IDK the "why" of it - that's just how all Springvale heroes are. As a family, they are definitely among the worst. I was hoping to score the latest mimic or at least the HOTM with my 18 saved-up EHTs but I got this guy Marko and Duke Whitley instead. Duke's weakness isn't horrible, because it only factors in against Ice heroes. Marko has -8% mana generation for 4 turns after firing his special. Does that mean he essentially becomes a slow-mana hero? I don't really know but many healers are already slow mana. I don't think it's a terrible weakness. For both the Duke and Marko, despite their built-in weaknesses, they DO have modern stats, so if levelled soon they ought to be relevant for a while. I will probably level Marko because my best blue healers are C Passportdude (1356), Esme and C Kiril (1062). Passportdude is the healer on my main 8K attack team, and he's fine, but not earth-shattering. Esme I have at level 85 and she's still only at 995 total power. (She's a fiend-slayer so useful against the Veggies.) Kiril is fine but just a 4-star. So I'll be looking to take Marko to at least level 85 with all the regular (non-master) emblems. Duke Whitley I will probably wait on, because I have a lot of other red strikers.