df01
11-07-2007, 11:16 AM
df01’s guide to the Manta SA.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOO. NOW THERE’S 3!
The Stealth Assassin has often been overlooked as a powerful carry hero in comparison to the many other choices that competitive games are running now due to his fragility and the fact that he is almost totally countered by True Sight. While regular/pubbies players often use SA, they have almost a 90% chance of choosing Sange & Yasha as their primary item which is incredibly boring, and almost never very effective to say the least. Manta Style is a highly underrated item, and seldom seen on SA. It almost makes up for his weaknesses and is rather synergistic with SA’s skill set.
If 1 SA is gay. 3 SAs is the gaylords.
Unnecessary Ramblings
A brief history of the Stealth Assassin then. The Stealth Assassin was derived from the standard game’s satyr model, and in 5.84c had an ultimate that allowed him to put a death ward similar the current Witch Doctor’s but without the channeling. In addition to having a death ward, the Stealth Assassin also had permanent invisibility, blink with a 2 second cooldown (NOT blink strike) and critical strike (x 3 at level 4). Yes, that’s 2 version 6 ultimates in a single hero with 2 skills which would help him survive and critical strike to augment his late game prowess, although most of the time, all he needs is to go into a battle invisible (HOW HARD IS THAT), place a Death Ward in trees, and run/blink away with triple kills. Hooray for SA, he’s perfectly balanced! Of course we’re talking about a version in which Sven had a homosexual relationship with Omniknight but well, that’s another story for another day.
Basic Information You’re Better Off Not Knowing
Rikimaru - The Stealth Assassin
Range: 125 | Move Speed: 300
Primary: AGI
Str: 17 + 2 | Agi: 22 + 2.9 | Int: 14 + 1.3
Damage: 46 – 50 | HP: 473 | Mana: 182
HP Regen: 0.76 | Mana Regen: 0.57
Attack Speed: 1.29 | Armor: 3
Skill Set Which You Already Know and I’m Making My Guide Longer
Blink Strike (B)
Teleports to an enemy and strikes at it, dealing bonus damage.
Level 1 - Deals 30 extra damage.
Level 2 - Deals 60 extra damage.
Level 3 - Deals 90 extra damage.
Level 4 - Deals 120 extra damage.
Mana Cost: 50
Cooldown: 30/ 20/ 10/ 5
Smoke Screen (C)
Throws a smoke bomb down in the area, silencing opponents and causing them to miss on most of their attacks. Also slows by 25% at all levels. Doesn't silence item spells.
Lasts 7 seconds.
Level 1 - 250 AoE, 50% miss.
Level 2 - 275 AoE, 60% miss.
Level 3 - 300 AoE, 70% miss.
Level 4 - 325 AoE, 80% miss.
Mana Cost: 75/ 80/ 85/ 90
Cooldown: 15
Backstab (Passive)
The Stealth Assassin isn`t afraid to fight dirty, and specializes in attacking his opponents from behind.
Level 1 - Deals .25x the Agility of the SA to the target.
Level 2 - Deals .5x the Agility of the SA to the target.
Level 3 - Deals .75x the Agility of the SA to the target.
Level 4 - Deals 1x the Agility of the SA to the target.
Mana Cost: N/A
Cooldown: N/A
Permanent Invisibility (Passive)
Hero becomes permanently invisible when not attacking.
Level 1 - 3.5 second fade time.
Level 2 - 2.5 second fade time.
Level 3 - 1.5 second fade time.
Mana Cost: N/A
Cooldown: N/A
Recommended Skill Build:
1. Backstab
2. Blink Strike
3. Blink Strike
4. Smokescreen
5. Blink Strike
6. Permanent Invisibility
7. Blink Strike
8. Backstab
9. Backstab
10. Backstab
From 11 onwards, alternate between stats and smokescreen depending on the situation (if opponent frequently masses heroes for pushes, get smoke early for a wider AoE) and get invisibility if you feel the fade time is too long although 1 level is usually enough.
Recommended Item Build:
Treads, Manta Style, Hearts, Butterfly/Burize/MKB/Basher/Any Other Damage Item.
Ok, now we’re done with the formalities, let us get on to the better stuffs. ^^ I said better, not good.
