Kunkka

Kunkka
	24 + 3.3 14 + 1.3 18 + 1.5
Base health regen	1.5
Base mana regen	0.9
Movement speed	295
Turn rate	0.6
Vision range	1800/800
Attack range	150
Projectile speed	Instant
Attack animation	0.4+0.3
Base attack time	1.7
Magic resistance	25%
Collision size	24
Legs	2
Gib type	Default

Hero

Strategy

Counters

Kunkka, the Admiral, is a versatile melee strength hero built with an arsenal of powerful area-of-effect (AoE) spells. Two of his active spells are nukes that have long delay times, but can disable and disrupt the enemies' position. He is mostly played as a carry, initiator, or even as a ganking support. Kunkka is known for his Tidebringer sword, giving him the ability to cleave a large area around him with heavy potential damage on his next attack, which refreshes at a given period of time. Torrent calls upon the element of water to rise and burst out, dealing damage, disabling them up high, and slowing them on impact. There's a delay on this ability before it activates, so Kunkka must be wise in using this ability. X Marks the Spot targets any hero or Kunkka himself to be marked on their current position, and after a given time delay, instantly returns to the marked spot. Useful in setting up tricky spells, escape prevention, or even saving allies, X Marks the Spot makes the Admiral a great battle strategist. His ultimate lets him summon a Ghostship, which travels on ground, until it crashes a set distance away, stunning and damaging enemies on that location – potentially crippling the enemy team. The Ghostship also bolsters allies with Kunkka's Rum, granting them bonus movement speed and temporary numbness to damage. Capable of inflicting high burst damage with his spells, controlling their position while being able to survive the mayhem when his spells are used properly, Kunkka is a mighty offensive team fighter, built with strong physical and magical damage output, who can indeed turn the tide of a battle.

Bio[edit]

Kunkka, the Admiral

Play "Step lively now, your Admiral is on board!"

Lore:

As Admiral of the mighty Claddish Navy, Kunkka was charged with protecting the isles of his homeland when the Demons of the Cataract made a concerted grab at the lands of men. After years of small sorties, and increasingly bold and devastating attacks, the Demon Fleet flung all its carnivorous ships at the Trembling Isle. Desperate, the Suicide-Mages of Cladd committed their ultimate rite, summoning a host of ancestral spirits to protect the fleet. Against the Demons, this was just barely enough to turn the tide. As Kunkka watched the Demons take his ships down one by one, he had the satisfaction of wearing away their fleet with his ancestral magic. But at the battle's peak, something in the clash of demons, men and atavistic spirits must have stirred a fourth power that had been slumbering in the depths. The waves rose up in towering spouts around the few remaining ships, and Maelrawn the Tentacular appeared amid the fray. His tendrils wove among the ships, drawing demon and human craft together, churning the water and wind into a raging chaos. What happened in the crucible of that storm, none may truly say. The Cataract roars off into the void, deserted by its former denizens. Kunkka is now Admiral of but one ship, a ghostly rig which endlessly replays the final seconds of its destruction. Whether he died in that crash is anyone's guess. Not even Tidehunter, who summoned Maelrawn, knows for sure.

Voice:

Jon St. John (Responses)

Abilities[edit]

Torrent

Play

Ability
Target Area

Affects
Enemies

Damage
Magical

Summons a rising torrent that, after a short delay, hurls enemy units into the sky, stunning, dealing damage and slowing movement speed.

Cast Animation: +

Cast Range: 1500

Effect Radius: 225 (

325)

Effect Delay: 1.6

Total Damage: 75/150/225/300 (

195/270/345/420)

Move Speed Slow: 35%

Slow Duration: 1.75/2.5/3.25/4

Stun Duration: 1.6

Knockup Duration: 1.53

16/14/12/10

90/100/110/120

Slow persists, and attempts to damage if debuff was placed before spell immunity and when not dispelled.

Modifiers

Torrent: Dispellable with strong dispels.

Torrent Slow: Dispellable with any dispel.

An ancestral rush of water explodes from the center of the world, called upon by the Admiral.

