Post by webmaster on Sept 1, 2007 14:20:36 GMT 8
timlxq15 said:
I'm rather noob at the game, so I will post some of the best guides of the most popular heroes in our class which I have found.Lion, the Demon Witch
thunderfall's Guide
Skill Build:
1. Impale
2. Mana Drain
3. Impale
4. Mana Drain
5. Impale
6. Finger of Death
7. Impale
8. Voodoo
9. Voodoo
10. Voodoo
11. Finger of Death
12. Voodoo
13. Mana Drain
14. Mana Drain
15. Attribute Bonus
16. Finger of Death
17-25. Attribute Bonus
Explanation of Skill Build:
1. Mana Drain gets 2 points for early game laning purposes. Though Impale + a few whacks is good for harassment, Impale+Mana Drain is often more devastating to your opponent; if a Level 2 Mana Drain lasts the full 5 seconds (and with a pretty far range combined with your stun, it often will), you will gain enough mana for your next Impale, plus take away 150 mana from your opponent. Pretty nasty! You can also Mana Drain ranged creeps to keep your Impales rolling out every time the cooldown is up!
2. Voodoo is levelled next, because it is important to have the 4 second disable when team battles begin occurring around Levels 10-12. The last two levels of Mana Drain are also still gotten after Voodoo; even though most people prefer Attribute Bonus, Level 4 Drain Mana will take away 350 mana, a hefty amount to many non-Intelligence Heroes, and will also ensure that you have enough mana throughout the game, because you won't be getting any mana regeneration items.
Starting Items:
Chicken (225)
Ironwood Branch (57)
Ironwood Branch (57)
1. Ring of Regeneration (375)
2. Circlet of Nobility (185)
3. Headdress of Rejuvenation (225) [complete later if solo]
4. Staff of Wizardry (1000)
5. Boots of Speed (500)
6. Belt of Giant Strength (450)
7. Necronmicon Level 1 (1300)
8. Chainmail (620)
9. Netherezim Buckler (200)
10. Mekansm (900)
11. Necronmicon Level 2 (1300)
12. Necronmicon Level 3 (1300)
13. Boots of Travel (2200)
Total: 10,894
Explanation for Item Build:
1. Necronmicon is by far the best first item on the Demon Witch. Though it doesn't have as much synergy with Lion as it does with Bane Elemental, Treant Protector, Enigma, etc., it is still chosen because it is far better than the alternatives. Dagon is one of the primary alternatives, and quite simply, Necronmicon does far more damage, adds much more to the team with Endurance Aura, Truesight, and mana-burning opposing Heroes, is far better to upgrade, and doesn't tax Lion's mana at all. At Level 14, it costs 790 mana for Lion to cast Impale, Voodoo, and Finger of Death, and his base mana is 793 at Level 14. Dagon Level 1 only adds 195 mana, which is not even enough to cover its 250 mana cost. No, no, no, Dagon is horrible on Lion, and Necronmicon is far, far better.
Another popular item is Aghanim's Scepter. Though Soul Booster is a nice item on Lion for the HP, the Mystic Staff portion of Aghanim's is pretty much wasted on Lion, whose base mana + mana from Necronmicon + mana regeneration from Mana Drain give him just the right amount of what he needs. And, the improvement on his Ultimate is very little to brag about, especially since his Ultimate is single target and not AoE: +175 damage on a Level 3 Finger of Death brings the damage total from 850 to 1025, a very small improvement. The 5 second reduced cooldown is also negligible.
Finally, Eul's Scepter of Divinity, and eventually Guinsoo's, though much better than the preceding items, just do not work as well on him as Necronmicon. Again, Necronmicon provides all the mana that Lion needs, and he gets plenty of mana regeneration from Mana Drain. An extra disable is always nice, but so are two hard-hitting, mana-draining Necronmicon summons. And both of Lion's primary skills, Voodoo and Impale, hold the target in place for the Necronmicon summons to relentlessly beat into a pulp.
