Despite releasing back in 2014, Smite has managed to sustain itself as one of the longest-reigning and successful MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) titles outside the monolithic crown jewel series known as League of Legends.

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Though Smite may not have its own Netflix show, its unique third-person take on the genre and commitment to various mythological pantheons for its god characters has provided it with a committed and sustainable audience of players. New people hop into Smite every day, whether on PC, console, or handheld, so it's important to know which gods are the best of the best in their respective classes.

8 Ratatoskr

Smite Best Assassin Ratatoskr

If you're the type of Smite player who enjoys playing the jungle role in Conquest then you know intel gathering and ganking lanes is of the utmost importance. In addition to having its unique item in the Item Shop, Ratatoskr also has a unique skill set perfect for jungling.

It requires up close elongated melee interactions with its target as it slows and confuses the enemy god with its high-speed movement and attacks. It can also traverse long distances with its Through the Cosmos ultimate with has it hopping between branches of the Yggdrasil tree high in the sky. It excels at chasing down unsuspecting prey and sticking close until it finishes them off.

7 Bakasura

Smite Best Assassin Bakasura

Bakasura, or the Great Devourer, is a Smite god that needs minion waves to make him viable and useful. This means that he's great in modes like Conquest or Slash, but in a large team vs. team-focused modes like Arena or Assault, he isn't as strong of an Assassin.

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The jungle role in Conquest primarily tasks you with picking off unsuspecting enemies while also creating advantages for your teammates. Bakasura's ability to slow an enemy god and shred through their protections makes him ideal in one vs. one or lopsided fight scenarios. Just remember that he's only as effective as the situation you put him in.

6 Ao Kuang

Smite Best Assassin Ao Kuang

This entry is a bit of a tricky one as Ao Kuang technically belongs to the Mage class, but he functions as an Assassin. The reason for this weird labeling is that he does magic damage, whereas every god in the Assassin class unleashes physical damage.

There are a handful of gods who can have a guaranteed elimination with their ultimate when an enemy god lands below a certain health threshold and Ao Kuang is one of them. Despite their name, not all Assassins are built to operate in the shadows and strike when the opponent least expects it. Even though Ao Kuang lacks the label, he operates under that exact expectation of the class.

5 Susano

Smite Best Assassin Susano

Susano demands skill and will require the strongest of souls to manifest his abilities to their highest potential. The God of the Summer Storm uses his abilities to pull enemies close and assault them in a quick and orderly fashion. If a target happens to escape, his ultimate called Typhoon slows and damages anything in its path.

Gathering Storm, his passive ability, has him dealing bonus damage for every successful ability that hits an enemy god. Using all of his abilities in combination and suffocating your opponent is a rather steep learning curve, but the peak of this mountain is well worth the climb.

4 Bastet

Smite Best Assassin Bastet

Bastet is an Assassin that received a bit of a rework recently that most drastically affected her ultimate ability. She once would send out three large cats that would chase down a singular enemy and damage them, but now her ultimate Huntress of Bast acts a bit differently.

She shoots a projectile at an opponent and if it hits a large cat manifests and carries the hit target back to Bastet. The rest of her kit allows her to hop in and out of engagements, making her annoying to dispatch.

3 Thor

Smite Best Assassin Thor

The Norse God of Thunder, Thor, is a great Assassin whether you're a newcomer to Smite or a seasoned veteran. His ultimate ability Anvil of Dawn shoots him into the sky and allows him to gather intel on the enemy team, while simultaneously giving him the chance to land on an unsuspecting victim.

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Though his abilities are all rather straightforward, they do have some nuanced interactions with one another. Most players see his Tectonic Rift wall as a solid way to stun an enemy, but in team fights, it can also drastically affect the outcome if an enemy becomes separated from the rest of their team.

2 Set

Smite Best Assassin Set

Set holds the title on this list of likely being the one Assassin most people reading this won't use in the long term. It isn't because he isn't powerful or effective, quite the contrary. The real issue is that he has one of the hardest learning curves, and most people playing Smite lack the passions to commit to such a task.

He is the thinking man's Assassin, and rather than relying on speed or movement, he is best played in a cerebral and manipulative manner, which requires much more knowledge and skill than many of his counterparts on this list. Such a player can use his clone spawning and enemy slowing tactics to great effect, racking up kills left and right.

1 Tsukuyomi

Smite Best Assassin Tsukuyomi

When it comes to the Assassin class and jungling in Conquest mode, there isn't any God more currently terrifying to deal with than Tsukuyomi. He's a rare combination of brutal damage and chase down abilities that make him virtually impossible to escape, even if you have proper positioning.

His abilities dole out melee and ranged damage, which allows him to follow up with his ultimate ability that sees him dashing through hit targets with speed. Pair all of that with his Silver Moon Caltrops he lies on the floor that causes bleed damage, and you have the recipe for the best Assassin in Smite.

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