Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
- +Cursed Flame stacking amplifies damage output exponentially—builds pressure in extended fights
- +Skill 2 provides crowd control and sustained damage with slow, enabling kite patterns against divers
- +Ultimate creates zoning threat and grants defensive shield, allowing safer positioning in team fights
Weaknesses
- −37.5% win rate reflects poor matchups into mobile assassins and early-game aggression
- −Immobile during ultimate despite shield—vulnerable to hard CC and burst from coordinated teams
- −Skill 1 damage heavily reduced on multi-hit (30% penalty)—struggles against grouped enemies
Abilities
PCursed Flame
Using skills inflicts increasing magic damage on enemies and stacks up to 10 times for a short duration.
1Arcane Spirits
Natalya summons 5 spirits to attack a designated area. Each spirit deals magic damage to enemies. If an enemy is hit by more than one spirit, remaining spirits deal only 30% damage. (Spirits disappear after hitting enemy heroes.)
2Arcane Nova
Natalya casts an arcane ball toward a direction. When the ball hits an enemy or reaches its destination, it expands and stuns nearby enemies, then slowly moves forward dealing magic damage and slowing enemies by 50% for 1.5s.
RLethal Rays
Natalya commands her familiar to fire lasers, dealing magic damage every 0.25s. She cannot move except to adjust direction, and gains a 500 shield with status resistance. (Deactivate by pressing the skill button again. Duration 1 second.)
Skill Order
Priority: R > Q > W| Skill | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1Arcane Spirits | 1 | · | 3 | · | 5 | · | 7 | · | 9 | · | · | · | · | · | · |
2Arcane Nova | · | 2 | · | 4 | · | · | · | 8 | · | 10 | · | 12 | · | · | · |
RLethal Rays | · | · | · | · | · | 6 | · | · | · | · | 11 | · | · | · | 15 |
Loadout
Desolate
Spirit
StainStandard Build
1
2
3
4
56Core Combos
Poke & Stack
12Initiate with Arcane Spirits to stack Cursed Flame, follow with autos, then Arcane Nova for slow. Safe ranged harassment that builds passive stacks for burst potential.
Full Burst Lock
21RLead with Arcane Nova to stun grouped enemies, immediately Arcane Spirits for max stacks, activate ultimate for sustained damage output. Use when enemy team commits all-in.
Kite & Control
2RCast Arcane Nova for slow, Flicker backward to create distance, channel ultimate while enemies advance. Effective against tanky frontlines that can't reach you.
Gameplan
Early Game
Levels 1–6- →Play safe in lane—your power scales with Cursed Flame stacks, avoid unnecessary trades
- →Use Skill 1 to farm and stack passive on jungle ganks; don't force fights before level 4
Mid Game
Post Broken Spear- →Group with team and position 800+ range from frontline; use Skill 2 to control team fight pace
- →Stack Cursed Flame on priority targets before committing ultimate—max stacks = lethal damage window
Late Game
Teamfight phase- →Maintain backline positioning; ultimate becomes defensive tool against burst—use shield proactively
- →Kite enemies with Skill 2 slow while teammates collapse; never overextend despite range advantage
Matchups
Natalya gets countered by
QuillenStealth + burst negates ultimate shield; gap-closer prevents kiting with Skill 2 slow
ZillHigh mobility and invulnerability frames dodge skill shots; sustained damage output beats her stacking phases
YenaFast engage closes distance before Cursed Flame stacks; reflects damage counters full burst combos
Natalya synergizes with
ToroHis crowd control chains setup Natalya's Skill 2 stuns for guaranteed multi-hit Skill 1 stacking
ArduinTank frontline enables Natalya's backline positioning; his CC allows her to safely channel ultimate- ElandorrSustained damage synergizes with her Cursed Flame scaling; both reward extended fights over burst
Pro Tips
- →Cursed Flame stacks are your DPS multiplier—prioritize hitting same target repeatedly. In 5v5, focus fire one enemy rather than spreading damage.
- →Skill 2's slow persists as it advances; position yourself 1-2 steps ahead of where it travels to prevent enemies cutting across your projectile path.
- →Cancel ultimate early if you see enemy hard CC incoming (stun, silence)—don't waste shield duration. Reactivate when danger passes to resummon laser.
Natalya's 37.5% win rate reflects her struggle against the current meta's mobile, aggressive hero pool. Pick into immobile/grouped team compositions (5-stack poke comps) where her passive stacking and zoning ultimate shine. Avoid into early-aggression junglers and assassins who gap-close before Cursed Flame builds value.