So here's the Heroes that is included in this Tier List arranged from Most Viable to Replaceable with their respective Ratings (after Patch 1.3.60)
1. Selena - 99
2. Helcurt - 98
3. Hayabusa - 97
4. Gusion - 96
5. Hanzo - 93
6. Fanny - 91
7. Lancelot - 90
8. Natalia - 85
9. Karina - 84
10. Saber - 79
Legend:
98-100 S+
94-97 S
90-93 A+
85-89 A
80-84 B+
75-79 B
Below 75 C
Before moving on to the specific roles of Assassin Heroes, let me discuss first the roles of Assassin generally.
Assassins are the enemy backline crusher. In a teamfight, they should dive after the tank absorbs the first wave of damage and CC with the Fighter to kill the backline. They can also do the backdoor method.
They are also good in pickoffs. They can win 1v1 squishy heroes. You must punished outpositioned enemies.
They are also burst damage dealers that helps them to carry the whole team.
They must be ahead in terms of Gold and XP at all times.
And lastly, they are to SK (secure kills) because they have a great mobility.
Summary:
- Backline Crusher
- Punish Out of position enemies
- Carry
- Ahead of Gold and XP
- SK (secure kills)
Now let's discuss each hero role:
Selena
She has one of the longest Stun skills in game. She is a hard CC assassin that can secure kill those who are hit by her second skill in Mage Form. She can also be utilized by increasing map vision because of her first skill in Mage Form. Her Assassin Form is simply for bursting down enemies just like what Assassins Normally Do.
She is also somehow a priority ban or pick in the MPL PH S3 because of her utility. Overall, her role is to Stun and Increase Map Vision in her Mage Form and burst enemies down and secure kills using her Assassin Form.
Rating: 99/100
Helcurt
He has a signature ultimate skill which is the only vision impairment skill in the game. He can also do split pushing in late game since his utility gradually decreases as the game goes latter.
His weakness is that he is very squishy. Unlike Selena, When Helcurt use his ult and first skill, it is hard to disengage. Selena's Abyssal Mark gives Selena the ability to engage and disengage safely. I choose Selena Over Helcurt because of the special blink skill of Selena.
He is also somehow a priority ban or pick in the MPL PH S3 because of his signature ultimate skill.
Rating: 98/100
Hayabusa
He seems replaceable because his role is almost similar with Helcurt, which is to push, but Hayabusa in my opinion is much harder to kill than Helcurt in a teamfight. He also do not have a disabling skill.
Hayabusa is pretty annoying. He is not popular in today's starting S12 Season but he is a popular ban and pick in MPL PH S3.
For me, his hard to counter sustainability makes him a viable pick. Selena's and Helcurt's Sustainability can be easily countered with Anti-HP Regen Items. Hayabusa is hard to counter because he is untargetable when he uses his ultimate skill. How about trying him in solo rank games this S12 to understand why he is so popular in the MPL PH S3?
Rating: 97/100
Gusion
His role is to burst opponents down. He has no disabling skill so that is what he really mainly do. Though, he still is the best hero to use to hypercarry arguably.
Pro players, this S12, finds Gusion replaceable and easy to counter. Gusion has an engaging and disengaging ability but his utility also gradually decrease as the game goes latter.
I think, the three higher rated Assassins in this list can really replace Gusion though Selena is the best replacement because they are both Mage/Assassin.
I still give him a high rating despite of his unpopularity for Pro Players in the MPL PH S3.
Rating: 96/100
Hanzo
He is an annoying teammate actually if in the hands of a Solo Player that do not know how to give farm especially buffs to others. Yet, those who are Team Players can utilize Hanzo's ability to steal the buffs in the enemy territory.
He do all the Assassins Role great because of his abilities. But he is weak if the enemy can locate his body immediately, so I suggest picking Hanzo means the enemy line-up do not have very mobile heroes to search for your body easily.
He is honestly not replaceable but he is weak in teamfight if he is in his normal form. Higher Ranked Assassins in this list can also farm and be fed up fast, at the same time, very useful not only in pickoffs but especially in teamfights.
Rating: 93/100
Fanny
In lower ranks, Fanny is not a bad choice to use as a carry hero. She can 1v5 because of her massive spell vamp especially when equipped with Bloodlust Axe. As long as you know how and when to enter teamfights, Fanny is also not a replaceable assassin. She is the most difficult hero to use and mastered.
She is also the most mobile hero because of the cables coming from her second skill. Though, she is really buff dependent. Without Buff, Fanny is no use. Because without Buff, she cannot spam her cables.
