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Most Gods inSmite 2are capable of filling in multiple roles with the way that they’re designed. In fact, you can choose any God for any role at all, but without proper coordination, the wrong God can certainly fill in the wrong role and make for a difficult match.
There are relatively few Gods that are capable of filling in boththe Junglerand Support roles, but Athena can do just that. Both of these roles represent wildly different ways of playing as Athena, but both of them can be extremely effective, and both of them can do a lot to lift a team up.
How To Use Athena In Smite 2
Athena is amostly-melee Godin Smite 2, but she isalso capable of a ranged Basic Attack, as well. She has a healthy mix oftanking and aggressive abilities, making for a character that can have a lot of variance in how they’re played.
Regarding her different roles, Athena will likely be played a little more aggressively as a Jungler, and possibly activate her God Aspect only then, as well.
Passive Ability: Reach
Athena’s passive ability, Reach,allows her melee Basic Attack to be a ranged attack after using an ability.
How To Get The Most Out Of Reach
Reach is certainly not the best passive ability out there, but it can have some utility, particularly when using Athena in a more aggressive way.That range can help Athena finish off a retreating enemy, for instance. This is particularly true if it’s used immediately after her movement ability, Dash, launches her toward a target.
Ability: Preemptive Strike
Preemptive Strikeis Athena’s most consistent movement-style ability,dashing her forward after a short charge-up. Hitting an enemy with this damages and slows them and gives Athena Magical and Physical Protection when she hits another God.
How To Use Preemptive Strike
As with most movement-style abilities, Preemptive Strike is multi-faceted. Ideally, this is going to be used offensively.It’s a perfect opener to a fight, especially against an enemy God. It can also limit their retreat options immediately after, making it great for finishing off a low-health God.
It can also be used defensively, as a means to escape. This ability is a little more adept at this than some other movement-style abilities because of the short charge-up time, but it can still get the job done, particularly against Gods who don’t have a movement ability of their own.
Ability: Confound
Confound taunts enemies in a cone in front of Athena, and deals damage to them. Taunting enemies forces them to attack Athena, instead of attacking a different target.
When To Use Confound
Confound can do a lot for a team when used appropriately. In general, enemy minions are going to attack friendly minions, and both of their health is going to be lowered in the process. Taunting the enemy minions forces them to attack you,meaning when the enemy minions are defeated, your minions will still be at high health as they move further toward an enemy Tower.
Generally,this is going to be more useful when Athena is used as a Support character. That said, it can be useful as a Jungler, on a case-by-case basis. Every once in a while you’ll have a friendly God traipsing into the Jungle as well, and keeping the higher-powered enemies of the Jungle off of them can keep them alive.
This can also be used near a friendly Tower.It will force enemy minions to attack you instead of the Tower, buying you more time before the Tower starts taking critical damage.
Ability: Shield Wall
Shield Wall is a particularly great ability, allowing Athena to attack a huge area at the same time.This creates a phalanx of spectral soldiers that attack twice at every enemy in the vicinity. This attack applies a slowing effect for two seconds.
How To Use Shield Wall
Shield Wall is a great ability when Athena is surrounded by enemies, whether they’re minions or Gods. It blankets an area of 3.2 meters around Athena, putting anybody in the vicinity in danger.
Enemies can pass through these spectral soldiers, so it cannot block advances. But all told,it deals a considerable amount of damage across the two attacks, and any attack that inflicts slow is going to be a problem for enemies to deal with.
This is especially true in the Jungle, where Gods rely on having some advanced movement. Slowing them can keep them from doing their job in the Jungle, from escaping a critical blow, or from being able to catch you to deal their own fatal shot.
Ultimate Ability: Defender Of Olympus
Defender Of Olympusis Athena’s ultimate ability,capable of teleporting her to an ally God, wherever they are on the map. When you appear alongsidethe God, you’ll give them a small health shield and grant them bonus movement speed.
This also deals damage to nearby enemies, and you are immune to crowd control (CC) effects while using the ability.
When To Use Defender Of Olympus
Defender Of Olympus is a great ability, particularly fora Support God. If you’re keeping an eye not just on your Duo Lane partner’s health, but the health of your entire team,you’re able to use this to give backup to any ally that needs it.
There is a high cooldown on this, so be sure to make the most of it, each time it is used. If possible,use that number advantage you gain to defeat a God, or at least force them to fully retreat.
When using this,be sure you aren’t leaving your partner out to dry. They may gain a number disadvantage when you do this, so be sure they’re prepared for it, or at least that you’re on an advantage in your lane.
This can also be beneficial as a Jungler. As mentioned before, Junglers excel when they’re moving quickly, and are unpredictable in their location.The ability to teleport across the map is a fantastic addition to a Junglers' arsenal.
Aspect Of War
Athena also has access to a God Aspect, called Aspect Of War. This changes how her ultimate ability works: instead of teleporting to an ally,Athena will now teleport to an enemy.
While Defender Of Olympus can generally be used on an ally anywhere on the map, with this God Aspect,the enemy you teleport to must be visible. It does appear to have unlimited range, however, provided you’re able to see your target.
Instead of dealing damage while landing, this God Aspectincreases Athena’s damage while she’s channeling this ability, which lasts for a little over three seconds.
When To Use Aspect Of War
You should be using Athena’s God Aspect when playing her as a Junglermore often than as a Support. If you’re on a particularly aggressive and coordinated team, there can be an argument made for using it in a Support build, particularly because you can only teleport with this God Aspect inside line of sight.
But in general,Junglers are going to have the most value when it comes to ambushing enemies. There’s no more sure-fire way to ambush an enemy than by teleporting directly on top of them. They cannot be prepared for this, andit can net Athena some particularly easy and satisfying kills.
