Taka Overview Top
Taka
Hit Points (HP) 741 (+74) --
HP Regen 3.51 (+0.35) --
Energy Points (EP) 180 (+22)
EP Regen 1.33 (+0.16) --
Weapon Damage 62 (+5.7) --
Attack Speed 1 (+0.033)
Armor 23 (+4.5) --
Shield 20 (+4) --
Attack Range 2 --
Move Speed 3.4
Taka is your x-factor character (and not because he has an "x" named move!). Most character have clearly defined roles as tanks or support. Taka can be built for both. You'll always have a trade off, depending which build you go for. As a tank, you'll have more weapon-powered items and defense. For more a supportive/burst role, you'll sacrifice your defense for speed. With a burst role, you will either focus on crystals and ability attacks or weapons and physical attacks. He's listed as a difficult character to use, but I disagree. If you've ever play stealth characters in other games, you'll thrive with Taka. Now, if we could get some more Taka items with DoT affects... Oh boy.
Taka's Abilities Top
House Kamuha
Slot: Heroic Perk
Taka's Critical Strikes have 30% lifesteal and grant a burst of speed. Every 5 seconds, Taka is guaranteed a critical strike. Taka gains 1 Ki stack when he performs an ability or critical strike (up to 5 stacks). Each stack of ki speeds up his guaranteed critical strikes 0.9 and grants 25% cooldown acceleration.
Kaiten
Slot: A
Detail: Taka flips over his target, cutting it with his switchblade. Taka doesn't take damage while in mid-air.
Effect: Damage: 75/150/225/300/410 (+0.20 Crystal). Overdrive: + 35 damage and energy cost reduced to zero.
Gangster's tip: This ability works great as your secondary ability. Because you don't take damage during the flip, it can sometimes be the difference maker when the matchup is tight.
Kaku
Slot: B
Detail: Taka throws a smoke bomb at his feet, vanishing from enemy sight and gaining move speed. This illusion ends early if he strikes a target or he takes direct damage. Turrets, Scout Traps and Flare Guns will see Taka while invisible.
Effect: Speed Boost: 1.25, Duration: 3.5/3.75/4/4.25/4.5. Overdrive: Kaku also heals for 1% of max health per second while invisible.
Gankster's tip: Two approaches to its use. First, you can lead off and follow it up with your X-Retsu and then your Kaiten. It's imperative you have a boot boost available to get away if your Kaku timer hasn't reset. This strategy works great to catch an enemy off guard. Otherwise, leading off with your X-Retsu, followed by Kaiten allows you to use your Kaku for a quick getaway (and a slight speed boost).
X-Retsu
Slot: C
Detail: Taka bursts through his target, carving an X with his switchblades for lethal damage. The target suffers a mortal wound, reducing its healing by 50% and taking damage over the next 4 seconds.
Effect: Damage: 330/530/730 (+1.7 Crystal)
Gankster's tip: For your most effective ganking, use your Kaku to hid in tall grass, select you X-Retsu to open up you range circle and wait. If you can wait until the enemy takes some damage, then be patient. Otherwise, hit them and follow it up with your Kaiten. Hold your ground if you have support, run if you need to. Live to gank another day.
Threat List Top
Warning: I highly encourage you to expanded the threat meter to "show all" (above). It's extremely important to know what works best (and against who) with this build.
Optimal Team Builder Top
This optimal team builder is designed around the Gankster Taka build only.
Lane Kings
Saw
Glaive
Joule
Let these tanks work the lane and occupy opponents. This allows you to work the jungle solo and work on your build. Get ready to support and assist once you get around level 10. Let them do their initial damage, open your X-Retsu's range circle and wait your turn. These type of team-ups are great for going for the throat, attacking turrets quickly and putting your opponents in a defensive position, which disrupts their ability to work on their own leveling and build.
Kite Masters
Catherine
Koshka
Krul
Ringo
This crew is great at drawing in an enemy, doing enough damage to allow you to sneak out of the shadows for the kill. Even better are Catherine, Koshka and Krul's use of stuns, which gives you a critical advantage to strike again quickly. The issue with teaming up with Koshka and Krul players are that they tend to want to work the jungle as well, which can make your build take longer. Kit Masters are great team-ups for running through the jungle and disrupting your opponents attempt to level and cash out in the jungle. Easy to rack up the opponent kills. You'll most likely have equal part kills and assists.
Sidekicks
Adagio
Petal
Skaarf
It's not a knock on any of the three players above; each can hold their own in a fight (if built accordingly). However, as support to your Gankster Taka, you've got a clear advantage over your enemies. With Adagio and Petal's heals, Adagio and Skaarf's DoTs and Petal's munions and traps, all these great aids allow you to do your job (i.e. burst with authority) or maybe even tank a bit. With this type of team-up, you can draw out a fight and really make some money. With this type of team-up, your final build won't look like a weak *** Mazda; it will look like a Ferrari (i.e. all final item slot builds).
Introduction to Build Top
This is a unique but effective build. It's designed around life steals, speed, energy recharge and timer acceleration. You can also build this with only about 4800 gold (minus Fountain of Renewal). For this build to be effective, you'll need to adhere to a
few rules:
first, you really need sole ownership of your side of the jungle. If you have to share it, it will delay the build or worse, force you to farm in enemy jungle. So tell you're tanks to stick to the lane. Don't be afraid to spam your "avoid" button, especially if teammates are trying to "assist" you. It will only leach off precious experience you need.
