Dota 2 fans, hold on to your seats because the latest hero, Kez, is here and ready to shake up the meta. With a unique set of abilities that let him switch between two combat styles, Kez brings a lot of versatility to the table. Whether you’re playing as an initiator, escape artist, or a damage dealer, this hero has got you covered.
In this article, we’ll dive into Kez’s lore, break down his abilities, and look at the best strategies and item builds to maximize his potential in the game.
Who is Kez? The Lore Behind Dota 2’s Newest Hero
Before we get into Kez’s abilities, let’s talk a bit about who this new hero is. Kez is a mysterious warrior who wields the Kazurai katana and Shodo sai, giving him the ability to switch fighting styles mid-battle. His connection to two distinct weapons allows him to adapt to different situations, whether he needs to chase down enemies or protect his team.
Kez’s abilities and fighting styles are inspired by the power of his weapons, and this unique versatility makes him a fun hero to play with. Let’s now dive into the abilities that make Kez a force to be reckoned with.
Kez’s Abilities – A Deep Dive into His Skills
Kez’s abilities revolve around two primary fighting styles: Sai Fighting Style and Katana Fighting Style. These two stances give him a wide range of options during any battle, whether it’s dealing damage, silencing enemies, or escaping dangerous situations. We’ll go through each ability and what makes them effective in different scenarios.
Innate Ability: Switch Discipline
Switch Discipline is an innate ability that allows Kez to switch between his two fighting styles: the Kazurai katana and the Shodo sai. Each style offers different attacks and benefits. As Kez levels up, the cooldown for switching between these styles is reduced by 0.2 seconds per hero level.
Sai Fighting Style – Aggression and Control
When Kez is in the Sai Fighting Style, his abilities focus on quick attacks, silencing enemies, and reducing the mobility of his foes.
1. Falcon Rush (Q Ability)
Falcon Rush allows Kez to instantly attack a target and then perform a follow-up attack after a short delay. This ability can go through units, which is great for chasing down enemies or escaping fights. The cooldown and attack speed become more favorable as you level it up.
- Maximum Cast Range: 650 units
- Attack Interval: 1.3 / 1.2 / 1.1 / 1 sec
- Cooldown: 20 / 18 / 16 / 14 sec
- Mana Cost: 85 / 90 / 95 / 100
Strategy: Use Falcon Rush to chase down fleeing enemies or for quick attacks in team fights. It’s ideal for sniping off squishy heroes or catching people who try to escape.
2. Talon Toss (W Ability)
Talon Toss lets Kez throw his sai at a target, dealing damage and silencing the target and any nearby enemies. This is an excellent ability for disrupting enemy spellcasters or preventing an enemy from casting abilities during a crucial moment.
- Damage: 75 / 125 / 175 / 225
- Silence Duration: 1.75 / 2 / 2.25 / 2.5 sec
- Cooldown: 15 / 12 / 9 / 6 sec
- Mana Cost: 75
Strategy: Use Talon Toss against enemy heroes with strong spells, like invokers or heroes who rely on their magic. The silence can be game-changing during intense battles.
3. Shodo Sai (E Ability)
Shodo Sai marks enemies with a unique effect, slowing them down and guaranteeing a critical hit on Kez’s next attack. This ability helps Kez deal higher damage and control his enemies by reducing their mobility.
- Chance to Apply Mark: 17%
- Critical Damage on Mark: 140% / 160% / 180% / 200%
- Cooldown: 20 / 15 / 10 / 5 sec
- Mana Cost: 30 / 20 / 10 / 0
Strategy: Use Shodo Sai on key targets that you want to focus on. Marking high-value enemies for your next attack can quickly turn the tide of a battle. It also provides great synergy with Kez’s damage-dealing abilities.
4. Raven’s Veil (Ultimate)
Kez’s ultimate, Raven’s Veil, creates a wave of smoke that marks enemies and reduces their vision, making it harder for them to see what’s going on. At the same time, Kez becomes invisible and gains bonus movement speed, which makes this ability excellent for escapes or surprise initiations.
- Wave Radius: 1500 units
- Duration: 7 / 8 / 9 sec
- Additional Movement Speed: +15% / +25% / +35%
- Cooldown: 40 / 32 / 24 sec
- Mana Cost: 100 / 125 / 150
Strategy: Raven’s Veil is perfect for initiating fights, especially when you want to catch enemies off guard or help your team start a clash with the element of surprise. It’s also great for escaping dangerous situations by making you harder to target.
Katana Fighting Style – Mobility and Lifesteal
Kez’s Katana Fighting Style gives him more mobility and sustain, allowing him to deal damage while staying healthy in battle.
1. Echo Slash (Q Ability)
In this stance, Echo Slash lets Kez dash forward, dealing damage and briefly slowing enemies in his path. The attack also repeats after a short delay, dealing even more damage to enemies.
- Attack Damage: 70% / 80% / 90% / 100% of Kez’s attack damage
- Bonus Damage to Heroes: 30 / 45 / 60 / 75
- Cooldown: 20 / 18 / 16 / 14 sec
- Mana Cost: 85 / 100 / 115 / 130
Strategy: Use Echo Slash to close the gap on enemies or to escape while dealing damage. It’s especially effective in team fights or when engaging multiple enemies at once.
