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[H] DotA items

Forum Index > General Games
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rpf
Profile Blog Joined January 2007
United States2705 Posts
July 10 2007 02:34 GMT
#1
I\'m new to DotA, and I need help understanding the items.

I\'m mostly concerned with what items to get at the start. I can usually figure out what items I want based on my hero and how to make them once I give it a minute or two to look.

But I don\'t know what to get at the start.

I see people go double bracer/band/talisman, or maybe I see them go Basilius and/or Headdress, or some other thing.

What I\'m looking for is a general idea of what items to buy based on whether I\'m str, agil, or int.

Yes, I know that items can change depending on what specific hero you have, so I\'m just asking generally what\'s good for each stat.
"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." - Sigmund Freud
hrmM
Profile Joined November 2005
United States210 Posts
Last Edited: 2007-07-10 02:40:55
July 10 2007 02:40 GMT
#2
bracer/band/talisman is what you usually get first if you don't know much about the game yet - my friend when i started playing jus said always get two circlets because those three branch from the circlet always

i think basilius and headdress goes depending on the hero

and i'm kinda still new to dota but all agi heroes seem to be good with the butterfly
sMi.hrmM 勇气
Dark.Carnival
Profile Blog Joined November 2006
United States5095 Posts
July 10 2007 02:40 GMT
#3
well..it does rather depend on your hero and your teams heros... basilius/headress i'd generally get when your int in lanes with allies. when your solo you want regen items(roh etc.). if your against nukers you want some +stats/regen. i'd say most common starting items...ring of health/rings of regen, headress, basilius, stat items(branches..circlets). it is based on your hero though, your team and who your against.
@QxGDarkCell ._.
rpf
Profile Blog Joined January 2007
United States2705 Posts
July 10 2007 02:42 GMT
#4
So what's a safe bet? Two circlets/tangos? Go from there?
"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." - Sigmund Freud
poor newb
Profile Joined April 2004
United States1879 Posts
Last Edited: 2007-07-10 03:03:57
July 10 2007 02:46 GMT
#5
for a carry hero that will farm many big items either start with 4 branches and tangos, or get bottle.

if you jungle or run around and gank a lot early game, go bottle

if you need mana and have nuker ally in your lane go basilius

if you need a lot of mana for yourself go mana pots and tangos

if you go meka go headdress

for most other heros start with circlets and tangos

for item build its usually a slot for a big item, a slot for boots, a slot for tp scroll and fill the rest with bracers/null/wraith
How do you mine minerals?
thedeadhaji *
Profile Blog Joined January 2006
39489 Posts
July 10 2007 02:50 GMT
#6
mmm, if you're new you might want to just stick to one hero and really get a feel for how the game dynamics work. Limiting the hero variable will also limit the item variable, and allow you to concentrate solely on the gameplay. Once that's settled in, picking the right items for each hero for various situations will be just a matter of knowledge and some experience.

I'm personally in favor of limiting the things you need to learn at once in the beginning, but that's just my take.
Ack1027
Profile Blog Joined January 2004
United States7873 Posts
July 10 2007 02:51 GMT
#7
My guideline is this:

A hero that I get mek with [eventually] I get Ring of regen and the rest is for ironwoods that I can afford at starting time.

The majority of heroes begin with 2xbracer and some intels 3xbracer vanguard or 2x bracer vanguard

-em I believe the best items to start with are 2 circlets, 2 gauntlets, and 4 tangoes.

In serious games ironwoods are king, and the only time I buy clarities to start with 2 MAX then tangoes and maybe a circlet.

If you are gonna be a ganking hero or a range support get wards/chicken.

Bottle is for melee gankers. Both sk's, sven, tiny etc.
Ack1027
Profile Blog Joined January 2004
United States7873 Posts
Last Edited: 2007-07-10 02:53:40
July 10 2007 02:53 GMT
#8
On July 10 2007 11:50 thedeadhaji wrote:
mmm, if you're new you might want to just stick to one hero and really get a feel for how the game dynamics work. Limiting the hero variable will also limit the item variable, and allow you to concentrate solely on the gameplay. Once that's settled in, picking the right items for each hero for various situations will be just a matter of knowledge and some experience.

I'm personally in favor of limiting the things you need to learn at once in the beginning, but that's just my take.


Agreed with haji.

Irl friends and those in my vent who were completely new to dota I taught them how to play by playing two heroes:

Sniper and Sven.

They played those for about a week each and learned the important things like last hit, deny, gank, when to use and not use ulti, how to support your team, understanding auras, different item builds.

Also I have never bought wraith bands in the last several versions in serious games and have only bought them in pub games for some heroes like drow and sa. Very rarely.

You will learn that health items [bracer] are KING.
Dark.Carnival
Profile Blog Joined November 2006
United States5095 Posts
July 10 2007 02:53 GMT
#9
haji is right...stick with one hero and you'll be able to learn faster what will work best. it's hard to say a general begining build because it really is based on your hero/allies/other teams.
@QxGDarkCell ._.
rpf
Profile Blog Joined January 2007
United States2705 Posts
July 10 2007 03:50 GMT
#10
So are you guys saying to take bracers over band/talisman even if I'm not str?

