Hey guys! Are you ready to dominate the Land of Dawn with Esmeralda? This Astrologer is a force to be reckoned with, capable of dishing out tons of damage while remaining incredibly tanky. If you're aiming to climb the ranks and become a top Esmeralda player, you've come to the right place! In this guide, we'll dive deep into the best build for Esmeralda in 2021, straight from the pros who've reached the top global rankings. We'll break down each item, explain its importance, and show you how to use it effectively to maximize Esmeralda's potential. So, buckle up and get ready to learn the secrets of playing Esmeralda like a true champion!

Understanding Esmeralda's Strengths and Weaknesses

Before we jump into the build, let's take a moment to understand what makes Esmeralda so strong and where she might struggle. Esmeralda excels at sustained damage and survivability. Her passive, Starmoon Casket, allows her to absorb enemy shields and convert them into her own, making her incredibly difficult to kill in team fights. Her abilities deal both physical and magical damage, making her difficult to itemize against. However, Esmeralda isn't without her weaknesses. She can be vulnerable to crowd control effects, especially stuns and silences, which can interrupt her ability to generate shields and deal damage. She also lacks strong mobility, making her susceptible to ganks if she's not careful. Therefore, a well-rounded build is crucial to mitigating these weaknesses and maximizing her strengths. The key is to strike a balance between damage, defense, and utility to ensure that Esmeralda can thrive in any situation. Understanding these nuances will significantly improve your gameplay and decision-making, allowing you to adapt your strategy based on the enemy team composition and the flow of the game. Remember, a good build is only as effective as the player piloting it, so practice and experience are essential to mastering Esmeralda.

The Ultimate Esmeralda Build 2021

Alright, let's get to the good stuff – the build! This build is designed to provide Esmeralda with the perfect balance of damage, survivability, and utility, allowing her to thrive in a variety of situations. This build is based on what the top global Esmeralda players were using in 2021. Remember, item builds can be situational, so feel free to adapt it based on the specific game you're in. But, as a starting point, this build is incredibly effective.

1. Demon Shoes: Mana sustain is crucial for Esmeralda, as she constantly needs to use her abilities to generate shields and deal damage. Demon Shoes provide a significant boost to mana regeneration, allowing you to stay in lane longer and cast more spells. This is especially important in the early game when mana is a precious resource. The added movement speed is also beneficial for positioning and dodging enemy skillshots. Many players underestimate the importance of mana management, but for Esmeralda, it's the key to unlocking her full potential. Don't underestimate the power of unlimited mana! With Demon Shoes, you can focus on harassing your opponents and farming efficiently without constantly worrying about running out of mana.
2. Enchanted Talisman: Continuing with the theme of mana sustain, Enchanted Talisman provides even more mana regeneration, as well as cooldown reduction. The cooldown reduction is especially important for Esmeralda, as it allows her to cast her abilities more frequently, generating more shields and dealing more damage. The additional magic power is also a nice bonus, further increasing her damage output. Together, Demon Shoes and Enchanted Talisman ensure that you'll almost never run out of mana, allowing you to constantly pressure your opponents. This combination is a cornerstone of many successful Esmeralda builds, providing the necessary resources to dominate the early and mid game. Think of it as Esmeralda's energy drink – it keeps her going all game long! The sustained mana allows for aggressive plays and constant harassment, keeping your enemies on their toes.
3. Concentrated Energy: Now, let's start focusing on survivability and damage. Concentrated Energy provides a significant boost to magic power, as well as a crucial lifesteal effect. The lifesteal allows Esmeralda to sustain herself in team fights, healing back a portion of the damage she deals. This is especially important given her reliance on getting up close and personal with enemies. The combination of magic power and lifesteal makes Esmeralda incredibly difficult to kill, as she can constantly heal herself while dishing out tons of damage. This item is a game-changer, transforming Esmeralda from a squishy mage into a durable bruiser. Imagine Esmeralda as a vampire, constantly draining health from her enemies to sustain herself! The lifesteal provided by Concentrated Energy makes her a formidable opponent in prolonged engagements.
4. Oracle: To further enhance Esmeralda's survivability, Oracle provides a significant boost to magic defense, as well as a unique passive that increases shield absorption and healing effects. This passive synergizes perfectly with Esmeralda's passive, Starmoon Casket, making her even more effective at absorbing enemy shields. The increased healing effect also amplifies the lifesteal from Concentrated Energy, making her incredibly difficult to kill. Oracle is a core item for Esmeralda, providing the necessary defenses to withstand burst damage and the sustain to thrive in prolonged engagements. Think of Oracle as Esmeralda's personal bodyguard, constantly protecting her from harm! The increased shield absorption and healing effects make her a true tank in team fights.
5. Immortality: As the name suggests, Immortality provides a second life, allowing Esmeralda to revive after being killed. This is an invaluable asset in team fights, as it gives you a second chance to make a play. The additional physical defense is also a nice bonus, further increasing her overall survivability. Immortality is a must-have item for any hero that needs to be in the thick of the action, and Esmeralda is no exception. Consider Immortality as Esmeralda's "get out of jail free" card! It provides a safety net, allowing you to play more aggressively knowing that you have a second chance if you make a mistake. The resurrection effect can often turn the tide of a team fight.
6. Holy Crystal / Blood Wings (Situational): The final item slot is situational, depending on the game's progression and your team's needs. If you're ahead and want to maximize your damage output, Holy Crystal is an excellent choice. It provides a massive boost to magic power, allowing you to burst down enemies even faster. However, if you're struggling to survive or need more sustain, Blood Wings is a better option. It provides a significant boost to HP and magic power, as well as a shield that absorbs damage. Choose the item that best suits your current situation. Think of Holy Crystal as Esmeralda's offensive weapon, and Blood Wings as her defensive shield! Adapt your final item choice based on the enemy team composition and your own performance in the game. Sometimes, a bit more damage is all you need to secure the victory, while other times, extra survivability is the key to staying alive and carrying your team.

