Tip: More Items into Quick-Buy

I can't believe it took me this long to learn this, so I'm sharing it with everyone:

You can Shift-Control-click to add more than one item's worth of components into your quick-buy list.  Yes, it's true.  You can add a stick+boots+ward+whatever into the same list.  Keep in mind that whatever you add first will appear first, so items like the Orchid will consume all the available viewing space if you add it first.

... I'm ashamed I didn't know this by now.

Low MMR - why Shadowblade is better than Blink

I picked up this tip while watching Purge teach Day9 (a great series).

For low-tier players, a Blink Dagger isn't really the best item.  Why?  You frequently get it put on 3s cooldown due to bad positioning, you tend to Blink too far or into deathtrap positions, and it's hard to save up for, because you have to buy the whole 2250 at once.

So... why not a Shadow Blade?  It's uncommon for lower-tier players to remember to invest regularly in Dust, and thus a ShadowBlade acts as a much better escape, especially if you've already been initiated on.  As long as you survive, and they forgot the Dust, you can get away clean.  Furthermore, it aids your attack speed and damage, unlike Blink Dagger.

The ONLY time Shadowblade is worse is if you need to gap-close or re-position instantly, or if you want to initiate into tower range.  While you should not underestimate these facets of Blink Dagger, especially as your positioning-knowledge gets better, I think Purge had a good point.

After trying it myself, I was almost tempted to get BOTH.  I really liked the relative safety and ganking potential of Shadow Blade, but I also missed the insta-position of Blink Dagger.

Side note:  I should also mention the Force Staff.  While you may sneer at it because it's a lower-range Blink Dagger, it helps many initiators get the mana pool they need, and it gets you, or your allies, out of tight spots.  It's an easier build-up than Blink, and about the same cost.  I recommend buying the Staff of Wizardry component first, and if you change your mind, there are lots of other things you can build into.

7.05 - Low-Tier Meta Teams

Well, I'm back.  For a bit... school is taking it's toll!

Here's a list of meta heroes as of 7.05, from high-winrate heroes, for the sub-2k bracket:

Mids:  

- Zeus
- Necrophos
- Silencer

Carries:

- Wraith King
- Spectre
- Ursa
- Chaos Knight

Supports:

- Crystal Maiden
- Warlock
- Lich
- Omniknight
- Vengeful Spirit
- Jakiro

Offlaner Farmers:

- Abaddon
- Axe
- Spiritbreaker
- Centaur

High Win-Rate Team Ideas for Sub 2k MMR

Dual lanes:

#1:  
Mid:  Zeus
Safe:  Wraith King + Crystal Maiden
Offlane:  Abaddon + Venge

#2:
Mid:  Silencer
Safe:  Ursa + Warlock
Offlane:  Axe + Centaur / Spiritbreaker (basically, just cut the wave or crap on your enemies)

#3:
Mid:  Necrophos
Safe:  Chaos Knight + Warlock
Offlane:  Omniknight (farming) + Jakiro (harass early with liquid fire)

Solo offlane with Jungler

#4:  Crap on their mid and their offlane
Mid:  Axe (vs. melee mid) or Jakiro (vs. ranged mid) - this is "crap on their mid and push"
Safe:  Spectre + Lich
Jungle:  Ursa (ganks safelane at L3 with 1-1-1 build)
Offlane:  Spiritbreaker
Idea:  Spectre / Spiritbreaker give you a global presence, and Axe + Lich give you teamfight.  A mid-Jakiro gives you pushing power, and shuts down their mid, or more teamfight (backs up Ursa).

#5:  Maximum Healing, Greedy Lineup
Mid: Abaddon / Necrophos
Safe:  Necrophos / Abaddon + Warlock
Jungle:  Wraith King (a bit of a stretch, but can work with Vamp Aura)
Solo Offlane:  Omniknight
Note:  This is a very greedy lineup.  Jungle WK is a bit slow, but worth giving up levels in the offlane so that Omni can get solo XP and a bit more farm.  Midgame, your WK should never die, nor your Abaddon.  You are low on stuns, so Necrophos should get a Rod of Atos or ultimately a Sheepstick.

6.87 - Good Meta Heroes to Play

Any healer:  Necrophos, Abaddon, Omni, Phoenix (Sunray OP right now), Treant

Melee Carries:  Ursa, Sven, WK (Viper, DK, Chaos Knight, Jugg, Legion Commander)

Ranged Carries:  Medusa, Weaver, Drow, Outworld Destroyer, Luna

Nukers:  Zeus, Crystal Maiden, Ogre, Jakiro

Supports:  Lich, Disruptor, Witch Doctor, Warlock, Venge

Roamer/Offlaners:  Spiritbreaker, Slardar, Nightstalker, Centaur

Junglers:  Enigma, Chen, Nature's Prophet

Heroes with Greatest Stat Gains (6.86)

Highest Average Stat Gain (top 10)

Silencer

Venge

OD

Invoker

Centaur

Ogre

Winter Wyvern

Treant

Naga

Dazzle

Highest Average Starting Stats (top 10)

