Flint Beastwood

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THIS DRAFT HAS BEEN MOVED TO THE GUIDES (http://forums.heroesofnewerth.com/forumdisplay.php?f=53) FORUM FOR PEER REVIEW

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by bracken

Version 0.9

Per Version 2.0.10, 5x5 Forests of Cavaldar
Revised 02/07/2011




#000 Table of Contents

This guide is broken down into a few easy-to-read sections:


#001 Starting Stats Breakdown
#002 Ability Breakdown
#003 Suggested Skill Build
#004 Recommended Items
#005 Complimentary Heroes
#006 Worst Enemies
#007 Strategy & Synergy
#008 Notes & Updates

#001 Starting Stats Breakdown

Despite being an Agility hero, Flint is not as tough as his face looks. Initially, FB is not a well-armored opponent, though his increasing agility does boost physical resistance some. Combined with a slower starting run speed and relatively low Strength stat (which does not increase much per-level), Flint does well by keeping his foes at a distance. Here is a breakdown of the basic starting stats:

Faction & Primary Stat

Legion Agility


Attack Type

Damage Type: Physical, Ranged
Base Damage: 36-42
^^ Flint has a lower starting damage which can make last-hits difficult early in the match. This can be overcome with agility and damage item purchases. Flint's strong per-level Agility stat increase and Hollowpoint Shells also contribute.
Base Attacks/sec: 0.71
^^ Flint's attack/sec tarts slower but will become one of Flint's defining traits through level-up and agility-boosting item increases.


Base Stats/Per-level Gain

16 / +1.7 Strength
-- With a lower per-level gain, Flint is a softer (not softest) target throughout the match.
21 / +2.9 Agility
++ A excellent per-level gain without items yields more Physical Armor and more frequent Regular attacks.
15 / +2.6 Intelligence
++ A substantial per-level gain allows for multiple Explosive Flares and/or Money Shots as the game progresses.


Armor

2
11% Physical Damage Reduction
^^ This will grow with added agility, though Flint remains a softer target throughout the match.


Magic Armor

5.5
25% Magic Damage Reduction
^^ Only buy items for this resistance if your enemies are heavy on Magic Damage.


Base Health & Mana

Health: 454
-- Flint enters the battlefield a soft target.
Mana: 195


Return to #000 Table of Contents
#002 Ability Breakdown

Flint Beastwood comes with two usable abilities: the AoE Magic DoT w/ direct damage that slows movement, Explosive Flare, and a single-target skill-shot which deals massive Magic Damage. Beastwood also garners two passive skills that increase his auto-attack range and add a passive chance to mini-stun with bonus damage. Here is a breakdown of what you need to know about Flint's skills:


http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/heroes/163/ability1_128.jpg
Explosive Flare

Damage Type: Initial Magic Damage, then AoE DoT Magic Damage
Cast Range: 800 Units
Cast Time: 0.8 Seconds
Mana Cost: 120
Damage Radius: 300 Units
Cooldown: 14.0 Seconds

On Activation:
Flint fires a flare at the target location instantly dealing 25/50/75/100 Magic damage to units and buildings and then dealing 75/150/225/300 Magic damage over 2 seconds. The flare gives vision over the area for 4 seconds and applies Flared to all units in the area.

Flared Effects:
14%/20%/26%/32% Movement SlowExample:

http://i53.tinypic.com/5ofeo1.jpg (http://i53.tinypic.com/21jy52u.jpg)

Notes:
This is Flint's bread and butter. Explosive Flare is what gives Flint a chance to escape from danger, to save allies giving chase and to initiate ganks. A slowed target allows Flint more time to dish out damage with his auto attacks. Used correctly, the DoT and numerous auto-attacks can leave all but the strongest opponents healthy enough to survive Beastwood's Money Shot. Applying skill points to this early are a must for almost every match.


