EPT![[image loading]](http://genk2.vcmedia.vn/N0WoyYblO3QdmZFKPMtKnadHAHTevz/Image/Kim-Hanh/b0066644_14195134-34485.jpg)
Barathrum, the Spirit Breaker
Disclaimer: I'm new to Dota 2 and MOBA games in general. As such, this is a guide by a low level player for low level players playing low level games, and you should take everything I say with a grain of salt. However, I've found decent success in low level pubs with Spirit Breaker. My credentials? Being 11-1 with Spirit Breaker in low level pub games. Yay.
Introduction
Spirit Breaker is a melee strength hero who excels at ganking all over the map. Unlike other ganking heroes, he comes straight at the enemy instead of using cowardly stealth shenanigans. He can absolutely dominate the early and mid game. While he is a decent initiator in team fights, his usefulness tapers off towards the later stages of the game when carries get out of hand and people don't run around alone any more. However, if he gets off to a good start, he can stay useful all the way to late game as a (semi) carry.
In the Beginning...
Spirit Breaker's stats are 29 + 2.4 STR, 17 + 1.7 AGI and 14 + 1.8 INT. At level 1, he has 701 HP and deals 65 damage, which puts you ahead of just about anyone else. In a straight up duel, few can match you, and it stays that way until midgame. You should try to use your early advantage to the fullest in order to get ahead of the curve and stay on top as long as possible.
Abilities
Charge of Darkness
![[image loading]](http://wiki.teamliquid.net/dota2/images/thumb/3/37/Spirit_breaker_charge_of_darkness.png/105px-Spirit_breaker_charge_of_darkness.png)
+ Show Spoiler [Skill description] +
Charge of Darkness
Ability: Target Unit
Affects: Enemy Heroes
Spirit Breaker fixes his sight on an enemy unit and starts charging through all objects. All enemy units passed through and the targeted unit will be hit by a Greater Bash. If the targeted unit dies, Spirit Breaker will change his target to the nearest enemy unit to that location.
Mana Cost 100
Cooldown 35
Charge Speed: 600 / 650 / 700 / 750
Stun Duration: 1.2 / 1.6 / 2 / 2.4
Cast Range: Global
Spirit Breaker shares vision with the target for the duration.
Charge of Darkness will follow and stun an invisible target, but does not grant True Sight of target.
Greater Bashes units in a 300 radius along Spirit Breaker's path when colliding with units while charging.
Greater Bash does not use Charge of Darkness speed for calculating damage.
Blocked by Magic Immunity. If magic immune after cast, it is not blocked.
Blocked by Linken's Sphere.
Ability: Target Unit
Affects: Enemy Heroes
Spirit Breaker fixes his sight on an enemy unit and starts charging through all objects. All enemy units passed through and the targeted unit will be hit by a Greater Bash. If the targeted unit dies, Spirit Breaker will change his target to the nearest enemy unit to that location.
Mana Cost 100
Cooldown 35
Charge Speed: 600 / 650 / 700 / 750
Stun Duration: 1.2 / 1.6 / 2 / 2.4
Cast Range: Global
Spirit Breaker shares vision with the target for the duration.
Charge of Darkness will follow and stun an invisible target, but does not grant True Sight of target.
Greater Bashes units in a 300 radius along Spirit Breaker's path when colliding with units while charging.
Greater Bash does not use Charge of Darkness speed for calculating damage.
Blocked by Magic Immunity. If magic immune after cast, it is not blocked.
Blocked by Linken's Sphere.
Your signature move. You charge towards any enemy hero or creep on the map at high speed, ignoring obstacles along the way and stunning and damaging your target and anything that stands between you.
Charge can be cancelled at any time, and you shouldn't hesitate to do that if necessary. If you get stunned while charging, you're basically screwed, so consider getting a BKB if that is an issue. Some items (Mask of Madness!) can be activated while charging. You can use charge to get around the map quickly, for example to rush to a lane to push or defend, or to catch up with your teammates after dying. You can use it as an escape mechanism by charging something remote. The main application is of course to gank enemy heroes. If the target dies while you're on your way, the nearest legal target unit is chosen instead. Charge also hits invisible units, but does not reveal them.
