Howitzer Build Guide

This is a community-driven one-for-all Howitzer build guide. You are welcome to update it if you see any aspect of his gameplay is missed. All updates are moderated.

Last updated on May-29: Added video Showcase Land Mine into Rain.

TL;DR
Overview
1. Strengths
2. Weaknesses
Abilities Analysis
Deck Considerations
Build #1
Build #2
Gameplay
Heroes Synergy

TL;DR on Howitzer

Howitzer is a ranged Caster with an explosive arsenal at his disposal.

Using Rockets, Mines and Grenades, Howitzer is able to deal area of effect damage, control large areas and even disrupt and slow down his enemies.

When playing Howitzer, focus on Ability Damage and Mana Pool/Regen as secondary stats.

Use R2000 Missile to poke enemies at range.

Land Mine, when detonated, knocks enemies and Howitzer back, so hang on to it if you ever need to make a quick escape.

Make It Rain deals damage in a large area but can also be used defensively to pull Howizter out of combat for a few seconds.

When in teamfights use your abilities to rain artillery down on your enemies or your Slow Grenades to control the fight.

Late game, Howizter can easily take out minions, making it difficult for enemies to push in to your base or push you out of theirs. Use your abilities to disrupt the enemy team and zone out the enemy damage dealers.

Lore of Howitzer

Coming Soon

Howitzer Overview

Howitzer's Strengths

High burst AOE damage
Versatile escape and zoning abilities.

Howitzer's Weaknesses

Big, easy to hit.
Squishy.
Noizy. Howi is making loud sound effects when moving and shooting.

Howitzer's Abilities Analysis

- Cannon (Basic Attack)

Ranged attack dealing Basic Damage and 10% splash damage to nearby enemies.

Base damage is 53 and increases by 1.6 each Hero level up to 75.4 at level 15.
Attack speed remains flat with Hero level.
Ability Card scaling factor is 30%.

- Slow Grenades (Alternate Ability)

Howitzer fires 3 proximity bombs in an arc that explode for dealing Ability Damage and applies a Slow for 3 seconds .

Base damage is 60 and increases by 50 each ability level up to 210 at level 4.
Base slow effect is 170 and increases by 60 each ability level up to 350 at level 4.
Cooldown remains constant 12 seconds at all ability levels.
Base cost is 65 Mana and increases by 5 each ability level up to 80 Mana at level 4.
Ability Card scaling factor is 62.5%.

This ability is used mostly to escape. It does not require any targeting and drops grenades instantly after pressing a corresponding button. If you are already running from your enemy then drop Slow Grenades in front of you and run over them. Any chasing hero will have to take damage and Slow or to change their movement direction.

Slow Grenades will not pass through the Dekker's Containment Fence like Iggy & Scorch's Flame Turret does

The other case is setting up Slow Grenades in advance on the most probable path of enemy movement. This will prevent possible chase or engagement.

And lastly if you have an enemy right in your face you can use Slow Grenades to make it difficult for them to run away during a team fight.

- R2000 Missile (Primary Ability)

Howitzer fires a long range rocket that deals Ability Damage in an area.

Base damage is 100 and increases by 60 each ability level up to 280 at level 4.
Cooldown remains constant 8 seconds at all ability levels.
Base cost is 100 Mana and increases by 15 each ability level up to 145 Mana at level 4.
Ability Card scaling factor is 125%.

R2000 Missile is a cast ability with a long range. It explodes when hitting a target or reaching its maximum range dealing damage in a small area. Using a Missile is a two-step process. First, you hit the ability button and switch Howitzer to a targeting mode. In this mode you can't move but can aim. Second, you confirm the launch with your basic attack button or cancel it. Not doing any action withing two seconds will automatically launch the Missile. If cancelled the ability consumes no Mana and goes for one second cooldown.

Damage. R2000 is a high-impacting ability. It is the main source of damage from Howi, besides his ultimate of course. R2000 scales pretty well with both, your Hero level, and with Card Power. Its damage is comparable to Gadget's Sticky Mine, Cosmic Rift of Gideon, or The Fey's Untamed Growth.

Targeting. While in targeting mode, Howi hangs in the air and remains there until the ability is cancelled or until the missile is launched. This feature can be used for your advantage if you want to stay away from melee enemies longer, but it makes you a sitting duck against ranged heroes. Keep that in mind.

Projectile. R2000 is a projectile and therefore:

It can be blocked by any force walls like Force Shield attached to Steel's Bulwark, or Containment Fence of Dekker.
It can be reflected by Yin with her Backlash.

So R2000 can be used for multiple purposes:

The first one is obviously dealing damage. In the mid and late game it can be devastating to minion waves as well as enemy Heroes. When transitioning to the late game any standard Howitzer build will allow him to one-shot a White Jungle camp or to cut nearly a half of health pool of the enemy carry.
The second purpose is to use it as a kind of an escape ability. In rare cases, for example, if you are being ganked by melee Heroes, you can try to use your Ultimate, and then remain in the air longer using R2000.

- Land Mine (Secondary Ability)

Places a mine that will explode after 3 seconds, knocking any enemies (and Howitzer) back and dealing Ability Damage. Ability can be reactivated to detonate early.

Base damage is 60 and increases by 40 each ability level up to 180 at level 4.
Base cooldown is 22 seconds and decreases by 3 each ability level down to 13 seconds at level 4.
Base cost is 80 Mana and increases by 10 each ability level up to 110 Mana at level 4.
Ability Card scaling factor is 50%.

Does not knock allies (neither Heroes nor minions).

Interrupts channeling and long-lasting abilities like Gideon's Black Hole.

Can be a very good combo with your Ultimate to keep enemies in its range. Like this:

- Make it Rain (Ultimate Ability)

Howitzer rockets into the air and fires down a volley of missiles in the targeted area, dealing Ability Damage over 2.8 seconds. The last missile does 50% of the total damage. Howitzer can trigger a short directional boost before coming back down by holding the movement input in the direction he'd like to boost.

Base damage is 340 and increases by 180 each ability level up to 700 at level 3.
Base cooldown is 105 seconds and decreases by 15 each ability level down to 75 seconds at level 3.
Base cost is 125 Mana and increases by 150 each ability level up to 425 Mana at level 3.
Ability Card scaling factor is 312.5%.

Can't be cancelled manually once activated.

Howitzer's Deck Considerations

Core Cards for Howitzer

Howitzer Build #1

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15
✔		✔			✔			✔			✔
			✔				✔					✔	✔
				✔					✔					✔
	✔					✔				✔

Starter Hand

Health Potion Cast Token Cast Token

Early Pick

Final hand

Magus' Ward ← Cast Cast Mana

Staff of Adamant ← Cast Cast Health

Staff of Adamant ← Cast Cast Cast

Meltdown ← Cast Cast Shock

Meltdown ← Major Cast Major Cast Focused Shock

Eldermage Amulet ← Greater Health Greater Health Greater Health