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"The way is open!" Smite Janus Conquest Guide (11.4)

6 2 21,111
7.5
by Bazilias updated April 26, 2024

Smite God: Janus

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Janus Build

Starter Build

Notes This is the go to starter build for Janus.

Conduit Gem is great for your clear in the early game. The first item you want to build after that is Chronos' Pendant since you'd want to have CDR in the early game as well with some mana sustain.

I'm personally not a fan of running Spear of Desolation first, it does give you a little bit more power and flat penetration (and is 250 gold cheaper), but I like the 10% extra CDR that Chronos' Pendant provides. That in combination with the blue spirit totem on the red buff which will give you 30% total CDR in the early/mid game.

Notes

This is the go to starter build for Janus.

Conduit Gem is great for your clear in the early game. The first item you want to build after that is Chronos' Pendant since you'd want to have CDR in the early game as well with some mana sustain.

I'm personally not a fan of running Spear of Desolation first, it does give you a little bit more power and flat penetration (and is 250 gold cheaper), but I like the 10% extra CDR that Chronos' Pendant provides. That in combination with the blue spirit totem on the red buff which will give you 30% total CDR in the early/mid game.

Build Item Conduit Gem Conduit Gem
Build Item Lost Artifact Lost Artifact
Build Item Healing Potion Healing Potion
3
Build Item Mana Potion Mana Potion
2
Build Item Purification Beads Purification Beads
Build Item Horn Shard Horn Shard

Full Build #1

Notes Gem of Focus is the starter upgrade you want to go for. Since the passive of the item buffs you're movement speed and damage (which scales greatly on Janus mid to late game).

As explaied earlier in the starter build, I recommend you go Chronos' Pendant first and the go for Spear of Desolation. If you don't really care about the extra CDR and want a a little bit more power and extra penetration, then by all means switch those two around.

Staff of Myrddin is a great mid to late game item. It gives you a decent amount of power with some % penetration and CDR. The passive is also great after- or when rotating into a teamfight using your ultimate (try to hit them snipes for even more damage output)

Buy Soul Reaver when approaching the late-game stage. It gives you plenty of mana and the passive helps you burst down tankier enemies faster.

Rod of Tahuti gives you lots of power, extra penetration and makes it easier when it comes to killing squishy and low health enemies. It also synergieses great with Gem of Focus, Staff of Myrddin and Soul Reaver since they all scale based on the enemies health and ability usage.

Depending on how much healing/lifesteal the enemy (team) has, you could swap either Spear of Desolation or Staff of Myrddin for Divine Ruin for the antiheal and the benefits you get from the passive.

Notes

Gem of Focus is the starter upgrade you want to go for. Since the passive of the item buffs you're movement speed and damage (which scales greatly on Janus mid to late game).

As explaied earlier in the starter build, I recommend you go Chronos' Pendant first and the go for Spear of Desolation. If you don't really care about the extra CDR and want a a little bit more power and extra penetration, then by all means switch those two around.

Staff of Myrddin is a great mid to late game item. It gives you a decent amount of power with some % penetration and CDR. The passive is also great after- or when rotating into a teamfight using your ultimate (try to hit them snipes for even more damage output)

Buy Soul Reaver when approaching the late-game stage. It gives you plenty of mana and the passive helps you burst down tankier enemies faster.

Rod of Tahuti gives you lots of power, extra penetration and makes it easier when it comes to killing squishy and low health enemies. It also synergieses great with Gem of Focus, Staff of Myrddin and Soul Reaver since they all scale based on the enemies health and ability usage.

Depending on how much healing/lifesteal the enemy (team) has, you could swap either Spear of Desolation or Staff of Myrddin for Divine Ruin for the antiheal and the benefits you get from the passive.

