Monkey King Dota 2 ⇒ Pro Guide, Abilities & Best Items

The Monkey King, also known as Sun Wukong, is one of the most captivating and versatile heroes in Dota 2. Introduced in the groundbreaking 7.00 patch released in December 2016, Monkey King quickly became a fan favorite thanks to his agility, lore-inspired design, and unique gameplay mechanics. Whether dominating as a carry or dazzling enemies with his trickery and mobility, Monkey King remains an iconic character that requires both skill and strategy to master. This article delves into every facet of Monkey King, including his biography, abilities, talents, optimal items, gameplay strategies, interesting trivia, and more.

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Monkey King – The Hero’s Biography and Background

Monkey King, or Sun Wukong, hails from a legendary origin inspired by the mythical Monkey King from Chinese folklore, Journey to the West. In Dota 2, his lore positions him as a cunning trickster and warrior with an indestructible staff, the Jingu Bang. His mischievous nature and unyielding determination have made him both a formidable ally and a terrifying adversary. Monkey King’s design also reflects design elements from the DotA Era, marking him as the first original Dota 2 hero not ported from the Warcraft III mod.

Attributes and Roles

Primary Attribute: Agility
Role: Carry, Escaper, Disabler, Initiator
Strength: High attack speed and damage potential
Weakness: Vulnerable to crowd control and tree-clearing skills

With versatile abilities and a scalable kit, Monkey King thrives in multiple roles, including carry for sustained damage, disabler for controlling enemies, or an escape artist capable of repositioning and evading danger. His high attack speed paired with critical hits makes him a menace in team fights and skirmishes alike.

Abilities – A Master of Versatility

Monkey King’s abilities make him an exceptionally adaptable hero. A combination of mobility, high-damage capabilities, and mind-bending tricks allow him to outplay opponents while providing utility to his team. Below is an in-depth look at his abilities:

Boundless Strike (Q)

Monkey King’s staff grows to massive proportions ashe slams it into the ground, dealing critical damage and stunning all enemies in a straight line.

Range: 1100 units
Stun Duration: 0.7 to 1.3 seconds (scales with levels)
Critical Damage: 135% to 225% of attack damage (scales with levels)
Cast Point: 0.4 seconds
Usage: Best used in team fights for multi-target stuns or as an initiator to secure kills.

Tree Dance (W)

Using the terrain to his advantage, Monkey King leaps onto a tree, becoming immune to attacks while perched. From here, he can leap down using Primal Spring.

Utility: Essential for map mobility, gaining vision, or setting up ambushes.
Risk: Destroying the tree stuns Monkey King for 4 seconds, leaving him vulnerable to enemy attacks.

Primal Spring

While atop a tree, Monkey King can leap into the air and land in an area, dealing damage and slowing enemies based on charge time.

Function: Primarily used for initiation or chasing fleeing enemies.
Effect: Area damage and slow, scaling with the time it is channeled.

Jingu Mastery

A deadly passive ability that triggers after hitting the same enemy hero four times. Upon activation, Monkey King gains four enhanced attacks with lifesteal and bonus damage.

Duration: 35 seconds
Activation: Requires consecutive hits on an enemy hero within a short timeframe.
Usage: Perfect for trading in lanes or executing high-damage bursts in fights.

Mischief

Monkey King can disguise himself as objects from the environment such as trees, runes, couriers, and more, deceiving his enemies. Mischief makes him temporarily untargetable.

Break Conditions: Any damage, attack, or use of abilities breaks the disguise.
Utility: Best used to dodge abilities or confuse opponents during chaotic moments.

Wukong’s Command (Ultimate)

Monkey King summons a massive circular formation of monkey soldiers to fight alongside him. These soldiers attack all enemies within their range, replicating Monkey King’s attacks and effects (e.g., Jingu Mastery).

Damage: Scales with Monkey King’s damage output.
Duration: Ends if Monkey King leaves the circle or dies.
Usage: A powerful team-fight tool used to control zones and apply sustained AoE damage.

Aghanim’s Upgrades

Aghanim’s Scepter

Enhances Wukong’s Command, allowing summoned monkey soldiers to independently gain and utilize Jingu Mastery charges. This drastically increases Monkey King’s AoE damage potential.

Aghanim’s Shard

Upgrades Boundless Strike, enabling Monkey King to leap to the end of his staff after slamming it into the ground. This leap applies a portion of Primal Spring’s channeled power, adding an extra element to his engage potential.

Best Items for Monkey King – Optimizing Your Gameplay

Core Items

Battle Fury: Provides AoE cleave damage and greatly increases farming speed.
Black King Bar (BKB): Protects Monkey King during fights by providing spell immunity.
Echo Sabre: Grants double attack, amplifying Jingu Mastery triggers.

Situational Items

Desolator: Amplifies single-target damage for burst capabilities.
Heaven’s Halberd: Counters high right-click heroes by disarming them.
Monkey King Bar: Counters evasion-based heroes with truestrike mechanics.

How-to Guide – Mastering Monkey King

1. Early Game

Focus on farming to build core items that enhance Monkey King’s mid-game.
Use Jingu Mastery to win lane trades and gain sustain with lifesteal.

2. Mid Game

Utilize Tree Dance for ambushes and unexpected initiations.
Participate in small skirmishes and secure kills using Boundless Strike.

3. Late Game

Ensure optimal positioning while casting Wukong’s Command during team fights.
Focus on key enemy heroes to apply strategic crowd control and damage.

Monkey King – Frequently Asked Questions

What role does Monkey King typically play in a Dota 2 match?

Monkey King is usually played as a carry or initiator, but his versatility allows him to fill multiple team roles depending on the needs of the composition.

How can I counter Monkey King?

Heroes or items that destroy trees, like Timbersaw or Quelling Blade, can disrupt his mobility and escape options. Additionally, crowd control abilities work well to keep him from activating Wukong’s Command effectively.

What is the primary purpose of Mischief?

Mischief is mainly used to dodge projectiles and deceive enemies during engagements or escapes.

What is the best first item for Monkey King as a carry?

Orb of Corrosion is an excellent early-game item for Monkey King, enabling him to maintain lane dominance with bonus damage and armor reduction.

Does Monkey King’s ultimate work on buildings?

Monkey soldiers in Wukong’s Command only attack enemy heroes within the ultimate’s radius. They do not damage buildings or Roshan unless Monkey King is nearby.

Does Mischief make you invisible?

No, Mischief simply disguises Monkey King and removes him from the minimap. It does not make him truly invisible.

What’s the difference between the Scepter and Shard upgrades?

The Scepter upgrade enhances Wukong’s Command by adding Jingu Mastery functionality to monkey soldiers, while the Shard modifies Boundless Strike by adding a leap effect.