Skaarf: Builds, Playstyle, and Discussion

[Skaarf]

“Wraaeeh rahr rrr rwr!!”

Welcome to the forum-built introduction to Skaarf, THE BEST HERO, part of our #guides series! If you’re new to Skaarf and would like an overview, you’re in the right place! You’ll find builds, playstyle tips, and other resources by clicking the links below.

BUILDS
PLAYSTYLE TIPS
OTHER RESOURCES
DISCUSSION: 4.3 | 4.5

If you’d like to contribute, please do! These posts are wikis that forum members can edit. Post your builds and playstyle tips! But don’t make it too detailed. The goal is a quick, easy-to-browse overview for players who are new to this hero. You may want to check out our other hero #guides for examples!

This thread is also for discussion, so feel free to reply with comments and questions about Skaarf and the builds and tips posted here.

[Skaarf]

Skaarf Builds

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Burn Baby, Burn!

CORE:

SITUATIONAL OFFENSE:

SITUATIONAL DEFENSE:

OVERDRIVE:
A, C

Poke, poke, goop... poke, poke, goop

I’m not a great Skaarf, but this is my usual build, which works pretty well for me - I hope it works for you too!

The main idea when playing Skaarf is to stay well to the back of teamfights, and use your A ability, Spitfire, to poke. Ideally, you don’t want to be taking any damage, so your focus should be offensive items. I start the match with and , so I can farm and use Spitfire to harass the enemy laner, while still having enough energy to stay in lane for a good period of time. This is much easier in 4.5, with Spitfire’s increased projectile speed. My first buy is and then into . I like Spellfire as a first buy better than either or because you need that damage to harass (rather than healing), and it’s still a cost-effective item capable of chunking your opponents.

Skaarf is a sensitive little dragon, so you should likewise play sensitively, adjusting your build to the situation. Running out of energy? Pick up earlier than you might otherwise. Having great positioning and not taking damage? Go with before so you can really punish the enemy. Getting smacked around a bit by pesky assassins? Go with to mitigate bursty damage against you, or pick up a into if you need to block CC aimed at you.

As always, watch for what the enemy is building - if they’re buying shield against you, go with into so you can get through their defenses. Frostburn, with its slow, is a good buy if your team includes heroes that like to stick to opponents and need some help doing that.

I’m not sure if is a good buy for Skaarf; it’s something to test out.

added by @HipsterSkaarf , update 4.5

add more builds here

[Skaarf]

Skaarf Playstyle Tips

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If you’re quick, you can place goop puddles on spitfires that are still mid-air. With a little practice and coordination, you can ignite the enemy with a goop puddle right as the spitfire hits them.

When up against mobile heroes with annoying dashes, like @Vox or @Idris, you can take this tip one step further. As the enemy dashes away from your spitfire, place the goop puddle so that the edge of it still hits them, while also just catching the edge of the fireball. This can effectively extend the hitbox of your spitfires, so that you still damage the enemy.

added by @HipsterSkaarf, update 4.3

Skaarf’s A ability, Spitfire, can be a useful tool for checking if enemies are in a bush. Before walking flying in blind, shoot some fire, to be safe.

added by @HipsterSkaarf, update 4.3

This isn’t so much a tip, just a thing to remember:

Skaarf is the best hero. Let that lead you to victory.

added by @HipsterSkaarf, update 4.3

add more tips here

[Skaarf]

Other Skaarf Resources

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Wallpapers
Voice Lines
Lore

Official Hero Spotlight:

[Lebatron]

About time!

[HipsterSkaarf]

I can’t say how much I love that little flamethrower. Hoping to see lots of playstyle tips, so my skaarfing can be even more fun. And maybe someone has the best updated Critspit™ WP build?

[HipsterSkaarf]

I’ve added my Skaarf build! Not sure if it’s the most effective, but it works pretty well for me. I’ll have to experiment some with especially. Is everyone maxing A and C, or doing something wild with maxing A and B?

[PlayHard_DieHard]

Personally I prefer maxing A & ult. His ult is still powerful enough to melt a team even though they removed the shield pierce.

[Lebatron]

I like it! I personally don’t think is a item that Skaaf needs.

There are actually many games I don’t build a . Often, my final 4 dmg items are:

Now that his A is MUCH easier to hit with, it’s easier to get stacks. I like the slow from .

I like your build though! for life!

[HipsterSkaarf]

That’s a good point - stacks might be easier to maintain now! I usually avoid it in my builds because most teamfights I’m a part of aren’t very coordinated, where I can sit on the edge of the fight for an extended period of time, or logical extensions of me bullying a laner. It’s usually me farming, then seeing something break out somewhere else on the map and skaarfing on over to poke poke poke and blaze up with the ult to burn up the stragglers. Or poke poke, oh crap we were over-extended, goop run run reflex boots run don’t kill me don’t kill me

[HipsterSkaarf]

I tried out the other day, and it was definitely easier to keep stacks through laning/harassing, but I still wasn’t getting much beyond 7, 8, 9 stacks in teamfights… I would have to crunch numbers to see, but I’m not sure it’s giving enough damage. Or I have to change my playstyle.

was quite nice though! The slow feels really good. It might be in the running to be a second or third item, depending on how my energy usage and damage taken are going.

[Lebatron]

Well - that’s 70-80-90 addition CP

But, a is a more simply way to have raw CP power.