Introduction (Again) Top
Update 1.14 has severely screwed up traditional Krul builds, and but now, it is time to take a fresh look a Krul for all veterans and newcomers alike.
I'd like to think that all heroes in the Halcyon Fold have "specialties": Glaive has critical strikes, SAW has attack speed, Koshka has burst, etc. Krul's specialty is lifesteal, doing damage and getting a percentage of the damage back as health. As such, Krul needs heavy mobility-related items and needs sustained fights. Junglers are particularly appealing targets, but laners can be flat out dangerous.
The following guide is heavily weapon oriented and will be shorter than the previous version. Please watch the hero spotlight, as changes to Krul has been minimal (but ignore Breaking Point). Crystal builds are coming soon.
For credibility reference, I am currently in Pretty Good (as of 2/17) and in-game-name is Dresden11 (if you want to confirm).
Abilities (Health, Health, Stun) Top
Krul's abilities are heavily health oriented. His A ability gives him a barrier (extra health) and his second gives him lifesteal and other effects. Unlike most heroes, maxing his ultimate is not encouraged, since his other abilities are much more promising and useful.
Heroic Perk: Shadows Empower Me
Krul's passive ability is crucial in getting ganks and killing the target you want. Remember, this passive starts to disappear the moment you leave brush, but not while you move inside the same brush. Taking damage and damaging others also stall you getting the passive.
Strategically, Krul can take advantage of this perk the most by becoming part assassin. Take the following scenario: a team-fight is starting and the enemy team has a Ringo, Joule, and Ardan. Joule and Ardan enter into your brush first, but you know Ringo can't be far. By this, you can infer he is in a nearby brush or one close to where Joule and Ardan came from. Use the movement speed boost to rush pass both Joule and Ardan to find Ringo and quickly put an end to him (how will be covered later).
Ability A: Dead Man's Rush
The only one of Krul's gap closers. Although Spectral Smite (B ability) seems much more promising to overdrive, the A's upfront crystal damage and barrier is much more crucial in survival and kills (since you can build heavy defense anymore, making stacks on B harder and sometimes meaningless). This ability should be best used to either survive or apply the slow of Krul's heroic perk or Shiversteel. In terms of battle time, this is a initiator or early move.
Ability B: Spectral Smite
Spectral Smite provides Krul with a number of crucial buffs and debuffs. First, this is the source of Krul's lifesteal, and since the overdrive only provides an additional 2% (16% fully stacked), don't overdrive it for that. Second, note the attack speed and crystal power decrease. This gives you an edge over non-burst weapon and crystal carries alike. The burst on a fully stacked Spectral Smite does the highest single damage burst (as well as heal) in the game, however, this is only viable if you survive long enough to get eight stacks. In terms of battle time, this is a mid-battle ability or a finisher.
Before getting the overdrive (fifth level), do not clear the stacks in hopes of quickly killing the hero. Spectral Smite is very weak before level four and five, and the detonation of the stacks should only be done in a desperate attempt to save your life with the heal.
Ultimate: From Hell's Heart
This ultimate (as well as ability) is probably the hardest one to use as well as being low in popularity. Most people use it as a point blank stun, which makes the ultimate lose out on a lot of potential. The primary problem being the rebound. People have trouble with landing it, as well as it being easily bodyblocked or dodged. But if pulled off, it has the highest stun duration in the game.
Note these two important fact: the sword travels fast you are away from it (meaning it can travel up to insane speeds, and it travels to where you tapped (meaning you can make it travel slowly by tapping beside you, giving you better control).
In essence, Krul is a hard hero to pull off (if you bothered to look at his difficulty in-gmae) and is underused due to the popularity of burst damage (especially in higher level play). Remember, Krul's abilities give in an edge in ambush, but not being ambushed.
Hero builds are important (but not the most important), so take care when deciding what Krul needs.
Boots
In the trinity of stats in Vainglory (durability, damage, and mobility), Krul lacks the most, as well as need, in mobility. Sprint Boots should be your second purchase (if not another swift shooter to help in defense of an early invade) to give you overall more mobility and a sprint option to leave losing fights (or avoid them altogether). Travel Boots are the most important, as they drastically increase Krul's movement outside of battles and helps with ganks. Journey Boots should only be bought when you have nothing else to buy or if infusions wear off too quickly.
Weapon Items
Throughout my time as a player of both lane and jungle, I had discovered the best kind of sustain build: the three item shuffle. The trick is to get three attack items, boots, and two defense or utility (does not apply for glass-cannons). Krul has a direct correlation between damage and durability (due to lifesteal), so items should focus on that.
Sorrowblade
Raw weapon power is needed for Krul's lifestealing needs, as well as good, upfront damage.
Tornado Trigger
High attack speed builds Spectral Smite stacks faster, and this item excels in that area. Critical chance also helps.
Tyrant's Monocle
Raw weapon power in itself is good, but with crits, they can quickly destroy careless carries. Note how two Blazing Salvos and one extra defense item would fill your item slots. You should sell your remaining Blazing Salvo (after one has been upgraded to Tornado Trigger) to buy a Lucky Strike.
Bonesaw (sometimes)
This item is good for two reasons: armor pierce and attack speed. Note how Sorrowblade should be your first tier three item. This is to see how your opponent will react to you. If they continue to be squishy, Bonesaw is not needed. However, if they counter with armor heavy items (particularly Metal Jacket, but ignore if on support) or facing Joule, build it in place of Tornado Trigger.
Shiversteel
This item is a staple in any effective Krul build, as it allows you to stick to a target and not allow them to kite (if ranged). The health bonus also helps. This should be finished either before or after Sorrowblade, but should be consecutively bought.
Defense Items
Of the items, I recommend Fountain of Renewal the most, since it has a powerful healing active, as well as shielding and a bit of health. Atlas Pauldron is also good against high attack speed enemies. For those with high weapon ratios or double weapon carry, Metal Jacket should be bought. I favor Aegis less than Fountain of Renewal due to the low shield difference, but buy it if there is a stun on the enemy team (not Catherine's, but Celeste or Adagio). Crucible is recommended if there is higher armor/shield pierce on the other team
What NOT to buy
Changes to Breaking Point has caused it to have no synergy with Krul (since none of his abilities boost direct damage), so don't buy it. Serpent Mask and Tension Bow are also horrible buys for Krul due to stacked lifesteal (for the former, which doesn't help much) and weak late game for the latter. Warhorn, although having a great boost to mobility, should be bought by the support, since it can be matched/countered by another Warhorn.
Krul's Trinity Stats Top
The heroes of Vainglory can be separated into three stats and their interactions with each other: durability, damage, and mobility. Durability is how hard it is to kill you, damage is how quickly you can kill a hero, and mobility is a much more complicated thing, which also includes positioning.
Krul's stats
At its base, Krul has medium durability, low-to-medium damage, and low mobility. Although this seems depressing, Krul is unique in the direct effect his damage has on durability. If Krul's damage is boosted to medium-to-high or even high, Krul's durability can scale similarly. In short, as damage increases, so does durability.
This build focuses on enhancing Krul's damage, mobility, and slight boost in durability in order to increase sustain and long term damage.
Game Timeline (both micro and macro) Top
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