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Hollowpoint Shells

Damage Type: Single-target Physical (unchanged), Regular attacks

On Attack:
Adds 25%/30%/35%/40% chance that auto-attack shots will explode on contact dealing 20/30/40/50 bonus Physical damage and stunning the target for 0.05/0.1/0.2/0.2 seconds.Example:

http://i56.tinypic.com/bea1on.jpg (http://i54.tinypic.com/2epovpw.jpg)

Notes:
This ability is amazing for added damage and does not count as an attack modifier. Because the chance to proc is low to begin and because Flint doesn't start attacking fast enough for the procs to make a drastic difference, Hollowpoint Shells become more useful as you buff Flint's agility. The mini-stun become a great way to interrupt channeled abilities such as Tempests Elemental Void or Electricians Static Grip. The bonus damage helps with last-hitting creeps and 'seasoning' enemy heroes for the kill. One point into this early won't hurt, though focus on other abilities before banking on this bonus is often more useful.


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Dead Eye

Damage Type: Single-target Physical (unchanged), Regular attacks

Passive Effect:
Increases Regular attack range by 60/120/180/240 units.

Levels 3 and 4 place Flint outside the reach of towers.Example:

http://i52.tinypic.com/11t5w8m.jpg (http://i52.tinypic.com/10pvx1i.jpg)

Notes:
Dead Eye should be one of the first two abilities a good Flint trains. Without [I]Dead Eye, Flint's starting attack range is 570 units which actually puts him within reach of many other powerful ranged heroes. Dead Eye is especially helpful early in the match because it allows Flint to safely and effectively harass enemies in his lane, which is great for supporting a melee lane partner. It also helps by putting Flint in safer positions for focusing on last-hits and denies, and makes attacking towers less risky.


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Money Shot

Damage Type: Single-target Superior Magic
Cast Range: 1,500/2,000/2,500 Units
Channeling Cast Time: 1.7 Seconds
Damage: 355/505/655
Mana Cost: 175/275/375
Cooldown: 20/15/10 Seconds

On Activation:
Upon selecting an in-range target, Beastwood takes a moment to line up his shot and then fires a devastating round that always hits its target. Aiming the shot is channeled and can be interrupted by stuns, however the ability is not used (placed into cool-down) until the shot is fired. A 0.2 second mini-stun is applied to the target when hit. Adds 1800 day vision and 800 night vision to the target while active.Example:

http://i54.tinypic.com/rbbfas.jpg (http://i52.tinypic.com/nzizjc.jpg)

Notes:
Money Shot is a powerful ultimate not only because of its damage; Flint Beastwood can soften up squishy targets before the fight even starts and excels at finishing off fleeing foes because of its powerful range. The low cool-down for the ability also means that Beastwood can fire off a second Money Shot in longer confrontations so long as his Mana pool is not expended. While Flint's Mana pool grows significantly faster than does his health, the Mana cost for the ability scales which makes it more difficult to use repeatedly. Because this ability has to be channeled before firing, Mr. Beastwood is vulnerable while he takes aim. Make sure you are safely away from your target before firing or wait until your opponents have used their stuns to ensure a completed shot in CQB situations.

Return to #000 Table of Contents
#003 Suggested Skill Build


Basic Build:

Level 1 - Dead Eye
Level 2 - Explosive Flare
Level 3 - Dead Eye
Level 4 - Explosive Flare
Level 5 - Explosive Flare
Level 6 - Money Shot (Ultimate)
Level 7 - Dead Eye or Explosive Flare
Level 8 - Explosive Flare or Dead Eye
Level 9 - Hollowpoint Shells
Level 10 - Hollowpoint Shells
Level 11 - Money Shot (Ultimate)
Level 12 - Dead Eye
Level 13 - Hollowpoint Shells
Level 14 - Hollowpoint Shells
Level 15 - Stats
Level 16 - Money Shot (Ultimate)
Level 17-25 - Stats


Alternate Build

Level 1 - Explosive Flare
Level 2 - Dead Eye
Level 3 - Explosive Flare
Level 4 - Dead Eye
Level 5 - Hollowpoint Shells
Level 6 - Money Shot (Ultimate0
Level 7 - Hollowpoint Shells
Level 8 - Explosive Flare
Level 9 - Dead Eye
Level 10 - Explosive Flare
Level 11 - Money Shot (Ultimate)
Level 12 - Dead Eye
Level 13 - Hollowpoint Shells
Level 14 - Hollowpoint Shells
Level 15 - Stats
Level 16 - Money Shot (Ultimate)
Level 17-25 - Stats


Suffice it to say that there is more than one way to build any hero, the following will: Outline a general build order that will help noobs familiarize themselves with the hero and mechanics, keep the player involved at the very least as a supportive team player and ensure that whomever plays Flint has an understanding of how s/he contributions early, mid and late game. Regardless of weather Flint is taking the middle lane solo or partnering up, each of the above builds should prove effective in playing a strong Flint.

