Abathur Build Guide “You. Enhanced. Improved.” (2024)

• Can soak multiple lanes at once, creating an XP lead
• Excellent synergy with specific Heroes
• Both Heroics are viable
• One of the best split-pushing Heroes in the game
• Can teleport anywhere on the map (provided there is vision) using Deep Tunnel
• Toxic Nest is excellent at spotting and dismounting enemies attempting to gank allies or sneak objectives

• Weak early game
• Cannot solo a lane by himself
• Body is extremely vulnerable if found
• Requires very good multitasking and map awareness
• Team must adapt to Abathur's unique gameplay style in order to succeed
• Viability is very dependent on the map and team compositions

Symbiote Build

Recommended

Level 1

Level 4?

Level 7??

Level 10?

Level 13

Level 16?

Level 20?

The Symbiote Build maximises Abathur's team fight presence by taking Talentsthat improve Symbiote's damage dealing Abilities. This team fight presencecomes at the cost of global pressure, as you will lack the huge lane pressureprovided by other builds. Although this is not a build that focuses on pushinglanes, it is still important to soak as much experience as possible.Due to the short range of Symbiote's Abilities, this build is ideally pairedwith a melee assassin who benefits from increased attack speed.

Adrenal Overload will greatly increase the performanceof certain heroes, like Illidan, or Greymane. When the Symbiotehost is not reliant on Basic Attacks, you should get Needlespineinstead. Even though Calldown: MULE will be useful in most games, Vile Nest is also an option in Dragon Shire and Cursed Hollow,since it will provide much control for enemy rotation and objectives. At Level 16 Adrenaline Boost is the standard Talent, but Envenomed Spikes is a great option against team compositionswith limited mobility, since the slow will affect all enemies, greatly disruptingtheir movement. Together with a Dragonblade Genji or Maiev,you can go for Evolutionary Link at Level 20, since the shieldand the extra duration will be incredibly good for those Heroes.

Toxic Nest Build

Situational

Level 1?

Level 4

Level 7?

Level 10

Level 13?

Level 16

Level 20?

Toxic Nest build can be a good choice in situationswhere you do not have viable heroes to place Symbiote on. It excels in maps withconstant rotation, such as Dragon Shire, Blackheart's Bay,Cursed Hollow, Garden of Terror and Towers of Doom.

Even though it sounds interesting to use all your Toxic Nest in the same point, this is not thebest way to abuse this build. We recommend using the Nests between the waves, whilemaking sure they are not very close between them. The main focus is toabuse Vile Nest's slow to delay enemy rotations or to controlthe way towards the objective. It is also very important to always have a Toxic Neston enemy's Mercenary camps, since it will give that information to your team, andsometimes it will even stop their intention in capturing it.

In this build there is not much commitment into Symbiote Talents, for this reasonwe recommend going for Ultimate Evolution, consideringit will be strong nonetheless, since it does not depend on any talents, while EvolveMonstrosity does. Envenomed Nest should be changed to Pressurized Glands if opposing team has good access tosustained-healing, since the damage over time will be negated by their healer.At level 13, Soma Transference is the defaultpick as long as most of your simbiote hosts are frontline Heroes.Therefore, it is better to go for Spatial Efficiency whenbackliners are the hosts. Evolutionary Link can be a goodTalent as well, and you should use the Heroic Ability on your teammate that is havingmore trouble staying alive, since the 35% shield will be applied to them, giving themsome much needed protection.

Locust Strain Build

Not recommended

Level 1

Level 4

Level 7

Level 10

Level 13

Level 16

Level 20?

The Locust Strain Build focuses on talents that produce and enhance Locusts.It excels at creating debilitating static pressure in lanes of your choosing.You can have a significant impact on mid-game team fights via Ultimate Evolution. This build path is mostly not recommended,but sometimesyou will feel like that even with your Symbiote on a Hero you will not win the fights.This happens mostly when enemy team composition is a direct counter to yours.Locust build can be an option in that scenario, but we would still recommendgoing for Symbiote or Toxic Nest build instead. Abathur's power is completelyfocused on Symbiote, building around Locusts is not the best path. Most of theHeroes can easily defend against it, reducing the viability of this build.Other builds are harder for enemies to deal with, and therefore are much more reliable.

This build has the major Power Spike at level 16, since Locust Brood will enable Abathur to push easily when enemies are notdefending. It is crucial to play more aggresive from that point and forward. Ifall enemies are showing in the map, use Deep Tunnelto an empty lane to spawn 4 locusts and retreat.While an enemy is clearing your Locusts, your team can engage a favourable teamfight, but be aware to warn your team by either pinging or even using Ultimate Evolutionand advancing.

Abathur is strong with Heroes who serve as ideal Symbiote hosts, or who aregood targets for Ultimate Evolution. Ideal Symbiote hosts are Heroes thatnaturally position themselves in melee range, or with mobile assassins, that caneasily abuse Symbiote to kill squishy targets.

Abathur's Symbiote and Locusts help him to deny the enemy team experiencewhen objectives spawn, when most Heroes will need to vacate lanes in order torotate. This tactic is directly countered by Heroes who can travel globally,and who waveclear very efficiently. He is also very weak against compositions that canjoin as four to push down a lane. Heroes like Sylvanas, Zaryaor Sgt. Hammer are great for that purpose, and for this reason are a big threatfor Abathur's team.

Abathur's stronger maps

Abathur's average maps

Abathur's weaker maps