Build Item Gem of Focus Gem of Focus
Build Item Chronos' Pendant Chronos' Pendant
Build Item Spear of Desolation Spear of Desolation
Build Item Staff of Myrddin Staff of Myrddin
Build Item Soul Reaver Soul Reaver
Build Item Perfected Rod of Tahuti Perfected Rod of Tahuti
Build Item Temporal Beads Temporal Beads
Build Item Aegis of Acceleration Aegis of Acceleration

Full Build #2

Notes Similar to the first build, but here you would go Book of Thoth as your second item. The reason for this is that it takes a while to stack it, with the help of the CDR you get from Chronos' Pendant you can clear waves/camps (and stack it) faster instead of having to wait on your abilities if you went Book of Thoth before Chronos' Pendant. The item is strong mid to late game since it scales off of your mana.

After Book of Thoth you can either go for Spear of Desolation or Divine Ruin depending on if you need anti-heal or not.

You could also swap Rod of Tahuti for Staff of Myrddin if you want to have 10% extra CDR but don't want to lose the % penetration.

Notes

Similar to the first build, but here you would go Book of Thoth as your second item. The reason for this is that it takes a while to stack it, with the help of the CDR you get from Chronos' Pendant you can clear waves/camps (and stack it) faster instead of having to wait on your abilities if you went Book of Thoth before Chronos' Pendant. The item is strong mid to late game since it scales off of your mana.

After Book of Thoth you can either go for Spear of Desolation or Divine Ruin depending on if you need anti-heal or not.

You could also swap Rod of Tahuti for Staff of Myrddin if you want to have 10% extra CDR but don't want to lose the % penetration.

Build Item Gem of Focus Gem of Focus
Build Item Chronos' Pendant Chronos' Pendant
Build Item Book of Thoth Book of Thoth
Build Item Spear of Desolation Spear of Desolation
Build Item Perfected Rod of Tahuti Perfected Rod of Tahuti
Build Item Soul Reaver Soul Reaver
Build Item Temporal Beads Temporal Beads
Build Item Aegis of Acceleration Aegis of Acceleration

Situational Items

Notes Divine Ruin is great if the enemy has healing or lifesteal and the passive is also nice for poking.

Swap Spear of Desolation or Staff of Myrddin for Divine Ruin in Full Build #1

Swap Spear of Desolation or Rod of Tahuti for Divine Ruin in Full Build #2

Doom Orb is a good item to go last in your build if you want to have extra movement speed and it gives you a little bit of extra power by utilizing its passive.

Soul Gem is more of a late-game item since it scales off of your magical power. I would recommend swapping Chronos' Pendant for this after you've finished your Full Build #1. I don't recommend using it for the Full Build #2

Staff of Myrddin can be swapped for Divine Ruin in Full Build #1 if you're not really confident in hitting your ults or making rotations. The stats are decent but you can pump out more damage by utilizing the passive of this item.

Notes

Divine Ruin is great if the enemy has healing or lifesteal and the passive is also nice for poking.

Swap Spear of Desolation or Staff of Myrddin for Divine Ruin in Full Build #1

Swap Spear of Desolation or Rod of Tahuti for Divine Ruin in Full Build #2

Doom Orb is a good item to go last in your build if you want to have extra movement speed and it gives you a little bit of extra power by utilizing its passive.

Soul Gem is more of a late-game item since it scales off of your magical power. I would recommend swapping Chronos' Pendant for this after you've finished your Full Build #1. I don't recommend using it for the Full Build #2

Staff of Myrddin can be swapped for Divine Ruin in Full Build #1 if you're not really confident in hitting your ults or making rotations. The stats are decent but you can pump out more damage by utilizing the passive of this item.

Build Item Divine Ruin Divine Ruin
Build Item Doom Orb Doom Orb
Build Item Soul Gem Soul Gem
Build Item Staff of Myrddin Staff of Myrddin

Relics & Shards

Notes Upgrade your Horn Shard for Aegis Amulet when you're level 12.

Upgrade your Purification Beads to Temporal Beads first in the late-game (after you've finished building all your items) after that you can upgrade your Aegis Amulet to Aegis of Acceleration.

Notes

Upgrade your Horn Shard for Aegis Amulet when you're level 12.

