Frost-bite: A Skadi ADC Conquest Guide (S6)

In SMITE, Skadi is a burst hunter. She has tools that help deal lots of Damage Per Second (DPS) with her autos, get in and out of fights, apply CC for single target and multiple enemies, and overall just shred. With easy to learn combos, she can wreak havoc with cold precision.

General Health: 470 (+78) Mana: 220 (+35) Speed: 375 (+0) Range: 55 (+0) Attack/Sec: 0.95 (+1.6%)

Regen HP5: 8 (+0.69) MP5: 4.5 (+0.32) Protection Physical: 11 (+2.8) Magical: 30 (+0.9)

. . Basic Attack Damage: 35 (+ 2.5)+ 100% of Physical Power Progression: None . .

Pros: Great early game clear Powerful slow High damage Two Movement Speed buffs Unique CC AoE Root One of the best split pushers

Cons: . No escape Squishy Needs some prior setup for her damage .

Passive: Kaldr, the Winter Wolf
Kaldr is the selling point of Skadi. This passive states that he has a passive and active state. He can only be activated by Rune Of The Hunt. While passive, he will heal his hit points, for a maximum of 5 hit points.
Kaldr, while active, loses 1 hit point for each tick of an ability or tower shot that hits him. Minions must deal five hits to Kaldr for him to lose 1 point.
If Kaldr is active and he loses all 5 hit points, he will be forced into passive state. 1 hit point takes 7 seconds to heal back, for 35 seconds to regain all points.
Lastly, Kaldr moves 110% faster than Skadi, but attacks at half of Skadi's attack speed.


Clear: Piercing Cold
This is a line projectile that damages and slows all hit. Kaldr will deal double damage to any enemies affected by this ability's slow. Can go through walls.
This is your main clear, as it is able to hit the whole wave. Level it first.


Pet: Rune of the Hunt
This is how you activate Kaldr. You choose a target that he will rush to attack. He will chase the enemy until you get too far away from him. If his target dies, he will attack the nearest enemy. If no nearby enemies, he will return to, becoming passive as he comes back. The healing does not start until he has fully returned to your side.
This ability is available at level 0. As you level him, his bites get more powerful and he gains new abilities.

• At level 1, he gains a dash attack. This dash happens every 5 seconds, and can be doubled by Piercing Cold.
• At level 3, Kaldr's kills will heal him. He heals for 2 hit points.
• at level 5, Kaldr's attacks give Skadi 10% more movement speed. Remember that Kaldr's movement speed scales off of Skadi's, so this in turn makes him faster as well.

Put one point into it before you reach level 5, than level it last. His bite and dash is based off of your own basic attack damage, so increase your own before increasing his scalings.
Be mindful of how you use Kaldr, as he can die rather quickly. Any tick damage on the field renders him useless. Don't send him into a big minion wave by his lonesome. And he can target towers, so use him as a decoy to buy time for the minions to come, and then call him back.


Crowd Control: Permafrost
This is an Area of Effect that lasts 5 seconds. It deals damage initially to all who enter the area, as well as tick damage for those who stay in the area, 10 times over 5 seconds. Enemies who stay on it will also be slowed, as well lose control of their movement as they slide across the area in the direction they were already going.
If Skadi steps into the area, she will gain a movement speed buff that lasts for 3 seconds after she has left the area. The area's radius increases as you level it.
This is her unique CC, and there is no other like it in the game. It is also great as a escape mechanic, as you can place it under yourself if being chased, giving yourself a movement speed buff while slowing the enemy.
You can alternatively use it as a chase mechanic for Kaldr, by increasing your own movement speed so he can move faster.


Ultimate: Winter's Grasp
Upon activation, both Skadi and Kaldr get surrounded by snowstorms that deal tick damage 8 times over 4 seconds. Any enemies hit by its activation will get rooted. The activation also fully heals Kaldr.
This can be used as self peel, rooting any enemies chasing you, or as a kill secure for Kaldr.
In terms of tower damage, you can use the earlier tip of using Kaldr on towers, and when he has 1 point left, activate this ability to restore him to full, if you find that you can safely secure the tower. The same can be done on jungle bosses.



Note: have all abilities on Quick Cast, except for Winter's Grasp, which should be on Instant Cast.


> Quick Poke
This is your main combo. You can use this to clear in the early levels. It is also used for poking your enemy hunter. Start with Permafrost to slow them and have them slide in a direction. While they are sliding, hit them with the Piercing Cold to slow them even more. After that, basic attack them if you are in range. This is meant for quick poke to apply pressure, not to kill yet.


