Gusion splash art
Assassin

Gusion

Assassin rated 90 physical offense, 30 durability, 80 difficulty in Moonton's in-game data, built around the passive Dagger Specialist.

Gusion is an Assassin hero in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang who excels at burst magic damage and high mobility. He is known for his intricate dagger mechanics, allowing him to dive into enemy lines, eliminate high-priority targets, and swiftly escape. Mastering Gusion requires precise skill execution and quick decision-making to unleash his full potential as a deadly magic damage dealer.

Offense — Physical90
Offense — Magical10
Durability30
Difficulty80

Build guide Matchups & counters

Skills, ratings and recommended gear on this page are read directly from Moonton's official in-game hero data for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang — not scraped from another fan site, and nothing is invented to fill a gap. Data retrieved .

Written by EllieAnth — playing MLBB since 2017 (9+ years), peak rank Mythical Immortal, 1126 stars.

Assessment

Strengths & weaknesses

Understanding Gusion's inherent advantages and disadvantages is key to playing him effectively on the battlefield.

  • Exceptional Burst Damage: Gusion boasts a very high offense score, indicating his primary role as a damage dealer. His skills, particularly Sword Spike and Shadowblade Slaughter, combined with his passive, allow him to quickly eliminate squishy targets. The ability to reset skill cooldowns with Incandescence further amplifies his burst potential, making him a formidable threat to priority enemies.
  • High Mobility and Elusiveness: His kit revolves around dashing and repositioning. Sword Spike allows him to teleport to marked enemies, and Incandescence provides two dashes, one for engagement and another for repositioning or escape. This makes him incredibly difficult to catch and allows for aggressive plays followed by swift, safe retreats.
  • Strong Finishing Potential: His passive, Dagger Specialist, deals additional damage based on the target's lost HP, making him excellent at executing low-health enemies. This synergizes well with his burst damage, ensuring kills are secured and enemies cannot easily escape with a sliver of health.
  • Very Low Durability: With a low durability score, Gusion is extremely fragile. He cannot sustain prolonged fights and is highly vulnerable to crowd control and focused damage. Mispositioning or failing to execute his combo perfectly often results in instant death, requiring careful engagement.
  • High Skill Ceiling and Difficulty: Gusion has a high difficulty score, making him one of the hardest heroes to master. His complex skill combinations, reliance on precise aim for Sword Spike, and the need for quick decision-making under pressure demand significant practice and mechanical skill to play him optimally.
  • Vulnerable to Crowd Control: Due to his low durability and reliance on chaining skills, Gusion is easily shut down by hard crowd control. If he is stunned or silenced during his combo, he becomes an easy target and loses all his offensive and defensive capabilities, often leading to his quick elimination.

Kit

Skills

Passive

Dagger Specialist

Each skill cast adds a rune to Gusion's dagger (stacks up to 4 times). Each stack enhances Gusion's next Basic Attack to deal additional damage equal to 3% of the target's lost HP and restore 50 (+25% Total Magic Power) HP to himself.

Because this skill's damage is based on the target's missing HP, it's suitable for finishing off enemies.

Skill 1

Sword Spike

Gusion throws a dagger in the target direction, dealing 200 (+50% Total Magic Power) Magic Damage to the first enemy hit and marking them.
Use Again: Gusion moves behind the marked enemy, dealing 200 (+100% Total Magic Power) Magic Damage to them. This skill cannot be interrupted while Gusion is moving behind the marked enemy.

  • 200 + 50% Total Magic Power Magic
  • 200 + 100% Total Magic Power Magic

Using Sword Spike after using Incandescence when near the target will greatly increase its hit rate.

Skill 2

Shadowblade Slaughter

Gusion throws a volley of daggers in the target direction, each dealing 100 (+40% Total Magic Power) Magic Damage to enemies hit and slowing them by 6% for 2s (when hit by multiple daggers, the slow effect can stack up to 30%).
Use Again: Gusion recalls the daggers, each dealing 65 (+40% Total Magic Power) Magic Damage to enemies in its path.

  • 100 + 40% Total Magic Power Magic
  • 65 + 40% Total Magic Power Magic

After using Incandescence, you can use this skill again immediately and recover 10 daggers, dealing high damage.

Ultimate

Incandescence

Gusion dashes to the target location, resetting the cooldown of Sword Spike and Shadowblade Slaughter. If Shadowblade Slaughter was cast once before the reset, Gusion can throw another five daggers on his next Shadowblade Slaughter cast, and recall a total of ten daggers afterward.
Use Again: Gusion dashes a short distance in the target direction.

