How Strong is SHINY Evolved Dark Mage Evil in Anime Vanguards Update 6?

Anime Vanguards is back with a fresh update, and one of the standout additions this time around is none other than the SHINY Evolved Dark Mage Evil. This battle pass unit has been turning heads ever since its reveal in Update 6, and for good reason. In this article, we’ll break down everything you need to know about this powerful new unit—how it performs, what makes it unique, and why it might be one of the strongest battle pass units released so far.

Unlocking Dark Mage Evil: Battle Pass Rewards

The Dark Mage Evil is the evolved form of Dark Mage, a new battle pass unit. If you unlock the premium battle pass, you’ll be able to claim this unit alongside a ton of reroll items—up to 97 rerolls, according to early showcases. Once you get Dark Mage, you can evolve him into Dark Mage Evil, which adds two new attacks and a passive, making him even more powerful. Players also noted that you can easily stat transfer to a shiny version, making it easier to maximize his potential without grinding for multiple versions.

First Impressions: Model, Cosmetics & Showcase

Visually, Dark Mage Evil’s shiny model looks great, but there’s a catch—his cosmetics are a bit lacking. The shiny version doesn’t include the expected clothing or staff visuals, which has left some players feeling a little scammed in terms of aesthetics. However, looks aside, his in-game performance more than makes up for it.

When placed on the field, his attack animations are flashy and satisfying, especially moves like Ice Rain which deliver high-impact damage visuals. His skills scale extremely well with upgrades, making him viable for both story and infinite modes.

Passives: What Makes Him Strong?

What sets Dark Mage Evil apart is his synergy with status effects. His first passive, Waste Not, allows him to:

• Slow enemies on hit (30% of unit’s damage over 4 seconds)
• Apply bleed (25% of damage over 6 seconds)
• Deal 50% extra damage to debuffed enemies
• Spread bleed to all enemies in range when a bleeding enemy dies nearby (30% of unit’s damage for 4 seconds, 10s cooldown)

Once upgraded, he gains the second passive, Want Not, which brings in the Rook Meter mechanic:

• Each debuff applied charges 1% of the meter
• When full, it auto-triggers a burn and bleed (100% of unit’s damage over 8s)
• Also inflicts “Cease” which makes enemies take 50% more damage from DoT effects

This makes him an excellent support-DPS hybrid who scales better the longer he stays in combat. He can debuff, deal consistent AoE damage, and amplify the damage output of teammates who rely on DoT.

Meta Viability and Placement

Dark Mage Evil can be placed twice per match, which aligns well with current meta builds. The Monarch trait is considered best for him due to his status-heavy kit. With his wide-range bleed and burn applications, he shines in both solo and co-op modes, especially in Infinite mode where long fights favor debuff-based strategies.

While earlier battle pass units were also strong, Dark Mage Evil has arguably raised the bar with his dynamic utility and crowd-control features. If you’re a competitive player or simply looking for a powerful, flexible unit, this one is absolutely worth the grind.

Anime Vanguards Update 6 has brought in a standout battle pass unit with Dark Mage Evil. His evolved form and powerful passives make him one of the best utility-DPS hybrids in the game right now. Whether you’re aiming to dominate Infinite mode or need a reliable support attacker for your team, this unit won’t disappoint. For those on the fence about investing in the premium battle pass—this update makes it worth it. Dark Mage Evil is not just strong—he’s meta-defining. Stay tuned for more updates, meta breakdowns, and unit guides.