Aldous

Aldous possesses a distinct set of strengths and weaknesses that define his role on the battlefield. Understanding these aspects is crucial for effective gameplay and maximizing his impact.

• Exceptional Durability: With a high durability score, Aldous can withstand significant incoming damage, especially when utilizing his passive shield and Skill 2's damage reduction. This allows him to confidently engage in skirmishes and survive prolonged team fights, making him a formidable frontline presence.
• Devastating Single-Target Burst: Aldous's primary offensive strength lies in his ability to eliminate isolated targets with immense burst damage. His Skill 1, Contract: Soul Steal, scales infinitely with stacks, allowing him to achieve one-shot potential against squishy enemies in the late game.
• Global Map Presence: His ultimate, Contract: Chase Fate, grants him unparalleled global reach. This enables him to quickly respond to threats, secure objectives, or assassinate vulnerable enemies anywhere on the map, providing a constant threat to the opposing team.
• Weak Early Game: Aldous starts with a relatively low physical offense, making his early game quite vulnerable. He is heavily reliant on farming Skill 1 stacks to become relevant, which can leave him susceptible to aggressive enemy junglers or laners.
• High Skill Floor: With a difficulty score, Aldous requires precise execution and strategic decision-making. Mastering his stack farming, timing his ultimate for optimal impact, and effectively using his Skill 2 for defense demands a good understanding of game mechanics and map awareness.
• Vulnerable to Crowd Control: Despite his high durability, Aldous can be easily kited and locked down by multiple crowd control effects. While his Skill 2 offers damage reduction, it does not provide crowd control immunity, leaving him exposed if caught without proper support or escape options.

Aldous's kit is centered around scaling damage and strategic engagements. Each skill plays a vital role in his transformation from a humble fighter into a late-game powerhouse.

• Passive: Contract: Transform
  After every 2 Basic Attacks, Aldous gains a 500 (+3 times the number of (Soul Steal) stacks) shield for 3s on his next Basic Attack. This effect can only be triggered once every 5s. This passive is crucial for Aldous's survivability, providing a consistent shield that scales with his accumulated power. It encourages weaving basic attacks between skills to maximize his defensive capabilities, especially when trading blows in lane or diving enemy backlines.
• Skill 1: Contract: Soul Steal
  Aldous unleashes his inner energy to enhance his next Basic Attack to deal physical damage equal to 200( +100% Total Physical Attack) plus 5 times the number of (Soul Steal) stacks. If this attack kills an enemy hero/Siege Minion/other non-hero unit, Aldous will gain 10/10/4 stacks of (Soul Steal) (up to 650 stacks). The enhanced Basic Attack deals 300% extra Base Damage to Minions or Creeps. Aldous gets an extra 5/2 stack(s) of (Soul Steal) when a nearby enemy Siege Minion/other non-hero unit dies. This is Aldous's signature skill and the core of his scaling. The damage scaling of 200 flat + 100% scaling (Total Physical Attack, Physical) means that physical attack items significantly boost its power. The permanent stack accumulation is paramount; prioritize last-hitting with this skill on minions, jungle creeps, and especially enemy heroes to exponentially increase your damage throughout the game.
• Skill 2: Contract: Explosion
  Aldous assumes a defensive stance, gaining 30% Damage Reduction and 20% extra Movement Speed for 2s or until manual cancellation. He then deals physical damage equal to 100( +20% Total Physical Attack)-200( +40% Total Physical Attack) to nearby enemies and stuns them for 0.5-1s (scales with defensive stance duration). This skill is a versatile defensive and offensive tool. The damage reduction and basic attack immunity are vital for mitigating incoming burst damage, allowing Aldous to survive engagements or escape ganks. The movement speed helps with positioning. Reactivating it or letting it expire deals physical damage with scaling from 100 flat + 20% scaling (Total Physical Attack, Physical) to 200 flat + 40% scaling (Total Physical Attack, Physical), providing a small area-of-effect burst and crowd control.
• Ultimate: Contract: Chase Fate
  Aldous gains vision of all enemy heroes for 5s. During this time, if Aldous uses this skill again, he can dash toward an enemy hero. When Aldous hits that enemy hero, he will deal physical damage equal to 250 plus 8% of the target's Max HP and knock back the target for 1s. This ultimate provides unparalleled global presence. Use it to gain vision of the entire enemy team, identify isolated or low-health targets, and then re-activate to dash across the map for a decisive kill. The damage, which includes 8% of the target's Max HP, makes it particularly effective against both squishy and tankier targets, ensuring a strong impact upon arrival.