On Explosive Flare:
Explosive Flare is easily the most important pre-ultimate (before level 6) ability to have in any match as the AoE DoT and movement slow will provide light CC to assist teammates in ganks and allow for escapes in some instances. Once it reaches Rank 3 it becomes especially useful for farming creeps and some neutrals as well. It should also be noted that Flare does damage to buildings, making it an ideal way for players to get the last hit on towers for a added gold bonus. Also, Flare does Magic Damage so avoid using it as a damage tool against certain heroes (Devourer comes to mind) and instead use it to slow targets, DoT groups of enemies and as an escape mechanism for you and teammates.

On Dead Eye:
Dead Eye being the other important early game skill, it allows Flint to easily and safely harass most enemies and to some extent farm creeps. Rank 3 and 4 place Flint outside of the attack range of towers which is great for chipping away HP while a tower is busy targeting something else. It should be noted that Flint does not see as far as he can shoot with this ability at Rank 3 and 4. This means if you do not have creeps, teammates or wards attacking/revealing a tower, Beastwood must close to visual range in order to fire which coincidentally puts him inside of tower range. This ability does not make changes to the Damage Type for Flint's attacks.

On Hollowpoint Shells:
Hollowpoint Shells can be thrown into the leveling mix as you see fit but generally speaking are not useful early on in a match as the chance to proc is low and because Flint is still attacking at a relatively slow rate. Mid to late game is when Hollowpoint Shells really shine as Flint should have items (along with level up increases) that boost his agility and thus his attack speed. The mini-stun is perfect for interrupting channeled spells such as Tempest's Elemental Void, Electrician's Static Grip, Pollywog Priest's Tongue Tied, Devourer's Devour and even stops a hero trying to escape with a Homecoming Stone. The bonus physical damage will make last-hitting creeps easier too. The bonus damage is of type Physical; armor-deficient heroes will feel a kick when these hit.

On Money Shot:
Last of Flint's abilities is the one that garners him the most fame: Money Shot. The range on this ability, which starts at 1500 units, allows for a big direct-damage shot against heroes while they are unable to see you, let alone hit you. Money Shot should be picked up as soon as possible at each rank (so levels 6, 11 and 16). The short cool down on this ability (20/15/10 seconds) allow Money Shot to be used to frighten off tough opponents in your lane (allowing you or a teammate to get some farming done). Additionally, this ability is a great way to soften up targets before (or at the same time as) a teammate closes to initiate a team confrontation. It is also an excellent way for you to pick off targets trying to escape their doom, allowing for the rest of the team to continue focusing more important enemies that are still healthy and in the fight.

Something this great is not without drawbacks; before Flint can fire, he must take aim which takes almost two seconds and can be interrupted. Additionally, Flint has a small Mana pool and while his per-level gains help this, the Mana cost on this ability can leave you without enough Mana to fire again if you have already used Explosive Flare recently. That said, it is not advisable to try and build Flint's Mana pool when buying items, as his per-level gains and items in the Recommended Items section of this guide can bolster this. While one could replace a Soulscream Ring for a Talisman of Exile with the understanding you are trading attack speed and armor for Mana. Thankfully this ability does not use Mana/get placed into cool-down until the shot has been fired so even an interrupted attempt can be re-attempted if your teammates are able to keep you safe.

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#004 Recommended Items

The Goals:
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Flint Beastwood excels at dealing damage from afar so it follows that the items one purchases for him reflect this role on a team. Each of the above items, which are arranged in the suggested build order, will boost base stats and provide some very useful on-hit abilities which will maximize his effectiveness. Remember: Flint Beastwood's real power comes from his frequent and repeated ranged auto-attacks; only a portion of what he does to opponents is from Explosive Flare and Money Shot.

