Matador Overview: Season 41 Release
Hernando Romero launches February 5, 2026, 08:00 UTC+8 as Matador—a Contain Assist Survivor with crowd-control toolkit disrupting hunter momentum. Difficulty Level 2 means moderate complexity with high skill ceiling.
His kit has three components: Muleta Mastery (direct engagement), Gaonera Pass (area denial), Faena (passive team support). Guaranteed unlock at 250 pulls costs 79,500 Echoes. Buy Identity V echoes discount online through BitTopup for instant delivery.
Meta Positioning
Matador forces hunters into disadvantageous positions through active deployment, not passive evasion. His 50% slow reduces hunter speed from 4.6 m/s to 2.3 m/s for 2.5s—critical against Season 41's mobility-focused hunters. 16m total dash coverage enables exceptional repositioning.
Skill Requirements
Three layers: basic Muleta usage for chase extension, intermediate Courage management for Gaonera optimization, advanced positioning for Faena's 6m radius benefits. 70s duration on charges with 11s cooldowns demands strategic resource management. 2.5m cleave radius lasting 0.6s requires precise spacing.
Complete Ability Breakdown
Muleta Mastery: Core Dash
Charge System: 2 initial/max charges, 11s cooldown, 70s duration
Dash Mechanics:
- Initial: 6m forward
- Extension: +10m (16m total)
- Cleave: 2.5m radius, 0.6s duration
- Slow: 50% hunter speed reduction (4.6→2.3 m/s) for 2.5s
Passive Bonus: +10% Interaction Speed (reduces Cipher decode from 81s to ~73.6s, rescue from 0.86s to 0.77s)
Gaonera Pass: Area Denial
Requirements: 100 Courage, 2 charges per match
Courage Generation:
- 40 per Muleta cleave hit
- 2/s within 16m of hunter
- 1/s beyond 16m (within Terror Radius)
Effect: 8s zone, 25m range, -10% Hunter Interaction Speed
Optimal Timing: 50s passive accumulation or 25s with 2-3 cleave hits. Deploy before rescues, final ciphers, or dungeon standoffs.
Faena Passive: Proximity Support
Range: 6m radius (constant aura)
Effects:
- Hunters: -10% Movement Speed (4.6→4.14 m/s)
- Survivors: +10% Vaulting Speed (1.06→0.95s High Speed Vault)
Position between chaired survivor and hunter during rescues for simultaneous debuff/buff application.
Optimal Persona Builds
Broken Windows (Aggressive Kiting)
Allocation:
- Broken Windows: 3 pts (20% total vaulting with Faena)
- Knee Jerk Reflex: 1 pt
- Cold: 1 pt
- Borrowed Time: 3 pts
- Snooze: 1 pt
High Speed Vaulting drops to ~0.85s. Best vs Hell Ember, Geisha (limited anti-loop).
Tide Turner (Rescue Focus)
Allocation:
- Tide Turner: 3 pts
- Borrowed Time: 3 pts
- Exit Path: 1 pt
- Knee Jerk Reflex: 1 pt
- Cold: 1 pt
Rescue time: 0.77s with 20s Endurance post-rescue. Stacks with Gaonera Pass for guaranteed safe rescues.
Hybrid Build
Allocation:
- Broken Windows: 2 pts
- Tide Turner: 3 pts
- Borrowed Time: 3 pts
Balances kiting and rescue for solo queue flexibility.
Advanced Kiting Strategies
Map-Specific Routes
Arms Factory:
- 16m corridors match Muleta max range
- Central building 2nd floor: 3 consecutive windows + Faena = near-infinite loops
- Deploy Gaonera at main pallet cluster
Moonlit River Park:
- Carousel area: tight loops for 2.5m cleave hits
- 6m dash enters loops, 10m extension escapes to boat/bridge
- Boat window + Faena nearly uncounterable for slow hunters
Red Church:
- Deploy Gaonera in church interior for extended pallet lifespans
- Graveyard: tombstones create 6m dash lanes between vaults
Pallet Loop Optimization
Cleave-Drop Technique:
- Bait lunge at max pallet distance
- Dash through pallet while landing cleave
- Drop pallet during 2.5s slow window
Hunter's 2.3 m/s prevents reaching you before pallet completes. Chain across 3-4 pallets for 30+ second chases with single charge.
Window Vault Timing
Base Speeds:
- High Speed: 1.06s → 0.95s (Faena)
- Window: 1.15s → 1.03s
- Medium: 1.48s → 1.33s
0.15s difference determines hit outcomes. Use 6m dash for distant windows, reserve 10m extension for emergencies. 16m total exceeds most hunter lunge ranges (2-3m).