> > Kaldr Combo
This is when you start to get Kaldr into the equation. Start by selecting your target for Kaldr, and before Kaldr reaches them, use Piercing Cold to apply damage, slow, and the doubling effect. At that point, Kaldr will have already hit them with a dash, so use Permafrost to have them slowed even more and sliding across the lane, to which you can get in range for basic attacks. You can also use the Permafrost movement speed buff to boost yourself and Kaldr, and go in for the kill, or at the least, they will use either Purification Beads or Aegis Amulet to escape death.


> > > Ultimate Kill
Alright, time to put them 6 feet under. Target someone for Kaldr to attack, moving with him so you can get in range for your other abilities and basics. As soon as Kaldr reaches them, press 4 to activate Winter's Grasp and its root. Once they are rooted, you could either basic them until the root is over, or use Piercing Cold to slow them, making your basics and Kaldr hit even harder. Once the root is over, use Permafrost while they are running away so their escape is rendered futile. That is, if they don't die during the root.


> Runaway
You are immobile, you will get chased. If you are, use a Permafrost under yourself to give yourself a movement speed buff while they are slow and sliding. Once they get back on you, use your Winter's Grasp to root them in place. And dodge in unexpected patterns.

As part of Skadi' god design, she is depicted holding an ice spear with a sharp tip. Alongside that is Piercing Cold, which is another spear with even more tips coming out of it? But these next few blades and tips will make your basic attacks, or abilities, even colder.

Transcendence

This is your core item. It provides power, mana, cooldown, and MP5. Each stack, which you can gain 1 from killing minions or 5 for killing gods, gives you 15 mana. The item evolves at 50 stacks, for a maximum of 750 mana from stacks and 1050 from the item as a whole. When it does evolve, 3% of your maximum mana is turned to power. From this item alone, you will gain 31.5 power from the stacks and 35 power upon purchase, for 66.5 physical power, which is only rivaled by Devourer's Gauntlet, another stacking item that gives 65 power total, and Bloodforge, which gives the most physical power at 75. Transcendence is essential to Skadi, as her abilities, including Kaldr, benefit greatly from this item.

Abilities or Basics?

Your choice of blessing comes down to either your opinion of Skadi as a hunter, how you play hunters, or what kind of build you want to utilize.

• If you think of Skadi as an ability hunter, and plan to build some penetration, as her burst damage is her bread and butter, then Mage's Blessing is for you. It gives power, mp5 that increases as your mana decreases, and extra damage on your abilities. Once evolved, it will give cooldown reduction, helping with your burst potential as your abilities will come off cooldown faster. To compliment your abilities, you will need more power, and Warrior Tabi gives the most power, helping you to deal the most damage you can.
• If you think of Skadi as a carry hunter, and want more attack speed in your build, as most of your damage will come from your autos, then Hunter's Blessing is for you. It gives a flat MP5, along with extra damage on your basic attacks. When evolved, it gives extra attack speed, to increase your DPS even more, as you can send autos out faster. On the point of DPS, Ninja Tabi gives some power, but a lot of attack speed, to help fire off even more basics.
• In the late game, you can be able to sell your boots for Elixir of Speed, allowing you a new item. What you choose to build here is up to you, but I suggest an item that corresponds to your build path. If wanting some defense, Magi's Cloak may help, as it provides health, protections of both kinds, and a second of CC immunity every 70 seconds.

Core Items

Your core items, lest we forget that Skadi is an ADC.

• Asi recent rework gives you power, penetration, attack speed, and physical lifesteal. Additionally, when you reach at or below 35% of your maximum health, you will gain 30% extra lifesteal, for a total of 50% physical lifesteal. This means that you will heal for half the damage of your auto attacks on any given enemy. This is a great boxing tool, and can be considered a comeback mechanic, as that much lifesteal could mean 100-200 health recovered on each auto.
• The Executioner builds from the same tree, giving power and attack speed. Its penetration is applied after every basic, decreasing the enemy's physical protections by 12% of their maximum, for a total of 36%, for 3 seconds. This easily helps put even more damage numbers up, and can apply to jungle bosses.

Wind Demon What Kinda Crit?

This will be your option for critical damage, if you choose to go down this path. You will choose between Wind Demon and Rage, both of which fit different types of playstyles. After choosing one, you will build Deathbringer and complete your build.
As a note for those who don't know, a critical hit deals twice as much damage than a regular auto attack.

• Wind Demon is a great item to keep the momentum going. It gives power, critical chance, and attack speed. After every critical hit, your attack speed and movement speed is increased. This is great for increasing your DPS momentarily, or for long periods of time if you are able to consistently hit critical hits. This also applies to jungle bosses, where these extra stats prove the most helpful.
• Rage gives just power and critical chance. After gaining an assist or kill on enemy gods, you gain 2% extra crit chance, for a maximum of 10%. In total this item gives 40% crit chance, which can help tons in terms of crit chance and overall damage dealt.
• Deathbringer is the icing on the critical cake. Power and crit chance, along with an extra 30% damage to your critical hits, making the multiplier 2.3*your regular auto attack damage. Considering the power it gives, along with the power you will already have with this build, and the attack speed this sort of build gives you, the 30% is deadly.

