Build Role Top
Jungler
Single target assassin
Mid game hero
Pros: Fast early jungle, no energy requirements, good escape/initiation, high single target burst damage, good aoe damage, 3 seconds of damage reduction, high health
Cons: No or very low life steal, weak to ranged poke, dependent on skills for usefulness, skill timing crucial to success and missing often means death, very low base skill damage makes her item dependent for damage, low base armor and shield
Skills Top
Berserkers' Fury
Rona attacks 50% faster than most heroes, but she deals only 80% damage with each attack. Additionally, Rona's abilities use Bloodrage instead of energy, a unique resource that is generated from basic attacks, abilities and taking damage from enemies. This caps at 100 and decays when Rona leaves combat. Energy and energy regeneration from items is converted to in-combat bloodrage generation.
Analysis: The bloodrage system means Rona has no need for energy items. The reduced WP on auto attacks makes crystal damage attractive. The faster attack speed means early game Rona clears the jungle quickly.
Into the Fray
Rona leaps into battle, gaining bloodrage from colliding with enemies. She also gains damage reduction for 3 seconds based on the number of enemy heroes she hits. After a short delay, the ground ruptures for 3 seconds, slowing enemies who pass over it for 35%.
Analysis: Long range gap closer. Great scaling at 100% then 200% one second later. Overdrive second for the 20% damage reduction for 3 seconds. Very good jungle escape with aoe slow for 3 sec. The 300% scaling aoe damage means we want high CP numbers. The slow last one second longer than the damage reduction. Use your skills and get out of there.
Foesplitter
Rona lunges to her target, landing a basic attack and gaining bloodrage. Briefly after using this ability she can reactivate it to attack again, consuming all of her bloodrage and applying a mortal wound to her target. The damage of the second attack is increased by 0.35% for each point of bloodrage consumed. Additionally, the cooldown for this ability is reduced by 1 second with Rona's basic attack.
Analysis: Short range gap closer on first use. Works as a basic attack meaning proc items like aftershock and alternating current work on hit. Good crystal scaling with 100% then 150%. The second attack with max bloodrage increases all non-proc damage by 35% giving awesome damage. Increasing attack speed lowers the cooldown. Overdrive this first for the bloodrage generation.
Red Mist
Rona begins an axe-wielding whirlwind, continually dealing weapon damage to nearby enemies. During the whirlwind she can move freely but at reduced speed. She can cancel the ability at any time by reactivating it or using another ability. Red Mist requires at least 75 bloodrage to activate.
Analysis: The 100% CP scaling compared to the 175% WP means this will be not as effective. The short cooldown allows it to be used often. Farm camps and take down turrets with this. The best use is jumping just beyond a fleeing group and forcing them to run through it or towards your teammates.
Itemization Top
Swift Shooter
Swift Shooter by attacking faster lowers the cooldown on Foesplitter and adds to bloodrage generation increasing farm speed. Rona's base damage of 88 is reduced to 80 by her heroic perk but is still tied with Glaive, Ardan, and Fortress for the highest level 1 damage in the game. Rona will build an alternating current later so this is not a wasted first item.
Crystal Bit
Three crystal bits costs 300 each for 60 damage vs a 1050 cost for a heavy prism with 50 damage. We save 150 gold and get 10 more CP. When we add the 300% scaling from Into the Fray and the 250% scaling of Foesplitter plus the bloodrage boost, that 10 damage difference is really 60 damage!
Shatterglass
Few heroes would rush a shatterglass in the age of broken myth and value of a sustain item like eve of harvest. Rona is different. The best way for her to maximize the damage from her high scaling skills and alternating current which we will build next is to go for a shatterglass. This will give her the burst damage she needs to gank and create 3vs2 situations. Let's Math!
One shatterglass at hero lvl 5: Lvl 2 Into the Fray 35 base + 150 scaled, Lvl 3 Foesplitter 30 base + 150 scaled + 100 WP, Into the Fray second proc 70 base + 300 scaled, Foesplitter second proc (45 base + 225 scaled + 100 WP) * 1.35. That is 1334 CP damage from a full combo.
