ARTICLE
ARMILLARY SASH
While there are no indications of
WIND FIRE WHEELS
Any sort of flying ability in SMITE
its usage in Ne Zha’s myth, it is always portrayed
is sure to have an interesting mechanic tied to
around his shoulders in paintings and statues. Again,
it, and Ne Zha’s may be the most interesting of
SMITE successfully reproduces one of the established
all. In old Chinese dramas depicting Ne Zha, he
features of Ne Zha by adding the sash to his kit and
is almost always gifted the ability to soar across
keeping in red in colour. In game, the ability hits
the skies. Likewise in SMITE, Ne Zha grabs his
a target and stuns them as Ne Zha pulls himself
target, brings them to the sky, and strikes them
towards his prey. Ne Zha is then positioned face-to-
through a mini-game in which a well-timed
face with his target - a shout-out to his fearlessness
play will result in critical strikes. Each of these
when he confronted Ao Kuang, perhaps? This ability
hits involve Ne Zha striking them in mid air at
can be seen as a sort of method to tie his kit together
light speed using his Wind Fire Wheels. This is
instead of an actual weapon that he used in the fables.
a common sight in many showings of Ne Zha’s
It wouldn’t make much sense to use this ability alone.
capabilities. No qualms about inaccuracies here.
Since Ne Zha ends up face- to- face with an enemy
To round everything up, Hi Rez’s take on Ne Zha
god, it presents the perfect opportunity to activate
is almost identical to the way he is depicted in many
Flaming Spear to get those Critical Strikes in, making
sources. From his model design to the abilities in
it a deadly combination. If there are multiple targets
his kit, it all fits very well to the myths of the Third
in the area, finishing the combo with his Universal
Lotus Prince. If lore accuracy was the idea driving
Ring Toss may well finish the enemy as well.
this god in SMITE, Hi Rez has done well, very well. ■
By Timothy Tian
40 The Official SMITE Magazine Issue #19
The GameOn Magazine