Shiv build guide

Tormentor Shiv | Unkillable

by Laranthir ♪Version 49Updated Apr 18, 2026Guide #409567

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Observed usage

Match statistics · filters applied except game mode

Published guide

As written by the author · latest version · not affected by filters

In-game favourites: 38 (as last synced by the API; not match usage)

Author's notes

- Use light melees, fire-rate and Torment Pulse to build rage fast. - Boost your momentum by holding A-D & tap RMB at 90° while slidin - Bloodletting is best used after getting ur hp chunked & at max rage - Each Knife refresh the duration of all previous knives. Don't spam. - Jump before using Slice and Dice to move vertically. - Slice and Dice resets your momentum. Don't use when flying fast.

Item categories

1Early game
Game stage · 7 items · Left to Right | Buy situationals and sustain items, get tanky.
1. 1
  Extra Charge
2. 2
  Monster Rounds
  Great for farming faster because your character lacks waveclear. You also take less damage from minions.
3. 3
  Extra Stamina
  Your stamina cooldown is 5.5 (+1 second longer), +%12 stamina recovery helps a lot. Sell or Upgrade later.
4. 4
2optional
Author's category · 4 items · T2 gun options | Skippable
1. 1
  Opening Rounds
  +10 Spirit and helps you lower enemies below %50 hp for Ultimate threshold.
2. 2
  Spirit Shredder
  Lots of lifesteal and spirit resist. Great value for a T2 item. No need to rush upgrading this either.
3. 3
  Kinetic Dash
  Built from Extra Stamina
3Sustainoptional
Author's category · 3 items · to heal
1. 1
  Extra Regen
  Good vs chip damage and for extended laning. Can be upgraded into Healing Booster later for Radiant Regen/Lifesteal items.
2. 2
  Healing Booster
  Built from Extra Regen
  Good synergy with Mystic Regen, Healbane and Lifesteal.
3. 3
  Healing Rite
4Situationaloptional
Author's category · 5 items · vs specific heroes/items
1. 1
  Reactive Barrier
  Scales with Spirit. Great vs cc like Silver Bola, Paige immobilize, Wraith ult, Bebop hook, Abrams stun, Haze sleep, etc.
2. 2
  Restorative Locket
  +%10 Spirit Res and up to 400+ burst heal at max stacks. Good vs ability spamming characters like Geist, Apollo, Mo&Krill, etc. Good synergy with Healing Booster.
3. 3
5Utilityoptional
Author's category · 3 items · Gamechangers
1. 1
  Counterspell
  Buy into telegraphed ults like Wraith, Lash, Doorman, Warden Cage, etc.
2. 2
  Dispel Magic
  Counters Bebop double bombs, Infernus Afterburn, Warden Shackle.
3. 3
  Metal Skin
  Great vs fed gunners like Silver, Venator, Haze, etc. On-hit effects still apply though (Seven, Wraith, Mina, etc)
6Mobilityoptional
Author's category · 2 items
1. 1
  Warp Stone
  %30 bullet resist is great. Use dodge AFTER warp stone to keep momentum.
2. 2
  Stamina Mastery
  Built from Extra Stamina
  Your stamina cooldown is 5.5 (+1 second longer), +%18 stamina recovery is great. +2 stamina is nice too but you usually move using your shotgun anyway.
7Core Items
Author's category · 5 items · L - R but flexible. Buy whatever you need
1. 1
  Torment Pulse
  Core item. Rage, damage, farm speed. Overall this is crazy good for Shiv.
2. 2
  Compress Cooldown
  More ults, more kill pressure. Also good escape tool
3. 3
  Superior Cooldown
  Built from Compress Cooldown
  More knives, more dashes and more ults. Upgrade to Transcendent for item cdr later.
8optional
Author's category · 3 items · for 4.8k | Skippable
1. 1
  Spirit Rend
  Built from Spirit Shredder
  Lots of spirit resist shred and lifesteal. +75 hp is also nice to have.
2. 2
  Cultist Sacrifice
  Built from Monster Rounds
  Shiv farm speed sucks and he benefits greatly from T3 upgrades. This is great if bought between minute 8 and 10.
3. 3
9Extra Gunoptional
Author's category · 4 items · L-R | Most valuable to Least
1. 1
  Silencer
  More of a defensive item. +%15 Spirit resist and -%25 spirit damage debuff and you silence enemies in only 3 hits.
2. 2
  Frenzy
  Lots of movespeed and spirit resist. Basically an orange spirit resist item.
3. 3
  Siphon Bullets
  Bullet resist and %max hp steal. Good vs killing tanks and getting tankier.
10Extra Spiritoptional
Author's category · 11 items · L - R | Most value to least value
1. 1
  Radiant Regeneration
  Built from Mystic Regeneration
  Great synergy with Torment Pulse, Knives and Healing Tempo. Also scales with Spirit.
2. 2
  Silence Wave
  Great vs Lady Geist ult, Mina dashes, etc. You can use this to bait enemy Dispel Magic too.
3. 3
  Ethereal Shift
11Extra Defenseoptional
Author's category · 8 items · Get very tanky and be a nuisance
1. 1
  Bullet Resilience
  This build lacks bullet resist. This fixes it. I sometimes prefer Metal Skin or Plated Armor over this.
2. 2
  Plated Armor
  Great vs on-hit effects. Haze passive, Infernus burn, Wraith etc.
3. 3
  Spellbreaker
  Great vs burst spirit damage like Yamato Slash, Holliday Barrel, Bebop bomb, etc.
12Extra Utilityoptional
Author's category · 5 items · L - R | Most valuable to least
1. 1
  Unstoppable
  If enemy has tons of cc. Debuff Resist is also great.
2. 2
  Phantom Strike
  Scales with Spirit and disarms enemies. Great counter vs flyers like Seven, Vindicta, Lash, Grey Talon, etc.
3. 3
  Infuser
  +30 Spirit and lots of Lifesteal. Can be purged with Cursed Relic but still plenty good.

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.

Published ability order

Published ability order: unlocks and upgrades in the author's order, one row per ability in slot order
Serrated KnivesSerrated Knives	Serrated Knives: Ability unlocked, step 1	Serrated Knives: 1 AP upgrade, step 2			Serrated Knives: 2 AP upgrade, step 5			Serrated Knives: 5 AP upgrade, step 8