Emblems and Battle Spells

Emblems

For emblems, the Mage emblem set is generally the best choice for Esmeralda. Prioritize the following talents:

• Agility: For increased movement speed, allowing you to rotate around the map and chase down enemies more effectively.
• Observation: For increased magic penetration, allowing you to deal more damage to enemies with high magic resistance.
• Magic Worship: This talent is crucial for Esmeralda, as it deals additional damage to enemies when you inflict damage greater than 7% of their Max HP in 5 seconds, burning effect, dealing Magic Damage equal to 3x Hero Level. This significantly increases your burst potential. This is crucial for maximizing her damage output.

Battle Spells

• Flicker: Flicker is the most popular battle spell for Esmeralda, as it provides an escape mechanism and allows you to reposition yourself in team fights. This is especially important given her lack of natural mobility. Flicker can be used to dodge enemy skillshots, escape from ganks, or surprise enemies with an unexpected engage.
• Purify: If the enemy team has a lot of crowd control, Purify is a viable option. It removes all debuffs from Esmeralda, allowing you to continue dealing damage and generating shields without interruption. This is especially useful against heroes like Aurora, Eudora, and Saber.

Gameplay Tips and Tricks

• Early Game: Focus on farming and building up your mana sustain. Use your first skill to harass enemies and generate shields. Avoid overextending, as you're vulnerable to ganks early on.
• Mid Game: Start rotating to other lanes and helping your teammates. Look for opportunities to gank and secure objectives. Be mindful of your mana and don't be afraid to recall if you're running low.
• Late Game: Focus on team fights and protecting your damage dealers. Use your second skill to deal damage and disrupt the enemy team. Be mindful of your positioning and avoid getting caught out of position.
• Mastering Esmeralda's Abilities: Practice makes perfect, but here are a few key things to keep in mind. Starmoon Casket is your bread and butter – use it constantly to generate shields and absorb enemy damage. Stardust Dance is your primary damage-dealing ability, use it to harass enemies and clear minion waves. Falling Starmoon is your ultimate ability, use it to engage in team fights and chase down fleeing enemies. Experiment with different combos and find what works best for you.
• Teamfight Positioning: As Esmeralda, you want to be in the thick of the action, but not so far forward that you get focused down. Stay close to your team's tank and damage dealers, and use your abilities to protect them. Be mindful of enemy crowd control and try to avoid getting stunned or silenced. Your positioning is key to surviving and thriving in team fights. Knowing when to engage and when to back off is crucial for maximizing your effectiveness.
• Adapting to the Enemy Team: Every game is different, and you'll need to adapt your build and playstyle based on the enemy team composition. If they have a lot of magic damage, build more magic defense. If they have a lot of physical damage, build more physical defense. If they have a lot of crowd control, consider taking Purify as your battle spell. Being able to adapt to the situation is what separates good Esmeralda players from great ones. Don't be afraid to experiment with different item builds and strategies to find what works best for you.

Conclusion

So there you have it – the ultimate Esmeralda build for 2021, straight from the top global players! Remember, this build is just a starting point, so feel free to adapt it based on your own playstyle and the specific game you're in. With practice and dedication, you'll be dominating the Land of Dawn with Esmeralda in no time. Good luck, and have fun!