Starting Items – Ring of Regeneration + 2 Branches or 6 Tangoes (3sets) + 3 branches
Early to Mid Game
Now, run off to a lane with a partner, preferably a range/caster hero unless you want your ass handed to you by Viper who is imbalanced. You wouldn’t want to solo with SA who has a very pitiful amount of base health, and only half an escape tool in the form of blink strike. UNLESS if your first name is ToFu, and last name is Boi then pick any lane and solo your way to pwnage. Otherwise, no exceptions.
From level 1 – 6, stay safe and do last-hit farming. You wouldn’t want to push too far down the lane where you would be susceptible to backstabs since you are extremely fragile at this point. Assist your lane partner when he calls for help, otherwise FARM (use blink strike to farm if necessary, although try to use it sparingly if possible). Once you hit level 6, you are now perfectly capable of soloing the lane, and so you may ask your lanemate politely to screw off and do some good by ganking heroes in the other lanes. ^^ Similarly, just keep farming (and do the occasional harassing in lane), and use your judgement to tell when you should be moving lanes to help your allies. Remember that your PRIMARY role in any game should be to carry, and so F-A-R-M at every possible opportunity. In your first trip back to the base (possibly at level 7), get a boot+2bracers (or the new power treads if you have gold), scroll of teleport, and start farming/building your Diffusal Blade.
Explanation for choice of diffusal blade:
1) Purge is incredibly versatile, you may use it to slow an opponent hero while you deal Backstab damage to him, use it to save your teammate from chases, instant-kill Warlock’s Golem, dispel positive buffs on your opponents (e.g Godstrength, Repel, Etc) and so makes your hero team-oriented while being able to deal sufficient damage as a carry hero.
2) Relatively affordable as it is made up of small parts, although the recipe is a pain in the ass.
3) Forms Manta Style (DUH)
Mid Game
Once you’ve managed to farm your diffusal blade, the fun begins. Start hunting for heroes that have no escape mechanism, as little spells as possible and have very low hp. *cough*DRO*cough*W. You can go for spell casters if you have confidence. Shadowfiend is a decent choice, although you will probably get screwed three times over if he is a really good SF. If he has a blink dagger, anticipate the way he would blink, run towards that direction wait for him to blink, then blink strike, purge and finish him off. Anyway, for those without a blink dagger, do NOT engage by purging the opponent at first sight, instead go from behind (YOU ARE INVISIBLE) and use the element of surprise to your advantage. Drop in 2-3 hits (1 if he’s prepared), then use your smokescreen just a little in the way he is running/will run. Pound on him while he’s in the smoke, and you can purge him if you have the slightest doubt that he may escape and finish him off. Rinse and repeat. If there are no obvious choices to kill on your own, find an ally who can help you and try to finish off your purge charges while you start farming for the vitality booster.
F-A-R-M if you have nothing to kill. FARM NOW GODDAMMIT.
Once you’ve got your vitality booster you can complete the manta style, or if you have not finished using the charges on your diffusal, then start building some damage items or hearts while you use up the last few charges on the diffusal.
Explanation for Manta Style:
1) Vitality booster increases your pitiful hp.
2) Images created are invisible.
3) Images deal Feedback (mana burn) damage.
4) Relatively easy to farm, and deals better damage than S&Y
5) Excellent Backdooring item. ^^
6) Excellent for mind-games, harassment.
Late Game
Depending on your early and mid game, you should have some items by now. If you had a good early to mid game, this is the time where you will perform by racking up kills by continuously picking on the same heroes you’ve picked on earlier (you sick bastard). In team battles, confuse your opponents by activating Manta Style and switch your images and you around while cutting through them. Keep in mind that your images are invisible as well. Just don’t confuse yourself. ^^ You may also activate your images to remove most negative buffs on you (including root, frostbite, slow), use it to backdoor (and risk being labeled a n00b), speed-farm, fast-push or even use them as wards while you farm.
Worst Enemies - Anyone with a gem, wards... but wait... there's 3 SA?!
Best Allies - Anyone who doesn't ks.
Okay I’m done, I have no pictures and no replays because I’m a lazy prick. I may update as i get more feedback.
Similarly, praises only.