2. Mekansm is the next item to further Lion's role as a support Hero in the mid game. Though Lion can dish out a lot of damage with his Ultimate, in team battles, he is primarily a disabler and a support Hero. The Chainmail is a great part of Mekansm, and combined with the Strength from Necronmicon, help to solve Lion's Hit Point problem, as does the +250 Hit Point heal/+2 Armor boost from activating Mekansm
3. Boots of Travel are the final item listed, but if the game continues, Soul Booster or Eye of Skadi if you are in a position to farm it, are good ways to improve Lion's survivability. Aegis/Rapier is also an option, though if it is legal in your game, feeding items to a teammate will often be the best choice.
Lane Choices: Insist on a solo lane for Lion. His powerful early game AoE stun and the ability to attack at range give him the upper hand in many lanes, and you want to abuse that by getting either a 1v1 or 1v2 lane. Level 3 Impale + Level 1 Finger of Death will kill many Heroes at Level 6, espeically if you managed to work in some Impales and hits beforehand, so you want to get there as fast as possible for a potential first blood. Lion, like many good solo Heroes, also works well with allies, so don't hesitate to give up the solo lane to a monster solo Hero such as the Netherdrake, but otherwise, you should be the one getting the solo.
Final Words: Lion is a support/disable Hero, and the item build reflects that. Dagon and Aghanim's Scepter are not good support items; Necronmicon and Mekansm are. I do not frown upon Eul's Scepter of Divinity builds, but I do believe Necronmicon to be the superior item for Lion.
Pros:
1. Great harrasser early game
2. Can chase down any hero
3. Fat HP
4. Unkillable (because of Borrowed Time)
5. Good hero-killer
Cons:
1. Doesn't have a stun or disable
2. Quite slow movespeed
3. Low AGI gain
4. Aphotic pretty useless late game
Section 2: Abaddon's skills
Aphotic Shield (T)
Summons dark energies around an ally unit, creating a shield that absorbs a set amount of damage before expiring. When the shield is destroyed it will deal damage equal to the amount it absorbed to an area around it. If cast on self while using borrowed time, the damage you take will heal you. Lasts 30 seconds.
Level 1 - 100 damage.
Level 2 - 150 damage.
Level 3 - 200 damage.
Level 4 - 250 damage.
Now let me explain on how Aphotic Shield works exactly. When you cast it on yourself or to your teammate you will absorb a specific amount of damage depending on its level. When you take enough damage, the shield will explode dealing the amount of damage you absorbed to nearby enemy units. This skill if perfect for harassing your opponent early on, and you can send them back to the fountain early. This is also helpful for backstabbing, pushing and defending your tower because you can cast it on a structure. Also, If you find yourself dying, just cast this while in Borrowed Time so the damage you will take will heal you. This now also will remove any negative buffs, so don’t be afraid to use this on a Doomed or a Poison Nova’d all. Also don't forget that you can also use this to remove negative buffs casted on you, like Battle Hunger and Poison Nova.
Death Coil (D)
A coil of death that can damage an enemy unit or heal a friendly unit at the cost of his own life. Manacost decreases per level.
Level 1 - Heals or Damages for 100 HP. Deals 50 HP to himself.
Level 2 - Heals or Damages for 150 HP. Deals 75 HP to himself.
Level 3 - Heals or Damages for 200 HP. Deals 100 HP to himself.
Level 4 - Heals or Damages for 250 HP. Deals 125 HP to himself.
Mana Cost: 75
Death Coil. Abaddon’s newest skill. This by itself is a very great skill, and it is particularly good for harassing heroes early game. One reason it is very good for harassing is its mana cost, 75 mana for a decent 250 damage nuke. Combined with Aphotic Shield early game, harassing your enemies has never been easier. Plus this can also be used to heal your allies, so heal them whenever they need to be healed. The damage you take for casting this is pretty negligible, 125 HP shouldn’t damage you that much. Lastly you can use this as a finishing move. Tired of your allies KS-ing you after you have severely damaged an enemy hero? Time it right and cast Death Coil for a deserved kill. The animation for this skill is just like Reaper’s Scythe, so don’t worry about not getting the fatal blow on heroes, most of the time you will be the one who will get the last hit.
