Shiro is possibly one of the most unsuspecting mages in the game, and the chances of encountering someone using him is really low. If Shiro doesn’t appear as a free shikigami in the weekly rotations, who knows how few of us have unlocked him!
He’s a mage, offensive-focused, so he’ll probably take a punch or two before toppling over. In the early game, your team will likely pray you don’t feed the enemy! But! It’s because he’s a mage, that’s why he’ll expectedly become a heavy damage-dealer. His skills are perfect for harassing enemies, and has the benefit of mobility boosts. Add to the fact that his Soul Array and Wandering Soul skills have CC affects, this innocent sweetheart becomes a real bad boy in the late game!
That is why we feel this pure-white mage deserves some recognition and highlight, and a guide on how he can top the game over Ootengu, Izaya and even Shiranui!
SKILLS
Empty Soul
Trait
Natural Passive | Trait
CD: 0 sec
Passive Effect: When Shiro hits an enemy shikigami with his abilities or basic attacks, he adds 1 Empty Soul mark to the target. The marks are triggered when 4 are added, dealing (+55% ability power) (+16*current level) magic damage to the target and restoring (+35% ability power) (+8*current level) HP to Shiro.
Soul-Sapping Banner
Skill 1
Active | Damage
CD: 2.5 sec
Cost: 40 MP
Shiro summons a Soul-Sapping Banner at the designated position to deal 70 (+30% ability power) magic damage to enemies within a radius of 180 yards and gains the vision of the location for 6 seconds. Only 1 Soul-Sapping Banner can be placed at any time.
Soul Curse
Skill 2
Active | Dash
CD: 12 sec
Cost: 50 MP
Active: If there is a Soul-Sapping Banner on the battlefield, Shiro can switch positions with it, gaining a 35% Haste effect for 1 second.
Passive Trigger: When Shiro launches basic attacks and the Soul-Sapping Banner is within attack range, the Banner will release souls at the same time to deal 5 (+25% ability power) magic damage.
Using this skill resets the cooldown of the Soul-Sapping Banner skill (but does not allow Shiro to place extra banners).
Soul Array
Skill 3
Active | Slow
CD: 8 sec
Cost: 60 MP
Shiro releases souls around him to deal 60 (+40% ability power) magic damage and inflicts a 40% Slow for 1.5 seconds effect on enemies within range.
If the Soul-Sapping Banner is on the battlefield, it will also release souls around it to deal 60 (+40% ability power) magic damage and inflict a 40% Slow for 1.5 seconds effect on enemies within range. If it hits the same targets as Shiro, the banner’s damage is reduced to 50%.
Wandering Soul
Ultimate
Active | Knock Up
CD: 60 sec
Cost: 100 MP
Shiro summons souls to fly from the Soul-Sapping Banner to himself, knocking up enemies along the way and dealing 260 (+80% ability power) magic damage.
SKILL UPGRADE PRIORITY
Focus on reaching the maximum level of your Soul-Sapping Banner. It’s practically the core of your attacks!
After that, give priority to Soul Curse when possible over Soul Array. Its damage output is higher and has the Slow effect you need to support your frontal offensive team members. Or just to give you the chance to catch up to your fleeing target and place a Banner way ahead to resume dishing out the damage!
Of course, give the most priority to your Ultimate, Wandering Soul. The damage output plus knock up effect is wonderous, and is a lot easier to ‘aim’ compared to pointing with a virtual arrow.
ITEM BUILD
Items: Shichimen Tenyo, Demonic Boots, Inazami’s Scepter, Tale of Izumo, Ama-no-Habari, 8 Trigrams
Last Item: Night Parasol or Chiyo’s Sword
Consider getting the Shichimen Tenyo instead of the Mandala Sutra because the extra health is important to help Shiro take more hits. We’re aware that mages tend to be more squishy!
We’re also suggesting to get the Inazami’s Scepter and Tale of Izumo first before Ama-no-Habari because of the following reasons:
- Shiro’s Skill 3 attacks all enemies within a circular range. Izanami’s Scepter boosts the damage of each attack, so the total damage dealt is incredibly high, boosting your team-fight presence! This will be most effective when the minions bunch up, dealing with enemy Orochi waves, and toward the end game when the opponents typically flock together in your mid-lane. Shiro can really assist in turning the tide!
- It allows Shiro to have stronger harassments, forcing your enemies to flee back to base more often.
- These two items basically grace you with a huge chunk of ability power, and is ever-useful for just about any shikigami that relies on ability power. Shiro relies on ability power.
Ama-no-Habari is still desirable because you’ll definitely need to rely on your basic attacks (particularly after spamming all your abilities during team fights). Remember that your Soul-Sapping Banner will also attack along with you, so basic attacks are still valuable to Shiro!
Onmyodo: Panther Maul
Kiai: Magic Resistance
Spells:
- Wind Rider: to increase your attack speed and give you greater DPS together with your Banner.
- Death Amulet: to reduce ability cooldown and allow you to spam skills more often, particularly when you begin using your combos (as below).
