S5 Conquest Support (Build and Guide)

Oh hello there, fancy seeing you here. I take it you're looking for a nice Xing Tian guide?
You've come to the right place, take a seat...



At the time of creating this, I've played well over 100 games with Xing.
I usually go for Geb, Kuzenbo or more recently Athena but now and then I find myself getting a touch of bloodlust.
I'm not a master but I've found my build and tactics and I'm confident whenever I choose Xing.
Please note that this guide is for Xing as a support, starting in the duo lane. He can be used very successfully in the solo lane and there's a build above for that, if you're going it alone early game.

Thanks for reading, I hope some of the below stuff helps a few of you ;-)

Here we go...

Passive - Smouldering Rage
Note: At full stacks, this passive provides 36 HP5.

Here's the first indication that Xing isn't your usual Guardian. He gains health regen as a reward for using his abilities. This is very handy if you jumped in, unloaded your kit and took some damage - don't think of heading for the fountain straight away; watch your HP go up and you'll know why this is a great passive.
It's a nice security blanket and can allow you to stay on the front line a little longer.

Furious Roar
Xing shouts obscenities at his enemy, weakening their basic attacks and doing damage over time. Used on the enemy ADC and the minion wave at the same time gives you and your own carry an advantage in lane during the early game.
Using it later is simply to be awful to your opponents. Shouting at an enemy during a boxing match will help your ally and hurt their foe (especially if you picked up Gem of Isolation)

Hook Slam
I love this ability. Not only do we get initial damage from the hook lift and then again when they're slammed back down, the time in between acts as a silince and there's a juicy root at the end. In a team fight, you don't want to be on the receiving end of this.
Often used as a peel to get someone off your ally, but try it immediately after your ult to give your teammates an extra 2 seconds to finish off. It'll also silence the enemy god so they can't drop a panic AoE or hit their escape.

Sky-Cutting Axe
Xing's escape and (without Blink Rune) his initiation.
The jumps are a good escape, one which can change direction half way through.
Because it also allows an ability between the jumps, feel free to leap in, shout at someone, then leap back out (though why you're not getting stuck in on the front line worries me ;-)

Whirlwind of Rage and Steel
This is what you came for, be honest. This is the ultimate that divides opinions but is nevertheless an absolute destroyer when in the right hands. Some of you will disagree but this is a better version (IMO) of Ares' chain pull. I just dislike Ares' deathwish ability that groups enemies on top of him, whereas Xing's ult can either throw enemies at his feet for him to finish off or launch them away for others to kill or as a peel.

On your god-selection screen, you clicked 'support', that much is given, but did you wait until your carry and mid-laner chose their gods? Of course you did, and your carry is Hou Yi or Sol, right? Your mid is Scylla, Agni, Poseidon? Basically you have someone with a devastating AoE ult on your side and this, friends, is exactly what your ult is for.
That and towers :-)
I always check if my target has Purification Beads. If so, did they escape a grab or pull recently? If no beads or they're on cooldown, my target is going into my tower or in range of my team.
*Make sure your team aren't low on HP or you're actually throwing harm at them
*Call out that your ult is ready and wait for allies to group up behind you
*Blink in for best results (more in items section)
Oh yes, sorry, this ult can be used defensively too, throwing enemies away from your escaping ally (awesome if a team fight or Fire Giant contest is going badly)

Xing Tian isn't Geb or Sylvanus and he isn't Bacchus or Cerberus
He isn't the purist's guardian whose kit is designed to save lives, nor is he the 'jump in and unload your full kit' aggro guardian.

He's a bit of both. You don't want to attack a Xing with his kit available and you don't want one appearing as you turn the corner (or out of thin air with Blink Rune)

The first few items here are your usual core buys, though situations won't always allow - come on, this is Smite :-D
Those after are more situational and include aura items for your team (because we want to keep them out of the fountain :-)



Guardian's Blessing
Don't be tempted to pick up Mage's Blessing for Xing's abilities; he does enough damage and your early laning game is feeding from assists so your ADC can get their stacks and gold.


