Monkey King
Imprisoned for 500 years beneath a mountain, Monkey King was given a chance at redemption by the gods. Now he accompanies a young acolyte on a secret pilgrimage, protecting him from demons and dangers while seeking his own path to enlightenment.
At a Glance
Core Principles
“The tree is not just a perch. It is a strategic advantage. From above, all wars are won before they begin.”
Master the Vertical
Trees aren't just for jumping - they're for vision, positioning, and psychological warfare. Control the high ground, control the game.
Jingu is Everything
Every attack should build toward Jingu. Every ability should optimize Jingu consumption. This orb is your win condition - respect it.
Surgical Mobility
Don't just jump around - jump with purpose. Each Tree Dance should put you in a better position for initiation, escape, or information gathering.
Deception as Defense
Mischief isn't just for fun - it's survival. The 0.1s invulnerability, the invisibility on minimap, the enemy confusion - these are your defensive toolkit.
Command the Battlefield
Wukong's Command divides enemies. Some focus soldiers, others search for real you. Use this mental warfare to create openings nobody else can create.
Boundless in Practice
Boundless Strike isn't just damage - it's positioning control, team disruption, and massive healing. Master the angle, master the fight.
Hero Overview
Monkey King is a highly mobile carry hero who excels at surprising enemies with his Tree Dance ability and devastating them with Jingu Mastery-enhanced attacks. His unique mechanic of jumping between trees makes him incredibly difficult to pin down, while his disguise through Mischief adds another layer of deception to his toolkit.
Monkey King's gameplay revolves around mastering Tree Dance positioning, building Jingu Mastery stacks, then unle devastating Boundless Strike combinations. The ideal involves jumping to trees, attack-proccing Jingu, then using Boundless Strike to hit multiple targets while consuming the buff for massive lifesteal. Wukong's Command adds micro-management depth, creating an army that can draw enemy attention while the real MK strikes from unexpected angles.
Pros
- Exceptional mobility with Tree Dance
- High burst damage with Jingu Mastery
- Excellent escape and initiation tools
- Strong laning presence with healing
- Micro-management potential with Wukong's Command
Cons
- Vulnerable when trees are destroyed
- High mechanical complexity
- Relies on mana for sustained combat
- Struggles against heroes with instant tree destruction
- Needs levels to come online properly
Ability Analysis
Tree Dance
ActiveMonkey King leaps to a tree and perches atop it. While perched, he has unobstructed vision and can use other abilities or items.
Notes: Your primary mobility and positioning tool. Jump between trees to remain mobile and unpredictable. You can use items and other abilities while perched. Be aware that destroying the tree you're on will stun you.
Boundless Strike
ActiveMonkey King extends his staff to smash the earth, stunning and damaging enemies in a line.
Notes: This is an instant attack that applies attack modifiers and true strike. Perfect for consuming Jingu Mastery stacks on multiple targets for massive healing. Can be cast while perched on trees.
Jingu Mastery
PassiveMonkey King gains stack after hitting the same enemy 4 times. Upon reaching 4 stacks, his next attack consumes them for bonus damage and lifesteal.
Notes: Your main damage and sustain source. Build stacks efficiently with Wukong's Command or while unperched. The buff is hidden while in Mischief form. Bonus lifesteal from Jingu works incredibly well with Boundless Strike's multi-target nature.
Mischief
ActiveMonkey King transforms himself until he attacks or takes damage. The disguise depends on his location and nearby units.
Notes: Incredible utility for scouting and escape. First 0.1s provides damage immunity. You don't appear on the minimap in Mischief form. Use it to courier snipe, escape through warded areas, or identify heroes by transforming near them.
Wukong's Command
ActiveMonkey King creates a circular formation of soldiers that attack enemies within the circle and copy his attacks.
Notes: The soldiers apply attack modifiers but not cleave, bashes, or neutral items. They carry your auras including Radiance. Agh's Scepter allows soldiers to attack buildings when you're nearby. Perfect for building Jingu stacks safely.
Primal Spring
ChannelMonkey King channels energy into a powerful spring while jumping from tree to tree. Leaping from a tree deals damage and slows enemies.
Notes: High mobility damage tool. The landing sound plays based on camera position, giving audio cues to enemies. Cannot pass through Kinetic Field or Arena. Channeling breaks your Tree Dance perching.
Developer's Notes
Developer Insights
Monkey King is a uniquely mobile carry who thrives on unpredictable positioning and burst damage. His Tree Dance ability gives him unmatched map control, while Jingu Mastery provides devastating sustain and damage output.
Key Insights:
- Tree Dance isn't just mobility - it's positioning control and initiation
- Jingu Mastery + Boundless Strike creates massive burst healing
- Mischief provides incredible utility for scouting and escape
Monkey King rewards creative play and deep mechanical understanding. Master his tree hopping and you'll outposition entire teams.
