Strategy Guide for Lesale Deathbringer the

Venomancer
by DiDiKoNG (as of v6.59)

http://planetdota.blogspot.com
For those obsessed with death, poison is a necessary study. However, Lesale went a
step too far. He experimented upon himself with various toxins and chemicals so
that he could learn the secrets of death. These twisted his mind and mutated his
body into a hideous creature which embodies an immense hatred for all things pure.
He can strike an enemy with a concentrated shot of poison or even spread a toxic
gas throughout an entire area, severely weakening beast and human alike.

You should play the Pushing Venomancer only if :

You don't care about the score board

You like to get lots of creep/tower kills
You don't care to buy wards
You love to be annoying and then escaping
You random him but you just don't like to play him as a fighter or a caster

Strength : 18 + 1.85
Agility : 22 + 2.6
Intelligence : 15 + 1.75

At level 1

HP : 492
MP : 195
MS : 290
Armor : 3.1
Damage : 46-48

SKILLSET
 Shadow Strike
Hurls a poisoned dagger which deals large initial damage, and then deals damage
over time. The poisoned unit has its movement speed slowed for a short duration.

Level 1 - 50 strike damage, 10 duration damage.

Level 2 - 70 strike damage, 20 duration damage.
Level 3 - 70 strike damage, 40 duration damage.
Level 4 - 100 strike damage, 50 duration damage.

Cooldown: 22 seconds.

Level 1: 90 mana, 22 sec cooldown.

Level 2: 105 mana, 22 sec cooldown.
Level 3: 120 mana, 22 sec cooldown.
Level 4: 135 mana, 22 sec cooldown.

This skill slows and deals damage overtime. It also makes enemies deniable (Not
quite sure, if anybody could confirm). The way the Pushing Venomancer is played, it
will only be used for its slow.

Poison Sting
Adds poison damage to this hero's normal attacks, slowing movement speed by
10%.
Lasts 7 seconds.

Level 1 - Deals 5 damage per second.

Level 2 - Deals 10 damage per second.
Level 3 - Deals 15 damage per second.
Level 4 - Deals 20 damage per second.

Buff placers do not stack

Passive
This skills slows and deal damage over time. This skill will be used to scare enemies
and allow venomancer to reach enemies, as he is slow as hell (290).

Plague Ward
Summons an immobile serpentine ward. The ward is immune to magic.
Lasts 40 seconds.

Level 1 - 75 hit points, 11 max damage.

Level 2 - 200 hit points, 21 max damage.
Level 3 - 325 hit points, 32 max damage.
Level 4 - 450 hit points, 42 max damage.

Cooldown: 5 seconds.

Level 1: 20 mana, 5 sec cooldown.

Level 2: 20 mana, 5 sec cooldown.
Level 3: 20 mana, 5 sec cooldown.
Level 4: 20 mana, 5 sec cooldown.

This is the skill that some people think sucks, but it's just the best skill on him in my
opinion. It's like a tower that you can place anywhere. It sucks against heroes later
on, but you are not Fighting Venomancer, but Pushing Venomancer.

Poison Nova
Creates a ring of noxious poison that damages enemy units over a 12 second
period.

Level 1 - 36 damage per second.

Level 2 - 58 damage per second.
Level 3 - 81 damage per second.
 Cooldown: 140/120/100 seconds.

Level 1: 200 mana, 140 sec cooldown.

Level 2: 300 mana, 120 sec cooldown.
Level 3: 400 mana, 100 sec cooldown.

This skill is really nice to weaken and scare your opponent. It weakens your
opponent, and they will get scared by your wards. This spell is really important for
venomancer.

SKILLBUILD
Level 1 - Poison Sting
Level 2 - Plague Ward
Level 3 - Plague Ward
Level 4 - Stats
Level 5 - Plague Ward
Level 6 - Shadow Strike
Level 7 - Plague Ward
Level 8 - Poison Nova
Level 9 - Poison Sting
Level 10 - Poison Sting
Level 11 - Poison Nova/Poison Sting
Level 12 - Poison Sting/Poison Nova
Level 13 - Shadow Strike
Level 14 - Shadow Strike
Level 15 - Shadow Strike
Level 16 - Poison Nova
Level 17-25 - Stats

You are playing the Pushing Venomancer. Your goal is to scare the enemy as much
as possible, and during the time you got the advantage, you take down towers.
That's all you do all game.

Poison Sting is used level 1 to have the enemy thinking you are playing him
agressively with shadow strike and everything. Then, Plague Ward is maxed out.

You don't take shadow strike level 4 as you can't afford it's mana cost.

You don't get the ultimate at level 6, but shadow strike, as you can only afford it.

You get ultimate at level 8, since you should have finished perseverence by there.
You should be able to afford it at important moments.
Then, you max out Poison Sting over Shadow Strike. Poison Sting costs no mana, so
you will be using it more oftenly.

At level 11, it depends on your play style and how your doing. It depends if you can
afford the mana for the level 2, and if you are using it a lot. I normally don't get it
level 11, but level 12. I prefer to max out poison sting, but it's your choice. Anyway,
it's not as if you were completly retarding it.

