Yurnero, the Versatile Juggernaut: A Reliable Pick for Any Player
Juggernaut has never fallen out of the metagame and remains a top pick for carry heroes. With his versatile kit and natural magic immunity, he is a well-balanced hero from early to late game. Blade Fury and Omnislash help him deal damage throughout the match, making him a great choice for players of all skill levels.
During the laning phase, Juggernaut only requires last hits and the occasional kill with the help of support heroes. His Blade Fury provides instant magic immunity, making it easier for him to shrug off incoming spells. This forgiving nature in the early game makes Juggernaut an excellent choice for any team.
However, Juggernaut doesn’t excel in any specific area and his damage output is only respectable in the late game. Heroes like Medusa, Spectre, and Sven often outclass him in carrying potential. Despite this, Juggernaut is still a valuable pick for almost any team. He can fight early on and scale well into the late game, making him a versatile and balanced hero.
Juggernaut’s Base Stats and Mana Management
In terms of base stats, Juggernaut is below average, particularly in strength and intelligence. His low mana pool proves to be a challenge as his abilities require a significant amount of mana. Blade Fury costs 120 mana per cast at level one, while Healing Ward costs 140 mana. Omnislash, his ultimate ability, costs a whopping 200 mana to start and 350 mana at max level.
His limited mana pool also affects his farming abilities, making him heavily reliant on items like Battle Fury to accelerate his farm. Spamming Blade Fury on creep waves is not an efficient use of the skill and can leave Juggernaut vulnerable while it is on cooldown. It’s important to manage Juggernaut’s mana consumption throughout the early and mid game.
The Way of the Masked One: Skill Build and Item Choices
Juggernaut’s skill build is straightforward and rarely changes from game to game. Blade Fury is prioritized to increase damage output and reduce mana cost. Points in Healing Ward and Blade Dance contribute to both survival and right-click damage in the early game. Maxing out Healing Ward first is crucial for both Juggernaut’s survival and supporting his team.
Omnislash should be taken at every opportunity as it has the best scaling among Juggernaut’s skills. The recommended skill build is as follows:
- Blade Fury
- Blade Dance
- Blade Fury
- Healing Ward
- Blade Fury
- Omnislash
- Blade Fury
- Healing Ward
- Healing Ward
- Level 10 talent: +5 All Stats
- Healing Ward
- Omnislash
- Blade Dance
- Blade Dance
- Level 15 talent: +25 Attack Speed
- Blade Dance
- Level 20 talent: +10 Armor
- Level 25 talent: +5 Omnislash Strikes
Juggernaut likes items that allow him to engage with his enemies effectively. Phase Boots are generally preferred over Power Treads due to the movement speed and attack damage they provide for securing kills in the early and mid game. The core item for Juggernaut is Battle Fury, which helps with farming and surviving in the laning phase. However, a more mid game-focused approach involves purchasing Sange and Yasha instead. Sange and Yasha allows Juggernaut to fight earlier and more frequently, but sacrifices late game power. It’s important to choose the right item build according to the team’s strategy and game plan.
A Yasha-based item is essential for Juggernaut, as it provides much-needed attack speed in the mid game. Manta Style works best for the Battle Fury route, increasing DPS and purging debuffs, including silences. If the mid game-focused build is chosen, Sange and Yasha can be disassembled later to sell the Sange and keep the Yasha. Other recommended items for Juggernaut include Basher, Butterfly, and Blink Dagger for range and escape.
Juggernaut’s Gameplan: Simple yet Effective
Juggernaut’s gameplan is straightforward and follows that of similarly-designed heroes. During the laning phase, focus on efficient last hitting and farming while utilizing Blade Fury for offense and defense. If supported by heroes with strong laning capabilities, take advantage of Juggernaut’s early game damage output. Transitioning into the mid game, aim to have Phase Boots and Battle Fury before the 20-minute mark. Use Battle Fury’s cleave mechanic to farm efficiently and consider fighting after purchasing Yasha. The late game strategy is simple: carry the team to victory with physical DPS and the ability to shrug off spells that don’t pierce magic immunity. Omnislash makes Juggernaut invulnerable during its animation, making it an ideal ability to use at the start of teamfights.
Despite the slight nerfs Juggernaut has received in recent patches, he remains a stable and reliable pick for the carry position. With a strong laning phase and respectable late game potential, Juggernaut rewards teams that build their draft around him. He is easy to pick up and has minimal room for game-ending mistakes. By making the right choices and shoring up his small weaknesses, Juggernaut can serve any player well on the battlefield.
Keywords: Juggernaut, esports, carry hero, versatile, Blade Fury, Omnislash, laning phase, magic immunity, mana management, skill build, item choices, gameplan