Second, you must stay disciplined and stick to your jungle route. Do not break off for team aid, unless it's to take a mine. Otherwise, you run the risk of not completing your build on time and you won't be able to be the brutal killing machine for your team in the end. If you can accept these terms, you have what it takes to be a Gankster Taka.
The Build - Phase I (Game Start) Top
Follow your build in the item order shown on the phase lists above. So first things first, buy an Ironguard Contract
and two Halcyon Potions
(mainly to protect you from early enemy gankers roaming your jungle; you might not even need them). The Ironguard Contract will provide just enough health recharge to keep you alive early on. Your jungle routine should be like this: health recharge mob first, two team mob behind the mine second. Head for the second health recharge mob, then the second, two team mob to the south of the jungle. Rinse and repeat. You should be on a nice circular, non-stop pattern where the re-spawn mobs will be waiting for you. Next, let's initiate Phase II.
The Build - Phase II (6-7 Minute Mark) Top
First chance you get, buy a Void Battery
(about three tours in). The Void Battery will give you +250 Max Energy and +5 Energy Recharge, allowing almost continuous use of your abilities (except for that pesky reset timer, which we'll fix in the next phase). You might have enough cash to buy Sprint Boots
too. If so, buy them too. The slight increase is speed will make a big difference against stock speed enemies. Continue on your farm routine until you have enough cash for a Barbed Needle
(800 gold). The Barbed Needle will give you a +12 weapon power and also a +10% weapon life steal. Even better, you'll restore +50 health for each mob kill and +100 health for an enemy kill. At this point, you should be close or at level 6 (and your bread/butter attack, X-Retsu). Now it gets fun. If your team can take the Gold Mine, get it ASAP. Time for Phase III.
The Build - Phase III (9-10 Minute Mark) Top
You should have more freedom to roam and deviate from your farm routine. Help out if you're needed, otherwise, mind the mob mines and pick off straggler enemies stupid enough to come wounded through the jungle. While your tanks are clearing the lane, you're the shadow in the trees. OWN THE JUNGLE. Buy a Chronograph
and Travel Boots
. The Chronograph will decrease your cooldown timer by 25% and also give you a +2.4 energy recharge. The Travel Boots will add +150 to your Max Health and add +3 Health Regeneration, in addition to +1.0 additional speed outside of combat. You might not be able to cleanly destroy full strength enemies (specifically Krul or Saw) but the walking wounded should be wary of you. Feel free to hide stealthily in the grass by the mob mines and pick off enemies when they're vulnerable. Now you're ready for Phase IV: bringing the pain.
The Build - Phase IV (Final Push) Top
Now it's time for your swan song. Your tanks should have been knocking out turrets, which will help compensate for the gold mine being replaced by the Kraken. Buy the Journey Boots
when you get a chance. The Journey Boots increase your Max Health another +50 points (from Travel Boots' +150), an +8 Health Regeneration plus +25 Armor and +25 Shield. Since it comes with a minor health recharge, you can either keep your Ironguard Contract
or sell it for cash (or if you need the extra slot). The cash will go towards the purchase of Eve of Harvest
. The Eve of Harvest will enhance your ability attacks, adding +25% Crystal Lifesteal, +50 Crystal Power, +250 Max Energy and +5 Energy Recharge. This build is practically done and ready for maximum gankage. If you're in a fight where nobody is trying to push hard for a win (i.e. Enjoying a long, drawn out battle) and you have a free slot, buy the Fountain of Renewal
. The Fountain of Renewal adds +200 Max Health, +13 Health Regeneration, +60 Shield and +30 Armor plus an active effect that heals you and nearby allies for 5 health for each % missing health over 4 seconds. If you don't and still have your halcyon potions
(See! I told you you wouldn't need them!), use them quickly or sell them. Optional upgrade would be to replace your Ironguard Contract with a Stormguard Banner
or your Chronograph to Clockwork
. Personally, I love to hit my abilities as fast as I can, so I'll run with Clockwork. Either way, you're unstoppable now. Not sure of the results from such a build? The picture below should be proof enough! Happy ganking!
Updates - 18 Jan Top
Working with variations, I recently replaced my Fountain of Renewal with an Atlas Pauldron
. With the +70 Armor, +35 Shield and an active effect that reduces attack speed of nearby enemies by 65% for 5 seconds in a 4-meter range, it was actually a better complement. I also upgraded to Aftershock
. Wow. The upgrade over my Chronograph is now a must-add to my final build (+25% Cooldown Acceleration, +2.4 Energy Recharge, +35 Crystal Power and after using an ability, your next basic attack deals 15-20% (based on your level) slice damage with +50% lifesteal. Slice damage capped at 300 vs. non-heroes. 2s cooldown).
I have to say, the upgrades were a success...
If you have any questions or items you'd like me to experiment with, please drop me a line below. If you're interested in adding me to your party, by all means, hit me up...
The_Black_Ronin
Thanks for viewing! I hope you enjoyed it!
Quick Comment (10) View Comments
You need to log in before commenting.