[Hero] Clockwerk

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Rattletrap or better known as The Goblin Keen Clockwerk is a beloved and hated hero in the world of dota! With the concept of the 'Reverse Pudge' (or just batman) the clockwerk's unique skill set allows him to be a very fun mid hero or a very underrated solo Offlaner.

The role of Clockwerk is diverse within the game but mostly he fufills the role of a Ganker and Initiator/Counter Initiator. However his greatest strength is to lockout a single enemy hero either killing the enemy hero or buying your teammates enough time with Power Cogs to win the fight. So lets dive right in to the Skillsets of Clockwerk!

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Battery Assault

Being of the most annoying skills in the game Battery Assault doesn't only boast a very high damage against a solo target but the best part about it is the 0.2 second ministun it does every 0.7 seconds. With only a 0.5 second downtime, any hero with a cast point greater than 0.5 cannot cast anything for 10.5 seconds if they are hit by every single Battery Assault!

Power Cogs

The great and terrible power cogs! Power Cogs is an amazing ability which allows you to
A) Escape enemies
B) Lock in enemies
C) Burn alot of mana if used offensively
With the recent buff to cogs increasing it's duration by 2 seconds at all levels and forcing force staff users to take the damage and manaburn first, Power Cogs is a devastating skill and once again one of the most annoying abilities. At level 1 the Power Cogs locks in an enemy for 5 seconds! During the early laning stage if the enemy support gets way too cocky trying to kick you out of the lane, you have an ability to lock the enemy in a 5 second mano el mano fight.
Cogs are not only a defensive ability, but a great offensive ability with the manaburn incredibly powerful if you can use it properly. During the early stages of the game where carries run around with 200-300 mana, burning even 80 mana is a huge hit for them!

However the cogs is not all with it's downsides. In Pubs cogs actually do your team more harm than good if you are relying on a melee carry. Believe it or not, Flamewheel and Kipsate banned me from playing clockwerk the first time I ever played this hero due to the fact I cogged them in or cogged my enemy when it was clearly not neccesary.

HUGE TIP: When you cog in an enemy and you feel like your battery assault and rocket isn't enough damage, break one cog open and force your opponent to exit. When enemies exit the cogs, they still get hit by the manaburn. That's extra damage!

Rocket Flare

The power of Rocket Flare doesn't come from it's low to moderate damage but mostly it's global pressence and the ridiculous AOE. With some luck you can even find out what all 3 lanes will be using rockets instantly. A level 1 rocket has only a damage of 80 magical (60 damage to heroes) but it allows you to have a gareenteed last hitting spell that only costs 50 mana. This may not seem much considering there are many other long ranged spell such as Powershot and Shockwave which scales much better later on but Rocket Flare's ridiculous 575 radius the spell to not miss during the laning stages (unless you misclick really hard).

This ability gives the ability to last hit and harass enemies with ease, something a new windrunner would not be able to do. And during the laning stages those damages add up!

However in some cases, having Rocket Flare at level 2 while maxing other skills is a better investment.

Hookshot

The great ultimate spell that allows Clockwerk to resemble Batman more than any other heroes, Hookshot is an ability which you could Initiate, Chase and even escape! With the buff to hookshot where the old aganim's part of Hooking to allies was added the usefulness of Clockwerk multiplied and truly turned into a versatile hero. One unmentioned part of the Hookshot that nobody seems to mention is it's ability to go through BKB and any other form of spell immunity. 1.0/1.5/2.0 doesn't sound that much, but at times those precious seconds can buy your team enough time.

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Normal Boots
Sometimes you don't need upgraded boots. Not saying that Upgrading Boots is overrated, but sometimes your lane is just so shit you can't afford to go arcanes or you'll end up getting a 30 minute Mek. During these unfortunate times you must just stick with Brown Boots and head towards the larger items such as Mek and etc.

Arcane Boots
For a Strength hero whom depends on roaming, pushing, spamming and desperately needing a larger manapool, Arcane Boots are obviously the best Choice for Clockwerk. While some like the idea of Phase boots or even treads, the burst mana and larger manapool the Arcane Boots give a the player and his team continuous pushing power and more!

Tranquil Boots
If Clockwerk had a ridiculous INT gain or had a large base mana, Tranquils will unarguably be the best Boots for Clockwerk (then again, who doesn't benefit from Tranquils). The Boots have it all; Great Movement Speed, Passive HP Regen, Active HP Regen and to top it all off Armor! All these effects benefit the Clockwerk in many ways.

If you are confident that your mana management is good enough, investing in Tranquils can do wonders for you. You can also disassemble this later to make a vlads!

Phase Boots
On paper, these boots look amazing on the clockwerk (I have never met a person who disliked phase boots). However the reason why I don't recommend Phase on clockwerk is not because it's a bad choice, but its because Tranquils and Arcanes benefit the clockwerk so much more than phase. Phase isn't bad if you're midlaning as a clockwerk but the increased manapool and the hp regen just seem too much to pass up.

