Honestly, if you’re still sleeping on Dark Wing ASTD X, you’re probably missing out on one of the most mechanically interesting units in All Star Tower Defense X right now. He isn’t just another hill unit you plop down and forget. He’s based on Ulquiorra Cifer from Bleach, and just like the character, he has layers—literally.
Most people just see the 5-star tag and the 1% summon rate and think "standard DPS." That’s a mistake. The real magic happens when you start looking at how his Merci ability actually scales. It's weird. It's finicky. But if you get it right, he transforms into a permanent powerhouse that carries late-game waves.
✨ Don't miss: The Ancient Grounds Site of Grace Is Harder to Find Than You Think
The Raw Math of Dark Wing ASTD X
Let's talk numbers because they matter. You're looking at a base deployment cost of 1,350. That’s relatively steep for an early-game drop, but he’s a hill unit. You're paying for the vantage point.
Over 7 upgrade levels, his total cost balloons to around 52,500. It’s an investment. Initially, he starts with an Elemental AoE (EAoE) and a measly 20 range. By the time you hit Upgrade 7, that range bumps to 30, and his attack type shifts to a Line AoE.
Wait, there's a catch.
🔗 Read more: Ring of Absolute Force: The Most Underestimated Item in Your Pathfinder Toolkit
His SPA (Seconds Per Attack) actually goes up as you upgrade him. He starts fast at 5 seconds but slows down to 7 (and eventually 9 in certain phases). This usually scares players off. They see "slower" and think "worse." But the Damage Per Second (DPS) tells a different story. We're talking jump from ~117 base DPS to over 2,800+ once he’s fully ascended and buffed.
Why Ascension Changes Everything
You can’t just summon him and expect to dominate. You have to ascend him. To do that in the current 2026 meta, you’re going to need specific materials:
- Lightning Lance (x7)
- Ghost III - Rainbow (x5)
- Ghost I - Green (x5)
- 5,000 Gold
Once ascended, his ceiling vanishes. If you've got SSS stats on him, the "Merci" transformation becomes a game-changer.
The "Merci" Transformation Secret
This is where 90% of the community messes up. The Merci ability is a permanent transformation, but its power is dictated by how much damage Dark Wing has already dealt before you press that button.
Think of it as a battery.
- If he’s dealt 0 to 450,000 damage: You get a flat damage increase.
- If he’s dealt 450,001 to 1,000,000 damage: You get a range increase.
- If he’s dealt over 1,000,000 damage: You get an SPA reduction (he attacks faster).
Basically, if you trigger Merci too early, you're stuck with a slower, shorter-ranged version of a unit that could have been a god. You want to let him cook. Let him rack up that million-plus damage in a long raid or story mission before you evolve him into the Merci form. Once he hits that 1M+ threshold and you transform him, he switches to a Circle AoE and his SPA drops significantly, making his "Group DPS" astronomical.
Dark Wing ASTD X in the 2026 Meta
Is he the absolute best unit in the game? Kinda depends. If you’re comparing him to Super Borul or certain limited Zorro (Mihawk) variants, he has competition. But as a Green Element hill unit, he fills a niche that's hard to ignore.
He’s particularly effective in high-level raids where the "Line AoE" can hit dozens of enemies at once before the transformation. In the current season, many top-tier players are running him with speed-buffing or damage-buffing supports like "Shinzou Wo Sasageyo" active to offset his initial slow SPA.
Honestly, the "Dark Wing" meta is all about patience. If you’re the type of player who wants instant gratification, you’ll hate him. If you like strategy and timing your transformations to hit that perfect Circle AoE fast-attack state, he’s your guy.
Actionable Strategy for Your Next Run
Stop rushing the final upgrade. It’s tempting to hit Max as soon as you have the cash. Instead, focus on your economy and other ground units first. Keep an eye on Dark Wing's total damage dealt counter.
Wait until that number turns green or crosses the 1,000,000 mark. Only then should you trigger the Merci phase. You'll notice a massive difference in how he handles the final waves. Also, make sure you're rolling for a "Corrupted" trait or something that boosts his raw output to reach that 1M damage threshold faster.
Don't forget to check the NPC mission stages—specifically Stage 2 for Ulquiorra—to ensure you've unlocked the necessary ascension paths. Without the ascension quest completion, he’s just a mid-tier hill unit collecting dust in your inventory.