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Bumba's Dagger for good overall clear and basic sustain.
Golden Shard helps a bit with early clear, but can be replaced by 
Horn Shard if preferred for situational CDR.
Standard start with Bumba's Dagger for good overall clear and basic sustain.
Golden Shard helps a bit with early clear, but can be replaced by Horn Shard if preferred for situational CDR.
Bumba's Dagger
Mace
Healing Potion
Golden Shard
Serrated Edge and 
Brawler's Beat Stick can be switched if lifesteal is needed earlier. Serrated Edge and Brawler's Beat Stick with 
Bloodforge and 
The Crusher.
Bumba's build looking to maximize CDR (40%) and penetration (25 flat + 40%).
Serrated Edge and Brawler's Beat Stick can be switched if lifesteal is needed earlier.
If no lifesteal is needed, consider replacing both Serrated Edge and Brawler's Beat Stick with Bloodforge and The Crusher.
Bumba's Hammer
Jotunn's Wrath
Hydra's Lament
Serrated Edge
Brawler's Beat Stick
Heartseeker
Eye Of The Jungle great sustain in the jungle. Golden Shard helps a bit with early clear, but can be replaced by Horn Shard if preferred for situational CDR.
Standard start with Eye Of The Jungle great sustain in the jungle.
Golden Shard helps a bit with early clear, but can be replaced by Horn Shard if preferred for situational CDR.
Eye Of The Jungle
Mace
Healing Potion
Golden Shard
Eye Of The Jungle builds into 
Protector Of The Jungle for strong presence in the jungle. Serrated Edge and Brawler's Beat Stick can be switched if lifesteal is needed earlier. Brawler's Beat Stick with 
Arondight, or replace both Serrated Edge and Brawler's Beat Stick with Bloodforge and The Crusher.
Eye Of The Jungle builds into Protector Of The Jungle for strong presence in the jungle.
Serrated Edge and Brawler's Beat Stick can be switched if lifesteal is needed earlier.
If no lifesteal is needed, consider replacing Brawler's Beat Stick with Arondight, or replace both Serrated Edge and Brawler's Beat Stick with Bloodforge and The Crusher.
Protector Of The Jungle
Jotunn's Vigor
Hydra's Lament
Serrated Edge
Brawler's Beat Stick
Heartseeker
Loki, with high CDR and strong basic attack damage via 
Hydra's Lament and the 2 crit items. 
Seer Of The Jungle is chosen here for the added attack speed to support getting more basics off.
Malicious Deathbringer supports ability use, but 
Devoted Deathbringer can be chosen if you want essentially 100% crit chance (97.5 actual).
This build creates a hybrid version of Loki, with high CDR and strong basic attack damage via Hydra's Lament and the 2 crit items. Seer Of The Jungle is chosen here for the added attack speed to support getting more basics off.
Malicious Deathbringer supports ability use, but Devoted Deathbringer can be chosen if you want essentially 100% crit chance (97.5 actual).
Seer Of The Jungle
Jotunn's Vigor
Hydra's Lament
Rage
Malicious Deathbringer
Serrated Edge
With all of these items, make sure you're getting enough CDR and penetration.
Only consider the crit items if you're intent on that type of playstyle.
Jotunn's Wrath
Hydra's Lament
Serrated Edge
The Crusher
Brawler's Beat Stick
Bloodforge
Arondight
Soul Eater
Rage
Deathbringer
Loki is the same, sometimes defensive items can make a difference in you staying alive to continue fighting.
Mantle of Discord provides high protections to significant decrease all incoming damage. It also provides CDR which Loki loves, and the passive stuns nearby enemies when you're at low health, which can be a huge disruptor, allowing you to win a fight or potentially get an opportunity to escape.
Magi's Revenge, the offensive glyph upgrade of 
Magi's Cloak, can allow you to keep fighting through hard CC when you dive, and the movement speed and increase damage you deal to the marked target can help you win a fight.Any jungler wants to build as much damage as possible, and while Loki is the same, sometimes defensive items can make a difference in you staying alive to continue fighting.