Incandescence's second cast can not only be used to escape, but can also be used to get closer to a fleeing target and finish them off.

Gusion's unique dagger mechanics and skill resets define his playstyle. Mastering each ability is crucial for unleashing his full potential.

  • Passive: Dagger Specialist: Each skill cast adds a rune, enhancing Gusion's next Basic Attack to deal bonus damage based on the target's lost HP and restore 50 (+25% Total Magic Power) HP. This is crucial for finishing off low-health enemies and providing sustain; always weave basic attacks between skills to maximize this effect.
  • Skill 1: Sword Spike: Gusion throws a dagger (200 flat + 50% scaling (Total Magic Power, Magic)) to mark an enemy. A second cast teleports him behind the marked enemy, dealing high damage (200 flat + 100% scaling (Total Magic Power, Magic)). This high Magic Power scaling makes it a potent burst and engagement tool, vital for single-target elimination, especially as you build Magic Power items.
  • Skill 2: Shadowblade Slaughter: Gusion throws daggers (100 flat + 40% scaling (Total Magic Power, Magic) each) that slow, and recalling them deals additional damage (65 flat + 40% scaling (Total Magic Power, Magic) each). This is his main area-of-effect damage and wave clear, maximizing impact when enemies are hit by both outgoing and incoming daggers.
  • Ultimate: Incandescence: Gusion dashes, resetting the cooldowns of Sword Spike and Shadowblade Slaughter. This is the core of his burst combos. If Skill 2 was used before, its next cast is empowered, throwing more daggers. A second dash provides escape or chase, defining his high-mobility playstyle and enabling rapid repositioning.

Items

Starlium Scythe

Unique Passive - Crisis: Within 3s after casting a skill, the caster's next Basic Attack will deal additional True Damage equal to 100 plus 100% Magic Power and briefly grant 10% Movement Speed. This effect has a 1.5s cooldown.

Ice Hunter's Magic Boots

Unique Passive - Hunter: After dealing damage to a Creep, deal 25 + True Damage to the target over 3s (damage is increased by 100% for non-Marksmen heroes).

Holy Crystal

Unique Passive - Mystery: Gains 21%-35% extra Magic Power (scales with level).

Concentrated Energy

Unique Passive - Recharge: Increases Magic Power by 5 after dealing Magic Damage (this effect stacks up to 6 times and can only gain 1 stack every 0.4s). When reaching full stacks, increases Magic Damage by 12% for 3s.

Fleeting Time

Unique Passive - Timestream: Hero kills or assists reduce the Ultimate's current cooldown by 30%.

Divine Glaive

Unique Passive - Spellbreaker: When attacking an enemy, gains 0.1% extra Magic Penetration for each point of the enemy's Magic Defense, capped at 20%.

This recommended build focuses on maximizing Gusion's magic damage, mobility, and cooldown reduction to enable his rapid-fire combos.

  • Starlium Scythe: Its Unique Passive - Crisis adds True Damage (100 plus 100% Magic Power) to Gusion's next Basic Attack after a skill, synergizing perfectly with his passive for amplified burst and improved mobility. This item is fundamental for weaving empowered basic attacks into his combos.
  • Ice Hunter's Magic Boots: Accelerates jungle clear with its Unique Passive - Hunter, dealing True Damage to creeps. This enables Gusion to farm faster, gaining crucial gold and experience to reach his power spikes more quickly as an Assassin.
  • Holy Crystal: A significant power spike, granting 21%-35% extra Magic Power (scaling with level) through its Unique Passive - Mystery. This dramatically boosts Gusion's high Magic Power scalings on all his abilities, making his burst damage lethal, especially on Sword Spike's second dash.
  • Concentrated Energy: Provides Magic Power and Spell Vamp. Its Unique Passive - Recharge stacks Magic Power and boosts Magic Damage by 12% at full stacks, offering consistent damage amplification and valuable sustain during Gusion's rapid-fire combos.
  • Fleeting Time: Crucial for ultimate availability. Its Unique Passive - Timestream reduces Incandescence's current cooldown by 30% on hero kills or assists. This allows Gusion to use his ultimate more frequently, increasing his engagement and escape potential, and snowballing advantages in team fights.
  • Divine Glaive: Essential for countering magic defense. Its Unique Passive - Spellbreaker grants Magic Penetration based on enemy Magic Defense, ensuring Gusion's high burst cuts through tankier targets and maintains his threat against all enemy heroes in the late game.

