Quick answer (29 October 2026, Patch 2.2.16a, Season 42 "Starward Decade"): the best Hirara build for the jungle is Tough Boots, Hunter Strike, Blade of Despair, Blade of the Heptaseas, Malefic Roar and Immortality (11,870 gold, mlbbhub's default ranked build). Run the Assassin emblem with Rupture, Seasoned Hunter and Killing Spree, take Retribution and upgrade it to Ice Retribution. Her core combo is Infernal Torrent into Kaerazu, then Falling Maple, then dash out. Plan around the hotfix too. Patch 2.2.16a (14 October 2026) raised Meisen-e's cooldown from 9–5.5s to 10–6.5s and moved Kaerazu's damage later into the game (Liquipedia, Patch 2.2.16a).
Hirara is the most-banned hero in Mobile Legends. On mlbbhub's ranked tier list (checked 29 October 2026) she's banned in 68.02% of matches, more than 11 points ahead of the next hero, Belerick (56.95%). The nerf didn't change that. Today's r/MobileLegendsGame thread asking Moonton to nerf eleven heroes put her on the list again, and one reply pushed back: "Gloo, Atlas, Kfufra, Lukas, Hirara, obsidia, marcel, and aulus seems balanced imo" (r/MobileLegendsGame). If she gets through the draft in your games, this guide covers the build, emblem, combo, what the nerf changed, and who counters her.
What did the Patch 2.2.16a nerf change for Hirara?
Moonton's note on the change, verbatim (Liquipedia, Patch 2.2.16a):
"Hirara could use her invincibility skill too frequently, making her difficult to deal with. We've reduced how often she can use her skills but slightly increased the burst damage of her full combo in the mid-to-late game."
| Skill | Before 2.2.16a | After 2.2.16a |
|---|---|---|
| Skill 1: Meisen-e cooldown | 9s to 5.5s | 10s to 6.5s |
| Skill 2: Kaerazu damage | 150–255 (+65% Extra Physical Attack) | 165–270 (+42%–70% Extra Physical Attack) |
What it means in practice. Her energy recharges on Meisen-e's cooldown, so the cooldown change hits her invincible combo directly. At max level with 40% cooldown reduction, Meisen-e drops to 3.9 seconds instead of 3.3. Kaerazu's base damage went up by 15, but its scaling now starts at 42% and only passes the old 65% near max level. She hits a bit softer early and a bit harder late.
The numbers since. mlbbhub's win rate history shows the effect. She was at 53.36% on 9 October before the hotfix and 49.98% on 29 October after it. Her ban rate went up over the same period.
The hotfix only touched her skills. She has no ultimate, and her passive and base stats didn't change. Our MLBB patch notes breakdown covers the other heroes in 2.2.16a.
How do Hirara's skills work?
Hirara, "Fallen Scarlet", is an Assassin who plays in the Jungle, with the Chase and Finisher specialties. She was released in Patch 2.1.88 on 17 June 2026. She has 2,440 base HP, 125 Physical Attack and 260 Movement Speed, and no mana (Liquipedia, checked 29 October 2026).
Her kit is unusual. She has only two skills and no ultimate. You drag one skill onto the other to cast a combo skill. Each combo spends one of her 2 Crimson / Death Energy, and energy recovers on the same timer as Meisen-e's cooldown.