Ok. I jest.
Worshipping only.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOO. NOW THERE’S 3!
The Stealth Assassin has often been overlooked as a powerful carry hero in comparison to the many other choices that competitive games are running now due to his fragility and the fact that he is almost totally countered by True Sight. While regular/pubbies players often use SA, they have almost a 90% chance of choosing Sange & Yasha as their primary item which is incredibly boring, and almost never very effective to say the least. Manta Style is a highly underrated item, and seldom seen on SA. It almost makes up for his weaknesses and is rather synergistic with SA’s skill set.
If 1 SA is gay. 3 SAs is the gaylords.
Unnecessary Ramblings
A brief history of the Stealth Assassin then. The Stealth Assassin was derived from the standard game’s satyr model, and in 5.84c had an ultimate that allowed him to put a death ward similar the current Witch Doctor’s but without the channeling. In addition to having a death ward, the Stealth Assassin also had permanent invisibility, blink with a 2 second cooldown (NOT blink strike) and critical strike (x 3 at level 4). Yes, that’s 2 version 6 ultimates in a single hero with 2 skills which would help him survive and critical strike to augment his late game prowess, although most of the time, all he needs is to go into a battle invisible (HOW HARD IS THAT), place a Death Ward in trees, and run/blink away with triple kills. Hooray for SA, he’s perfectly balanced! Of course we’re talking about a version in which Sven had a homosexual relationship with Omniknight but well, that’s another story for another day.
Basic Information You’re Better Off Not Knowing
Rikimaru - The Stealth Assassin
Range: 125 | Move Speed: 300
Primary: AGI
Str: 17 + 2 | Agi: 22 + 2.9 | Int: 14 + 1.3
Damage: 46 – 50 | HP: 473 | Mana: 182
HP Regen: 0.76 | Mana Regen: 0.57
Attack Speed: 1.29 | Armor: 3
Skill Set Which You Already Know and I’m Making My Guide Longer
Blink Strike (B)
Teleports to an enemy and strikes at it, dealing bonus damage.
Level 1 - Deals 30 extra damage.
Level 2 - Deals 60 extra damage.
Level 3 - Deals 90 extra damage.
Level 4 - Deals 120 extra damage.
Mana Cost: 50
Cooldown: 30/ 20/ 10/ 5
Smoke Screen (C)
Throws a smoke bomb down in the area, silencing opponents and causing them to miss on most of their attacks. Also slows by 25% at all levels. Doesn't silence item spells.
Lasts 7 seconds.
Level 1 - 250 AoE, 50% miss.
Level 2 - 275 AoE, 60% miss.
Level 3 - 300 AoE, 70% miss.
Level 4 - 325 AoE, 80% miss.
Mana Cost: 75/ 80/ 85/ 90
Cooldown: 15
Backstab (Passive)
The Stealth Assassin isn`t afraid to fight dirty, and specializes in attacking his opponents from behind.
Level 1 - Deals .25x the Agility of the SA to the target.
Level 2 - Deals .5x the Agility of the SA to the target.
Level 3 - Deals .75x the Agility of the SA to the target.
Level 4 - Deals 1x the Agility of the SA to the target.
Mana Cost: N/A
Cooldown: N/A
Permanent Invisibility (Passive)
Hero becomes permanently invisible when not attacking.
Level 1 - 3.5 second fade time.
Level 2 - 2.5 second fade time.
Level 3 - 1.5 second fade time.
Mana Cost: N/A
Cooldown: N/A
Recommended Skill Build:
1. Backstab
2. Blink Strike
3. Blink Strike
4. Smokescreen
5. Blink Strike
6. Permanent Invisibility
7. Blink Strike
8. Backstab
9. Backstab
10. Backstab
From 11 onwards, alternate between stats and smokescreen depending on the situation (if opponent frequently masses heroes for pushes, get smoke early for a wider AoE) and get invisibility if you feel the fade time is too long although 1 level is usually enough.
Recommended Item Build:
Treads, Manta Style, Hearts, Butterfly/Burize/MKB/Basher/Any Other Damage Item.
Ok, now we’re done with the formalities, let us get on to the better stuffs. ^^ I said better, not good.
