Where did that Shackle come from? Jungle Windrunner Guide

Windrunner is an extremely flexible Hero with a lot of supportive and solo skills. And also usable in the jungle. This guide aims for a Dire-Jungle experience with a lot of ganking opportunities, a Radiant version is in the making.

0. My Role as a Jungle Windrunner

Windrunner is known for her flexibility as a support, sololaner and even carry. In the (Dire) jungle she can farm herself a small fortune while being a greater threat to lanes due to her hidden position.

Remember: This guide is esperimental and should not used lightly and without testing. If used correctly, it will surprise the enemy and grant you additional possibilities.

In the jungle you can:

- Farm safely
- Gank lanes with her powerful Shackle Shot (especially top and mid)
- Be a mobile ward on the river entrance
- Haste to aid against enemy ganks in the middle and top
- Check on runes from a safe distance

1. Starting in the jungle

In terms of starting items, Windrunner proves to be extremely flexible on this matter. You can buy the courier, regeneration and stats in any combination. With random gold you have an even better start, with wards as additional starting items as an option. Remember: A courier is as always important for a pleasing jungling experience, but this time you can even get it yourself.

Skillwise, you will want to start with Powershot. It grants you extra nuke damage against creeps and will clear you a path for a safe jungling area.

Possible Starting Builds:

Support Jungle:
1 Courier
1 Clarity
1 Mantle of Intelligence
1 Circlet
1 Branch

Maximum Stats:
1 Null Talisman
1 Tango OR 2 Clarity OR 1 Clarity and 1 Branch

Better play safe:
1 Tango
1-2 Clarities
1 Mantle of Intelligence
1 Circlet
1-2 Branches

2. How to Jungle

After you bought your items, you want to prepare your jungle as fast as possible. The trick is clearing the trees on top of the hill close to the edge with your trusty Powershot. This way you have a hightened path that protects you from melee attackers and lets some ranged attack miss aswell. Also you can attack safely from range without running from your attackers.

Tip: This trick works with the Culling Blade aswell, but consumes starting money and takes longer to prepare.




The next step is taking care of the Small Camp. On 0:29, start channeling your Powershot from below the camp through the trees. This way you damage the creeps and have a small path where the small creeps try to get through on their devilish intention to kill you. But they get stuck and you can deal with them one by one, avoiding damage (so called choke-point jungling). Now your jungle is prepared to be farmed consistently.




From now on, you have to pay attention to the time and try to maximize your farming potential by constantly pulling both camps. Try to pull the medium camp with normal attacks on x:52 and instantly Powershooting the small camp. But beware you need to be in sight range, otherwise the creeps will ignore magic damage. Still you should be able to nuke the smaller camps down and kill the medium creeps from high up on your hill.

3. What to build, what to do...

Since you know how to farm in the jungle while avoiding damage, you have to pay attention to your personal and your team's needs. Farming all day long is not your main job here, but searching for ganking and defending opportunities!

You should start ganking as soon as you see the opportunity (and have Shackle Shoot). Latest should be after 5 minutes, you will notice when the trees grow back. Search for endangered lanes and, in case of emergency, leave the jungle permanently to aid solo lanes or against trilanes.

Items:

If you didn't start with the Null Talisman, finish it as soon as possible. The additional intelligence and damage helps you a lot. Grab a Ring of Regeneration and a Sobi Mask next, so you can regenerate between ganks and while being on your hill farming creeps.

The Ring of Regeneration should be made into a Force Staff, providing mana, regeneration, damage and extra mobility. If you team doesn't build a Mekanesm, you can go for that one instead. In the best case scenario, you have both.

The Sobi Mask proves a useful item to be made into an Oblivion Staff or an Eul's Scepter. First is used to increase your damage and to be turned into an Orchid, which provides a useful silence and even more damage. Eul's Scepter increases your survivability, mana and can be used to disable crucial enemies. Whatever you choose, you will be a pain in the arse for the enemy.

Choose Boots depending on your needs. Power Treads for extra health, Phase Boots for speed, Arcane Boots for consistent spaming of skills.

Skills:

Since you want to gank a lot, grab Shackle Shot and max it. Switch between Powershot and Windwalk, to increase your damage and escape potential, but as always, change the build to fit the current situation. Usually, you level your ultimate late, unless you want to push early on.

4. Video Guide

5. Extras

Thanks to various Youtuber for uploading jungling guides involving the hill strategy, opening the opportunity for this guide to happen.

All mentioned characters, items, locations, brands, snacks and liquors belong to Dota 2 and their respective owners.

Contribution to this guide will be credited here and is greatly appreciated!

[certified e-boy lover]

you might want to put a phase boot in your guide

[D-Hara]

well done i rekon!

[Jachymor]

Video Guide is up!

[Wrangler Randall $]

Interesting Idea and curious to see the video guide!