Titan Forge Games have removed, reworked and added a ton of new items in Year 10, but which are the best of the fresh tools?
In any game, a new season usually brings a load of balance updates. It’s no different with SMITE, but the Year 10 update of Titan Forge Games’ Action-MOBA took it a bit further than usual: very few items stayed the same, a large number of them were reworked or removed. However, the developers wouldn’t want to leave the players without tools, so they added 12 new items for the new Year – but which are the ones you should keep an eye out for?
5.Prophetic Cloak
One of the items which had to get nerfed, Prophetic Cloak turned out to be one of the best options for Tanks. Built from the Cloak Tree, Prophetic Cloak provides a unique stacking mechanic for those who buy it: you have to damage enemies in order to get stacks by damaging enemies. One stack provides 2 Protections of the damage type of the struck enemy – in an Aura, so it means that Supports utilise this item the most. Once you get 15 stacks of both Physical and Magical Protections, the Cloak evolves, giving mitigation based on your total Prots – so not only from the item. With the initial 20% CDR and relatively cheap cost, no wonder Prophetic Cloak got nerfed, but it’s a very good item even with 10% CDR and 7.5%/15% Mitigation based on Protections.
4. Tablet of Destinies
A new stacking item for Midlaners is another unique one, as you can’t stack it by killing minions – you have to damage enemy Gods in order to upgrade this item. Built from the new, Tier II Book of Souls, Tablet of Destinies gives us 90 Magical Power, 150 Health and 300 Mana. You can get a stack by dealing ability damage to enemy Gods every 2 seconds, and can only gain stacks once per God per ability hit. Tablet is unique in one more thing: every stack gets you a bigger lead, as for each one, your abilities deal 0.08% of your Max Mana as True Damage, making Mages real Tank killers – but in return, it doesn’t evolve, so you don’t get additional bonuses at max stacks. Seems like a fair trade.
3. Dawnbringer
Dawnbringer is the new best way for initiators to disrupt the enemy backline. Built from in the Cudgel tree from the Heavy Hammer Tier 2 item, Dawnbringer costs 2600 gold, give a decent 40 Physical Power, 300 Health and a hefty 20% CDR, which makes it stand out in the Cooldown department. However, Dawnbringer’s power lies in it’s passive: after your Ultimate finished casting, you gain 5% Movement Speed and Protections for each enemy unit within 55 units for the next 6 seconds, making it impossible for enemy carries to run away. It works wonders for Surtr, SMITE’s newest Warrior, because not only does he crash down as a meteor into the enemy team, he becomes an unstoppable force and an immovable object for a few seconds.
2. Shadowdrinker
Assassin’s got a great item for Year 10 in the new Shadowdrinker, built from Thousand Fold Blade in the Katana tree. The item only costs 2300 gold, which makes it a perfect first or second item, but can be easily slotted in later as well. Shadowdrinker grants 50 Physical Power, 10 flat Physical Penetration and 7% Movement Speed, helping Junglers reach and burst squishies easier. It also eliminates one of the biggest weakness of Assassin’s, as the passive gives Stealth and 30% Movement Speed to the wielder after killing an enemy God. This means you can get in and out of the shadows, making it impossible for enemy carries to feel safe – even behind their frontliners.
1. Archdruid’s Fury
The most effective and efficient item however, seems to be the new Druid Stone tree one, Archdruid’s Fury, which can be built from Sage’s Stone. The item cost 2500 gold overall, and gives some great defensive stats, such as 35 of both Physical and Magical Protections, 300 Health and 15 MP5. But even though it’s an item for tanks, it packs a punch with it’s passive ability: after taking damage from enemy gods equal to 5% of your HP, you gain a stack, up to a maximum of 6. Your next basic attack deals 30+1,5 per LVL True Damage per stack to an enemy God, which means you can ramp up, then hit like a truck. Works great on both Supports and Warriors, but Assassins and even some Hunters can get away with it, especially if they have some sort of basic attack stim. No wonder it was nerfed alongside Prophetic Cloak in the PTS hotfix, as it used to give 2 damage per LVL instead of 1,5 – but it’s still one of the best items you can build.
The 10th Year of SMITE is shaping up to be great, with players reinvigorated as they test out the new Conquest map, new builds, and experience the new meta. Hopefully Titan Forge Games can keep the momentum through the whole season!
estnn.com
