Guide to Terrorblade the Soul Keeper!

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Introduction:

Hello there! I've been playing DOTA for the past 5 years and I have played so many matches Pub's and Inhouse games and I want to create a guide on my favorite hero Terrorblade. Note that this is my first guide so it is not perfect please do not flame my guide and give destructive comments rather give me some tips to help me improve my guide. also if you find any typo here or any mistakes please notify me please bear with me english is not my native language .


Contents:

• Hero Overview
• Hero Statistics
• Pros and Cons
• Skills
• Skill Build
• Item Build
• Strategies
• Replays
• Changelog

Hero Overview

In my opinion I think that Terrorblade is one of the most underestimated hero's of the game mainly because he is hard to use especially his ultimate: Sunder and he has no disable or slow and the fact that he has low HP makes him a glass canon in clashes. But in a hands of an experienced player, TB can definitely turn the tide of battle with illusions that can deal almost the same damage as the real one and even countergank heroes. In this guide I'll be teaching you how to unleash his full potential as a late game carry. So, what are we waiting for? Let's get started.

Hero Statistics:




Affiliation: Scourge
Damage: 48 - 54
Armor: 5.1
Movespeed: 300
Attack Range: 100 (melee)
Attack Animation: 0.3 / 0.6
Casting Animation: 0.5 / 0.51
Base Attack Time: 1.5
Missile Speed: Instant
Sight Range: 1800 / 800

15 + 1.9

22 + 3.2

19 + 1.75


We can see that Terrorblade has high agility gain, very low strength gain and an average intelligence gain but his low str can be compensated by his high armor which can add to his EHP. He also has average movespeed, but he has a very fast BAT.


Pros and Cons

Pros:

[+] High armor
[+] High Attack Speed/ BAT
[+] Can countergank heroes
[+] At Late game Illusion Pawns and can Push Insane


Cons:

[-] Very low Str gain
[-] Cannot lane independently
[-] Very Item Dependent
[-] Hard to use Ultimate: Sunder
[-] Very weak at Early game

When to Pick Terrorblade:

1.) You have at least one carry on your team
2.) You Like to pawn with Illusions
3.) You have patience in farming
4.) You want to own at Late game
5.) You have map awareness

When NOT to Pick Terrorblade:

1.) You want to KS (i.e Dagon)
2.) You play support
3.) You are a Noob (Kidding)
4.) You are Impatient at farming

Skills

Soul Steal

• Damage type: magical
• Not channeling.
• The link will end if the target is farther than 575 units away from Soul Keeper.
• If cast on an ally, there is a sub-ability that allows you to terminate the link.

Author's Note: Soul Steal has now recently been buffed up. This spell no longer channels and can be used while running or attacking your enemy. you should be aware of the range of the link.

Conjure Image

Creates 1 Illusion
Deal 25%/35%/45%/55% damage
Take 300% more damage
Last 30 seconds

Authors Note: Nothing much to say about this skill, it is the 2nd most strongest illusion on the game. I'll show the mechanics on illusions later.

Metamorphosis

• Terrorblade gains 20 additional movement speed when under Metamophosis.
• Metamorphosed Terrorblade regenerates 3 HP per second as oposed to normal 0.25.
• While in this state, Terrorblade will have a Base Attack Time of 1.6 seconds.

Author's Note: Very nice skill. It's give extra HP as well as being range for 60 sec. you can also use this to conjure yourself while in metamorphosis so that all your illusions can become range. but, it has a long cooldown 50 sec. at level 4.

Sunder

• Damage type: direct HP removal
• Interrupts channeling spells of the target.
• Magic immunity on the target or Terrorblade will prevent that unit from having their HP changed. The other unit will still change its hp correctly.

Author's Note: Terrorblade's Ultimate, this is a very hard skill to use because it is effective if your HP is below 40%. but if used correctly can turn the tide of battles can counter ganks. You can also use this on your allies and illusions.