Alternating Current
Rona with a shatterglass lacks damage once her skills are spent. Alternating current gives Rona damage between skills and takes advantage of the shatterglass. Foesplitter is a basic attack which allows alternating current to proc on use. This creates huge bursts of damage when combined with shatterglass. Rona's very high attack speed allows alternating current to proc often. 230 CP damage coming every other attack but at ridiculous speed won't allow you to 1 vs 1 weapon carries, but will let you clean up weakened heroes. The added attack speed will also allow Rona to use Foesplitter more often and will generate bloodrage faster. In games with an Adagio, I will buy this first because Gift of Fire and Rona's attack speed does crazy damage.
Fountain of Renewal
With the 1.7 release, fountain can't be stacked on supports/roamers. Rona also has no sustain. A typical attack series involves jumping into situation most would not, bursting down the lane or jungle carry, and retreating while Rona's skills cooldown. A fountain gives healing and some shield and armor which Rona lacks. I will often buy a fountain as my second item in games where there is a Koshka, dual CP enemies, or where we fall behind.
Aftershock
Aftershock is an ideal late game item because the higher the health of your opponent the more damage it does. It will give Rona cooldown and some minor lifesteal. Most importantly, this is how you deal with tanky supports and late game carries like Glaive who have huge amounts of health. Aftershock will proc on Foesplitter since it is a basic attack. With after shock having a 1.5 second cooldown and Foesplitter having approximately two seconds to use it again, Rona can quickly proc twice in on attack series. Removing 30% of an enemies health in two seconds is great. The energy regeneration will speed up bloodrage generation.
Broken Myth?
OMG no broken myth!! Yes. I don't like it on Rona. I respect the work of the Broken Myth article on this item. However, broken myth reaches it's max potential with three stacks and with Rona's timing and lack of poke damage, I never get to three by the time I want that damage. Here is my attack series and stacks with it:
Typical Fight:
Foesplitter - 0
Leap - 1
Leap second proc and Foesplitter second proc - 2 (max duration of Foesplitter)
Ganking:
Leap - 0
Foesplitter and Leap second - 1
Foesplitter - 2 or 3 (usually 2 to prevent escape)
After creating a 3v2, it is most definitely useful and will deal lots of damage. My personal preference is the utility of aftershock.
Travel Boots
Rona can struggle to keep up with other heroes. Having an early speed advantage can mean the difference between getting to use that second Foesplitter and running around spinning your axes cursing. I will activate boots to chase or escape in almost every team fight.
Shiversteel
The utility and low cost of shiversteel make it a great choice on any melee carry. If you are having trouble using the second Foesplitter, this is your solution. I buy it almost every time there is a Ringo, Koshka, or Taka. Their increased speed gives Rona problems and shiversteel can help.
Random Rona Ruminations Top
Attack Sequence and Defensive Uses:
Check out the Broken Myth section for basic attack sequences. You should be using one or two auto attacks before using the second Foesplitter to maximize the damage done.
Rona should attempt to jump just beyond her target when using Into the Fray. This will limit their escapability and ensure you get the second proc on both Into the Fray and Foesplitter. You should activate shiversteel while in the air to ensure it procs on the first Foesplitter.
Red Mist can be used defensively against melee heroes. Many times people won't chase a whirling meat grinder toward your team.
Into the Fray can be used defensively by jumping walls or into bottlenecks to force chasing enemies into an aoe slow.
Hero Peak Power Order:
Koshka, Taka, Burst CP Rona, Glaive, Krul, Sustain WP Rona
This is why I think of CP Rona as a mid game hero. Early on I feel strong against late game heroes and as the game goes on I feel strong against the early gamers.
Fun Things to Do:
Yell "VAPPU!" after a successful gank.
Go to practice and buy 6 eve of harvests or 6 clockworks. Spin for days.
Go to practice and buy 4 shatterglass, alternating current, and broken myth. Ogle the big numbers.
Thanks
There are several people on the forum who were helpful during discussions on Rona. Thank you everyone who didn't just say Rona stinks. Special thanks to Video Villain.
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