Empowering Haste
![[image loading]](http://wiki.teamliquid.net/dota2/images/thumb/3/3a/Spirit_breaker_empowering_haste.png/105px-Spirit_breaker_empowering_haste.png)
+ Show Spoiler [Skill description] +
Empowering Haste
Ability: Aura
Affects: Allied Units
Causes Spirit Breaker to gain higher movement speed. His presence increases the movement speed of nearby allied units.
Bonus Movement Speed: 6% / 10% / 14% / 18%
Radius: 900
Ability: Aura
Affects: Allied Units
Causes Spirit Breaker to gain higher movement speed. His presence increases the movement speed of nearby allied units.
Bonus Movement Speed: 6% / 10% / 14% / 18%
Radius: 900
A straightforward movement speed aura. Movement speed is convenient in general as it helps you and your teammates manouver around, flee from enemies or chase after them. Movement speed also gives you damage via Greater Bash.
Greater Bash
![[image loading]](http://wiki.teamliquid.net/dota2/images/thumb/0/01/Spirit_breaker_greater_bash.png/105px-Spirit_breaker_greater_bash.png)
+ Show Spoiler [Skill description] +
Greater Bash
Ability: Passive
Affects: Self
Damage: Magical
Gives a chance to stun and knockback an enemy unit on an attack, and gives a buff to movement speed as each successful bash occurs. Passively grants bonus damage based on movement speed.
Cooldown 1.5
Bash Chance: 17%
Bonus Damage: 10% / 20% / 30% / 40% of movement speed
Stun Duration: 1 / 1.2 / 1.4 / 1.6
Knockback Duration: 0.5
Knockback Distance: 100
Bonus Movement Speed: 15%
Speed Duration: 3
Does not stack with Skull Basher or Abyssal Blade.
Destroys trees units are pushed into.
Does not affect Roshan.
Damage blocked by Magic Immunity, the bash is not.
Ability: Passive
Affects: Self
Damage: Magical
Gives a chance to stun and knockback an enemy unit on an attack, and gives a buff to movement speed as each successful bash occurs. Passively grants bonus damage based on movement speed.
Cooldown 1.5
Bash Chance: 17%
Bonus Damage: 10% / 20% / 30% / 40% of movement speed
Stun Duration: 1 / 1.2 / 1.4 / 1.6
Knockback Duration: 0.5
Knockback Distance: 100
Bonus Movement Speed: 15%
Speed Duration: 3
Does not stack with Skull Basher or Abyssal Blade.
Destroys trees units are pushed into.
Does not affect Roshan.
Damage blocked by Magic Immunity, the bash is not.
Your main source of damage. Greater Bash knocks back, stuns and deals damage based on movement speed. Greater Bash has a chance of occuring on a basic attack. More importantly, it always occurs when using Charge or Nether Strike.
Nether Strike
![[image loading]](http://wiki.teamliquid.net/dota2/images/thumb/1/18/Spirit_breaker_nether_strike.png/105px-Spirit_breaker_nether_strike.png)
+ Show Spoiler [Skill description] +
Nether Strike
Ability: Target Unit
Affects: Enemy Heroes
Damage: Magical
Spirit Breaker slips into the nether realm, reappearing next to his hapless victim. Upon reappearing, a Greater Bash of the current level occurs and deals bonus damage. Upgradable by Aghanim's Scepter.
Mana Cost 125 / 150 / 175
Cooldown 75
Damage: 150 / 250 / 350
Cast Range: 400 / 550 / 700 (with Scepter: 550 / 700 / 850)
Scepter Ability: Level 4 Greater Bash on target impact
Greater Bash Radius: 250
Scepter Cooldown: 20
Teleportation and damage is delayed 1 second. Spirit Breaker is magic immune during this delay.
Damage blocked by Magic Immunity, the bash is not.
Blocked by Linken's Sphere.
Ability: Target Unit
Affects: Enemy Heroes
Damage: Magical
Spirit Breaker slips into the nether realm, reappearing next to his hapless victim. Upon reappearing, a Greater Bash of the current level occurs and deals bonus damage. Upgradable by Aghanim's Scepter.
Mana Cost 125 / 150 / 175
Cooldown 75
Damage: 150 / 250 / 350
Cast Range: 400 / 550 / 700 (with Scepter: 550 / 700 / 850)
Scepter Ability: Level 4 Greater Bash on target impact
Greater Bash Radius: 250
Scepter Cooldown: 20
Teleportation and damage is delayed 1 second. Spirit Breaker is magic immune during this delay.
