In Mobile Legends, magic damage can be devastating if you are not prepared with the right defensive items. Whether it’s burst damage from heroes like Eudora or continuous damage from Cecilion, knowing which magic defense item to build can drastically increase your survivability and impact in the game. Many players make the mistake of building the wrong item at the wrong time, which often leads to unnecessary deaths and lost team fights.
In this guide, we will break down the four essential magic defense items: Athena’s Shield, Radiant Armor, Oracle, and Cursed Helmet. Each of these items has unique strengths, and their effectiveness depends on the enemy lineup as well as your own team’s composition. By understanding their purposes and proper timing, you can counter magic damage efficiently and turn the tides of battle in your favor.
Athena’s Shield: Best Against Burst Mages
When you are facing burst-type magic damage dealers like Eudora, Pharsa, or Vale, Athena’s Shield should be your top priority. This item’s passive reduces incoming magic damage by 25% for 3 seconds, which is crucial for surviving explosive combos. For example, Eudora’s full skill combo can delete most squishy heroes instantly, but with Athena’s Shield, you have a much higher chance of living through it and retaliating.
Furthermore, Athena’s Shield provides a balance of HP and magic defense, making it suitable for both tanks and fighters. The timing of building this item is also important. If you see the enemy burst mage snowballing early, rush Athena’s Shield before other defensive items to prevent being an easy target.
Radiant Armor: Perfect Against DPS Magic Heroes
On the other hand, when dealing with heroes who inflict continuous magic damage such as Zhuxin, Cecilion, and Chang’e, Radiant Armor becomes the smarter choice. Its passive grants a stacking effect every time you take magic damage, increasing your magic defense up to six stacks. This means that the longer these heroes keep hitting you, the tougher you become.
Radiant Armor is particularly effective in extended team fights or when defending against poke-heavy lineups. Its combination of HP, magic defense, and HP regeneration makes it an excellent long-term solution for soaking up repeated magic attacks. If the enemy relies on consistent DPS mages, Radiant Armor will keep you in the fight much longer.
Oracle: Ideal for Sustain and Healing
Unlike Athena’s Shield or Radiant Armor, Oracle is not designed to directly counter magic damage dealers. Instead, it enhances sustain and healing effects, making it extremely useful in specific situations. If you are playing heroes with natural sustain, such as Uranus or Esmeralda, Oracle significantly boosts your regeneration and shield effects.
Moreover, Oracle shines when your team has support heroes who provide healing, like Floryn, Angela, Rafaela, or Estes. With Oracle, the healing you receive becomes more impactful, allowing your team to survive longer in clashes. Additionally, it grants hybrid defense stats, cooldown reduction, and overall durability, making it a versatile defensive item.
Cursed Helmet: Great for Tanks and HP-Based Heroes
Cursed Helmet, in contrast, is an item tailored for tanks and high-HP heroes such as Fredrinn, Baxia, and Khufra. Aside from providing solid magic defense and a large boost to HP, its passive deals continuous damage to nearby enemies based on your max HP. This makes it ideal for frontline heroes who are always in the middle of team fights.
What makes Cursed Helmet even better is its ability to reduce enemy hybrid defense by up to three stacks. This effect weakens enemies in close range, making them easier to burst down by your damage dealers. If you are a tank that needs both durability and offensive presence, Cursed Helmet is a strong choice that punishes enemies for staying too close.
Choosing the Right Defense Item
In Mobile Legends, there is no one-size-fits-all defensive item. The right choice depends on the enemy heroes you are facing and the role you are playing in your team. Athena’s Shield is your best bet against burst mages, Radiant Armor protects you against sustained DPS magic users, Oracle enhances sustain and healing, and Cursed Helmet empowers tanks while damaging nearby enemies.
By making the right decision at the right time, you can maximize your survivability and give your team a better chance of winning fights. Always analyze the situation, check the enemy lineup, and build accordingly—your smart itemization could be the key to victory.
FAQs
Q: Which is better overall, Athena’s Shield or Radiant Armor?
A: It depends on the enemy lineup. Athena’s Shield is better against burst mages, while Radiant Armor counters continuous magic damage.
Q: Is Oracle a must-build item?
A: Not always. Oracle is situational and works best on sustain heroes or when your team has strong healers.
Q: Can Cursed Helmet work on fighters?
A: It is possible but not ideal. Fighters usually benefit more from offensive or hybrid items, while tanks gain maximum value from Cursed Helmet.
Q: Should I build both Athena’s Shield and Radiant Armor?
A: In very magic-heavy matchups, yes. Building both can give you maximum protection, but always prioritize based on the main threat.