Notes:

The total delay is 2 seconds at all levels (cast time + effect delay).

Torrent can be cast without having to face towards the targeted area.

Units tossed in the air are stunned and still able to be attacked.

While in the air, other units may pass below hit airborne units.

The stun and slow are applied at the same time, so overall, the slow lasts for 3.35/4.1/4.85/5.6 seconds.

The knockup itself lasts 1.53 seconds, so hit units are on the ground for the remaining 0.07 seconds of the stun.

After casting, a visual effect appears at the targeted area and a sound effect plays for the delay period.
- These effects are visible and audible to allies only.

Deals 9.375/18.75/28.125/37.5 damage in 0.2 second intervals, starting 0.2 seconds after the effect delay, resulting in 8 damage instances.

Provides 350 radius ground vision over the targeted area upon cast for 3.13 seconds.

Tidebringer

Play

Ability
Target Unit / Autocast

Affects
Enemies

Damage
Physical

Kunkka's legendary sword grants increased damage and cleaves a large area of effect in front of him for a single strike.

Cast Range: 150

Starting Radius: 150

Distance: 650/800/950/1100

End Radius: 500/550/600/650

Cleave Damage: 100%

Attack Damage Bonus: 25/50/75/100

13/10/7/4 (

11.5/8.5/5.5/2.5)

Illusions gain the visual effects and the attack sounds, but they neither gain the damage nor can cleave.

A lost Claddish soul inhabits Kunkka's trusty Tidebringer, empowering it to destroy demons of the Cataract.

Notes:

Upon leveling Tidebringer the first time, it has autocast active by default.

Cleave damage is reduced by armor type but not by armor value.

Cleave damage cannot be amplified with spell damage amplification and cannot spell lifesteal.

Cleave damage is reduced by Damage Block.

The complete area is shaped like an isosceles trapezoid in front of Kunkka.

Unlike other cleaves, Tidebringer's cleave damage is not increased by Battle Fury's Quell.
- Kunkka's regular attacks are not affected by Battle Fury's Quell either, unless he has leveled Tidebringer, set it to autocast and has it on cooldown.
- Quelling Blade's Quell fully works for Kunkka, with and without Tidebringer.

Fully stacks with other sources of cleave. Each source of cleave works completely independent.

The particle effects on hit enemies are visible on invisible enemies and through the Fog of War.

Cannot target allied units, but applies the bonus damage when attacking while on autocast and off cooldown, without cleaving or going on cooldown.

Does not work against wards and buildings.

Plays an audio effect (only heard by Kunkka) when going off cooldown.

Shows a visual effect on the sword whenever it is ready (visible to allies and enemies).

X Marks the Spot

Play

Ability
Target Unit

Affects
Enemy Heroes / Allied Heroes

Targets a friendly or enemy Hero, marks their position with an X, and returns them to it after several seconds. Kunkka can trigger the return at any time during the duration. Lasts twice as long on allied heroes.

Cast Animation: +

Cast Range: 400/600/800/1000

Enemy Duration: 4

Allies Duration: 8

26/20/14/8

50

Can target and return spell immune allies.
Cannot target or return spell immune enemies.

Blocked upon cast. Not blocked upon returning.

Modifiers

X Marks The Spot: Undispellable.

The Admiral's set of arcane abilities includes some that can be used for battle as well as entertainment.

Notes:

The target is given a stop command as soon as it is moved back, effectively canceling channeling spells.
- However, the queued following commands are not canceled.

Marks the target's current location with a red X. This X is visible to enemies only when they have vision over the unit, or the X itself.

The affected unit leaves behind a red dotted line while walking, showing which direction it went.
- These lines stop drawing for the enemies if the unit is not visible. However, already drawn lines stay visible.
- Once the unit turns visible again, a straight line of red lines is drawn towards their last known location.
- These red lines ignore the actual path the unit took. They simply draw from its current to its previously last known location.

