Let’s learn more detailed information about Akai with “Liith“. Thank you for sharing. Akai skill tips and tricks, combos, best ability, recommended items, Akai’s friends and enemies, everything you want. And don’t forget the comment, have fun!
1. Akai Skill Tips, Tricks, Tactics
Skill 1: Thousand Pounder
Thousand Pounder is Akai’s mobility skill. The long-ranged jump allows for a strong engage into the enemy back line, a narrow escape across walls or just a really good ambush. Remember that when enemy’s are marked by Blender (with the Froggy symbol floating on their heads) jumping on them will stun them.
This skill is an amazing gap closer or repositioning ability. Use it wisely.
Skill 2: Blender
Blender is Akai’s poking skill. The projectile explodes upon impact or at maximum range, and has a relatively wide AoE, making it very easy to mark targets. The most important part of this ability is that attacking targets marked by Blender allows Akai to deal extra 5% of Akai’s Max HP as physical damage, which is A WHOLE LOT OF FREAKING DAMAGE.
Ultimate: Hurricane Dance
Hurricane Dance is Akai’s disruptive skill. Aside from the annoying knock back and wall pinning, Akai is immune to slowdown effects and has increased movement speed during the ULT duration. Akai’s ULT also works as a Purify which clears all CC and Stun effects on him.
Akai’s ULT is very difficult to cancel, and prevents a lot of engage. However, Akai’s ULT can be cancelled by Knock Up abilities, such as Gatotkaca ULT, Mino ULT and Grock ULT. Hurricane Dance can also be an extremely good peel ability to protect your back line heroes.
Passive: Tai Chi
Getting a Shield on every skill cast makes Akai rathertanky during the early game, as well as provides a lot of opportunities foroutplays. The extra shield makes Akai a very formidable opponent in a 1v1scenario. When jungling, space out the usage of Skill 1 and Skill 2 to allow your shield to tank the damage from the jungle monsters, as Akai’s passive shield has an internal cooldown.
Akai Skill Combos
1) Am-Bush: Skill 2 + Skill 1 + Basic Attack (DON’T ULT IF NOT NEEDED)
This is very effective especially during the early game laning phase. Wait in the bush, while the enemy approaches to clear their minion wave. Use Skill 2 + Skill 1 in rapid succession and just land as many Basic Attacks as possible. The percentage Max HP damage hurts a lot during the early game.
2) Wall Pin: Skill 1 + Petrify + ULT
Jump onto the enemy, then petrify them. During this short period of time, reposition yourself properly so that you can ULT and pin them against the wall, or at the very least, push them in the correct direction, instead of messing up your whole team’s Skill Combos.
3) 1v1 OP: Skill 2 + Skill 1 + ULT (wall pin) + Petrify + Skill 2 + Skill 1 + Basic Attack
Mark the enemy, jump on them and stun them, ULT them and pin them against the wall. The exact moment when your ULT ends, Petrify, so that you can land your Skill 2 and Skill 1 to Stun them again, and Basic Attack them to death.
Akai Skill Tips
1) When you are ULTing someone, try not to move too much, otherwise, the enemies will just slide out through the side.
2) Use Petrify either to peel enemies (assassins in particular) or to reposition yourself for a proper ULT.
3) Your Skill 2 + Basic Attacks deal a lot of damage. Therefore, Basic Attack a lot, even if you’re a tank.
4) Use ULT either to Pin Enemies to the Wall, to disengage the enemy, or when needed, to escape (since ULT grants extra movement speed)
5) When low in HP, walk back and bait the enemy. Once your Skill 2 and Skill 1 are ready, stun them and Basic Attack the enemy to death.
6) If possible, dive the enemy back line to lock their mages, and have your team follow up for kills.
2. Akai Skill Leveling Order
Get Skill 2 (Blender at Level 1) for faster jungling.
Max Skill 1 if team fight happens more often, since Skill 1 is easier to land.Max Skill 2 if game is stale, since Skill 2 has better poke.But honestly, it doesn’t really matter, cuz the scaling on both skills is about the same, so it’s really up to you.
3. Akai Battle Spells
Petrify
As mentioned before, Petrify is really good for peel, disengage, repositioning as well as some extra CC. Plus, it has a 90 second cooldown which is relatively short compared to Flicker.Generally speaking Petrify is my goto spell for Akai.
Flicker
Flicker can also be used as an instantaneous dash, or rather a substitute for Skill 1 since there is no animation delay. However, the traversed range is shorter. That said, Flicker + ULT can be a very formidable Combo when timed right, as the enemies will not have much time to react. Also, as always, Flicker is a very good escape tool.
I take Flicker if I can’t reach the enemy carries easily, for example, Karrie (Skill 2 dash makes it hard to catch her with my ULT) and Irithel (can kite very easily with Passive). Of course, Petrify can work too, but I’m just giving you situations for when I do take Flicker.
4. Akai Recommended Item-Gear Set
Item Analysis for Akai
Rapid Boots
Provides mobility for better roaming and repositioning, and especially for Akai, easier wall pinning.
Cursed Helmet
For a lot of AoE damage, especially against pinned targets. Cursed Helmet also provides a decent amount of Magic Resistance.
Dominance Ice
A very good counter to Attack Speed heroes such as Zilong, Roger, Natalia, as it reduces their attack speed by 30%. This item also grants 70 Armour (for some tankiness), -5% Enemy Movement Speed (to prevent enemies from escaping that easily), and 15% Cooldown Reduction.