Match Start to Mid-game
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In general it is a good idea to start the match with the two stat-boosting components of the Soulscream Ring: Duck Boots at 150 gold and Pretender's Crown at 185 gold) with one set of Runes of the Blight at 90 gold, one Health Potion at 100 gold and one Mana Potion at 50 gold (for a total of 575 gold spent out of 603 starting gold). This will give you some extra padding, slightly boost attack speed and help keep you healthy for the start of the match.

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The Soulscream Ring is good first item to finish as it is cheap. When paired with Steamboots in Agility mode, Flint's attack speed is greatly increased and he again gains some extra stat points which make him healthier hero. Be sure to purchase the Marchers at 500 gold from one of the outposts (or your shop) before you buy the recipe for the Soulscream Ring as that move speed comes in handy. In general and depending on how well your match is going these items should be completed on or around level six to be off to a strong start.

Mid-game to Late-game
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Next, Flint will benefit from an attack modifier and more damage. Items that fit this description include the Firebrand/Icebrand combination of Frostburn and Riftshards. Each of these items is relatively expensive: 2200 gold for each component of Frostburn and 2650 gold to complete Rank 1 of Riftshards with an additional 2850 gold to max its capabilities. They will require strong farming and/or good team ganks to fund. It is helpful to start with the Firebrand component of the Frostburn which will again provide a significant boost to Agility, attack speed and even a small boost to run speed. After Firebrand, it is advisable to finish the Icebrand for the health buff, added damage and the slow-on-hit effect it provides. Riftshards can be completed before the Icebrand, and should eventually be powered up to Rank 4 (must buy the recipe 3 more times). In a support role, maxing out this item should come after completing the Frostburn as the slow effect adds to your CC against enemy heroes.

Alternatively, the Geometer's Bane can be completed before getting a Frostburn and Riftshards, though players should evaluate the necessity of the gimmick it provides. Geometer's Bane does provide a noteworthy stat boost via the Blessed Orb component meaning a completed bonus that is comparable to the Frostburn, however it lacks the slowing attack modifier that helps mitigate targets. While having two extra Flint's on the battlefield to absorb and deal damage is useful, the gimmick is countered by attentive players who spot the fakes and continue to wear you down. Once again, Geometer's Bane does not add the slowing attack modifer which can be very useful for added CC, though more experienced players can make good use of it. It should also be noted that you can disassemble the Frostburn to make a Geometer's Bane and a Frostwolf's Skull for your end-game.

Late-game to End-game
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Last we have the late-game items which continue to boost the damage output and rate of Flint's now fast and far-reaching auto-attacks. Thunderclaw is the primary component for a Charged Hammer and adds the chance to proc Chain Lightning to every auto-attack. When this is combined with Hollowpoint Shells and Riftshards, Flint begins to deal massive damage to those at the end of his barrel. When the Warpcleft and recipe are added, the Charged Hammer becomes a great defensive tool. Simply apply the Charged Up effect to you or a teammate and every incoming attack to the hero with the buff has a chance to proc additional lightning damage to the attacker and any nearby enemies. Moreover, the bonus attack speed provided by the Warpcleft component should allow Flint to fire twice a second, if not faster! Thunderclaw/Charged Hammer is a great way to add additional damage which also helps Flint quickly rip through waves of creeps and neutrals for fast farming or work down other off-target heroes while focusing down a primary.

Likewise, the Wingbow is a great late-game item for Flint. The enormous Agility boost provided by the Dancing Blade again yields faster attacks, more armor and when combined with the added Evasion allow for Flint to continue dishing out big damage, fast. Arguably this item could be built before the Thunderclaw/Charged hammer though Flint loses out on Chain Lightning and Charged Up. Additionally, the Frostwolf's Skull adds a more powerful on-hit slow affect, Freeze, which can make a big difference in late-game CC.