Coaching

Playstyle tips

Gusion's high difficulty demands precise execution and strategic thinking. Here are key tips to master his gameplay.

  • Master Your Combos: Gusion's high difficulty score highlights the need for precise execution. Practice his core combos in practice mode. A common sequence involves using Skill 1 to mark a target, then Ultimate to reset cooldowns, followed by empowered Skill 2, then Skill 1 again to dash, and finally Skill 2 again to recall daggers. Weave in basic attacks after each skill cast to trigger Dagger Specialist and Starlium Scythe's passive for maximum damage and sustain.
  • Prioritize Squishy Targets: With a high offense score and burst potential, Gusion excels at eliminating enemy damage dealers or supports. Look for opportunities to dive onto Marksmen, Mages, or other Assassins who have low durability. Your goal is to get in, burst them down, and get out before you take too much damage.
  • Utilize Mobility for Engagement and Escape: Gusion's multiple dashes from Sword Spike and Incandescence are not just for offense. Use Incandescence's first dash to initiate or reposition, and its second dash for a quick escape or to chase down fleeing enemies. This high mobility is crucial for survival given his low durability. Always have an escape plan or a second dash ready.
  • Farm Efficiently: As an Assassin, Gusion relies heavily on items to reach his power spikes. Use Shadowblade Slaughter to quickly clear minion waves and jungle camps. Ice Hunter's Magic Boots will further enhance your jungle clear speed. Efficient farming ensures you acquire your core items like Holy Crystal and Starlium Scythe as quickly as possible to maximize your damage output.
  • Be Mindful of Crowd Control: Gusion is extremely vulnerable to crowd control due to his low durability. Avoid engaging when key enemy crowd control abilities are available. Wait for enemies to use their stuns or silences on your teammates before committing to an engage. If you get caught, your low durability means you will likely be eliminated instantly.

Matchups

Counters

Best ally

Angela

Angela’s “Heartguard” can improve the Durability of Gusion. This will help Gusion to deal damage to enemies after he dash into the battle.

Counters

Pharsa

It is hard for Pharsa to escape from Gusion. Even though Pharsa use “Wings by Wings”, Gusion can catch and execute Pharsa by using “Sword Spike” and “Incandescence”.

Countered by

Lolita

Gusion’s daggers of “Sword Spike”and “Shadowblade Slaughter” will be counteracted by the shield provided by Lolita’s “Guardian's Bulwark”. This will largely lower the damage Gusion deal to his enemies.

Understanding Gusion's interactions with other heroes can give you a significant advantage in battle.

  • Best Teammate: Angela: Angela is an excellent partner for Gusion because her “Heartguard” ultimate can significantly improve Gusion's durability. When Gusion dives into the enemy backline, Angela can attach to him, providing a shield and healing. This extra survivability allows Gusion to sustain longer in fights, enabling him to deal more damage and secure kills without being instantly eliminated due to his naturally low durability.
  • Strong Against: Pharsa: Gusion excels against Pharsa because her escape options are limited against his high mobility and burst. Even if Pharsa uses her “Wings by Wings” to transform and gain movement speed, Gusion can still catch and execute her. His “Sword Spike” and “Incandescence” allow him to close distances rapidly and stick to her, preventing her from safely disengaging and making her an easy target for his burst damage.
  • Weak Against: Lolita: Lolita poses a significant threat to Gusion due to her “Guardian's Bulwark” skill. This ability creates a shield that can block incoming projectiles. Gusion's primary damage comes from his “Sword Spike” and “Shadowblade Slaughter” daggers, which are all projectiles. Lolita's shield can completely nullify a large portion of Gusion's burst damage, severely reducing his effectiveness in team fights and making it difficult for him to eliminate targets protected by her.

