SMITE: Demigods, Deities and Gods Explained is a 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’ new MOBA.
Lore: Nu Wa, one of the gods of antiquity in China, is a being of considerable power. Born of the loins of the Jade Emperor himself, she is one of the few female gods of any pantheon to be credited with creation, albeit only of humanity. Her very age has led to scholars producing numerous folk tales for the guardian of heaven. From creator to wife, Nu Wa is most commonly known for protecting and repairing the heavens after catastrophes.
That story is oft retold with slight variations. In short, the Four Pillars that held up the Universe crumble, leaving both realms in chaos. Floods, fires and death reign. As the creator of humanity, Nu Wa takes it upon herself to protect her creation. To do so, she tempered five-colored stones to mend the heavens and sacrificed the feet of Ao, the Great Turtle, to support the pillars holding the heavens.
Yet, that’s not her most interesting story. In the famed Fengshen Bang novel from the Ming Dynasty, Nu Wa is far from Mary Sue good god. More slanted towards the Greek pantheon, she can be seen as petty, fickle and vengeful. Regardless, the “Snake Goddess” remained highly respected even with humanizing flaws of character.
In-Game: Nu Wa is a ranged magical combatant but she isn’t your typical mage by any means. Unlike Anubis, Zeus or Freya, the Guardian of Heaven acts more like a mobile Vulcan. She’s a heavy pusher thanks to her Clay Soldiers that are determined to push any and everything. Following her lore, her passive invokes the power of the five crystals. Triggered by her abilities the passive unlocks additional bonuses. All five being trigger place her in her true snake form.
The abilities of Nu Wa do not benefit greatly from additional magical power, thus, her build order is more unique than most mages. The requirement to consistently fire off abilities for extra perks make mana and cooldown reduction much needed. Mix in the likes of Polynomicon with defensive gems such as Demonic Grip and other on-hit items to increase her pushing capabilities and sustainability. Don’t expect to Pentakill with Nu Wa, but with the right mix of items, you’ll push hard and enable a teammate to bring down your enemies with numerous support capabilities and constant harassment.
Further reading:
- Nuwa on Wikipedia
- Chinese Mythology on Wikipedia
- Nu Wa in Fengshen Bang, aka The Investiture of the Gods (WikiSource guide)
Head over to SMITE: Demigods, Deities and Gods Explained for details on all of the playable characters.