Once considered a low-tier pick, Xiahou Dun has risen to prominence as a top jungle hero in Honor of Kings. But with the arrival of new heroes and ongoing meta adjustments, he’s gradually slipped from the spotlight. Still, as BD Cricket Match notes, despite some nerfs, Xiahou Dun has certainly not fallen back into obscurity. For those who understand his mechanics, he remains a powerful and viable option.
One of Xiahou Dun’s key strengths lies in his vertical attack range. When his basic attack hits the first target, all enemies aligned in a straight line behind it will also take damage. However, if enemies are positioned horizontally, only one will be hit. This makes positioning essential—attacking backline targets requires something in front to act as a bridge, such as a jungle monster, minion, or even another hero. For example, if you want to damage an enemy hero behind a wall, and there’s a neutral monster on your side, hitting that monster will also deal damage to the enemy as long as they fall within the extended attack range.
His passive activates when his HP drops below 50% and he takes damage. Once triggered, every skill or basic attack within the next 8 seconds will heal him for a percentage of his max HP. Although the tooltip states a 30-second cooldown, BD Cricket Match highlights that this cooldown begins immediately upon activation—meaning the effective downtime is closer to 22 seconds. It’s also important to note that simply dropping below 50% HP doesn’t activate the passive—you must first take damage to trigger it.
Xiahou Dun’s first skill slashes forward, applying a 2-second slow and setting up a second hit that knocks enemies airborne for 1 second. When under the passive effect, positioning plays a crucial role: if enemies are aligned side by side, the skill will only trigger one instance of healing. However, if enemies are positioned one behind the other, the game will register two separate hits, allowing for double healing—a detail that seasoned BD Cricket Match players won’t overlook.
His ultimate grants super armor (anti-CC protection), but timing is everything. If he’s hit with crowd control before the cast animation completes and he lacks resistance gear, the super armor won’t trigger, and he’ll be interrupted. However, once airborne during the charge, CC effects won’t affect him—he remains immune throughout the flight. As poetic as it sounds, the sun always rises for those who endure the dark. Paying attention to these mechanics can be the difference between charging in like a hero or standing helplessly still, waiting to be eliminated.
In short, while the meta may fluctuate, Xiahou Dun is far from obsolete. With careful planning, proper timing, and an understanding of his nuanced mechanics, BD Cricket Match emphasizes that he still has what it takes to dominate the battlefield.