Quote from No.2 Local AFK on October 17, 2020, 2:46 PM

Hi!

Today I'm going to share some tips and tricks for Rafaela. She's one underrated support. In the right hands, she can be the best support in the current meta that can fit in any team comp.

Now you might be thinking Angela or Estes is a better healer than Rafa. While their playstyle and capabilities make them favorable, Rafa's kit is actually the most adaptive one. We'll get to it very soon.

By the time of this writing, you can check my build setup by going to the Global Rafaela leaderboards and find my nick: Aldian Hudaya. It should be around rank 31.

Without further ado, let's begin!

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Rafaela's Skill Kit

S1: Light of Retribution. It deals damage and slows enemies. If you manage to land her S1 to an enemy multiple times, its damage will increase 20%. It also reveals enemies hiding in bushes.

TIPS:

• This skill has auto aim and will target max. 3 enemies within range, prioritizing enemy heroes.
• Use this skill to poke enemies from the edges.
• You can finish low HP enemies with this skill. Its auto targeting will prioritize low HP enemies so you can get kills.
• Use this skill to scout enemies hiding in bushes. This can prevent ambushes such as Hilda.
• Use this skill to annoy Natalia by forcing her to get out of her stealth mode. This skill will target Natalia automatically within range. In fact, this skill alone is the reason why Rafaela is a hard counter for Natalia.
• Equip the Lighting Truncheon and Glowing Wand for maximum poke damage potential.
• This skill can also target a concealed Lesley, but don't risk yourself getting hit by her crit-enhanced basic attack.
• If you can time this skill properly, you can also use it to steal jungle objectives.
• I would recommend to upgrade this skill first and max it as soon as possible so that Rafaela can participate in teamfights dealing continuous damage.
• This skill's slow effect stacks with Ice Queen Wand, so if you need to slow enemies more, I'd suggest sparing an item slot for IQW.

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S2: Holy Healing. Heals allies and speeds them up.

TIPS:

• I would recommend to upgrade this ability second and last.
• Rafa's healing is weak compared to Estes's. But the movement speed buff can be a lifesaver for your teammates. Because of this reason, I would recommend to save your healing for the most crucial moment. Save dying allies and help them escape chasing enemies with this skill, combo with her Ult to stop pursuers.
• It's of little value to try to increase her healing capabilities by purchasing items like Oracle. Instead, consider prioritizing movement speed items like Ice Queen Wand and Glowing Wand so that you can reposition yourself in teamfights.
• With a well-coordinated team, you can also use this skill to initiate teamfights by speeding up your teammates. Set up an ambush and charge in with this skill.
• You get free assists if you use this skill on teammates and they get kills. For that reason, buy tier 3 roaming items as early as possible to gain extra gold from assists.
• Assist your teammates in chasing down low HP enemies with this skill.

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Ult: Holy Baptism. Stuns enemies in a straight AoE.

TIPS:

• This skill supposedly slows enemies by 40% but the slow duration is the same as the stun duration. This means enemies won't be slowed when the stun is over. Moonton should rework this skill's slow duration so that stunned enemies are also slowed after the stun, not during the stun.
• This skill has a wide potential usage. But the most important thing is to save this skill for the best timing. A well-timed Rafa's Ult can mean life or death in teamfights.
• Stun enemies that is going after you or your carry to stop them in their pursuit.
• During teamfights, try to stun more than 2 enemies to give your team the upper hand.
• Use this skill to cancel some dangerous skills like Odette's Ult and Pharsa's Ult.
• This skill synergies well with other hero abilities. My recommended combos will be listed below.
• Level 3 Ult and 40% CDR means 20 seconds of this skill's cooldown. If you need to spam your ult, buy Fleeting Time, but make sure you can reliably get kills or assists.
• With Lighting Truncheon, this skill can also deal significant burst damage and can finish off squishy heroes when well-timed.

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Passive: Deity Penalization. Sends an energy blast that deals 20% Max HP True Damage to an enemy hero that kills Rafaela. The energy blast can be blocked by other enemy hero that stands in its path.

TIPS:

• This skill means an auto execute if a low HP enemy manages to kill you. You get free kills so long as no other enemy heroes block the energy blast.
• Lighting Truncheon procs this skill. It deals damage in addition to the true damage. I think Moonton considers this passive as a magic ability, hence the Truncheon's effect triggers.