Then, shadow strike is maxed out. The goal is to kill the opponent, or at least scare
him. You weaken him as much as possible and you go away. It should either kill him
or really weaken him. If hes weakened, he will be asking for help.

PLAYING WITH THE PLAGUE WARDS

I want you to realize their power. If this part still doesn't convince you, look at the
replay. Only shadow strike and poison nova can do the job, but Plague Ward simply
finish them. They got multiple utility, and you'll need to use them all in a serious
game.

DEFENDING WITH THE PLAGUE WARDS

All you do is setting plague wards right in front of tower. This way, they will tank all
the damage for your tower. That's all you got to know about that. Also, it deals more
damage.

PUSHING WITH THE PLAGUE WARDS

All you do is placing one ward in aoe of tower. This way, by the time the ward get
kiled, the cooldown is gone. So on, you can tank the tower indefinetly.

Here, you notice that Panda is trying to be agressive to make me back so he can
deny tower freely. He made a huge mistake. All I do is shadow strike and with my
wards, he simply can't compete.

FINISHING WITH THE PLAGUE WARDS

A really simple technic. The only way you need it is when the enemy is out of range,
and shadow strike is in CD. Exemple :

Here, you notice I already casted Shadow Strike and it is almost finished, having the
slow almost nullified. Solution : I summon a plague ward right on him.

Here, you notice I just summoned my plague ward, and got first blood for it.

Here, you see that he had to back, and since there was nobody, I was free to get the
tower kill.

LANING/TEAM PUSHING WITH THE PLAGUE WARDS

You can place them right out of range of towers. This way, you got a free tower and
when your ally is fleeing, he have a free way.

If were talking about laning, you get all creep kills, but don't push too far. Also,
nobody can get near or he will get owned.
 Here, you can see how you should place your wall of wards. I am getting infinite
gold, and the enemy can do shit.

You can see there that Obsidian Destroyer was bored of getting owned, and he
came close. Big mistake, Sand King simple impales him.

Here, notice how fast he died. Simply by trying to get 1 hit on us, he gave me a kill.

Along with a disabler, you notice that Plague Ward are way too powerful

ROSHING WITH THE PLAGUE WARDS

IT IS HIGHLY DISCOURAGED TO SOLO ROSH WITH PLAGUE WARDS. Wards are good
to rosh as they can tank all the damage. However, you can't rosh fast enough to
solo it. Ask for a great dpser to help you.

Item Build
 Note that the Pushing Venomancer should always solo mid or dual line short lane
(Top - Scourge/Bot Sentinel)

There are 2 starting build

Starting build #1 : Soloing mid

1 courier, 2 clarities, 1 set of tango and 1 ring of protection. The courier is to send
you your items, and the ring if is for a further item.

Starting build #2 : Dual long lane

Tower need to be taken down rapidly to be effective.

This build is still effective, but you don't have clarities. However, you are still able to
establish lane control. If you are not sure about yourself, even if you go in the long
lane, still take the build from solo mid.

That's what you should be aiming for, and in this order. Ring of Basilius is to spam
wards easier and it pushes creeps. Perseverence is to remove from you the need of
tangoes and clarities. Boots of speed are simply a must. Null Talisman is to be able
to spam all your skills. You will now be able to push, but not too safely. Make sure
you always keep a tp scroll in your inventory. They are crucial to your survivability.
135 is really cheap for the money youll make by pushing.
To be able to push far, you will take lothar before boot of travel along with observer
wards. If ever they got either a gem or wards, always have a tp scroll on yourself.
It's better to force them to get sentry wards then rushing for BoT. With my
experience, I know that lothar > BoT to escape. However, together they do a great
combo. Juke the enemy, and teleport to a safe place.

That's the perfect build you can hope for. Radiance is too push faster and for people
to attack you during a fight. Necronomicon is for its summons. Linken's Sphere is to
block at least one disable. Lothar and boot of travel are for escaping after a solo
push. Aghanim Scepter makes your ultimate much more spammable. It now only
have 60 seconds cooldown. Also, it gives a good boost.

But, WTF!?!? No observer wards!!! Before starting to make Aghanim, note that you
absolutly need a flying courier with the mana upgrade. It will lay the wards for you.

ALTERNATIVE ITEMS

It provides nice auras. You are being support, so it is always great.

A good sheepstick is good on you, even though you aren't an intel hero.
It can save your allies life. You are slowing your enemy. Although, if you want one of
those, 1 of them proccess all the time, the other provides a good ms bonus while be
easier to get. It's your choice.

This item provides you : Faster pushing, evasion and armor. It can be excellent.

NOT RECOMMENDED

If you want a dps item, go for butterfly. You should never fight anyway. Only 1 dps
item is enough (butterfly). Also, critical strike/mini-stun doesn't work on tower.

OBSERVER WARDS
They are really important. They can easily save your life, and maybe win a game.

