Hey, this guide is brought to you by TottiGR! I started playing Smite on PC in February 2014. I have been playing competitive since 2016 and I have been a professional Smite player between March 2020 to July 2023. I have played in different teams like JustF6, Gilded Gladiators or Tartarus Titans this last year. I have peaked 3500 MMR GM/Masters in Ranked Conquest on PC every season since 2017. I also made Smite Masters (LAN) 4 times in 2022 so I really think I have the knowledge about guiding about the ADC role. I hope you find this guide as a useful learning resource for playing Neith as an ADC.
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Hi, this guide is brought to you by lestimics. I started playing Smite 1 on PC in 2014. I've been playing competitively since 2020 and have been a professional Smite player from 2021 to 2023. I've played on different teams like JustF6, Gilded Gladiators or Tartarus Titans.
You can check out the SmiteVOD YouTube channel where my recorded professional games are. I've peaked at 3500 MMR GrandMaster/Masters in Ranked Conquest on the PC platform every season since 2018. I've also done Smite Masters (LAN) 4 times in 2022, so I really think I have the knowledge to guide on the Solo role in SMITE 2.
I hope you find this guide as a useful learning resource for playing as Solo.
Here are my socials:
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Hey there, I go by Dashboarrd and I'm a Grandmaster Support Conquest player. I've competed in the SCC (Smite Challenger Circuit) and I have won SOC (Smite Open Circuit). I have also won plenty of gem tourneys during the weekends, such as Iced and Vulpis. I have put in many hours into Smite and in particular Ares. I hope this guide can give you some new direction with Ares if you're struggling with him, or just improve your overall Ares gameplay.
You can reach out to me via the following channels:
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Recent Guide Updates:
2025/1/26: Guide is/should be generally current as of Patch 12.1, "Laughs of the Past." Nut added. General information updated. Tier lists updated. Unlikely to be many more updates as we shift focus to SMITE 2.
2023/12/14: Guide is current as of Patch 10.13, "Yokai of Despair." Bake Kujira added. ADC builds updated.
2023/9/13: Guide is current as of Patch 10.9 Bonus Update. General info updated. ADC builds and Support items updated. Starting processes and items for all roles updated. Tier lists updated. (Warding in process.)
2023/1/26: Guide is current as of Patch 10.1, "The Fire Giant." General info updated. Surtr added. ADC builds and Support items updated. Starting processes and items for all roles updated. Tier lists updated. (Warding in process.)
2022/12/2: Guide is current as of Patch 9.11 Bonus Update. ADC builds updated. Maui added. General info updated. Tier lists updated.
2022/10/12: Guide is current as of Patch 9.9 Bonus Update. ADC builds updated. Tier lists updated.
2022/8/28: Guide is current as of Patch 9.7 Bonus 2 Update. Ishtar added. ADC builds updated. General info updated.
2022/8/2: Guide is current as of Patch 9.7 Bonus 2 Update. Lancelot added. General info updated.
2022/5/31: Guide is current as of Patch 9.5, "Slipknot." General info updated. ADC builds updated. Tier lists updated.
2022/4/19: Guide is current as of Patch 9.5 Bonus Balance. Adjusted information based on various general changes to objectives.
2022/4/19: Guide is current as of Patch 9.4, "The Jade Emperor." Yu Huang added. General info updated. Tier lists updated.
2022/3/28: Guide is current as of Patch 9.3, "Heavenly Light." Tier lists updated.
2022/2/24: Guide is current as of Patch 9.2, "The Destroyer." Shiva added.
2022/2/8: Guide is current as of Patch 9.1 Bonus Update. New maps utilized in various chapters, updated info on starts, relics, etc. ADC builds updated.
2021/12/17: Guide is current as of Patch 8.12, "Titan of the Cosmos."
2021/11/30: Guide is current as of Patch 8.11 Bonus Update. Updated ADC builds (thanks Kriega!), general info and starting item evaluations.
2021/11/8: Guide is current as of Patch 8.10 Bonus Update. Continued work on visual enhancements, added Cliodhna.
2021/9/21: Guide is current as of Patch 8.9, "Cleanliness vs. Godliness.". General conquest details updated. ADC builds updated. Starting items updated.
2021/9/2: Guide is current as of Patch 8.8, "The Ceaseless Whirlpool.". Charybdis added. Clarification and added writeup on offensive and defensive lane freezing added. Tier lists updated.
2021/7/13: Guide is current as of Patch 8.7, "Mid-Season.". Morgan Le Fay added. ADC builds updated. Starting itemization and processes updated. Tier lists updated.