Multiple instances of X Marks the Spot on the same target do not stack. Only the duration gets visually refreshed.
- Although refreshed, the return timer is unaffected, so that the unit still returns based on the first cast.
- Every cast creates its own X below the target. If the modifier expires, it returns to the X of the first cast.
- If any of the casters use the Return sub-spell, the unit returns to the X that caster created.
- Once the unit returned to any of the X's, all other instances get completely canceled, although not visually.

Despite the visual effects, the target does not return to the X after dying and respawning during it.

When the target is invulnerable, it does not get returned to the X, causing the spell to get wasted.

Provides 300 radius ground vision around the X mark for 5.94 seconds.

Return

Play

Ability
No Target

Affects
Enemy Heroes / Allied Heroes

Returns the marked hero to the X.

Cast Animation: +

1

Can return spell immune allies.
Cannot return spell immune enemies, but the modifier still lasts.

Notes:

Replaces X Marks the Spot until the X disappears on the target.

Despite being a sub-spell, Return does proc all on-cast effects like a regular spell.

Ghostship

Play

Ability
Target Point

Affects
Enemies / Allied Heroes

Damage
Magical

Summons a ghostly ship that sails through the battle before smashing apart, damaging and stunning all enemies caught near the wreckage. Allied heroes touched by the Ghostship are given a swig of The Admiral's Rum, receiving bonus movement speed and a delayed reaction to incoming damage.

Cast Animation: +

Cast Range: 1000

Ship Radius: 425

Drag Radius: 0 (

200)

Travel Distance: 2000 (

1000)

Number of Ships: 1 (

3)

Ship Spawn Interval: 2.8

Impact Damage: 400/500/600

Rum Move Speed Bonus: 10%

Rum Damage Reduction: 40%/45%/50%

Rum Duration: 10

Rum Hangover Duration: 10

Stun Duration: 1.4

60/50/40

125/175/225

Drags enemies with the Ghostship towards the crash site. Enemies are still able to perform actions while being dragged.

Fully affects spell immune allies.
Does not affect spell immune enemies.

Illusions do not get the Rum buff nor its visual effect.

Modifiers

Ghost Ship Damage Absorb: Undispellable.

Ghost Ship Damage Delay: Undispellable.

Stunned: Dispellable with strong dispels.

Ghost Ship Loaded: Undispellable.

Ghost Ship Knockback: Dispellable with any dispel.

The final ship of the Claddish Navy is nothing but a phantom, but it is all too real to the enemies of the Admiral.

Notes:

Ghostship travels at a speed of 650, reaching the crash site in 3.08 ( 1.54) seconds.

The ship spawns 2000 range away from the targeted point, from the opposite direction where Kunkka is facing, and crashes at the targeted point.
- When having Aghanim's Scepter, the ship spawns on Kunkka's location and travels 1000 range towards the targeted direction.
- This means when not upgraded, the targeting determines the ship direction and crash location, but when upgraded, the targeting only determines the ship direction.

The ship first applies the damage, then the debuff.

A visual indicator appears at the location, showing the ship's destination point and radius. The indicator is only visible to allies.

The Ghost Ship Damage Absorb buff applies to allied heroes that come within 425 range of the ship at any time during its travel.

Once the absorb buff expires, the Ghost Ship Damage Delay buff is placed, which lasts 10 seconds.
- This buff deals 5% of the previously reduced damage as damage in 1 second intervals until all the reduced damage is returned.

The delayed damage dealt after the Rum wears off is flagged as HP Removal. It does not interact with any on-damage effects.
- Therefore, the delayed damage cannot be avoided by anything. However, it is not lethal.

The Rum does not reduce damage for units under the effect of any damage negating effect.

Rums from multiple casts do not stack, but refresh the duration instead. This delays the Rum wear-off buff.

The Rum buff and Rum hangover buff do not interact with each other when having both (by recasting while having the hangover buff).

The ship provides 300 radius flying vision around itself as it travels. This vision does not last.

