Shiv build guide
by markypoo15Version 122Updated Sep 29, 2026Guide #196212
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STICK EM IS BACK. (AGAIN) A full bleed Shiv that focuses on lots of sustain and anti-heal, then cleaning up with ultimate right after. Message 'starlyn.' on discord for suggestions/questions. Thank you. (v4.8.2 - 9/29/26)
1Early game
Game stage · 7 items · Focus on poke damage on one target with knives in lane. Mix in alt fires with your knives! Look to fight once you have rage up! Very strong after Radiant Regeneration, 4.8k powerspike.
Restorative Shot
Sell later, can skip if good lane.
Extra Charge
An extra knife to poke in lane! Builds into Rapid Recharge.
Mystic Regeneration
Lots of lane sustain when you hit knives!
2Early-Mid Optionalsoptional
Author's category · 5 items
Rebuttal
Broken against meele characters like Abrams, Billy, Calico, and Viscious!
Suppressor
Great against bullet heroes!
Reactive Barrier
Great against hard CC heavy comps!
3Mid game
Game stage · 8 items · Look for fights in the mid-game, as you have your 4.8k powerspikes.
Rapid Recharge
Built from Extra Charge
More knives, a little bit of spirit, and an extra source of CDR on those knives!
Torment Pulse
Broken item, does lots of damage (even better when amped with rage) when close and maintains rage indefintely.
Counterspell
4Mid-Late Optionalsoptional
Author's category · 4 items
Decay
Safe rage generation if you're struggling to land knives on a person or execute.
Bullet Resilience
Great if you want more consistent bullet resistance rather than warp stone. Can buy metal skin instead.
Spirit Resilience
Theres so many raw stats on spirit resist in items that you rarely buy this but you can in all spirit comps.
5Late game
Game stage · 9 items · Buy accordingly to enemy & item lineup, dash pivot. Left --> Right in order of importance.
Transcendent Cooldown
Built from Superior Cooldown
Broken item. Reduces cooldown of all abilites, actives, and passives! Amazing value if you have a lot of actives!
Witchmail
Great item against spirit heavy comps, lots of dash resets/knives!
Mystic Reverb
6Great Optionsoptional
Author's category · 2 items
Spirit Snatch
Tankbuster
(EXPERIMENTAL) Max hp% monster??
7Other Late / Luxury Optionalsoptional
Author's category · 9 items · Buy as needed in the late game.
Indomitable
Built from Reactive Barrier
Oh my CC lock
Spellbreaker
Great for charcters that have high burst damage, usually buy if lots of spirit amp or debuffs.
Infuser
Insane burst healing when you're low, and more spirit resist!
8Situational Preferencesoptional
Author's category · 10 items · Buy as needed.
Debuff Reducer
Debuff resist is always valuble, buy ASAP against multiple slowing hexes, mo and krill, or infernus.
Return Fire
Decent early-mid game option against bullet heavy comps!
Slowing Hex
Works for most of the cast as a cheaper 'silence' for certain heroes.
Categories appear in the author's order. Only the editor's default Early, Mid and Late sections are marked as game stages; the author's own categories keep their names. “Built from” links come from the game's item recipes.
| Serrated Knives: Ability unlocked, step 1 | Serrated Knives: 1 AP upgrade, step 5 | Serrated Knives: 2 AP upgrade, step 6 | Serrated Knives: 5 AP upgrade, step 7 |
Radiant Regeneration
Built from Mystic Regeneration
Core sustain item, but falls off mid-late game. Your significant powerspike in early/laning phase and for the mid-game. Swap out with Leech/Infuser late.
Mystic Vulnerability
Resist shred & spirit resist, builds into escalating.
Healbane
Great for consistent anti-heal, and synergy on your ult! Allows you to "all in" more in lane. May want to buy early against Kelvin or Geist.
Dispel Magic
Purges decay, slowing hex, silences, stacks of debuff characters with added spirit resist.
Healing Booster
Helps with bloodletting clear, radiant, healbane, and reverb heal!
Restorative Locket
Strong tempo item, easier get away and more sustain!
NAH I'D WIN (sub for reducer if not needed)
Compress Cooldown
Jarvis, we need more knives, NOW!!!!
Escalating Exposure
Built from Mystic Vulnerability
An early escalating exposure allows us to burst enemies down quicker for our execute!
Warp Stone
Great consistent movement & escape tool, while also providing bullet resist!
Superior Cooldown
Built from Compress Cooldown
More knives, dash resets, and opportunities to ult!
Scourge
Extremely strong against heavy spirit, scales with rage.
Metal Skin
Get into any gun carry, and combine with return fire if you have to.
Core dash item, huge damage and slows and significant lifesteal.
Ethereal Shift
A great item that you can use to get out of trouble or cleanse bloodletting and come back with lots of buffs!
Plated Armor
Amazing pickup into characters with lots of on-hit effects! Infernus, Mina, Haze, Wraith, etc.
Unstoppable
Holy stuns, usually get into a dynamo / mid-boss contest as a tempo buy. Buy if targetted by 3+ slowing hexes / silence waves / curses.
Greater Expansion
Bigger scourge & longer dash!
Arctic Blast
Great against high-mobility or stamina dependent heroes like Celeste, Vyper, Lash. Sell Emblem.
Boundless Spirit
win more item
Juggernaut
Spirit Burn
Buy against super late game massive healing! (Replace healbane unless against Victor)
Crippling Headshot
Buy if you need to shut down a resist heavy hero, with added anti-heal.
Colossus
BIG BACK BIG BACK HP HOLY
Leech
Consistent healing, not put down by curse
Divine Barrier
FUCK POCKET
Trophy Collector
Great item if constantly fighting + good lane! Especially good if most your team buys it in a permafight playstyle.
Spirit Shielding
Spirit shielding and resist!
Weapon Shielding
Bullet shielding and resist!
Spirit Sap
Buy with a spirit laner and against spirit heroes.
Cold Front
Great option, especially with our dash, builds into arctic blast.
Fortitude
Great for bonus health and roaming! Scales well into late game.
Stamina Mastery
I SUCK AT M2 MOVEMENT
| Slice and Dice: Ability unlocked, step 2 | Slice and Dice: 1 AP upgrade, step 11 | Slice and Dice: 2 AP upgrade, step 12 | Slice and Dice: 5 AP upgrade, step 13 |
| Bloodletting: Ability unlocked, step 3 | Bloodletting: 1 AP upgrade, step 10 | Bloodletting: 2 AP upgrade, step 15 | Bloodletting: 5 AP upgrade, step 16 |
| Killing Blow: Ability unlocked, step 4 | Killing Blow: 1 AP upgrade, step 8 | Killing Blow: 2 AP upgrade, step 9 | Killing Blow: 5 AP upgrade, step 14 |
Unlock1 / 2 / 5 AP upgrade costOrder only; no timings
Current patch: the Oct 5, 2026 update, Oct 5, 2026, 11:05 PM UTC to today · ranked and unranked · all match average ranks
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