Neith Arena Assassin

Name's Jim, ViolentFacePalm in game. I primarily play arena and have taken the time to get Neith to X before really thinking about a guide. This is my first guide submitted and is still a work in progress.

In this guide I will introduce my own personal take on the build and playstyle of Neith. While open to suggestion, I tend not to build Gods in ways that people are used too. This guide is also not suggested for use in any other gametype other than Arena.

Let me be honest. In Arena I do not want to take time to trying to level, or miss a chance at a quick ulti due to having not yet leveled up. I leave the leveling up to the prebuilt skillset and use autolevel.

Spirit Arrow - This is not only your crowd control, but also your main nuke and finisher. When used on top of a Broken Weave, an added AoE Stun and damage increase proc at that location. Against assassins, a well timed Back Flip followed by a Spirit Arrow can drop a careless glass cannon such as Loki or Arachne.

Unravel - Your self heal and slight AoE damage. Combined with Broken weave, heals you for more. Not to be relied on as sustain due to long cooldown.

Backflip - Your escape and static reactive. Backflip leaves a Broken Weave on the ground while also firing an arrow at the closest target. While best used as an escape, this move is deviously offensive as well. The Broken Weave left behind empowers many of your other abilities, but if you are giving chase to someone only slightly ahead of you, a quick flick of the mouse and a backflip and you can land right on top of them. Takes practice, and a team good enough to pay attention to your dive, but it puts you in places most cant see coming.

WorldWeave - Your strongest nuke and crowd control. At first glance this move seems simple, Aim, charge, and fire. But this is exactly how you miss. The World Weave goes though everything. Walls, minions, towers, and summoned pets. What it does NOT go through is Gods. A hasty or poorly planned World Weave can lock onto that God that you so carefully tracked, but can be blocked and rendered useless. While it is the goto skill for a quick finish, it makes a much better initiator or kill secure. While you may only get the assist, its better than no kill for the team. Use on CD.

Broven Weave - Neith's static passive. Broken weaves drop in two ways. The first being the most obvious is the Back Flip, dropping a weave at moment of activation. The second harder to recognize drop is God Kills. Recognizing this passive allows you to kill gods in large teamfights, then use their broken Weaves to further manipulate the opponents in range.

The items I chose are based on nearly all DPS. The lifesteal was added after many matches where I seem to come out with low deaths, but slight sustain would have been helpful. I gave up a little damage for the ability to stay in for maybe one more kill.

Ninja Tabi - I complete this item right from the start giving a slight increase to Neith's horrid attack speed. Not as useful early game, but starts to shine when combined with other items.

Odysseus Bow - Another item I complete ASAP. While I understand it is usually the AP's job to clear minions in Arena, giving your hunter the ability to spread damage quicky very early in the game. Sure you sacrifice hard damage, but it sets up your next two items.

Transcendence - A quick boost of Mana and Attack Damage. Having the Ody Bow before getting this item will let you benefit from farming minions quickly and getting full stacks.

Soul Eater - This is a bit of a controversial item, especially for hunters. While not really adding any hard damage, this is your one sustain item when the enemy team eventually decides to dive you. Having this proc when you use Sanctuary can have you ready for battle and dealing out more damage before the enemy notices your life going up.

Death Bringer - Now that you have your attack speed, sustain, and full stacks buff, its time to bring the pain. Death bring, along with its other stats, will increase the effectiveness of your critical hits. Completing this will turn your vampiric quick mosquito bites into hammers of leaching pain. This is where you start clearing all jungle sides while you stalk possible marks.

Jotunn's Wrath - Finally the nail in the damage output coffin. While most hunters will add a defensive item here, this is where you stand out. They've taken a hit to their damage, while you add to your damage and add a little bit of penetration to top it off.

--Relics--
Relics for this build are based on the team comp of the enemy. Do they have hard CC that you absolutely know youll get caught with once or twice (Ares/Hades)? Then get Purification. Do they have insta finish Ultis (Thanatos/Loki)? Then start with Sanctuary. Otherwise start with Sprint for early battlefield movement domination. Use the other 3 suggested as needed. Being a no defense glass cannon you need to really consider which Relic to pick second. Remember you wont be taking any hits and late game, assassins will be one shotting you if you are not paying attention.

--Pros--
Medium damage with very fast attacks allows for quick finishes
High Escape
High potential to "Turn" on the enemy
High Peel
Slight Initiate
High Finish Damage
Fast Minion Clear

--Cons--
The very definition of a glass cannon
High Cooldown times
Tends to lose 1v1 against other Hunters
Mana hungry
Assassin Bait
No real "Steroid"
No Chase

This build is pretty much makes Neith a static Artillery tower. You don't dive into battle, you watch the enemy damage dealers and you chip away from a distance. Try saving your stun for as long as possible. Get the enemy to blow their cooldowns, bob and weave and rip apart their mana, then stun and finish. these are behaviors of an assassin I know, but Neith shines when your abilities are used to finish rather than initiate.

I welcome all constructive criticism. Please comment on any ideas, tips, or even your experience with this build. Still working on alternate item sets based on enemy team comps.

Updated 3/24/16