Mantle of Discord provides high protections to significant decrease all incoming damage. It also provides CDR which Loki loves, and the passive stuns nearby enemies when you're at low health, which can be a huge disruptor, allowing you to win a fight or potentially get an opportunity to escape. Magi's Revenge, the offensive glyph upgrade of Magi's Cloak, can allow you to keep fighting through hard CC when you dive, and the movement speed and increase damage you deal to the marked target can help you win a fight.
Mantle of Discord
Magi's Revenge
Purification Beads is your standard 1st relic choice to avoid getting locked down and killed from CC.
Blink Rune is a good offensive choice for 2nd relic to get behind enemy lines quickly and burst the backline.
Aegis Amulet is an optional, defensive 2nd relic if facing lots of enemy CC and burst.
Purification Beads is your standard 1st relic choice to avoid getting locked down and killed from CC.
Blink Rune is a good offensive choice for 2nd relic to get behind enemy lines quickly and burst the backline.
Aegis Amulet is an optional, defensive 2nd relic if facing lots of enemy CC and burst.
Purification Beads
Blink Rune
Aegis Amulet
Flurry Strike is taken at level 1 as it's the best clear ability.
Agonizing Visions will help a bit in camp clear as well. Flurry Strike (quickest camp clear) and then 
Vanish (best single target damage potential). Agonizing Visions does low tick damage and is really only there for the potential CC and zoning.
Flurry Strike is taken at level 1 as it's the best clear ability.
You'll hit level 2 on the 2nd Speed camp, and Agonizing Visions will help a bit in camp clear as well.
General ability priority is your ult when available, followed by Flurry Strike (quickest camp clear) and then Vanish (best single target damage potential). Agonizing Visions does low tick damage and is really only there for the potential CC and zoning.
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Recent Updates:
2024/1/27: Guide is current as of Patch 11.1, "Year 11." Builds updated. General information updated.
 Revision History |
Loki's gameplay. If you want details on general info, I invite you to check out my other guides:
Loki's existence. They may be bugs, but it's unknown when this will be changed. See ProfessorLoki's quick vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LJaF1y5hBc
Raven Ward and 
Proximity Ward state that they can't see through stealth, but they apparently do, and these effects last for a few seconds, making it very difficult for Loki to get the jump on enemies...one of his traditional strengths. Loki is a single-target, get-in & get-out kind of god, who employs his mobility, stealth, and high burst damage to overcome his adversaries.|
........... Strengths ...........
+ High single-target damage + Great escape capability + Easy Item Damage Application |
........ Weaknesses ........
- Very squishy
- Minimal teamfight presence - Has to get in close for max damage |
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Basic Attacks
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1 / .5 / .5 / .5 / 1.5x damage and swing time Discussion: Loki has a relatively quick attack progression, especially through his first 4 hits. The most impactful hit is the first, since his combos often like to employ attack canceling, especially once Hydra's Lament is built.This progression could be beneficial, IF he was a basic attacking god. However, as a get-in-get-out god looking to deal burst damage via abilities, he's not usually going to build into items like  Hastened Katana,  The Executioner,  Qin's Sais or the crit items. |
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Passive:
Behind You! |
Deal 15% bonus damage from basic attacks when hitting enemies from behind. Discussion: You want to utilize this whenever possible, though this is easier said than done. Enemies will constantly be changing directions, so this works most commonly in the following situations:
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Skill #1:
Vanish |
Loki disappears in a puff of smoke for up to 4s. While invisible, he gains 35% move speed, removes and gains immunity to slow effects. His next basic attack from stealth (or for 2s after) applies a bleed to his target, dealing damage every 0.5s for 2 seconds and reveals Loki. CD 15 seconds. Leveling Priority: You'll typically prioritize this 2nd (after Flurry Strike) for the high single target damage potential. If preferred (especially in non-Conquest modes), it can be prioritized before Flurry Strike as it deals higher damage after all ticks are applied.General Use: Stealth Initiation / Escape / Slow Cleanse / Mobility & Chase Discussion: This will generally be used in 1 of 3 ways:
Cautions: If you are hit with DoT (damage over time) abilities, they will allow enemies to see the numerical damage above your position when stealthed. If you are close enough to the enemy, they can hear you when you trigger this ability, alerting them to your presence. If trying to sneak up to an enemy, try to use it as far away as possible. If Loki enters an enemy structures's attack range while invisible, he'll be revealed...don't expect to be sneaky when entering tower range. Use with awareness and discretion, as it is your main form of escape. |
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Skill #2:
Agonizing Visions |