Other Options
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Though it is not pictured above in this guide as a goal, the Assassins Shroud, especially in combination with Nullfire Blade, can be a useful mid-game item for Flint in a more gank-oriented role. Assassins Shroud will boost damage and attack speed, which is desirable. The Invisible on-use ability is great for escaping a gank (if you are not stun-locked to death) or even for setting one up. Also, because Invisible can be countered by good warding, towers and even a Bound Eye, this item is not recommended for beginner builds as the successful use of Invisible is more of an advanced skill on any hero. Nullfire Blade makes for a great extra-ability giving the ganking Beastwood more time to finish off an ambushed target. While it may not always make the difference, the added Mana Combustion means less chance of a counter-gank or escape. Don't forget: Mana Combustion is an attack modifier so you can not stack it with the abilities of a Frostburn or a Frostwolf's Skull.

Similarly, the Power Supply and Bottle are recommended items for Flint, depending on the opponents and the player. Because the Power Supply only becomes useful when it is full charges, purchasing this in a lane where your opponents rarely use spells (or have only one spell to use) leaves you empty handed on a quick recharge. Likewise, the Bottle can be a great way to replenish health and mana for more frequent use of Explosive Flare in the early part of the match. Likewise, Bottle becomes even more useful when a player is able to time and bottle runes or when a Monkey Courier is used to refill the bottle. Again, because these actions are for more advanced players, they are not included as recommended items in this guide.

Role, Ability & Item Builds
Flint Beastwood fits more of a support role than he does a carry or a gank; not for this reason alone, Flint is a reasonable candidate for buying Wards of Sight during matches. In the same vein, Flint will find it especially useful to instead place Wards of Revelation when an opponent has Invisible, either by nature or due to an items ability. Warding can be a bit of a controversial topic on some teams so I offer up the following: Flint Beastwood can become a powerful farmer when his attack speed, range and bonus damage form a synergy. This makes it easier for a hero like Flint to afford the occasional Ward to assist in farming neutral creeps, rune spotting and enemy awareness. This is not to say that Flint should be solely responsible for this task. Also, don't forget: auto-attacking creeps can be bad. Over-pushing a lane makes everything hard for your lane so stay mobile and make every attack count.

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#005 Complimentary Heroes


Teams featuring heroes that offer a combination of Tank and CC abilities that compliment one another are the teams that win. For this reason, many different heroes form the synergy necessary to win as a team with Flint. On that note, I offer up a few suggestions of heroes that can work well with Mr. Beastwood:

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The aforementioned heroes represent one hero, in each class type (Intelligence, Strength, and Agility), from each of the respective factions, Legion and Hellbourne. These are examples of heroes that have potential to create opportunity for Flint to excel as a Support and even a Carry.

The Intelligence Teammates
Witch Slayer is an ideal partner for Flint first and foremost because he casts a stun, Graveyard, which allows Flint to close to the target and auto-attack. When the stun wears off, Flint can pop Explosive Flare to damage and slow. Witch Slayer also can help Flint work on a target with Miniaturization, a spell that disables a target. Not to mention Silver Bullet, a quick-cast Magic Damage nuke. Together they command a large amount of quickly-dealt Magic Damage, allowing them to make fast work of targets when they work together. Puppet Master gives Flint opportunity to focus attack targets; Puppet Show forces an enemy into combat and as long as the target is not Flint, makes for a few precious seconds to fire several auto-attacks. Likewise, Puppeteer's Hold gives Flint additional seconds to use Explosive Flare and auto-attack targets. Puppet Master also provides ample damage himself with his bonus on-hit affect, Whiplash. Of course there is the added benefit of having someone who can CC to save Flint if he becomes a target.

The Strength Teammates
Rampage is offered as a good teammate for his strong play in the Initiator role and his ability to force enemies into your playing field. Flint is afforded time to focus attack a target of Rampage's Stampede, which stuns. Flint can continue to auto-attack a target as Rampage pulls the enemy back with The Chains That Bind. With the enemy close, FB can Money Shot a big target down for the team or pop Explosive Flare to prevent the enemy from escaping alive. Pharaoh is much like Rampage in that he is a strong Strength Initiator for his team. Wrath of the Pharaoh allows him to close to enemies almost instantly and Wall of Mummies further incapacitates an enemy, giving Flint time to auto-attack, Explosive Flare and Money Shot just the same.