Shoes of Focus
We can also get Reinforced Shoes - up to you really. One will give you mana and cooldowns while the other will make you that little bit harder to kill. Remember your passive grants HP5 for abilities hit, so attacking with either set of boots has its benefits.


Gauntlet of Thebes
This one is also up to you. Remember you're a guardian and your role is supposed to include keeping your team alive. You don't have to pick this up but if you do, you do it early so you can get the stacks to evolve it and get that aura out there for your buddies.
The stats are pretty good for you anyway, even if you do want to build a little selfishly.


Mystical Mail
Seeing this so early in the build might seem odd, i know, but give me a sec and I might change your mind. Xing gets in your face, your business is his business. When using his 1 or his 2, you're in range of Mystical Mail hitting an enemy with its pulses. And don't underestimate he damage it gives out - I've killed enemies with it just by being in a team fight or body-blocking for an ally.
I've also had a few kills from the pulses whilst I was throwing someone at my team with Whirlwind of Rage and Steel
You aren't losing anything you'd get with another core physical item and if you picked up Shoes of Focus you're not missing the mana you'd get from Breastplate of Valor, which we'll likely get later anyway.
*If Mystical Mail is too costly for you (I know it is for many others) then you could pick up Breastplate of Valor now and maybe grab Hide of the Nemean Lion or Emperor's Armor later on.


Void Stone
If you didn't go for pen boots (some players do) then this is where you're getting your penetration. Mostly though, we want this for the magical protection and power, as well as a welcome chunk of HP. Grab it later if you'd rather build Heartward Amulet or Pestilence or even Genji's Guardnow.


Breastplate of Valor
More physical protections for that blasted jungler and the enemy carry who has just finished building their fifth item and thinks they can take you out by now (they probably can)
If you don't want the 20% CDR from the breastplate and those physical damage guys are annoying you, feel free to choose:


Hide of the Nemean Lion
Because as soon as that hunter knows you're wearing it, they'll think twice about shooting you.
Pick up Midgardian Mail if the problem is an assassin or a warrior like Bellona or Ravana.


Genji's Guard
Another one that comes up for debate now and then. I like it and with Xing's kit, so does he.
The health, protections and CDR are great to start with but the CDR reduction when hit by a mage is so underrated. I've been in team fights in the past with this on and have unloaded my 1, 2 and 3 only for it them to pop right back up. By now you'll have the mana to warrant throwing out 6 or 7 abilities in quick succession, so give it a whirl (that joke again)


Pestilence
Players build healing a lot in season 5 and almost every game will see the need for reducing that. It won't just be Meditation Cloak, there will be a Chang'e or a Hel or players will build HP5 and lifesteal.


You should ideally have a few of the above items in your build by the time you get to your last pick. Here are a few to consider for no.6:


Spirit Robe
You're going to be getting hit - a lot. You'll also be the target for CC abilities.
If you get snared with a root, pull or stun and don't have your beads, the next few seconds are deadly. The robe makes everything hurt 15% less for the next 3 seconds, giving you more chance of either getting out of there or staying in long enough to make someone regret their actions.
Protections and CDR too ;-)


Heartward Amulet
Because you might want to help your team that little bit more


Sovereignty
See Heartward Amulet


Gem of Isolation
A damaging item with a slow, 200 health and some CC reduction? I think we can justify that :-)
When you hit someone with your abilities (especially Furious Roar, they'll find it harder to run away. This is perfect for Xing, especially when his ult throws an enemy or three at your hungry teammates.


Ethereal Staff
You can change Gem of Iso for this if you like. It'll steal health and mana from any god hit with your abilities - and it stacks.
Health and CC reduction too.


Relics
We all know the usual relic pickups so I won't go into them. Here are the two you should consider when playing Xing:

Blink Rune
You buy this for one reason only - to surprise the enemy and take them for a spin. Remember to try and bait their Purification Beads if you can.
Aim for gods with no escape and no beads, ie Vulcan, Artemis, Anubis to name just a few. Also watch those enemies that do have escapes and attack after they've used it.
And make sure to tell your team you're going in.