How to Use
In the early game, play it safe, even if the enemy you’re facing off against is also a mage or happens to be a tank.
Rely on your Soul-Sapping Banner (skill 1) to clear lanes. At level 1 and 2, note that its mana cost will be relatively expensive, and its cooldown is long, so don’t spam it just because you can! It’s definitely weak in the early game, perhaps weaker than most others. Plus, you’d want to use it as a deterrent in the event the enemy jungler tries to gank you.
Once you reach level 2, quickly learn Soul Curse (skill 2)! It’ll be very valuable because it’s your main defensive maneuver against attacks all throughout the game. When an enemy jungler targets you, you know your first order of response (and probably your first reaction) is to escape possible death!
At level 3, you can consider using the long outreach of the Banner placement to harass your opponent. Go for a one-two with your Banner to make them bleed lots of health, and watch them scurry back to base!
Once you reach level 6, start paying attention to the other lanes, top or bottom, and see if they may require your help. Harass the enemies and force them back with your Soul-Sapping Banner and Soul Array, between, before and after using the combos we shared below. This should make enemies hesitate to advance further than your tower! But do caution against taking risks — if you might take hits from the enemy, you should fall back too.
By this time, you’ll start seeing your team and even your enemy begin their own attack patterns and individual movements. As Shiro, you need to focus on harassing your opponents and proc passive skills as much as possible, until you’re able to burst down the enemy. And yes, Shiro can burst!
Attack Combo
Combo 1
Soul-Sapping Banner + Soul Array, basic attacks
The Banner is one of those skills that have almost no animation time to cast, so enemies typically won’t know you’ll be placing a Banner until it’s there. This combo’s idea is to quickly and suddenly toss a bomb into the fray by placing the Banner first, and immediately following up with Soul Array.
You’ll definitely want to find the right moment when enemies are amassing, or when you an enemy shikigami is heading a certain path, and then dropping a Banner-bomb on them and making it explode!
Follow up with basic attacks while your target is still within the Banner’s range, because the Banner can still attack your targets after skill 3’s activation! Imagine it as a fallout effect! Plus, include all the passive skills you would proc via basic attacks!
Combo 2
Soul-Sapping Banner + Soul Array, Soul Curse, Soul-Sapping Banner, basic attacks
This method is a good alternative to combo 1 if your target is fleeing and it’s safe to chase him down.
In this combo, if you have the mana to burn, after getting your Banner to burst, use Soul Curse to teleport yourself closer to your fleeing target, and re-position your Banner in front of him again. Of course, if your Soul Array cools down in time, repeat this combo endlessly!
This combo relies on higher usage of your ability power, coupled with the constant barrage of basic attacks and their passive procs, so expect a steady supply of pain to rain down!
Combo 3a
Soul-Sapping Banner, Wandering Soul, basic attacks
Combo 3b
Soul-Sapping Banner, Wandering Soul, Soul Curse, Soul-Sapping Banner, basic attacks
Basically, this combo (of both variations) is an upgrade of the previous ones by adding in your ultimate skill!
Just like pretty much all of your combos, you begin by placing your Banner, your main focal point. Follow up with your Ultimate to burst down on your target!
Of course, we don’t always get lucky and finish off enemies with just our ultimate skills, so always prepare to follow up with either a barrage of basic attacks and passive procs, or an Armageddon of skills with Soul Curse!
In fact, if you feel you prefer to go all in and burn your mana, you’d want to activate Soul Array first before Wandering Soul. Shiro’s ultimate skill does require a bit of time before all the goodness comes out, so if your targets escape from the Banner’s range, your ultimate skill goes to waste.
Thus, consider a third variation, Combo 3c: Soul-Sapping Banner + Soul Array, Wandering Soul, Soul Curse, Soul-Sapping Banner, basic attacks
Ensure you put your Banner behind your targets and slow them with Soul Array, before unleashing Wandering Soul on them! Follow up with a salvo of skills and basic attacks to leave behind a trail of bodies!
Game Tips
- Coming hot from the combo list above, always remember that despite Shiro being a mage, his basic attacks, paired with his Banner, are still key to his damage output. At any time before, during, and after your combos, slide in basic attacks! The uniqueness of Shiro is his extra damage with his beloved Banner — even one proc closer (or 2 if the banner radius encompasses the enemy) will make it easier to deal some big boy damage!
- As stated earlier, Shiro is much stronger toward late game, so that is when you can target squishy enemies like other mages. In fact, he can even partake in one-on-one fights!
- Beware of Chin — her DPS is already high enough, but even if you successfully escape her attack range, her poison effects can still drop your health dangerously low.
- Soul Curse can be your savior, allowing you to negate or overcome some control effects, like Ootengu’s Gale Force Wind (skill 3, a cyclone homes in on you and knocks you up).
- Just because you’ve placed your Banner and Soul Curse is ready, it doesn’t mean you must teleport. Simply placing a Banner is enough to cause your opponents to worry about an impending combo. Play this mind game with them to keep them away!
- When participating in a team fight, you can move closer to plant your Banner, but always remember to seek cover behind your team.
The earth is not indifferent to our sorrows.
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