Witch Doctor: The Dominant Off laner of the Meta

Witch Doctor is proving to be an absolute monster in the off lane! With a staggering 55% win rate in public games at 7000 MMR and above, his second aspect is considered overpowered. Here's a deep dive into why Witch Doctor is such a force in the current meta and how you can harness his potential.

The Power of Voodoo Restoration 

The crucial change to Witch Doctor’s Voodoo Restoration is that it no longer heals allies but instead deals damage to enemies. This transformation makes him incredibly powerful in lane.

Why is this Aspect Broken?

1. Lane Dominance: Witch Doctor excels by trading resources effectively under Voodoo Restoration. While the enemy burns under its damage, you stay healthy. It creates a perpetual advantage where the opponent is always losing.

2. Superior Healing Efficiency: Even at the first level, Voodoo Restoration outperforms:

   - Level 3 Ignite (Ogre Magi);

   - Level 3 Shadow Word (Warlock);

   - Level 2 Poison Touch (Dazzle);

   - Level 2 Dual Breath (Jakiro);

   - Level 2 Thunder Strike (Disruptor).

The ability's range is extensive enough to affect long-range attackers like Drow Ranger, Lina, or Troll Warlord. With a Ring of Basilius and level one Voodoo Restoration, you can deal up to 1350 damage in total! This area-of-effect damage also harms enemy support significantly.

3. Simplicity in Execution: As Doctor Dread pointed out a year ago:

"People love not having to think. Witch Doctor is that kind of character: you just pick heal at level one, buy a Ring of Basilius, activate it, and start clicking on heroes. You don’t need to think about anything."

Skill Build

1. Start with Voodoo Restoration to maintain lane presence.

2. Maximize Maledict next for increased kill potential or double down on Voodoo Restoration if you’re taking heavy trades and need sustained healing.

3. At level 4, adopt a 0-2-2 build, then continue to max Voodoo Restoration.

   - Level 8: Add a Paralyzing Cask for interrupting enemy teleportations.

Talents

- Level 10: -25% mana cost on Voodoo Restoration;

- Level 15: +100 radius to Maledict;

- Level 20: +30% damage per tick on Maledict;

- Level 25: +2% max health as Voodoo Restoration damage.

Item Build

1. Early Game: Focus on items that enhance your sustainability and mana pool:

   - Null Talisman;

   - Ring of Basilius;

   - Arcane Boots.

2. Mid Game Options:

   - Mekansm and Guardian Greaves: For early team fights and dispel utility;

   - Urn of Shadows and Spirit Vessel: Useful against high-healing enemies or if you have a significant advantage;

   - Rod of Atos: Essential if your team lacks stuns, and you're up against mobile heroes.

3. Core Items:

   - Bloodstone: This provides substantial survivability and increases your damage due to the spell's radius;

   - Shard: Consider this around the 30-minute mark to provide extra utility as enemies gain more items.

4. Late Game Defense:

   - Eternal Shroud or Shiva’s Guard: For additional survivability and to counter physical damage;

   - Black King Bar (BKB) or Crimson Guard: These can help you withstand burst damage and protect against physical threats.

Utilizing Gris-Gris

The Witch Doctor's innate ability, Gris-Gris, gives him an item that accumulates gold over time and through death. Here’s how to maximize its benefits:

1. Timing the Use: Don’t wait forever to use Gris-Gris for a few extra thousand gold in the late game. It's best to buy critical items like Greaves, Bloodstone, Shard, or Spirit Vessel when you need them most. Even a 500-600 gold boost from Gris-Gris can be significant.

2. Avoiding Pitfalls: You can’t use Gris-Gris in the fountain. If you plan to buy back and rejoin a fight, activate Gris-Gris beforehand.

3. Gold Management: With Gris-Gris, you don't need to worry as much about spending gold before death. The lost, unreliable gold will be converted to Gris-Gris, giving you a safety net to recover that money later. Early in the game, though, don’t be too greedy—buy essentials like Magic Stick or components for Null Talisman.