Kel'Thuzad · Ranged Assassin
Kel'Thuzad Early Game Guide
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This guide is assembled by the site from match data and the game's own information — nobody wrote it by hand. Official and community guides appear alongside it when they exist.
Overview
Early, soak experience, clear waves quickly and poke the enemy from a safe distance. Don't trade health you can't get back. Early, clear waves quickly so your team can move first to map objectives and mercenary camps.
Strengths
- Strong gank potential around the map.
- Crowd control: Frost Nova applies a root.
- Clear job in the team: deal consistent damage from range and clear waves.
Weaknesses
- Mana-hungry: Blizzard flags its energy as important, so manage it early.
- No escape tools: vulnerable when divers reach it.
Build cheat sheet
Pick the build that fits what you want to do this game.
- Early game talentsBalancedRecommendedLevels 1 to 7 lean on survivability to win the early soak and the first objective; from level 10 it follows the balanced plan.
- Balanced talentsBalancedAdvancedAt each level, the talent that serves more than one plan. A safe default when you don't know the enemy team yet. Built by reading the talent texts; Blizzard publishes no pick rates.
Builds
Early game talents
When to use it
Levels 1 to 7 lean on survivability to win the early soak and the first objective; from level 10 it follows the balanced plan.
Map job
Battlegrounds change every match, so this is its job on any of them.
- Solo laneHolds a lane alone and wins it.
Double soakMainSoaks experience in a lane, usually alongside a teammate, and clears waves fast.- RotateMoves between lanes to gank and help.
- Mercenary campsTakes mercenary camps when it is safe.
- With the teamStays with the team for fights and objectives.
Talents by level
The PlaguelandsIncrease Death and Decay's duration by 1 second. After gaining 30 Blight, increase the radius of Death and Decay's pool by 30%.Q
Blighted FrostFrost Nova deals 75% more damage to enemies in the center. After gaining 30 Blight, increase Frost Nova's Root duration by 0.5 seconds.W
Barbed ChainsIncrease Chains of Kel'Thuzad damage by 125%. After gaining 30 Blight, Chains of Kel'Thuzad reduces the Armor of pulled Heroes by 10 for 4 seconds.E
- 1Upgrades Chains of Kel'Thuzad for more survivability.
- 4Upgrades Chains of Kel'Thuzad for more survivability.
- 7Upgrades Death and Decay for more damage.
- 10Fits more than one plan at level 10: damage and utility.
- 13Upgrades Chains of Kel'Thuzad for more utility.
- 16Fits more than one plan at level 16: damage and utility.
- 20Fits more than one plan at level 20: utility and damage.
Balanced talents
When to use it
At each level, the talent that serves more than one plan. A safe default when you don't know the enemy team yet. Built by reading the talent texts; Blizzard publishes no pick rates.
Map job
Battlegrounds change every match, so this is its job on any of them.
- Solo laneHolds a lane alone and wins it.
- Double soakMainSoaks experience in a lane, usually alongside a teammate, and clears waves fast.
- RotateMoves between lanes to gank and help.
- Mercenary campsTakes mercenary camps when it is safe.
- With the teamStays with the team for fights and objectives.
Talents by level
- The PlaguelandsIncrease Death and Decay's duration by 1 second. After gaining 30 Blight, increase the radius of Death and Decay's pool by 30%.Q
- Blighted FrostFrost Nova deals 75% more damage to enemies in the center. After gaining 30 Blight, increase Frost Nova's Root duration by 0.5 seconds.W
- Barbed ChainsIncrease Chains of Kel'Thuzad damage by 125%. After gaining 30 Blight, Chains of Kel'Thuzad reduces the Armor of pulled Heroes by 10 for 4 seconds.E
- 1Fits more than one plan at level 1: damage and survivability.
- 4Fits more than one plan at level 4: survivability and damage.
- 7Fits more than one plan at level 7: damage and utility.
