A little introduction on myself... Top
Hi, my name is Goob3r. I have been playing for about a year, and I main jungle.
Koshka has been my main ever since I started playing her. While I'm not the best Koshka player or even jungle player, I hope I know enough so that this guide may help your Koshka performance (or even your jungle performayance) enough so that you can play better,and more confidently. I'm not saying I know everything, but I do sincerely wish to help you.
So lets get started!
An intro to Jungling Top
While the Captain tries to keep his allies alive, and the Carry tries to snipe from the back, trying to deal as much damage as possible, the Jungle is trying creating as much pandemonium as possible. As the Jungler you have to try and earn experience fast, and bully the enemy carry as much as possible. The reason behind this is so that they will fall behind and eventually become completely useless to his team. Jungle is easily the easiest role to play, and you shouldn't have too many difficulties. All you simply have to do is farm as much as possible early game, and try and bully the enemy as much as possible mid game.
Abilities Top
lets take just a quick look at her abilities.
Blood RushRoll over for more details
This is easily going to be your best tool in fights and travel.In a fight, its speed boost lets you catch enemy's who are trying to escape or lets you get away as fast as possible if you are low on health, or just simply helps you to re position. For travel however, it makes crossing the map easier. All you have to do is attack a minion or treant (or hero) with one of your abilities, and you will reach your destination much faster without having to use your boots. |
Pouncy Fun Roll over for more details
This is your best ability for ambushes, and travel. When you are ganking, just simply use this on the enemy and they really won't be able to stop you. You can use it over terrain as well, which I have found to be useful for both an ambush and travel. All you simply need to travel with it is good vision. Just try and get your roamer (or just do it yourself early and mid game) to place scout traps next to jungle camps. |
Twirly DeathRoll over for more details
This is easily your most useful ability. The bonus crystal damage on your basics really makes her pack a punch. It's also very good for clearing out the jungle fast, and getting rid of minion hordes. The added cool down on her basics also makes her basics very easy to kite. Usually you should try and do this as much as possible in a fight as it makes her basics somewhat useful. |
Yummy Catnip FrenzyRoll over for more details
This is usually for keeping an enemy down. It can be used to either immobilize the person who's making life hell in a team fight, making sure your allies catch up when they start to run off, or just simply when you don't want them to fight back. -WARNING-: This ability makes you very vulnerable when you use it. I would not recommend initiating fights with it unless you have a very good roamer with you, the enemy is drained and by themselves or simply that you need to make sure the enemy does not move. Be very careful about using it freely, as people tend to target you when you use this. |
As you can see, she is all about keeping up, and getting out of there with her abilities. luckily, this build lets you slack of a little bit with it, but not a whole lot. Just know that it really isn't that hard learning to use her abilities, and they are some of the easiest to chain. Now, lets move on to the items that let her do this with ease.
Being an assassin, you are usually inclined to believe that you NEED to be a glass cannon (aka. no defense.), but I don't agree with that. While it does make you a powerhouse, and lets you just melt the enemy team, it's usually at the cost of YOU being easily melted as well. That is why this has defense. Not only will you be able to do as much damage, but you can also take some as well. Here is a list that should help.
AftershockRoll over for more details
This is easily your second best item. You always rush this first, as it is very effective with her. The empowered basic attack basically turns it into another form of
Twirly Death. The life steal is also very effective, as it will keep you alive longer than you think. The cool down and energy regen are also wanted, as it will make her abilities much more spammable than they already are, and also because she is very energy hungry. |
Broken MythRoll over for more details
This is the best item to get with her. Rush it as your second item, as usually against a
Koshka, people build defense early against her. It will amplify her damage in fights, which is why it is especially vital early, and mid game. You only get stacks as long as your in combat with an enemy, and lose them very fast, so you must try, and stay in the fight as long as possible. However, do not think this means that you have to take risks such as staying in the fight with only 25% of your health. If you need to, you will have to run off. |
EchoRoll over for more details
Echo is rather lost on
Koshka. All it can really benefit you is energy, and energy regen. As described down below in
 Clockwork, she doesn't really need either of those. However its active may be of some use, as it lets you use your last ability put on cool down. While this effect is lost on her slots A, and B, it may provide some use with her slot C. -WARNING- I do not advise this item at all. It's fairly worthless, and even if you do use it on her slot C, that leaves vulnerable twice in a row, and would probably cost you your life the second time around. |
ShatterGlassRoll over for more details
Shatterglass is a very strong pick with her. It makes her amplified basics stronger, and lets her mow down enemy's. However all it has is the damage. If you knew me, you would know that while I like the damage of items, I much prefer the passives, as they allow for a much broader play, and more choices. However don't let me stop you from playing how you prefer, and while
Shatterglass doesn't have a passive, it is very efficient for your overall damage, so I recommend this if you want to build like a power house. |
ClockworkRoll over for more details
Clockwork has a decent passive, and the best cool down, energy, and energy regen. However it is fairly worthless on
Koshka. Her abilities are already spammable, and the chargers, and aftershock give you some cool down, energy, and energy regen, so really it's a bit of inventory junk with her, and completely worthless with her. However if you do wanna try it, just go ahead. |
Halcyon ChargersRoll over for more details
This is the last of her core items.