| Skill | What it does | Key numbers (2.2.16a) |
|---|---|---|
| Passive: Twin Fans: Ukifune | Combines her two skills into combo skills. Holds 2 energy. | Deals only 30% (+4% per hero level) damage to minions |
| Skill 1: Meisen-e | Up to two joystick dashes. The first goes in the direction she's facing. Damages enemies she passes through. | 150 (+50% Extra Physical Attack). Cooldown 10s to 6.5s |
| Skill 2: Kaerazu | A fan-shaped Crimson Maple hit, then a second hit at the target spot after a short delay for 2x the damage | 165–270 (+42%–70% Extra Physical Attack) |
| Combo: Infernal Torrent (enhanced Meisen-e) | After the first dash she spins, dealing 2.5x Crimson Maple damage and immobilizing enemies for 0.8s | Costs 1 energy |
| Combo: Falling Maple (enhanced Kaerazu) | She becomes untargetable and immobilized for up to 1s. After 0.6s she deals 3x Crimson Maple damage. Cast Meisen-e's second dash to end it early. | Costs 1 energy |
The passive's minion penalty is the reason she can't lane. At level 1 she deals 34% damage to minions, so she can't clear a wave. She's a jungler only. Her damage also scales on Extra Physical Attack, meaning attack from items and emblems, not her base stats. That decides the build.
What is the best Hirara build in Patch 2.2.16a?
mlbbhub publishes three curated Hirara builds. They were last reviewed on Patch 2.1.88. Patch 2.2.16a only changed her two skill lines above, and every item is still sold at the cost shown on mlbbhub's item pages (checked 29 October 2026).
| Build | Items | Emblem and spell | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jungle Burst (default) | Tough Boots, Hunter Strike, Blade of Despair, Blade of the Heptaseas, Malefic Roar, Immortality | Assassin: Rupture, Seasoned Hunter, Killing Spree. Ice Retribution | 11,870 g |
| Snowball Execute | Tough Boots, Sky Piercer, Hunter Strike, Blade of the Heptaseas, Blade of Despair, Malefic Roar | Assassin: Rupture, Master Assassin, Lethal Ignition. Flame Retribution | 11,250 g |
| Sustain Reset | Tough Boots, Hunter Strike, Endless Battle, War Axe, Queen's Wings, Malefic Roar | Fighter: Rupture, Festival of Blood, War Cry. Bloody Retribution | 11,470 g |
Use the Jungle Burst build in most games. Here's what each item does for her:
- Tough Boots (720 g): +18 Magic Defense, +40 Movement Speed, and 25% shorter crowd control and slows. Falling Maple already immobilizes her for up to a second, so she can't afford to get stunned on top of it.
- Hunter Strike (2,010 g): +80 Physical Attack and 10% cooldown reduction. Hit the same target five times in a row and you get 50% extra Movement Speed that decays over time. Her dashes and combo hits add up to five quickly.
- Blade of Despair (3,010 g): +160 Physical Attack, the most of any item. It gives you another 25% Physical Attack for 2s when you hit a target below 50% HP. Her skills scale only on extra Physical Attack, so this is her biggest damage item.
- Blade of the Heptaseas (1,950 g): +70 Physical Attack and +250 HP. If you haven't dealt or taken damage for 5s, your next basic attack deals extra damage and slows.
- Malefic Roar (2,060 g): +60 Physical Attack and 30% physical penetration. Buy it when the enemy has stacked Physical Defense.
- Immortality (2,120 g): +850 HP and +15 Physical Defense. You revive 2.5s after dying, with 16% HP and a shield. She's fragile, and it gives you a second chance in a late Lord fight.
Situational swaps (from mlbbhub's builds):
- Rose Gold Meteor instead of Immortality when magic burst kills you on the way in.
- Sea Halberd instead of Blade of the Heptaseas when healers or shields absorb your first combo.
- Endless Battle instead of Blade of the Heptaseas when fights run long. Its Divine Justice passive adds true damage to the basic attack after each skill.
Snowball Execute drops Immortality, moves Blade of Despair later and adds Sky Piercer (1,500 g) as the second item. It executes any hero you damage below 4% HP, and the threshold grows with every kill. Take it only after an early lead. Sustain Reset is for drafts with little crowd control. You weave a basic attack after each skill to trigger Endless Battle and survive a second combo with Queen's Wings.
