Why Saitama Is the Best Character
For players asking who offers the biggest payoff, Saitama is the best character for a high-damage run. His punches can grow from modest early hits into attacks that deal dozens of damage, making him the clearest choice for players who enjoy building around one devastating idea.
That power is not automatic. Saitama begins vulnerable, and a poorly managed move lineup can make him feel weaker than a standard employee. The secret is to make every promotion, upgrade, and combo decision support punches rather than filling the rotation with unrelated actions.
| Character approach | Early-game safety | Late-game damage | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saitama punch build | Low | Extremely high | High |
| Standard mixed-move employee | Moderate | Moderate | Low |
| Kick-focused setup | Moderate | High knockback | Moderate |
Saitama’s strength comes from scaling. Normal Punch can become Serious Punch, while further punch upgrades such as Skull Crusher and Exploding Heart Punch create powerful finishing options. Damage also rises through promotions and training-style upgrades that specifically improve punches.
The tradeoff is consistency. A character with several movement, utility, and weak attack cards may survive more comfortably at first. Saitama needs a focused deck, careful positioning, and a protected combo meter before his best hits start deciding fights.
He is best suited to players who are willing to make fewer, more deliberate choices. A standard run can succeed by using kicks, thrown objects, movement options, and improvised weapons. Saitama is stronger when those tools serve a specific purpose: buying time, preventing damage, or setting up the next punch.
That narrow focus makes his victories satisfying. Instead of relying on a single lucky pickup, you can watch the build become more dangerous floor by floor. When a high-combo Serious Punch or Skull Crusher sends a dangerous worker flying, the entire run feels like it was built to produce that moment.
Build the Punch Deck First
A successful Saitama run should keep its purpose simple: build combo, strengthen punches, and safely reach the next promotion. Do not take every interesting move just because it appears. Extra actions can delay your important punches and make the deck less reliable.
Start by prioritizing Elite Punch or other direct punch improvements. When Normal Punch can upgrade into Serious Punch, that is usually a major step forward because it adds meaningful knockback and better damage potential.
| Upgrade or effect | Why it helps Saitama | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| Elite Punch | Improves early damage | Take early to avoid weak starts |
| Serious Punch | Stronger punch with knockback | Upgrade Normal Punch when available |
| Skull Crusher | Heavy single-target punch | Use against durable enemies |
| Exploding Heart Punch | Powerful punch option | Add when the deck already supports punches |
| 100 Push-Ups | Raises punch damage | Excellent scaling choice |
| Coffee effects | Can support healing or electrical damage | Useful when coffee is already in rotation |
Coffee can be surprisingly valuable. Drinking it may provide a brief recovery opportunity, and some upgrades make normal attacks deal electrical damage afterward. Caffeine High can also provide invulnerability while drinking coffee or energy drinks, which gives Saitama a safer moment in dangerous rooms.
However, coffee is support, not the win condition. It should exist to sustain the punch plan, not replace it. If the card cycle becomes overloaded with low-impact moves, your strongest attacks appear too late.
A focused priority order looks like this:
- Take a punch upgrade whenever it meaningfully improves damage.
- Choose promotions that protect or grow the combo meter.
- Add support actions only when they heal, create safety, or amplify attacks.
- Upgrade weak filler actions into useful movement when possible.
- Avoid adding random moves that do not help punches connect.
This is why Saitama rewards patience. You are not trying to collect every flashy ability. You are creating a rotation where the next serious hit is always close.
Before selecting a new move, ask whether it changes the outcome of a difficult room. A heavy punch answers elite enemies. A stun or defensive effect can create an opening. A side hop or other repositioning option can keep you from being trapped. If a choice does none of those things, it may simply make your deck slower.
This matters because actions cycle in sequence. A useful move is not always useful at the exact moment it appears. The more filler you accept, the more often you must wait through it while armed enemies close in or a valuable combo is at risk.
Keep the Combo Alive
The combo meter is what turns Saitama from an ordinary brawler into a boss killer. Higher combo values noticeably improve punch damage, and a well-built run can move from single-digit hits to attacks in the 30s or 40s.
Perfectionist is especially helpful because it builds combo when moves do not miss. Dragon Flex can also give a substantial immediate combo boost by stunning nearby enemies, creating time to line up punches without taking pressure.
| Combo tool | Effect in practice | Main risk |
|---|---|---|
| Perfectionist | Builds combo for successful move use | Missing breaks momentum |
| Dragon Flex | Stuns enemies and boosts combo | Needs good timing |
| Sudoku-style protection | Can forgive a missed move | May not appear every run |
| Crowd-control punches | Creates space through knockback | Can miss fallen or displaced targets |
| Coffee recovery | Helps survive while rebuilding | Does not replace positioning |
Missing is the biggest danger. Enemies may fall over, get knocked out of range, or move before a punch lands. A missed action can destroy a carefully built combo, so do not fire attacks blindly into a chaotic crowd.
Positioning matters more than it first appears. Let enemies gather where your current punch can reach them, then use knockback to create room. When armed enemies appear with weapons such as Uzis, staple guns, swords, or nunchucks, avoid standing still while waiting for the perfect card cycle.
Use Dragon Flex before committing to a damaging sequence when the room is crowded. The stun can buy the opening needed to land several attacks and raise the meter quickly. Once the combo is high, save your best punch for elite enemies, chained workers, or threats blocking progress.
A good rhythm is to use a safe action first, identify where the next enemy will be when your punch activates, and then commit. Do not chase every target across the room. Enemies pushed away by knockback can make the next attack miss, so creating space is useful only when you can still reconnect with your rotation.
Health boxes and recovery effects are also worth taking when a run is close to ending. Saitama’s ceiling does not help if he reaches overtime with almost no health. Surviving one difficult floor is often more valuable than a small damage increase.
FAQ
Who is the stick it to the stickman best character for damage?
Saitama is the strongest choice for maximum damage potential. With punch upgrades, combo scaling, and punch-damage boosts, his attacks can become dramatically stronger than their early-game versions.
Is Saitama easy to play?
No. He is powerful but demanding. He starts with low damage, depends heavily on a maintained combo, and suffers when too many weak moves clutter the rotation.
What should I upgrade first?
Prioritize direct punch upgrades such as Elite Punch, then improve Normal Punch into Serious Punch when possible. Later, choose heavy punch options like Skull Crusher or Exploding Heart Punch.
Which promotion is best for a Saitama run?
Perfectionist is a strong choice because it helps build combo when you avoid missing moves. Dragon Flex is also valuable for stunning enemies and gaining an immediate combo increase.
Should I take coffee upgrades?
Take them when they support your existing deck. Coffee can offer healing, electrical normal attacks, or temporary invulnerability through Caffeine High, but your main priority should remain punch damage and combo control.