacks core economy units
- You are short on Rainbow Essence
- You need a simpler early-game carry instead
FAQ about anime vanguards the struggler
Is anime vanguards the struggler good before evolution?
Not really, based on player experience. Most community reports say the base form feels weak compared to the evolved version, so the real goal is getting The Struggler (Rampage).
How do you get Dragonslayer for anime vanguards the struggler?
You get Dragonslayer from The Struggler’s special evolution questline. Player experience suggests you need to evolve two related update units, then use Griffith/Falcon’s ability on The Struggler to receive the item.
What materials do I need for anime vanguards the struggler evolution?
You need 1 Dragonslayer, 30 Green Essence, 20 Yellow Essence, 20 Purple Essence, 30 Red Essence, 1 Rainbow Essence, and 15,000 Gold.
Is The Struggler (Rampage) worth maxing?
Yes, if you can support the cost. The unit’s best value comes from its scaling damage, Bleed interaction, and Berserker Armor active, which all become much more impactful in longer and harder content.
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