Xuance Guide — Best Build, Combos & Playstyle

Role: Assassin / Jungle | Strength: B (Situational) | Difficulty: Medium | Win Rate: 52.5%

Core Passive: Crazed Prelude
Deals extra damage to enemies at long range and slows them, while gaining a Movement Speed boost.

Signature Ultimate: Crimson Blur
Dashes behind a target marked by his sickle, dealing damage. Beyond a certain range, he moves toward the target instead.
If he has not marked a target, the hook latches onto one, dealing damage. Takes 50% less damage during the dash.
Passive: Kills and assists grant Movement Speed and Attack Speed, up to 3 stacks.

TL;DR Xuance: 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: Flailing Sickles
Dashes in the target direction, pulling enemies marked by his sickle a certain distance. Also enhances his next Basic Attack.

Skill 2: Nightmare Hooks
Charges up and gains Movement Speed. After charging, he throws the sickle to immobilize enemies and deal damage, marking the first enemy hit. Using the skill again will pull back and damage the marked enemy.

Ultimate: Crimson Blur
Dashes behind a target marked by his sickle, dealing damage. Beyond a certain range, he moves toward the target instead.
If he has not marked a target, the hook latches onto one, dealing damage. Takes 50% less damage during the dash.
Passive: Kills and assists grant Movement Speed and Attack Speed, up to 3 stacks.

Skill Priority: Skill 2 → Skill 1 → Crimson Blur (max Skill 2 first)
Nightmare Hooks provides mobility or stick—max first. Flailing Sickles second for damage. Crimson Blur 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 Xuance:

Slot 1: Rapacious Bite (PATK +90, MSPD +5%, CDR +7.5%
Monster kills boost ATK)

Slot 2: Shadow Ripper (PATK +45, ASPD +35%, Crit Rate +20%, MSPD +7.5%
Crits boosts ASPD)

Slot 3: Eternity Blade (PATK +120, Crit Rate +20%
High crit damage)

Slot 4: Master Sword (PATK +55, Crit Rate +20%, HP +600
Enhances BAs)

Slot 5: Sage's Sanctuary (HP +900, PDEF +150, MDEF +150
Resurrect on the spot)

Slot 6: Immovable - Sky Dome (PATK +80, PDEF +150, CDR +10%
Temp. damage reduction)

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: Red Moon, Lvl 5: Reaver, Lvl 5: Hunt

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)
Flailing Sickles → Nightmare Hooks → Crimson Blur → weave basic attacks

• All-in (Gank or backline dive with team CC)
Crimson Blur 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.

Xuance struggles against: Daji, Diaochan, Gao
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.

Xuance counters: Lapulapu, Ata, Sakeer
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, Xuance is a strong counter-pick if the enemy locks one of these early.

Current Meta Position: B (Situational), 52.5% WR

Xuance isn't meta right now, but any hero can win in solo queue with enough mastery.

Climbing Advice:
• You'll need to outplay meta picks through superior champion knowledge. Know your limits and powerspikes cold.
• Team comp matters more. If your team picks strong early-game champs to buy you time to scale, Xuance can work.