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Rafaela Gameplay and Play Style Recommendations

1. You are a support. Hence, getting assists and staying alive is a priority. This is true, but Rafaela is a rather aggresive support compared to other Regen/Guard heroes. So, it won't hurt to secure a kill or two for your team.
2. People love targeting Rafaela in fights. Use this as an advantage by trying to bait overconfident enemies to your teammates.
3. Any hero can kill squishy Rafaela. Defense items won't help much. Instead, careful positioning is the key. Avoid potential ambush spots like brushes during teamfights. Don't wander alone the map unless you know what you're doing. Try to always stick to your Jungle/Midlaner.
4. Your healing is not to be used as a primary healing source like Estes's heal. Instead, your heal is a way to save dying allies.
5. If your teammates are being an idiot jumping to 1v3 fights and you see no way to save them, better let them die rather than giving enemies free double kills. People might blame you for not helping them (ahem, Indonesians), but in reality, you just saved your team's KDA from falling off.
6. In general, your life is more important than your idiot teammate's. Smart players won't risk dying by doing reckless plays. Always prioritize smart teammates over feeders.
7. Ignore all those trash talks frowning upon Rafaela. Most MLBB players underrate this hero because they don't understand her and MLBB players mostly don't appreciate supports because they don't contribute damage in teamfights. You can always mute the text chat, since in most matches the text chat isn't that productive anyway.
8. In the early game, you may choose to assist your midlaner or your gold laner. Just analyze who's the better potential for being your team's ADC and help them secure the early game.
9. The minimap is your best friend. Always take a glance at the map to determine which hero needs assists. Generally, if you see an outnumbered teammate, rush in for the aid, but don't rush alone. Bring in your jungler or midlaner depending on who's closest to the struggling ally.

Update: Here are more in-depth insight toward item build, emblem setup, and hero synergies.

RAFAELA ITEM BUILD

• Item 1: Choose between Shadow Mask, Courage Mask, or Awe Mask. In general, you should buy Courage Mask as its passive buffs attributes and its active buffs attributes and gives movement speed. But if someone in your team already buys this mask, go for Shadow Mask if you need stealth in teamfights or Awe Mask if you need extra slow and stun with your basic attacks.
• Item 2: Choose between Rapid Boots and Demon Shoes. If you find yourself constantly roaming in between lanes and you need fast response to struggling teammates, buy Rapid Boots. Otherwise, stick with Demon Shoes and its reliable Mana Regen.
• Item 3: Choose between Enchanted Talisman or Ice Queen Wand. If you buy Rapid Boots, aim for the talisman as it keeps your mana safe and has extra 20% CDR. Otherwise, try to build Ice Queen Wand to augment your poke slowing ability.
• Item 4, 5 and 6 are all conditional depending on the situation. But my recommendations are as follows:

1. Lighting Truncheon. It procs her passive, gives extra damage to her S1 and Ult, and has +10% CDR.
2. Glowing Wand. It gives extra burn effect that goes well with her steadily available S1.
3. Necklace of Durance. It allows her to annoy lifesteal or regen dependant heroes like Alucard, Ruby, and Uranus.
4. Fleeting Time. If you need to spam your Ult, build Fleeting Time. Just make sure you get those free assists with Rafa's S2, or even better, some kills.
5. Calamity Reaper. It won't hurt to give low-HP heroes some surprise with a true damage basic attack after skills.
6. Immortality. Helps you during teamfights. Just make sure you don't die last.

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RAFAELA EMBLEM SETUP

I would recommend using a Lv. 60 Custom Support Emblem Set as it gives the following attributes:

• +10 Hybrid Regen (HP & Mana Regen)
• +12 Hybrid PEN (Physical PEN and Magical PEN)
• +5% CDR
• +4% Movement Speed
• +183,00 HP

For the talents:

• Tier 1. Upgrade Agility to maximum so you get extra 6% Movement Speed, making it 10%.
• Tier 2. Feel free to upgrade any talent on this tier. Gift gives you extra healing effect. Rupture adds Hybrid PEN for early game kills. Recovery adds Hybrid Regen for early game mana regen.
• Tier 3. Pull Yourself Together. Reduces resurrection time and battle spell cooldown by 15%. Neat for supports so they can make fast plays.