Skill Build

The Jungle Build

1. Soul Steal
2. Conjure Image
3. Soul Steal
4. Metamorphosis
5. Soul Steal
6. Sunder
7. Soul Steal
8. Conjure Image
9. Conjure Image
10. Conjure Image
11. Sunder
12. Metamorphosis
13. Metamorphosis
14. Metamorphosis
15. Stats
16. Sunder
17-25. Stats

Explanation:

Since the start of 6.67b. Soul Steal has received it's buff that it needed. We are going to Max it first so that we can survive in the Lane or Jungling, and it has a very low mana cost 80 only on all levels. next at level 4 get 1 level of Metamorphosis for escape purposes, since it adds 20 MS and 3 HP regen, It can mean the difference between life and death. After leveling Soul Steal next up is Conjure Image since it will make your illusions stronger. And of course get Sunder As soon as possible.

Item Build

Starting Items: level 1-6

+ x3 + x2

Early-Mid game: level 7-11

+

Total Cost: 2905 gold.

At Early-Mid you should have at least have a Power Treads and 3 wraith bands. with stats your hp should have at least be 1k or more.

Mid-Late game: level 12-18

+ +

Total Cost: 7205 gold.

at Mid-Late game getting SnY should be your first priority since it gives Agility and Strength. Which can benefit illusions and the maim is good because you can use it while in meta form.

Late or End game: level 19-25

or

at late or end game it is kinda situational what item will you buy: if you feel like your dying alot in clashes then go for HoT, but if you think you need more damage and evasion go for Butterfly.

Total Cost: 12705 with Heart
13205 with Butterfly

Extension Items

Getting Manta on TB is great since it adds stats and can generate 2 more illusions of TB while not as powerful as conjure image it can definitely help in clashes and pushes. And on version 6.69 manta can now be used while TB is in Meta form.

Total Cost: 4900 gold.



If you've been farming the whole game and you have a shitload of money. might as well buy a skadi. it is the ultimate item on TB. with Stats and HP and MP boost as well as cold attack with this item you can ensure no one escapes you and your illusions will love this item.

Total Cost: 5950 gold.



Orb of Venom is now a good option to TB. First of all it's very cheap for a 12% slow. Illusions can benefit from the slow and You'll also need it because it is a component of EoS. you can get this Early-Mid game if you have extra cash.



Due to some Debates, I've decided to include Diffusal Blade as well. the Agility and Int stats are a welcome. even though the mana burn will only work on melee illusions (not in meta form). the purge can help you net some kills. and if there are no more charges then you can upgrade it to level 2.



Soul Ring is also included here, it gives good HP and Mana regen and you can also use Sacrifice to get more mana. don't worry about the HP loss you can always get it back by using Soul Steal. But be careful in using Soul Ring since you don't have that much max HP to support it.

Rejected Items

Please Don't get this it is a waste of money. and the old go to roshan, get your hp around 20% and sunder dagon an enemy is stupid and risky. And it doesn't even benefit TB in any way.



Other Orb effects aren't usefull on TB except for SnY, Diffusal and EoS. Desolator gives only raw damage and it isn't transfereed to illusions. as for Satanic and HotD the lifesteal is good but your illusions don't lifesteal and you have your Ultimate. Sunder which is better than Lifesteal. Mjollnir/Maelstrom is a bad choice since it doesn't give any stat bonuses and the AS and DMG from it cannot be transferred to illusions.



While getting Vanguard seems good at first, actually the Damage Reduction cannot be transferred to illusions. and it gives no stat bonuses. HoT is far superior than Vanguard.



Direct Damage Items Cannot be transferred to illusions, Illusions can only inherit damage from stats. (i.e Butterfly.). As for Buriza, Illusions can crit strike but the damage is only minimal almost as 1/4 of the original crit. Illusions cannot also Bash even though you can see the "Swirly" thing that indicates a bash it is a fake bash. Illusions cannot cleave. As for radiance it is kinda good with the immolation and everything but the 60 damage is useless on illusions.



Vladimir's Might seem good because of it's lifesteal aura and damage. but since you'll be always metamorphing the whole game the aura is useless and the damage is so little and cannot be transferred to illusions.



Don't buy lothar please. I've seen alot of noobs and Pub games buy this shit and still doing the old Windwalk + Sunder + Dagon. It is a retard item. Period.

