Fennik: How to Finish Fights as the Lightning Fox

Build and Guide Fennik: How to Finish Fights as the Lightning Fox

Cheat Sheet
Skill Build

Start by picking up Thief's Mark at the start of each match. Grab Rolling Lightning at Level 2 and prioritise both Chain Hammer Cyclone and Thief's Mark above upgrading Rolling Lightning any further.

Items

Claves Sancti

Sonic Boots

Slikk's Sting

Hyoga's Edge

Fafnir's Talon

Ancestral Glory

Arcana

Fill most red Arcana slots with Critical Chance while throwing Attack Speed and Attack Damage into whatever remails. Purple slots can take Lifesteal and smaller amounts of Max HP. For greed slots, focus on Armor Pierce. Follow the same roles when picking out Tier 2 and Tier 3 Arcana.

Talents

Punish

Daze

Introduction
In the world of Arena of Valor, Fennik is one of the more potent marksman in the game – but for slightly different reasons than his subordinates. Though he prioritises attack speed and the damage that goes with it, he's almost the very definition of a 'glass cannon'. He can dish out the pain when left to his own devices, but his 4-shot combo usually isn't enough to KO an opponent from 100% without being struck by a fatal counterattack along the way.

Fennik has earned his place as a 'Finisher' amongst most Arena of Valor match-ups, further cementing the idea that he's ill-suited to taking on a lead attacker role. Perfectly suited to rollling into battle to finish the job, Fennik is best utilised as a Jungler ready to come and go “like a fox”.

Skill Descriptions
Much of Fennik's arsenal puts him at a clear advantage when it comes to laning – but these skills transfer well to dealing with Jungle creatures, too. His Passive ability – Hidden Weapons – makes each of his normal auto-attacks 'explode' for additional damage around his target. Firing at the centre of creep waves will mean dishing out consistant AOE damage to the group. This can even work to chip away enemy hero health in the early laning phase, creating a consistant source of harrassment.

The first ability you'll slot a point into at the start of a game is undeniably Fennik's go-to gimmick. Thief's Mark is tossed and attached to a target and can be 'charged' with each subsequent auto-attack that hits the afflicted target. Rack up 4 strikes before its auto-detonate time and it'll explode for massive amounts of damage, crippling both the recipient and anything or anyone around it. It's great for clearing waves, damaging heroes in a team fight, or even to make quick work of a tower. Fennik is one of the only characters capable of landing an ability on a tower, and it's a skill you shouldn't pass up. And to help the stacking effort, auto-attack speed is increased while Thief's Mark is ticking down. Aim for a full stack!

Rolling Lightning may not send opponents running in fear, but it can be used in a variety of situations. A great way to surprise the enemy by quickly closing the gap before going in for a combo strike, this handy combat roll even damages and slows whatever it hits – a great way to lay into an foe who thinks they have their retreat all planned out. Leaving behind traces of damaging lightning too, it can be used to deter enemies running up a lane or simply as a way to retreat. Just be sure to hold and aim when attempted to make a quick getaway. Auto-aim will have you rolling toward danger if simply tapped.

Lastly, there's Chain Hammer Cyclone. This mouthful of a skill can help dish out a mouthful of pain doubling the damage taken by those caught in its vortex. They'll be slowed and take ticks of damage whether you follow up with a barrage of bullets or not, but any other strike from you or your allies will be twice as potent. A great way to to combo your 4-hit bomb for massive damage, it's a great skill for your allies to make use of too.

Skill Order
Due to the low-damage potential of Rolling Thunder and the high reliance on Thiff's Mark, it's strongly recommended you focus on leveling up the latter more than the former. Pick up both when you have the chance, but make sure to maximize both Chain Hammer Cyclone and Thief's Mark before paying much attention to Rolling Lightning. Those two go together just fine, with Rolling Thunder usually being there simply as a way to close in or retreat – a role it fulfils just fine with a single point.

Talents
While the attack speed increase of Roar sounds absolutely perfect for Fennik's setup process, this only really rings true in the early laning phase. By the time you're playing your part in team fights, you won't have much time to rely on another skill. Besides, you'll be picking up enough Attack Speed early on through items and ability buffs for Roar to lose its purpose relatively quickly. It's a decent pick if you're looking to play aggressively early on to increase your chances of snowballling, but most players will benefit more from something else.