In practice

A practical scenario

Here's a common scenario and combo sequence for Gusion to eliminate a squishy enemy Mage in a teamfight:

  1. Skill 1 (Sword Spike): Cast the first part of Sword Spike towards the enemy Mage to mark them. This deals 200 flat + 50% Magic Power damage.
  2. Ultimate (Incandescence): Immediately activate Incandescence, dashing towards the Mage. This crucial step resets the cooldowns of Sword Spike and Shadowblade Slaughter.
  3. Skill 2 (Shadowblade Slaughter): Quickly cast the empowered Shadowblade Slaughter. Because you used it after Incandescence, it will throw an increased number of daggers (100 flat + 40% Magic Power per dagger) and slow the target.
  4. Skill 1 (Sword Spike) (second cast): Use the second part of Sword Spike to dash directly behind the marked Mage, dealing 200 flat + 100% Magic Power damage. Weave in a basic attack to trigger Dagger Specialist and Starlium Scythe.
  5. Skill 2 (Shadowblade Slaughter) (second cast): Immediately recall the daggers from Shadowblade Slaughter, dealing another wave of damage (65 flat + 40% Magic Power per dagger) to the Mage. Weave in another basic attack.
  6. Ultimate (Incandescence) (second cast): If the Mage is eliminated or you need to escape, use the second dash of Incandescence to reposition to safety or chase down another low-health target. This rapid sequence allows Gusion to burst a priority target and reposition effectively.

Summary

Key takeaways

To truly master Gusion and dominate the Mobile Legends battlefield, keep these actionable decisions in mind:

  1. Prioritize Magic Power and Cooldown Reduction: Build items like Holy Crystal and Concentrated Energy to maximize your Magic Power, directly boosting the damage of all your abilities, especially Sword Spike's 100% Magic Power scaling. Incorporate Fleeting Time to reduce your ultimate's cooldown, allowing for more frequent engagements and escapes.
  2. Weave Basic Attacks for Burst and Sustain: Consistently integrate basic attacks between your skill casts to trigger Gusion's passive, Dagger Specialist, and the True Damage passive from Starlium Scythe. This significantly amplifies your burst damage and provides crucial healing, enhancing both your offensive output and sustain.
  3. Master the Incandescence Reset: Practice using Incandescence to reset the cooldowns of Sword Spike and Shadowblade Slaughter. This is the core of Gusion's burst potential. Ensure you understand how to empower Shadowblade Slaughter by casting it once before the ultimate reset for maximum dagger output.
  4. Target Fragile Enemies and Exploit Mobility: Given Gusion's high offense and low durability, always aim for squishy enemy damage dealers or supports. Use your multiple dashes from Sword Spike and Incandescence to quickly engage, burst them down, and then disengage before you become vulnerable to counter-attacks.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How does Gusion's passive, Dagger Specialist, enhance his damage and sustain?

Gusion's passive, Dagger Specialist, adds a rune to his dagger with each skill cast, stacking up to 4 times. His next Basic Attack consumes these stacks to deal additional damage equal to 3% of the target's lost HP, making it an effective finisher. It also restores 50 (+25% Total Magic Power) HP to Gusion, providing crucial sustain during skirmishes and prolonged fights.

Which items are crucial for Gusion to maximize his burst damage and why?

Items like Holy Crystal and Starlium Scythe are crucial for Gusion's burst. Holy Crystal provides 21%-35% extra Magic Power, significantly boosting the scaling damage of skills like Sword Spike (100% Total Magic Power on its second cast). Starlium Scythe's Unique Passive - Crisis adds True Damage equal to 100 plus 100% Magic Power to his next Basic Attack after a skill, perfectly synergizing with Gusion's skill-weaving playstyle and Dagger Specialist passive.

How does Gusion's ultimate, Incandescence, enable his complex combos?

Gusion's ultimate, Incandescence, is the cornerstone of his combos because its first cast resets the cooldowns of both Sword Spike and Shadowblade Slaughter. This allows Gusion to chain his abilities, effectively casting them twice in quick succession for massive burst damage. Additionally, if Shadowblade Slaughter was used before Incandescence, the ultimate empowers its next cast to throw and recall more daggers, further increasing his damage output.

What makes Gusion a difficult hero to master in Mobile Legends?

Gusion has a high difficulty score of 80 primarily due to his reliance on precise skill execution and complex combo chaining. Players must accurately land his Sword Spike, manage multiple skill casts and resets from Incandescence, and weave in basic attacks, all while navigating his low durability. Mastering his mobility for both engagement and escape requires significant practice and quick decision-making.

How does Lolita counter Gusion's damage output?

Lolita effectively counters Gusion's damage through her “Guardian's Bulwark” skill. This ability creates a shield that blocks incoming projectiles. Since Gusion's primary damage sources, “Sword Spike” and “Shadowblade Slaughter,” are both projectile-based skills, Lolita can nullify a significant portion of his burst damage by activating her shield, greatly reducing his effectiveness in engagements against her or her protected allies.

Keep reading

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