Updated on April 19, 11:11 a.m. (GMT+8): Improved best build, introduction, and added videos.
Melissa is marksman hero in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang that uses her needles and puppets as weapons.
Her unique skill set is a great combination of long-range poke and defense, making her a strong laner against most matchups.
To help you dominate in the Land of Dawn using the Cursed Needle of the Forsaken Light alliance, here’s a comprehensive guide that covers recommended battle spells, emblem set, best build, skill tips, and combos.
Melissa’s skills in Mobile Legends
Passive – Doll Buster
Melissa deals additional damage to minions, creeps and summoned units.
- This passive also works on her puppet Muddles as it is a summoned unit. It synergizes with her second skill.
- Extra damage dealt to summoned units and minions includes all types of damage from battle spells, talents, equipment, skills, and basic attacks.
- This is effective against Zhask’s Nightmaric Spawn, Popol’s wolf companion, Kupa, and Vexana’s Eternal Guard.
First skill – Falling!
Melissa slides forward and increases her Attack Speed for several seconds. The skill’s cooldown is reduced each time she damages the enemy by attacking Muddles.
- As her main mobility spell, this allows Melissa to reposition herself during duels or team fights and move around along with her puppets, similar to how Kagura moves her umbrella. You can use this to dodge enemy skills or move nearer your allies to get protection in clashes.
- This also gives her decent DPS thanks to the attack speed bonus. Use this skill whenever it is up, along with her second skill to harass your enemy on the lane.
- Max this skill first to reduce its base cooldown as it is vital for chasing or escaping.
- Don’t forget to utilize the cooldown reduction effect which you can activate through her second skill.
Second skill – Eyes on You!
Melissa throws Muddles in a direction. Muddles deals Physical Damage on the first hit and links nearby enemy heroes for several secods. Linked enemies will be slowed and can break the link by moving out of the range.
Muddles will return to her early when she’s too far away. When Muddles is present, you can tap the Attack Minion button to directly attack Muddles, though it cannot trigger the multi-hit damage.
- This spell is Melissa’s main damage source and also a debuff (slow). Get this at level one to poke your lane opponent early. Spam this along with Falling! whenever available.
- Muddles does damage to minions and creeps, but doesn’t link them.
- If the enemies are moving away out of Muddles’ range, you can use her first skill to keep them tied to the puppet’s link.
- As much as possible, use your basic attack to trigger the multi-hit damage, but avoid chasing too deep.
- You can maximize the range of this skill by tapping on the Attack Minion button to directly hit Muddles and damage linked enemies.
Ultimate – Go Away!
Melissa commands Cuddles to release the Field of Protection. When activated, the field knocks back enemies in the area and deals magic damage to them.
It’ll then continuously knock back enemies who attempt to enter the field, dealing magic damage and briefly slowing them. It will interrupt the enemy’s movement skills unless they’re immune to control effects. It will also move with Melissa once, when she’s about to move out of the boundary.
Learning this skill permanently increases her physical and magic Defense. This effect is increased when the skill is active.
- This is a defensive ability, but you can also use this offensively by pushing enemies near your allies or turret.
- You can reposition the field using her first ability and move further away from enemies chasing you.
A comprehensive guide on how to play Melissa in Mobile Legends
Recommended battle spell
Inspire is the most recommended battle spell as this allows you to dominate your lane matchup through the additional attack speed, physical penetration and lifesteal it gives. In the later stages of the game, it lets you deal heavy damage in team fights.
But if you need to play more safely, go for Flicker instead. It helps you reposition when you’re getting chased by assassins or heroes that can jump into the back line, thus allowing you to freely cast your skills and basic attacks.
Recommended emblem
Before marching into the battle, make sure to choose the Marksman emblem. Go all-in on Bravery for physical attack and Swift for attack speed to maximize your poking potential in the laning phase where Melissa is strongest.
Select the Electro Flash key talent for chase potential when you’re ahead in the gold lane matchup or sustain and bonus mobility when you’re behind or getting ganked frequently. Weakness Finder is also good if you can play aggressively on the lane.
Best item build
As the gold laner-marksman of the team, you are expected to dish out most of the damage to enemy heroes and turrets.
Build items that will give you the maximum damage and attack speed, such as Corrosion Sycthe, Demon Hunter Sword, Golden Staff, and Malefic Roar. It’s best if your roamer and allies protect you during team fights.
Purchase Wind of Nature for extra layer of protection.
The best build for Melissa in Mobile Legends
- Corrosion Sycthe
- Tough Boots
- Demon Hunter Sword
- Golden Staff
- Wind of Nature
- Malefic Roar
Alternatively, if you have other damage dealers in your team and you need to survive longer in clashes, you can opt to have a hybrid build of damage and defense.
Wind of Nature is essential if you’re getting dived by an assassin armed with physical burst. You can replace it with Rose Gold Meteor or straight up Athena’s Shield to negate magical burst. You might also want to opt for Immortality instead of Brute Force Breastplate if the game goes the distance.
Alternative build
- Corrosion Scythe
- Tough Boots
- Demon Hunter Sword
- Wind of Nature
- Rose Gold Meteor/Athena’s Shield
- Brute Force Breastplate
Easy combos to learn
Start with Eyes on You! to harass your opponent in the lane then prioritize leveling up Falling! as this is Melissa’s mobility spell.
Level up her Go Away! ultimate ability whenever possible. This gives Melissa more physical and magic defense, so make sure to use this when engaging in a duel or team fight.
Melissa’s skill combo is quite simple. Cast Eyes on You! first then use Falling! for additional attack speed to poke your enemies.
You can deal damage to enemy heroes beyond your attack range by hitting Muddles and damaging those who are linked to it. Do this by tapping the Attack Minion button.
If you have Inspire as battle spell, activate it during duels or team fights. Remember to cast Go Away! and use Falling! to reposition.
Ready to rank up using Melissa?
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