HOUSE KAMUHA (HEROIC PERK)

Each time Taka critically strikes, he receives 75% of the damage back as health along with a burst of speed. Every 2 seconds, Taka is guaranteed a critical strike. Taka gains 1 Ki stack when he uses an ability or performs a critical strike (up to 5 stacks). Each stack of Ki increases the frequency of critical strikes and accelerates ability cooldowns.

KAITEN

Taka flips over his target, cutting it with his switchblade. Taka doesn’t take damage while in mid-air.

KAKU

Taka throws a smoke bomb at his feet, vanishing from enemy sight and gaining move speed. This illusion ends early if he strikes a target or he takes direct damage. Turrets, Scout Traps and Flare Guns will see Taka while invisible.

X-RETSU

Taka bursts through his target, carving an X with his switchblades for lethal damage. The target suffers a mortal wound, reducing its healing by 50% and taking damage over the next 4 seconds.

Taka is a slippery hit-and-run assassin with the ability to dodge enemy abilities, vanish into smoke and dash to a distant target with blinding speed.

His critical-strike frequency makes him a weapon-build natural, but his midgame shines bright when buying crystal power. Explore his numerous build paths and play styles until you unleash his full lethal potential.

Let’s break him down …

Kaiten allows Taka to effectively farm and stick to targets, but skilled players will maximize its defensive capabilities. While flipping in mid-air, Taka will not take damage, allowing him to negate bursty abilities such as Joule’s energy beam and avoid damage from triggering items like Tension Bow.

Kaku is deceptively multifaceted because of its relationship to Taka’s other abilities. Yes, you can vanish, run into lane and tear out the heart of some unsuspecting soul. Yes, it’s your primary escape and a fine way to safely facecheck brush. But it’s also the essential bridge between other abilities and critical strikes, allowing Taka to maintain all 5 Ki stacks and carry them into a crucial fight. Watch your stack counter in the lower-left corner like a hawk. If your stacks are about to expire and you have no other recourse, use this smoke bomb to keep up your Ki. It’s a little thing that makes a monumental difference when an enemy comes storming out after you. Will your first strike hit like a truck, or will you have to flee with your tail between your legs? Your prior use of Kaku will dictate the answer. Note that if you intend to use Kaiten and Kaku early and often, you’ll need at least an Energy Battery to not starve out.

X-Retsu is an outstanding way to enter a fight or assassinate a single target, and it’s your main source of damage in crystal builds. The Mortal Wound inflicted will secure kills and increase your teamfight efficiency. X-Retsu is also an escape in a pinch if you have enough vision to ult to a jungle monster outside the fray.

Because of Taka’s House Kamuha heroic perk, he can be a critical strike machine. Just remember to think about ability usage as a means of building Ki stacks, along with thinking about items that increase critical strike frequency or amplify ability damage.

Bad idea, especially early on. You’re not looking for a skirmish near the jungle shop straight out of match start. Fight on your own terms, ideally when you’re crit-happy or possess the element of surprise (or both)!

You’re an assassin. Play like one. That means primarily hovering on the edge of battle and picking your moment to engage a vulnerable target … then getting out and finding the next opportunity. Think about the enemy team comp and what they will be able to do to you once you’re in the heart of the action. If they’re going to try to burst you down the moment you arrive, be ready to trigger Kaiten to dodge. If they’re going to try to stun or slow you, be ready to vanish into smoke before Catherine can connect with a stun, for example. If you stick around too long, you’ll get cut to ribbons instead of being the one doing the slicing.

Build critical strike chance . Every critical strike grants 1 Ki stack, and every stack of Ki increases the frequency of critical strikes. It’s a virtuous circle around which your game should revolve.

. Every critical strike grants 1 Ki stack, and every stack of Ki increases the frequency of critical strikes. It’s a virtuous circle around which your game should revolve. Build Tension Bow. Taka’s first strike will often decide the outcome of a fight. Layering Tension Bow’s proc damage on top of a critical strike makes him that much more lethal.

Taka’s first strike will often decide the outcome of a fight. Layering Tension Bow’s proc damage on top of a critical strike makes him that much more lethal. Build Weapon damage. This maximizes the damage done with critical strikes and maximizes the health return from Taka’s heroic perk.

Rush Aftershock for the same reason you’d build Tension Bow. Make that first strike count.

for the same reason you’d build Tension Bow. Make that first strike count. Build Alternating Current. In fact, consider picking up the Blazing Salvo portion along the way as you’re building Aftershock. It’ll help you take better advantage of your House Kamuha perk.

In fact, consider picking up the Blazing Salvo portion along the way as you’re building Aftershock. It’ll help you take better advantage of your House Kamuha perk. Build Shatterglass or Clockwork. Choose whether to maximize crystal damge output or increase your flexibility.

Choose whether to maximize crystal damge output or increase your flexibility. Optional: Broken Myth (item rework). Assassins operate best when staying nearby and looking for kills despite being low health. The lower health you are, the more damage the new Broken Myth will do.

KRUL

Watch for Krul on the mini-map all match long. You’re a hard counter because Krul needs to sustain fights to come out ahead. You can burst him down and vanish before he has a chance to smite with stacks.

ADAGIO

Taka can stay on top of Adagio, dodge with well-time uses of Kaiten and get out before the channeling ends on Verse of Judgement. If you lead with X-Retsu, the Mortal Wound on Adagio will significantly hinder his ability to heal and survive.

SAW

Taka’s invisibility is a severe challenge for an overextended or spun-up SAW. Not only can you catch him out, but you can use Kaku to avoid SAW’s damage output.

GLAIVE

A good Glaive player will anticipate your escape path when invisible, Afterburn through you (revealing you) and stun you before cleaving you to death. Your inherent fragility is humbling against a talented Glaive.

CATHERINE

Your goal is often to get to the enemy back line, but no one is more effective at keeping Taka off a team’s damage dealer. And if she catches you with Merciless Pursuit, it’s over.

KOSHKA

Attacking a Koshka is a dangerous game (for you both). Depending on who has better items, she may be able to burst you down faster—and she can speedily get out just as effectively as you. If she locks you down with Yummy Catnip Frenzy in a teamfight, you’re toast.

Drop Scout Traps to reveal an enemy Taka during fights. It’s a gold drain, but it’s worth it if you’re securing more kills and forcing Taka to play less aggressively.

during fights. It’s a gold drain, but it’s worth it if you’re securing more kills and forcing Taka to play less aggressively. As Taka, drop a Scout Trap immediately after a Kaiten flip . If the target runs through the trap while trying to escape or stick to you, the trap’s damage can turn the tide of the encounter.

. If the target runs through the trap while trying to escape or stick to you, the trap’s damage can turn the tide of the encounter. As mentioned above, use Kaku to avoid losing your Ki stacks. Specifically, see how long you can make it in a match or Practice Mode without your stacks dropping. If you put time into practicing this, it will pay huge dividends when in high-skill, close matches.

Taka is almost here! Follow his unfolding story in this lore comic series and get ready to form some killer team comps.

—PlayoffBeard