As I only got pictures of me playing sentinel, these are the spots you put the
observer wards. They give you 2 of the escape ways + a creep spot. It can be useful
for ganking, or Shadow Strike + Poison Nova strike.
There, you see that I see Terrorblade jungling. I also see an invisibility rune, which is
perfect. A haste rune could of done the job too.

You can see I simply cast my combo, and Terrorblade dies along with its ally who
wanted to help. However, you can anticipate that Luna is about to get killed by

invoker

GAMEPLAY
Early Game (Solo Mid) - Level 1-7

You gotta establish lane control by level 3, where your wards have a minimum of hp.
You place them right on top of the hill, and you should never go down, because you
will give the opponent the hill advantage. Trick is to place wards right out of area of
tower. So on, there are no more tower advantage, and tower hp keeps going down.
Your wards shouldn't always be the solution. The enemy should be scared to final
hit. You should always hit him once when he tries. He will get a free 35 damage +
your damage. A little trick I've learned, is to make a wall of wards with only 1 hole.
Always fill the other hole so there is always one, or the trick is lost. You will not be
able to completly block, but you will make him take a huge detour. Whenever an
enemy tries to charge on you, focus all your wards on him, he will want to back. You
only have to block the way and you got a free kill.

Early Game (Dual Lane Top) - Level 1-7

You gotta establish lane control by level 3, where your wards have a minimum of hp.
You place them right out of area of tower, so you completly negate the tower
advantage. Tower must go down really rapidly, as you must finish your
perseverence. Also, take care of ganks. Always set a ward by the shop way to see if
enemies are coming. If enemies come from the back, go by the shop, if they come
 by the shop, you go back to river. If they seperated both ways, you should be able
to own the one who went 1 way. If they are all coming for you... too bad for you, but

your allies farm well alone... and blame your teammates No mia call. Well, don't
blame them, but you can say that it's their fault.

Mid-Late Game - Level 8-15

You must go in everylane and take down every 1st tower of each lane. After, you
should have enough for a boot of travel and observer wards. However, by the time
you don't have boots of travel, Boots and TP scrolls will do the job. That's where
you'll start warding top or bottom lane, and solo push. Ask your teammates not to
come with you, as they will maybe die if they got no tp. If you see only 1 guy
defending and you are pretty much sure they is nobody else, you can harass with
poison sting. Auto-attacking the enemy isn't always the solution, as you lose the
advantage of the DoT. However, if the enemy refuses to attack back, keep
attacking.

Late Game - Level 16-25

You've gotten the advantage to your team by pushing. You gotta tell your team to
push, and make sure you got control of 2 lanes. This way, here how it goes. When a
team battle starts, you cast poison nova + shadow strike, and you wind walk to
another lane to destroy the tower. Tell your team to play safe and win as much time
as they can. You will surely hit a tower this way.

GOOD ALLIES
We'll skip all disablers, as they are always good allies.

They both have a nice aura, and a disable.

 He can take down towers pretty rapidly, so you won't have problem about that.
Also, with him, you are pretty sure no towers will get denied. Everybody will want to
kill you, so statis trap/remotes will be welcome.

They all got a nice finishing skill. They synergize well with poison nova, as they will
be able to finish them better than shadow strike. Also, they all have a good pushing
spell.

It's hardly noticeble, but with this ally, you are completly able to skip null talisman.
How amazing can that be?!? A LOT!

Have them going into your wards What's so much better? A nice disable come
with the combo!

Ignis Fatuus will be able to push another lane. They won't be able to defend all lanes
at a time... with you on 1, Ignis on 2nd and allies on 3rd?

BAD ENEMIES
 Any invisible enemies will screw you up. You just can't see them coming. There is
just no other counters to you, except a good team that can own your base... you
just can teleport away if you see someone coming.

Guide to Warding

I highly suggest you go look at this guide. It gives nice tips to where setting wards,
and why.

REPLAY

Venomancer.w3g ( 277.69k ) Number of downloads: 68

Ok. In this game, I got first blood from a noob (left right after it). Then, it was turn to
our SA to leave. After this, we owned the game tower by tower. They got their 1st
tower kill at 37 minutes... they then FF. However, in this replay, you see how The
Pushing Venomancer can win games.

In the enemy team, the scary one was the Doom Bringer. Simply because he can
doom me and disable my escape mechanism. However, with the help of wards and
them having no sentries, I could escape easily with lothar. Otherwise, they were
pretty good meat.

On my team, our Clinkz was owning along with me. I was using shadow strike/poison
nova. Anybody was either dying to clinkz, or surviving but then dying to my shadow
strike. Also, notice how people back when I do my combo. It is a sure tower kill then.

LastReplay.w3g ( 772k ) Number of downloads: 14

That was another game. It was still a pub, not even close to an excellent game, but
it could of been great. I was on Beyond Godlike, then Luna went Beyond Godlike,
and then she left, and Balanar (enemy) went Beyond Godlike, and the game ended.

Don't bother about my flaming about luna I just flame about people who flame
 people for nothing.

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