Today marks the release of Dota 2’s newest hero, Kez, known as the leader of the Kazurai and a revolutionary warrior. Fans have been eagerly awaiting Kez’s arrival since his initial announcement in September, curious about his unique abilities.
Now, introduced with Crownfall Act IV, Kez is here, and he’s packed with one of the most unique ability sets ever seen in Dota 2. This hero comes with two fighting styles: one focused on offense with a Katana and the other on defense with a Sai. Let’s dive into what makes Kez such an exciting addition.
Kez’s Abilities in Dota 2
Core Ability – Switch Discipline (D)
The foundation of Kez’s playstyle is his ability to switch between his Katana and Sai. This dual-wielding skill allows him to adapt his strategy mid-battle, changing both his abilities and his approach depending on the weapon he wields.
Katana Abilities
With his Katana equipped, Kez becomes a powerhouse of close-range attacks, focused on dealing massive damage.
- Echo Slash (Q): Kez slices forward, dealing a portion of his attack damage and applying a brief slow to targets in his path. After a short delay, the area is struck again for extra damage to heroes.
- Grappling Claw (W): Kez pulls himself toward a target, gaining a powerful lifestyle attack on impact, especially effective against enemy heroes.
- Kazurai Katana (E): This passive ability inflicts a stacking damage-over-time effect with each hit, reducing the enemy’s health regeneration. With an Aghanim’s Shard, this ability can be activated to stun Kez and his target, releasing all damage stacks at once.
- Raptor Dance (R): Kez performs a spinning attack on enemies around him, dealing damage based on their maximum health. During this move, he is immune to debuffs and gains a strong heal, making him resilient in fights.
Sai Abilities
Switching to the Sai unlocks a defensive skillset with utility abilities, providing Kez more control in skirmishes.
- Falcon Rush (Q): Kez dashes toward enemies, delivering secondary attacks in his path and reducing his collision. This move also gives him a temporary speed boost.
- Talon Toss (W): Kez throws a Sai, silencing enemies in the target area.
- Shodo Sai (E): This passive gives his Sai attacks a chance to slow enemies and enhances the next attack or ability to stun. When activated, Kez can parry attacks from a specific direction for a short duration.
- Raven’s Veil (R): Kez releases a smoke wave that grants him invisibility, speed, and the Shodo Sai debuff to nearby enemies, which activates once he attacks or uses an ability.
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Kez’s Special Items
- Aghanim’s Shard: This upgrade makes Kez’s Katana E ability activate for bonus damage on marked enemies.
- Aghanim’s Scepter: This refreshes Kez’s Switch Discipline cooldown, letting him swap styles more often in battle.
Kez’s Basic Stats
Kez is an Agility Hero with base stats of 19 Strength, 26 Agility, and 18 Intelligence. His base attack of 49-55 is high for a carry hero. At this point, his full Talent Tree and Facet are still under development.
Initial Impressions of Kez, the Bird Samurai of Dota 2
Kez is a versatile and exciting character, combining high-damage potential with evasive abilities that make him tough to pin down. His Katana abilities excel in direct combat, making him a threat as an aggressive carry or a solo mid-laner. Meanwhile, his Sai abilities allow him to outmaneuver enemies and add a layer of utility.
In battles, Kez is likely to start by poking enemies with his Sai abilities, then switch to his Katana for high burst damage, before either retreating or engaging the next target. Kez’s unique dual-style fighting offers players a dynamic and rewarding experience, with room for creative gameplay.
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Summary
Kez, the new Dota 2 hero, brings a dual-style combat system with both offensive Katana abilities and defensive Sai abilities, allowing players to switch tactics mid-fight.
His unique abilities make him a formidable carry or mid-layer, able to deliver high damage while evading threats. Kez’s introduction to the game is bound to add a fresh, strategic depth to Dota 2 gameplay.