Hayabusa is one of the most viable assassins to use. Especially if you are solo queue and you want to reach street leaderboards, you can spam Hayabusa in ranked games. He may not be classified as OP but he is better than the other low tier assassins in the current META.
Although Hayabusa also struggles a bit in jungling like Saber, at least his first skill can hit the jungle monster unlike Saber which takes time before his weapon will hit the jungle monster. Hayabusa also has better sustain and much damaging ult (which also makes him immune to damage and CC) even if it has no CC.
Skills Analysis
(Passive) Ninjutsu: Shadow Heal – After dealing skill damage on a target, his damage increases by 5%. Stacks 4 times.
(First Skill) Phantom Shuriken – Throws out three shurikens in a fan-shaped area in front of him. Each shuriken deals 170 (+70% Extra Physical Attack) physical damage to the enemy it hits, lowers movement speed by 50% and Hayabusa will recover 10 points of energy.
Every level of this skill grants Hayabusa 3% Spell Vamp.
(Second Skill) Quad Shadow – Releases four phantoms of himself in 4 directions. When a phantom encounters an enemy hero, it will cause a 50% slow down effect, deal 130 (+30% Extra Physical Attack) physical damage, and burrow itself into the enemy’s body. The next use of this ability will move Hayabusa to the phantom’s location, and if directed towards a phantom inside of an enemy, it will deal an additional 130 (+30% Extra Physical Attack) physical damage to the enemy.
Everytime he moves to another phantom location, the CD of his first skill will be reduced by 1 sec.
(Ultimate) Ougi: Shadow Kill – Turns into a shadow and dashes around the battlefield, dealing 5 hits of damage to enemies within a certain area. Each attack deals 160 (+90% Extra Physical Attack) physical damage.
He was once called the King of 1v1. The main reason is his first skill deals more damage way back then. From 270 to 170 base damage. Yet, he is still decent in 1v1 or pick-offs.
Basic Skill Combo:
Second skill (engage) > First skill (for his passive) > Ult (more damage because passive is triggered) > Second skill (disengage) or Basic Attacks (to continue the teamfight)
Preparation
Spell: Retribution (for fast farming early game to gain an early lead)
Emblem: Assassin Emblem High and Dry Talent (for Ganking) Bravery and Invasion (Phy atk and Phy PEN) for the first two tier points.
You may still also choose the usual Assassin Emblem Bounty Hunter Customization. 3 pts for Movement Speed and Physical Pen along with the bounty hunter talent.
Builds:
Beginner's Build:
Rapid boots also is expensive. Since you will be getting Endless Battle and Blade of Despair which gives movement speed, having Rapid Boots is not cost-efficient. Having movement speed that boosts more than 420 is not efficient that is why every decent build only maxes their movement speed to 420. But Rapid Boots is helpful since you won't get Endless Battle and Blade of Despair quickly.
Build for Split push
Ideal Build:
Another good situational item is Rose Gold Meteor. Immortality plus Rose Gold Meteor gives you hybrid defense which counters both Physical and Magic Damage.
Also take note of the CDR Items: Magic Shoes, Bloodlust Axe, Endless Battle, and Queen's Wings. Take only 3 of these items in one set since your emblem gives at least 5% CDR already.
Gameplay
Early Game
If you have another offlaner in your team, just give them the solo sidelane and go to another sidelane. You will probably be with a mage or marksman or support. Clear the first wave, kill a jungle monster, clear wave, go get a buff, clear wave, get the gold crab.
You will be level 4 for sure unless you die.
Midgame
Always look at the minimap and search for solo guarded lanes. Rotate efficiently by balancing laning and jungling. Avoid teamfights. You better splitpush in the sidelanes. Avoid battling against CC heroes.
Lategame
You may decide whether to continue splitpushing or join teamfights. In teamfights, always aim for the enemy marksman. Poke with your first skill then when the minion is clear and an enemy is in low health, use your ult. Stay at the backline or hide in the bush in order not to get targetted by a CC skill or be damaged to death.