- 10Fits more than one plan at level 10: damage and utility.
- 13Upgrades Chains of Kel'Thuzad for more utility.
- 16Fits more than one plan at level 16: damage and utility.
- 20Fits more than one plan at level 20: utility and damage.
Abilities
- QDeath and Decay5s20 mpAfter 0.5 seconds, launch an orb that explodes upon hitting an enemy, dealing 150 (+2.5% per level) damage to enemies in the area. The explosion leaves behind a pool of decay that lasts 2 seconds, dealing 82 (+2.5% per level) damage every 0.5 seconds to enemies.
- WFrost Nova8s50 mpCreate a nova that explodes after 1 second, dealing 180 (+2.5% per level) damage to enemies inside and Slowing them by 35% for 2.5 seconds. Enemies in the center are Rooted for 1 second.
- EChains of Kel'Thuzad10s50 mpLaunch a chain, dealing 97 (+2.5% per level) damage to the first enemy Hero hit. For 3 seconds after hitting an enemy, Chains can be reactivated to launch to an additional enemy, pulling both enemies together and Stunning them for 0.5 seconds.
RFrost BlastHeroic50s45 mpLaunch a meteor of ice at an enemy Hero. Upon impact, the meteor deals 115 (+2.5% per level) damage to its target and 275 (+2.5% per level) damage to enemies in the area. All enemies hit by Frost Blast are Rooted for 2 seconds.Heroic — applies a root and hits an area. Use it on the target your team can kill.
RShadow FissureHeroic16s40 mpCreate a fissure anywhere on the Battleground that explodes after 1.5 seconds, dealing 320 (+2.5% per level) damage to enemy Heroes in its area. If an enemy Hero is hit, set its cooldown to 1.5 seconds.Heroic. Plan your fights around its cooldown.
Master of the Cold DarkTraitQuest: Gain 1 Blight every time a Hero is Rooted by Frost Nova or hit by Chains of Kel'Thuzad. Reward: After gaining 15 Blight, gain the Glacial Spike Ability. Reward: After gaining 30 Blight, gain 75% Spell Power. Blight: 0/30
1Glacial Spike30sActivate to create a spike that detonates after 4 seconds, dealing 70 (+2.5% per level) damage to nearby enemies. The spike can be affected by Chains of Kel'Thuzad.
Strategy
1Early talents
The first three talent tiers (levels 1, 4 and 7) set up how you soak and trade. The early build below leans on survivability to win that phase.
- Picks: Barbed Chains and Armor of the Archlich.
2Trading
Trade at the edge of your range, and walk away as soon as the enemy starts to close the gap. The kit brings crowd control (root) with Frost Nova.
3Soaking and rotations
Soaking is the laning phase: stay in range of your minion waves, rotate between lanes so none is left empty and group before each objective spawns.
4Early objectives
Early, clear waves quickly so your team can move first to map objectives and mercenary camps. Your big moments are level 10, when you pick Frost Blast or Shadow Fissure, and level 20, when the heroic gets its upgrade.
Tips
- Trade at the edge of your range, and walk away as soon as the enemy starts to close the gap.
- Barbed Chains is your first purchase that changes the lane: get it early.
- Use Frost Nova in lane only when your partner or jungler can follow.
- Early, clear waves quickly so your team can move first to map objectives and mercenary camps.
Matchups
Strong against
Blizzard classifies Murky as a Melee Assassin, and they have to close the gap before they can do anything to Kel'Thuzad, who fights at range.
Blizzard classifies Qhira as a Melee Assassin, and they have to close the gap before they can do anything to Kel'Thuzad, who fights at range.
Blizzard classifies Samuro as a Melee Assassin, and they have to close the gap before they can do anything to Kel'Thuzad, who fights at range.
Changelog
- Updated for patch 2.57.0.98304.
- Updated for patch 2.57.0.98297.
- Updated for patch 2.57.0.98285.
- Guide created for patch 2.55.17.98025.
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