I Need Healing!

In your burst build, you will still need lifesteal. Both of them are great for completing the task at hand, but the one you choose is dependent on how much faith you put in your abilities.

• Soul Eater has climbed the burst meta, and has become a staple lifesteal item even amongst solo laners. Providing power, lifesteal, mana, and cooldown reduction. For every nearby death of a minion or jungle camp, you gain 1 stack, while gods and jungle bosses are worth 5 stacks. After 75 stacks, Soul Eater evolves, giving you 20 more physical power, for a total of 60, and 15% lifesteal on your ability damage. Seeing as this burst build will have you dealing hundreds of damage on multiple enemies at a time, this can do wonders in sustain.
• Bloodforge is pure power and sustain. However, it provides the most power in the game. Additionally, after every kill, you gain a shield with a maximum health of 400, along with a 10% movement speed, for 20 seconds. This is crucial in the long game, as 400 health is like a hot knife through butter, so having that extra bit of health can save your life. The movement speed is really just the caveat of this item, as it allows you keep pushing for kills, or to get away safely. If you choose this item, build it last in the build.

That's a Lot of Damage!

These are your burst items, meant to increase the damage your abilities do. You will be choosing two of the listed below, if you go down this path.

• Brawler's Beat Stick is the most popular and effective anti-heal item physical damage dealers get. Power and pen. It reduces the healing of enemies hit by your abilities by 40% for 8 seconds. This includes all forms of gaining health, not just ability healing. It's obvious that you would get this to counter any healers the enemy team has, but less health regeneration is always a bad thing, making this a good item to have in any situation.
• Jotunn's Wrath is overall a great item. Power, pen, mana, and cooldown reduction. Just pure stats, so it's up to you to make the most of it. The cooldown can help you fire off more abilities, and the mana is good for two more abilities than usual.
• The Crusher gives a great balance between DPS and burst. Power, pen, and attack speed. When you hit an enemy with an ability, you will deal two moderate amounts of damage on top of that, as stated by this item's passive. This helps the best to kill chasing enemies, and clearing waves. The extra damage scales off of your physical power, so having this item in a burst build ensures that your combos will kill.
• Runeforged Hammer saw a buff recently, turning this off meta warrior's item into a hunter burst commodity. Giving health and power, enemies under CC, not including blinds, grabs, or knockups, take 15% more damage all of your sources. Each of your abilities, except Rune Of The Hunt, apply a CC, so land one, and all of your basics, other abilities, and even Kaldr bites, will deal more damage.

Titan's Bane

This is what brings your penetration and burst full circle. Titan's Bane gives just some power, and a good amount at that. All damage you deal, including Kaldr, will ignore 15% of the target's physical protections. If they have more than 65 physical protections, it will scale up, capping at 40% of your opponent's protections ignored if they have 200 or more. Late game, enemies will have close to 40-50 physical protections naturally, so one physical defense item in their builds, and Titan's Bane has become that much more effective.

Taking the Tanks out of the Equation

The final path you can choose, and probably the one you may take sooner than later, what with the currently shifting Season 6 meta.
In this one, choose between Asi and Bloodforge for your lifesteal. I have went over them in detail previously, so base your decision off of whether you want more attack speed or power to factor into your DPS.
Build Qin's Sais after The Executioner, then choose either Ichaival or Odysseus' Bow.

• Qin's Sais is necessary. Power and attack speed. Every basic attack that hits an enemy deals extra damage equal to 3% of their maximum health. The more health they have, the more of their health will be dealt as extra damage, capping at 5% maximum health damage for 2750 maximum health. This is considered true damage, so it bypasses protections, but can be reduced by mitigation.
• Ichaival is more of a boxing tool, but provides more attack speed than Qin's Sais. It also provides power upon purchase, and with every successful basic attack, for a maximum of 45 extra power after 3 autos. The icing on the cake, or the boxing potential, is that it also reduces your opponent's attack speed by a maximum of 30%, which can work especially good against auto attacking warriors.
• Odysseus' Bow is pure attack speed, providing the most in the game. Every fourth basic attack spawns a chain lightning that scales off of your power. This is good to use the tank as a damage web to their other teammates, and helps to push more autos out, which is your main damage source.

So we've gone over Skadi extensively. You've armed yourself with the intricacies of her kit and how to effectively build her. Now it's time to actually play her!
An ADC, or Attack Damage Carry, is meant to deal consistent damage and secure kills on enemies and objectives, usually having lots of protection around them to make sure they do not die. This section will help you do just that. Walls of text incoming.

