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New Hanzo: The Emerging Powerhouse of Mobile Legends' Jungle

Writer's picture: Iqbal SandiraIqbal Sandira

The Land of Dawn is abuzz with excitement as Mobile Legends: Bang Bang prepares to unveil a revamped version of one of its most distinctive heroes - Hanzo. Long overlooked in ranked and professional play, this ninja assassin is poised to make a triumphant return to the meta, potentially claiming the title of the strongest jungler in the game. Let's delve into what makes the new Hanzo a force to be reckoned with and how he might reshape the jungle landscape.


The Unique Mechanics of Hanzo

Hanzo has always stood out from the crowd due to his signature Hanekage mechanic. This ability allows him to project a demonic form to fight on his behalf while keeping his physical body at a safe distance. The upcoming revamp aims to enhance this unique playstyle, making Hanzo an even more formidable presence on the battlefield.


Dual-form Gameplay

Hanzo's gameplay revolves around two distinct forms:

  1. Human Form: Focused on gathering resources and preparing for engagements

  2. Demon Form (Hanekage): Unleashing devastating attacks on enemies

This duality gives Hanzo unparalleled versatility, allowing him to adapt to various situations throughout the match.


Demon Blood Management

Central to Hanzo's kit is the accumulation and utilization of demon blood. This resource fuels his ultimate ability and determines the duration of his demon form. Skilled players must balance aggressive farming with strategic engagements to maximize Hanzo's potential.


Revamped Skill Set

The upcoming changes to Hanzo's abilities aim to sharpen his strengths while addressing some of his previous weaknesses. Let's break down his new skill set and examine how it contributes to his jungling prowess.


Passive: Ame No Habakiri

Hanzo's passive ability now marks enemies with each instance of damage dealt. These marks stack up to five times, amplifying the effectiveness of his first skill. This change encourages a more aggressive playstyle and rewards sustained engagements.


First Skill: Ninjutsu: Demon Feast

In human form, this skill deals increased damage to jungle creeps and enemy heroes, especially when passive stacks are maxed. It also provides sustain by consuming jungle monsters. In demon form, it damages enemies while healing Hanzo, further emphasizing his role as a sustained damage dealer.


Second Skill: Ninjutsu: Soul Reap

Hanzo's second skill now creates a damaging trail as he dashes forward. In demon form, it gains the additional effect of knocking up enemies, providing valuable crowd control for ganks and teamfights.


Ultimate: Kinjutsu: Pinnacle Ninja

Hanzo's ultimate remains the cornerstone of his kit. It transforms him into his demon form, granting increased attack speed and the ability to pass through terrain. The revamped version offers more strategic options, allowing Hanzo to recall his demon form or teleport his body to its location.


Mastering the Jungle with Hanzo

Hanzo's revamped kit positions him as a top-tier jungler with unparalleled clear speed and invade potential. Here's how to maximize his effectiveness in the jungle:

Efficient Clearing Techniques

  1. Start with the red buff to gain an early damage advantage

  2. Use your first skill strategically to consume large monsters quickly

  3. Maintain awareness of your demon blood levels to ensure you can activate your ultimate when needed


Buff Stealing and Counter-jungling

Hanzo excels at disrupting the enemy jungler's rhythm:

  • Use your ultimate to safely invade enemy territory

  • Time your buff steals to coincide with the enemy jungler's rotations

  • Deny crucial resources to buff-dependent heroes like Fanny or Ling


Ganking Strategies

When ganking lanes:

  1. Approach in human form to preserve your escape options

  2. Activate your ultimate from a safe position

  3. Use your second skill to close the gap and apply crowd control

  4. Follow up with your first skill and basic attacks to secure the kill


Building the Strongest Jungler

To fully realize Hanzo's potential as the strongest jungler, consider the following build and emblem recommendations:

Optimal Item Build

  1. Jungle Item: Raptor Machete (enhances clear speed and damage output)

  2. Boots: Magic Shoes (for cooldown reduction) or Rapid Boots (for increased mobility)

  3. Hunter Strike (synergizes well with Hanzo's kit)

  4. Demon Hunter Sword (for sustained damage and tank-shredding)

  5. Windtalker (improves attack speed and movement)

  6. Blade of Despair (massive damage boost for late-game dominance)

Situational items like Immortality or Sea Halberd can be substituted based on the enemy composition and game state.