Loki summons a vision of his tortured past at a target location for 4s. Enemies in range of the vision feel the poison themselves, taking damage and having their Damage Dealt reduced. This effect stacks up to 4 times. If an enemy gets 4 stacks they become Blinded, allowing Loki to benefit from Behind You! from any direction for 3s. CD 12 seconds Leveling Priority: This is your lowest priority ability, as it deals minimal tick damage, only when the enemy is within the area. General Use: Distraction / Zoning / Applying Item Tick Damage / Absentee Farming Discussion: This skill deals very low damage on its own, and enemies caught in the area usually exit it quickly to prevent being partially blinded (which also allows Loki to get the  Behind You! passive damage bonus from any direction). It can be used as a safe or secondary way to help clear minions, and is functional in the middle of a teamfight as it can distract enemies.Its other (often more functional) use is to easily trigger item effects from a distance:
Tips: If you need to share some farm with a teammate but don't want to stick around, drop Agonizing Visions on a minion wave as you pass by...the damage it applies allows you to gain the farm without having to remain close, allowing you to keep moving on your rotations.Use it to zone enemies...place it at your feet if you're retreating. Place it in front of an enemy to force them to go through it and possibly be blinded, or go around it and take a longer path. It can be particularly helpful in the middle of a teamfight where enemies aren't pathing in one specific direction and are fighting in one general area. Getting multiple ticks on enemies provides 5-20% damage decrease depending on how many ticks are applied. If you suspect an enemy might be preparing to use their Blink Rune, hit them with it to prevent its use.Note that you can use this ability while stealthed with Vanish. |
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Skill #3:
Flurry Strike |
Loki unleashes a flurry of 5 dagger strikes quickly in front of him, damaging and slowing enemies by 15% for 3s. After this flurry he winds up for a final heavy strike that deals higher damage and slows enemies by 30% for 3s. Loki cannot be knocked up while firing this ability. This ability can benefit from Behind You! CD 12 seconds. Leveling Priority: You'll typically max this first for jungle camp/minion clear. General Use: Jungle Camp / Minion Clear, CC Discussion: This is your bread-and-butter damage ability. While it takes a bit to channel the full damage, it is your best ability to hit multiple targets with good damage. The slow it applies is helpful for keeping enemies close...try to get all hits off (especially the last one) for max damage and an increased slow. Tips: Since it takes a while to channel the full ability, remember you can cancel it early. You can use it just to apply the slow on the first hit, cancel it and then get the Hydra's Lament proc on the following basic attack for bonus damage. Your basics will also likely deal more damage than this ability late-game with a full build, as long as you keep the enemy in range. If they're just outside of your range, you can keep channeling it if it's safe enough to do so, as the slow refreshes and it can help your teamates collapse on the enemy. |
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Ultimate:
Assassinate |
Upon activation, Loki teleports to his ground target location. If an enemy god is within the radius, Loki will slice that target doing damage and crippling them for 1s. After he teleports he will wind up a heavier strike, damaging all enemies in front of him and stunning them. CD 90 seconds. Leveling Priority: Level this whenever it is available. General Use: Single Target Burst Damage / Escape Discussion: When this ability is available, you can use this to initiate a fight, or follow up on a retreating enemy and prevent them from escaping. Can also be used as a last-ditch escape attempt (and can get you outside/through player-made obstacles). This is obviously not optimal, so only use for this purpose if absolutely necessary. Tips: The teleport aspect of this ability allows you to jump behind the enemy front-line to target the more dangerous (and squishier) enemies behind. |
Loki, depending on the availability of your ult, Assassinate. Note that using this combo won't always be optimal, as any engage may be quick and temporary by throwing out quick Agonizing Visions without engaging further. Using Vanish as an initiation represents your best overall damage potential in any fight, but it also takes away your main escape plan (outside of emergency ulting). Vanish) Agonizing Visions Assassinate Flurry Strike (full combo or cancel after 1 hit) Hydra's Lament multiple times. You can use this to 100-0 a lone squishy enemy or finish off a damaged tank. In a teamfight, you want to target the biggest damage threat on the enemy team, to take them out of the fight and make it easier on the rest of your team. Vanish initially to conceal your approach if you feel confident in getting a kill and escaping safely, or save it to trigger it last to chase/confirm a kill, or as an escape. Vanish Agonizing Visions (situational, see below) Flurry Strike Hydra's Lament yet, skip Agonizing Visions as it won't really do anything for your overall damage output. Instead, you can keep it for zoning. Agonizing Visions Flurry Strike Vanish is safer for you. If you have Blink Rune and you're looking for a kill, consider leading with that before dropping Agonizing Visions and saving Vanish for a bit.