2021/5/18: Guide is current as of Patch 8.5, "Monstercat.". ADC builds updated. Gilgamesh added. Tier lists updated.
2021/4/12: Guide is current as of Patch 8.3 Bonus Update. ADC builds updated. Tier lists updated.
2021/3/19: Guide is current as of Patch 8.2 Bonus Update. ADC builds updated. Tier lists updated.
2021/3/3: Guide is current as of Patch 8.2, "Goddess of the Salt Sea.". Tiamat added. Minor general Conquest details updated.
2021/2/15: Guide is current as of Patch 8.1, Bonus Update. Minor adjustments, and added some gods back into the Solo categories per Big damage's suggestion.
2021/2/3: Guide is current as of Patch 8.1, "Season 8.". The new season is here! Brand new Conquest map with a slew of new art, features and minions. New categorization of gods used in each role, with a focus on viability. New Starter Items + Upgrades. Added info on Global Anti-Heal Aura. All starting items and starting processes updated. Hunter Builds Updated. Warding maps updated. Tier lists updated. Big thanks to Didacted for a lot of help in multiple areas of the guide, as well as official Smite Discord feedback from mentor Malcaster and SF Veterans Kriega1 and Big damage.
2020/12/21: Guide has been updated for mobile-friendly function.
2020/11/19: Guide is current as of Patch 7.12, "The Legendary Tanuki.". Danzaburou added. Tier lists updated.
2020/11/19: Guide is current as of Patch 7.11, "TMNT.". Tier lists updated.
2020/10/20: Guide is current as of Patch 7.10 Bonus Update. Loki rework is live, HS / Serrated nerfs, high-performing gods nerfed. Tier lists updated. Jungler / Solo starting processes updated.
2020/9/10: Made some adjustments to hunter builds.
2020/9/10: Guide is current as of Patch 7.9, "Odyssey: Reckoning". A few Hunter builds have been added back in.
2020/8/27: Guide is current as of Patch 7.8, Bonus Update. Tsukuyomi added (Solo and Jungle roles), tier lists updated, some item starts updated, other minor adjustments.
2020/7/13: Guide is current as of Patch 7.7, "Mid-Season". Cthulhu added, general information updated, tier list updated, hunter builds on hold, Solo starting items updated.
2020/6/3: Guide is current as of Patch 7.5, Bonus Balance.
2020/4/24: Guide is current as of Patch 7.4, "Witch of the Woods". Baba Yaga added, hunter builds updated, some role starts revised. Tier lists updated.
2020/3/24: Guide is current as of Patch 7.3, "Grim Omens". Mulan added as part of Patch 7.2, "The Ascendant Warrior."
2020/1/29: Guide is current (but a work in progress) as of Patch 7.1, "Season 7." Significant adjustments to the Conquest map, Jungle buffs and spawn timers, minion values, new Jungle camps, new items...you get the point. Bastet and Odin reworks. The various changes have been revised (lots of info, I've possibly missed some, please let me know if you spot any), Carry builds revised, tier lists mostly wiped clean except for one by fineokay (to be re-added as they are produced), map info updated, starting items revised, starting processes revised, warding updated.
I'll be watching how the meta develops and making adjustments as needed.
2019/12/11: Guide is current as of Patch 6.13, "The Vigilant." Heimdallr added.
2019/10/22: Guide is current as of Patch 6.11, "Goddess of Rivers." Yemoja added (only to Support listing for now). Tier lists updated.
2019/9/18: Guide is current as of Patch 6.10, "Odyssey: Underworld."
2019/8/22: Guide is current as of Patch 6.9, "Queen of the Underworld." Persephone added. Revision to Solo lane starts. Tier lists updated. Other minor adjustments.
2019/8/1: Guide is current as of Patch 6.8, "Mid Season." Map finally updated. Hunter (ADC) builds updated. Contagion added in Early Support items listing/discussion. Tier lists updated.
2019/7/3: Guide is current as of Patch 6.7, "Ruler of the Heavens." Hunter builds updated. Olorun added.
2019/5/29: Guide is current as of Patch 6.6, "Neo Olympia." Minor changes to Fire Giant and Primal Fury, various god buffs/nerfs. Added additional hunter build. Revamped all role "101" intro sections for better clarity. Updated tier lists. Added Set to Mid-Lane and Solo-Lane categories. Added a video from Kitten of Doom for how to use keyboard to chat on XBox.
2019/5/2: Guide is current as of Patch 6.5, "Sands & Skies." Horus and Set added. Hunter builds adjusted.
2019/4/25: Mostly minor fixes, thanks to the keen eyes of NitroC and PsiGuard. Added more Jungler starts (didn't really have any magical god options other than shoes listed, oops). Added Ao Kuang to the Solo list.