Frostmourne ()
Abaddon strickens an enemy with Frostmourne's chilling power on each attack, causing all units who attack the slowed enemy to gain 10% increased movement speed, along with faster attack speed, for a limited time.
Level 1 - 10% increased attack speed, slows enemy by 5%.
Level 2 - 20% increased attack speed, slows enemy by 10%.
Level 3 - 30% increased attack speed, slows enemy by 15%.
Level 4 - 40% increased attack speed, slows enemy by 20%.
Mana Cost: N/A
Cooldown: N/A
As of 6.33, Mark of the Abyss was combined with Frostmourne, and how sweet is that? Now you won’t have to worry about targeting Mark on your foes, just attack them and they will automatically slowed and you will be attacking and moving faster! Also note that whenever your allies attack the slowed enemy hero that Abaddon just attacked, all your allies will have increased attackspeed and movespeed at the same time, making this a very potent supporting skill. With the proper equips like MoM and hyperstone, you should be making the most out of the skill to slow your opponents to death. More on this skill further on in the guide.
Borrowed Time ()
Whenever you take damage and your hitpoints drop below 400 you will no longer lose hitpoints. This ability will only go off once every minute max.
Level 1 - Lasts 4 seconds.
Level 2 - Lasts 5 seconds.
Level 3 - Lasts 6 seconds.
This ultimate is just plain GAY. This will ensure that you avoid all those unnecessary deaths that you may encounter in the game. This will make you very hard to kill since you can always get away alive. Beware of stunners though, you are not invulnerable to spells while in Borrowed Time. Also don’t forget that this is now ACTIVATEABLE,. So use it in conjunction with MoM so the increased damage you take while in Frenzy mode will be neglected.
Pros:
1. Great harrasser early game
2. Can chase down any hero
3. Fat HP
4. Unkillable (because of Borrowed Time)
5. Good hero-killer
Cons:
1. Doesn't have a stun or disable
2. Quite slow movespeed
3. Low AGI gain
4. Aphotic pretty useless late game
Section 2: Abaddon's skills
Aphotic Shield (T)
Summons dark energies around an ally unit, creating a shield that absorbs a set amount of damage before expiring. When the shield is destroyed it will deal damage equal to the amount it absorbed to an area around it. If cast on self while using borrowed time, the damage you take will heal you. Lasts 30 seconds.
Level 1 - 100 damage.
Level 2 - 150 damage.
Level 3 - 200 damage.
Level 4 - 250 damage.
Now let me explain on how Aphotic Shield works exactly. When you cast it on yourself or to your teammate you will absorb a specific amount of damage depending on its level. When you take enough damage, the shield will explode dealing the amount of damage you absorbed to nearby enemy units. This skill if perfect for harassing your opponent early on, and you can send them back to the fountain early. This is also helpful for backstabbing, pushing and defending your tower because you can cast it on a structure. Also, If you find yourself dying, just cast this while in Borrowed Time so the damage you will take will heal you. This now also will remove any negative buffs, so don’t be afraid to use this on a Doomed or a Poison Nova’d all. Also don't forget that you can also use this to remove negative buffs casted on you, like Battle Hunger and Poison Nova.
Death Coil (D)
A coil of death that can damage an enemy unit or heal a friendly unit at the cost of his own life. Manacost decreases per level.
Level 1 - Heals or Damages for 100 HP. Deals 50 HP to himself.
Level 2 - Heals or Damages for 150 HP. Deals 75 HP to himself.
Level 3 - Heals or Damages for 200 HP. Deals 100 HP to himself.
Level 4 - Heals or Damages for 250 HP. Deals 125 HP to himself.