Wards to maintain vision in the Jungle. If you grabbed Eye Of The Jungle that can give you vision also. Vanish as you leave the fountain for a free speed boost. Hydra's Lament helps your damage a lot). Flurry Strike, and your Agonizing Visions just doesn't deal enough damage to be reliable. To get ahead on farm, you need to be extremely efficient with your rotations. Or just try to stay even but watch for those opportunities to get a kill, which gives you the best opportunity to get ahead. Getting regular Wards and being very aware of the enemy Jungler's rotations can allow you to confidently invade the enemy's side to steal camps when they're not there. Proximity Ward, which if you trigger it will absolutely ruin any chance to surprise them.WardingMid Lane Warding
Throughout the match, remember that Loki isn't a team fighter, and dealing any significant damage requires you to get close to your target. You may feel a bit stupid or useless for mostly staying out of a big fight, but it's in your (and your team's) best interest to be opportunistic and not feed the enemies. Counter your periods of ineffectiveness by watching the field, positioning yourself well, and helping gank a retreating, injured enemy to secure a kill or adding your damage at an opportune time in a bigger team fight.
Vanish is going to be your main utility tool.
Manikin Hidden Blade or 
Bluestone Brooch build, you will want to use Agonizing Visions liberally as the extra damage from your items will deal significant damage.
So that's it! If you like what I've done and how I try to improve the guide, anyone is welcome to suggest a god for me to work on next.
Thanks for reading, and I appreciate any and all comments, suggestions, etc. Feel free to add me/invite me if you want to play!
Brandon / PC IGN: Branmuffin17
Thanks to the following people:
| For general Arena knowledge and in-depth help with builds / calculations |
| For help with builds |
| For multiple suggestions for better presentation! |
| For aesthetic ideas and templates to make the guide prettier |
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Manikin Scepter
Shadowdrinker
Chalice of Healing
Masamune
Bluestone Pendant
Sentry Ward
getting back into smite after a couple of months, so just want to know thanks!
He's playable, but he's not a strong pick and his burst damage has been hurt significantly. You can still make him work depending on level of competition, enemy matchups, and how good you are with him.
You: "It should, but I've honestly never checked."
You may want to check, especially considering that Decoy is a pet I believe.
Never actually thought about
I don't want to see any Loki, and here we are, blessed by his nerf.
I'll consider prioritizing
Vanish absolutely has higher damage potential in a single strike. The only thing about leveling this skill, though, is damage increase. Aimed Strike not only increases damage (yes, it's significantly lower), but it has a significantly lower cooldown, and the CD decreases with each level. Combine that with getting Jotunn's first, and the 30% CDR between that and Trans means Aimed has a 6.3 second CD.
- I personally don't always use
Vanish for the damage in an initiation or in the middle of a fight. I often prefer to save it just in case I need to escape, or in a chase situation to secure a kill. I thus might not always see the benefit of prioritizing Vanish. On the flipside, I will ALWAYS use Aimed Strike in any engagement.
- Not sure how much you use this strat, but something to consider. You'll never get
Vanish off 2 times in a single engagement (unless that engagement is overly long). With the 30% CDR before Hydra's gets you to 40% in my normal build progression, you can get 2 activations of Aimed off in a couple of seconds, if you activate it a few seconds before starting a fight. Even if you're not all that prepared, you'll get 2 off in 6-7 seconds. Vanish? 10+ before Hydra's, or as you build Hydra's first, if you don't have Jotunn's yet, 12 seconds.