When having Aghanim's Scepter, the ship pulls enemy heroes along its travel path towards the crash site.
- Any enemy hero that gets within 200 radius of the ship gets the Ghost Ship Loaded debuff.
- This debuff prevents the hero from getting re-affected by the cast, unless it dies, respawns and gets within range again.
- Together with the loaded debuff, it also receives the Ghost Ship Knockback debuff, which drags the hero along with the ship.
- The hero gets dragged to the center of the ship and along with it towards the crash site.
- The drag does not disable units. They can still turn, attack and use items. Channeling abilities or items are not interrupted by it.
- Only heroes are dragged (including illusions). Non-hero units are not affected by the drag. Treats creep-heroes as creeps.
- Any tree within a 100 radius of the dragged heroes gets destroyed during the drag.

When choosing the fleet talent on level 25, 3 ships spawn at the same location, traveling towards the same destination.
- The ships spawn in 2.8 second intervals, starting immediately on cast, so that the last ship spawns 5.6 seconds after cast.
- The ships's spawn location is set upon cast and does not adapt to the caster's current position as they spawn.
- Acquiring Aghanim's Scepter during the fleet upgrades the not-yet-spawned ships, so that they spawn closer to the destination point and drag enemy heroes along.

Talents[edit]

Hero Talents
-1.5s Tidebringer Cooldown	25	Ghostship Fleet
+25 Strength	20	+100 Torrent AoE
+120 Torrent Damage	15	+10 Health Regen
+6 Armor	10	+40 Damage

Notes:

The armor talent does not benefit illusions.

The attack damage talent does not benefit illusions.

The strength talent effectively grants Kunkka 562.5 health, 17.19% health regen amplification, 2.5% magic resistance and 25 attack damage.

Recommended items[edit]

Starting items:

Clarity is very useful on Kunkka as his spells are all very mana-costly. Being able to use Torrent more than once without running completely out of mana greatly increases his ability to lock down foes and score early kills.
Tango fulfills basic regen requirements in all lanes but mid. Having flexible regen allows Kunkka to remain in lane without being harassed out.
Faerie Fire is a useful consumable to purchase as a mid Kunkka. The damage bonus gives him last-hitting power and allows him to splash more damage on his lane opponent with Tidebringer, and consuming it can give him some last-second burst HP regen that can save him during enemy gank attempts.

Early game:

Boots of Speed are important on all heroes, but can be quite important on Kunkka for getting in position to cast X Marks the Spot on foes at early levels.
Magic Stick is useful on all heroes. On Kunkka, it can help alleviate his mana issues by giving him some burst mana regen for casting his spells.
Bottle is effectively mandatory if Kunkka is to be played mid. A Bottle is extremely useful for replenishing Kunkka's small mana pool, and can be easily replenished using X and a teleport to base.

Mid game:

Phase Boots are the best boots for Kunkka, as they give him bonus damage with which he can last-hit more easily, as well as increasing the effectiveness of Tidebringer. The active also increases his mobility, allowing him to more easily get into position to cast his spells.
Magic Wand is powerful for all the same reasons as Magic Stick, granting burst health and mana restoration to allow Kunkka to cast any of his spells.
Drum of Endurance gives Kunkka attributes and bonus movement speed.
Armlet of Mordiggian toggles on to grant huge attack damage and strength for Kunkka to hit hard with Tidebringer, then off promptly to minimize health drain. Furthermore, Ghostship's damage reduction and damage delay buy more time for armlet toggling as enemies cannot kill Kunkka quickly enough.

Late game:

Shadow Blade is a very powerful initiating item to get on Kunkka, as it allows him to inflict an additional 175 damage to the entire enemy team when combined with Tidebringer. As well, it can be used for mobility or escape as demanded.
Blink Dagger, combined with X Marks the Spot, greatly extends Kunkka's reach when attacking with Tidebringer, and is useful no matter what role he plays. He can X himself and then blink forward, casting any spells or attacking with Tidebringer, and then returning to safety. Used by itself, Kunkka can instantly position himself in the best location from which to cleave the enemy, or jump within range to cast X on a foe during an initiation.
Daedalus is an extremely powerful damage item in the hands of Kunkka, who can additionally benefit from building more than one to increase the proc chance. If his damage is high enough and he procs a crit alongside Tidebringer, Kunkka can potentially slay multiple enemy heroes with a single slash of his sword.