As an ADC, you go to the Duo Lane, the longest lane, with your designated support. Stay by him, and be careful, because early kills dictate the flow of the game. After each wave, signal to your support and check in the jungle if there are any camps that can be done. The camps are as followed:

• Purple Buff is for the support, and reduces protections of enemies by both a flat and percentage amount. This is the most common buff for the duo lane to go for, and the enemy team will try to steal it from you. Go for this is soon as you can, as it gives great early pressure.
• Red Buff is for the mid-laner, unless the mid-laner gives it to you. It increases the receiver's power by both a flat and percentage amount. This is a risky camp to go for, as by the time you get back to lane, the enemy team will have started, or already completed, pushing your lane back. Only go for this if you are winning lane by a lot.'
• Oracles gives vision over the Gold Fury pit. This is best gotten by the jungler when they are by your side of the map, but if you do get the chance to, go for it. This is also very risky, as they are quite beefy and could put you in a position to go back to base if trying to get this camp. Only do so if you have help from your jungler or mid-laner

In the early stages, the jungler will also want to gank the enemy ADC to shutdown any carry potential they may have over you. They will usually call for a gank, and start to go into their jungle, looking to flank them. If you spot, signal to your support, and push forward, putting the enemy in a position to fight. Let the support initiate, and you follow up, so the jungler can pick out their target and go in for the kill. Chase the kill if possible, but not too far, as the enemy jungler could just as well gank your lane and catch you out of position, as your support and jungler will not be able to protect you.
At some point, your support will have left you to rotate to other lanes and gain some assists. This means it's just you and the enemy ADC. Focus all you can on farming and gaining more gold and xp than the other hunter. Still be mindful if the enemy leaves lane, follow their path. You can also choose to gank the mid lane, but only if the jungler calls for it aloud. Don't forget that you can still get ganked, so ward up when you can, or just play safe.


The time for farming has ended. You have gained sufficient stacks, and it's time to start being a team member. You can still stay in lane if you so choose, and be a split pusher. This is when you decide to get a tower kill over helping the team in a fight. In some situations, it proves a good strategy if you can all the way to the phoenix, and your team is able to hold themselves well enough without their ADC. If they are obviously dying while you are rackin up numbers on the tower, then stop doing that. And as always, ward behind you, because you will get ganked while split-pushing.
If being a team member, you are to stay to the back of the team, just out of range of your own basics, so you are not tempted to attack without purpose. After most fights, if most of your team is still standing and theirs isn't, it is time to push for meaningful objectives. Towers are the most obvious, as they help weaken that lane's defenses, and are always good to capture.
The main jungle bosses for the mid-game are the Pyromancer and the Gold Fury. The Pyromancer gives your whole team a movement speed buff when exiting base. It is a tough one to deal with, and requires at least 2-3 members to fully and safely acquire. With the start of Season 6, Gold Fury got a rework, including two new versions, which are as follows:

• Gold Fury still just gives gold, but it's a hefty amount, so be aware.
• Primal Fury gives the whole team a lifetime buff that will make every member deal extra damage to all jungle monsters and bosses. This is great to secure if your team snowballing and you will go for more jungle bosses later in the game. This is marked by a green Gold Fury insignia
• Oni Fury gives your minions a speed and damage boost for the next two waves across all lanes. This is arguably the better version of the two new ones, as these minion waves are fully capable of securing towers by themselves. This is marked by a red Gold Fury insignia.

As you are an ADC, and your build is looking close to halfway, your damage is needed in these objective secures, just as much as they are needed in kill secures.


It's the home stretch of the game. Your build is almost complete, and your team has been performing rather well. That does not mean you can slack on your duties: Stay positioned in a defensive manner as not to get picked out by the enemy at all, apply consistent damage for kill and objective secures, and ward as you can.
Now both teams have their eyes on the Fire Giant, definitely the most valuable buff in the game. Health and mana regen, increased power and damage against objectives. For your team, it ensures a crushing victory. For the enemy team, it is hope shining towards a comeback. There should be at least a sentry ward in the Fire Giant pit, along with two regular wards in the crevices of the enemy jungle leading to the area, to telegraph enemy movement.
In these moments, all it takes is one huge teamfight to sway the whole game.

I am a Skadi main, so it was a breath of fresh air making this guide. I also love the winter time, which is even better. I hope you find fun in Skadi, as she is the most unique hunter by a long shot. I mean Kaldr is best doggo in SMITE. I would like to thank Branmuffin17 for help with the items in game, Gulfwulf for the comments, and Zilby for the template.
This has been IceColdPappsi, and ****, brain freeze.