Papermoon: Tsukuyomi Guide (Mid-S7)

Greetings once again, Stuke here for another guide. In this, we're going to take a look at another Japanese god who lore is shrouded in mystery and veiled in darkness but what we do know is related to his siblings Amaterasu and Susano. Allow me to introduce Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto, or Tsukuyomi for short.

Tsukuyomi is a Melee, Physical, Assassin who uses Shinobi-style tactics and arsenal to sneaking up on the enemy, safely dish damage from afar, and when the time is right quickly getting close to his target and land the killing blow. Making full use of his utility, damage, and the multiple options to deal with the enemy, Tsukuyomi players will know what it's like to play like a ninja assassin.

• Many Range Options
• High Utility
• High Single Target Damage

• Locked Down Easily
• Low Mobility
• Low Defense

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Tsukuyomi excels at damaging his opponent from both up close and at range mixed with his decent crowd control, area denial, plus a little bit of sustain and this can make for an interesting playstyle of both bursting down your opponent and leaving them no room for retaliation or aggression.
While Tsukuyomi has many options to dish out damage and controlling his enemies in spades, that doesn't mean you can be reckless. He's still an assassin with a relatively low health pool and defenses; so once you get caught out and/or locked down, it's hard for Tsukuyomi to survive. If caught off guard it's hard for Tsukuyomi to get away since he doesn't have mobility or an escape to speak of so be mindful of your position and when to engage on a target especially when using your ultimate ability.

Shingetsu & Mangetsu

When Tsukuyomi uses a basic attack, he empowers one of his two tonfas, which are named Shingetsu and Mangetsu. When Shingetsu is empowered, his next basic with it cleaves and restores mana. When Mangetsu is empowered, his next basic with it deals bonus damage and heals. The empowered state of these two weapons is effective a clearing fast and providing a little bit of sustain. Note: You only get the effect when hitting a target with the respective weapon so be aware of that when you're fighting or clearing.

Dark Moon Shuriken

Tsukuyomi uses Shingetsu to throw out a shuriken damaging all enemies it passes through before stick to an enemy god. Tsukuyomi retrieves the shuriken when he gets close to the enemy god it stuck to which reduces the cooldown of this ability, but that's not all. Once this ability is fired, Tsukuyomi's next basic attack becomes ranged. If the ranged basic hits a target, Shingetsu becomes empowered and the target's movement speed gets stolen. This ability gives Tsukuyomi an option to close the gap or set up for a combo or a kill for not just you but also your allies if they are near-by.

Kusarigama

Transforming Shingetsu and Mangetsu into a Kusarigama, Tsukuyomi gains increased movement speed and strikes with the weapon three times. The first two strikes hit from front to left/right, disarming any enemy caught in the swings with the final forward strike stunning any enemy hit by the kusarigama. Use this ability once you've gotten close to the enemy or for an effective clearing tool. Since this ability functions as a channel, he can be CC'ed out of it so watch out for gods who also have a stun or a silence. Note: This ability does not empower Shinetsu nor Mangetsu, so be aware if you're wondering why your basics aren't doing the empowered attacks.

Silver Moon Caltrops

Tsukuyomi uses Mangetsu to summon caltrops in a crescent shape in a targeted location. Any enemy god who steps on the caltrops has reduced movement speed and takes damage every time they move while in the area of effect. Just like with Dark Moon Shurekin, this gives Tsukuyomi's next basic something new. After using this ability, Tsukuyomi uses Mangetsu to fire a ranged basic attack that gives bonus true damage and empowers Mangetsu. This ability, just like how the caltrops are used by real ninjas, can be used to widen the gap for you to escape or close off an escape route for the enemy. They could get desperate enough to run through the caltrops to get away but will be damaged and slowed because of it.