Hunter Matchup Guide
Sculptor
- Dash dodges statue charges (0.6s invincibility frames)
- Farm Courage at 16+ meters (2/s passive)
- Deploy Gaonera near ciphers to slow statue placement
- Faena less effective (statue damage vs direct chase)
Nightmare
- Muleta functions identically in dream state
- Farm Courage during dream debuff
- Deploy Gaonera upon waking for full visibility
- Faena stacks with dream penalties for exceptionally slow movement
Fast Hunters (Ripper, Geisha, Hell Ember)
Ripper: Dash dodges Foggy Blade (16m > blade range)
Geisha: 6m dash baits her ability, 10m extension escapes opposite direction (16m total > follow-up range)
Hell Ember: Deploy Gaonera near puppet spawns to slow placement speed
Camping Hunters
- Accumulate 100 Courage before rescue
- Deploy Gaonera at 25m range covering chair
- Use Muleta to approach safely
- Time cleave during rescue animation for 50% slow post-unhook
- 2.3 m/s prevents instant re-downs
Team Coordination
Optimal Compositions
Best Pairs:
- Prisoner/Mechanic (protect late-game cipher rushes)
- Mercenary (flexible rescue rotations)
Avoid: Coordinator/Gravekeeper (overlapping rescue roles)
Ideal: 3 decoders + Matador
Rescue Timing
- Accumulate 100 Courage first
- Deploy Gaonera 2-3s before rescue range
- 8s duration covers rescue + healing + escape
- Reserve both Muleta charges for post-rescue defense
Communication Signals
- Hunter near me! = farming Courage (intentional engagement)
- Focus decoding! = Gaonera deployed (8s safe window)
- Dismiss! = Muleta on cooldown (prepare rescue rotation)
Common Mistakes
Wasting Charges Early
Preserve both charges until hunters commit to 20+ second chases. Use environmental loops first. Exception: aggressive cleave for 40 Courage, but keep second charge.
Mistiming Cleave
2.5m radius, 0.6s duration = minimal error margin. Deploy as hunters enter lunge startup (2-3m range). Use narrow corridors to force proximity hits vs timing-based.
Poor Positioning
Plan 16m dash path before activation:
- 6m dash = intermediate safety (near pallets/windows)
- 10m extension = complete safety (behind dropped pallets/vaulted windows)
Avoid open areas without destination points.
Unsafe Rescues
Gaonera (8s) + Muleta slow (2.5s) = 10.5s total debuff. If hunters land hits within this window, abandon rescue. Coordinate vs instant-down abilities (Sculptor statues, Geisha dash).
Meta Analysis
Season 41 Position
High-tier Contain Assist with strong matchups vs mobility hunters. 50% slow counters fast-paced meta. Guaranteed at 250 pulls (79,500 Echoes) or 63% chance at 100 pulls (31,800 Echoes).
S-Tier Comparisons
vs Seer: Aggressive debuffs vs passive protection. More flexible, less predictable.
vs Mercenary: Trades rescue invincibility for broader utility (Gaonera + Faena).
vs Prisoner: Lower decode speed, higher combat insurance.
Performance Metrics
- Win Rate: 52-55% (Tier 5-6 solo), 58-60% (coordinated)
- Chase Extension: +15-20s vs standard survivors (~1.5 additional ciphers)
- Rescue Success: 75-80% (Gaonera available) vs 60-65% baseline
Unlock and Progression
Acquisition Methods
Season 41 Essence 1 (Feb 5, 2026):
- Guaranteed: 250 pulls (79,500 Echoes)
- Chance: 100 pulls (31,800 Echoes, 63% S-Tier)
Alternatives:
- Inspiration: 12,000-18,000 (3-4 months ranked)
- Fragments: 3,568 (6 months post-release)
Progression Priorities
Phase 1 (10-15 matches): Muleta charge management, 60%+ cleave accuracy
Phase 2: Gaonera timing at 25m range, 8s duration mental timers
Phase 3: Faena positioning (6m proximity to decoders/rescued survivors)
FAQ
What are Matador's core abilities?
Muleta Mastery (2 charges, 16m dash, 50% hunter slow), Gaonera Pass (100 Courage, 8s area, -10% hunter Interaction Speed), Faena (6m aura, -10% hunter movement, +10% survivor vaulting). Base: 3.8 m/s speed, +10% Interaction Speed.
How does Muleta Mastery work?
6m initial + 10m extension = 16m total. 2.5m cleave (0.6s) slows hunters 50% (4.6→2.3 m/s) for 2.5s. 11s cooldown, 70s duration.
Best persona build for ranked?
Broken Windows (3) + Borrowed Time (3) for kiting. Tide Turner (3) for rescues. Hybrid: Broken Windows (2) + Tide Turner (3) + Borrowed Time (3).
How to counter Sculptor?
Stay 16+ meters (2 Courage/s passive). Deploy Gaonera near ciphers to slow statue placement. Dash dodges statue charges. Use Faena for rescue vaulting speed.
When to deploy Gaonera Pass?
2-3s before rescues/final ciphers/exit gates. 8s duration covers full objective. Deploy at 25m range for multi-objective coverage.
Cost to guarantee Matador?
250 pulls = 79,500 Echoes (guaranteed). 100 pulls = 31,800 Echoes (63% chance). Free: 12,000-18,000 Inspiration or 3,568 Fragments.
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