Strategy Guide for Viper the Netherdrake

by agkoko (as of v6.60)

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needs!

Table of Contents
• Introduction to the Guide and to the Hero with Forewords, Pros and Cons
• Stats
• Skills
• Recommended Skill Build
• Explanation for Skill Build
• Recommended Items for the Viper
• Recommended Primary Items
• Explanation for Primary Item Build
• Possible Items Afterwards
• Gameplay Walkthrough
• Allies
• Commonly encountered solo heroes
• Replays
• Questions
• Final words

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1. Introduction
Introduction to the guide

I'll make this guide somewhat "agkokoic" so that it will remain distinguished from the rest of the
viper guides in the forum. It will be distinguished and it will make you somewhat "distinguished"
in your career of DotA if you are the carry hero player of your clan.
I have very limited time for this guide so I hope the readers can forgive me for the "Refer to
Database(RtD)" parts of the guide. Now onto the guide.

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Pros
-Steroid spell
-Built in 2 in 1 planewalker plus a slow
-ranged
-the best solo hero ever, I repeat "the best"

Cons
-Low hp
-moderate ms
-lack an escape mechanism

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2. Stats
RtD please.

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3. Skills
Frenzy, hot key R

For effects, mana costs, cooldowns, RtD please. I will say here what you will not find in the
database.

This is your steroid spell and what makes your opponents run away. Remember, this is not a
booster only, it also has a drawback as it increases your attack speed at the cost of your defense.
It is not worth getting this spell as long as you don't have 150+ damage total. Therefore I would
only recommend getting this spell after you finished BKB.
Poison attack, hot key C

RtD please.

This ability is what makes the viper the best solo hero. It slows for a fairly long duration and it
can be cast from beyond your attack range. It becomes 0 cooldown at level 3 (hero lvl 5), but the
proper use of the spell will be discussed in detail in the early game section.

Corrosive skin, passive

RtD please.

This ability is a good one to get but don't get it until lvl 12 for whatever the reason. You won't
really need it even against Zeus if you play right enough and I'll show you how in my
"commonly encountered solo heroes" section.

Viper strike, hot key V

RtD please.

This ability is your ultimate and it deals high damage if you are the highest level of all heroes in
the game, which is what you should be at level 16. The extra slow also stacks with your orb walk
so spam it when it gets out of cooldown on the hero on your lane.

The extra things I have to say about the signature skill

If you are sensitive enough for small differences, I recommend doing your orb walk agkokoicly.
Here's my style of doing it.
The C-click slows for 2s and deals damage during that time, right? So C-click your enemy once
and then right click him again. The creeps' attention the right click attack drew will be answered
by another C-click (and then walk a bit before continuing with a simple click if the creeps are
still heading towards you). This alternating attack both prevents you from being attacked by the
whole creep wave while allowing you to save your mana, dealing all the damage your poison
attack does. Personally speaking I still do this modified orb walk even after my spell has become
0 CD.

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End of Skills
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4. Recommended Skill Build

1. Poison
2. Stats
3. Poison
4. Stats
5. Poison
6. Ultimate
7. Poison
8. Stats
9. Stats
10. Stats
11. Ultimate
12. Corrosive skin
13. Corrosive skin
14. Corrosive skin
15. Corrosive skin
16. Ultimate
17. Frenzy
18. Frenzy
19. Frenzy
20. Frenzy
21 to 25. Stats
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5. Explanation for Skill build

It's pretty obvious why you should max out poison attack asap. You will somehow need your
built in defence by the time you have Midas + Demon edge but you'll need hp and mana in the
early game more than defence as you are the hunter, not the prey. Frenzy is gotten when you
have a BKB at your disposal.
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6.Recommended Items for the Viper

Core Items

Items afterwards

Butterfly - 6350 gold

BoT - 2700 gold

Buriza-do Kyanon - 6200 gold

Dagger - 2150 gold

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7a. Recommended Primary Item Build

• 5x branches = 285 gold
• 1 charge of tangos = 90 gold
• glove of haste = 610 gold
• hands of midas recipe = 1400 gold
• boots of speed = 500 gold
• Demon edge = 2600 gold
• MKB recipe = 1650 gold
• quarterstaff = 1150 gold
• Ogre axe = 1000 gold
• BKB recipe = 1650 gold
 • Broadsword = 1200 gold
Core Item Build completed at about 12000 gold.

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8a.Explanation for Item Build

First of all, I have to say that InDe_eD was right about the MKB on viper. It is better than buriza
below level 16. If you can give me evidence for this, PM me. I'll fix it and give credit to you.
Here's explanation for the tangoes (similar to that in my Terrorblade guide).

QUOTE(chilln_1ce @ Feb 12 2006, 06:18 AM)

Ancient Tangos of Essification (80)

Consumable: Regens 175 HP over 25 seconds, 2 Charges.

So when to get Tangos?

1 - When your hero will not need regen later in the game, only early early game. A good example
is Alchemist. His ultimate will regen you HP later in the game ...

QUOTE(chilln_1ce @ Feb 12 2006, 06:18 AM)

Ring of Regeneration (375), Flask (100), Bottle (700)

• 2 HP/s regen.
In general, RoR seems to benefit high HP heroes the most earlygame. Think about it, if you're a
hero like say Leschrac and for some reason you deside not to boost your HP earlygame, you will
be able to lose much less HP before you become a free stun-kill. Therefore strength heroes can
lose more HP before they are vulnerable and have more time to regen, therefore regen is more
effective on them.