Piercing Moonlight

Becoming CC Immune and gaining damage reduction, Tsukuyomi fires 4 beams of light in a straight line in front of him. If an enemy god is hit by one of these projectiles, Tsukuyomi quickly dashes at the enemy dealing damage before quickly dashing to his next target. Each beam can hit up to 3 individual targets each but multiple beams can strike one target allowing Tsukuyomi to hit up to 12 targets if enough enemies are caught in the beams. Once Tsukuyomi lands his final strike, he stops at the last target he hit, this makes Tsukuyomi vulnerable if not planned carefully. Hopefully, you have options to deal with bringing dangerously close to the enemy.

Being one of the few Assassin that the whole kit deals damage, make use of Tsukuyomi's multiple options to deal large amounts of damage with items to compliance his abilities to put pressure on the enemy and make the fight more difficult. Here is a selection of items that can synergize with Tsukuyomi that could be a nice addition to your build.

The Crusher

Since Tsukuyomi can dish out all sorts of damage for any of his abilities, items like The Crusher is a core item on him. Thanks to Crusher's stats as well as it's passive effect to deal even more damage when an ability damages a target, this makes his playstyle of dealing constant damage hit just a little bit harder.

Soul Eater

While Tsukuyomi has a form of sustain in his kit, when he hits an enemy with empowered Mangetsu, it's still not enough to keep him around. Also noting that all his abilities deal damage quickly and multiple times, grabbing this item which allows you to get lifesteal from abilities makes Tsukuyomi's insane survival skills a larger boost.

Heartseeker

Any physical god who can deal a lot of damage that's constant and annoying need this item in their arsenal. Not just for the base stats but also that passive effect that makes your attacks deal additional damage based on a percentage of the opponents health. Perfect for the line of work that Tsukuyomi is accustomed to.

• Bo-ryaku
  Tsukuyomi players need to have a plan to get in and out during encounters. Using the utility of his kit to your advantage, Tsukuyomi can create openings for securing kills, distracting the opponent, or to escape.
  
• Inton-jutsu
  Due to Tsukuyomi's low defense, inability to properly box, and lack of a viable escape, Keep an eye out for every possible escape route needs to be constantly in the back of your mind. Make use of some of your abilities to make escaping easier like the Silver Moon Caltrops to cut off the enemy from pursuing you any further.
  
• Jutai-jutsu
  Despite his kit giving Tsukuyomi multiple ranged options, that doesn't entirely mean Tsukuyomi is entirely useless in close combat. Make use of his enhanced basic attacks and Kusarigama to disarm into stunning his targets to make fights more effective.

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A standard ganking combo, after throwing out you're shuriken and landing that basic, follow up by laying down caltrops into of the target to make them even slower and making it harder to escape. Follow up with another ranged basic to get Mangetsu enhanced for the bonus true damage when you get close to fight and pick up your shuriken while you're at it. You can also throw in your Kusarigama into the mix to disarm and/or stun the target if you're safe enough to do so.
If you find yourself in front of an opponent, get the stun off with Kusarigama and then use the Caltrops to get away by either placing them on your opponent or in the direction you're running away to.
After you use your ultimate, disarm and stun any enemy close by, use the clatrops to slow and enhance Mangatsu, and then finish it up with the your shuriken to get the movement speed and empower Shingetsu.

Tsukuyomi has very nice ganking and engagement potential even early on in the game. Use your ranged abilities and basic attacks to keep the enemy back or widdle them down afar to annoy them if combat is inevitable otherwise avoid fights whenever possible. Wait until you hit Level 5 before you try going for kills.
Once you hit Level 5, now's time to strike. Making use of the utility of his abilities as well as the high damage that comes from them plus his ultimate. Tsukuyomi can effectively lockdown and swiftly take down his opponents once he catches them off guard.
Not nessicarily weak but given how the enemy also gets strong and more resilient they become makes ambushing targets a bit harder, especially once lanes stops and team fights become more relevant.

To summarize Tsukuyomi, while not the most historically accurate ninja, even in video games, but his arsenal, tactics, and even some aspects of his kit get the idea across fairly well. Remember to always stay out of sight, use your many options and utility to survive even the more difficult situations, and show the enemy that even under the light of the moon, they still are not safe from your wrath.