Image: Tencent Games
Here's a guide for Xuance, Shouyue's younger brother, from the Baili Brothers.
Xuance, the mad, sickle-wielding younger brother of Shouyue, has arrived in Honor of Kings. The former student of the Prince of Lanling is the first jungler assassin to join the Hero's Gorge following the original hero lineup. He is proficient in dealing with the opponent's backline with quick movement and high damage potential.
Xuance is an assassin, which means that he excels in removing squishy heroes with damage and mobility. His power lies in his scythe, and the proper usage of his skills determines his presence in the game. He can deal massive amounts of single-target damage while dashing in and out of the team fight.
Here’s Xuance's skill breakdown, along with his equipment, arcana, and tips on how to play him effectively:
Skills breakdown
Passive: Crazed Prelude
Xuance's chained sickles deal an extra (25% Physical Attack) physical damage to enemies at long range, reducing their Movement Speed by (15% to 30%) while increasing his own Movement Speed by (15% to 30%) for 1 second.
Skill 1: Flailing Sickles
Xuance dashes in the target direction, enhancing his next Basic Attack to deal an extra (4% Health) physical damage (increases by 0.05% for every 10 Extra Physical Attack). If he has marked an enemy with his sickle, they are pulled a certain distance towards him when the dash ends.
The Movement increase and slow effects of Crazed Prelude are enhanced as Flailing Sickles levels up.
Skill 2: Nightmare Hooks
Xuance wields his sickle, charging up to gain 30% Movement Speed and gradually increasing his sickle's range. After charging up, he throws the sickle in the target direction, dealing (300 to 600+140% Extra Physical Attack) physical damage to enemies in its path and immobilising them briefly. The sickle will return automatically upon reaching its maximum range. The first target hit will be marked as Hunted, which allows Xuance to deal an extra 10% to 20% damage to them while taking 15% to 30% less damage from them.
For the duration of the mark, the skill can be used again, and doing so will cancel the target's Hunted effect and pull them behind him, dealing (300 to 600+140% Extra Physical Attack) physical damage (deals 50% extra damage to monsters).
Cancelling the charge-up reduces the cooldown of Nightmare Hooks by 50%. If the Hunted target dies or is marked by Crimson Blur, 80% of the cooldown will be returned immediately.
Ultimate: Crimson Blur
Xuance dashes behind a target marked by Nightmare Hooks, dealing (400 to 800+200% Extra Physical Attack) physical damage to enemies in his path. Beyond a certain distance, he will dash toward them instead.
If he has not marked an enemy, he will instead dash to the target's location and mark them, dealing (200+100% Extra Physical Attack) physical damage. He takes 50% less damage during the dash.
Passive: He gains 30% Movement Speed (diminishes over time) and 25% Attack Speed for 5 seconds for each kill or assist, for up to 3 stacks.
He can stock 1 use of Crimson Blur every 6 to 5 seconds, depending on Crimson Blur level, for up to 3 uses in total.Â
Arcana
This build uses four Arcana for Xuance: eight Reaver, two Hunt, ten Eagle Eye, and ten Red Moon. These Arcana focus on enhancing his critical rate, attack speed, and lifesteal. The bonus physical attack, pierce, and movement speed give a little edge against his opponent, making sure he gets enough damage to finish his opponent.
Equipment
1. Rapacious Bite
The bread-and-butter of assassin jungler. Rapacious Bite increases the damage and Cooldown Reduction of Xuance after each jungle camp cleared. However, consider making Relentless Blade only, and completing it as Rapacious Bite after buying your first core item, as the stats given by this item don't compensate for its cost if you haven't got the full stacks. This item will track every jungle camp you cleared even before completing Rapacious Bite.