Upgrade your Purification Beads to Temporal Beads first in the late-game (after you've finished building all your items) after that you can upgrade your Aegis Amulet to Aegis of Acceleration.

Build Item Horn Shard Horn Shard
Build Item Temporal Beads Temporal Beads
Build Item Aegis of Acceleration Aegis of Acceleration

Janus's Skill Order

Portal

1 X Y
Portal
2 15 16 18 19

Unstable Vortex

2 A B
Unstable Vortex
1 3 6 7 10

Threshold

3 B A
Threshold
4 8 11 12 14

Through Space and Time

4 Y X
Through Space and Time
5 9 13 17 20
Portal
2 15 16 18 19

Portal

1 X
Janus creates a portal in the world. If placed on a wall, the portal will create a passage through to the other side of the wall that Janus or any ally may use. The portal may be entered from either side, but closes after 1 use.

If placed on the ground, enemies and Janus will fall into the portal, being teleported into the air above it. Enemies take damage upon landing, and are considered banished during the fall.

Ability Type: Circle, Banish, Damage
Damage: 80 / 135 / 190 / 245 / 300 (+60% of your Magical Power)
Banish Duration: 1.5s
Wall Portal Duration: 5s
Wall Portal Range: 100
Range/Radius: 55/10
Cost: 70
Cooldown: 12s
Unstable Vortex
1 3 6 7 10

Unstable Vortex

2 A
Janus creates two tethered unstable portals, far too small to fit into, and flings them forward dealing damage to enemies in their path. Enemies hit by both portals take 15% damage on the second hit.

Ability Type: Area, Damage
Damage: 100 / 165 / 230 / 295 / 360 (+80% of your Magical Power)
Range: 70
Cost: 70 / 75 / 80 / 85 / 90
Cooldown: 9s
Threshold
4 8 11 12 14

Threshold

3 B
Passive: Janus increases the movement speed of himself and allies each time they go through a portal or over a Threshold (max 3 Stacks).

Active: Janus opens a multi-dimensional rift. Enemies who pass over the rift are slowed, and marked with Phase. Targets in Phase take additional Magical scaling damage when hit by Janus' damaging abilities.

Ability Type: Line, Buff
Phase Slow: 25%
Additional Scaling: 15 / 25 / 35 / 45 / 55
Rift Duration: 3 / 3.5 / 4 / 4.5 / 5s
Movement Speed: 15% per Portal
Passive Duration: 6s
Cost: 60 / 65 / 70 / 75 / 80
Cooldown: 12s
Through Space and Time
5 9 13 17 20

Through Space and Time

4 Y
Passive: Janus gains increased % Magical Penetration.

Active: Janus becomes CC Immune and blasts a ball of multi-dimensional energy across the battlefield, burning a portal into every surface it encounters within range 500. These portals last 10s, may be used by allies, and do not vanish after the first use.

Enemies hit take damage, increasing in Magical scaling the further the energy travels. Enemy gods cannot take more than 75% of their maximum Health as damage.

Ability Type: Line, Damage
Damage: 300 / 375 / 450 / 525 / 600 (+80% of your Magical Power)
Distance Scaling: 100% of your Magical Power at distance greater than 800
% Magical Penetration: 10 / 12.5 / 15 / 17.5 / 20%
Range: Global
Cost: 100
Cooldown: 110s

Janus Threats

Tap each threat level to view Janus’s threats

Max
3
Major
7
Even
5
Minor
4
Tiny
1

Janus Synergies

Tap each synergy level to view Janus’s synergies

Ideal
0
Strong
2
OK
0
Low
0
None
0

Introduction

Welcome to my Conquest Guide for Janus

My name is Bazilias. I’m an old veteran Smite player that started playing since the beta days and have played on and off for a couple of seasons. I consider myself a Jungler first and a Mid-laner second. In this guide I will be talking about all things Janus.



This is my second SmiteFire guide (I hope I improved upon my first one), and I intend to update it, so feel free to comment things that should be added/edited.