She is a bit ranked low in this list because of her obvious counters especially Khufra who just joined in the Land of Dawn. She is prone to disablers that is why she is commonly picked by the last player because you need to analyze the enemy line-up before deciding to choose Fanny.
Rating: 91/100
Lancelot
I might have underrated Lancelot but this is the best rating that I can give. He has an amazing skill set because of multiple dashes and immunity by disappearing in the battlefield while dealing damage. He has a good AoE skill and burst skill. His passive is also great to deal burst damage.
Lancelot is quite easy to learn if you know the mechanics of the game very well. Sadly, he also do not have a disabling ability. And I can also say that he can be replaced by the Higher Ranked Assassins in this list especially Hayabusa who also deals a burst amount of damage along with High Sustainability.
Rating: 90/100
Natalia
She is notable because of her ability to be invisible. In lower ranks, Natalia is also deadly especially in late game. She has the ability to do all of the Assassin Roles and especially, Split Push. She is unpopular in S12 so if ever you saw Natalia in a Draft Pick, expect that it is a Pro Natalia User.
Nothing much to say about her. She shines against basic attack dependent heroes but are vulnerable to skill dependent heroes. So if you are using Natalia, focus on killing Marksman or any basic attack dependent and alone squishy hero. Don't even try to kill the likes of Aurora's Freeze and Eudora's Stun.
Rating: 85/100
Karina
She is also an Assassin that is easy to use and became popular in S12 (in Classic Mostly) because of the Free KoF Exclusive Skin. She is currently outshined by Selena and Gusion which are both Mage/Assassin just like her.
Honestly, she doesn't have a special blink skill that is why it is hard to disengage just by using her first skill. That is one difference that she has in comparison to Most Assassins.
Rating: 84/100
Saber
For me, it is hard to carry using Saber. He is also hard to be utilized because after Disabling a target, or luckily kill it, you have to disengage and go to your team and hide there. Your first skill will then do the poking. Then, you have to wait for your ultimate skill again. Did you get what I mean?
Selena also disables and is more useful than Saber in this META. Other heroes can also replace him because they can also deal burst damage and has great mobility. I think they need to at least buff Saber after the current's 1.3.60 Patch.
Rating: 79/100
And lastly, for the criteria, pinagbasehan ko ang sumusunod:
Carrying Capacity 25%
Utility 25%
Viability 25%
Popularity (in MPL and Ranked Games) 25%
1. Selena - 99
2. Helcurt - 98
3. Hayabusa - 97
4. Gusion - 96
5. Hanzo - 93
6. Fanny - 91
7. Lancelot - 90
8. Natalia - 85
9. Karina - 84
10. Saber - 79
Legend:
98-100 S+
94-97 S
90-93 A+
85-89 A
80-84 B+
75-79 B
Below 75 C
Before moving on to the specific roles of Assassin Heroes, let me discuss first the roles of Assassin generally.
Assassins are the enemy backline crusher. In a teamfight, they should dive after the tank absorbs the first wave of damage and CC with the Fighter to kill the backline. They can also do the backdoor method.
They are also good in pickoffs. They can win 1v1 squishy heroes. You must punished outpositioned enemies.
They are also burst damage dealers that helps them to carry the whole team.
They must be ahead in terms of Gold and XP at all times.
And lastly, they are to SK (secure kills) because they have a great mobility.
Summary:
- Backline Crusher
- Punish Out of position enemies
- Carry
- Ahead of Gold and XP
- SK (secure kills)
Now let's discuss each hero role:
Selena
She has one of the longest Stun skills in game. She is a hard CC assassin that can secure kill those who are hit by her second skill in Mage Form. She can also be utilized by increasing map vision because of her first skill in Mage Form. Her Assassin Form is simply for bursting down enemies just like what Assassins Normally Do.
She is also somehow a priority ban or pick in the MPL PH S3 because of her utility. Overall, her role is to Stun and Increase Map Vision in her Mage Form and burst enemies down and secure kills using her Assassin Form.
Rating: 99/100
Helcurt
He has a signature ultimate skill which is the only vision impairment skill in the game. He can also do split pushing in late game since his utility gradually decreases as the game goes latter.
His weakness is that he is very squishy. Unlike Selena, When Helcurt use his ult and first skill, it is hard to disengage. Selena's Abyssal Mark gives Selena the ability to engage and disengage safely. I choose Selena Over Helcurt because of the special blink skill of Selena.
He is also somehow a priority ban or pick in the MPL PH S3 because of his signature ultimate skill.
Rating: 98/100
Hayabusa
He seems replaceable because his role is almost similar with Helcurt, which is to push, but Hayabusa in my opinion is much harder to kill than Helcurt in a teamfight. He also do not have a disabling skill.