Bloodthirsty King
A very good item for diving turrets since turrets deal True Damage and is unaffected by Armor or Magic Resistance, and Bloodthirsty King grants the most HP amongst all Items in the game by far, giving 1550 HP.
Immortality
The revive, on top of Akai’s Passive Shield allows for a lot of potential outplays.
Demons Advent
An overall very good item for tanking Physical Damage.
Thunder Belt
Thunder Belt is an optional item for Akai, but the AoE slow it provides is really useful in team fights, as well as in invades, preventing the enemies from escaping that easily. When taking Thunder Belt, Skill 1 + Basic Attack provides a moderate AoE slow to nearby enemies. Which is much more effective than Skill 2 + Skill 1 = Stun, since there are too many animation delays, and Skill 2 doesn’t always hit.
Athenas Shield
One of the best Magic Resistance items in the game, as it also provides a Shield every 30 seconds. Which alongside Akai’s Passive Shield and Immortality, allows Akai to make a lot of Aggressive plays.
Heart of Steel
This item synergizes really well with Dominance Ice, such that Dominance Ice reduces enemy Attack Speed, while Heart of Steel reduces their Crit Chance. However, take this item ONLY IF ENEMY IS BUILDING CRIT. Heart of Steel is pretty useless against Saber, Fanny, Hayabusa, and other Physical Heroes that rely more on Ability Damage than Basic Attack Damage.
Blade of the 7 Seas
This item is good especially when you are ahead as it grants both Attack Speed as well as Physical Penetration, making your Skill 2 + Basic Attack hurt a whole lot more.
As a tank, your build should constantly change to counter the enemy’s composition. The following build are just a reference guide.
Also, get 2 Magic Necklace as first two items.
Build 1: Against Melee Attack Speed Hero
Rapid Boots > Cursed Helmet > Dominance Ice > Immortality > Demons Advent > Heart of Steel
Dominance Ice helps to lower enemies’ attack speed by 30%, which is almost as much as Scarlet Phantom (grants 40% Atk Spd). Also, the 15% CDR and 500 Mana is justa good bonus
Build 2: Against Mages
Rapid Boots > Cursed Helmet > Demons Advent > Immortality > Athenas Shield > Bloodthirsty King
This build is just a slightly tankier alternative to Build 1.
As always, builds aren’t fixed, especially for tanks. But these are my two general builds.
1) If you want to play more fighter like, you can take Blade of the 7 Seas earlier on.
2) If you want to have some fun with the AoE slow, you can try Thunder Belt.
3) If enemy has a lot of Crit, for example Marksman, Heart of Steel is a very good alternative item.
5. Heroes That Work Well With Akai
Since Akai is a very disruptive Tank, his abilities do not synergize well with AoE heroes like Gord or Kagura. Instead, Akai’s abilities work really well with single target heroes.
Saber, Karina
Akai can ULT from behind and push the enemies toward Saber, while Saber can ULT the priority target and finish the job. The same goes for Karina as she won’t have to be that afraid of being CCed, since Akai pins them to a wall, and Karina can safely burst them down.
Aurora
Aurora’s 2nd Ability + Passive Stun makes it much easier for Akai to land a Wall Pin. However, since Aurora also has an AoE ULT, when playing with an Aurora in your team, make sure you don’t ULT at the wrong time.
Cyclops
Just like Saber, Akai can bring the enemies nearer while Cyclops can get into range and finish off the enemy. Cyclops’s ULT also works pretty well with Akai as it locks the target in place and makes it easier for a Wall Pin.
6. Heroes That Akai Counters
Saber, Karina, Zilong, Roger
Akai’s ULT will knockback a Saber and Karina, preventing them from landing a proper attack or proper engage.
Chou, Odette
Chou and Odette relies heavily on close range engage. When Akai’s is ULTing, he will just knock back Chou, preventing Chou from landing a proper knock-up or ULT, and straight out cancel Odette’s ULT.
Fanny
Displacement abilities (including Akai’s ULT) can instantaneously stop Fanny’s hook, which messes up a Fanny’s wall hook combo either during engage or during escape. However, a good Fanny will still be too mobile to counter.
7. Heroes That Counters Akai
Akai is a very difficult hero to counter due to his extremely disruptive abilities, as well as his Purify ability from his ULT. The closest toward a counter would be as follows.
Grock, Minotaur, Gatotkaca
Due to their knockup abilities from ULT. However, these have to be perfectly timed so that Akai’s ULT is cancelled. Akai will still cancel Grock ULT if Akai ULT’s first. But if Akai ULTs around the time Grock ULTs and get knocked up, Akai’s ULT will be cancelled instead. Grock also counter Akai in terms of early game aggressiveness. But Akai also counters Grock in other ways.
Cyclops, Aurora
Because Cyclops ULT can lock you in place when you are spinning, which makes you useless for the remaining duration of your ULT. Aurora freeze can also freeze you because you are immune to slow, but not immune to stun.
Diggie
Diggie pulls you back to a spot so you can run around and annoy the enemy. Diggie’s ULT also prevents enemy team from being CCed. I freaking hate fighting a Diggie, makes me so useless. However, if I do, I usually try to bait Diggie’s ULT with my Skill 2 + Skill 1 stun, then ULT only after Diggie’s ULT has faded. Still, Diggie is a very good counter to Akai. That annoying Owl -_-
Note: There is an animation bug such that Akai will still remain spinning but will no longer knock back the enemies after Akai is being knocked up. Not sure if they fixed it but, meh…
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