2019/4/4: Guide is current as of Patch 6.4, "Darkness Falls." Updated Hunter builds.
2019/3/18: Guide is current as of Patch 6.2, "The World Serpent." Updated Hunter builds, updated Tier lists.
2019/2/11: Guide is (mostly) current as of Patch 6.1, "Season 6." King Arthur and Merlin added, minion info updated. ADC builds updated. Starting itemization adjusted here and there. Added a "Playing From Behind" section in the Lane Minions & Strategies section in the Conquest Overview chapter. Deleted the God Guides reference section as it was way too difficult to upkeep. Continued WIP, as maps need to be updated (waiting for SMITE Wiki to provide those).
2018/11/17: Guide is current as of Patch 5.21, "Celestial Domination." Updated tier lists. Added links to some guides by SmoothHomie.
2018/10/8: Guide is current as of Patch 5.19, "Queen of the Gods." Hera added. Baron Samedi added to the Support listing (forgot to do this earlier). Tier list links updated.
2018/8/30: Guide is current as of Patch 5.16, "Divine Dragon." Starts/starting process info updated. Tier lists updated.
2018/8/2: Guide is current as of Patch 5.14, "Goddess of Volcanoes." Pele added, Ravana changed to Assassin (forgot for 5.13, oops). Had to make a new Solo chapter header, since Ravana was the featured pic =(
2018/7/24 - Guide is current as of Patch 5.13, "Mid-Season."
2018/6/27: Guide is current as of Patch 5.11, "Life and Death." Baron Samedi added to both Mid and Solo. Hunter builds updated. Other minor adjustments.
2018/5/21: Adjustments to lists of gods in various roles, from comment by Kriega1.
2018/5/14: Guide is current as of Patch 5.8, "Lord of Darkness." Builds updated for ADCs. Chernobog added.
2018/4/20: Guide is current as of Patch 5.7, "Drop the Beat."
2018/4/3: Guide is current as of Patch 5.5, "Time to Party." Updated ADC builds. Other adjustments throughout.
2018/2/28: Guide is current as of Patch 5.3, "Hero of the Trojan War." Added Achilles. Updated basic attack ADC build. Updated common Support god list. Updated starting item options for Supports and Junglers. Added select god guides to the references section.
2018/2/6: Added key Support items (early items & counter items) to the Support section.
2018/2/4: Added EmilZy's S5 Warding video.
2018/1/31: Guide is current as of Patch 5.1, "Season 5." Cerberus added, all info updated for the new season. Meta has not been established. I've tried to provide as much reasonable information as possible, but will likely need to revise as the meta is formed. Also, there is a lot of information, so I may have missed some things. Please let me know if you spot anything suspicious!
2017/11/3: Guide is current as of Patch 4.21, "Shadows over Hercopolis." Added Discordia. Added notation on alternative starting processes (partial meta shift w/ Support starting Mid and Jungle starting Solo).
2017/9/21: Guide is current as of Patch 4.18, "Journey to Asgard." Added Hachiman.
2017/8/25: Guide is current as of Patch 4.16, "Summer Knockout." Added Artio. Slight adjustments to listed gods in various roles (thanks MrBuildandKill92). Other slight adjustments.
2017/8/17: Guide is current as of Patch 4.15, "Corrupted Arena." Due to item changes that significantly affect Hunters, revised suggested ADC builds (again).
2017/8/3: Guide is current as of Patch 4.14, "Ursa Major." Artio added. ADC builds revised. Starting process discussions revised.
2017/7/3: Guide is current as of Patch 4.12, "Divine Light." Added Kukulkan Cu Chulainn, other minor adjustments.
2017/6/12: Guide is current as of Patch 4.10, "Trials of King Hercules." Added "recent patch" reference in the intro chapter.
2017/5/10-13: Guide is current as of Patch 4.8, "Happy Trees." Added DukeSloth's warding video, added Ganesha, added notation for the buffed Rage in the ADC builds, expanded a bit on Support roaming, updated tier lists. *5/14 QuickFix: god-created minions no longer drop structure added protections, adjusted wording to account for this. Also added Belt of Frenzy back to specific relic suggestions (ADC & Jungler).
2017/3/29-30: Guide is current as of Patch 4.5, "Celestial Voyage." Rituals have been taken out. Cernunnos added to ADC and Jungle lists. Tier lists updated. Referenced god guide list has been updated.
2017/3/1: Guide is current as of Patch 4.3, "Valley of Victory." Kuzenbo from Patch 4.2 added. Some adjustments to starting items and processes.