Emblem and Talent Choices

  • Assassin Emblem: Focus on movement speed and physical penetration

  • Talent: Killing Spree (for sustain and snowball potential)


Battle Spell Selection

  • Retribution: Essential for securing objectives and enhancing jungle clear

  • Sprint: Useful for chasing or escaping in human form

  • Arrival: A niche choice for split-pushing and map control


Hanzo vs. Other Top Junglers

While Hanzo's revamp positions him as a strong contender for the title of strongest jungler, it's important to consider how he stacks up against other popular choices:


Hanzo vs. Fanny

  • Mobility: Fanny has unparalleled map presence, but Hanzo's ultimate allows for strategic positioning

  • Damage Output: Both can burst down targets quickly, but Hanzo offers more sustained damage

  • Learning Curve: Hanzo is generally easier to pick up and master compared to Fanny's complex cable mechanics


Hanzo vs. Ling

  • Resource Management: Both rely on unique resources (demon blood vs. energy), but Hanzo's is more forgiving

  • Teamfight Impact: Ling excels in quick assassinations, while Hanzo can harass and sustain longer in fights

  • Objective Control: Hanzo's ability to steal buffs and secure objectives gives him an edge in macro play


Countering the New Hanzo

As with any strong hero, understanding how to counter Hanzo is crucial for maintaining balance in the game. Here are some strategies to keep the demon ninja in check:

Hero Counters

  • High-mobility assassins like Hayabusa or Lancelot can pressure Hanzo's vulnerable body

  • Burst mages like Eudora or Aurora can punish Hanzo if he's caught out of position

  • Tanky fighters with crowd control, such as Chou or Jawhead, can disrupt Hanzo's demon form


Tactical Approaches

  1. Ward key jungle areas to track Hanzo's movements

  2. Coordinate invades to deny Hanzo's early game farm

  3. Focus on destroying Hanzo's physical body when he uses his ultimate

  4. Bait out Hanzo's ultimate before engaging in major objectives or teamfights


Maximizing Hanzo's Impact in Team Compositions

To fully leverage Hanzo's strengths as potentially the strongest jungler, consider the following team composition strategies:

Synergistic Heroes

  • Crowd Control Tanks: Heroes like Tigreal or Atlas can set up perfect opportunities for Hanzo to deal massive damage

  • Aggressive Supports: Angela or Estes can provide additional sustain and amplify Hanzo's damage output

  • Lane Dominators: Strong laners like Esmeralda or X.Borg can create space for Hanzo to farm and invade freely


Team Strategies

  1. Early Game: Focus on securing buffs and invading the enemy jungle

  2. Mid Game: Coordinate ganks and objective takes around Hanzo's ultimate cooldown

  3. Late Game: Use Hanzo's split-push potential to create map pressure while being ready to join teamfights


Advanced Techniques for Hanzo Masters

For those looking to truly excel with the revamped Hanzo, here are some advanced techniques to incorporate into your gameplay:

Ultimate Jukes

  • Use walls and bushes to obscure your real body's location

  • Bait enemies into committing resources to your demon form before recalling it


Resource Optimization

  • Time your jungle clears to maximize demon blood generation

  • Use your ultimate strategically to clear waves and rotate quickly


Map Control

  • Leverage your ability to steal buffs to create a gold and experience advantage

  • Use your ultimate to apply pressure across the map, forcing enemies to respond


The Future of Hanzo in the Meta

As players begin to explore the potential of the revamped Hanzo, it's likely that we'll see a shift in the jungling meta. His unique playstyle and high skill ceiling offer exciting possibilities for both casual and competitive play.


Potential Impact on Professional Play

  • Increased pick/ban rates in tournaments

  • Development of new strategies centered around Hanzo's buff-stealing capabilities

  • Possible adjustments to draft priorities to counter or complement Hanzo


Community Reception and Adaptation

  • Initial surge in popularity as players experiment with the new kit

  • Emergence of Hanzo specialists and one-trick players

  • Potential for community-driven discoveries of new techniques and builds


Conclusion: Is Hanzo the New Jungle King?

The revamped Hanzo brings a fresh and exciting dynamic to the jungle role in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. With his unique ability to project power across the map while maintaining safety, efficient farming capabilities, and game-changing ultimate, Hanzo certainly has the potential to be considered the strongest jungler in the current meta.

However, as with any hero, success with Hanzo will ultimately depend on the skill of the player and the coordination of the team. His high skill ceiling and strategic depth offer room for mastery and innovation, ensuring that Hanzo will remain a compelling choice for junglers looking to dominate the Land of Dawn.


As the dust settles on this major revamp, one thing is certain: Hanzo has reclaimed his place in the spotlight, and the jungle will never be the same again. Whether you're looking to main this demonic ninja or preparing to face him in battle, understanding the intricacies of the new Hanzo will be crucial for success in the evolving landscape of Mobile Legends.





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