Note: Listen guys, I love phase just like any other but please don't get this on the offlane. I know the amount that phase gives you is great but do you really need that +24 damage on your wrench? Do yourself a favor and get Arcanes for you and your team, or get a Tranqs for lane stability.

Power Treads
Please don't. If you need mana, get Arcane. If you really need HP, get a casual Vit Booster. If you need armor get Tranquils.

Boots of Travel
When taken early it is the Ultimate Money saver. However you're better off making this item into a luxury thing.

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The Item build which MANY MANY PEOPLE fail at as a Clockwerk is one of the hardest part of this hero. Whenever I see a pub Clockwerk at work the most common items I see are Phase + Vanguard/Blademail. Look, I'm not saying Vanguard sucks and nobody should ever get it, but there are better alternatives for a clockwerk.

The thing about Clockwerk is that he is a very MANLY hero. But unfortunately, Clockwerk needs items to be able to even more Manly instead of jumping in and dying in 2 seconds. Since you're also on Offlane Income, chances are you won't have enough money to get all the items. Unlike an Offlane Darkseer, you don't have the luxury of flash farming jungles and lanes (trust me rockets are NOT a flash farming ability). You have to work for it like a MAN, so choosing your first item as a clockwerk will decide what you will do.

I will list you guys some items that benefit clock so much early/mid game.



Hands down the best first 'big' item for the clockwerk. 5 to all stats, 5 Armor, 4HPs, and an active AOE healing to top it all off, who wouldn't want it? As a melee hero who does his job hooking into the enemy, increasing your (and your team's) survivability in anyway possible is always a great deal. Not to mention Mek is very easy to get as an offlaner and you need one in your team anyways.

Whenever I see a clockwerk (ally or enemy) who don't go for a Mek (unless the team already has one) makes me very sad. Compared to any other item out there around the same cost Mek is undoubtably the winner.

Try to aim for a 13-20 Minute Mek. Sometimes you will get delayed, but this is the right time for any offlaner that isnt Dark Seer.




Now comes the tricky part. Although Mek is undoubtly the best first item hands down, there are times where you just can't get the mek. Now most players at the point just say "OH WELL TIME TO GET A PIPE", but making a pipe costs alot and only gives you a shitload of regen. Not saying regen is bad or anything, but a Clockwerk needs Armor and HP to be effective during the midgame. Pipe is great and all but it doesn't fufill Clockwerk's true purpose in fights. You need to survive fights to earn the EXP and Gold needed.

Mek is so good on Clockwerk because it's such a cost effective and easy item for him that also helps the team. Now unfortunately a Pipe won't cover the same things a Mek can cover, so you will have to optimize to your situation.



In these cases, it's sometimes good to carry the following items
A Casual Vit Booster, A Casual Point Booster, A Casual Platemail

These items are one of the most cost effective non-upgraded items in the game. Infact, a casual Vit Booster is so popular these days that people opt a casual vit booster over a fully upgraded vanguard! 250HP is no joke and you should always consider this item. Also when worst comes to worst, you can always upgrade this to a vanguard, or even a Heart! But you won't ever get a heart since you're clockwerk!

A casual Point Booster is my personal favorite as it gives 200hp AND 150 Mana. Now some of you might say "WOW! A Casual Point Booster is far superior than a Casual Vit Booster! This is not true. While the 150 Mana does seem tantalizing, it really isn't a big upgrade for Clock who will have enough mana to do everything he wants once he has his arcanes. 50 HP less for 100 gold more? 50 might seem low but it really isn't! Just because a Point Booster can progress you to an Aghanims doesn't mean it's the best thing ever!

Now the Casual Platemail. For 1400 Gold, you can get 10 Armor. Let me repeat, 10 Fucking Armor. Don't even try to whip out your calculator because let me tell you, 10 fucking armor is a shitload more than what clockwerk normally has. Also it can become an Assault Cuirass or hell, even a Shiva's Guard my favorite Clock item.

These three incomplete item can make or break teamfights for the Clockwerk. If I ever had to choose which one to get first, I would choose a Platemail over a Vit and Point, but sometimes armor isn't useful as raw hp. Choose wisely folks as how your game progresses depends on what you decided to invest first.



Now what most people do after this is scream "GO AGHANIMS GOGO" but that isn't the best choice at times. Aghanims is great guys, but there are many other alternatives a Clockwerk can get. Don't let the 12 second Ultimate fool you!

Click on the spoiler for the list of items you will need!
+ Show Spoiler [CLICK ME PLEASE] +

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For the first 4 levels of an offlane clock your skillset will be the same as most.

[1] Cogs / Rocket
[2] Cogs / Rocket
[3] Rocket / Battery Assault
[4] Rocket / Battery Assault

By level 4, your skills will be 1/1/2. After level 4 is when it will start becoming a bit different. If you are against a trilane consistently, it is better to max out rockets first as getting battery won't do SHIT for you. However, if it is a 1v1 situation, leave rockets at 2 just enough to last hit easily, and start maxing out Battery Assault.

