Early Game Strategy
Melee equipment pairs extremely well with Viscous's Puddle Punch (3), which makes these items highly valuable early on. Acquire them quickly, with Extra Charge, Melee Lifesteal, and Spirit Strike being top priorities in any order.
Mid-Game Strategy
First, acquire Kinetic Dash and Divine Barrier to gain an advantage in early engagements and significantly boost your fire rate. Utilize these items effectively and consider roaming to nearby lanes with your ultimate for easy kills. Divine Barrier has been enhanced to provide temporary shields within ability range and increase movement speed, making it a perfect fit for Viscous's skill set.
Next, focus on farming neutral camps and clearing waves to save up for your first 3000-soul item, Lifestrike. This item will become your primary source of DPS and greatly enhance your clearing speed as you work toward obtaining Rapid Recharge and Hunter's Aura.
While Viscous can be very strong early on, he typically needs to farm during the mid-game to secure both 3000-soul melee items. If you have extra souls or need to power up before an important mid-game fight, Berserker and Healing Booster are particularly helpful.
These items are prioritized from most to least important, left to right:
Late Game Strategy
As you transition from the mid-game to the late game, the armor provided by your earlier build and Viscous's ultimate ability won't be enough to ensure survival. Therefore, enhancing your durability becomes essential.
In the late game, focus on increasing your tankiness by acquiring Spirit Armor and Bullet Armor. Upgrade these armors to their advanced versions when needed.
If you're performing well and have accumulated enough souls, consider choosing between Colossus and Phantom Strike. Both are extremely valuable items, and your choice should depend on the enemy team's composition. Phantom Strike is excellent for countering airborne enemies, while Colossus is more effective against teams with mostly bruisers.