Into the Shadows: CP Kestrel (WIP) Updated 12/13/15 by MorganFields

Into the Shadows: CP Kestrel (WIP) Updated 12/13/15

By: MorganFields
Last Updated: Dec 16, 2015
3 Votes
Rating Pending
Build 1 of 1

Kestrel

Build: Passive CP Kestrel

Ability Path

Adrenaline
Heroic Perk
Glimmershot
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Active Camo
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
One Shot One Kill
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

Threat Meter

Threat
Low
High
Show all
Threat Hero Notes
1
  No Threat
2
  No Threat
3
SAW Not a mobile character, Saw is easily outranged by you. Use Glimmershot's splash damage to win the engagement (Do I have to keep saying this?)
4
Celeste A squishy character, just like you! Attack with Glimmershot and move constantly. An unpredictable enemy is a nightmare for Celeste because she has to lead and time her abilities. Shouldn't be too bad.
5
  No Threat
6
Ringo Oh my gosh Ringo. Once he gets in range, it is almost impossible to get away, especially if he starts out with his Achilles Shot. Stay out of range of this six shooter sniper. Difficult but not impossible to beat in a v1 match up.
7
Krul Krul relies on getting weakness stacks on his enemies in order for his abilities to be effective. Again, be proactive and put down traps to spot him before he spots you. Unless fully confident you will come out alive, never 1v1 this undead warrior.
8
  No Threat
9
Taka Taka can easily sneak up and burst you down as you don't have much health. Make sure to constantly place traps to dominate with vision and avoid being surprised.
10
Koshka Koshka is a nightmare to deal with as her Yummy Catnip Frenzy stuns and outputs a lot of damage. Constantly place traps to spot her first and use Active Camo before she can activate her abilities.

Top

Get Ready for Some TLDR... Top

Please, give me some feedback in the Discussion tab. This is my first guide and I would like to improve it in any way I can.

As I am relatively new to VainGlory in general, I cannot say that this is the best guide. However, this is what I have found to be effective (but then again, the highest tier I've gotten to is Getting There -_-) in my matches. I will continue to work on it for it to become a complete guide and shall add all the pretty colors, pictures, and icons later...

The General Idea Top

Kestrel is the squishiest character I've ever played. Her starting HP is 615, the lowest of all the heroes in the game. Because of this, many have decided to outfit her with defense items such as Metal Jacket and Crucible. While this is a good way to play (especially when going weapon), I love the feeling of being a glass cannon. Maybe the devs meant for us to play her like this, so I decided to roll with that philosophy in mind and eliminated ALL THE DEFENSE! I attempted to make this Krestel able to fit all the positions. Whether you're playing lane, roam, or jungle, you should do decently well (I'll have to test this more. Update later in the week). Prepare your butts, we're going to change your playstyle...

Strengths and Weaknesses of CP Kestrel Top

We can go back and forth about about wherther CP or WP Kestrel is better. However both builds have its strengths and weaknesses. Lets go over the CP Pros and Cons, shall we?

Strenghts:
    Great Damage Output
    Can Outrange Most Heros
    Invisibility is far longer compared to WP
    Crystal Ratio on ULT is Higher
    Set More Traps
    That Cooldown Tho
    Badass Female Version of Legolas
    Those 360 Noscope Headshots Across the Map
Weaknesses:
    Very, Very Squishy
    Can Be Hard To Find Positioning
    Glimmershots Hard to Master
    Last Hitting in Lane with Auto is Useless
    Prone to Ambushes
    Terrible at 1v1's
    OMG THE STUPID MINION GOT IN THE WAY OF MY KILL
    Not Legolas

There we go folks. Get ready for some rage when learning this character. If this doesn't appeal to you, you may want to look at a weapon build... Maybe I'll make one in the future... No promises...

Onto the Skills Top

(WIP)

For the Items... Top

I generally do not follow one path for item builds as it depends on how much gold I have on hand. The path above will certainly not fit perfectly with the time of the game exactly, but is rather a guide of what items to buy after getting enough gold. Please feel free to buy some items earlier depending on the constantly shifting game that is VainGlory. **Subject to change after more testing**

Frostburn:


Frostburn is a great item for this build as it applies a slow effect on enemies. Great against melee heroes trying to catch you off guard,retreating, and fleeing enemies.