[5] Rocket / Battery Assault
[6] Hookshot
[7] Rocket / Battery Assault

Once you hit level 7 with maxed Rockets, you can harass trilane supports away forcing them to take alot of regen. Don't underestimate 200(150 with resistance) Magical Damage!
Now if you took the Battery Assault Route in a 1v1 lane, you are the most terrifying motherfucker alive if you two are put in a 1v1 situation. A level 4 Battery Assault does 1125 damage over 10.5 seconds if all procs land on the target. Thats fucking scary bro and usually it means the guy stuck in cogs with you is going to die.

Notice: Level 1 Hookshot sucks. The spell itself doesn't suck, but 2000 Range is alot smaller than you think. Even though sight range is 1800 at daytime, chances are you will be aiming your hookshots under 2000 so most people will see you getting prepared for a hookshot. Try getting to level 11 as fast as possible as the extra 500 range is a HUGE upgrade.

[8] Battery Assault / Rocket
[9] Battery Assault / Rocket
[10] Battery Assault / Rocket
[11] Hookshot

This is when clockwerk becomes truly a scary ass hero. By the level 11 timing, Clockwerk has his Mek and is halfway/almost done with his 2nd item depending on what you took. With maxed Battery Assault and Rocket anybody the clock hooks is dead.

[12] Cogs
[13] Cogs
[14] Cogs
[15] Stats
[16] Hookshot
[17-25] Stats

And now the last parts of the skilling is pretty standard.

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Your Starting items as an Offlane Clockwerk will be

Stoutshield, Tango, Salve and Iron Branches. If you can get a ward from a friend, get it as soon as possible as 1 ward can save your offlane so much.

If you took Cogs first and want to do the cute little cog in creeps trick, make sure you don't fuck it up. Remember, you have to get the ranged creep to go first still, that way the wave pull towards your tower.

The next item you should get are Boots, then a Bottle. Now some people may have issues with an offlane with Bottle, but Clockwerk doesn't have the option to just stack sobi masks due to his poor int. A Bottle will also solve alot of his regen problems both HP and MP. You will be hogging the crow as offlaners mostly just bottle crow spam. Try aiming for a 4-5 Minute Boots and Bottle at most! Any more delays will pave a very dark road for you. If you are against a trilane, chances are this will be an unbelievably difficult goal for you. Keep practicing those rocket last hits!

Also the EXP range is 1200, so make sure when you rocket things, you atleast get the exp. Gold is great, but levels are just as important on clockwerk!

Now you will want to try getting arcane boots 8-10 minutes in. If it's 12 minutes in and you're still short for Arcanes it's time to move on. Arcanes is great but the Mek is more important. Remember, mana is great but in later teamfights if you can survive Gold will come. Don't get too attached to a larger manapool despite it being really nice!

Now when you hit 6, you should try attempting a gank on mid OR get a TP ready to countergank any other lane. Unfortunately if you don't have arcanes and you tp with a low manapool you are fucking useless and you shouldn't of TP'd to begin with. If the gank fails, don't stick around mid and head back to your suicide lane as soon as possible to get your lost EXP back. Race towards your Mek and try getting it done between 15-20 at the latest!

Once your Clockwerk has both Arcanes and Mek, get a magic wand as clock will get 15 charges relatively quickly due to how his hero works. Now after your Mek, your goal in every team fight is be annoying, survive and be manly. Learn when to use cogs and which hero you should hook into.

If you are dying in teamfights, get the Platemail/Vit Booster/Point Booster. You need to get to lvl 16 as soon as possible and dying won't help at all. Unlike a Windrunner, a Clockwerk doesn't scale that well so you need all the levels and gold you can get.

Hoon, I had a terrible start, I fed like 5 times and my items are shit. I can't hook in or I die in 3 seconds, what do I do?
In times like this, you can't just dive in enemies expecting to do anything useful. Hook or not, surviving is what helps you and your team more than anything. At times like this use your cogs to create space and tell your teammates to fight around cogs. Save hook for later or to save yourself! Don't be afraid to buy bracers!


to be continued...

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In a meta where facerush and diving is king, Clockwerk proved to be the biggest bonerkill and play maker of this current meta. While he is a much weaker offlaner compared to the Windrunner, Batrider, Magnus and Dark Seer, Clockwerk proved he can survive and fufill his job. Clockwerk was and will be my favorite hero of all time and I'm glad everyone is enjoying him as much as I am. Hopefully my guide will help people and stop them from buying questionable items! All hail Rattletrap, the greatest Battle Robit of all~


Special Thanks To

TheYango for helping me with this guide (super alot!)
Flamewheel for dealing with my shitty clockwerk for the first 10-20 games
Lovedrop for being my #1 clockwerk fan.

Liquid`Bulba for getting actual items on Clockwerk and being a Hookshotmlgpro420noscope