List of Heroes with Auras or Buffs

Auras that increase right-click damage or attack speed:Elder Titan: Natural Order (base armor reduction to enemies)Luna: Lunar Blessing (fixed damage boost)Vengeful Spirit: Vengeance Aura (% base dmg boost)Shadow Fiend (armor reduction aura)Beastmaster:  Inner Beast (Drow: Precision Aura (Ranged only)Auras with another benefit:Obsidian Destroyer/Devourer:  Essence AuraNecrophos / Necrolyte:  Heartstopper AuraRubick:  Null Field (magic resist increase) Crystal Maiden: Arcane Aura (global mana regen)Doom:  Scorched Earth...

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List of Level 1 Roshan Heroes by Lane/Role

This is a list of heroes that are better than others when used for a Level-One Roshan kill attempt.  In brackets is the level-1 ability that should be skilled to make the most of that hero.See also List of Level 1 Roshan heroes by Function.See my post on Viable and Lane-able early Roshan team ideas for some viable team combinations. Carries:Troll Warlord (Fervor)Viper (Nethertoxin)Lone Druid (Bear + Hero)Morphling (morph Ag)Huskar (Berserking)Sniper (Headshot)Clinkz (Burning arrows)Lyncan (wolves; howl too obvious / giveaway).  Bristleback...

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List of Level 1 Roshan Heroes by Function

The following Dota 2 heroes provide a lot of benefit when attempting a level 1 Roshan kill.Obvious Heroes:Ursa (Fury Swipes)Io/Wisp (Tether heal)Wraith King (vamp aura)High-Damage Heroes:Troll Warlord (Fervor)Viper (Nethertoxin)Lone Druid (Bear + Hero)Morphling (morph Ag)Huskar (Berserking)Sniper (Headshot)Clinkz (Burning Arrows)Lyncan (Wolves; Howl too obvious / giveaway). Lifestealer (Feast does not work on Roshan)Armor Reduction:Alchemist (Acid Spray)Bristleback (Nasal Goo)Shadow Fiend (Aura)Templar Assassin (Meld - but low duration)Vengeful...

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Item Spotlight: Maelstrom

Hypothesis:  High-Strength heroes should build Maelstrom more often.Chain Lighting avg damage = 120 * 25% = 30.  Item gives +24 dmg = +55 dmg.  Attack speed of +25 on top of that, gives AT LEAST another 25 damage (total of +80), more if the hero’s #attacks / sec is less than 1 to start with.  +80 damage for a 2700 gold item?  Yes, please!Unique attack modifier that stacks with others UNLESS it procs.  So what?  I’ll take the 120 damage, multi-target lightning over any other proc!Farming:  Battlefury;...

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Drafting Practice - Balanced Early Rosh Team

So... I was using the handy drafting tool online, and I went with the following draft:http://dota2draft.the-cluster.org/show?op=d&fp=d&pick=E0K0o0Y0ZB0M2Zv1ZM1x1F0&ban=ZjVaqZtgkZbDZxSetup:I chose Dire, he let me choose so I chose to pick first, so that I would have last pick.Starting off:I originally intended, as Dire, to put together an "early rosh" team, which could kill Rosh before the creep spawn.  Luna and NP were my top picks for this (Luna dmg aura + NP Treants), but the rest of the picks ended up being sub-par for this...

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Team Ideas: Using High-Winrate Heroes

The following teams are made up of heroes with high winrates per dotabuff statistics.  In most cases, I try to use the most recent patch, but as this list grows, some of the heroes will have since changed in ranking.In general, in pub games, tough heroes who can heal (Necrophos, Abaddon, Omni, Witch Doctor, etc) have a really good winrate, since there's a lot less coordination of burst damage in pubs.Team Ideas (Dual Lanes):#1:Warlock + Luna, Centaur + Jakiro, mid Zeus#2: Necrolyte + SpiritBreaker, Lich +Luna, mid Nyx#3: Jakiro + Centaur,...