What players build. One player on a June thread described a Suyou-style setup: "Assassin, Thrill, Seasoned Hunter, Impure Rage, Ice Magic Boots, Hunter Strike, War Axe, Sky Piercer/RGM, Malefic Roar, BoD" (r/MobileLegendsGame). That's more cooldown and sustain than mlbbhub's default. Since 2.2.16a raised her cooldowns, cooldown reduction from War Axe is worth more than it was.
What is the best emblem and battle spell for Hirara?
Assassin emblem with Rupture, Seasoned Hunter and Killing Spree is the default. The talents, per mlbbhub's emblem data:
- Rupture: +5 adaptive penetration.
- Seasoned Hunter: +15% damage against Lord and Turtle, halved against regular creeps. She can't take lane minions, so objectives are where her gold and team value come from.
- Killing Spree: when you damage a hero below 30% HP, you recover 15% of your lost HP and gain 20% Movement Speed for 3s. Getting a kill resets its cooldown. It gets you out after a low-HP combo.
For the snowball build, mlbbhub swaps to Master Assassin (+7% damage when only one enemy hero is near) and Lethal Ignition, which burns a hero you hit for more than 7% of their Max HP three times within 5s. Infernal Torrent, Kaerazu and Falling Maple are three big hits, so it triggers easily. Our emblem guide covers every talent.
Battle spell: Retribution, always. Which upgrade to pick depends on how you want to fight. All three deal 100 true damage when cast on an enemy hero, plus one extra effect (per mlbbhub):
- Ice Retribution steals 52–80 Movement Speed for 3s. It's the default. A slowed target can't walk out of Kaerazu's delayed second hit.
- Flame Retribution steals 71–120 Physical Attack and Magic Power for 3s. Pick it when you're ahead and want to win the duel outright.
- Bloody Retribution steals HP. Pick it with the Sustain Reset build.
You unlock the upgrade once your creep kills, hero kills and assists add up to five. The battle spells guide covers the base spell.
What is Hirara's best combo?
The combo one experienced player posted, and the one most players use:
"Infernal Torrent → mid animation use kaerazu →Falling maple → leave. If meisen-e is up you can use that to further the distance" (r/MobileLegendsGame)
Step by step:
- Infernal Torrent (the enhanced Meisen-e). Dash in, spin, and immobilize everyone nearby for 0.8s. This costs your first energy.
- Kaerazu during the spin animation. The delayed second hit lands while they're still immobilized.
- Falling Maple (the enhanced Kaerazu). You're untargetable while you deal 3x damage. This costs your second energy, and it's also your escape from their counterattack.
- Leave with Meisen-e's second dash, which ends Falling Maple early. Use any remaining Meisen-e dashes to get out.
Use Falling Maple to dodge, not just for damage. The untargetable window is what makes her hard to play against. mlbbhub points out it beats delayed, high-damage skills like Yin's and Gusion's, because they land while you can't be targeted. Spend both energy on damage and you have no escape left.
Skill order. Players disagree. One July thread advised "maxing out her S1 and building 40% CDR" (r/MobileLegendsGame) for faster energy. Kaerazu's new scaling (42% rising to 70%) only pays off at high levels. Max Meisen-e first, then Kaerazu. Faster energy is still what keeps her alive.
How do you play Hirara in the jungle?
- Clear fast and gank early. On mlbbhub's matchup data she's strongest before 10 minutes and weakest after 16, across the 10 matchups it measured. Get your lead early.
- Open from fog. Blade of the Heptaseas and the first dash from a bush land before the enemy can react. Players who face her keep complaining about it: "no one can check her at level 2 already ganking under turrets" (r/MobileLegendsGame).
- Count your energy. Two energy means one full combo. If you're on zero, don't go in. Since 2.2.16a, you have to wait longer to recharge.
- Go for the backline. She beats squishy heroes who can't escape, such as Pharsa and Ixia. A tank will absorb your whole combo and survive.
- Play for picks late. After 16 minutes, use Immortality and objective timers. Don't start a 5v5 by yourself.