Strengths & Weaknesses

STRENGTHS
  • Good wave clear
  • High damage output
  • Strong mobility
  • Great Ultimate for damage and (team)rotations
  • Good secure/steal potential
  • Strong in teamfights
WEAKNESSES
  • High Skillfloor & Skillceiling
  • No dash/leap/jump
  • Needs good positioning
  • Requires good warding and map/game awareness


.

Kit / Abilities

ABILITIES

Passages

Janus creates two tethered unstable portals, far too small to fit into, and flings them forward dealing damage to enemies in their path. Enemies hit by both portals take 15% damage on the second hit.
Notes/Tips

Portal

Janus creates a portal in the world. If placed on a wall, the portal will create a passage through to the other side of the wall that Janus or any ally may use. The portal may be entered from either side, but closes after 1 use. If placed on the ground, enemies and Janus will fall into the portal, being teleported into the air above it. Enemies take damage upon landing, and are considered banished during the fall.
Notes/Tips

Unstable Vortex

Janus creates two tethered unstable portals, far too small to fit into, and flings them forward dealing damage to enemies in their path. Enemies hit by both portals take 15% damage on the second hit.
Notes/Tips

Threshold

Passive: Janus increases the movement speed of himself and allies each time they go through a portal or over a Threshold (max. 2 Stacks).
Active: Janus opens a multi-dimensional rift. Enemies who pass over the rift are slowed, and marked with Phase. Targets in Phase take additional Magical scaling damage when hit by Janus' damaging abilities.
Notes/Tips

Through Space and Time

Passive: Janus gains increased % Magical Penetration.
Active: Janus becomes CC Immune and blasts a ball of multi-dimensional energy across the battlefield, burning a portal into every surface it encounters within range 500. These portals last 10s, may be used by allies, and do not vanish after the first use. Enemies hit take damage, increasing in Magical scaling the further the energy travels. Enemy gods cannot take more than 75% of their maximum Health as damage.
Notes/Tips

Combos

Portal & Unstable Vortex
This combo can be implemented in two ways. The first way to implement it, is to place the Portal below the enemy and then hit them with your second ability Unstable Vortex. The damage output won't be really high since your portal doesn't do a lot of damage but is used more of a 'guaranteed' Unstable Vortex hit. The downside of this combo is that if you don't have your ultimate up (a form of escape), you're easily gankable by the enemy (jungler) if he's around.

The second form of this combo is to place the Portal at a wall, go through it (this activates your passive Passages) and then hit the enemy with Unstable Vortex, this way you will put out more damage compared to the first one. Also here, you would have to be sure you're save against enemy rotations or ganks since your only other form of escape would be your ultimate.

Threshold & Unstable Vortex
This one usually pretty easy to pull off depending how you like to use it. You could place Threshold below the enemy so they get slowed and marked with the debuff where you would then do more damage when hitting them with Unstable Vortex. The second way of implementing this combo is to place Threshold in such a way where both you and the enemy go over it, which then activates your passive Passages as well as placing the debuff on the enemy for even more damage output when hitting them with Unstable Vortex.

Ultimate & Unstable Vortex
This combo has great damage output if both of the abilities hit the enemy. First you would time and (ideally) hit your ultimate Through Space and Time, use the portals to go towards the enemy (which also activates your passive Passages) and then hit the enemy with Unstable Vortex. You could also use Portal (depending on the situation) to chase down enemies even further, or use it for a quick escape afterwards.

Threshold - Ultimate - Unstable Vortex
This combo is the most deadliest out of all the combos listed above (if you time everything right ofcourse). It has the capability to one-shot squishy targets like ADC's, Assassins, and Mages, but also Supports and Warriors if they're at certain health. You would use your Threshold first, then time and use your ultimate Through Space and Time to hit the enemy, use the portals to go towards the enemy (if you timed it right you could then use Threshold again to debuff the enemy) and then hit them with Unstable Vortex for the maximum damage output.