Aldous's recommended build focuses on maximizing his physical attack, survivability, and penetration to ensure his one-shot potential remains devastating throughout the game. Each item is chosen to synergize with his unique scaling and playstyle.

• Endless Battle: This item is a cornerstone for Aldous due to its Unique Passive - Divine Justice. After casting a skill, the next Basic Attack within 3s deals 60% Physical Attack as extra True Damage. This passive perfectly complements Aldous's Skill 1, which is an enhanced basic attack, significantly amplifying his burst damage and making his one-shot combo even more lethal.
• Tough Boots: As Aldous often dives deep into enemy lines, he can be vulnerable to crowd control. The Unique Passive - Fortitude of Tough Boots reduces CC and Slow Duration by 30%, allowing him to maintain mobility and stick to his targets or escape dangerous situations more effectively.
• War Axe: This item provides stacking physical attack and spell vamp through its Unique Passive - Fighting Spirit. Dealing damage grants 12 extra Physical Attack and 2% extra Spell Vamp per second for 4s, up to 6 stacks. At full stacks, it deals 10% extra True Damage according to Base Damage. This enhances Aldous's sustained damage and provides crucial healing, making him more resilient in extended fights.
• Brute Force Breastplate: A defensive item that also contributes to Aldous's offense and mobility. Its Unique Passive - Brute Force grants 6 extra Physical Attack and Magic Power and 2% extra Movement Speed for 4s after dealing damage, stacking up to 6 times. At full stacks, it provides an additional 15% Control Duration Reduction. This item boosts his damage, helps him chase or escape, and further reduces the impact of crowd control.
• Immortality: As a late-game insurance policy, Immortality is vital for Aldous. Its Unique Passive - Immortal revives him 2.5s after death, granting 16% Max HP and a shield. This second life can turn the tide of a crucial team fight, allowing him to re-engage or provide a distraction for his team.
• Malefic Roar: In the late game, enemies will build physical defense. Malefic Roar's Unique Passive - Armor Buster provides physical penetration, gaining 0.125% extra Physical Penetration for each point of the enemy's Physical Defense, capped at 40%. This ensures that Aldous's massive damage output is not mitigated by enemy armor, allowing him to continue to burst down even tankier targets.

Mastering Aldous requires a strategic approach, focusing on his unique scaling and global presence. These tips will help you maximize his potential and dominate the Land of Dawn.

• Prioritize Stack Farming: In the early game, your absolute priority is to farm Skill 1 (Contract: Soul Steal) stacks. Use it to last-hit every minion, jungle monster, and especially siege minions. This is the only way to overcome his low initial offense and unlock his devastating late-game power. Avoid unnecessary fights if it means missing out on crucial stacks.
• Strategic Skill 2 Usage: Contract: Explosion (Skill 2) is incredibly versatile. Use it defensively to mitigate burst damage from enemies, escape ganks with the movement speed, or become immune to basic attacks. Offensively, time its re-activation to stun enemies for follow-up damage or to interrupt channel abilities.
• Global Ultimate Awareness: Constantly check the map for isolated or low-health enemy heroes. Contract: Chase Fate (Ultimate) allows you to instantly join fights, secure kills, or even split-push. However, be mindful of committing to a dive, as you become a prime target upon arrival. Ensure your team can follow up or that the target is truly isolated.
• Basic Attack Weaving: Always weave basic attacks between your skills. Your passive, Contract: Transform, grants a shield after every two basic attacks, and Endless Battle's passive provides true damage after casting a skill. This maximizes both your damage output and survivability in skirmishes.
• Objective Control: With your global ultimate, Aldous can quickly rotate to secure objectives like Turtle or Lord. Use your ultimate to surprise enemies attempting to contest these objectives or to quickly join your team for a decisive team fight around them.
• Late Game Power Spike: Understand that Aldous is a late-game carry. Play cautiously in the early game, focusing on farming. Once you have accumulated a significant number of stacks and core items, you become a terrifying threat capable of single-handedly winning team fights by eliminating key enemy carries.

