A Comprehensive Nu Wa Guide

Hello, and Welcome to my first ever guide for a god here on Smite. The second I saw Nu Wa, I fell in love with her. She is a very unique, flexible god fit for just about anything, which is a rarity in and of itself. I've spent a lot of time making and testing the builds, as well as the best ways to use her. I do hope this guide helps.

Pros

-Easily one of the games best pushers Her abilities punish people for leaving her alone. It doesn't matter if they pushed before leaving, she can still sneak in and wreck hell on a tower
-Great CC
-Shes damages and stuns the tower
-With her Red Crystal activated, her basic attack is a mini AOE. Very Nice
-Excellent in team fights.

Cons

- No Dash/ Jumps. I would say no escapes, but your Fog just might be enough, unless your opponent does something like an Aoe in the general direction your moving... i'm looking at you, Agni

-Has next to no defense, and thus will be very very squishy.

Passive

Elemental Crystals

Nu Wa draws upon the power of the five-colored elemental crystals. When she uses an ability, it activates its corresponding crystal for 10s, granting her an additional bonus. When all crystals are active, Nu Wa transforms into her true snake form, refreshing the duration of all crystal bonuses for another 10s.
Wood Crystal Bonus: 10 HP5. (Always Active)

One of the things that makes Nu Wa so amazing. Each of her abilities lights up a crystal, which a passive coming along to it. Al the crystals are very handy, and once you turn into a snake, the passives jump to 10s. In Snake form, Nu Wa is an absolute terror.


Fog
Nu Wa condenses moisture into fog in a 20 ft radius at her location which follows her at 95% of her movement speed and lasts 10s. She and all allies are stealth ed while inside the fog. Attacking breaks the stealth effect. Enemies caught inside the fog cloud are slowly choked for 10/20/30/40/50 (+10% of your magical power) damage every second. This ability also activates Nu Wa's Water Crystal, granting her an increased move speed aura.
Water Crystal Bonus: 10/15/20/25/30% Move Speed.
Cost: 70 mana.
Cooldown 14 seconds.

While the damage done from this skill is nothing to write home about, the movement speed is sorely needed for Nu Wa. I use this mostly to escape, as you are stealth-ed while using this. Fog has a few other handy things, like sneaking a teammate along with you for a surprise.

Clay Soldiers
Nu Wa conjures up to 1/2/3/4/5 clay minions from the earth. These minions have health equal to 200 plus 20% of Nu Wa's maximum health and will push lanes and attempt to attack nearby structures, dealing 20 damage per hit. Minions last up to 10s or until they are slain. Using this ability also activates Nu Wa's Earth Crystal, granting her a physical protection aura.
Earth Crystal Bonus: 10/15/20/25/30 Physical Protection.
Cost: 60/70/80/90/100 mana.
Cooldown 18 seconds.

Oh, I love these little guys, as they make Nu Wa so amazing at Pushing. For each point you put into this, you have a little handy minion to attract the minions or the Camp Mooks away from you while you wail on them. At 5, you essentially have a little mini army you can summon to tank a tower for you.

Flame Strike
Nu Wa conjures an intense burst of flame in a 10 ft radius at her target location, dealing 60/100/140/180/220 (+60% of your magical power) damage, stunning enemies and enemy structures for 1s and igniting them for 5/10/15/20/25 (+10% of your magical power) additional damage every second for 2s. The damage increases the closer Nu Wa is to the source when cast, up to 1.5x at point blank range. This ability activates Nu Wa's Fire Crystal, granting her basic attacks splash damage that applies on-hit item effects.
Fire Crystal Bonus: Basic attacks hit targets within 15 ft for 50% damage.
Cost: 70/75/80/85/90 mana.
Cooldown: 12 seconds.

Nu Wa's bread and butter. Using it stuns your enemies for 2 seconds, and makes all of your attacks AoEs while speeding them up. Last and best, this baby stuns and deals damage to a tower. This is the main reason why, if left alone, Nu Wa will take your entire lane within 2 minutes


Pillars of Heaven
Nu Wa summons the pillars of heaven to imprison her enemies. Four metal pillars create a square with an electrical field in a 40 feet area. Enemies who pass through the field take 100/150/200/250/300 (+50% of your magical power) damage and are heavily slowed by 35/40/45/50/55% for 3s. This ability also activates Nu Wa's Metal Crystal, granting her basic attacks increased damage.
Metal Crystal Bonus: 2X Basic attack damage.