You could also use this combo without using Unstable Vortex to secure/steal objectives like the Gold Fury or Fire Giant (and maybe also hit the enemy at the same time). You would follow the exact same steps mentioned above, but you could then decide if you want to portal over to gank the enemy (after stealing the objective), or to just only snipe and steal the objective instead.

Gameplay

Early Game
  • You want to pull both Damage Buff]] Red and Speed camps together with your jungler towards your tower at the start of the match. Use Unstable Vortex to clear the camps (you pick up red buff and the jungler the speedbuff). You will hit level 2 at this point and should put a point into your first ability Portal.

  • Then you go to the other side of the jungle to help out your jungler with clearing the second speedbuff. After that you go back to your lane (using your portal to get to your lane faster). Your jungler will either help out your lane, or gank the duo lane after they've cleared the XP camps.

  • From here you will meet the enemy mid-laner on the first wave. You should use Unstable Vortex to hit the entire wave and then use Portal on the archer minions which will kill them. After that you'd basic attack the remaining 2/3 melee-minions. Depending on who has better early pressure/clear, you can decide whether you'll be able to engage in a fight or back up and wait for your jungler/second wave.

  • After the second minion wave has been cleared, depending on if your jungler is there or not, you could either engage in a fight if the enemy has no escape/is low health, or go for the sideharpies and get XP/Gold. If the enemy mid-laner has more pressure, I would suggest you either go for the sideharpies or back up towards your tower and clear the minion wave safely.

  • From here on you'll mainly focus on clearing your minion waves, contest/clear Sideharpies, clear the Rogue camp (next to the T1 tower), clear/secure the Red buff, clear the spirit totem camps (if your jungler is on the other side of the map) and look for rotations when possible.

Mid Game
  • Aside from clearing your minion wave and the usual farm you would get from the jungle camps, you would also be focusing on controlling/contesting/stealing the Stygian Beacon and the Bull Demon King (in the Fire Giant pit), Pyromancer and Gold Fury.

  • Ideally you'd want to capture/contest the Stygian Beacon as often as possible, this depends on various circumstances like how many enemies are on it and are you (and your teammates) able to contest (and take) it. In 1v1 situations you have to decide who has more pressure and outplay potential to capture it.

  • Most people forget about the Bull Demon King as it is a new early/mid-game objective which is very useful since it reveals all enemy wards on the map. Try to get/contest/steal the Bull Demon King as early as possible. As for the Gold Fury and Pyromancer, this depends on how much pressure you have as a team to capture/contest these objectives. If you have your ultimate Through Space and Time up, try and time it so you can steal the objectives if the enemy is on it and your teammates aren't there to contest it.

Late Game
  • In the late-game you'll be focusing on clearing waves, rotating/roaming and capturing/contesting/defending objectives like Fire Giant, Gold Fury and Phoenixes.

  • When it comes to teamfights you want to position yourself close/behind walls and your tanks (Support and Solo laners), play around your ADC and poke/damage/kill the enemy with Threshold and Unstable Vortex or other combos that I listed above.

  • Try to be annoying towards the enemy squishies.As Janus you'd want to play like a mosquito and try to catch the enemies off-guard poke/damage them and get out. Doing this can force the enemy to back since you've poked them hard enough which turns potential teamfights and objective captures to your favour.

Warding

Early/Mid-Game Warding

In the image below you'll see the current Season 11 (11.4) Conquest map with the green circles resembling as the in-game Wards. These are the ideal spots to place your wards as a midlaner in the early/mid-game. It will help you and your team to stay aware of the enemies rotations. As long as you ward at these spot and stay aware of your surroundings, you'll be safe.
Late-Game Warding

In the second image below you'll see the ward placement for the late-game. As you can see the wards are placed generally deeper towards the enemies side of the jungle as well as the objectives like the Gold Fury and Fire Giant. You'd want to use the Sentry Ward on and around objectives since those will be contested and warded the most by the enemy.

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League of Legends Build Guide Author Bazilias
"The way is open!" Smite Janus Conquest Guide (11.4)
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Strengths & Weaknesses
Kit / Abilities
Combos
Gameplay
Warding

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