Starting Items – Ring of Regeneration + 2 Branches or 6 Tangoes (3sets) + 3 branches
Early to Mid Game
Now, run off to a lane with a partner, preferably a range/caster hero unless you want your ass handed to you by Viper who is imbalanced. You wouldn’t want to solo with SA who has a very pitiful amount of base health, and only half an escape tool in the form of blink strike. UNLESS if your first name is ToFu, and last name is Boi then pick any lane and solo your way to pwnage. Otherwise, no exceptions.
From level 1 – 6, stay safe and do last-hit farming. You wouldn’t want to push too far down the lane where you would be susceptible to backstabs since you are extremely fragile at this point. Assist your lane partner when he calls for help, otherwise FARM (use blink strike to farm if necessary, although try to use it sparingly if possible). Once you hit level 6, you are now perfectly capable of soloing the lane, and so you may ask your lanemate politely to screw off and do some good by ganking heroes in the other lanes. ^^ Similarly, just keep farming (and do the occasional harassing in lane), and use your judgement to tell when you should be moving lanes to help your allies. Remember that your PRIMARY role in any game should be to carry, and so F-A-R-M at every possible opportunity. In your first trip back to the base (possibly at level 7), get a boot+2bracers (or the new power treads if you have gold), scroll of teleport, and start farming/building your Diffusal Blade.
Explanation for choice of diffusal blade:
1) Purge is incredibly versatile, you may use it to slow an opponent hero while you deal Backstab damage to him, use it to save your teammate from chases, instant-kill Warlock’s Golem, dispel positive buffs on your opponents (e.g Godstrength, Repel, Etc) and so makes your hero team-oriented while being able to deal sufficient damage as a carry hero.
2) Relatively affordable as it is made up of small parts, although the recipe is a pain in the ass.
3) Forms Manta Style (DUH)
Mid Game
Once you’ve managed to farm your diffusal blade, the fun begins. Start hunting for heroes that have no escape mechanism, as little spells as possible and have very low hp. *cough*DRO*cough*W. You can go for spell casters if you have confidence. Shadowfiend is a decent choice, although you will probably get screwed three times over if he is a really good SF. If he has a blink dagger, anticipate the way he would blink, run towards that direction wait for him to blink, then blink strike, purge and finish him off. Anyway, for those without a blink dagger, do NOT engage by purging the opponent at first sight, instead go from behind (YOU ARE INVISIBLE) and use the element of surprise to your advantage. Drop in 2-3 hits (1 if he’s prepared), then use your smokescreen just a little in the way he is running/will run. Pound on him while he’s in the smoke, and you can purge him if you have the slightest doubt that he may escape and finish him off. Rinse and repeat. If there are no obvious choices to kill on your own, find an ally who can help you and try to finish off your purge charges while you start farming for the vitality booster.
F-A-R-M if you have nothing to kill. FARM NOW GODDAMMIT.
Once you’ve got your vitality booster you can complete the manta style, or if you have not finished using the charges on your diffusal, then start building some damage items or hearts while you use up the last few charges on the diffusal.
Explanation for Manta Style:
1) Vitality booster increases your pitiful hp.
2) Images created are invisible.
3) Images deal Feedback (mana burn) damage.
4) Relatively easy to farm, and deals better damage than S&Y
5) Excellent Backdooring item. ^^
6) Excellent for mind-games, harassment.
Late Game
Depending on your early and mid game, you should have some items by now. If you had a good early to mid game, this is the time where you will perform by racking up kills by continuously picking on the same heroes you’ve picked on earlier (you sick bastard). In team battles, confuse your opponents by activating Manta Style and switch your images and you around while cutting through them. Keep in mind that your images are invisible as well. Just don’t confuse yourself. ^^ You may also activate your images to remove most negative buffs on you (including root, frostbite, slow), use it to backdoor (and risk being labeled a n00b), speed-farm, fast-push or even use them as wards while you farm.
Worst Enemies - Anyone with a gem, wards... but wait... there's 3 SA?!
Best Allies - Anyone who doesn't ks.
Okay I’m done, I have no pictures and no replays because I’m a lazy prick. I may update as i get more feedback.
Similarly, praises only.
Ok. I jest.
Worshipping only.