Ahahaha. This is an amazing ult for so many reasons. Within the ult itself, nothing happens, but when they cross the electric fences, they take a lot of damage and are majorly slowed. This is the ultimate dilemma. Should you stay within the little fence and let yourself get pummeled by your enemies, or take the damage, get slowed, and THEN get wailed on? Another reason this ult is good because, like Flame Strike, this damages the tower.

With all the builds I posted up, I figured it would be best to put this, explaining why I chose what.

Basic

The first build is the 'traditional' Nu Wa build, empathizing Nu Wa's amazing attack speed.

I, personally, don't like this build. The Attack power fromTelekine's Ring is nothing to be impressed about, and I don't notice too much of a difference with the extra attack. The only thing this really has going for it it i's attack speed.

Generally, while Nu Wa's attack speed and power IS amazing, I think more can be done with her.

Health Build

I already know I'm going to get a lot of hate for this build. 'Bleh, Warlocks Sash and Gauntlet is useless, I don't want to warm' blah blah. Hear me out, please.

BuyWarlocks Ring first. You'll start gaining health stacks every minute, no farm required. Next comesCombine these withand you'll have a ton of health. The remainder of the items add additional power, health, and attack speed, each combining into a powerful force. In addition, Clay Soldiers gains more health for more of your health, meaning they can take a lot more hits and help your pushing out

I prefer this build because, speaking numerically, it does everything the traditional build does, just increases survival

Actives

In general, the actives I use changes depending on what I need most. I prefer Meditation to help with keeping attacks up. Oftentimes, Purification beads are needed, but not always. For Jungle and Solo, you may need Hand of the Gods for a quick push. If nothing is needed, Eye of Providence is always good to keep a ward up.

1. Keep a Ward close at hand. Ward close to the enemy buff and a little ways back from there. As a pusher, spend your time on their half of the field.

2. If the enemy is stupid to go mid, warn mid and proceed to royally punish the lane. Let the tower have everything in your arsenal. Pillars of Heaven included. UseClay Soliders even if you have minions or not to help with the tower attacking, and Flame Strike to stun the tower. Wail on it as much as you can and, when you hear the ping that signals an enemy, Fog out of there. I've taken a tower in the first 5 minutes, it's not hard at all.

3. As you are running away (gank failed, or one is coming your way) Use a combination of Clay SOlider and Fog to escape. Clay soldiers, at full power

4. Don't be afraid to go gank from your lane. You have more than enough pushing power to do this. Call Clay Soldiers as you leave the lane, then off you go to wreck hell.

What Buff should I go for?

Yellow, plain and simple. The movement speed combined with Fog while have you running around the jungle at your leisure. Plus, the attack speed is a hearty boost, allowing you to wail on the mooks a lot faster.


When attacking the camps, send in your Clay Soldiers to distract them, following up with a Flame Strike to stun them, and smack the middle enemy, spreading ou the damage to all of them. Then, use your Fog to pick up speed as you move to the next camp, rinse and repeat.

When Ganking, try to enter the lane as fast as you can, usually under Fog. If you get behind them, use Clay Soliders to body bock the Gods escape. As they begin to get away from you, try and position your Pillars of Heaven to where the first portion of the fence is right infront of them. They take the damage and, if you are good, use Flame Strike to stun them in the fence, increasing the ticks dealt and if the kill was no secured, the AoE attacks should finish the job.

Should you fail to gank or reinforcements arrive, Fog out of there


Jungle or not, Nu Wa is still an excellent pusher, giving you a few options of what you can do to help out. IF one of the enemies is greedily pushing down a lane, you can go up to their tower and start pushing it. If you manage to kill the tower or, even better, the phoenix, you just drew attention to yourself, hopefully saving their skins

Nu Wa is excellent for sneaking towers. Simply keep the masses distracted (most effective method is to have your team go for Fire Giant, and going into the opposite lane and pushing. Being Sneaky is so much fun, isn't it?

