SMITE: Demigods, Deities and Gods Explained is a column dedicated to introducing prospective players of SMITE to its massive backstory 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: What do you do if you’ve just been bested. No, more than bested. You were decapitated. You die, right? But let’s say you’re immortal. You don’t necessarily die die. You’d probably admit defeat, move on to something new. Perhaps someone is looking for a sort of gorey bird bath. Any deity, demigod or god that has the chutzpah to continue his modus operandi after such a loss deserves the title of The Relentless. Xian Tian, a mere deity, earned it exactly that way.
Living purely for the purpose of fighting the Supreme Divinity, Xing Ting eventually succumbed when he lost his head. Dude stood up, was all Monty Python and bellowed out “Tis a flesh wound.” That bellowing didn’t come from his new bowling ball. No, it came from his belly button, which he, through sheer will, morphed into a fully functional mouth. For eyes he put use into male nipples. His head became so pointless, such a vestigial distraction that he allowed it to remain buried underneath the Changyang Mountain.
Reinvigorated through testicular fortitude – historical reports make no mention of him losing those bits – Xing Tian continues to harry the Supreme Divinity with battle axe and shield in hand. They’re still hands.
How’d he get to that point? In ancient times, Xian Ting was content with following Emperor Yan. Xian picked a loser, but remain loyal following Yan to exile in the south after he was defeated by the Yellow Emperor. Xian Ting challenged the incarnation of the Supreme Divinity after he executed Chi You. The ensuing duel had the same outcome with the finality of Xing’s decapitation. His undying resolution never faded.
In-Game: Given the lack of head you may not expect Xian to be a crowd control expert. Not only is he one, coupled with strong sustain he’s one of the best. A magical melee user, players don’t need to stay on top of opponents all the time thanks to a leap and ranged abilities. But don’t get cocky, Xian Ting remains a firm, yet versatile guardian. Harry your opponents to set up your teammates for kills or keep them from initiating a strong team fight.
Xing Tian doesn’t break from the traditional guardian role or builds, but can do more magical damage than many. For a true tank, ensure your sustain by picking up a Heartward Amulet and help friendlies with Sovereignty. A Witched or Winged Blade will let you disrupt team fights further but you do have reason to snag some damage. Ensure it mixes with your archetype by grabbing solid secondary stats. Soul Reaver is great anti-tank or get a Gem of Isolation to ensure your team can cleanup.
Further reading:
- Xing Tian on Wikipedia
- Chinese Mythology on Wikipedia
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Head over to SMITE: Demigods, Deities and Gods Explained for details on all of the playable characters.