Mana Cost: 75
Death Coil. Abaddon’s newest skill. This by itself is a very great skill, and it is particularly good for harassing heroes early game. One reason it is very good for harassing is its mana cost, 75 mana for a decent 250 damage nuke. Combined with Aphotic Shield early game, harassing your enemies has never been easier. Plus this can also be used to heal your allies, so heal them whenever they need to be healed. The damage you take for casting this is pretty negligible, 125 HP shouldn’t damage you that much. Lastly you can use this as a finishing move. Tired of your allies KS-ing you after you have severely damaged an enemy hero? Time it right and cast Death Coil for a deserved kill. The animation for this skill is just like Reaper’s Scythe, so don’t worry about not getting the fatal blow on heroes, most of the time you will be the one who will get the last hit.
Frostmourne
Abaddon strickens an enemy with Frostmourne's chilling power on each attack, causing all units who attack the slowed enemy to gain 10% increased movement speed, along with faster attack speed, for a limited time.
Level 1 - 10% increased attack speed, slows enemy by 5%.
Level 2 - 20% increased attack speed, slows enemy by 10%.
Level 3 - 30% increased attack speed, slows enemy by 15%.
Level 4 - 40% increased attack speed, slows enemy by 20%.
Mana Cost: N/A
Cooldown: N/A
As of 6.33, Mark of the Abyss was combined with Frostmourne, and how sweet is that? Now you won’t have to worry about targeting Mark on your foes, just attack them and they will automatically slowed and you will be attacking and moving faster! Also note that whenever your allies attack the slowed enemy hero that Abaddon just attacked, all your allies will have increased attackspeed and movespeed at the same time, making this a very potent supporting skill. With the proper equips like MoM and hyperstone, you should be making the most out of the skill to slow your opponents to death. More on this skill further on in the guide.
Borrowed Time
Whenever you take damage and your hitpoints drop below 400 you will no longer lose hitpoints. This ability will only go off once every minute max.
Level 1 - Lasts 4 seconds.
Level 2 - Lasts 5 seconds.
Level 3 - Lasts 6 seconds.
This ultimate is just plain GAY. This will ensure that you avoid all those unnecessary deaths that you may encounter in the game. This will make you very hard to kill since you can always get away alive. Beware of stunners though, you are not invulnerable to spells while in Borrowed Time. Also don’t forget that this is now ACTIVATEABLE,. So use it in conjunction with MoM so the increased damage you take while in Frenzy mode will be neglected.
Skill Build:
1- Aphotic Shield
2- Death Coil
3- Aphotic Shield
4- Death Coil
5- Aphotic Shield
6- Borrowed Time
7- Aphotic Shield
8- Death Coil
9- Death Coil
10 to 13-Frostmourne
14- Stats
15 and 16- Borrowed Time
17 to 25- Stats
Skill Build Reason:
Obviously Aphotic Shield is to be maxed out ASAP, it is the key to your early game survival and harassment. Death Coil > Frostmourne early game, as it gives you a decent nuke that you can spam with impunity, given its 75 mana cost. Combine it with the explosion of Aphotic Shield, then you got two very damaging nukes at your disposal early game. Only one level of Borrowed Time is needed for those emergency purposes, as maxing Frostmourne first is vital. It is very strong mid game onwards where you already have your Power Treads, and it is the key to your success almost all throughout the game. Maxing out Borrowed Time is still important, so I get it at levels 15 and 16. I shouldn’t be taking too much flak for this skill build, as obviously in most cases this is the perfect skill build for LoA.
2 Bracers
2. Power Treads
3. Mask of Madness
4. Cranium Basher
5. Sell a bracer, Heart of Tarrasque
6. Sell the other bracer, Buriza-do-Kyanon
Item Build Reason:
MASK OF MADNESS. nuff' said. This item is the MVP of the item build. Abaddon with Frenzy combined with the awesome Mark of the Abyss, you will be bashing the brains out of your opponents in no time. Imagine, Frenzy+Mark+Treads = 150% attack speed, 25% movement speed. That is the reason you should get MoM. It makes your hero killing much more easier. About the item build, you can actually forego the 2nd Basher and go straight for Buriza, depending on your preference. You can start hero hunting just as sonn you get your MoM, which you can get at about Level 12 or so, it isnt so expensive. The Heart is needed late game so Abaddon can be at par with some of the STR heroes you face, chances are they'll be having high HP. But Abaddon can take them, thats why you have Slow and Bash at your disposal. This is the build that I often use now when I play Abaddon, and I believe it is the most effective. If you dont agree with me, I suggest you try it first before you comment.