Game Play

Early Game level: 1-6

Buy all your starting items and head on to TOP when you are in scourge and BOT lane when you are in sentinel. DO NOT SOLO. this is the worst you can have in a lane. Find a partner usually the one who can babysit you (i.e Warlock) or any support hero. Once your in your lane. wait for the neutrals so spawn and go to the weakest neutral. my suggestions are the Kobold + 2 Trolls or the Witch + 2 Fel Beasts, also the 3 Harpies and the 4 Satyrs. First conjure yourself and let the illusion go to the creeps. when the illusions in near dying take out your illusion and the real TB will attack the creeps. this way the creeps will focus on you not your illusion. Once you lose your mana buy all your items and suicide. this will make going back to the base less time consuming. To Sum up Early Game. Farm--Farm--Farm--Suicide--Farm.

Early-Mid game level: 7-11

Come Early-Mid game ganking now happens. In this stage you are still farming at neutral creeps, it is IMPORTANT that you have Map Awareness (i.e someone is missing in their lane.) there is a chance that he/she will gank you. to prevent this try sending your illusion to scout the whole neutral camp. then go back to farming. Just be patient and try not to die alot a this stage. To Sum up Early-Mid game. Farm--Survive--Farm.

Mid-Late game level: 12-18

Now once you have your SnY and Treads. you can stop farming at neutrals and you can participate in pushes and clashes. It is important that you Metamorph before going to battle since it gives a Huge advantage. being range. In this stage just push the enemies towers and still try to farm for Heart or Butterfly. Remember, STICK with your TEAMATES.

Late or End Game level: 19-25

End Game! and it's your time to Shine! at this stage you are already pawning everyone that comes in your way. Your illusions can dish and take damage at the same time. In clashes if you are Focus Fired then your HP drops below 40% use sunder and Beat the hell out of your enemies. Then coordinate with your teamates to push towers and eventually win the game.

Mini-Guide to Illusions.

Illusions can't use any active ability. Passive item abilities that illusions can use:

Evasion
Critical Strike (it should be noted that the red number is before the illusion reduction)
Feedback (only works on melee illusions)
Movespeed (flat and percentage)
Attribute bonus (Strength, agility and intelligence)
Flat HP or mana
True Sight
Radiance burn aura (the aura still will not affect units already affected by a different Radiance aura)
Endurance Aura
Quelling Blade's demolish

Passive item abilities that illusions can't use (even if the animation might show something different):

Raw damage or armor (from abilities or items)
HP or mana regeneration
Orb effects (except Feedback on melee illusions)
Cleave
Bash (it works in some rare scenarios, read more about it below), this includes the interrupt on Monkey King Bar
Damage block
Spell resistance
Backstab

Bash on Illusions

Illusions may proc the skill Bash, however they will never deal any bonus damage, also the stun they place is "fake" because despite the animation the target can still move, also if another bash hits the unit while in this "Fake bash" state it will only prolong the fake buff, this is also true the opposite way, if a real unit bashes a target and then the illusion "fake" bashes the real bash will be prolonged.

It should be noted that since the last remake of Basher illusions can no longer bash using it, however MKB Bash remained unchanged.

Allies And Rivals

Allies:

With a Disable and a AoE Slow which can help you Kill your enemies easily and Brilliance Aura can help you Spam your illusions.



Dazzle's Skills are a God Send to TB nearly all his skills can help out TB. with Poison touch to slow an enemy, Shallow grave to prevent you from dying, Shadow Wave to heal you and his ultimate: Weave can make tanks into nothing more than paper. what more can you ask for?



Omniknight is everyone's best friend. with Heal, repel and Guardian angel you can basically survive any clash.



Any Disabler and Stunners can help TB kill his opponent in a matter of seconds.

Rivals

Your no.1 Threat is Raigor. If he sees you pushing your lane with a lot of creeps then he blinks and unleashes his full combo on you. your dead before you even had a chance of using sunder.



Mortred's Critical can kill you in almost 5 hits and it's worse if she is fed and is item locked with BKB then your basically dead.



Harbringer is like the Ultimate counter to TB. all his skills can kill him very easily. Like, Arcane Orb hurts alot and it can kill your illusions in 3-4 hits. And once your HP drops below 40% he will cast Sanity's Eclipse and you will Die without a chance of using Sunder.



Silencer is not much of a threat when his alone. but in clashes he will usually stay back of the team and once he cast global silence you won't be able to use sunder or your skills. Try to gank him alone and kill him.