Other Info, Tips, and Tricks
1) Maximize your passive by using skill 1 to give marks. Each shuriken gives 1 mark so that means a first skill can give you max passive stacks already. It is because your skill 1 goes back and forth so even if the enemy is hit by the 2 shurikens back and forth, they will have 4 marks.
2) Prioritize Skill 1 over Skill 2. Your spell vamp will be higher every time you level up your skill 1. Read the description to be convinced.
3) It is best to use your ultimate skill when the target has max stacks for the maximum damage output.
4) Maximize Skill 2 and Skill 1 combo to give marks to a target which will make you deal more damage.
5) You may use your ultimate skill to clear the waves fast just like how Claude uses his ultimate skill too to rotate faster and gives enough time to farm.
6) Never miss lane creeps. As an Assassin, be efficient to get golds and XP faster.
7) Here's a pro/advances tactic:
When a jungle creep or minion wave only takes one or two hits to be cleared, use skill 2.
Then, go to the shadow nearest to the minion or jungle creep to finish it then teleport to your desired location.
This trick is useful especially if enemies are rushing to kill you in the jungle area or open lane while you are busy.
8) Secure the crab at all times especially early game.
9) Your Shadow is your bread and butter skill. Study how it works and practice aiming it.
10) Never engage when skills are in cooldown. You can die in an instant.
11) Power spikes at level 8 where you get decent damage to kill squishy with full combo.
12) Learn also when is the right time to use your ultimate skill. Aside from making sure that there is no enemy minions, you need to harass or trim down the health points of heroes that are quite tanky.
13) When you want to kill enemy hero, always remember that enemy minion waves can negate the damage of your ultimate skill. Clear the wave first. This is what you must always remember.
14) Hayabusa is a stronger version of marksman. He's both good in team fights and split push. The difference is he does not deal damage from afar but even the damage of his basic attacks are as damaging as the basic attacks of a Marksman especially in late game.
15) You may buy Hunter's Knife as first item for faster jungling
Hope this is helpful. If it is, please do share this guide to your friends so that they will learn too. Tune in for more guides!
Although Hayabusa also struggles a bit in jungling like Saber, at least his first skill can hit the jungle monster unlike Saber which takes time before his weapon will hit the jungle monster. Hayabusa also has better sustain and much damaging ult (which also makes him immune to damage and CC) even if it has no CC.
Skills Analysis
(Passive) Ninjutsu: Shadow Heal – After dealing skill damage on a target, his damage increases by 5%. Stacks 4 times.
(First Skill) Phantom Shuriken – Throws out three shurikens in a fan-shaped area in front of him. Each shuriken deals 170 (+70% Extra Physical Attack) physical damage to the enemy it hits, lowers movement speed by 50% and Hayabusa will recover 10 points of energy.
Every level of this skill grants Hayabusa 3% Spell Vamp.
(Second Skill) Quad Shadow – Releases four phantoms of himself in 4 directions. When a phantom encounters an enemy hero, it will cause a 50% slow down effect, deal 130 (+30% Extra Physical Attack) physical damage, and burrow itself into the enemy’s body. The next use of this ability will move Hayabusa to the phantom’s location, and if directed towards a phantom inside of an enemy, it will deal an additional 130 (+30% Extra Physical Attack) physical damage to the enemy.
Everytime he moves to another phantom location, the CD of his first skill will be reduced by 1 sec.
(Ultimate) Ougi: Shadow Kill – Turns into a shadow and dashes around the battlefield, dealing 5 hits of damage to enemies within a certain area. Each attack deals 160 (+90% Extra Physical Attack) physical damage.
He was once called the King of 1v1. The main reason is his first skill deals more damage way back then. From 270 to 170 base damage. Yet, he is still decent in 1v1 or pick-offs.
Basic Skill Combo:
Second skill (engage) > First skill (for his passive) > Ult (more damage because passive is triggered) > Second skill (disengage) or Basic Attacks (to continue the teamfight)
Preparation
Spell: Retribution (for fast farming early game to gain an early lead)
Emblem: Assassin Emblem High and Dry Talent (for Ganking) Bravery and Invasion (Phy atk and Phy PEN) for the first two tier points.
You may still also choose the usual Assassin Emblem Bounty Hunter Customization. 3 pts for Movement Speed and Physical Pen along with the bounty hunter talent.