Daze enables us to ensure our enemy stays still long enough to get a full stack of Thief's Mark off with the added potential of squeezing in a well-aimed Chain Hammer Cyclone if neceesary. It's a good getaway tool to fend off melee assassins and eager tanks, too, considering a small roll and tiny slowdown are all we have when it comes to retreat tactics.

But as mentioned back in our introduction, most should opt to play Fennik as a Jungler – at least while they're learning the ropes. Picking up Punish will turn him into a Jungle-farming machine with the items that come with it only aiding his thirst for power. Also usable on creep waves, it enables him to clear two in the blink of an eye after throwing Thief's Mark on the first – or saving the ability for a nearby tower.

Items
Like most Marksman hereos we tend to focus on building up Fennik's Attack Power and Attack Speed before much else. Starting with a Short Sword will enable your raw power to quickly jump with a Claves Sancti while increasing our critial hit rate and giving us a short burst of speed to help us kite our opponents during Thief's Mark attempts.

If you're heading into the Jungle, however, pick up Hunter's Crossbow. We'll build into Soulreaver before long, giving us speed, lifesteal, and bonus damage with its Jungle stacks . We'll be able to slow our opponents with the Frostbite Talent it awards as a bonus incentive.

From there, we're upping our critical damage and speed with Slikk's Sting. Some would take Devil's Handshake soon after, but the resulting attack speed buff might not be what you need right now. Grab some defensive boots and and armour. Otherwise, start building Ancestral Glory.You're a very delicate little fox, but your clearing abilities can help fend off game-ending advances in other ways.You just need to survive long enough to do it. Hyoga's Edge is handy here for its bonus slowing auto-attacks.

If your team is holding up well, decide whether you want to go into more Critical Chance with Devil's Handshake or more consistant damage with Fafnir's Talon. Play the round by ear and focus on speed first, power second, and critical last. You're better as a distant prodding machine, and detonating those marks in a group fight with a Cyclone present should be top priority.

Arcana
Compliment your arcana goals by sticking to the same stat ideals with your Red slots. Aim for a healthy mix of attack damage, attack speed, and critical chance. Though with more of the first two coming from items, feel free to focus on topping up your Critical Chance for now. Tier 2 and 3 arcana will look very tempting here, so follow the same rules when you're buying those.

When it comes to Purple arcana slots, spec into Lifesteal if your creep macro is on point – otherwise, focus more on Max HP for that core survival. Either one could be the deciding factor in an unexpected 1V1 matchup, but pairing Fennik's wave and Jungle clearing abilities could see you turning those inconvenient base trips into game-changing wave clears. Tier 2 and 3 arcana can give you extra Attack Speed here, too.

As for greens, Armor Pierce could help break through bulky melee tanks – Fennik's true enemy. Armor could help fend off assailants slipping through your frontlines, but you'll need a lot to turn the tides in a surprise attack. You're very easy to shutdown, meaning you're at your best when quickly tearing through your opponents from a safe distance. Tanks seem to barely feel a thing either way, but your attack speed will show noticable results with a little extra help. Once you start grabbing higher tier arcana, look into doubling up with Max HP.

Early Game
Tackling the early game with Fennik can go one of two ways. He's a skilled Jungler but can hold his own in the 1V1 laning phase just fine. If you managed to secure the Jungle role, grab your Red monster buff first by throwing both Thief's Mark and Punish on your foe. You'll have no trouble here. Heal up with your staple skill soon after and get farming the rest.

Smaller camps won't stand a chance against your stacked Thief's Mark, so save Punish for buff creatures and river monsters. Much sure to pick up Mr. Stabby as soon as you're able.Once camps are clear, use the grass around the river areas and use Rolling Thunder to gank lanes that have pushed too far up. Know when to retreat and get back to farming.

If you're laning yourself you can put Fennik's exceptional range to good use. Poke the enemy while strafing around minions. Kill them close to your target for some bonus Passive explosion damage. You can use Theif's Mark here to shave a lot of health off, but it's best to focus on farming rather than risk an early grave.Fennik's potential starts to drop off very quickly if he doesn't keep up with gold.

Mid Game
Start stealing your opponent's Jungle camps if possible. You'll be dispatching these creatures  within seconds, and denying vital buffs and cash can really hold back the opposing team. Thief's Mark and Punish can make light work of the Abyssal Dragon with the Spirit Sentinel HP Regen being a very handy buff to grab on the way.

