Arena of Valor (AoV) - Elsu Hero Guide

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Warrior	Tank	Assassin
Mage	Marksman	Support

Elsu’s Item Builds

Elsu’s Stats and Abilities

Overview

Elsu is a marksman who can pick off enemies at a nearly unmatched distance. While unable to critically strike, he can snipe enemies with high powered strikes that can instantly finish enemies off. His Sentinel ability can assist the team, revealing enemies in range.

Strengths

• Extreme Range and Damage – Elsu is able to deal out fantastic amounts of damage. This is both due to his abilities which passively raise his damage with additional attack damage and armor pierce, and Snipe. Snipe deals fantastic amounts of damage to those struck, bursting down distant squishy foes and finishing enemies who are trying to escape.
• Moderate Mobility – Stalk provides both movement speed and stealth whenever Elsu is moving near walls or obstacles. This allows him to move very quickly around the map to find the perfect sniping position. His ultimate, Disengage, is a potent movement ability as well, allowing him to hop over walls and escape from those who try to approach.
• Utility through Vision – The vision granted by Sentinel can be a huge asset to teams that shouldn’t be underestimated. Similar items are standard in other mobas, so being the only hero capable of using them gives Elsu a huge advantage when it comes to vision.

Weaknesses

• Relies on Abilities – While it boosts up his attack strength, Elsu’s Stalk passive slows down his attacks and thereby makes him rather weak when Snipe is unavailable. Elsu players will have to be very careful should an enemy approach, as most will have the upper hand in trades.
• Relies on Range – Elsu can do nearly unmatched damage from a long range. Conversely, he is much weaker when enemies manage to get up close. Elsu players will have to be careful to avoid getting approached else they will have a hard time.
• Difficult to Play – Elsu’s signature ability, Snipe, has a tiny hitbox that will only damage the enemy if you’re exactly on-target. If that weren’t enough, Elsu players need to have great positioning while remembering to stutter step to keep up pierce stacks and remain near obstacles while moving for greater speed. There’s just a lot to digest.

Hero Basic Strategy

Laning Strategy

• Despite his role as a marksman, Elsu is best suited to the mid lane. His high damage allows him to safely bully the enemy mid laner as he clears the wave. In addition, his kit is well suited to assisting lanes with his high powered snipes.
• Gank often. If he can manage to land snipe, picking up kills wherever he roams will be easy.
• Plant Sentinels in areas that enemies often move for additional damage or in common ganking paths as a means of security while laning.

Leveling Progression

• Focus on leveling Snipe first. While the armor penetration offered by Sentinel can be rather tempting, Elsu will get more out of the damage he gets from leveling Snipe early game.
• Take levels in Disengage whenever possible, as it is his only method of escaping enemies.

Battle Strategy

• Ganking: Find a nice spot next to an obstacle or in the bushes to set up your shot. This will prevent enemies from seeing your laser sight as you line up the shot. Hit them with a round of Snipe when you can, preferably when an ally can follow up on the damage. Start lining up a second shot right away. This will either finish the enemy off or bring them to critical health for your ally to finish.
• Team Fights: Stay at the back or flanks of the fight at all costs. There is very little that you can offer by running into the skirmish. Focus on nailing the backline to take the damage dealers out of the fight. Even if you can’t kill them, forcing a retreat can be just as good. Use Disengage to run away should any enemy make their way to your location.
• Escaping the Battle: Use Disengage to get some distance from the enemy and start to run. Stay near obstacles so that Stalk will grant some additional movement speed.

Abilities

• Keep in mind that Elsu is camouflaged, not invisible. Enemies can still see you if looking carefully, especially if standing rather nearby.

Sentinel – Elsu places a device on his feet, enabling him to see everything within 600 to 1000 units (depending on his level) from the device. One device can be placed every 50 seconds, up to 3 may be in reserve and up to 3 may be placed on the map. Each device lasts 300 seconds, but loses its effectiveness if captured by enemy heroes. Elsu’s normal attacks and abilities deal additional damage to those within the area covered by the device. Passive: When not moving, Elsu gains 1 stack of Ambush every second, and up to 5 stacks in total. Each stack increases 7/8/9/10/11/12% armor pierce. This effect is cancelled when Elsu moves.

• At level 6, this ability grants a whopping 60% armor pierce when fully stacked. Combined with Muramasa’s 40%, Elsu will be able to effectively deal true damage after a bit of standing still.
• There is about a half-second long window where Elsu can move without losing the bonus. Feel free to use this time to make small adjustments to your position if needed.
• Sentinel’s vision is not blocked by walls. Place them in or near bushes to always have sight of who’s coming.

Snipe – Elsu and aims and fires, dealing 1050/1200/1350/1500/1650 (+2.5 Bonus AD) physical damage and reducing the target’s movement speed. Aiming requires 2 seconds, but releasing the shot early may cause it to fire errantly. The ability generates a charge every 16 seconds, up to a maximum of 3 stored charges (affected by cooldown).

• Snipe requires some practice to be able to hit the desired target. Be sure to always lead your shot to better ensure a hit.
• Snipe has a visible laser sight when charging. This is hidden if Elsu is camouflaged or hiding in the bushes.

Disengage – Elsu leaps backward and fires in the target direction, dealing 500/700/900 (+1.68 AD) physical damage and reducing the target’s movement speed by 50% for 2 seconds. After landing, Elsu gains 30% movement speed for 2 seconds, but this effect is cancelled when he uses abilities or attacks normally.

• Elsu fires halfway through the movement effect. As such, moving through an enemy will cause Elsu to shoot them as he passes.

How to Counter Elsu

• Try and find Elsu early and burst him down. He is not able to deal with enemies up close and will be very vulnerable to attack.
• Constantly move in unpredictable patterns to make it difficult for Elsu to target you. While snipe has a lot of damage, it can be very difficult to land.

Hero Item Build

SG Recommended Build
Flashy Boots	Muramasa	Fenrir’s Tooth
Omni Arms	Bow of Slaughter	Blade of Eternity

SG Recommended Build
Flashy Boots	Muramasa	Fenrir’s Tooth	Omni Arms	Bow of Slaughter	Blade of Eternity

See all of Elsu’s item builds.

Hero Arcana

• Elsu is unique among marksman in that all he needs is attack damage. We do that by taking sets of Atrocity (converts to attack damage through his passive), Assassinate, and Skewer.

Hero Counters

▼ Hero Class Guides
List of Item Builds
Warrior	Tank	Assassin
Mage	Marksman	Support

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