Luna has always had to pick between physical and magical damage, but a new hybrid strategy combines the best of both worlds.
The build recently appeared in the opening round of the WePlay AniMajor. Kiyalbek “dream” Tayirov was assigned a last pick Luna in AS Monaco Gambit’s wild card match against Team Secret. While he started with the standard physical build, he chose to bolster his late-game strength with Aghanim’s Scepter, Aghanim’s Shard, and Timeless Relic. The kit allowed dream’s team to pummel the European juggernauts in game two.
This build is distinct from both established Luna builds. Magic damage Luna has trouble farming creeps, and physical Luna struggles to keep up with other carries in the late game. This build solves both problems by switching halfway through the game. If it can succeed in an official Dota 2 major, it can definitely win you some MMR.
How to play magic Luna carry
The build plays exactly the same as traditional Luna in the laning phase. Use Lucent Beam to secure last hits and harass the off-laner until a kill opportunity arises. Luna is pretty solid at brawling before level four, so try to pair up with an offensive support hero like Witch Doctor or Crystal Maiden.
Important 4 kills + Roshan ???? pic.twitter.com/YEtxk9wQEm
— Gambit Esports (@GambitEsports) June 2, 2021
Instead of the usual Wraith Bands and Mask of Madness, rush Dragon Lance. The item helps Luna with her extremely short attack range and it offers excellent stats for an agility core. Aim for Power Treads and Dragon Lance around 11 minutes.
The midgame for magical carry Luna is also familiar. You want to build a Yasha item and a Black King Bar. The exact order depends on the state of the game. If you need to show up to fights early, go for BKB first. This build lets you clear out the jungle with Moon Glaives and participate in fights when Eclipse comes off cooldown.
Around 30 minutes, harder carries like Medusa and Spectre start to come online. Luna struggles to match their physical damage or tankiness, and it’s not really worth the effort to try and do so. Instead of the standard Butterfly and Satanic, queue up Aghanim’s Scepter and Shard. Luna’s Scepter turns her Eclipse into a ground-targeted ability with a massive radius. It also doubles the number of Lucent Beams and removes the single-target limit. The Shard lets Luna play similarly to Skywrath Mage, dancing around the fight while dumping magic nukes that also send out right clicks. The Dragon Lance from earlier also helps Luna stay in her ideal range. Even the tankiest heroes can melt from an upgraded Eclipse. Add all three Lucent Beam talents and it becomes a Ravage, Sonic Wave, and Mystic Flare rolled into one.
The best neutral item for magic Luna is Timeless Relic, as it buffs Eclipse’s damage and ministun. Spell Prism is valuable for its cooldown reduction and Minotaur Horn offers a but of bulk and safety. No matter what neutral items hit the map, this new hybrid Luna build can ride with the best.