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Armor Reduction Teams

Here's a team idea:  go for maximum armor reduction, or have as many heroes as possible benefit from extra right-click damage.  While you still need stuns and nukes, extra right-click synergy never hurts!See also:  List of Physical Damage Heroes Pub: (dual lanes)Stuns + Armor Reduction + Hard Carry right-click:Sven/Naga + Dazzle safe laneSlardar (build tanky) + Venge (Medallion) hard laneShadow Fiend mid (ganker build) or ViperTeam Idea #2: Dual LanesAlchemist + Dazzle safelane, Venge + Slardar offlane, SFiend midTeam Idea #3 (aggro...

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Team Comps from the Web

Some forum-given team compositions:Other People’s Interesting Teams:bounty hunter (offlane solo)doomogre magipotmspiritbreaker (mid)Beastmaster (solo offlane)Chen (jungle)Lycan (mid?)VengefulJuggernaut (mid?)Invoker (mid)Chaos KnightAncient ApparitionChen (jungle)Tide (solo offlane)LycanNagaRhasta (SS)Invoker (mid)Dark Seer (solo offlane)Necrolyte (carry, mid)Chen (jungle)Undying (semi-carry)DazzleKotl (solo offlane)Try hard wombo combo lineup:Dark Seer, Enigma, Invoker, Naga, VenoNight Stalker midBountyH + Rubick or another support safeEnigma...

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Stat-Stealing Teams & Heroes

A short one this time:  a team that steals Stat-steal Team:As tri-lane: OD/Razor mid, Slark solo lane, Silencer + Bane + Undying trilaneAs dual lane:Razor mid, Slark + Bane, Silencer + UndyingStat-Steal Heroes:A list of heroes that can steal abilities or stats from other heroes.  I'm reaching a bit in some cases.Razor (Static Link)OD (Astral Imprisonment)Silencer (Int steal)Slark (stat steal passive)Bane (Enfeeble "steals" damage?)Undying (Hp steal) Elder Titan (Astral form)Rubick (steals spell...

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Teamfight Teams

AOE teams:#1: Sven + Sand King/Earthshaker + WarlockDark Seer offlaneMagnus mid#2:Beastmaster offlaneQoP midSven + Lich safe laneDark Seer Jungle#3:OD midEnigma JungleJakiro solo offlaneDisruptor/Warlock + Lifestealer safelaneSetup AOE team:OD midEnigma JungleDark Seer solo offlaneNaga + Sand King or LeshracCombo:  Song into Vacuum into Blackhole + Epicenter/PulseNova + OD Ult OD midEnigma jungleMagnus solo offlaneWarlock + Sand King solo safeCombo:  Reverse Polarity into Blackhole + Epi + OD Ult...

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Building a Team Around a Support

Dota 2 Exercise:  Building around a supportFor this exercise, I decided to try building a team around Crystal Maiden (CM), with her mana-aura.  I picked heroes that are generally limited by their early-game mana, but can be very dangerous with additional mana early game.Team Sample #1: Low-Mana Str heroes + CMSven/CK + CM (w/Basilius)Nightstalker/Dragon Knight (mid)Offlaners:  Clockwerk Junglers:  Enigma Other mana-dependent heroes:  Leshrac, Zeus, PugnaTeam Sample #2 (Dual Lanes)Axe + Disruptor offlaneShadowfiend midLuna/Gyro/Razor/Sven...

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A Massive List of Disables by Type

Dota 2 Heroes:  Primary and Secondary Stuns Often a hero needs to be paired with another hero who can "set up" a delayed-stun ability.Related Posts:Heroes with Best Level 1 NukesDisablers by Role Stunners by Type: Primary Ranged Disablers:  RubickLionShadow Shaman Crystal Maiden (Frostbite)Vengeful SpiritSvenWraith KingOgre magiBane NyxDragon Knight (dragon form) Sand KingChaos KnightMorphling (Adaptive Strike)Naga Siren (Ensnare)Shadow Demon (Disruption)Secondary (delayed) Ranged Disablers:  Mirana (Arrow)Lina (Light Strike...

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