What, exactly, is the Mana Battery useful for?

[_PINK]

It just seems like a waste of money to me- what situations are you supposed to take this item in?

I assume that it's a port of something from DotA, but that knowledge wouldn't really help either way.

[Drasha]

Great early game if your in lane against a hero who casts spells a lot. Not so good against heroes who are only going to cast spells when going for a kill. Play around with it in some games you will get a feel for it the other teams line up is what you should be looking at if your thinking of buying it.

[Trazgo]

It makes Armadon cry when the opponent has it.

[evotech]

haha, true, and thunder

[Mechanisms]

It's basically a means of an instant access mini-hp/mana boost that is cheaper than a bottle- it fares well as a means of benefiting off of opposing heroes that use spammy-type spells, or generally, as a means of being able to keep up with mana costs during a gank or team encounter (3v3+ where enemy spells fly left and right). It probably sees its best use with heroes whose mana pools are limited (strength heroes) that often see the fray of battle because they either initiate it, or in some way impact it with their spells.

That being said, it's pretty good on most heroes that can use bottles but are not a mid-soloer, or would use the mana ring.

[dune]

Just try it a few times and then see what you think of it. For it's price, and the fact that it can upgrade into an item which is almost a bracelet/talisman/soulscream, it's an incredibly potent regen item.

It's a port of Magic Stick (which then upgrades into Magic Wand).

[PoopyDesires]

Extremely powerful early-game item.

I start many characters off with a Power Source then a Hatchet, the instant health boost has saved my ass constantly and the instant manaboost gets so many kills I wouldn't have gotten before.

[ElementUser]

Extremely useful in team fights/skirmishes/ganks (detection range is 1600), which holds true for 99% competitive games. You'll get charges on your Mana Battery/Power Supply extremely quickly.

Power Supply makes use of some of the Minor Totems early on & basically replaces a Bracer/Soulscream Ring/Talisman of Exile, with the additional functionality of replenishing HP/Mana

[gipp2]

mind games

[Tyrando]

Extremely useful in team fights/skirmishes/ganks (detection range is 1600), which holds true for 99% competitive games. You'll get charges on your Mana Battery/Power Supply extremely quickly.

Power Supply makes use of some of the Minor Totems early on & basically replaces a Bracer/Soulscream Ring/Talisman of Exile, with the additional functionality of replenishing HP/Mana

What he said, and it has a cool Effect & Sound! :P

And yes this 1 item shits all over Armadon.

[seeban]

works against arachna's web shots too :p

[WindRaven]

Woo, we can all counter arachna now!

<3 this item, it makes everything better. Any hero that is mana strapped can benefit from it. It's also a great ganking item because enemy heroes often will cast spells in vain trying to live (like blink spells), giving you even more mana to gank them with.

[ToRpiD]

It's gotten on everyone in dota, as it'll give you like a 150 hp + 1 spell boost during larger ganks/teamfights. It's also reaaaally realllly good on blacksmith, who with a bottle, this and boots can just roam around forever.

[Pyrate]

Power supply is where its at, i pretty much get it on every hero. Even mid and late game the 225 hp and mana heal is great. I find that i use it to restore mana more than hp.

Power Supply + 3 Runes of Blight is where its at

[kingcomrade]

It's entirely about mana regen. The health boost is useful but that's not why you buy the item. It's most useful on strength heroes with small mana pools but cheap spells, and against spell spammers.

[RogerDodger]

works against arachna's web shots too :p
Yeah, and that's so easy to spam. Omnom

[tropicaza]

Also works against Devourer's Rot and Maliken changing his blade modes (90% sure on the second one).

[KSteal4Lols]

It makes Armadon cry when the opponent has it.

past that though....

plus armadon is one guy, you might end up in the other lane

doesn't seem worth the money over mana pots

maybe pick it up if you die and can't afford marchers yet.
but eh....the new items don't seem very useful to me, way to situational.

[Drasha]

Also works against Devourer's Rot and Maliken changing his blade modes (90% sure on the second one).
Confirmed gives charges if maliken swaps.
Where you a mod before i tested this?

[KSteal4Lols]

Confirmed gives charges if maliken swaps.
Where you a mod before i tested this?

oh damn, sometimes I spam sword swaps, I shall be more careful now.

[ESLFavion]

Confirmed gives charges if maliken swaps.
Where you a mod before i tested this?

He's been a mod for awhile.

[Nani`]

buy it and make arachna cry ;)
srsly, it saved my ass last game, in which i had to lane against arachna as valkyrie

[akitoes]

it just seems like a waste of money to me- what situations are you supposed to take this item in?

I assume that it's a port of something from dota, but that knowledge wouldn't really help either way.

it is useful
for
everything
just take it on every hero!!!

[Homoioteleut]

You should buy it in almost every game. There are so many moments in which you need 20 mana for the last nuke, or 50 hp to survive one ...

[evotech]

id get that and a bracer / ring, instead of two rings / bracers form now on

[Vadi]

You should buy it in almost every game. There are so many moments in which you need 20 mana for the last nuke, or 50 hp to survive one ...

Exactly. I've found it to be great for that "oh damn, he'll due in one nuke but I don't have the mana for it" types of endings.

[dune]

id get that and a bracer / ring, instead of two rings / bracers form now on

This ^.^

[dreamex]

Incredibly useful.

The 225HP burst is more valuable then a bracer and the 225MP burst is more valuable then a talisman.

In fact, even just 8/15 charges is more potent then a bracer and 5 charges is more potent then a talisman.

Charges like mad, makes you aware of spells being cast in your direction (hook, javelin), and can be vendored later to make room for other items.

Surprised it works on Webbed Shot, orb effects didn't proc it in DotA because it's a little OP.

[KARTlK]

Lane against a Maliken or Devourer. Get infinite charges because they think spamming their toggles is funny. Lol.

[ilmer]

its an amazing buy...

you have to think of it as a mid fight mana/hp giver.

if you are playing against a thunderbringer, or armadon.. someone who is constantly spamming spells atu .. u get charges

this way.. if u have a bottle too for example.. you can bust out a LOT of regen in the MIDDLE of a fight, turn around n pwn a noob ;)

i use it a LOT.. because any time u get ganked.. ur pretty mucch instantly given 5-10 charges

[TerranEarth]

Basically the way u use the battery is for 1) mana 2) to save our life. Build up charges and use it when you're about to die or need that extra 50 or 60 mana to cast your spells. It also builds up charges quickly in team fights so that extra 5 charges (15total. 15*15 = 225 btw) + those +3 all stats do make a huge difference in team fights early as support. It is also good to use it in conjuction w/ bottle for more healing power while running/escaping.

[Nedrapter]

Can make an enemy Armadon switch lanes. Try it.

[Excent]

i like it combined with a mana ring, pretty fast mana back

[Grinbomb]

I really, really love the Mana Battery/Power Supply. Early game it's cheap burst regen against spammy heroes, and even mid-late game, it gives you hp/mana return after every single teamfight.

[ft]

When you use it, does it consume 1 charge (like bottle) or all charges that are currently on it?

Consumes all charges.

[Orcheon]

At the moment, this item works on just about every spell.

Definitely a must buy.

[tropicaza]

Confirmed gives charges if maliken swaps.
Where you a mod before i tested this?

Yep. I've been a mod since there has been mods :P.

[elevator13]

This item is a must for solos. TB and Arachna are crying.

[Glorify1]

Magix stix is one of the best items in the game. +3 stats in one slot, plus burst healing and mana, what more could you want? Have it take the place of a bracer/band/null and hit it anytime you need mana or health.