1.09 and Beyond

[Rectifier]

In Dusk's case, however, these points are moot.

I'd like to think that I'm a good player.

Yeah you are a pretty good player (your teammates screwed you when we played against each other ages ago).

[Rising_Dusk]

I don't even know who you are on BNet so that doesn't really say much.

[Rectifier]

It's ok, it was one game anyways.

[VZManticoran]

*Shrug* I don't use Oxy's build at all, and I play a kickass Vert. I level Abolish, then Aura, putting points in Discord when possible. I pretty much don't bother with Deceit, because early game it removes a creep's exp from your side, and gives it to their side. I find it mostly useful for charming bought units to use to level bases, which usually occurs late game.

[Steve]

I usually just put one level in Panic Aura because it procs enough (roughly 1 out of every 3 hits, creeps attack around once a second) they can almost be permablinded. Deceive can be useful, and I can understand what you said about it, Manti, but it still is quite useful in some cases, particularly in the middle lanes. Hydra with rapid attack vs. tower = pain. And Abolish is just like getting curbstomped by some fickle deity.

I'm a decent Verte, myself.

[Psiclone]

Really, the only changes I want to see are some skin updates and some text clarification. I always thought Innert looked extremely fat with that skin, and Fahren Kaa war all...unclean, so I would love to see those updated. Plus, some of the ability text is unclear, so I think it would be great if it was clarified.

[assassingao]

some of the ability text is unclear, so I think it would be great if it was clarified.

See this thread.

[UnholySouls]

I don't understand how everyone seem to have static builds, mine are always adapted to the current game. In what line am I, am I to stay in that line (aka mid's turtles), who am I facing, who will I be facing, what are my allie's doing with their skills (aka can I gank with them, will the Vela bone prison or is she a new player?) [...]

[assassingao]

I just play out each style depending on my mood.

That said, if I wanted to try something crazy (which was most of the time, anyway), for example, I won't up Abolish at all (Vert) or not-upping Schism (Innert)

But if I was in a "generic" mood, I'd play out the "generic" build.


My opinion is: If you could use each skill effectively, then you would not have problems using two, three or four of them at once, and you'll play amazingly well with that hero. (Not that I'm a good player... *sigh*)

[Rectifier]

Souls, I used to do that "adaptive" levelling myself, and then I realized I should be playing the strongest I can be against everything (creeps, heroes, towers, spells, etc.) and not simply to counter one or maybe two heroes.

That having been said, countering is not a bad thing, its just that "adapting" is a gamble in both countering their strategy and still trying to win while using a build that might not be made for winning (because you might be too busy countering to actually win).

In the end, your build should be based on your own judgement whether you want to gamble using an adaptive or new strategy or use a strategy you know that works most of the time.


*I'm assuming by adapting you mean to counter certain heroes as the game progresses.

[Rising_Dusk]

The truth is that there is no best build for a lot of heroes, it's simply too arbitrary a thing to claim and it entirely depends on the state of the game. Bar some balance issues making certain skill combinations better, most heroes being awesome entirely depends upon the skill and skill type of the player in control of the hero. The best build for Oxy's Atrius might be something his way, but I can still get my 25-XX-0 games with Atrius doing totally different stuff. If you can find a "best" build for a hero that I will agree with, then I failed in designing that hero properly.

The truth, however, is that some heroes are designed with specific combinations in mind. (Don't you always get Taint first on Tornne?) That, however, doesn't mean they play in a static fashion at all.

[Merlin]

Dear Dusk,

Please lrn2play. Epidemic is always picked 1st.

Love,

Merlin

[Rising_Dusk]

In 1.09, I was actually considering a build that worked like that. :p

[assassingao]

Speaking of Epidemic, does epidemic reapplies the condition on the target?

[Rising_Dusk]

No.