Game Strategy
Early Game
Timeframe: 0-15 minutes Objective: Build Jingu stacks efficiently and secure farm Key: Use Wukong's Command to safely build Jingu stacks; Tree Dance unpredictably to avoid ganks; Harass with Jingu-empowered attacks; Utilize Mischief for safe scouting Items: Power Treads (Attack speed for Jingu); Magic Wand (Sustain against spam); Ring of Aquila (Laning presence) Tips: Keep one skill point unassigned for emergency Tree Dance; Use branches to create emergency trees if needed; Practice Tree Dance patterns in jungle; Mischief can identify heroes through transformations
Mid Game
Timeframe: 15-30 minutes Objective: Effective teamfight initiation and pick-offs Key: Jingu + Boundless Strike for burst healing; Coordinate Tree Dance positional plays; Micro-manage Wukong's Command in teamfights; Use Mischief for information gathering Items: Hurricane Pike (Positioning control); Manta Style (Dispels and confusion); Diffusal Blade (Mana burn synergy) Tips: Boundless Strike through creep waves with Jingu active; Save Tree Dance cooldown after taking damage; Wukong soldiers can build Jingu on many targets; Mischief provides 0.1s damage immunity utility
Late Game
Timeframe: 30+ minutes Objective: Maximize damage output and teamfight utility Key: Butterfly for maximum physical damage; Silver Edge for key initiation and break; Position perfectly with Tree Dance; Control teamfights with Wukong's Command micro Items: Butterfly (Damage and survivability); Silver Edge (Break and initiation); Aghanim's Scepter (Soldier utility); BKB (Magic immunity for fights) Tips: Agh's soldiers attack buildings within 500 range; Silver Edge break complements your physical burst; Butterfly evasion makes you harder to kill; Coordinate with team for tree destruction timing
Tips & Strategies
Jingu Mastery Optimization
- Boundless Strike is an instant attack that applies Jingu stacks to all targets hit but only consumes one stack from your buff.
- With Jingu active, use Boundless Strike on entire creep waves for massive lifesteal healing.
- Wukong's Command soldiers cannot place Jingu stacks but the real MK can use them to build stacks safely.
- Illusions cannot receive Jingu stacks, making this a way to identify real heroes like Phantom Lancer.
Advanced Tree Dance Techniques
- Keep one skill point unassigned until needed - you can skill Tree Dance and immediately use it after damage since the damage cooldown only applies after learning.
- Carrying Iron Branches lets you create emergency trees for Tree Dance, useful in open areas like mid river.
- You're considered two elevation levels higher when perched, but enemies can see you at ground level when jumping between trees.
- Casting Boundless Strike or Mischief doesn't unperch you, but finishing Wukong's Command does.
Mischief Utility Mastery
- In Mischief form, you don't appear on enemy minimaps and towers/creeps won't attack you.
- The first 0.1s of Mischief provides damage immunity from any source - use it to dodge key spells.
- Transformations are location-based: trees make you trees, Rosh pit gives Aegis/Cheese forms, rune spots give rune forms.
- Right-clicking heroes in Mischief doesn't draw creep aggro until you actually attack.
Item Guide
Starting Items
Small survivability items and attribute bonuses. Faerie Fire can save you from early ganks, while branches help with early stats and can be used for emergency Tree Dance targets.
Tangos, Faerie Fire, Iron Branches
Core Items
Hurricane Pike provides positioning and escape utility. Manta Style gives illusions for confusion and dispel potential. Diffusal Blade synergizes with Jingu mana burn.
Dragon Lance -> Hurricane Pike, Manta Style, Diffusal Blade
Situational
Counter Guide
Good With
Monkey King excels with heroes who can capitalize on his mobility and create setup opportunities. Enigma benefits from MK's ability to group enemies with Wukong's Command before following up with Black Hole. Magnus can Reverse Polarity enemies that MK has engaged, creating devastating combos. Disruptor provides vision with Thunder Strike to reveal Tree Dancing MK and can set up static岗位 Kinetic Fields for Boundless Strike follow-ups. Shadow Shaman shares MK's ganking potential with Hex and Shackles, while Earthshaker can echo through Wukong's Command formations for massive damage. Heroes who provide setup or vision synergy well with MK's unpredictable positioning and burst damage style.
Bad Against
MK struggles significantly against heroes who can neutralize his Tree Dance mobility or counter his physical burst. Beastmaster and Timbersaw can easily destroy trees to stun MK and completely shut down his mobility. Earthshaker with Fissure can block tree paths while Echo Slam devastates Wukong's Command formations. Batrider using Firefly can chase MK through trees while Sticky Napalm makes trading impossible. Storm Spirit with Ball Lightning can catch Tree Dancing MK while Static Field punishes his jumps. Mars with Arena can trap MK and make his mobility worthless. Heroes with instant tree destruction or powerful area damage that can ignore positioning pose severe threats to MK's playstyle.
Good Against
Monkey King dominates heroes who lack mobility or rely on staying at range. Sniper, Crystal Maiden, and Witch Doctor are prime targets as they can be easily jumped on and burst down with Jingu combos. Shadow Fiend suffers from MK's ability to dodge Requiem with Tree Dance while landing devastating physical burst. Lina and Lion can be killed before using their powerful disables when MK approaches from trees. Juggernaut may spin but MK can disengage with Tree Dance and re-engage unpredictably. Pudge struggles against MK's mobility, making hooks difficult to land while risking being counter-ganked. Heroes who need to channel spells, stay at range, or have limited escape mechanisms become easy prey for MK's tree-hopping assassination style.