SMITE: Demigods, Deities and Gods Explained is a new column dedicated to introducing prospective players of SMITE to its massive back story of lore. From the Greek to Hindu, each week we’ll look at two characters from a major pantheon and provide a quick recap of their history and in what capacity their digital incarnation will represent on the field of Hi-Rez Studios’ upcoming MOBA.
Lore: Artemis is one of the most widely known, powerful and revered gods in the Greek pantheon. As the Goddess of the Hunt, Wild Animals, Wilderness, Virginity and later Childbirth, she ruled over many of the domains that allowed mortal life to continue. Her contributions, defense and godly struggles made her revered among us peons, provoking numerous cults, places of worship and festivals to spawn.
The daughter of Zeus and Leto, twin sister of Apollo, Artemis has a storied history. A virgin throughout her life, Artemis was a self made women and huntress. In childhood she perfected her huntress persona by acquiring her trademark golden bow and arrows from Lipara, then she sought out Pan for hunting dogs before trapping half a dozen golden-horned deer to pull her chariot. After training with her bow she entered the chaotic world of the gods and contested anyone that challenged her hunting prowess. Others fell to her weapons for attempting to take her maidenhood. From gods and deities to the Acaeans, few survived her wrath.
In-Game: As of posting, Artemis is the only physical ranged character in the game. Unlike many physical ranged characters in the MOBA genre, she is not the typical glass cannon, boasting solid defense capabilities with high utility skills. The Goddess of the Hunt can slow, trap and stun enemies. As you may expect from an archer, Artemis is heavily focused on her bow and is best built with damage in mind. Her versatility makes her vital for team fights and ganks.
Further reading:
- Artemis on Wikipedia
- Greek Mythology on Wikipedia
- Artemis on Theoi Project
Head over to SMITE: Demigods, Deities and Gods Explained for access to details for all of the playable characters.