Builds:
Beginner's Build:
- Rapid Boots
- Bloodlust Axe
- Blade of the Heptaseas
- Endless Battle
- Blade of Despair
- Queen's Wings
Rapid boots also is expensive. Since you will be getting Endless Battle and Blade of Despair which gives movement speed, having Rapid Boots is not cost-efficient. Having movement speed that boosts more than 420 is not efficient that is why every decent build only maxes their movement speed to 420. But Rapid Boots is helpful since you won't get Endless Battle and Blade of Despair quickly.
Build for Split push
- Swift boots
- Blade of the Heptaseas
- Bloodlust Axe
- Scarlet Phantom
- Malefic Roar
- Blade of Despair
Ideal Build:
- Raptor Machete
- Magic Shoes
- Blade of the Heptaseas
- Blade of despair
- Queen's Wings
- Immortality/Rose Gold Meteor
Another good situational item is Rose Gold Meteor. Immortality plus Rose Gold Meteor gives you hybrid defense which counters both Physical and Magic Damage.
Also take note of the CDR Items: Magic Shoes, Bloodlust Axe, Endless Battle, and Queen's Wings. Take only 3 of these items in one set since your emblem gives at least 5% CDR already.
Gameplay
Early Game
If you have another offlaner in your team, just give them the solo sidelane and go to another sidelane. You will probably be with a mage or marksman or support. Clear the first wave, kill a jungle monster, clear wave, go get a buff, clear wave, get the gold crab.
You will be level 4 for sure unless you die.
Midgame
Always look at the minimap and search for solo guarded lanes. Rotate efficiently by balancing laning and jungling. Avoid teamfights. You better splitpush in the sidelanes. Avoid battling against CC heroes.
Lategame
You may decide whether to continue splitpushing or join teamfights. In teamfights, always aim for the enemy marksman. Poke with your first skill then when the minion is clear and an enemy is in low health, use your ult. Stay at the backline or hide in the bush in order not to get targetted by a CC skill or be damaged to death.
Other Info, Tips, and Tricks
1) Maximize your passive by using skill 1 to give marks. Each shuriken gives 1 mark so that means a first skill can give you max passive stacks already. It is because your skill 1 goes back and forth so even if the enemy is hit by the 2 shurikens back and forth, they will have 4 marks.
2) Prioritize Skill 1 over Skill 2. Your spell vamp will be higher every time you level up your skill 1. Read the description to be convinced.
3) It is best to use your ultimate skill when the target has max stacks for the maximum damage output.
4) Maximize Skill 2 and Skill 1 combo to give marks to a target which will make you deal more damage.
5) You may use your ultimate skill to clear the waves fast just like how Claude uses his ultimate skill too to rotate faster and gives enough time to farm.
6) Never miss lane creeps. As an Assassin, be efficient to get golds and XP faster.
7) Here's a pro/advances tactic:
When a jungle creep or minion wave only takes one or two hits to be cleared, use skill 2.
Then, go to the shadow nearest to the minion or jungle creep to finish it then teleport to your desired location.
This trick is useful especially if enemies are rushing to kill you in the jungle area or open lane while you are busy.
8) Secure the crab at all times especially early game.
9) Your Shadow is your bread and butter skill. Study how it works and practice aiming it.
10) Never engage when skills are in cooldown. You can die in an instant.
11) Power spikes at level 8 where you get decent damage to kill squishy with full combo.
12) Learn also when is the right time to use your ultimate skill. Aside from making sure that there is no enemy minions, you need to harass or trim down the health points of heroes that are quite tanky.
13) When you want to kill enemy hero, always remember that enemy minion waves can negate the damage of your ultimate skill. Clear the wave first. This is what you must always remember.
14) Hayabusa is a stronger version of marksman. He's both good in team fights and split push. The difference is he does not deal damage from afar but even the damage of his basic attacks are as damaging as the basic attacks of a Marksman especially in late game.
15) You may buy Hunter's Knife as first item for faster jungling
Hope this is helpful. If it is, please do share this guide to your friends so that they will learn too. Tune in for more guides!
