Does Hecarim climb? An honest read
Whether Hecarim is a good climbing pick, judged on what the kit demands and what it hands you for free.
What the kit asks of you
Riot rates Hecarim at 6 out of 3 for difficulty. Blunt, but it tracks something real: how much of the champion's power sits behind execution rather than being handed to you.
At 175 attack range Hecarim has to walk into damage to deal it, so every trade begins with a decision about whether you can afford the walk.
The kit you are being asked to execute
Warpath
Hecarim gains Attack Damage equal to a percentage of his bonus Move Speed.
Rampage
Hecarim cleaves nearby enemies dealing physical damage. If Hecarim damages at least one enemy, he increases the damage and lowers the cooldown of subsequent Rampages.
Spirit of Dread
Hecarim gains Armor and Magic Resist. Hecarim deals magic damage to nearby enemies, and gains Health equal to a percentage of any damage those enemies suffer.
Devastating Charge
Hecarim gains increasing Move Speed and can move through units for a short duration. His next attack knocks the target back and deals additional physical damage based on the distance he has traveled since activating the ability.
Onslaught of Shadows
Hecarim summons spectral riders and charges forward, dealing magic damage in a line. Hecarim creates a shockwave when he finishes his charge, causing nearby enemies to flee in terror.
The case for
A fighter that can trade repeatedly, survive the return damage, and win the third exchange rather than the first scales with individual skill rather than coordination — and coordination is exactly what you cannot rely on in the lower ranks.
The case against
The counter-argument is taking the first trade instead of the trade that wins — a habit the lower ranks reward right up until they suddenly do not, which makes it hard to unlearn later.
Hecarim is mana-gated, which is the real limit on how often you can contest a wave early.
Where the power actually is
| Stat | Level 1 | Level 18 |
|---|---|---|
| Health | 625 | 2427 |
| Attack damage | 66 | 66 |
| Armour | 32 | 124.7 |
| Magic resist | 32 | 66.9 |
Movement speed 345 and attack range 175 do not grow with levels — they are the two numbers that stay true all game.
Riot's own notes on playing against Hecarim
Worth reading even when you are the one playing Hecarim: it is the list of what your opponent is being told to do to you.
- Hecarim gains life from nearby enemies with Spirit of Dread but lacks durability, use burst damage.
- Hecarim's ultimate causes opponents to flee in terror. Spread out to reduce his power in fights.