I really don't have problems winning games that I am initiating, (excluding crashes) so I am not sure about this. If the AI could use it properly it might help.
With so many people using Phoenix, BotC will boon bust Focused at least. I don't see many people buffing themselves much. It will mess up Hercules and Blade of the Guardian agent something awful though.
Not as much because he doesn't put up any buffs on himself unlike Hercules.