Popol and Kupa is not a hero you typically encounter in ranked matches, let alone in professional play.
However, Blacklist International defied expectations during the MPL PH Season 12 playoffs by showcasing the versatility of jungle Popol and Kupa.
| GET AHEAD OF THE COMPETITION WITH OUR COLLECTION OF MLBB GUIDES |
| Full list of MLBB hero guides, counters, best build, and advanced combos |
| Full list of Mobile Legends guides: Role guides, how to rank up, terms |
In the tournament, Blacklist International‘s jungler, Stephen “Sensui” Castillo, opted for a jungle Popol and Kupa pick in two separate matches against ONIC PH where he demonstrated that this off-meta marksman hero is a viable option in specific circumstances.
Let’s delve into how he achieved this feat.
- Mobile Legends Diggie guide: Best build, skills, emblem, combos
- 3 reasons why Dominance Ice is a must-buy for all tanks
How can you make Jungle Popol and Kupa work in ranked?
In the first game, Sensui made a strategic decision to select Popol and Kupa as a last pick, pitting them against an opposing lineup consisting of Valentina, Akai, Irithel, Chou, and Dyrroth.
While Sensui didn’t secure any kills during the game, he played a pivotal role, utilizing Popol and Kupa’s traps and crowd-control abilities effectively in team fights.
This contributed significantly to their success as they managed to conclude the game in just 10 minutes with an impressive 6-0 kill score.
In this match, Sensui chose the Assassin emblem, focusing on adaptive penetration, attack, and movement speed boosts. For talents, he opted for Fatal to gain an extra 5% critical chance and a 10% increase in critical damage.
Additionally, he went for Weapons Master to benefit from bonus attack damage and Quantum Charge, which provided extra HP regeneration and movement speed with each basic attack.
As for his itemization, Sensui built offensive items such as Windtalker, Blade of Despair, and ultimately aimed for Berserker’s Fury.
Best build for jungle Popol and Kupa in Mobile Legends
- Tough Boots (with Ice retribution)
- Windtalker
- Blade of Despair
- Berserker’s Fury
- Haas’ Claws
- Malefic Roar
It’s also important that the enemy team didn’t have any assassin heroes, a threat you should look out for because Popol and Kupa can be easily eliminated with burst damage.
Follow ONE Esports on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for MLBB news, guides, and updates.
READ MORE: 3 best gold lane mage heroes to counter marksmen in Mobile Legends
