Updated on March 13, 1:47 p.m. (GMT+8): Improved relevancy.

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang fighter Phoveus sacrificed his own two eyes in exchange for the great power of Astaros, oblivious to the cost of making a deal with the God of Terror.

The Shadow of Dread is renowned for being one of the best counters to highly mobile heroes in the Land of Dawn. This is because his kit is specifically designed to punish enemies who use dashes within his vicinity.

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More than his disruptive abilities, he is also inherently tanky, making him a flexible pick in team compositions.

Whether you’re looking to dominate the solo lane or control the flow of team fights, this ONE Esports guide will help you understand the mechanics and strategies to master this powerful hero.



Phoveus skills in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang

Passive Demonic Intuition

Phoveus wields a powerful weapon known as Astaros, which possesses a unique sensitivity towards quick-moving targets.

Whenever an enemy hero uses Blink, dash, or displacement abilities within a certain proximity to Astaros, all of Phoveus’s skill cooldowns or charge times are reduced.

  • This plays a critical role in Phoveus’s strategy, enabling him to respond faster and more effectively against agile heroes on the battlefield.
  • Stay alert to enemy movements and position yourself strategically in team fights.
  • Phoveus’s passive allows him to exploit enemy dashes, so anticipate these actions to keep your abilities ready for rapid re-engagement.


First skill Malefic Terror

Phoveus smashes the ground and unleashes Astaros Dread, dealing Magic Damage to the target. Upon hitting an enemy hero, Phoveus receives a shield as well as a Movement Speed boost for a duration.

If an enemy hero, creep, or Phoveus himself touches Astaros Dread, it will spread and deal extra damage. This skill gains a charge every couple of seconds, up to a certain maximum charge, and deals more damage to minions.

  • Utility-wise, Phoveus gains two key attributes: a shield and movement speed to help you stick to targets.
  • For an ability that stacks charges with a very low cooldown, this is your bread and butter skill, so max out Malefic Terror first after your ultimate and use it whenever it is up.

https://youtu.be/RlUeScWaaLw

Second skill – Astaros Eye

Phoveus summons forth Astaros Eye in a targeted area that deals Magic Damage. After a second, Astaros Eye starts shrinking and pulling all enemies on it into its center, dealing Magic Damage.

  • This skill has a similar effect to Luo Yi’s Yin-Yang proc, where enemies are pulled to the center of its Area of Effect.
  • Use this to poke your opponents in the lane, during chase downs, or when running away. This displacement is enough to buy you time to escape.


Ultimate – Demonic Force

Astaros keeps a watchful gaze over an area around Phoveus. If it sees an enemy hero using blink or charge skills or is displaced, it will be activated and cast a Mark upon them for a few seconds.

During this time, Phoveus can rapidly blink to their location to deliver a fierce blow, dealing Magic Damage to the target and its vicinity and gaining a shield.

Once Phoveus activates this effect, this skill can be cast repeatedly at the cost of Mana for a duration before entering cooldown, as long as the required conditions are met.

  • Keep a close eye on enemy heroes with dash abilities. Timing is critical — use Demonic Force right after an enemy dashes to ensure you can close the distance and catch them off-guard.
  • This ultimate can be a game-changer in team fights, allowing you to dive into the fray and disrupt the enemy backline.

A comprehensive guide on how to play Phoveus in Mobile Legends

Recommended battle spell

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang fighter Phoveus recommended battle spells
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Depending on your playstyle, battle spells recommended for Phoveus are Flameshot and Purify.

Unlike other mages, as Phoveus, you do not use Flameshot to finish low-health opponents off. Instead, you use it to nudge enemies. The small displacement will allow you to activate Demonic Force and initiate your combo.

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If your playstyle is more defensive, Purify can be an option for the Shadow of Dread especially in prolonged engagements.

This spell removes most crowd control effects and grants a temporary boost in movement speed, allowing him to maintain his offensive stance.

Recommended emblem

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang fighter Phoveus recommended emblem setup
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Getting Rupture, Festival of Blood, and Impure Rage for Phoveus capitalizes on his strengths as a durable mage-fighter capable of disrupting enemy movements and sustaining himself in prolonged fights.

The Rupture talent increases magic penetration, a crucial stat for Phoveus, whose damage output is magical. This is especially useful in the early game to help clear minion waves and put pressure on the opposing laner.

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Festival of Blood provides spell vamp, which converts a percentage of the damage dealt by abilities into health. Since Phoveus is constantly dealing damage with his skills, spell vamp significantly increases his sustainability on the battlefield.

Finally, Impure Rage offers a dual benefit of dealing additional magic damage based on the enemy’s current HP and reducing cooldowns upon dealing damage with skills. This talent works well with the fighter’s kit, which relies on frequent skill usage.

Phoveus best build

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang fighter Phoveus best build
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After boots, prioritize getting Clock of Destiny. The item provides a complete stat boost, improving your HP, mana, and Magic Power. Getting the equipment also allows you to scale well to the late-game.

After that, you can either get Dominance Ice or Necklace of Durance. If you want to be a tougher EXP laner, Dominance Ice is a better option because of the boost in Physical Defense. Get Necklace of Durance if you want to go for damage.

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Either way, both items hamper the enemy’s regeneration ability, allowing you to eliminate tanky opponents easier.

Continue your item build by getting the Ice Queen Wand. This item enhances your Magic Power and provides a slow effect on Phoveus’ abilities, making it incredibly challenging for enemies to escape.

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang defensive equipment Athena's Shield
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Survivability is key for front-line initiators like Phoveus, making the Oracle a good item choice. This item boosts his magic resistance and health regeneration, significantly enhancing his survivability. Moreover, the Oracle increases the effectiveness of the shield and healing effects on him.

When facing enemies with nuke Magic Damage, consider getting Radiant Armor instead.

Mobile Legends Divine Glaive and Genius Wand with link on when to buy these magic penetration items
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Divine Glaive or Genius Wand? When to buy these magic penetration items in Mobile Legends

For your final item, you can either go for damage or more sustain. For late-game damage, get Divine Glaive. Get Flask of the Oasis for more utility and survivability.

The best build for Phoveus in Mobile Legends

  • Clock of Destiny
  • Necklace of Durance
  • Warrior Boots
  • Ice Queen Wand
  • Oracle
  • Flask of the Oasis


Tips and easy combos to learn

At its core, playing Phoveus is all about anticipation and disruption. Mastering him requires an understanding of not just his mechanics but also the flow of the game.

In the early game, focus on farming and leveling up quickly. Use Malefic Terror to clear minion waves and harass enemies. Keep an eye on the map for enemy dashes that you can punish with your ultimate.

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Stick with your team and look for opportunities to initiate with Demonic Force. Your role is to disrupt enemy formations and focus on immobilizing key targets for your team to take down.

An effective combo for Phoveus is to start with Astaros Eye, then Demonic Force to teleport to an enemy, immediately followed by Malefic Terror for damage.

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Continually spam Malefic Terror while weaving in basic attacks. When the enemy is getting away, activate Flameshot to displace your target, then activate Demonic Force again. This combo maximizes damage output and disruption, making it difficult for enemies to retaliate or escape.

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