Look At Me! - Medusa Critical Damage Build (S9 Update Conquest) (2024)

Starter

Notes I advise going for health and mana potions separately instead of multi potions. Death's toll will help a lot with sustain (as it is arguably the best ADC starter of the game), so going with only health potions to endure a gank/push can be very helpfull too.

Full Build

Notes Death's Temper can be used for and even more faster atk speed (in which case Silverbranch Bow can be bought instead of Shadowsteel Shuriken

Both Deathbringer morphs suits this build just fine. I feel that the Envenomed poison slow applied on crit hits helps more than the cd% reduction from Malicious in endgame phase

Swap Crusher for another atk speed item. Qin's Sai, Executioner, Atalanta's Bow are solid choices

Medusa's Skill OrderNotes Acid Spray 1st for lane clearing and poke damage
Viper Shot 2nd for single-target damage (with DoT)
Lacerate 3rd for engagement/escape with good damage, root and anti-heal
Petrify on-demand/availability, as one of the most useful ults which can combo with pretty much every other god, do lots of damage and even if doenst stun gazing opponents, it does slow them, allowing for the kill.

Notes

Acid Spray 1st for lane clearing and poke damage
Viper Shot 2nd for single-target damage (with DoT)
Lacerate 3rd for engagement/escape with good damage, root and anti-heal
Petrify on-demand/availability, as one of the most useful ults which can combo with pretty much every other god, do lots of damage and even if doenst stun gazing opponents, it does slow them, allowing for the kill.

Mid Game (before 4th Item)

Notes This should be the initial core of your build. By then, mana and health sustain should be good for this game stage and you should start to focus on dmg output. If still struggling for survival, buying chalice of healing can come in handy to avoid too many fountain travels. And dont forget to get wards to avoid surprise ganks.
The Crusher will be sold later for a better replacement, yet the power spike it provides early game with decent DoT dmg, flat Pen and atk speed buff is highly recommended for this early game.

4th Item alternatives

Notes Wind demon passive will proc a lot on full build, rendering an extra atk speed buff constantly

Odysseus Bow is a wise choice for maximum poke dmg and lane clearance (particularly good for Joust matches) not to mention being the cheapest atk speed item.

Ichaival is a good counter atk speed item and the increased power gained should not be ignored, as it does increase damage, especially on critical hits, mauling enemy ADCs on 1v1's.

Toxic blade is a good option for early anti-heal (Shadowsteel Shuriken also works, yet will only proc on crit hits, rendering it stronger at late game). The movement speed increase is also important, as Medusa's passive does benefit a lot from it while strafing and backpedalling (easier to evade enemy strikes while raining hell on opponnents). Moreover, Toxic blade does have more atk speed increase than the shuriken counterpart, rendering it as a more viable anti-heal option for this build).

Useful itens

Notes Blood forge and Asi are superbs for sustain, while Fail-not and Qin's are great aggressive options.

Cooldowns on Medusa shouldn't be a major issue, but just in case, Jotunn's Wrath should solve this in ability-bases builds -> in crit focused playstyle, go for Fail-not. Hydra's Lament can also help and provide a buff to BA after skills, favoring a hybrid playstyle well with superb mana regen (advise going with Hunter's Cowl starter in this case to keep high atk speed early on).

Qin's Sais with its passive + critical from Rage and Deathbringercrit damage increase can melt down pretty much every tank on opposing team if you got a decent %crit going

Alternatively, as dmg output should already be optimal, Berserkers/ Shifter's Shield can be good choices for increased survivability. Devourer's Gauntlet and Winged Blade are good utility itens, for physical power and lifesteal increase + slow immunity and CC% reduction respectivelly, both ultimately favoring survivability. Mind that Devourer's need a bunch of stacks (so no use of purchasing it on endgame phase)

Fail-not, increased critical chance (for whole team), cooldown and penetration looks good.

Relics

Notes Relic depends mainly on the opponnents, but as usual for ADC, Beads and Aegis are good options.

Hastened Wings relic semms more useful than Blink for me, so let this be a reminder that there are other relics that works fine for chasing/escaping enemies.

Sundering Spear is a must-have facing a Nike/Cu Chullain/Geb

Belt of Frenzy or Horrific Emblem are also viable options, specially for aggressive teams (particularly good choices in Slash game mode)

Alt Crit-pen build

Notes Fail Not is a favorite Medusa item. Combo it with Deathbringer + Wind Demon and you have yourself and all-purpose killer.

Crit Tank Shredder

Notes Crit + Pen + Good atk speed and passives from this build will do fine

Hybrid Shredder

Notes Specially agains Crit-resistant gods or when Crit-builds are not viable, this build can work fine.
Due to mana regen from Hydra's Lament, Hunter's Cowl can be used as starter item to have an early atk speed increase

Dominance/Odysseus

Notes Early game low-atk speed is an issue for me, therefore rushing Asi or even another atk speed item (such as Odysseu's Bow)as 2nd item should adapt fine to your playstyle.

Full Antiheal Crit

Notes Basic atk-based build, stacking Toxic Blade's passive with Shadowsteel Shuriken's.

Dominance + Asi Pen should be enough in this build. Alternatively, Deathbringer can substitute Rage if needed

Hey there! Im a lvl 60 still-learning-my-way-on-ADC-role casual player. Medusa is by far my favorite hunter and first Diamond Rank X god that I got. After started playing on Ranked Joust matches as her, I decided to make my first guide about her and how incredibly aggressive a Med crit build can be.

I know that many itens are not meta-picks for her, but hey, I play for fun and garantee that you will enjoy this build on her.

I hope that you have a good time with this build or that at least I can bring some useful insights for your own medusa builds

Good luck on your next game <3

Upgrading Acid Spray 1st is a must for lane clearing and decent poking dmg. remember to correctly explore the cone damage for optimal usage of the skill. Procing first hit on statues/minions can help to finish off retreating enemies, specially since Lacerate can be blocked by minions/other gods in the path. Stealing buffs/scorpions/harpies while also poking enemy can be a useful asset, as well.

Viper Shot is extremely usefull for burst damage and if activated first, lacerate's root on hit will secure at least the first 2 strikes. This will be your main single target damaging/kill securing ability and should be upgraded second. Note that it does proc a poison DoT.

Lacerate is the escape/engaging ability for Medusa. Since it does root opponnent and provides a reduced healing debuff, it is a good engaging strike, followed by Viper Shot and finish with Acid Spray. By the time all other skills are on cooldown, it should be back up, so a 2nd use should serve as kill secure/escape skill.

Petrify should be upgraded ASAP, as damaging scale will come in handy, specially in teamfights. Although easily countered by quickturning/Purification Beads, the damage and slow applied are of utmost importance for kill secure on chases. Normally, Petrify can be used for engagement and stunned time is more than enough to kill or finish enemy team. It is also viable for procing beads.

**Please, keep in mind your passive penalty-reduced movement speed, as a moving Medusa can be a real challenge to bullseye.

As of early season 8, boots are no more. In this sense, speacial attention to movement speed itens can be a game changing choice, specially mid-game.

Acid Spray now has an anti-heal effect, on top of everything else. Medusa is now unstoppable

Season 9 has come and besides the Critical Hit Chance & Damage system alterations, Medusa Crit Build still excel.