Magic Build
Best used with Skywrath Mage due to his passive, which adds extra projectiles to abilities, including Spirits. Vengeful Spirit can also utilise this build, though it could be more effective with Kez.
Key abilities:
Spirits, Chain Frost.
Optional abilities:
Laguna Blade, Frostbite, Mortimer Kisses, Magic Missile.
Essential items:
Specialist’s Array, Kaya, Yasha.
Other recommended items:
Bloodstone, Phylactery, Octarine Core, Heart of Tarrasque.
The core strategy centres on Spirits, enhanced by Aghanim’s Scepter obtained from the first mini-boss. This upgrade ensures the wisps remain active around the hero, providing continuous area damage and protection. Chain Frost complements Spirits by dealing burst damage, particularly to bosses. With Skywrath Mage’s passive and Specialist’s Array, up to four instances of Chain Frost can be launched at once, creating powerful burst potential.
To enhance this build, Kaya should ideally be upgraded to its third level, alongside Yasha for mobility. Additional abilities like Magic Missile with Aghanim’s Scepter provide control and damage, while others such as Laguna Blade and Frostbite are interchangeable.
Early-game tip: Before acquiring Aghanim’s Scepter, use Skywrath Mage’s first spell or pick up Rot or Axe’s spin to survive enemy swarms, especially spiderlings.
Physical Build
Best used with Kez.
Key ability:
Swashbuckle.
Optional abilities:
Counter Helix, Stampede, Annihilation.
Essential items:
Bloodstone, Sange, Crystalys.
Other recommended items:
Heart of Tarrasque, Yasha, Octarine Core.
This strategy revolves around obtaining Aghanim’s Scepter from the first mini-boss, enabling Swashbuckle to attack in all directions. Coupled with Sange, enemies are repelled, and Bloodstone boosts range, transforming Kez into a defensive powerhouse, dealing constant damage. Crystalys amplifies Swashbuckle’s damage, making it both an offensive and defensive tool. For added burst, Annihilation is effective due to its synergy with physical damage, while Stampede aids survivability and boss phases.
Early-game challenge: The build may lack single-target burst until Swashbuckle upgrades. In this case, acquiring Annihilation early can offset damage deficits.
Mini-Bosses Overview
Mini-bosses appear every three minutes, dropping Aghanim’s Scepter, which provides a unique ability upgrade. Up to three mini-bosses can be defeated per run.
- Golem: A slow, tanky enemy that splits into faster, smaller versions. Prioritise killing the small golems quickly.
- Five Mage Creeps: Immune to damage unless targeted in sequence. Burst damage is key.
- Infernal Wheel: Initially easy, but becomes more dangerous as it grows and speeds up. Maintain steady damage output.
- Demon: Has three lives, reviving faster each time. Increase distance after each defeat.
Final Boss: The Queen
The Queen alternates between two phases. In the first, she summons minions, creates void zones, and fires single projectiles. The second phase sees her move to the centre and bombard the room with fireballs.
Phase one strategy: Dodge void zones and focus damage on the boss without wasting time on minions.
Phase two strategy: Hide behind columns to avoid fireballs. After each phase, a column is destroyed, but survival remains possible by staying near the map's edge to dodge projectiles.
Tip: Stampede can be invaluable for dodging or repositioning.
Additional Tips
- Aegis can be acquired via Annihilation’s Aghanim's Scepter.
- Batrider’s pathing ability allows him to collect all items while circling.
- Combining items like Reaver and a regeneration ring creates Heart of Tarrasque, while Demon Edge and Crystalys form Daedalus. Kaya and Yasha merge as well.
- Levelling up an ability resets its cooldown, useful for spamming high-CD spells when magnets (for XP) are nearby.