The Agility Teammates
Andromeda and Chronos both provide Flint with opportunities to support teams and focus attack heroes. Andromeda is first a good choice because Comet does a fair amount of damage and provides several seconds for Flint to auto-attack a target. When Andromeda uses Void Rip to swap a target, this typically puts them closer to Beastwood, giving him more time to pop Explosive Flare for CC, damage and more auto-attacking. This is not to discount Andromeda's passive aura, Dimensional Link, which boosts Flint's fast-damage further. Chronos can be an interesting partner on the battlefield as both heroes posses a AoE slow and get a chance to mini-/stun a target with their auto-attacks. A hypothetical battle might start with Flint Explosive Flare-ing a target and then auto-attacking while Chronos uses Time Leap to close and slow again. Done right, Flint now has an opportunity to Money Shot for quick cash. Chronos can also use his Chronofield to shut down entire teams giving Flint additional opportunity to fire on targets safely.

All of these heroes provide opportunities where Flint can cooperate and coordinate kills. Flint contributes the most and garners the most kills when he has the advantage of space between his foes, sometimes through teammates that can keep the attention off of him. For instance, it's hard to ignore the Melee hero in your face when the other guy you need to hit is more than 800 units away!

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#006 Worst Enemies


Not unlike Beastwood's allies, many of the Heroes of Newerth prove to be strong adversaries when one considers Flint has a low health pool and a single inherent Slow. Presented here are heroes from each faction and each Class Type who pose a considerable threat to Mr. Beastwood's agenda:

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The above heroes represent a potential threat but it should be noted that even these great counters can fail in the hands of a inexperienced player. There are plenty of other heroes in the pool that one could use to hurt Flint in a match; these have been selected to offer a variety of situations Flint could be faced with. If your goal is to shut Flint down, remember to work with teammates for great success.

The Ingelligence Heroes
For many of the same reasons Witch Slayer excels as a compatriot, he is also a threat to Flint's well-being. Witch Slayer typically wears Striders which give him a significant speed boost, allowing him to quickly maneuver about the map. Should WS find Flint with his guard down, WS has everything he needs to take Flint down. Beginning with the stun-lock from Graveyard and Miniaturization, Flint will be softened up for his Silver Bullet. Doctor Repulsor is a great team initiator against Flint; Ludicrous Speed allows Repulsor to quickly close the gap between he and Beastwood on top of some initial Magic damage. With Magnetic Contraption exploding for AoE damage, Opposite Charges holding Flint in place and an auto-attack proc-ing Electric Frenzy, Flint stands little chance of escaping Repulsor's wrath, especially when he has backup.

The Strength Heroes
The Gladiator is here to remind Flint that he is not the only person who uses the space between his foes opportunistically; Flagellation is a powerful tool that allows Gladiator to repeatedly throw down splash damage both far and wide. Even with Flint's great range, there are times when he will be close enough for Gladiator to work him down with a few careful cracks of his whip. Additionally, The Gladiator has the ability to create a Pitfall from 1500 units away! If Flint is too predictable in his movements (or isn't moving at all) The Gladiator will easily land a Stun, giving him time to close and shut Beastwood down. Deadwood presents a different threat altogether as this hero is typically well-paired with a Portal Key, allowing him to quickly close to Mr. Beastwood. Deadwood can use Rotten Grasp in conjunction with his Portal Key to Root Flint in place and the effects of Willowmaker will leave Flint beat down if not dead outright.

The Agility Heroes
Though Scout's Marksman Shot is not as hard-felt as Money Shot, it's effects still make a difference on the unsuspecting Beastwood. Scout presents a unique challenge to the Beastwood trying to supplement his income with the occasional Neutral Creep kill and even one who is in a lane pushing and farming mid to late game. When combined with Vanish, his ability to silence with Electric Eye and Disarm prevent Flint from returning any damage. Scout can spell certain doom for Mr. Beastwood. Similarly, Sand Wraith wields strong native traits and abilities for ganking. Most obviously, Mirage allows Sand Wraith to find specific heroes anywhere at any time, which should keep Flint on his toes. Sand Wraith's passive skills, which reflect damage back and grant additional damage when the target is alone, work well with Desert's Curse's Slow to make quick work of a solo Beastwood.