2. Grappling Claw (W Ability)
With Grappling Claw, Kez can pull himself to an enemy or a tree, dealing damage and healing himself with lifesteal. This ability gives Kez both mobility and sustain, making him hard to pin down in fights.
- Slow: 80% for 2.5 seconds
- Heal from Attack: 50 / 100 / 150 / 200
- Cooldown: 15 / 12 / 9 / 6 sec
- Mana Cost: 50
Strategy: Grappling Claw is excellent for mobility—use it to chase down enemies or escape into the trees when you’re in danger. The lifesteal also helps keep Kez alive during skirmishes.
3. Kazurai Katana (E Ability)
With the Kazurai Katana, Kez applies a damage-over-time effect on enemies and reduces their health regeneration. This ability is especially useful against heroes with high healing or regeneration, as it negates some of their sustain.
- Damage per Second: 7% / 8% / 9% / 10% of the target’s current health
- Health Regeneration Reduction: 20% / 25% / 30% / 35%
- Duration: 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 sec
Strategy: This ability works great against tanky heroes or those with high regen (like Tidehunter or Troll Warlord). Apply Kazurai Katana early in fights to wear down high-HP enemies over time.
4. Raptor Dance (Ultimate)
Kez’s Raptor Dance makes him immune to most debuffs and grants 100% magic resistance. He performs a series of strikes, healing himself with every hit based on his max health. It’s a perfect ultimate for late-game team fights, where Kez can tank damage and dish out high amounts of DPS.
- Strike Radius: 450 units
- Base Damage: 75
- Damage from Max Health: 4% per hit
- Lifesteal per Hit: 100%
- Cooldown: 40 / 32 / 24 sec
- Mana Cost: 100 / 125 / 150
Strategy: Use Raptor Dance in the heat of battle for massive damage and survivability. The lifesteal keeps Kez alive while he’s dealing with multiple enemies, making him incredibly difficult to kill in the late game.
Best Skill Build for Kez
Here’s the recommended skill order to get the most out of Kez’s abilities:
- Kazurai Katana (3rd Ability) – Max this first for the damage-over-time effect and
health regen reduction. 2. Echo Slash (1st Ability) – Max this second for mobility and added burst damage. 3. Grappling Claw (2nd Ability) – Level this up last, since it’s mostly for positioning and healing. 4. Raptor Dance (Ultimate) – Take it when available.
Item Build for Kez
Kez’s item build varies depending on whether you’re going for more damage, survivability, or utility. Here’s a breakdown of the core and situational items.
Starting Items
- Quelling Blade – Helps with last hitting in the early game.
- Tango – Provides health regeneration for the early laning phase.
- Iron Branch – Small stat boosts and setup for future items.
Core Items
- Phase Boots – Great for mobility and boosting Kez’s damage output.
- Echo Sabre – Allows Kez to deal damage faster and grants more stats.
- Black King Bar – Provides magic immunity, essential for surviving against magic-heavy enemies.
Situational Items
- Diffusal Blade – Slows enemies and burns their mana. Excellent against mana-dependent heroes.
- Desolator – Adds extra physical damage and reduces enemy armor.
- Butterfly – Increases Kez’s attack speed, damage, and adds evasion.
Late Game Items
- Satanic – Provides lifesteal and the ability to quickly restore health during team fights.
- Abyssal Blade – Adds a stun and more damage. Perfect against enemies with high mobility.
- Silver Edge – Grants invisibility and disables enemy passive abilities.
Counter Picks for Kez
While Kez is a powerful hero, he has certain weaknesses that make him vulnerable to specific heroes. Here’s a list of heroes Kez struggles against, and why.
Kez is Weak Against:
| Hero | Reason |
|---|---|
| Clockwerk | Limits Kez’s mobility with his hookshot, preventing him from escaping or repositioning. |
| Tinker | Can keep a distance and deals high magic damage, making it difficult for Kez to engage. |
| Ursa | High burst melee damage can easily kill Kez if caught in close quarters. |
Kez is Strong Against:
| Hero | Reason |
|---|---|
| Chen | Kez can quickly destroy Chen’s summoned units, reducing his impact. |
| Brewmaster | Kez can control Brewmaster’s splits, reducing the effectiveness of his ultimate. |
| Phantom Lancer | Kez’s AoE abilities can quickly eliminate illusions, reducing Phantom Lancer’s power. |
Conclusion: Is Kez Worth Playing?
Kez is an incredibly versatile hero, offering both offense and defense depending on your playstyle. His ability to switch between two different combat stances gives him a unique edge in battles, and his skill set is versatile enough to adapt to most situations.
To succeed with Kez, you’ll need to carefully manage his fighting style switch and understand when to use his mobility, damage, and utility-based abilities. With the right items and skills, Kez can be a game-changer for your team.
If you enjoy heroes that require skillful management and offer a wide range of tactical options, Kez is definitely worth picking up.
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