Continue ganking lanes if the phase has dragged on a little too long, but be prepared to use your Chain Hammer Cyclone to either create an opening for your team or to help pick off those breaking free of the pack. Remember, its double-damage capabilities stretch to your allies, so it isn't just you who should be making the most of it. If following up with a charged Thief's Mark is too risky don't worry about it. Something is better than nothing, after all. And trading your own life for a quick kill is rarely the answer.

It's at this point you'll start to notice your creep clearing capabilities. A mixture of Punish and Thief's Mark means you're able to keep minion waves pushed back while the rest of your team focuses on holding off enemy heroes. Tossing and charging Thief's Mark on a tower can destroy it within seconds, so learn when to  break out from the pack to put some serious stress on your foes by laying waste to their structures.

Just stay on your toes and don't get too greedy. Expect someone to be right on your tail as a tower falls; and with your most dangerous 1v1 ability used up, it'll soon be open season on your hide.

Late Game
This is when things start to get tricky. You'll begin noticing your significant lack of defense when a badly aimed Rolling Lightning or eager extend will see you shot down in an instant. Either stay back where you're free to toss in the occassional Chain Hammer Cyclone for your allies to make use of, or continue pushing out lanes to ensure your opponents can't advance too much without risking a sneaky defeat.

Diving into a multi-man battle just to get a stack of Thief's End off will usually see you dragged in further or focused down in the chaos. Worse yet, being in the middle of your own Chain Hammer Cyclone with a bunch of your friends and foes will play havoc with your aim. Furthermore, there's a strong possibiltiy any old AOE effect in a moshpit situation will burn you down before you can blink.

Again, Fennik isn't great at 100-to-0 situations. Keep on your toes and strafe around the battlefield. Your staggering auto-attack range and speed will allow you to shoot off respectable amounts of damage from a distance, with the slowdown effects brought on by items and abilities allowing the whole team to advance on a crippled foe. If they're low, you can probably take them on. If they're at max health, focus your attention elsewhere.

The best thing you can do as a Fennik player in a hairy late-game situation is to push back enemy lanes and snipe towers. Doing so will force your opponents to think twice when walking up to knock your front door down as a single high-class minion is enough to hold a tower for Fennik to reduce it to rubble. It won't take long for him to blow up the base with a tiny army behind him. Execute low-health enemies, steal their Jungle buffs, knock down towers, and just be a general fleetfooted nuisence. That's your role here. A distraction.



FAQ/Tips
Rolling Thunder enjoys auto-aiming onto a nearby enemy. Make sure you aim it away from danger if using it as an escape route

You can angle Rolling Thunder across a lane to create a tripwire of lightning enemies might not want to step through

If you know a charged Thief's Mark will kill you target, walk away and let it do its work. You have other things to do

You can use Chain Hammer Cyclone as a getaway tool thanks to its slowdown effect

Rolling through your own Cyclone can double the time a caught enemy stays within its effect

Rolling Thunder is best used as a mobility tool. Try to keep it available just incase.

Matchups
Any high-mobility characters will be a problem for Fennik. While his Thief's Mark can dish out tremendous damage when fully charged, it usually takes his Chain Hammer Cyclone effect to bring them to their knees. Enemies with many mobility skills up their sleeves will be able to break free of its effect before it detonates, mitigated its higher damage potential.

Fennik constantly runs the risk of being singled out by falling victim to the temptation of hitting 4 stacks on whoever recieves his Thief's Mark. A Fennik user needs to know that it explodes for area damage regardless of it hitting max stacks or not. Any that attempt to maximize its potential can be quickly turned against and comboed down in an instant.

Similarly, any characters able to quickly charge toward or pull Fennik back have a high likihood of shutting him down on an equal battlefield. His low defences mean he typically has to be far ahead of his enemy in terms of itemisation to win a straight fight. Tankier heroes like Thane and Omega can easily push through Fennik's strikes to deliver their own crushing barrage with little effort and can reliably escape his double-damage inflicting ultimate ability.

A Fennik should always focus on distant harrassment, aiding teammates with his ultimate, and ensuring lanes remain pushed out. When choosing a target, aim for more vunerable healer/support types and casters than have used up their abilities in team skirmishes. Tanks should usually be mostly ignored unless you're able to keep them away from more vital objectives.