Situational items:

Urn of Shadows gives Kunkka a measure of mana regen and some more HP and base damage, enhancing his power as a roamer-disabler. The item's active can be used to heal yourself or teammates, or add more damage in a gank.
Battle Fury increases the cleave percentage of Tidebringer, while also adding a cleave that can be used while Tidebringer is on cooldown. It also gives Kunkka good health and mana regeneration, allowing him to remain out in the field for longer without returning to base.
Black King Bar is useful both for increasing Kunkka's survivability and damage output, especially in situations where the enemy is trying to lock Kunkka down to prevent him from casting his spells.
Heaven's Halberd provides some strength and evasion, and allows you to disarm the enemy carry in a teamfight. It is useful for giving Kunkka some damage alongside survivability against physical damage.
Assault Cuirass reduces enemy armor, allowing you and your allies to deal more damage, while giving an armor and attack speed boost at the same time. While it lacks synergy with your spells and abilities, the aura it provides should never be underestimated.
Heart of Tarrasque provides a lot of extra health and regeneration, and helps Kunkka recover from fights almost immediately. It's especially useful if you're always being focused in teamfights. As well, the additional base damage can help you inflict damage with Tidebringer as it can be augmented by percentage-based damage buffs from certain allies.
Silver Edge adds more strength to Kunkka, giving more attack damage and a potential slow to proc on an attack. The Break component of Silver Edge can make killing certain enemy heroes easier, such as Phantom Assassin, Spectre or Bristleback.
Boots of Travel frees up an item slot for Kunkka, giving him room to build another major item if needed, and allows him to use X for temporary returns to base without using 75 gold each time. The ability to globally re-position is also very powerful, and the enhanced movement speed gives him better positioning, chasing and escaping ability.
Aghanim's Scepter improves Kunkka's attributes across the board and greatly improves the utility of Ghostship. Because the boat will spawn directly on Kunkka and drag any nearby enemies, it can immediately place the Rum buff on Kunkka and create distance between him and any nearby opponents. Most importantly, halving the impact delay allows Kunkka to use the spell more effectively and greatly improves the odds of landing a successful boat.
Divine Rapier is highly situational and very risky, but extremely powerful in Kunkka's hands. Combined with Tidebringer and a Daedalus, Kunkka can deal tremendous amounts of cleave damage and potentially wipe the entire enemy team under the right circumstances.

Gameplay[edit]


Roles:	Carry Support Disabler Initiator Durable Nuker
Complexity:	★★☆
Playstyle:	It is said that none survived the battle at the Trembling Isle, save perhaps, the Admiral of the Claddish fleet. Man or phantom, Kunkka's presence on the battlefield is duly felt by all. Armed with the legendary Tidebringer, the Admiral strikes with a single blow at all who stand before him. A veteran of innumerable naval engagements, Kunkka times his skills with planned precision, catching opponents in a rising Torrent, before summoning the ephemeral Ghostship to dash them upon the rocks.

Strategy & Tips

Counters &
Matchups

Audio[edit]

Responses

Sounds

History[edit]

Lore

Old Abilities

Changelogs

Equipment[edit]

Trivia[edit]

Kunkka was named in honour of the artist who made numerous pieces of loading screen art for DotA and Dota 2.^[1]
Kunkka's official alternate/fun names were "Daelin Proudmoore", "CoCo", and "Captain Obvious". Daelin Proudmoore was a campaign boss in Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne; his hero model is borrowed by Kunkka in DotA.
In his DotA biography, it is stated that some people called him "Jack Sparrow," but it was never seen as his name in-game. Jack Sparrow is the name of the main character in the Pirates of the Carribean movie franchise.
His rival hero taunts against Slardar, Death Prophet, and Doom, and his allied lines for Windranger and Ancient Apparition, all come from Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.
His battle begin line Play "Rough seas ahead, crew. Strap me to the mizzen when I give the word." is likely a reference to The Odyssey, where Odysseus commands his crew to strap him to the mast so he could hear the Sirens sing.