Stats:
+90 Physical Attack
+5% Cooldown Reduction
+8% Movement Speed
Passive - Hunter
When a Basic Attack or a skill hits a monster, it takes (90+60% extra Physical Attack) physical damage every 0.5 seconds for 2 seconds (heroes only take 20% damage, applies only to melee heroes). Â
Passive - Reward
Increases Physical Attack by 3 and Cooldown Reduction by 0.2% when its wielder or a teammate within 700 range kills a monster for up to 25 stacks.
Before minute 10, deals 25% less damage to minions.
2. Boots of Dexterity
Boots of Dexterity gives Xuance the Attack Speed needed to keep his movement speed active all the time. It also provides a slight Health recovery whenever he lands a Basic Attack on every enemy. You can change this to other defensive boots if needed.
Stats:
+20% Attack Speed
Passive - Swift
Movement Speed +60
Passive - Lightning Recovery
Every Basic Attack restores 30/40 Health for melee/ranged heroes, halved against non-hero units.
Can switch to another pair of upgraded footwear free of charge. Cooldown: 5 minutes.Â
3. Axe of Torment
The first core item for Xuance. Axe of Torment improves his slow effect with its Maim and furthers his Physical Pierce to massacre the backline faster. The faster you get this piece of equipment, the more deadlier you become to the enemy backline.
Stats:
+85 Physical Attack
+10% Cooldown Reduction
+500 Max Health
Passive - Sever
Increases Physical Pierce by 68 to 180.
Passive - Maim
Skills slow the first enemy hero hit by 10% for 3 seconds. (Cooldown: 8 seconds)
4. Master Sword
Master Sword massively increases the damage of his enhanced Basic Attack. After completing this item, combined with Flailing Sickles and a Critical hit, he can halve his target's health with one hit. This sword also slightly increases his durability. Â
Stats:
+80 Physical Attack
+20% Critical Rate
+500 Max Health
+500 Max Mana
Passive - Savagery
Casting a skill increases Movement Speed by 12% for 2 seconds and the physical damage of the next Basic Attack within 5 seconds by 80% of Physical Attack. Cooldown: 3 seconds
5. Bloodweeper
Because Xuance's source of damage comes from Basic Attack, Bloodweeper makes him more durable in team fights by giving him a massive boost in lifesteal. Furthermore, it also provides Xuance with a significant increase in Physical Attack.
Stats:
+100 Physical Attack
+25% Physical Lifesteal
+500 Max Health
Passive - Revive
Recovers 400 to 610 Health over 5 seconds when Health drops below 30%. Cooldown: 20 seconds.
6. Shadow Ripper
The last piece of equipment for Xuance. Shadow Ripper further improves his attack speed and Critical Rate, making him more deadly. It also increases his Movement Speed by 5% or 10% if its passive is activated, making him more agile on the battlefield. Â
Stats:
+35% Attack Speed
+25% Critical Rate
+5% Movement Speed
Passive - Storm Strike
Increases Basic Attack damage by 40. After a critical hit, increase Attack Speed by 20% and Movement Speed by 5% for 3 seconds.
Situational: Sage's Sanctuary and Pure Sky (Sky Dome)
There are two pieces of situational items for Xuance. Get Sage's Sanctuary to give him a second life if he gets focused too much. Consider buying Pure Sky to make him more durable when fighting enemy fighters or backlines in the late game.Â
Read also Honor of Kings: Shi guide, arcana, and equipment
How to play Xuance
Xuance's damage in the early game is horrible as he relies on his core items, namely Axe of Torment and Rapacious Bite. When playing him in the early stage, communicate with your team to maximise Nightmare Hooks' crowd control, as he didn't have much damage early on.
When Xuance got his first core item, his damage increased significantly, and it was the moment he could quickly eliminate the enemy backline. His task in the team fight was ensuring the enemy's primary damage-dealer attention spread, as he could significantly reduce their damage to him if he could land Nightmare Hooks or Crimson Blur to them.
Xuance was not easy for a beginner to use, with many requirements that must be fulfilled to be useful. However, his high skill ceiling means that he is very dangerous in the right hands, and can single-handedly disrupt the enemy formation.Â
