Out of Sight, Out of Mind (WIP)

This is how I play Phantom Assassin in Solo MM. This is a simple guide because Phantom Assassin is a simple hero once you realize it.

Introduction

Welcome to my Phantom Assassin guide, where you will learn that she is easy to use and that there is more than meet the eye with this cold hearted lady.

First, we will go over the Early Game; what to buy, what to skill, what to do. The following section will then be about the rest of the game and how you can help your team without your full build.

You will also learn how to farm and a few things most people don't realize when they play Phantom Assassin

ITEMS

Starting items
1 Stout Shield
3 Iron Branches
1 Tango
1 Healing Salve

Explanation: While some may sneer at the mention of a Stout Shield, I find it is very important to get one to brush off harass or creep aggro if you ever get it. As we upgrade it to a Poorman's Shield, some would suggest starting with 2 Slippers of Agility instead. True, it would be better, but you only have 6 inventory slots. Getting a Stout Shield lets you grab 3 Iron Branches for more stats.

Early game
1 Poorman's Shield
1 Boots of Speed
1 Magic Wand
1 Ring of Health

Explanation: First, you want to complete the Poorman's Shield. Helps a lot for last hits as your starting damage is rather low. Then, it depends on the enemy heroes in your lane. Are they spam-happy with their spells? For some odd reason you got yourself a Bat Rider in your lane? Complete the Magic Wand. it's only 350 and if you have last-hitted correctly, you should be able to use the courier before your mid lane needs it. Otherwise, if you feel your position is easily compromised, get your Boots of Speed. The Ring of Health is usually the first item you buy toward your Battle Fury; it helps your substainability and you can get it from the sideshop.

Core items
1 Phase Boots
1 Battle Fury
1 Helm of the Dominator
1 Black King Bar

Explanation: So you have your Magic Wand and your Ring of Health. Now it's time to get those crucial items. While some could argue that Power Threads are better than Phase Boots for its added stats and attack speed, Phase Boots help in the most crucial of Phantom Assassin's needs: Mobility. Not only do you increase your damage, but creeps and bodyblocks don't matter to you. Also, you are a melee hero. Phase Boots will help you chase people down. Battle Fury is mandatory for a few reasons. First, it helps you farm like no other item can. Secondly, the splash damage in teamfights is probably the most useful thing you will have. Nothing says "Bow Down" like a 1200 critical hit on 4 enemy heroes at the same time. After completing your Battle Fury, you should make a Helm of the Dominator. It will help you clear the jungle and farm the ancients without getting your health in the danger zone. Plus, the lifesteal from a critical strike is gorgeous. Black King Bar is self-explanatory; If they can't stun you, they can't stop you.

Situational items
1 Money King Bar
1 Satanic
1 Mjollnir
1 Assault Cuirass
1 Heart of Tarrasque

Explanation: By this point, what you build is up to you. As it says, those items are situational. Did you notice their carry bought an Eaglesong? Buy a Monkey King Bar and they just wasted 1800 gold while you boosted your damage and made it impossible to miss (Except for Void's Backtrack. But he can go to hell.) Completing your Helm of the Dominator into a Satanic is the most common thing to go. The extra HP is great and you get to have even more lifesteal in teamfights. Mjollnir because more damage and more attack speed, as well as spreading the lightning with the Static Charge effect you can give your allies. Assault Cuirass explains itself: it gives you attack speed and armor for more survivability. Heart of Tarrasque so you never have to go to your fountain ever again, the added HP just making you a hard target to insta-gib.

[/previewimg]Big No-nos
Daedalus
Butterfly
Mask of Madness
Eye of Skadi
Manta Style

Explanation: I shouldn't have to explain why Daedalus is a big nono. You already have your Coup de Grâce, you don't need a Daedalus. Butterfly could be seen as a great item for Phantom Assassin, but it simply isn't. Your Blur already gives you evasion and it doesn't stack with Butterfly's, so you are effectively wasting money. For extra damage and attack speed, the previously mentioned options are far better. Mask of Madness might sound tempting, but it isn't. You get good lifesteald and a great active, but it renders you too fragile as a trade off. Not worth it. Eye of Skadi is way too expensive for simply adding a slow and some extra stats, especially since you have Stiffling Dagger to slow people down. Manta style is wasted money. While the damage is nice, the active is useless because they don't crit nor do they blur, which renders the illusions useless.

SKILLS

Stiffling Dagger
Range: 1200
Duration: 1:1 2:2 3:3 4:4
Damage: 1: 50[25] 2: 100[50] 3: 150[75] 4: 200[100]
Movement Slow: 50%
Cooldown: 8 seconds
Mana cost: 1:30 2:25 3:20 4:15

Explanation: While not as great as Venomous Gale, the advantage of the Stiffling Dagger is its cheap cost and low cooldown. If you're in a trilane, it is a great way to get first blood. If you have difficulty getting last hits because you get harassed out of the creepline, it is also a great and cheap way of sniping last hits. I don't recommend using it until level 4 or 5, as the cost is a bit high for only 50 damage on a creep. Also worth noticing is that it will deal half the damage to enemy heroes. Combined with its range, it it very useful to cancel Clarity potions or Healing Salves.

Phantom Strike
Range: 1000
Duration: 3
Hits Available: 4
Bonus Attack Speed: 100
Cooldown: 1:14 2:11 3:8 4:5
Mana cost: 50

Explanation: A very useful skill for Phantom Assassin, this allows her to jump onto someone and quickly kill them. Combo this with Stiffling Dagger and you are certain to hit all of your attacks on the target. Also useful to know that you can blink onto allies, getting out of messy situations.

[Erkekliğin 10da 9u kaçmaktır]

She is not rewarding at all. There are lots of carries can do better in late game, in team fights, or in mid game. She lacks on utility role either. Fix is a must.

[i3nu]

i dunno why, but i prefer Ptread + BF + BKB + MoM.. then i will go for Basher after that.. Fed Naix is nothing to it..

[911]

u r good

[Action ZheK]

@Mr Lime: No, get a BKB. You already have enough regen from the battle fury and your BKB will be more useful than a Linkens. If you think of getting both, don't. Not enough inventory slots.

[i1]

what about the linken's sphere? it may be usefull agains a nuker in oposing team, besides it gives nice stats and mana regen

[Valkyr]

alright, makes sense.

[Action ZheK]

@Alice Shepard : Desolator is a decent pick if no one else is going to buy it. However, keep in mind that you should prioritize items with both Attack Damage and Attack Speed, to get more CdG procs.

[Action ZheK]

@| Rp | KalzCB : No, Evasion never stacks. http://www.dota2wiki.com/wiki/Evasion

[Valkyr]

what about desolator? huge bonus damage and armor reduction? worth it?

[Đậu chấm mắm tôm !]

Haha, buy all recommend if you enough money !