Pudge, the Butcher
Skill Build:
1. Rot
2. Meat Hook
3. Meat Hook
4. Rot
5. Meat Hook
6. Dismember
7. Meat Hook
8. Rot
9. Rot
10. Flesh Heap
11. Dismember
12. Flesh Heap
13. Flesh Heap
14. Flesh Heap
15. Attribute Bonus
16. Dismember
17-25. Attribute Bonus
Explanation of Skill Build:
1. Rot is taken at Level 1 over Meat Hook. Due to the slow from Rot, First Blood can be attained by Butcher or his lane ally if opponents underestimate him. Shadow Strike+Rot is especially deadly at Level 1, as are Aphotic Shield+Rot, Dual Breath+Rot, etc. The rest of the build is typical and agreed all-around to be the best build for Butcher.
Chicken
Tangos & Circlets/Branches
Boots of Speed
Empty Bottle
Complete 2x Bracer
Complete Boots of Travel
Heart of Tarrasque
Explanation of Item Build:
1. Empty Bottle??? That's right, a guide recommending the Empty Bottle! Butcher has a bit of a mana issue early on, as Meat Hook is such a powerful spell (if aimed correctly of course!) and you want to cast it every time that it's up. His ultimate also has an extremely low cooldown of only 30 seconds. The only previous solution to this, as recommended by Captain_Hook, was buying multiple Clarity Potions. Perserverence, though an attractive upgrade to Ring of Health, ultimately goes to waste as there is nothing that Butcher wants to upgrade it to. Also, straight up mana regeneration increases aren't helpful for a Hero with low Intelligence, and thus, low mana regeneration. Other mana items like Eul's Scepter of Divinity are also a waste on Butcher, because his mana issue only exists during the early game. As the game progresses, he will have plenty of mana to spam Meat Hook from his natural Intelligence gain. Ring of Basilius is a more attractive option, but Butcher wants his mana and he wants it now, d**n it! One of his main spells also causes him to lose Hit Points, causing him to have to make fountain trips often to replenish his Hit Points. Enter, the Empty Bottle. This item solves all of Butcher's problems, and though he doesn't make as much use of the rune holding part of the Empty Bottle, he can always loan it to someone who can make better use of the Double Damage.
2. Boots of Travel. Power Treads is a waste on Butcher, as he relies on his spells to deal damage, not his physical attack. Butcher, being the tank, also needs to be with his teammates at all times, and the Teleport ability of Boots of Travel ensures this. The movespeed bonus, though minor, is also useful for chasing with Rot and hitting the target at the same time.
3. The rest of the build is totally typical of Butcher builds. Butcher is a tank very similiar to Axe, with no option of being a damage dealer like most other tanks. No God's Strength, Beast Rage, Warpath, Lifesteal, etc. The build reflects that. Whether to get Radiance or Assault Cuirass will depend upon how the game is going, what enemy Heroes you are facing, whether or not anyone on your team already has a Radiance, etc.
Lane Choices: Butcher really wants a 2v2 lane is to give him the maximum number of Hook targets, as well as his ally will allow Butcher to get kills with his Hook+Rot combo before Level 6. From Level 6 and beyond, though few will escape a Hook+Rot+Dismember combo, having an ally around ensure that your combo won't be disrupted and that the prey will not escape. So head Middle/Bottom on Sentinel, and Top/Middle on Scourge.
Final Words: Mastering Hook is absolutely key to playing Butcher well.
For a moment there, I thought you typed this all.
Nice guide...I've made it into a thread.
webmaster