Halcyon Chargers are a must with
Koshka. They give you even more cool down, much more energy, and some more energy regen. They also have the longest sprint time of the selection of boots. However, if you feel the situation calls for it (or you just simply don't like the chargers), you can get another pair of boots, as they all have different pros, and cons. |
ShiversteelRoll over for more details
It's not too great in the sense of passive as it only gives you 500 health. However, its passive will make you more sticky than you already are. Do note though that this is all it will give you meaning you will have to play safer. It is very effective though, and will make you a good fighter. |
AegisRoll over for more details
Very useful, especially against mages and snipers. The
 Reflex Block will help you against de buffs, and give you a better chance to last out in a team fight. If you aren't very good with your reaction time, I advise you get in a 1v1 with a friend or just do a bot match until you are decent with you reaction time. Other than that I suggest you get this first if you are up against some heavy cp heroes. |
Metal JacketRoll over for more details
Your other defense item. I found that taking precautions and getting both shielding and armor is very effective.
Metal Jacket doesn't have a passive, but the armor is usually enough to keep you alive. Try to get this as soon as possible if you are fighting some heavy duty wp heroes. |
Atlas PauldronRoll over for more details
Atlas Pauldron has almost 100 less armor, however its passive is very effective. If you are fighting some one with some high attack speed (aka.
 SAW,
 Ringo,
 Rona etc.) then you should get this instead of metal jacket.
Koshka is perfect for this, as she can get close to them with
Pouncy Fun. She can even use items when she is doing
Yummy Catnip Frenzy so you can apply it then. All in all I highly recommend it in the correct situations. |
Slumbering HuskRoll over for more details
Slumbering Husk is pretty decent with her. It provides her with 400 health, and has a passive that is effective against heroes with burst damage (aka.
 Kestrel, cp
SAW,
 Baron etc.). I would keep a close eye on what the enemy team is building, and who they are though. You wouldn't want to overreact, and get this simply because of how much DPS they are doing. |
Well that is it with the items. As you can see they all have there pros and cons, so just make sure you build right.
Gameplays: How to play early, mid, and late game Top
You can play her however you wish of course. To every person his own style. However, here are some plays that I can recommend for you to at least try.
[*] Early Game
While
Koshka is easily one of the best early game heroes, it is mainly because of her damage. Her health is rather average, so you still have to be careful. Don't try to pick any fights without your roamer by your side. You must try and snowball as much as possible early game. Even though you are an early gamer, if you can snowball, you can be powerful all through the game.
You must continuously farm your jungle (and your enemy's every chance you get, just don't push it.) or you will not get your items or your experience fast enough. When you are done with a rotation, try and gank the lane. Don't linger though, or else your farm will be taken. wait maybe 20 seconds, and if no opportunity comes up, just go back to farming.
[*] Mid Game
This is about when you are at your peak. Don't try and pull a stupid stunt like taking on the whole enemy team by yourself, but you can certainly look for someone by himself and try to take them on. Unless its a major threat (see listed threats above.), you should be able to at least walk away. You should start getting your tier 2, if not tier 3 defense by now, as well as your boots.
Try and take objectives now, as with this build, this will be your only time to do it quickly. You should still be near your roamer, but for the most part you should be able to farm and fight on your provided your careful. If you try to pick a fight without at least pinging your roamer, the whole enemy team may show up, and kill you, thus making this ordeal totally not worth it.
[*] Late Game
This is when your at your weakest. while you still do significant damage, it isn't enough to 1v1 unless the enemy hero didn't get defense. You should stick with your roamer at all times. Try and get an enemy hero by themselves before you attack them, and even than only do this if your sure you can win.
Koshka has troubles taking objectives late game, so if you want to take the kraken, unless your carry is distracting the enemy team, it would be best if all three of you are there. Only attack more than 2 enemy heroes in a team fight. If you want to be able to contribute some in this phase, you will need a very efficient roamer, and good team communication. Buy Crystal Infusions before every fight.
Good Comps Top
All jungle heroes do better with different supports.
Koshka comps well with most of the supports. here is a list of the comps.
Ardan
These two pair really well together.
Ardan can provide
Koshka some heavy protection, especially late game with his Vangaurd. He can also help her either get away, or rake in kills with his
Gauntlet. If the two of you know what your'e doing and play it right, you can help turn her into a juggernaut.
Lance
While
Ardan is a better support in the sense of protection,
Lance is better in the sense of helping
Koshka get kills easier. His stunning and rooting makes her immensely sticky, and lets her usually take them out. However, do not that this comp is not so beneficial in keeping her alive.
Phinn
Phinn is decent with her. While he isn't as good as
Ardan or
Lance, he can at least both help keep her alive through protection, and pin down kills for her. With his
Polite Company, he can give her some bonus health that can keep her alive longer, while his overdrived
Quibble will stun them and let her get the kills. NOTE: while he is decent, his slow mobility makes it hard for him to keep up with her.
Fortress
Fortress is alright with her. Easily, he is not her most useful support. While he does make her more sticky, and gives her a slight life steal, that is all he has to give her besides the items he gets. If you are paired with him, you will have to be more self reliant.
What to do with this Top
I am hoping that you will be able to use this guide to greatly improve your performance. While it will not make you the best jungle player, it will certainly help. I plan on updating this guide, and adding more to it in the future. BYE! GLHF!
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