Billy’s main threat#
Billy is a brawler: starts and survives close-range fights, soaking damage while dealing plenty back.
The kit is hybrid-leaning, so a mix of bullet and spirit defence do the most to blunt it.
Abilities to play around#
Ability 1
Bashdown
Slams his bat into the ground, pulling enemies down and dealing melee damage; the shockwave deals spirit damage and knocks enemies up.
Play around it Disable or displacement — this is what starts kills. Track its cooldown and punish the window after it’s used; Debuff Reducer shortens it, and Unstoppable or Indomitable answer the biggest ones.
Ability 2
Rising Ram
Charges head-first into an enemy and launches them into the air with Billy. Its cooldown is reduced on impact.
Play around it Disable or displacement — this is what starts kills. Track its cooldown and punish the window after it’s used; Debuff Reducer shortens it, and Unstoppable or Indomitable answer the biggest ones.
Play around it Mobility — it’s also the escape. Don’t chase it into their team; force it out first, then commit. Slowing Hex shuts down many movement abilities.
Ability 3
Blasted
Passively, melee hits restore ammo and 'wreck' the victim. When active, bullets deal more damage to wrecked enemies, and melee hits grant bonus max health and extend the duration.
Play around it Healing or sustain — buy healing reduction (Healbane, Toxic Bullets or Decay) so it’s worth less, and focus burst damage rather than chip damage.
Ultimate
Chain Gang
Chains nearby enemies to Billy, slowing them as they pull. After a delay it yanks them toward him and deals spirit damage.
Play around it Disable or displacement — this is what starts kills. Track its cooldown and punish the window after it’s used; Debuff Reducer shortens it, and Unstoppable or Indomitable answer the biggest ones.
Play around it Slows — Enduring Speed and Debuff Reducer help you walk out of it.
Counter items, with reasons#
Specific answers to this kit
General answers
General answers are our editorial reading of the kit. Counter items only help if you’re the one being hit — buy for the threat you actually face.
How to beat Billy#
- Slowing Hex disables Rising Ram.
- Breaking line of sight with a wall for about a second shatters Chain Gang's tether.
- Indomitable prevents the final Chain Gang pull.
Mistakes to avoid
- Fighting them head-on in a narrow space.
- Spending all your burst while their defensive ability is up.
Want to see the hero from the other side? Read the Billy guide, or open the counter-pick helper to plan against a whole enemy team.