Hayabusa is pretty annoying. He is not popular in today's starting S12 Season but he is a popular ban and pick in MPL PH S3.
For me, his hard to counter sustainability makes him a viable pick. Selena's and Helcurt's Sustainability can be easily countered with Anti-HP Regen Items. Hayabusa is hard to counter because he is untargetable when he uses his ultimate skill. How about trying him in solo rank games this S12 to understand why he is so popular in the MPL PH S3?
Rating: 97/100
Gusion
His role is to burst opponents down. He has no disabling skill so that is what he really mainly do. Though, he still is the best hero to use to hypercarry arguably.
Pro players, this S12, finds Gusion replaceable and easy to counter. Gusion has an engaging and disengaging ability but his utility also gradually decrease as the game goes latter.
I think, the three higher rated Assassins in this list can really replace Gusion though Selena is the best replacement because they are both Mage/Assassin.
I still give him a high rating despite of his unpopularity for Pro Players in the MPL PH S3.
Rating: 96/100
Hanzo
He is an annoying teammate actually if in the hands of a Solo Player that do not know how to give farm especially buffs to others. Yet, those who are Team Players can utilize Hanzo's ability to steal the buffs in the enemy territory.
He do all the Assassins Role great because of his abilities. But he is weak if the enemy can locate his body immediately, so I suggest picking Hanzo means the enemy line-up do not have very mobile heroes to search for your body easily.
He is honestly not replaceable but he is weak in teamfight if he is in his normal form. Higher Ranked Assassins in this list can also farm and be fed up fast, at the same time, very useful not only in pickoffs but especially in teamfights.
Rating: 93/100
Fanny
In lower ranks, Fanny is not a bad choice to use as a carry hero. She can 1v5 because of her massive spell vamp especially when equipped with Bloodlust Axe. As long as you know how and when to enter teamfights, Fanny is also not a replaceable assassin. She is the most difficult hero to use and mastered.
She is also the most mobile hero because of the cables coming from her second skill. Though, she is really buff dependent. Without Buff, Fanny is no use. Because without Buff, she cannot spam her cables.
She is a bit ranked low in this list because of her obvious counters especially Khufra who just joined in the Land of Dawn. She is prone to disablers that is why she is commonly picked by the last player because you need to analyze the enemy line-up before deciding to choose Fanny.
Rating: 91/100
Lancelot
I might have underrated Lancelot but this is the best rating that I can give. He has an amazing skill set because of multiple dashes and immunity by disappearing in the battlefield while dealing damage. He has a good AoE skill and burst skill. His passive is also great to deal burst damage.
Lancelot is quite easy to learn if you know the mechanics of the game very well. Sadly, he also do not have a disabling ability. And I can also say that he can be replaced by the Higher Ranked Assassins in this list especially Hayabusa who also deals a burst amount of damage along with High Sustainability.
Rating: 90/100
Natalia
She is notable because of her ability to be invisible. In lower ranks, Natalia is also deadly especially in late game. She has the ability to do all of the Assassin Roles and especially, Split Push. She is unpopular in S12 so if ever you saw Natalia in a Draft Pick, expect that it is a Pro Natalia User.
Nothing much to say about her. She shines against basic attack dependent heroes but are vulnerable to skill dependent heroes. So if you are using Natalia, focus on killing Marksman or any basic attack dependent and alone squishy hero. Don't even try to kill the likes of Aurora's Freeze and Eudora's Stun.
Rating: 85/100
Karina
She is also an Assassin that is easy to use and became popular in S12 (in Classic Mostly) because of the Free KoF Exclusive Skin. She is currently outshined by Selena and Gusion which are both Mage/Assassin just like her.
Honestly, she doesn't have a special blink skill that is why it is hard to disengage just by using her first skill. That is one difference that she has in comparison to Most Assassins.
Rating: 84/100
Saber
For me, it is hard to carry using Saber. He is also hard to be utilized because after Disabling a target, or luckily kill it, you have to disengage and go to your team and hide there. Your first skill will then do the poking. Then, you have to wait for your ultimate skill again. Did you get what I mean?
Selena also disables and is more useful than Saber in this META. Other heroes can also replace him because they can also deal burst damage and has great mobility. I think they need to at least buff Saber after the current's 1.3.60 Patch.
Rating: 79/100
And lastly, for the criteria, pinagbasehan ko ang sumusunod:
Carrying Capacity 25%
Utility 25%
Viability 25%
Popularity (in MPL and Ranked Games) 25%