Clockwork:


A must have as it helps you stay in stealth longer and chain them together. The extra energy buff helps as Active Camo takes 200 FREAKING EP! Great in teamfights when you have to reposition frequently. Paired with Contraption and Aftershock, your ult will have only a 15 second cooldown. Thats a fast reload for you. You're welcome.

Contraption:


Vision is key in any match but especially with Kestrel. This helps against being ambushed and the opportunity to reposition for counter attacks from you and your team. The 30% cooldown also helps with Active Camo and the cooldown on the ultimate. The spash damage also helps with clearing jungle camps and minions that are clustered together(especially after a horde of enemy minions destroy a turret. Gold for days, my friend). Feel free to replace this item with a Broken Myth or Shatterglass if you have a roamer who actually places traps (I always solo queue. FML.)

Boots:


Always a good idea for any hero to have boots. Adds health, shield, armor, and speed. Lots of speed...

Aftershock:


Helps with taking out enemies with high health. Just remember to use an auto after your ability and you are golden. The 25% cooldown helps with the Active Camo and ult.

Eve of Harvest:


This was more for the extra energy rather than the lifesteal. It still adds to your survivability during teamfights (although you shouldn't be getting hit that much. More energy for Active Camo = Happy Archer

Playstyle Top

CP Kestrel does not have as an aggressive playstyle as other snipers such as Ringo or Saw. She is best played when waiting for the right moment to strike, calculating enemy movements, placing traps, and attacking from range. With her traps, Kestrel has the potential dealing more than 3 stuns in a team fight, depending on your cooldown for your Active Camo. Use this to your advantage. You might not get as many kills compared to Ringo but this wasn't the point of the build, or the game in general. Helping your team with valuable vision and stuns will bring you and your team to victory.

Vision and Map Awareness Top

Kestrel is an insanely squishy character and is a favorite for bursts and ambushes, especially with the melee oriented heroes. As we all know, CP Kestrel cannot use her B while being attacked. That is why vision is sooo important. Laying down scout traps in brush gives you the opportunity to reposition yourself and even attack to discourage heroes from ambushing. It's also a great way to get those 360 noscope headshots from across the map to get that 420... I mean 6 seconds of vision on an enemy and to show off to your friends. I suggest putting a trap in each of the bushes in the middle of the lane to start out and expand outward from there, placing them next to the gold miner/Kraken, the brush surrounding that area, and then near each of the monster camps and Minion miners. Remember to replace them as the are set off using your Camo for that Solid Snake feel. Make sure to make a montage titled: MOST SICK 360 NOSCOPES IN VAINGLORY 2015

Minions and Monsters Top

The downside to playing CP Kestrel: your autos do NO DAMAGE! Well they do damage, but its minimal and not enough to sway a teamfight - more on that later. With minions and monsters, it is best to alternate between basics and Glimmershot, especially in the late game. Use Glimmershot on the Minions as they are traveling in a line to get the most bang for your energy and take them out all at once.

Teamfights Top

Kestrel excels at the edges of battle. Due to this CP build, Her damage comes from not direct hits to an enemy, but rather the Halcyon energy that follows. From this, Kestrel can effectively stay out of range of enemy attacks but still deal massive damage. As your team initiates the fight, stay back and attack with the splash damage of your Glimmershot rather than direct hits. You can even use Active Camo to approach enemy heroes and set a trap near them, detonating it when they step into it with a basic attack and stunning them (works great on enemy heroes grouped close together). Reposition frequently to get the most out of your Glimmershot and use One Shot One Kill to execute fleeing enemies (Mom get the camera).

Conclusion Top

Kestrel has a bit of a learning curve. Mastering her Glimmershot and using traps effectively will take time, effort, and practice. Always analyze enemy movements to make the most of your traps and Glimmershot. Using Vision helps defend against ambushes and remember to always, always, always use your 360 noscope headshots for those finishing blows (for flair). Shatter that Vain, Win the Game.

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