lasthiting

Lasthiting (also spelled last-hitting) is the act of delivering the killing blow to a target in a video game to secure its reward, usually gold and experience. The term is common in real-time strategy and multiplayer online battle arena games, where resources are scarce and distribution depends on who deals the final damage.

In practice, lasthiting requires timing and damage estimation. Players monitor a target’s health and their own attack damage, using basic attacks or abilities to bring a target to low health and then finishing it off with a final hit. In many games, landing the last hit on minions or neutral monsters yields gold and experience for the killer, while certain denominations of deny mechanics can reduce the opponent’s gains. Efficient lasthiting also involves wave management, positional control, and sometimes sacrificing a safe attack to preserve presence on the map.

Common strategies include prioritizing high-value targets, using abilities to secure fragile kills, and practicing in dedicated modes to develop rhythm. Some titles allow items or skills to increase finishing damage, while others rely on attack resets or animation cancellations to improve speed.

Related terms include last hit and creep score (cs), with deny playing a contrasting role in some games. In many communities the term lasthiting is used both as a noun (a lasthit) and as a verb (to lasthit).

Impact and limitations: While lasthiting is a core mechanic, players must balance it with map awareness, objective control, and team coordination. Overemphasis on last-hits can leave a player vulnerable to ganks or poor decision-making.