Nu Wa is amazing in Team Fights, as she brings both CC and a nice amount of damage to the team. Do NOT start the fight however. Let someone else with a better stun or root help you out

A Few combinations to list

Nu Wa / Neith

I've seen this happen a few times, and it's a powerful duo. Neith roots, Nu Wa comboing with Flame Strike to keep the stun, Neith using Backflip to chain a slow while Nu Wa finishes with her basic attacks

Ares/ Hades

Ares doesn't have to use his ultimate for Nu Wa to come and health. His normal chains, which prevent escapes, makes a Pillars of Heaven quite nice,, giving Ares a nice little arena for him to attack while you provide backup.

Nu Wa and Hades love each other, as Nu Wa can place her Ultimate on top of Hades, preventing escapes, or punishing the enemy for trying.

Odin

This one is a little more technical, and chances are you wont do this often, but its a neat little trick. As Odin leaps in, and uses his ultimate, use Pillars of Heaven to where the majority of the fence is inside the ring. It essentially halves the room the enemy have to run within the ring, and is a very deadly combination. You cant beads out of that trap, suckers!

Zeus

As charges against an enemy stack to 3, wait for him to Detonate, and combo a Flame Strike to further increase the stun. Bonus points if Zeus used his ultimate If the enemy somehow is still alive, Fog up to them and plop your ultimate.

Fenrir

A classic combo, one that merited Nu Wa's slight Nerf. Set your Pillars of Heaven while Fen grabs an enemy and runs through both fences. Have Wolfman drop him on a fence, then Flame Strike to keep him there as another tic is dealt.

Athena

As Athena dashes in, lays her 3 and taunts the enemy, either use Flame Strike to stun them and let Athena's second tic in or Clay Solider to body block them long enough for the damage. You could also usePillars of Heaven Just As Athena taunts, making sure to place one of the fences in their path

Ymir

As you See Ymir freeze them, wait a split second, then Flame Strike to restun them. As Ymir charges his ult, use your own in the path of their escape to slow while he finishes them off

Artemis

Artemis pops her Boar to hit an enemy, probably using Transgressors fate afterward to keep them stunned while she uses her too. As the stun from her 1 is ending, Flame Strike to keep them in place while Art Finishes the Job


Sobek

Watch for Sobeks pull to combo with Flame Strike, Sobek uses his 2 to further the crowd control. As he uses his ultimate to chase an enemy, place a Pillars of Heaven to slow the enmy and Give Sobek time to come up

Anhur

As Anhur uses Impale to knock an enemy into the wall, Anhur should youse his obelisk to slow while you use your Pillars of Heaven. This combination drastically slows the enemy, allowing for at least 2 ticks of your ultimate, and should be enough for either Anhur's ultimate or a Flame Strike to finish it. Alternatively, as the enemy hits a wall, Flame Strike to stun and give Anhur time to Ult them

A list of enemy gods that give Nu Wa a hard time and, hopefully, counters or advice

Enemy number 1

Zeus


Oh boy, Zeus is the one god that continues to be a thorn in my side. Zeus' Aeigs Shield applies a charge for every basic attack you do. So, if you aren't careful, you're asking for a Detonation followed by his ultimate.

If you find yourself in a lane against Zeus, its important to keep a few things in mine. 1) Watch when he uses his Aegis Shield, and hit him with a Flame Strike to stun and get in some hits on him, then back off. AS the fight goes on, stay away from his Lightning Bolts, and zig zag to avoid his attacks. When he uses his ultimate, use an Aegis Amulet if you're in the exact center, or quicly Fog your way out.


Ao Kuang

The noodle is a general thorn in everyone's side. He can place his 3 on top of you as escape, making Fog worthless. His 1 slows and his ultimate hurts.

The good thing about him is that he is, Like Nu, squishy. If you catch him out of place, or getting greedy, a quick Flame Strike to stun him, a Clay Solider to trap him followed by Pillars of Heaven in his escape route will secure you the kill against him.

(soon to come, as soon as I can get a good quality recorder)