Understanding Aldous's matchups is crucial for maximizing his effectiveness and mitigating his weaknesses. Knowing which heroes synergize with him and which pose a threat can significantly impact your game.

• Best Mate: Angela
  Angela is an excellent partner for Aldous. Her official tip states, "Any hero that can protect or drive a wedge into enemy defense works perfect with Aldous." Angela's ability to attach to Aldous with her ultimate provides him with crucial shields, healing, and crowd control, allowing him to dive deep into enemy lines with increased survivability and sustain. This synergy makes Aldous even more difficult to take down after he initiates.
• Counters: Lesley
  Aldous excels at shutting down squishy damage dealers like Lesley. The official tip for this matchup highlights, "Aldous could easily kill any squishy heroes when he's fully equipped." Once Aldous has accumulated enough Skill 1 stacks and acquired his core items, he can use his ultimate, Contract: Chase Fate, to quickly close the gap and eliminate Lesley before she can react or deal significant damage, making her a prime target.
• Countered By: Kaja
  Kaja poses a significant threat to Aldous due to his strong crowd control. The official tip warns, "Aldous is vulnerable when Skill 2 is not ready. If controlled for a long time Aldous will be easily killed." Kaja's ultimate, Divine Judgment, can suppress Aldous, preventing him from activating his Skill 2 (Contract: Explosion) for damage reduction or escape. If caught by Kaja's CC, Aldous becomes an easy target for the enemy team to burst down.

Imagine you're in the late game, and an enemy Marksman is split-pushing or rotating alone. This is a perfect opportunity for Aldous to secure a crucial pick-off and create a numbers advantage for your team. Here's a typical sequence:

1. First, activate Contract: Chase Fate (Ultimate) to gain global vision. Scan the map to confirm the enemy Marksman's isolated position and ensure no immediate threats are nearby.
2. Once confirmed, re-activate Contract: Chase Fate and target the isolated enemy Marksman. Aldous will dash across the map, dealing damage and knocking them back upon impact.
3. Immediately upon landing, activate Contract: Soul Steal (Skill 1) for the enhanced basic attack. This will deliver a massive burst of damage, often enough to eliminate squishy targets instantly, especially with accumulated stacks and items like Endless Battle.
4. Follow up with a quick basic attack to trigger your passive shield from Contract: Transform and the True Damage from Endless Battle.
5. If the target somehow survives or if you anticipate incoming enemy rotations, activate Contract: Explosion (Skill 2) to gain damage reduction and basic attack immunity, allowing you to either finish the target with the stun and damage from its re-activation or safely disengage from the area.

To truly master Aldous and dominate the Land of Dawn, focus on these key decisions:

1. Prioritize farming Skill 1 (Contract: Soul Steal) stacks throughout the early and mid-game to unlock your full damage potential. Every stack is a permanent power increase, essential for his late-game carry status.
2. Utilize Contract: Chase Fate (Ultimate) strategically to pick off isolated targets, secure objectives, or join critical team fights from anywhere on the map, always checking for vulnerable enemies.
3. Master the timing of Contract: Explosion (Skill 2) to mitigate incoming damage, escape dangerous situations, and provide crucial crowd control, making you resilient in engagements.
4. Weave basic attacks between your skills, especially after Contract: Soul Steal, to maximize your damage output and activate item passives like Endless Battle's True Damage and your passive shield.