Honor of Kings Cao Cao: Build, Synergy, Counter (Pro Guides)

Cao Cao, a Fighter in “Honor of Kings,” is available for 688 Tokens or 13,888 Gold. As a Berserker subclass, he specializes in lifesteal, thriving in the Clash Lane.

Ranked as an A-tier hero, Cao Cao is tailored for the pro player. He excels in the front row, engaging directly in the thick of battle with an emphasis on balanced stages of play. His prowess in lifesteal makes him a formidable presence, capable of sustaining himself through prolonged encounters.

As He is excels as a Fighter/Berserker, his item build strategy should aim at enhancing his Damage Output, Durability and Life steal Abilities. This strategy ensures he can sustain in fights, effectively chase down enemies, and withstand significant damage with his powerful life recovery mechanic in various game situations and against diverse enemy lineups.

Cao Cao Hero Profile, Position and Lane Intro

HERO TIER	A
RECOMMENDED FOR	Pro Player
CLASS	Fighter
SUB CLASS	Berserker
SPECIALITY	Lifesteal
STAGES	Balanced
LANE	Clash Lane
FIGHT POSITION	Front Row
CRIMSON GOLEM	Slightly Dependent
PRICE	688 Tokens or 13888 Gold

Cao Cao Jungle Build

Items/Equipment

• Rapacious Bite
• Boots of Resistance
• Axe of Torment
• Spikemail
• Eye of the Phoenix
• Destiny

Arcana

• Mutation 10x
• Stealth 10x
• Eagle Eye 10x

Common Skills

• Smith

Cao Cao Fighter Build

Items/Equipment

• Boots of Tranquility
• Axe of Torment
• Spikemail
• Boots of Resistance
• Pure Sky
• Eyes of the Phoenix

Arcana

• Mutation 10x
• Stealth 10x
• Eagle Eye 10x

Common Skills

• Execute

CAO CAO Skills and Abilities

Only the Strong (Passive): After releasing a skill, Cao Cao gains an enhanced normal attack that sends forward a sword qi, extending his attack range and increasing his attack speed by 35% to 70%. The enhanced normal attack can store up to 5 layers. The damage at the end of the sword qi is reduced by 25%.

Cooldown: 0s Energy Cost: 0
Tips: This is the basis for Cao Cao to burst in combat. With passive skill support, Cao Cao only needs enough cooldown reduction to continuously cast Universal Dominance, causing higher damage to the enemy.

Overlord’s Charge (Skill 01): Cao Cao launches a slashing assault, dealing 300/360/420/480/540/600(+90% additional physical attack) physical damage to enemies in his path. Can be cast up to 3 times consecutively, with each unused cast reducing the cooldown by 30%. The third slash knocks enemies up for 0.5 seconds.

Cooldown: 10/9.6/9.2/8.8/8.4/8s Energy Cost: 0
Tips: This skill makes Cao Cao very flexible, allowing for significant displacement and damage. It’s very practical for both chasing and escaping.

Unfettered Will (Skill 02): Cao Cao unleashes a powerful sword qi, dealing 350/420/490/560/630/700(+130% additional physical attack) physical damage to enemies in its path and reducing their movement speed by 25/30/35/40/45/50% for 2 seconds. Heals 150/180/210/240/270/300(+7% additional health) health for each enemy hero hit, half for non-hero units. Passive: Normal attacks reduce the cooldown of Universal Dominance by 0.5 seconds.

Cooldown: 9/8.6/8.2/7.8/7.4/7s Energy Cost: 0
Tips: Deals physical damage and slows enemies in a line. With the passive skill, it can be used frequently.

Blood Soaked Legend (Ultimate): Cao Cao empowers his great sword with his will of blood, removing control effects on himself and recovering 18% of his missing health, while increasing his physical attack by 100/150/200 points and tenacity by 10/15/20% for 8 seconds. Upon release, it deals 400/600/800(+120% additional physical attack) physical damage to nearby enemies. During the enhancement, each normal attack or skill 1 hit on an enemy recovers 150/225/300(+7% additional health) health.

Cooldown: 40/35/30s Energy Cost: 0
Tips: This skill enhances Cao Cao’s damage and significantly improves his survivability in team fights.

Recommended Combo Sequence

Blood Soaked Legend → Unfettered Will → Overlord’s Charge → Normal Attack. Gain buffs with skill 3, use skill 2 to slow down the enemy, and continuously close in on and damage the enemy with skill 1.

Cao Cao Best Teammates

Zhuang Zhou: Using skill 2 to increase movement speed enhances the team’s mobility. In ganks, aside from the speed buff, skill 1 can slow down enemies, helping Cao Cao to catch them. Zhuang Zhou’s ultimate can perfectly solve Cao Cao’s control problems in team fights, providing 2 seconds of control immunity and increasing damage reduction, allowing Cao Cao to charge into battle more confidently.

Sun Bin: When paired with Cao Cao, Sun Bin can provide cooldown reduction and movement speed boosts. Sun Bin’s ultimate can silence and slow enemy backlines after Cao Cao dives, aiding Cao Cao’s assault with skill synergy, achieving greater than the sum of their parts.

Cao Cao Counter and Tips

• Wang Zhaojun’s slow and control skills limit Cao Cao’s output capability.
• Try to avoid the damage from Cao Cao’s three-stage skill 1, especially the third strike’s knock-up effect.
• After Cao Cao activates his ultimate, his lifesteal effect and tenacity are strong; try to avoid direct confrontations or attempts to control him.

Team Fight Strategy

Cao Cao has no energy cost and possesses multiple dashes and control abilities, making him a formidable opponent against squishy targets. Initially, use skill 2 to harass the opponent, and once their health is within kill range, close in with skill 1 to finish them off.

• Skill 1 can be used for both engaging and escaping.
• Skill 3 comes with a lifesteal effect.
• In team fights, look for opportunities to dive into the enemy backline, posing a significant threat to them. The lifesteal effect and tenacity provided by the ultimate make Cao Cao very durable, allowing him to continuously deal substantial damage.