Is Irithel the strongest marksman hero in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang right now?
Many marksmen that have been out of the meta, such as Kimmy, Natan, and Edith were buffed in patch 1.6.84. However, Irithel received such a big change that even pro players like RRQ Hoshi’s Muhammad “Lemon” Ikhsan has been spamming her in ranked games.
Just how strong she is right now in the current meta? Will we finally see her in pro play in the upcoming Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Southeast Asian Cup 2022 (MSC 2022)?
Changes to Irithel in Mobile Legends patch 1.6.82
Before analyzing why she’s a lot stronger compared to other marksman heroes, let’s look at the changes she received this patch.
Passive – Jungle Heart
- The number of bolts on each basic attack decreased from 3 to 2.
- Bolt’s damage increased from 35% physical attack to 55% physical attack.
- Irithel’s skills no longer cost mana.
- She accumulates energy while moving and will shoot an extra bolt on her next basic attack when her energy is full.
Skill 1 – Strafe
- Damage decreased from 450-650 + 60% physical attack to 330-530 + 60% physical attack.
Ultimate – Heavy Crossbow
- New effect: When the ultimate is active, the preparation time of the extra bolt from her passive is significantly shortened.
- Lowered the damage of the enhanced bolts so her overall damage during her ultimate is basically unchanged.
- The 3 best heroes to counter Julian in Mobile Legends
- Galactic Marshal Tigreal arrives in Mobile Legends from the future
Reasons why MLBB players should be picking her in ranked games on the current patch
The biggest change she received was to her passive, Jungle Heart. The unique mechanic where she fires more bolts when her energy is full means that she will deal more damage as long as she keeps moving.
Plus, the additional 20% attack damage on her bolts means she’ll be able to deal more damage against squishy heroes that are popular in the current meta such as Wanwan, Beatrix, and Moskov. The ability to attack while moving will make it much harder for them in a 1v1.
Irithel’s skills also don’t cost mana anymore, so you’ll be able to spam her skills in the laning phase. This alone makes her a formidable hero in the gold lane.
Despite the buffs, one glaring weakness she still has compared to other marksman heroes is her lack of mobility. Sure, she deals a ton of damage now, but one gank from the enemy assassin will be problematic, especially if she doesn’t have Flicker or Purify up.
She is a great pick in pro play if the team can draft heroes to protect her in team fights, as she will definitely be the main damage dealer in the late game. Heroes like Mathilda, Tigreal, Estes, and others who can heal will be valuable.
Overall, Irithel is a solid pick right now and has huge potential to carry in the late game if you manage to get ahead from the early to mid game. Expect more players to lock her in your ranked games!
Follow ONE Esports on Facebook for more Mobile Legends: Bang Bang news, updates, and guides.
READ MORE: The 3 best heroes to counter Clint in Mobile Legends