2017/2/1-4: Guide is in full release form. All maps and warding are updated, and starting items/starting processes finalized for now. Also added console communication information. Made corrections. Added links to DukeSloth's S4 Conquest Overview video. We expect some changes for 4.2.
2017/1/28-1/30: Guide is updated in preliminary state for Season 4, Patch 4.1. Updated items include references to general Conquest details, and Minion/Objective details. Also revised but under heavy scrutiny are starting items and starting processes for all roles, as well as gameplay strategies. These will be watched closely, with adjustments and additional options provided as the meta develops.
Not updated at this time are Tier Lists, and all references to individual god guides should be checked before use (see revision dates and notes).
2016/12/20: Guide is current as of Patch 3.24, "Journey to HRX." Updated Reddit and TenTonHammer tier listings.
2016/12/06: Guide is current as of Patch 3.23, "Wings of Victory."
2016/11/21: Guide is current as of Patch 3.22, "Fafnir's Wonderland." Major aesthetic adjustments.
2016/11/09-10: Guide is current as of Patch 3.21, "Arbiter of the Damned." Slight adjustments to ADC builds, with influence from DukeSloth's recent YouTube video. Added a section in the Introduction about toxicity, and organized for better separation of topics. Updated Prism's Tier List.
2016/10/28-11/2: Guide is current as of Patch 3.20, "Cyber Sentinel." Aesthetic improvements and minor corrections. Deleted the Venenu hunter build. Added another hunter build (Qin's Rush) thanks to notification by DukeSloth. Added/deleted some guides from the references section. Added references for DukeSloth's YouTube channel, and his tier list. Updated Incon/Juice/TenTon tier lists.
2016/10/18: Guide is current as of Patch 3.19, "Terror of the Night." Added Camazotz to the Jungler section, along with accompanying info. Updated several tier lists.
2016/9/29: Guide is current as of Patch 3.18, "Rising Flames." Updated Ducks' ADC tier list and accompanying commentary.
2016/9/12: Guide is current as of Patch 3.17, "The Odyssey 2017." Worked with Prism to update our Support tier list. We're going to be watching to see if Ninja Tabi is going to be picked up more by ADCs in the early going, or remain a late-game switch, and will adjust as necessary.
2016/8/29: Guide is current as of Patch 3.16, "Fatal Awakening." Added Izanami to the hunter list.
2016/8/15: Guide is current as of Patch 3.15, "Under the Sea." Updated Ducks' ADC tier list. Updated tier lists from Incon, Weak3n, TenTonHammer, and the Reddit Community.
2016/8/7: Minor addition...added Soul Stone start to Mid-Lane section. Changed intro picture.
2016/8/2: Updated info based on Patch 3.14, "Force of Nature." Added Terra to Support group...will wait to see if she works in other roles as well. Added Venenu ADC build and added a bit more detail on all ADC builds. With the restoration of Potions of Might...I'm holding off on mentioning these, since they're not starter items anymore. They appear overpowered, and will likely see tweaks. Just don't see where I'll fit them into the guide right now.
2016/7/19-21: Updated info based on Patch 3.13, "Valkyrie Reloaded." Potions of Might have been temporarily removed from the game, and will likely not be starter items when they return, so starting item suggestions utilizing these have been removed. Updated TenTonHammer's and Dr. Yoshi's Reddit Community Tier List. Updated Hunter builds, since Soul Eater was nerfed. Removed significantly outdated guide references, unless their builds still seem relevant. Added some new guides to the list. Dropped Fenrir as an early-kill Support (bye bye Potion of Magical Might). Other minor edits.
2016/7/5-6: Updated info based on Patch 3.12, "Mid Season Update." Throwing Dagger/Golden Bow have been removed, so Hunter builds have been revised. Added Erlang Shen to the Jungler and Solo categories. Added Relic suggestions for all roles. Minor update to ADC starting process. Updated Prism's Support Tier List and commentary. Updated DucksRock's ADC Tier List and commentary. Minor cosmetic adjustments. No Pro tier lists are up-to-date yet...will update as these become available.
2016/6/22-23: Updated hunter builds. Clarified role of "ADC" as also being called "Carry" for PS4 players (ADC is still standard name in most body of text, Carry added in key areas). Added further detail and organization in the Overview Structures/Objectives section (thanks, Kelton The Great!). DucksRock's commentary is live. Prism's tier list is updated, though commentary is not.
2016/6/14: Updated Mid-Lane starts. Added DucksRock's personal ADC tier list (comments are coming soon).
2016/6/1-5: Added Weak3n's tier list. Updated Reddit voting tier list. Added some wording here and there (minor). Added mention of Aramey's BUGS in the intro.
