Nemesis Season 3: Tipping the Scales

The point of this guide is to explain a fun and extremely effective way of using Nemesis for Smite Season 3. The fundamentals of this build are to use her strengths efficiently. This build is all about truly tipping the scales of fights into her favor. This is my first build so it will be lacking in the usual categories such as the basics of Nemesis' kit and her pros/cons. It will instead be focused on the theory behind the build and why it is simply the most effective use of her abilities. This is my first build and will not look pretty and if you only look at it for just a few moments, I highly suggest that you skip straight to the summary where I break down the most crucial elements of the build.

I will only be going over Nemesis' passive and ultimate in this guide. Her other abilities include a dash that deals some, but not much damage, mostly used for engages and escapes; a cone attack that slows and damages her enemies, definitely the top priority for leveling; and a temporary shield that reflects damage back to an enemy and heals nemesis.

Passive - Scales of Fate:
Nemesis holds the scales of balance. Hitting enemies with Basic Attacks tips the scales in her favor, reducing her target's power and increasing hers.
Power Gain: 6% per hit
Power Loss: 6% per hit
Max Stacks: 4
Duration: 5s

Ultimate - Divine Judgement:
Nemesis chooses a single enemy god, reducing their health and movement speed and stealing a portion of their protections for a time period. Her movement speed is also buffed
Damage: 30/35/40/45/50% of current HP
Protections: 50%
Move speed: 25%
Target debuff: 5s
Nemesis buff: 8s


These figures are important to remember and refer back to after we go over the most important part of the build: ITEMS

-Early Game-

1. Warrior Tabi. The high power is crucial for clearing minions in the early game with Nemesis' Slice and Dice attack.

2. Jotunn's Wrath. Consistently an early pick in several different gods' builds as it provides 40 power, 150 mana, 10 physical penetration, and 20% cooldown reduction.

3. Breastplate of Valor. Combined with the Jotunn's this choice now maximizes our cooldown reduction at its 40% cap, as well as provides us with 75 physical protections and 300 mana.

These first three items are crucial to the Nemesis early game. It provides her with the necessary power for clearing minions but most importantly, the cooldown reduction and mana keep her active. This reduces the cooldown on Divine Judgement from 70 seconds to 42 seconds, an ability that can strip away 50% of an enemies HP and protections. Her cooldowns for her other abilities are naturally low to mid, so this keeps her very active and annoying against enemy gods. Nemesis is on of the best "boxing" gods and is great at picking off enemies. This early game build gives her more opportunities to do so.

-Late Game-

4. Ichaival. This item provides +30% attack speed and +10 physical penetration, however the most important element is the passive. "Every successful basic attack increases your physical power by 10 and reduces your target's physical power from items by 10 for 3s. (Max. 3 stacks)

5. Stone Cutting Sword. This item provides +50 physical power and +10% movement speed, however once again, the most important to note element is the passive. "Melee basic attacks decreases enemy physical protections by 10 and increase your physical protections by 10 for 3s (max. 3 stacks)

6. The Executioner. This item provides +30 physical power and +25% attack speed and once more the passive is important to note. "Basic attacks against an enemy reduce your target's physical protections by 8% for 3 seconds (max 4 stacks)

Now to breakdown the late game items(final three) and why they work so well together and with Nemesis.

After 4 Basic attacks with this build w/o using the ultimate the following happens:
-Buff Nemesis' protections by 30
-Buff Nemesis' power by 32% + 30
-Debuff enemy protections by 32% + 30
-Debuff enemy power by 32% + 30

And with the Ultimate:
-Buff Nemesis' protections by 50% + 30
-Buff Nemesis' power by 32% + 30
-Debuff enemy protections by 82% + 30
-Debuff enemy power by 32% + 30


If you take this stats and add into account that this build also has +20 Physical penetration from Jotunn's Wrath and Ichaival, you have now realized that this build is perfect for melting tanks. The ultimate at level 20 can strip away 50% of their HP(which is a lot for tanks) and then the items + passive can strip away their protections. Also with the high attack speed in this build, those 4 basic attacks happen very quickly. This is why I list this build as a Solo lane build. The high physical protections, early lane clear and CDR, and ability to tear down bulky warriors, makes this a great solo pick. I want to stress however, that this build is not merely a tank shredder. I have personally tested this build several times against all enemies and team comps, it just simply works. For example, imagine facing another assassin, one who deals high damage. This build has protections built into but also can steal a portion of the high power coming from your enemy, as well as reflect some of that damage with her shield. All in all, this build started as a bit of a theory craft but has grown into the most sensible way to play Nemesis. You find yourself able to engage targets endlessly, and fight any of them 1-on-1 at any stage in the game. The best way for you to test this build, even if you rarely ever play Nemesis, is to go into Jungle Practice, set up this build at level 20 and kill the fire giant. You should be able to do so and walk away with nearly full health. I know that this guide is not as well-constructed as most others but I hope that the stats and figures reach some of you and you are able to improve your Smite playing because of it. Thank you and please comment on how this build works out for you.

-CCCP