OD

Meepo

Bane

Winter Wyvern

Riki

PL

Leshrac

Bloodseeker

Tusk

Storm Spirit

Highest Starting Primary Stat (greater than 25)

Riki (34 Ag)

PL (29 Ag)

Spirit Breaker (29 Str)

Jakiro (28 Int)

Tinker/Skywrath/Silencer/Rubick/Lina/Dazzle (27 Int)

Venge (27 Ag)

Juggernaut/Drow (26 Ag)

OD/Leshrac/Pugna (26 Int)

Tiny/Legion/Doom (26 Str)

Conclusions:

These stat rankings show how a hero might have “an edge” in the current patch, but his abilities and role in the meta play a larger part.  However, stats provide a useful perspective in terms of which heroes might become popular in a new meta (I predicted Slardar’s re-appearance in 6.84 because of his excellent stat gain and other buffs he received).

One of the reasons that OD is considered top-tier right now, is that both his starting stats and stat gain are excellent (in addition to his useful laning abilities and AOE ultimate).

Similarly, Winter Wyvern is a popular support in part because he’s not that squishy and has useful abilities, including a BKB-piercing ult and a heal.

Stats don’t paint the whole picture!  For example, while it would seem that Riki’s starting damage should be massive, based on high Agility, it’s actually very low (40 avg).  He actually needs about 10 levels before he even catches up (stat-wise) to other heroes’ average damage! (of course, he does have abilities to make up damage in other ways).

Magic-Resistant Heroes

Magic Resistant Heroes by Role:

Pipe Carrier / Offlane:  Centaur?  Elder Titan?  Pudge?

Carry:  Meepo / Ember / Anti-Mage (Lifestealer  - Rage?))

Supports:  Rubick + Visage (Omniknight – Repel?)

Mid:  Huskar / Viper

Other items:  Infused Raindrops

Example:

With Rubick + Pipe Aura…

Formula =

1 - (1 – Base Hero Resistance) × (1 – Ability Added Resistance) × (1- Pipe Aura) x (1- Rubick Bonus) = XX.X resistance

Anti-mage would have (L4 Spell Shield):

1 - (1 - 0.25) × (1 - 0.5) × (1-0.10) x (1-0.22) = 73.7% resistance

Huskar would have (at or below 10% hp, L4 Berserkers Blood):

1 - (1 - 0.25) × (1 – 0.5) × (1-0.10) x (1-0.22) = 73.7% resistance

Viper would have (L4 corrosive skin):

1 - (1 - 0.25) × (1 - 0.25) × (1-0.10) x (1-0.22) = 60.5% resistance

Visage would have (L4 Gravekeeper Cloak, max layers):

1 - (1 - 0.10) × (1 - 0.64) × (1-0.10) x (1-0.22) = 77.3% resistance

Add: Glimmer Cape = 81.8% resistance

Base Formula (http://dota2.gamepedia.com/Magic_resistance )

Total magic resistance = 1 − ((1 − natural resistance) × (1 − first resistance bonus) × (1 − second resistance bonus) × (1 + first resistance reduction) × (1 + second resistance reduction))

Note:  While magic resistance % increase shows diminishing returns, effective HP vs. magic damage still increases in a linear fashion.

Hero Spotlight: Slardar (6.87)

In Dota 2, Slardar is not known as a terribly hard carry, as even though his skill set is excellent, he does not scale as well as some of the harder carries (like Anti-Mage, Spectre, and Phantom Assassin), 

Pros:

• Excellent stat gain
• Good Blink-Initiator
• Sprint gives good mobility
• Excellent Physical-Damage dealer
• Abilities pierce BKB (physical)
• Built-in Bash
• Needs very few items to "come online" and start ganking or fighting

Cons:

• No teamfight ultimate
• Needs attack speed items
• Sometimes hard to find a place to lane him

Item Build Ideas:

Slardar Pushing Carry:

Start: Tango, Mango, Quelling, Circlet

Early:  Boots, Wand

Core:  Powertreads, Maelstrom, Blink, TP

Situational:  BKB, Desolator, Vlad’s

Lategame:  Mjolnir, AC, Heart, BoT, Moonshard

Slardar Offlane / Ganker

Start:  Tango, Mango, Shield, Potion, Branches

Early:  Boots, Wand/Stick, Infused Raindrop, Bottle

Core:  Blink Dagger, Power Treads, Echo Sabre

Utility:  Blade Mail, Pipe, Vlad’s, Crimson Guard, Lotus Orb, Halberd

Luxury:  AC, Heart, BoT

Teams w/Slardar:

#1: Armor Reduction

Tri-Safelane:  Slardar, Dazzle, Venge

Mid:  Shadowfiend / DP / DK

Solo Offlane:  Elder Titan / Bounty / Lone Druid / Enchantress

Ban:  Omni, Viper/OD

#2: Snowball

Dual Safelane: Ember + Jakiro

Mid:  Viper

Dual Offlane: Slardar + Lion

Ban:  Doom, OD?