Horrific Emblem
Use this to slow an enemy down as you or an ally chase, pop it immediately after your ult to stop them escaping or even use it defensively to allow your guys to run away.
A nice combo is having Gem of Isolation and hitting the emblem to keep them in the danger zone.

Shield of Thorns
Always a nice one for ultimates like Sunbreaker, deadly combos such as Whirlpool> Release The Kraken! or if you see Scylla grow taller or you get rooted by Anubis and he hunkers down :-o
Also useful in a hectic team fight (you know the ones)

I won't go on as long as I do in my Geb guide - https://www.smitefire.com/smite/guide/you-rock-full-build-and-guide-for-conquest-20739

You can read the way a guardian should (IMO) play by reading that. Here, we'll get straight into how Xing Tian plays and not too much on the map and all that stuff.


Early Game Xing
Grab Guardian's Blessing and either tier 1 of boots or your other first choice (a physical defence item if your enemy duo-laners are both physical damage gods and a magical defence item if, well you know)
Pick up a couple of wards and potions and head into lane with your carry.

You can afford to be aggressive here; the enemy duo know you can hurt them and will be a little more hesitant than they normally would, especially once your ult is online.

Get in front of your carry and harrass as much as you can. Once your ult is up, check if the enemy has beads. You can coax them towards your tower easily if you have less HP than they do, then swing 'em into a laser beam.

Level your blessing up (and your gauntlet if you picked it up) by allowing your ADC to kill the minions.

*WE NEED WARDS* We don't need ganks. Try to always have one below and above the Gold Fury camp and try to get into the habit of peeking at the map every few seconds.

Mid Game Xing
You should start rotating once you feel your ADC has their lane under control or you see the enemy support leaving lane. If your lane is in trouble and you're being ganked regularly, stay a little longer to help your ADC and ask your jungler and mid-laner to help out when they can.
In an ideal situation, you're starting to go into the jungle to help with camps, appearing in mid-lane and even showing a presence in solo lane if needed.
Xing's presence anywhere is not a pleasant thing for the enemy team and they'll either fear you or target you so they can get to your team as you wait to respawn.
So be careful. Don't try to 1v1 anyone yet unless you know their kit is down or they're on low health.
You should be sticking with at least one ally and keeping an eye on everyone and everything.

*WE STILL NEED WARDS* Ganks hurt a lot more now and respawns take longer. Tell your team what you're seeing and where you're going.

Ward the Gold Fury and if you see it under attack, call it out so your ADC can retreat (they'll be going after him/her next)

Late Game Xing
Hopefully the game is still going and neither team has surrendered. Everyone is fully built or almost there.

You are the front line. You take the brunt of enemy attacks. You take the tower lasers so your allies can knock it down. And you initiate team assaults.
Call out your ultimate whenever it's ready. Your team will hopefully cling to you in the hope of a kill.
You may have chosen Blink Rune and can get a few surprise whirlwinds and wipe the enemy team out. Keep an eye on their kit. Try to aim for gods with no escapes or those without Purification Beads

Stay with your team, keep warding, don't worry if you die saving an ally; that's part of your job. The enemy will know what you can do to them so they may not group up so much, they might target you or try to bait your ult.
Be sneaky, pay attention and most of all, remember it's a game and a negative K/D isn't a bad thing if you play the objectives and support your team.

Xing Tian does have a few combos for his abilities but you'll mostly use his kit situationally.

Furious Roar > Hook Slam > Sky-Cutting Axe to chase

Furious [[Roar > Hook Slam > Whirlwind of Rage and Steel

And the main ultimate into allies special:

Whirlwind of Rage and Steel > Furious Roar > Hook Slam > Sky-Cutting Axe to chase if the enemy miraculously survived.
*This one is usually initiated with Blink Rune

All done. As usual, any constructive feedback is appreciated. I'm friendly and will reply when I can and answer any questions.
I'm also open to changes so feel free to offer any better items or tactics etc.

Thanks for reading, now go and give [Xing Tian]]...OK I won't go there a third time.

GG