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#007 Strategy & Synergy


Every hero has a different set of traits and abilities that help define their role on a team. This role may change from match to match, match-start to match-end. For this reason, players should understand that every match is different and should be mindful of their play-style. Mis-use of skills can actually hurt your team or advance the enemy position. For example, Flint's Explosive Flare can be used to farm down waves of creeps. However, Flint has a smaller Mana pool early in a match and farming with Flare can leave Beastwood unable to contribute CC for himself or teammates. Just the same, endlessly auto-attacking creeps can over-push your lane and put your life in jeopardy. Keeping the following in mind should help Flint and his teammates form the synergy for victory:


Mind the auto-attacks! - Use the 'Hold' command to time your last-hits or denies. Make every offensive action mean something!
Mind your enemies! - Use auto-attacks on enemies when you are unable to last-hit. Be careful not to aggro the enemy creep wave.
Mind your movements! - Keep moving; a stationary target is a dead target.
Mind the mini-map! - Players sometimes miss a miss call and there are plenty of hiding places in the trees. Keep an eye on how far you have to run to reach the safety of a tower or another temmate.
Mind your team! - Know your team abilities and hero locations. Communicate and coordinate with your team to stay safe and gank pro.


Regarding Carry-Flint
Yes, Flint can carry matches to victory. Make no mistake, Mr. Beastwood excels at what many do not: fast damage. Flint's Agility stat increases are important for added attack speed and Physical Armor. For this reason, it is always advisable to build items that provide strong Agility boosts. Items such as Frostburn and Geometer's Bane provide substantial boosts to Flint's base stats, and with the addition of an item like Riftshards, Flint gets a damage boost in addition to added chance to crit. All of this stacks with Hollowpoint Shells passive chance to mini-stun and deal bonus Physical Damage. Flint Beastwood can also be built for ganking with Assassin's Shroud and Nullfire Blade, making for a truely offensive hero build. With a strong set of Initiation and CC, Flint is able to focus down most targets safely. That said, to play Flint effectively in this manner, significant farming/ganking wil be required in order to compensate for the toughest enemy carries or supports in your match.

On Support-Beastwood
Yes, Flint is also a support hero. Not because he builds items like Astrolab, but because his Explosive Flare makes for a great CC in team battles. Money Shot deals a significant amount of Magic damage which can scare off targets and his added chance to mini-stun actually helps keep targets stuck in combat with Flint and his team. Similarly, Nullfire Blade gives Flint extra support with its Dispel on-use affect which slows and debuffs. This style of Flint is less dependent on items but ultimately retains the same item build as a carry Flint. Support Flint is less aggressive but still must use his range and frequent auto-attack to deter the enemy. Remember to focus on enemies with abilities that channel and be sure to auto-attack the guy who is laying into one of your teammates. The quick damage Flint outputs can deter high-damage enemies and their supports if targets are chosen carefully.

Help! My Lane Is Getting Owned!
There will be times when you are out-laned early in a match, in part because Flint can not gain his big range advantage until at least level 5 and because there are other heroes who have strong range advantages outright (Devourer's Gutling Hook comes to mind). For this reason remember that while it may be difficult, slow-playing your lane can be advantageous. If you are having a hard time getting last hits and auto-attacking the enemy isn't scaring them off, try staying just inside XP range and defending that with your lane partner. In doing this, you do not feed the opponent, you still gain XP, level-up and can sometimes result in a kill of your own or some last-hits/denies. Remember: when your opponent is attacking a creep they are not attacking you and for this reason you can usually fire off a quick shot and then get moving again. It should be noted that Flint with a Bottle can make for a aggressive harass early with his Explosive Flare, cooling off your opponents.

