Overview and Core Identity
King Arthur is a melee Assassin / Fighter in Smite who excels at diving backline targets and trading heavily in lane. His kit combines sustained damage, healing, and strong late-game survivability through shields and healing amps, making him effective in both Conquest and Arena when built to his strengths. This evergreen guide explains how to build King Arthur in Smite with reliable item paths, ability sequencing, rune setups, and matchup considerations that remain relevant across patches.
Core Build Structure
Standard King Arthur builds prioritize Lifesteal and Omnivamp early to maximize waveclear and sustain, followed by survivability and damage spikes. For most Conquest and Arena games, aim for a core centered around a damage mythic, a tanky or semi-tank middle item, and a late-game defensive second mythic or situational damage piece. Below is a typical item progression path with common pivots.
Core Items
| Item Category | Item Name | Primary Purpose | Playstyle Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | Hastened Katana | Sustain and early damage | Improves trades and dueling |
| Mythic 1 | Soul Reaver | Burst and omnivamp | Enables aggressive all-ins |
| Mythic 2 | Stone of Gaia | Sustain and durability | Improves teamfighting and survivability |
| Situational 1 | Hide of the Ursa | Physical protection and lifesteal | Essential against heavy basic-attack damage |
| Situational 2 | Magi’s Blessing | Power and mana sustainability | Strengthens magical damage and mana pool |
| Late-Game | Warding Bracers | Cooldown reduction and protections | Increases uptime and survivability |
| Late-Game | Bumba’s Mask | On-hit effects and protections | Adds waveclear and anti-heal |
Starting and Early Game
Start with Hastened Katana and a Health Potion when possible; this gives early sustain and damage for level 1–2 skirmishes. On Assassin or aggressive builds, consider Tier 1 boots and an early Relic to pressure lanes. Aim to hit level 3 as soon as you can to unlock your full combo: Basic → 1 → 2 → Basic → 3. Early game objectives matter; secure side jungle camps to gain levels and punish enemy over-extensions.
Ability Order and Rune Setup
Ability Priority
- Maximize damage and sustain with this priority: 1 > 2 > 3.
- Take level 1 of your Ultimate at level 6, then level it whenever possible.
- Use 2 for waveclear and healing amp; use 3 for mobility and repositioning in fights.
Recommended Rune Paths
| Role | Primary Path | Key Choices | Secondary Path | Key Choices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assassin | Assassin | Blade of the Throne, Cheap Shot, Sudden Impact, Eye of the Tyrant | Domination | Taste of Blood, Ravenous Healing |
| Tank/Fighter | Guardian | Shield of Thorns, Bone Plating, Unflinching, Conditioning | Resistance | Second Wind, Overgrowth |
Mid-Game Power Spikes
Around levels 9–13, King Arthur hits a critical power window. With Soul Reaver and one mythic completed, he can threaten backline carries in teamfights. Look to engage when enemies are low on key abilities or isolated. Position behind frontline tanks, use 2 to absorb burst, and time 3 to dodge key CC or escape. If ahead, roam to help other lanes secure kills; if behind, prioritize split pushing with 2’s healing amp and clear waves safely.
Late-Game Teamfighting and Positioning
In late-game fights, treat King Arthur as a diver who must balance risk and reward. Build tankiness when facing heavy burst or crowd control, and consider a second mythic like Stone of Gaia for sustain in prolonged fights. Use the environment to block skillshots, bait enemy ultimates, and wait for your Assassinate target to overstep. A well-timed ultimate can swing teamfights, so save it for decisive moments or to secure key enemy targets.
Counters and Matchup Tips
- Long-range mages: Build early Magic Protection (Hide of the Ursa or similar) and time dives when they exhaust key abilities.
- High-burst assassins: Maintain vision, play around your backline, and use 3 to dodge their initial engage.
- Waveclear comps: Use 2’s healing amp to outclear siegers; play around ganks and contest objectives when possible.
- Peel-heavy teams: Focus on isolated targets, use slows from abilities and basic attacks, and coordinate with your crowd control.
Practice and Improvement
Mastering King Arthur in Smite comes from understanding when to commit and when to disengage. Track enemy cooldowns, monitor objective timers, and adjust your build to the flow of the match. Record your games to review positioning and decision-making around teamfights. Consistent mechanics, smart pathing, and timely roams will increase your impact whether you’re playing King Arthur as an Assassin burst carry or a durable Fighter who can turn fights with a single well-timed ultimate.