Kunkka, the beloved pirate hero, has been making waves in Dota 2 recently. After struggling at The International 2023, he has turned the tides and now boasts an impressive win rate.
According to Dota 2 Pro Tracker, Kunkka’s win rate in high-level ranked games has soared to 54.6 percent. Dotabuff also reports a solid 55 percent win rate across all skill levels. This is a significant improvement from his performance at TI, where his win rate dropped as low as 42 percent.
Currently, Kunkka holds the second-highest win rate among offlaners, only surpassed by Chaos Knight. Even the popular offlane choice, Bristleback, falls short of Kunkka’s success. So, what has changed for the Admiral?
Kunkka’s success can be attributed to his versatile toolkit. He possesses a large health pool, which is advantageous in a meta dominated by Strength and Universal heroes. Additionally, he has good armor and various ways to catch, damage, and stun enemies. His ultimate ability can single-handedly turn the tide of team fights. Furthermore, his Aghanim’s Shard ability provides him with even more crowd control.
The current popular build for Kunkka follows a standard pattern. Players begin with Tangoes, a Quelling Blade, an Iron Branch, Gauntlets of Strength, and a Circlet. They then proceed to build a full Bracer and a Magic Wand, depending on the laning phase. Brown Boots are upgraded to Phase Boots, and items like Blademail, Aghanim’s Scepter, and Aghanim’s Shard are added to the arsenal.
Later in the game, players may opt for a Black King Bar or even a Heart of Tarrasque. Situational items like Refresher Orb, Scythe of Vyse, Shiva’s Guard, and Octarine Core are also considered. This build maximizes Kunkka’s impact in team fights, allowing skilled players to control the outcome of battles.
It is worth noting that Kunkka’s performance at TI did not reflect his current success. Big tournaments often have their own meta, and for some reason, Kunkka failed to shine on that stage. However, it remains to be seen if the Admiral can maintain his impressive win rate after Valve’s post-TI Dota 2 update, which is expected to arrive soon.
Source: DOTESPORTS
