A Warrior's Call: Gilgamesh Guide (S8)

Greetings once again, Stuke here with a new guide. In this guide, we take a look at one of the most decorated figures in mythology, a king, a hero, and an adventurer whose tale spread his name across the world and even time. A truly epic hero, King Gilgamesh.
Note: you don't have to follow this guide to the smallest detail, these are suggestions on how to play Gilgamesh. I encourage you to look at the comment section below and see other suggestions.

Gilgamesh is a Physical Melee Warrior that utilizes control and buffs to lead the charge and be the front-line force his teammates need him to be. Gaining more powerful effects based on his stats as he levels up and completes items, Gilgamesh gets better the longer the game goes on.

• High Control
• Infinate Stim
• High Build Flexability

• No Passive
• No CC Immunity
• Low Sustain

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Gilgamesh is Season 8's premier front-liner, being able to jump in, provide control, and push around his enemies (literally) for a team fight or when he's fighting alone with effects that make this playstyle more effective. Another thing to note is how flexible his kit is that allows your build to vary depending on what you want as well as what the team needs. Once you figure him out, you'll start to see some glaring issues. One of these being a lack of a passive that doesn't provide much and only useable during the Early and Mid Game as well as having no way to cleanse any crowd control which makes it easy to get locked down.

Epic of Gilgamesh

A unique passive when compared to others in the game. When you reach Levels 5 and 10, you gain a quest that certain requirements need to be met. At level 5 you have to visit a randomized spot on the map and at level 10 you, and your allies, need to defeat 3 enemies in a single team fight. Once a quest is complete you gain one random tier 1 item or 500 gold if you already have a full build. While I don't find this passive entirely useful, you can make use of it as it can provide a nice jumpstart in the Early Game with either an additional item or extra gold.

Sun-Forged Scimitar

Your main damage tool during team fights. After creating a small AoE that deals initial damage and slows all targets in the radius. After that Gilgamesh gains enhanced basic attacks that deal additional damage that scales off a percentage of his health, every basic attack that lands add an extra second to the duration until it hits its max duration.

Drop Kick

One of the most fun abilities I've seen in a long time. After a very short wind-up, Gilgamesh drop-kicks the closest enemy in a small box in front of him. Once hit, the target is launched a short distance, dealing bonus damage to all minions they hit along the way or take additional damage and stunned when they collide with an enemy god or wall. A perfect tool for setting up for a follow-up from his other abilities or for when you want to get an enemy out of position for a teammate or your tower if they get close enough.

Hero's Advance

Your main engagement tool. Gilgamesh leaps into the air, dealing damage in the area where he lands, and creates a beacon that provides Gilgamesh and all allies increased movement speed and lifesteal with the latter getting increased lifesteal that scales based on a percentage of his highest protection. Additionally, if an ally runs towards the beacon the movement speed buff is increased. Utilize this ability when you want to start a teamfight and have your teammates quickly follow up.

Winds of Shamash

This is what gives Gilgamesh that "King of the Ring" style. In a targeted location, Gilgamesh summons a ring of wind for a duration. Enemies in the ring take damage over time and are slow with a greater slow around the edges of the ring. Once the duration of this Ultimate is up, all enemies that were in the ring get rooted and crippled for a short duration. That's not all, if Gilgamesh hits an enemy near the edge of the ring, they are thrown back in which can make for some interesting combos from his other abilities.

Gilgamesh, while very flexible in his itemization, is very item-focused. Meaning what kind of items you build will affect not just his playstyle but also the effects of his abilities since some abilities increase in potency based on certain stats. Building items to fit what playstyle you're going for, as well as increase those stats, will be prioritized. With that in mind, you would want to build Gilgamesh focused around his health, protections, and damage not just to make himself stronger but also his teammates when Gilgamesh jumps in with Hero's Advance.

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Bluestone Pendant

For a more aggressive playstyle. Whenever you hit an enemy with a damaging ability, you apply damage over time that can stack and will refresh for each ability that lands. At Lvl 20, we will upgrade this to Bluestone Brooch to make those stats and effect even more potent.

Warrior's Axe

Health and protections are nice stats that Gilgamesh wants but there's more. Every attack made against an enemy god will take that target's health and give it to you before going on a short cool down. At Lvl 20, we will upgrade this to Sundering Axe to make those stats and effect even more potent.

Bumba's Dagger

The starter for when you're Jungle. Basic attacks will apply true damage and abilities will deal additional damage when attacking a jungle minion. Killing a jungle minion will give you health and mana back so you don't need to back to base too often. At Lvl 20, we will upgrade this to Bumba's Hammer to get an enhanced basic, cooldown reduction, and a bit of sustain.

Ninja Tabi

Thanks to his Hybrid playstyle taking these boots is a nice choice. Getting these boots, combined with sun-forged schimitar makes Early Game boxing easier. You can opted into Warrior Tabi if you want more ability damage or Reinforced Greaves if you're looking for more tankiness.

Void Shield

A favorite item for many bruisers. Get close to an enemy and reduce their physical protections as long as they stay within the debuff radius. A nice item to have for that aggressive playstyle Gilgamesh plays will grow accustomed to.

Shifter's Shield

A good item for Gilgamesh to have somewhere in his build. Based on how much health you have, you gain additional damage when above the threshold and you gain protections when below. No matter what side of this passive you're on, Gilgamesh will still make use of this.

Warrior Tabi

You want to take these boots when in the Jungle since you're going to rely on your ability for most of your damage when ganking.

The Crusher

Since you are going to be using your abilities to set up for kills, this item will make your abilities hit much harder.

