Identity
Lapulapu (“Reefheart Datu”) is Honor of Kings’ first Filipino hero, released November 21, 2025. Inspired by the historical Lapulapu who defeated Ferdinand Magellan, he’s the datu (chief) of Nectam in the Azuria region. His lore centers around protecting his islands from Western invaders and the sea serpent Bakunawa. His visual design features traditional 14th-15th century Visayan attire, a Kampilan sword with vortex energy, and a Kalasag shield adorned with the Bakunawa sea serpent. The red color palette represents courage and resolve.
Playstyle
- Strengths: Strong early-game tankiness from passive defense buff, good crowd control with knockups, excellent team fight initiation, can protect allies with defense buff, flexible in Clash or Roam
- Weaknesses: Limited damage output, falls off in late game compared to other tanks, healing can be inconsistent, requires team follow-up to be effective
- Best for players who: Enjoy tank/support roles, want a hero that can enable teammates, prefer straightforward engage-and-protect playstyle
Skills
Passive: Sea Beast’s Favor
Lapulapu gains 100 Physical and Magical Defense permanently. When there are teammates nearby, the ally with the lowest HP gains the same defense buff. When Lapulapu is alone, his defense increases by an additional 50%.
Tip: This makes Lapulapu naturally tanky without items early on. Position near your lowest-HP ally to share the defense buff. Alone, you’re even more durable—use this to body-check enemies.
Skill 1: Torrential Blade
Has two modes:
- Tap: Lapulapu slashes his blade, dealing physical damage to enemies in range and slowing them by 30% for 1 second. After hitting, reduces enemy Physical Defense for 2 seconds.
- Hold (charged): Lapulapu throws his weapon in a target direction, dealing physical damage and slowing. After landing, it deals continuous physical damage in an area.
Tip: Use the tap version for quick trades and the hold version for extended damage and zone control. The Physical Defense reduction helps your team deal more damage.
Skill 2: Island Blessing
Lapulapu dashes in a target direction. Enemies in his path take physical damage and are launched into the air. After landing, they receive extreme slow (30% for 1 second). This skill provides excellent mobility and initiation.
Tip: This is your primary engage tool. Dash into enemies to launch them, then use Skill 1 to slow them further. Works as both initiation and escape.
Ultimate: Raging Sea
Lapulapu leaps and smashes the ground, creating a cracked area that deals physical damage and launches enemies. The fractured earth damages and slows enemies inside.
Tip: Use this to start team fights by catching multiple enemies in the AoE, or to follow up on Skill 2’s launch for extended CC. Great for disrupting enemy formations.
Best Build (Patch Season 14)
Core items:
- Boots of Fortitude — Movement speed + physical defense
- Guardian — Damage reduction + shield for nearby allies
- Radiance — HP + physical defense + damage reflection
- Ominous Premonition — Reduces enemy attack speed
- Succubus Cloak — Magic defense + HP regen + out-of-combat shield
- Overlord’s Platemail — Physical defense + aura armor for nearby allies
Arcana: 10 Fate + 10 Void + 10 Harmony (attack speed, HP, cooldown reduction)
Battle spells: Flash — Essential for repositioning and surprise engages. You can aim your ultimate backward then Flash forward to catch enemies off-guard.
Counters
Strong against:
- Hou Yi: Can tank through his damage and close the distance
- Marco Polo: Durable enough to absorb his early-game pressure
- Garo: Can match his sustained fights
Weak against:
- Prince of Lanling: Stealth allows picking off Lapulapu’s backline
- Princess Frost: Stronger CC chain out-controls Lapulapu
- Augran: Can lock and kill Lapulapu when his defenses are down
Pro Tips
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Passive positioning: Always be near allies to share your defense buff, especially in team fights. The ally with lowest HP gets the buff—protect your marksman or mage.
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Engage combo: Skill 2 (launch) → Ultimate (AoE damage/slow) → Tap Skill 1 (slow). This creates a solid CC chain that gives your team time to follow up.
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Surprise engage: Aim Ultimate backward, then Flash forward through your ultimate. This catches enemies off-guard as they don’t expect you to appear from behind.
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Roam effectively: As a roamer, help your farm laner secure early kills with your strong CC. Your passive keeps you alive in ganks.
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Late game peel: Your job changes from engaging to protecting. Stick near your damage dealers and use your CC to stop enemy assassins from diving.
FAQ
Is Lapulapu good in Season 14? Lapulapu is a solid B-tier pick with strong early-game presence and good CC. He works well as a roamer but falls off compared to meta tanks like Arthur or Dun. His strength is enabling teammates rather than carrying.
What’s the best build for Lapulapu? Full tank support: Boots of Fortitude, Guardian, Radiance, Ominous Premonition, Succubus Cloak, Overlord’s Platemail. Focus on defensive stats and items that help protect allies.
Who counters Lapulapu? Heroes with strong burst and stealth (Prince of Lanling), heavy CC chains (Princess Frost), or sustained damage fighters (Augran) can handle Lapulapu. His lack of damage means he struggles against coordinated teams.
Is Lapulapu easy to learn? Easy. His skill rotation is straightforward (2-Ult-1 is standard), and his passive makes him naturally durable. New players can pick him up quickly. The main learning is positioning for optimal CC and buff sharing.
Can Lapulapu solo carry? No. Lapulapu is a support/tank who enables teammates. He has low damage and relies on team follow-up. He’s excellent at setting up kills but cannot secure victories alone.
Sources
- https://liquipedia.net/honorofkings/Lapulapu: Hero overview and lore
- https://gamingonphone.com/guides/honor-of-kings-lapulapu-build-guide-gameplay-tips/: Build and gameplay guide
- https://www.ggwp.id/esports/moba/skill-lapulapu-honor-of-kings-00-ck54p-8r8nlm: Skill breakdown
- https://www.ggwp.id/esports/moba/counter-lapulapu-honor-of-kings-00-ck54p-wwy098: Counter hero information
- https://onemoregame.ph/2025/11/honor-of-kings-celebrates-filipino-heritage-with-new-hero-lapulapu-november-21/: Character inspiration and design