The Best Citlali Build: Unlocking Her Full Potential in Smite
Citlali, the Aztec Goddess of Stars, is a formidable addition to the pantheon of gods in Smite. With her celestial powers and versatile abilities, she can dominate the battlefield when played correctly. However, mastering her requires a deep understanding of her skills, playstyle, and optimal build. In this guide, we’ll break down the best Citlali build to help you shine in your next match.
Understanding Citlali’s Role
Citlali is a mage with exceptional burst damage and crowd control. Her kit revolves around her ability to manipulate time and space, making her a powerful mid-lane pick. To maximize her potential, your build should focus on ability power, cooldown reduction, and magical penetration.
Core Skills Overview
Before diving into the build, it’s essential to understand Citlali’s abilities:
Celestial Star (Passive): Citlali gains increased magical power based on the number of enemies she damages with her abilities. This passive is a game-changer in team fights, so always aim to hit multiple enemies with your skills.
Starlight (1st Ability): A long-range, piercing projectile that deals damage to all enemies in its path. This is your primary harassment tool in the laning phase.
Gravitational Pull (2nd Ability): Citlali creates a gravitational anomaly that pulls enemies toward the center. This ability is crucial for initiating fights and setting up kills.
Time Warp (Ultimate): Citlali warps time, slowing all enemies in the area while speeding up herself and her allies. This ultimate can turn the tide of any battle.
Best Citlali Build: Items and Order
A well-rounded build is key to Citlali’s success. Here’s the optimal item progression:
Early Game (Laning Phase)
Starting Items:
Sands of Time (for cooldown reduction and mana)
Mana Camp (to sustain in lane)
Lightning Bolt (for early damage)
First Back (Around 500-700 gold):
Lost Artifact (for ability power and health)
Magic Shoes (cooldown reduction and movement speed)
Mid Game
Doom Orb (for ability power and penetration)
Obsidian Shard (to shred enemy magical defenses)
Late Game
Chronos’ Pendant (for cooldown reduction and ability power)
Rod of Tahuti (to maximize your burst damage)
Soul Reaver (for high-scaling damage)
Skill Leveling Order
Your skill leveling should prioritize maximizing damage and control:
Starlight (1st Ability): Max this first for consistent damage and harassment.
Gravitational Pull (2nd Ability): Max this second for improved crowd control and setup.
Time Warp (Ultimate): Take this at levels 5, 10, and 15 for game-changing team fights.
Gameplay Tips and Tricks
Laning Phase
Use Starlight to poke enemies from a safe distance.
Avoid overextending without vision, as Citlali is vulnerable to ganks early on.
Team Fights
Gravitational Pull is your bread and butter for initiating. Use it to pull enemies into your ultimate.
Time Warp is best used after your pull to lock down enemies while your team follows up.
Split Pushing
Citlali excels at wave clearing with her Starlight and Gravitational Pull. Use this to split push and pressure enemy towers.
Advanced Strategies
Synergies
Citlali pairs well with gods who can follow up on her crowd control, such as Anubis or Ares.
Avoid teaming with gods who rely on mobility, as her ultimate can hinder their effectiveness.
Counterplay
Be cautious of gods with strong escapes, such as Loki or Bacchus, as they can easily dodge your