Talisman of Energy

One of the best magical defense items. When an enemy minion dies near you, you gain 1 a stack of movement and attack speed for a short duration. After an enemy god dies, you gain the max amount of stacks. Gilgamesh wants to get close and keep chasing the enemy so being able to give yourself and your allies a speed boost pays out in the long run.

Frostbound Hammer

Every basic attack that lands on an enemy will apply a slow. Since Gilgamesh has many ways to get close or keep the enemy close to him, coupled with Sun-Forged Scimitar and this makes it a deadly weapon to have in your arsenal.

Hide of the Urchin

Another item that Gilgamesh plays wants to have. All kills and assists will provide a stack of physical and magical protection. At max stacks it upgrades and gains a new effect: while out of combat you gain a health bubble that increases the longer you don't take damage. Since Gilgamesh wants health and protection, this item is perfect for him.

animosity Animosity

A very interesting starter that Gilgamesh can fully utilize. All your basic attacks will now deal additional damage based on a percentage of your maximum health as magical damage. Combining this with sun-forged schimitar and your will be hitting very hard even when building into defense.

Runic Shield

Your alternative to Void Shield. When you get close to a magical enemy god, their magical power becomes reduced. Take this item if the enemy team is really magical focused or having trouble with an enemy that has high magical damage.

Qin's Sais

For when the enemies are tanky. Every basic attack against an enemy god will deal additional damage based on a percentage of the target's health. Additionally, the damage dealt if the target's health is above 2000hp and scale-up proportionally the more health they have.

The Sledge

A very nice item for any bruiser to have in their arsenal. You gain stacks of protections of physical and magical protections based on how many enemy gods are near you. Since Gilgamesh wants to be in the middle of a fight, having this item will lessen the damage that you will take if you're surrounded.

Pridwen

After using your ultimate, you gain a health shield that explodes and deals damage to any enemies standing too close after a short duration or when depleted to zero.

Stone Cutting Sword

Any enemy god you hit with a basic attack will steal a chunk of physical protection and apply it to yourself that can stack up to three times. Note: only available to physical melee gods.

Arondight

A nice staple item for most Ability-based Junglers. Once your ultimate is activated, all enemy gods within a large radius are revealed, gain a movement speed increase when going towards an enemy, and the first enemy god revealed is attacked takes additional damage. Perfect for when you need to chase down a fleeing target.

Ichaival

Another item that benefits Gilgamesh the more he attacks. When you hit an enemy, you gain a stack that increases your attack speed and decreases the enemy's physical damage until you hit the max amount of stacks.

Berserker's Shield

Perfect for an auto-attack fighter. Once below a certain health threshold, your damage and attack speed spike for a short duration. Note: Since this ability has no cooldown, the effect can be used multiple times in one encounter as long as you can heal and get your health back above the threshold.

Magi's Cloak

Due to Gilgamesh's lack of CC immunity, this item should be considered if it becomes a problem. Once bought this item provides a bubble that makes you immune to the first hard CC that hits you, once down it takes time for the bubble to recharge so be careful if you don't want to get CC'ed to death.

Winged Blade

Gilgamesh has a problem with cleansing CCs, including slows that will affect his ability to chase and stay close to his enemies, not only does this item cleanse any slow but also gives you a nice speed boost for a short duration.

• Blow-by-Blow
  Make use of being able to combo his abilities together in conjunction with his basic attacks and his surroundings to pummel the enemy for the max amount of damage possible.
• Mauler
  Gilgamesh's kit is designed to get close and control his enemies, which is why you want to be building items to make his tanky but also reward him for rushing the enemy.
• Footwork
  Positioning is a key part of Gilgamesh's damage, whether it in their faces, a ways away, or behind them, Gilgamesh should utilize Drop Kick to set up kills for either himself or an ally that's near him.

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A good combo to use when you catch the enemy out of position. Kick the enemy into a wall or minion to have them stunned and using the momentum from Drop Kick to get closer to the enemy and follow up with Sun-Forged Scimitar for the slow and to make your basic attacks deal additional damage. A combo you can use when you want to put yourself in position, use Hero's Advance to leap at the enemy and gain a small movement speed boost and lifesteal once you start attack but before you do, activate Sun-Forged Scimitar to slow your target and enhance your basics. If you can you could throw in a Drop Kick if they are in a position that will get them stunned. You want to start with Winds of Shamash to start up the ring, once activated follow up with Hero's Advance for the lifesteal and knock any enemy trying to escape back into the ring. Once you land you can either Drop Kick a single target, bounce them off the ring, and then use Sun-Forged Scimitar for the AoE and slow.

During the Early Game, you want to pressure your opponents, especially when you hit level 2 and get Drop Kick to help with positioning as well as your main control tool to help set up for kills or ganks. Once you hit level 5, you get your ultimate and your first quest from your passive. So when you get the time to, go complete the quest to get a tier 1 item then continue with your main role.
During this stage, you want to keep leveling up, secure kills either by yourself or with your team, and take objectives like Jungle Bosses or Towers. Once you get to Level 10, you probably won't be completing it any time soon until the Late Game when all the team fights of 3 or more people start happening. Until then just keep building yourself up for when the fighting starts.
This is where Gilgamesh starts to shine. Gilgamesh will be doing much more than before not just by leveling his abilities or completing his build but just by building items that will increase his abilities. It's around here that you will be able to complete your second quest if you haven't done so already. Take objectives with the team, start the fights, and control the team.

In conclusion, Gilgamesh is a true fighter to not be taken lightly. His ability to control, deal large amounts of damage, and even get stronger the more items he builds into can turn him into a serious threat. Utilize your kicks to set up for anything, complete the quests for an early advantage, build yourself into a dangerous weapon, and so enough your games will become epic.