2016/5/23: Adjusted Hunter builds. Adjusted starting process for Junglers.
2016/5/12: Adjusted Hunter builds. Revised "common" gods in the Support category. Added Juice Tier List. Added Medusa to the Mid-Laner section.
2016/5/10: Updated map, warding section, and all relevant info for Patch 3.8, "Perfect Storm." Added visuals for starting processes for each role.
2016/5/6: Minor corrections. Added several guides to the reference section. Gave the reference section the same look (w/ headers) as the others for consistency.
2016/5/4: Per great suggestion by KingScuba from the Official Smite Forums, I've expanded the minion discussion in the Conquest Overview chapter, including more detailed information and strategies revolving around our little buddies.
2016/5/3: Added early gameplay videos, courtesy of Daelinn (thanks dude!). Added a Weak3n gameplay video for Mid. Minor visual updates, and other small adjustments.
2016/4/29: Standard corrections, additions, revisions, etc.
2016/4/28: Guide published!
*YEAR 12 UPDATE*
Year 12 (Patch 12.1) hit on January 24, 2025, with no major changes to the map from the end of the previous season. With SMITE 2 released in Open Beta, main development is focused on that game, with only minor balances to items and gods intended for Smite 1 from this point forward. No further gods will be released after Nut, who arrived on 2024/02/20.
Art by Getsukeii via DeviantArt
Welcome! This is a guide for SMITE's Conquest mode, designed to apply on a high level to general gameplay and tips, rather than focusing on individual gods or builds.
The most competitive and complex mode in SMITE, Conquest can be played in both casual and ranked modes, and is the mode played by the pros. It provides the ultimate conglomeration of all aspects of SMITE gameplay and strategy, including 1 v 1, jungling, build efficiency, counter-building, teamfighting, communication, and taking objectives.
This guide targets the following players:
New players looking for general information on the most competitive and comprehensive mode in SMITE
Regulars looking for a refresher or to possibly learn a helpful tip or two
Regulars that enjoy providing feedback, suggestions, and thoughts (thanks!)
Conquest topics that will be covered:
General rules and technical details
Overview and gameplay for each role, including popular starting items and starting processes
Coverage of strategic gameplay elements, including warding, awareness, and communication
This guide is NOT designed to cover all of the intricacies and in-depth information required to be a successful ranked player, though the basics contained herein will help you prepare. As such, it will not cover topics such as picks and bans, or individual god strategies. With the exception of the ADC / Carry, I will also not be discussing complete builds, as there are many variations for building and counter-building for each role.
*NOTE FOR TRUE BEGINNERS*
If you're a true beginner, and you've stumbled upon this guide, it might be better if you start at the very beginning. That beginning is:
BUGS (Beginner's Universal Guide to SMITE) by Aramey
Keep in mind that it IS outdated, but the core information still applies.
ROLE GUIDES FEATURE: There's a tutorial feature called "Role Guides" that is designed to help new players. It detects your assigned role from the lobby to provide a guided experience, showing you waypoints and starting paths, draws attention to respawning camps, and highlights jungle bosses and towers as the game progresses. Can be toggled on/off at any time, and works within Co-op and PvP modes. Check it out!
*NOTE ON TOXICITY*
SMITE is a MOBA. As such (unfortunately), you can expect to encounter toxicity in some of your matches. The easiest suggestion is to group with like-minded individuals / friends that are okay with you not being perfect (or anywhere close to...). Unfortunately, you won't always be able to do this.
If you're able to brush nasty comments off, more power to you. Another GREAT option is the in-game MUTE button!
As a final thought before we begin, understand that I am not a pro by any means. This project is a love letter to a game I've thoroughly enjoyed for years, and I've gathered as much information as I could from various sources and my own experience to help others develop the same love for the game that I have. You may not agree with everything contained herein, and with the plethora of information, there are likely to be mistakes (let me know if you catch any!). The following contains information obtained through time and experience, and I hope you get something of quality out of this guide. So let's start, shall we?
Quick Tags
Conquest Overview
Roles: Duo Lane ADC (Carry)
Roles: Duo Lane Support
Roles: Jungler
Roles: Mid-Lane
Roles: Solo Lane
Warding
Awareness & Communication
Tier Lists
References & Definitions
Art by DustyMcBacon via DeviantArt
Hey, my name is AutoSpeed and I have been a Grandmaster + 3500 (MMR cap) in Conquest, Joust, and Duel in every recent season. I'm happy to share my knowledge of the game with everyone, and I appreciate any and all feedback!
Here are my channels:
Twitch
Twitter
YouTube
Discord
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