It seems like going for 2x bracer/tangoes is pretty...standard.
"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." - Sigmund Freud
Dark.Carnival
Profile Blog Joined November 2006
United States5095 Posts
July 10 2007 03:53 GMT
#11
well....you need hp early so bracers are better to get most of the time.. like when i'm silencer i'll get nulls instead just because i enjoy abusing glaives early
@QxGDarkCell ._.
Rice
Profile Blog Joined July 2007
United States1332 Posts
July 10 2007 05:42 GMT
#12
id recommend starting with 2x circlet 4x tangos and chicken with the majority of heroes, and making 2 bracers with your circlets. bracers are the most cost effective way to get health early game which is what every hero needs and even gives some damage and mana to boot.
Freedom will be defended at the cost of civil liberties.
{ToT}Strafe
Profile Blog Joined October 2004
Thailand7026 Posts
July 10 2007 06:42 GMT
#13
i heard rapier is good
GeneralCash
Profile Joined December 2005
Croatia346 Posts
July 10 2007 06:54 GMT
#14
minimum 2x tangoes regardless of hero. unless someone shared chick (or u got it), then u can bring in tangoes if u get hurt.

4x ggbranch + tangoes is a safe bet for most heroes.

recently i tend to get items that help me last hit since i've been practicing new heroes.if you're new, i suggest the same thing. +2 agi (forgot the name) items on heroes like void and pa are far from an optimal choice, but help getting those last hits. so do nulls on visage or qop.

if u have a str hero, start with 2x gauntlets and 2x tangoes. amen.
rpf
Profile Blog Joined January 2007
United States2705 Posts
July 10 2007 07:02 GMT
#15
Why 4 branches?
"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." - Sigmund Freud
paper
Profile Blog Joined September 2004
13197 Posts
Last Edited: 2007-07-10 09:28:38
July 10 2007 09:28 GMT
#16
can someone explain the usefulness of branches?

its like ~38 hp, +2 dmg, and some extra mana for two branches :\
38 hp will rarely keep you alive, +2 damage wont make a kill, and that mana wont let you cast more spells than before?!

if youre not going mek, isn't it a waste of money?
or is it all about maximizing your inventory space?
Hates Fun🤔
rpf
Profile Blog Joined January 2007
United States2705 Posts
July 10 2007 09:56 GMT
#17
I'm guessing it has something to do with the best stats for the money. Personally, I've had awesome experience just going double bracer/band/talisman, following that up with boots and then moving on to more stat/hero specific items.
"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." - Sigmund Freud
testpat
Profile Joined November 2003
United States565 Posts
July 10 2007 10:46 GMT
#18
branches are basically free. They also give the best stat / cost ratio. 5 branches give extra 50 or so mana, and 100 hp - which is useful

You can load up on branches, then as you need the space sell them back and get half the money refunded.

I'd just add, that if you're going the bracer route, don't bother buying the bracer upgrade until you need the space, for the same reason as above - the upgrader itself adds very little, compared to the cost.
Suppose I don't know taste of common salt & I want to know it.
Equinox_kr
Profile Blog Joined December 2006
United States7395 Posts
Last Edited: 2007-07-10 11:40:58
July 10 2007 11:36 GMT
#19
On July 10 2007 11:53 Ack1027 wrote:
Show nested quote +
On July 10 2007 11:50 thedeadhaji wrote:
mmm, if you're new you might want to just stick to one hero and really get a feel for how the game dynamics work. Limiting the hero variable will also limit the item variable, and allow you to concentrate solely on the gameplay. Once that's settled in, picking the right items for each hero for various situations will be just a matter of knowledge and some experience.

I'm personally in favor of limiting the things you need to learn at once in the beginning, but that's just my take.


Agreed with haji.

Irl friends and those in my vent who were completely new to dota I taught them how to play by playing two heroes:

Sniper and Sven.

They played those for about a week each and learned the important things like last hit, deny, gank, when to use and not use ulti, how to support your team, understanding auras, different item builds.

Also I have never bought wraith bands in the last several versions in serious games and have only bought them in pub games for some heroes like drow and sa. Very rarely.

You will learn that health items [bracer] are KING.


Eww Ack you're such a noob hahahaha

edit: OP: Sniper is such an easy hero to play, and you can get good with him easily as well. Just get Treads then Skadi with 2 Bracers and you'll be fine. As for skills, just alternate between Range and Scattershot while getting Assassinate at its respective levels. Just last-hit, deny, gank when called to, get some kills. Easy

I had the misfortune to start DotA with Crystal Maiden (I randommed so I wouldn't look like a noob ) and I went like 0-27 or something. It was fun though :O
^-^
rpf
Profile Blog Joined January 2007
United States2705 Posts
July 10 2007 14:27 GMT
#20
Sniper is such an awesome hero. Him and Razor I like a lot.

I tried doing that thing where you fill up on branches. It sucked. I honestly don't get why you'd do that, even if it is more cost effective.

So, I wanted to give you guys some examples, so please respond how you'd gear out each hero so I can get an idea of how to play things.

Sven
Sniper
Pugna
Omniknight

And for Razor (I LOVE Razor), I usually go either Basilius, or dual bands, into BoS, Mael, Treads, Mjoll and by then either the game is over, or I'm raping. I usually go for radiance next.
"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." - Sigmund Freud
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