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RAFAELA BATTLE SPELL SETUP

• Purify. For most cases, this is your to-go escape tool. Your hands must have good reflexes, too, so that you activate this spell in the right time to escape dangerous CCs. In general, if you find yourself under CC and is targeted by a hero (i.e. stunned by Selena's annoying alien), immediately use Purify.
• Flicker. Use this spell only if the enemy doesn't have any hero that can CC. This is a rare case but still a possibility (i.e. a team comp of Layla, Uranus, Lancelot, Alucard, and Chang'e).
• Revitalize. Use this spell only if you play with a well-coordinated team and they can protect you at all times. It is a solid healing tool during teamfights. However, your team must make sure it is ready before they start a scene.

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RAFAELA HERO SYNERGY GUIDE

Below is the list of some heroes in MLBB and how Rafaela can work with or counter the specific hero. In general, Rafaela's counter is any other hero in the game, so there is no specific hero that counters Rafaela.

Chang'e: not much can do. But stunning enemies followed up by Chang'e's Ult can be devastating.

Uranus: not much can do.

Hanabi: Stun enemies the moment Hanabi's Immobilize effect are about to wear off.

Martis: Not much can do. Stunning enemies followed up by Martis's barrage of attacks sounds viable.

Valir: A party of stuns and slows plus Glowing Wand and the enemy will be sent to the fire nations dungeons.

Gusion: Stun Gusion's target to ease his work.

Angela: Stun a hero the moment Angela's Immobilize effect is about to wear off, then follow up with a barrage of S1 of both heroes.

Jawhead: Have Jawhead throw an enemy at you then stun them right on their face.

Lesley: not much can do. Stun enemies and have Lesley barrage them with her rifle.

Pharsa: try to stun more than 1 enemy in Pharsa's ult effect area, then have her decimate them with nuclear bombs.

Helcurt: not much can do. Stun enemies, have Helcurt burst them to death.

Zhask: Stun enemies and let Zhask barrage them with laser beams.

Hylos: Let Hylos initiate combat with his Ult and use Rafa's stun to lock down the high priority hero.

Diggie: Have Diggie plant a number of his bombs in a bush then bait an overconfident chaser there for massive burst damage, then stun them, follow up by a stream of S1 and basic attacks. Diggie's S2 should keep the target in place.

Lancelot: not much can do. Stun his target.

Odette: stun enemies trapped in Odette's ult area.

Argus: not much can do. Stun his target.

Grock: stun targets and have Grock decimate them with his skills.

Irithel: stun targets and have Irithel burst them with her crossbow.

Harley: stun targets so Harley can lock them down with his Ult+S1 combo.

Gatotkaca: stun anyone knocked to the air by his ult and have Gatot taunt them, followed up by your teammates for easy kills.

Karrie: stun her target.

Roger: stun his target.

Vexana: stun an enemy, have Vexana horrify them and burst them with her AoE.

Lapu-Lapu: stun his target.

Aurora: stun her target.

Hilda: stun her target. Bait an overconfident enemy to the bush where Hilda is hiding.

Estes: have Estes heal the entire team. If your team has Estes, it's time for Rafaela to deal some damage. Stun enemies stepping on Estes's circle.

Cyclops: stun enemies and have Cyclops burst them.

Johnson: stun enemies wrecked by his car.

Moskov: stun enemies pinned to the wall by Moskov.

Yi Sun-shin: try to stun more than 1 enemy then have YSS decimate them with his Ult.

Ruby: stuns are ready for spamming.

Alpha: stun his target.

Sun: stun his target.

Chou: stun his target.

Kagura: stun enemies tagged by her umbrella-less ult.

Natalia: bait enemies, stun them, have Natalia decimate them. Rafa counters Natalia by breaking her out of stealth with Rafa's S1.

Gord: stun enemies, follow up by Gord's stun+Ult combo.

Freya: stun her prey.

Hayabusa: not much can do.

Lolita: stun enemies trapped in her ult range.

Minotaur: stun enemies right after this bad bully stops rampaging the earth.

Layla: stun her target

Fanny: stun her target

Zilong: stun his target

Eudora: stun her target

Clint: stun his target

Bruno: stun his target

Bane: stun his target

Franco: stun enemies right after he stops whacking them with his ult

Akai: stun enemies right after he stops pinning them to the wall

Karina: stun her target

Alucard: stun her target

Tigreal: stun enemies stunned by Tigreal's ult

Nana: stun enemies stunned by her ult

Alice: stun Immobilized enemies

Saber: stun his target

Balmond: stun any enemy making contact with his blender spin

Miya: slow and stun her prey

(post by oichidan)