Who counters Hirara, and who does she counter?
These are mlbbhub's ranked matchup deltas in percentage points of win rate, checked 29 October 2026. They show a draft edge, not a guaranteed win.
| Beats Hirara | Edge | Hirara beats | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoveus | +2.9 | Hanzo | +2.6 |
| Saber | +2.4 | X.Borg | +2.3 |
| Odette | +2.2 | Karina | +2.3 |
| Bruno | +1.9 | Sun | +2.1 |
| Minsitthar | +1.5 | Aamon | +1.9 |
The heroes who beat her can lock her down or punish her dashes. mlbbhub names Saber and Natalia as burst assassins with targeted abilities that she struggles to react to in time. Phoveus's kit cuts his cooldowns "whenever an enemy hero blinks, dashes, or is displaced" nearby, and enemies inside Minsitthar's ultimate field "cannot use movement skills" (Liquipedia). Bruno takes the game past 16 minutes, when she falls off. The heroes she beats are other junglers and fighters she outpaces early, plus squishy mages.
If you're facing her instead of playing her, our how to counter Hirara guide covers the counters role by role.
Is Hirara still good after the nerf?
She's balanced on win rate, but players still hate playing against her. On mlbbhub (29 October 2026) she's Tier B: 49.98% win rate, 0.57% pick rate, 68.02% ban rate. Between September and the hotfix she sat at 52–55%. Now she's at 50%, which is fair. But two out of three ranked drafts still ban her, so the nerf hasn't changed how players feel about facing her.
For other jungle options, see our best jungle heroes for Season 42 and the full Season 42 tier list. If you like dash assassins, read the Fanny build guide and the Gusion build guide. The MLBB items guide explains every item above.
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FAQ
What is the best build for Hirara in Mobile Legends? For the jungle on Patch 2.2.16a: Tough Boots, Hunter Strike, Blade of Despair, Blade of the Heptaseas, Malefic Roar and Immortality (11,870 gold). Use the Assassin emblem with Rupture, Seasoned Hunter and Killing Spree, and Retribution upgraded to Ice Retribution.
Was Hirara nerfed? Yes. Patch 2.2.16a (14 October 2026) raised Meisen-e's cooldown from 9–5.5s to 10–6.5s, so she gets her energy back more slowly. It changed Kaerazu to 165–270 damage with scaling from 42% to 70% Extra Physical Attack, which makes her a bit weaker early and a bit stronger late. Her win rate on mlbbhub fell from 53.36% to 49.98% afterwards.
Does Hirara have an ultimate? No. She has two skills, Meisen-e and Kaerazu. Drag one onto the other to cast a combo: Infernal Torrent (dash, spin and immobilize) or Falling Maple (untargetable, 3x damage). Each combo uses one of her two energy.
What is Hirara's combo? Infernal Torrent to dash in and immobilize, Kaerazu during the spin, Falling Maple while you're untargetable, then Meisen-e's second dash to leave. Save Falling Maple if you need it to dodge.
Why is Hirara banned so much? She has two dashes, an immobilize and an untargetable window that comes back every few seconds late in the game, so players feel they can't catch her. Her ban rate on mlbbhub is 68.02%, the highest in the game, even though her win rate is now about 50%.
Who counters Hirara? On mlbbhub's ranked data: Phoveus, Saber, Odette, Bruno and Minsitthar. Point-and-click burst like Saber and Natalia, and anything that stops dashes, works best. She does well against Hanzo, X.Borg, Karina, Sun and Aamon.
Written by Strain for timesaver.gg, 29 October 2026. Applies to Original Server Patch 2.2.16a, Season 42 "Starward Decade". Kit numbers are from Liquipedia's record of the in-game text with the 2.2.16a changes applied, and item and build data are from mlbbhub. Win, pick and ban rates and matchups are mlbbhub ranked data checked on 29 October 2026 and will change.
