Li Li Abilities and Strategy

Table of Contents

• +Introduction
  • 1. Quick Reference
  • 2. Introduction
  • 3. Strengths
  • 4. Weaknesses
  • 5. Role in the Current Meta
  • 6. Reading Further
  • 7. ChangeLog
• ×Abilities and Strategy
  • 1. Tips on Ability Usage
  • 2. Fast Feet
  • 3. Healing Brew
  • 4. Cloud Serpent
  • 5. Blinding Winds
  • 6. Jug of 1,000 Cups
  • 7. Water Dragon
• +Talent Build
  • 1. Talent Build
  • 2. Common Talent Paths
    • 2.1. Damage Build
    • 2.2. Healing Build
    • 2.3. Serpent Build
  • 3. Level 1 Talents
    • 3.1. Discussion
  • 4. Level 4 Talents
    • 4.1. Discussion
  • 5. Level 7 Talents
    • 5.1. Discussion
  • 6. Level 10 Talents
    • 6.1. Discussion
  • 7. Level 13 Talents
    • 7.1. Discussion
  • 8. Level 16 Talents
    • 8.1. Discussion
  • 9. Level 20 Talents
    • 9.1. Discussion

General Information

Below, we give you an overview of the abilities that Li Li has access to. We also explain how to best your these abilities.

The other pages of our Li Li guide can be accessed from the table of contents on the right.

About the Author

Straften is a Grand Master ranked player in both Hero League and Team League. He has a passion for theorycrafting, and regularly tests new features early on the PTR. He explains his strategy, reasoning, and implementation in these guides.

1. Tips on Ability Usage

• Use Healing Brew whenever it is available to heal allies.
• Cloud Serpent should be used on frontline melee Heroes when possible.
• Use Blinding Wind to Blind Heroes; avoid liberal PvE use.
• Activate Jug of 1,000 Cups preempatively in team fights.

2. Fast Feet

Fast Feet procs any time Li Li takes damage. This makes Li Li very hard to kill without burst damage or crowd control. Because she can move while casting most of her Abilities, Fast Feet helps to define her active (and annoying) play style.

3. Healing Brew

Healing Brew is a powerful (and easy to use) single-target healing Ability. You can instantly cast Healing Brew when it comes off of cooldown by holding down "Q". This is the best way to use Healing Brew during combat. Although Healing Brew is exceptionally Mana efficient, it will drain your Mana reserves when used constantly. Li Li has several Talents that provide Mana sustain, and it is recommended that you take at least one each game. Casting Healing Brew does not impede movement, which allows you to constantly reposition while using it.

Healing Brew has some weaknesses that should be recognised. There is a significant travel time of the brew once it is cast. If a teammate needs healing immediately, they can die before Healing Brew reaches them. In addition to this flaw, the lowest Health ally is not always your highest priority. An ally that is being attacked by several enemies needs healing more urgently than a low Health ally who is safely out of the fight. Unfortunately, Healing Brew will always be delivered to the ally with the lowest percent Health within range. If you have the lowest percent Health on your team, Healing Brew can only be used on you. The best way to play around these weaknesses, is to keep your team at (or near) full Health whenever possible. This is why it is best to constantly cast Healing Brew during combat.

4. Cloud Serpent

Cloud Serpent provides damage, and can heal with each attack if you take Mending Serpent at level 4. It is a great way to help a teammate win trades, even untalented. It should be cast on Heroes who are within range of enemies, or who are about to engage. This is generally the tank, but it can also be cast on allied damage-dealing Heroes if they are pursuing (or being pursued by) enemies. Use Cloud Serpent whenever you think it will deliver several attacks. It is best to cast it on allies that do not already have a Cloud Serpent; this allows you to deploy as many active serpents as possible. This is Li Li's only Ability that impairs her movement during its use.

5. Blinding Winds

Blinding Wind simultaneously damages enemies and reduces the damage that they can deal. In team fights, use it whenever it is available. If you decide to take Mass Vortex at Level 4, you will have some waveclearing potential, but before Level 4 you should not use it on Minions. Blinding Wind is most useful against Heroes that rely on Basic Attacks, like Illidan, or Zuljin.

6. Jug of 1,000 Cups

Jug of 1,000 Cups provides a massive amount of healing for you and your team. The range is long enough that you can keep a reasonable distance from a team fight, which you should take advantage of when you use it. Do not stand adjacent to your allies when using Jug of 1,000 Cups, since it increases the likelihood that it will be interrupted by enemy crowd control. Some Abilities (like Cocoon and Judgment) are targeted and have a long range, making them impossible to avoid. The only counterplay to these Abilities is to either wait until they have been used, or to position yourself so that your team can punish their use. There is a short delay between using Jug of 1,000 Cups and the first heal, so it is important to use the Ability early if you think an ally is going to be burst down. Otherwise, the healing will not reach them in time.

Sometimes, if your team is very low on Health, you can use Jug of 1,000 Cups to quickly heal them, even if they are not actively in combat. This can save your team the valuable time of having to recall back to base, or retreating to tap a Well. It is important to only do this if several of your allies are low, as Healing Brew can heal one or two allies to full health in a short time.

7. Water Dragon

Water Dragon is best taken when there are two Heroes on your team who are capable of healing. If you are the only healer, it is usually best to take Jug of 1000 Cups instead. Although Water Dragon deals damage, it should be used primarily for the massive AoE Slow that it provides. Use the Slow to kite or chase enemy Heroes, allowing you (and your team) to gain or reduce distance as needed.