Regarding Auto-attack Mechanics
It should be noted that when a target is in-range of Mr. Beastwood's auto-attacks, there is no need to re-issue an attack command (be it hitting the 'A' key and left-clicking or by right-clicking the target directly) as Flint will automatically and with the greatest efficiency fire on the target. This is to say that continually re-issuing an attack command can be interruptive of the action, slowing your attack speed. Once the target is out of range, this is no longer true. This is reminiscent of what has already been discussed: Mind the auto-attacks! Flint has the potential to be a top-three damage dealer so use your range and mobility well; keep moving to make more safe offensive actions. Lastly, you do not have to issue an attack on a specific creep in order to get Flint to hit it. Try auto-attacking the ground when the nearest target is the creep or enemy you are trying to last-hit.

Synergy with Flint
Flint's interest in last-hitting creeps is important as well (more or less depending on who if anyone Flint is laning with). This is not to say that Flint should forget about harassing the enemy, just that he should not exclusively focus on last-hits and denies, especially when in a lane with a partner. Also, Flint has Explosive Flare but this does not slow enough to be an effective enemy deterrent until at least Rank 3. For this reason, be careful not to get yourself into sticky situations; Flint may not be able to scare someone off a kill against you. If you find that Beastwood has become the target of an enemy attack, try to use a Stun or Slow to deter your opponents. Flint can also help initiate ganks so be sure to communicate and coordinate. Ultimately, keep your Flint in good shape and communicate via VoIP or chat; he is an invaluable asset in the mid and late game for uninterrupted ranged damage.

Neutral Farming
With regard to farming neutrals, Flint can actually make a decent run through the woods after he reaches level 10 or so. Having completed a Soulscream Ring and Steamboots as well as having a Rank or two into Hollowpoint Shells helps this. An Explosive Flare on the correct neutrals will allow for turning a quick profit and helps with XP when your lanes are occupied. Stacking creeps is a more advanced tactic but if it can be managed without wasting a lot of your time and health, makes for great neutral farming. As always, Ward your forest when farming neutrals and watch the mini-map as Flint will typically have a long way to run to reach safety.

Exploit Your Ability
Exploit may be too strong of a word but it gets the point across: Make Dead Eye work for you at Rank 3! For example, if your lane has pushed into a enemy tower and your opponents are busy in the back, fire off a few rounds at the tower. Flint can make fast work of towers and enemies because of his opportunity to safely fire on them. Also, an Explosive Flare at the right time can almost guarantee you the last-hit on towers for a gold bonus. Dead Eye also helps solo Flint wear down his enemies for a kill, if not to scare them off the lane. Once Flint has Money Shot, try to take a stroll down the river, check the rune, and then use your Explosive Flare to initiate an attack on your foes with the aid of teammates in a lane.

Making Use of the Assassins Shroud
While it is not pictured as a 'Goal' earlier in this guide, advanced players can make good use of the Assassins Shroud and Nullfire Blade as both an escape mechanism as well as a scouting and ganking tool. Explosive Flare offers a strong AoE slow that provides additional damage. Using all of these abilities, Flint can typically dole out enough damage to squishier targets leaving them wide open for a Money Shot. The Assassin's Shroud does have a cool-down twice the duration of the on-use effect (9 seconds for Stealth, 18 seconds for cool-down) and at 75 Mana per use, it can become a costly item to re-use. Use it wisely and the added damage and attack speed can make a big difference just the same as other Agility-boosting items. Recall the Nullfire Blade offers an additional slow with the Dispelled on-use effect which gives Flint the additional CC he needs to take down an ambushed target.

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#008 Notes & Updates


Update: 2011 Feb 07
Made some final edits. Short of Match IDs, I think this guide is ready to be moved to the Guide forum for peer review. PM'd Drasha and EspritFort for review and to have this post moved.

Update: 2011 Feb 05
More grammar and punctuation edits, added in-document links, refined some of the documents color and text-formatting for easier reading/comprehension. More edits coming. So close...

Update: 2011 Feb 03
I've been reviewing the doc against The Guide Guide and the requirements for a Premium guide and things are shaping up. I plan to eventually get some edited videos up, however I may have to wait and use the existing image-based demonstrations for now. Match examples are coming. More grammar and spelling edits on the way. Getting pretty close to asking to have this moved to the Guides forum for review. I think this is getting pretty solid/well-covered. Thanks to TinyPic for hosting images. Going to be making some edits to the existing example images too.

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