- Side note: we can note that in Weak3n's video that you referenced, he also got
Jotunn's Wrath before 
Hydra's Lament. He also didn't get Trans until late, which is also something you can do. (also, read the comments below the video...other people are pointing out some reasons why leveling Aimed first can be beneficial...lots of discussion on that)
- Jotunn's before Hydra's does give you some other advantages. It has 10 flat pen, which means base damage of abilities, as well as basics when not getting the Hydra's proc, will be higher. (Also, Hydra's 50% higher damage isn't actually 50%...it's 50% BEFORE mitigations, so more pen makes that more effective) 10% higher CDR means more utility, whether it being your ult up more quickly in case you can use it right as it comes off CD (I admit, not always the case), as well as obviously generally lower CD on everything else.
- Note the S6 nerf. The 25% reduction in his damage output on the first hit will apply to the Hydra's proc as well. That bonus damage from Hydra's is NOT going to be the 50% as it reads. It's only going to be a 37.5% increase (before mitigations, which will further reduce it). Want some simple calcs? Here. For ease of consideration, base 100 damage. Hydra's proc would make it 150. In S6 6.1, that base 100 damage would now be 75. Hydra's proc (0.5 * 75) = 112.5, or a bonus of 37.5%. Yes, it's still bonus damage, and yes, he needs the bonus damage especially due to the nerf, but it's not doing as much for you as it used to. Jotunn's absolutely provides some benefits that Hydra's does not.
Your points are good, but they're also one-dimensional. I'm not saying your direction is bad, and obviously you can absolutely benefit from prioritizingStill trying to provide some direction for those that do choose to play him.
In all honesty, I expect HR to make small buff adjustments to his kit so he doesn't just fall off the face of Asgard.
Also, in my non-Conquest builds, I offered a slightly funky basic attack oriented build to try to take advantage of his 4 quick-progression abilities that I'm sure you're going to love. XD
No I don't love the build. Might want to rename it "100% LETA build".
And dammit, serious? I thought it was both damage and AS progression. If it's just damage, then...ugh. I know people hate Loki, but that's such a stupid nerf. Should adjust both.
Fine, dropped that build. Just keeping it to the norm.
For ability combos, you don't inlcude Decoy at all.
I haven't seen any guides detailing this yet, so I could be wrong, but I like to include it in my combos.
What I've found is that dropping it on the enemy before using
What are your thoughts on this?
One other thing I should add is, lol, my usual combo. In those ult combos, I talk about using Aimed first...but most of the time, I go straight into
I do talk about Decoy being used as a block in the ability section (just a brief mention), but don't find it fits in a "combo" section for that use very well. I should mention not just against directed attacks, but also for blocking retreat and stuff.
Thanks for the suggestions, they are good and I will have those adjusted.
I apologize, O' Muffiny One.
Hmm... I like the new Optional ability uses for the combos. He has quite a few ways he can go about using his kit, so you have to be a bit general. I think you did a good job with it, though.
When I've done revisions, it's mostly been just going through the item updates and adjusting when there were changes. I'll fix that.
As for
Then again...I sort of want to try a
Also, 10% CDR when not going Trans, and also 60 power. It's an alternative to Bloodforge, which has similar power, all things considered.
https://www.smitefire.com/smite/guide/loki-the-lane-controlling-jungler-14232
In any case, I'll check yours out and see what's going on.
In most ways, Clash is like a bigger Arena, but it's that bigger part that's the issue. Base isn't as close, so his biggest issue, mana consumption, needs to be considered.
I see 4 things you can generally do:
- Get one of the mana buffs. This is great for him anyway in the early game because it also provides CDR, and he really, really wants his ult up as often as possible. However, taking it instead of a teammate that can deal AOE damage, for example, will potentially reduce your overall team damage output. Keep that in consideration.
- Get
Hydra's Lament before 
Jotunn's Wrath. The MP5 aspect it provides will be at least somewhat helpful. Maybe pick up a couple of 
Mana Potions every back to fortify.
- Grab a
Chalice of Mana early (doesn't have to be at the start, but shortly thereafter.
- Get
Transcendence 2nd, then Jotunn's (and down the line) after. Obviously you'll never have mana issues if you get this, and power is something he always appreciates. Trans is a historically common item for him anyway.
I would also consider a movespeed item (likeHope this helps!
FYI I just converted the guide to cover some extra builds, and gameplay discussion for the various modes as well.