You would be forcibly killing your opponent so tangos are more logical than an RoR for Viper as
you would need faster regen. If you have an ally sharing his chicken, that's all right. But if not,
you need a chicken. BKB would allow you to use your steroid with more benefit than risk.

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9.Possible Items Afterwards and Explanation

Items Afterwards

Butterfly - 6350 gold

BoT - 2200 gold

Buriza-do Kyanon - 6200 gold

Dagger - 2150 gold

Explanation
Grab an eaglehorn after BKB and upgrade it to Butterfly. Although the Butterfly is not in my
core build, it is not the type of items that needn't necessarily be made.

It's the game that doesn't necessarily last that long, so for any game that doesn't end after the core
build has been completed, Butterfly and BoT are MUST. When you get Buriza, your hero
becomes pretty disgusting for anyone to fight against. The dagger is for added survival and

dominance and for better positioning, and to escape sticky situations.

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10. Gameplay walkthrough

Requirements for you to play him my way
-Excellent last hit and denying skills
-Patience
-"IF I ATTACK, IT'S EITHER ME OR YOU" type of attitude.
-High orb-walking skill

I'm gonna be brief about the game. But I'll make a list of what you have to keep in
mind(something like the premium new lone druid guide style).
Early game
Solo the mid lane. Don't pair with anyone of your team for whatever the reason. Attack your own
creeps more than you attack your enemy creeps. From this, I mean attack your creeps once they
hit 50% hp and get the deny but attack enemy creeps only to kill. Try to get 8 creep kills per
wave(no one is perfect, I just say "Try"). This is what you have to keep in mind. Don't get into
the river unless you're killing your opponent. If you really behave the way I say, you won't have
to get your wings wet.
If an enemy nuker nukes you, attack him for 4 times at least and do it without getting attacked if
possible. Take advantage of your movespeed advantage you get from slowing your opponent.
You can possibly get a kill at level 3 if someone is soloing against you. If not, don't be upset. Try
it at level 5. Things will get so, so easy once you get your ultimate. But to prevent yourself from
dying noobish deaths, control your testosterone. You'll be fine. You'll possibly get your midas
about level 8.
Tell your support hero players to put observers on the rivers, so that you don't get ganked.

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Mid Game

Nothing special here. Your mid game will depend on how well you conduct the early game.
Don't let your first tower fall if possible. The creeps won't be able to push even if the level 2
sentinel tower has fallen if you have in mind your early game behavior. If your enemy team
push, request your teammates to come and defend. If you think you're ready, call for a push. If
not, just keep farming. It'll be all right for you'd be the richest and the highest level of all the
heroes in play.

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Late Game
There's only one important thing to keep in mind. Focus on heroes only especially on disablers
(while you still have magic immunity) and carry hero. Don't use the attack-move command even
if the enemy in sight are all heroes. Activate BKB first and then Frenzy, not the other way round.

Summary of the Gameplay

• Try to harass and farm as much as you safely can.
 • Don't let your opponent get experience without getting grievously hurt if possible.
• Don't attack your enemy creeps if that attack will not kill them.
• Keep attacking your own creep once it becomes attackable without allowing your
opponent the kill.
• Don't run when you are nuked if the next nuke can't finish you. (Knowing the cooldowns
help)Attack back without getting attacked. Your slow is there for it.
• Take maximum advantage of the ramp.
• Don't get into the river unless you're killing your opponent.
• Wait patiently on the ramp if your creep wave happen to cross the river. It is the
punishment for not attacking them.
• Ask your support heroes to observe the rivers.
• Keep your tower as healthy as possible. Call your team for defence if necessary.
• If you're against two heroes, stay out of the disabling range of the disabler(s). e.g. There's
AM and CM on your lane. Harass Magina from beyond 800 range of CM.
• Activate BKB first and then Frenzy, not vice versa.
• If you really need Lifesteal, you may get satanic instead of the Dagger. It's all up to you.
• Focus on disablers and carry hero.
• Push hard alone from the lane your team is not pushing. Blink + TP will make you almost
unkillable unless you're against a five man gank.
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11. Allies
Having a mechanism that can keep almost three heroes slow (Viperstrike one, alternate your
slow on other two), the Viper is good with anyone. No key combo with anyone else.

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12. Commonly encountered solo heroes

This falls into two catagories.
Physical damage dependent solo heroes
The accuracy of last hit/deny will speak here. A good syllabear will own the lane for it's 2v1 (but
that doesn't mean "He owns the Viper". So keep him down before he reaches lvl 7; I mean before
his pet gets a built-in disable and you'll be fine).
Nukers
Stay out of nuking range. If this is not possible, wait for a chance such that you'd be able to
attack him 3-4 times if he nukes you and then attack, whether he nukes you or not. It's the art of
mind games and you have to decide whether you have to harass him or find a chance and finish
him.

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13. Replays
Currently not available. My buddy Ethan willhas provided it (them), hopefully.

Inc_vs_lod_2.w3g ( 1.38mb ) Number of downloads: 244

INc_vs__.w3g ( 733.08k ) Number of downloads: 85

15. Final words

Welcome comments! I made it. Though my build will not live up to TDA games, it
will(hopefully) improve your life with this hero to some extent.

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Thanks for reading.

Visit http://planetdota.blogspot.com for your Dota

needs!