Damage blocked by Magic Immunity, the bash is not.
Blocked by Linken's Sphere.
Your ulti. You just teleport to a nearby target and hit it with a Greater Bash with extra damage. Good for finishing off an enemy hero. You could also use it for the disable, but there's a considerable delay before the strike.
Skill Build
1 Charge of Darkness
2-3 Greater Bash
4 Empowering Haste
5 Greater Bash
6 Nether Strike
7 Greater Bash
8-10 Empowering Haste
11 Nether Strike
12-14 Charge of Darkness
15 Stats
16 Nether Strike
17-25 Stats
We start out with one point in Charge, then our priority is Nether Strike > Greater Bash > Empowering Haste > Charge of Darkness. Why max out our signature move last, you ask? Because that "only" gives charge speed (which is not taken into account for damage) and stun duration. Greater Bash, too, gives stun duration, but also more damage. Empowering Haste gives damage as well via Greater Bash while just being useful in general.
Item Build
Starting Items:
Tango
Healing Salve
Stout Shield
(Branches)
Early Game & Core:
(Bracer)
Boots of Speed
Urn of Shadows - should get plenty of charges and heals you up after a gank
Morbid Mask
Power Treads
Mask of Madness - movement speed and attack speed is more damage and stun
Late Game/Luxury/Situational:
Some damage item (MKB, Desolator, Daedalus, Mjollnir)
(BKB)
(Aghanim's Scepter)
(Heart of Tarrasque)
Gameplay
Spirit Breaker is a good pick if the enemy team has a lot of squishy heroes. You can go top or bottom, but not solo. As is the case for many heroes, your ideal laning partner is ranged and has a slow or stun. The early laning phase should go pretty smoothly, as Spirit Breaker starts out very strong with a good health pool and high attack damage for last hitting. If an enemy hero in your lane gets low from harassment, don't hesitate to charge and finish them off. You can tank a few hits from the other hero or even their tower. Getting first blood and one or two additional kills in your lane before level 6 is quite realistic.
When you get your ulti, you can start looking for easy prey around the map. The juiciest targets are those with low health and no good escape mechanisms, like Sniper or Zeus for example. You can easily take on most Intelligence and Dexterity heroes, so be confident. Just have an eye on the minimap at all times and see if you can spot someone alone. Charge, then hit them a couple times. If no stun procs and they try to run away, use your ulti. Yes, getting lucky with bash procs helps. Of course, you can also gank a lane with two or three enemies if you have teammates there. Just make sure to ping and communicate in time. If you have life leech, you can jungle a bit between fights.
Spirit Breaker is really fucking strong in this phase of the game, bordering on overpowered. The many kills you should get not only feed you, but cost the enemy gold and farming time, thereby putting your whole team ahead. Also, the potential of being charged anywhere on the map strikes fear into the enemy's hearts and discourages doing anything alone, like solo pushing, jungling or warding.
![[image loading]](http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/022/c/0/spiritbreaker_charge___by_windhydra-d4mltbg.jpg)
This kind of gameplay goes on for quite a while now, until level 12-14 or so. At this point, you should have your core items and have the best stats in the game by far. However, now team fights start to become the norm and more and more enemies overtake you in raw dueling power. If you can still find good targets wandering around alone, take those. Otherwise, you'll have to join in on the team fights. Spirit Breaker can offer initiation and his aura to his team, but that's about it. His forte is clearly ganking. If possible, charge a hero in the back in team fights so you stun everyone along the way. Fleeing enemies are easy prey for Charge (if it's not on cooldown) or Nether Strike.
The game is often already decided at this point. If things went well for you and you can get a big damage item early, you can continue killing stuff and even carrying your team. On the other hand, if you didn't get enough of a head start, things look grim for you. Your mobility is still useful for pushing lanes, but a Spirit Breaker who cannot pick off single enemies is not much use otherwise.
TL;DR: Dominate the earlier phases of the game by ganking to your heart's content and hope you get ahead enough to still be useful later on.
Outro
So this is it. If you like a hero with the potential of completely dominating the early and mid game (and the later stages as well if you're on fire), give Spirit Breaker a whirl. I apologize for any facepalm-inducing crap this guide may or may not contain. As I said, I'm a lowly noob myself. I hope this is helpful anyway. GL HF!
Just give him other ways of attack speed without sacrificing his tanky qualities.
