Lam Guide — Best Build, Combos & Playstyle

Role: Assassin / Jungle | Strength: A (Viable) | Difficulty: Medium | Win Rate: 48.9%

Core Passive: Hunter
Basic Attacks and skills deal extra true damage to targets with low Health.

Signature Ultimate: Death From Below
Throws a dagger in the target direction, then dashes to the dagger after a short delay, dragging enemies in his path to the dagger and dealing damage to them.
Submerged: Cancels the cast point animation and skill delay.

TL;DR Lam: An assassin jungler built for ganking. Rush to level 4, then pressure the weakest lane. Successful gank → rotate to objective (Tyrant/tower) immediately. Snowballing wins games, not KDA.

Skill 1: Wavebreaker
Becomes submerged and gains Movement Speed. Use this skill again to dash and deal damage.
Can remain submerged indefinitely in the river. Gains extra Movement Speed when an enemy hero with low Health is nearby.

Skill 2: Space Split
Damages nearby enemies while gaining marks and recovering Health.
Basic Attacks consume marks to gain a dash and Health recovery effect.
Submerged: Skill 2 has an extra dash effect.

Ultimate: Death From Below
Throws a dagger in the target direction, then dashes to the dagger after a short delay, dragging enemies in his path to the dagger and dealing damage to them.
Submerged: Cancels the cast point animation and skill delay.

Skill Priority: Skill 2 → Skill 1 → Death From Below (max Skill 2 first)
Space Split provides mobility or stick—max first. Wavebreaker second for damage. Death From Below on every level.

Practical Tips:
• Wait for enemy CC to be used before going in. Never be the first one to engage unless you're 100% sure of the pick.
• Blow your combo, then get out. Don't stand around auto-attacking waiting for cooldowns — that's how assassins die.
• Late game, your only target is the enemy carry. Trading 1-for-1 with their marksman or mage is almost always worth it.

Current recommended build for Lam:

Slot 1: Boots of Resistance (MDEF +100, PDEF +50, MSPD +50
Shortens crowd control)

Slot 2: Spikemail (PATK +45, PDEF +300, HP +700
Reflects damage)

Slot 3: Succubus Cloak (MDEF +300, HP +1,100
Negates magical damage)

Slot 4: Sage's Sanctuary (HP +900, PDEF +150, MDEF +150
Resurrect on the spot)

Slot 5: Destiny (PATK +75, ASPD +15%, HP +500
Negates fatal damage)

Slot 6: Demonsbane (PATK +90, MDEF +150, HP +600
Boosts Magical Defense)

Build Logic:
• First two items are your core damage spike. Don't change the order — build the most gold-efficient item first.
• Third item onward is situational: defensive item vs fed assassins, penetration vs tanky comps.
• Never skip a defensive item for a 6th damage item. Dead carries deal zero DPS.

Recommended Arcana: Lvl 5: Mutation, Lvl 5: Red Moon, Lvl 5: Stealth

Summoner Spell: Smite

Smite is mandatory for junglers. Upgrade path: slowing smite vs mobile enemies, damage smite for burst.

Standard Combos:
• Standard trade (Jungling skirmish or objective fight)
Wavebreaker → Space Split → Death From Below → weave basic attacks

• All-in (Gank or backline dive with team CC)
Death From Below after full rotation when Flash is down

Opening Clear:
• Start on the side where you can gank the most vulnerable lane first. Blue buff for mana-hungry champs, red buff for early aggression.
• Full clear to level 4 before ganking. Don't waste time on half-committed ganks pre-6 — the risk/reward ratio is terrible.

Level 4 Powerspike:
• Your first gank target should be the lane with the most CC setup. A lane with hard CC = guaranteed kill or summoner spell burned.
• Successful gank → ping your team to take Tyrant immediately. Getting a kill without an objective is a wasted lead.
• Failed gank → go back to farming. Don't sit in a bush for 30 seconds hoping — that's how you fall 2 levels behind.

Mid-Game Macro:
• 30 seconds before Tyrant/Overlord spawns, start pathing toward that side of the map and secure vision.
• If the enemy jungler shows on the opposite side of the map, immediately invade their jungle or take the objective on your side. Information asymmetry is a jungler's biggest weapon.
• Track enemy buff timers. Stealing a buff puts the enemy jungler behind for 30+ seconds.

Late Game Decisions:
• Don't engage first unless your hero is specifically designed for it. Let your tank find the opening.
• Tempest Dragon > everything. At full build, whoever secures Tempest wins the game. Be alive and have Smite ready.

Engage Timing:
• The #1 assassin mistake: engaging first. Always wait for the enemy team to use their CC, then go in.
• Approach from the flank or behind. Walking straight at the enemy team as an assassin is a death sentence.
• Your target: the enemy marksman or mage. Trading 1-for-1 with their hypercarry is a win.

When to Back Off:
• Blow your combo → get out. Don't linger in the middle of the fight auto-attacking.
• Never start a fight without your ultimate. An assassin without their ult is a melee minion.
• If you engage and your team doesn't follow, disengage immediately. One death is better than an ace.

Lam struggles against: Erin, Liang, Luara
When facing these champions:
• Play passive in lane. Surviving > trading.
• Call your jungler for help — don't try to 1v1 a counter matchup.
• Adjust build toward defense. Staying alive is more valuable than an extra damage item.

Lam counters: Lu Bu, Wuyan, Xiang Yu
Against these champions:
• Play aggressive. Deny them farm and force them out of lane.
• Use your matchup advantage to create a lead, then roam and spread it.
• In draft, Lam is a strong counter-pick if the enemy locks one of these early.

Current Meta Position: A (Viable), 48.9% WR

Lam is a solid, consistent pick. Not the best in class, but mastery beats meta.

Climbing Advice:
• One-tricking Lam is better than constantly switching to "meta" picks you're less comfortable on.
• Be willing to flex off Lam if the enemy drafts hard counters.