SweetestLamb
02-03-2011, 09:19 PM
Witch Slayer
http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/heroes/120/icon_128.jpg
Legion Intelligence Hero
Role: Support/Ganker
Range: 600
Base Damage: 42-48
Base Armor: 1.1
Strength: 16 [+1.7]
Agility: 16 [+1.5]
Intelligence: 23 [+3.0]
Background: No city is more pious in its worship of Sol than Arasunia, and no man is more fervent among its zealous citizens than the Witch Slayer. Although he is viewed with uncertainty by the Beast shamans and human sorcerers in the Legion, his combat prowess and holy powers make him a mighty ally. Wielding a musket and a bladed icon of Sol, he not only can hold his own in battle, but also can sap his enemy's strength and turn any ground into sacred territory.
Table of Contents
Abilities
Graveyard
Miniaturization
Power Drain
Silver Bullet
Skill Build
Item Build
Starting Items
Boots
Core
Luxuries: My Top Picks and Why
Honorable Mentions/Situational Items
Worthless Items
Early Game
Mid Game
Late Game
Lane Partners
Enemies
Warding
Replays
Abilities
Graveyard
http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/heroes/120/ability1_128.jpg
Most at home on holy ground, the Witch Slayer creates a temporary Graveyard in front of himself. Enemy units caught in its creation suffer the consequences.
Type: Magic
Range: 500
Radius: 150
Cast Time: 0.5 Seconds
Mana Cost: 100 / 120 / 145 / 170
Cooldown: 12.0 Seconds
Creates a Graveyard for 700 units in the target direction. Any enemies hit will fly into the air for 0.52 seconds and are stunned for 0.5 / 1 / 1.5 / 2 seconds when they land, taking 60 / 130 / 200 / 260 Magic damage.
http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j321/ihatecapslock12/graveyard.png
Usage:
This is your basic nuke/stun. The first thing you need to know about it (other than that it does damage) is that it's longer than you think. Although clicking on someone will ensure that you won't miss, it travels a bit farther than its cast range. You will be using this ability to help set up kills, interrupt channeling abilities, and whatever else you usually use stuns for. This should be maxed out first.
Miniaturization
http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/heroes/120/ability2_128.jpg
The Witch Slayer has mastered the use of the gem socketed into his glove, letting him shrink and render an enemy useless for a short time.
Type: Magic
Range: 500
Cast Time: 0.9 Seconds
Mana Cost: 110 / 140 / 170 / 200
Cooldown: 13.0 Seconds
Applies Miniaturization to the target enemy for 1.25 / 2 / 2.75 / 3.5 seconds, settings its base Movement Speed to 100.
Miniaturization Effects
Perplexed
Silenced
Disarmed
Smaller!
http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j321/ihatecapslock12/mini.png
Usage:
Your second CC spell, this one turns the enemy into a little person for a few seconds. Your enemy will be forced to crawl about for the duration of the spell (unless they are hasted, in which case they will look like Speedy Gonzalez). In addition to normal CC, this spell allows you to set up a perfect graveyard with no worries about missing. Just be sure to stack your stuns (ie: don't use graveyard until mini is about to wear off).
Power Drain
http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/heroes/120/ability3_128.jpg
Over the years the Witch Slayer has learned how to drain the power of his enemies for his own use.
Type: Magic
Range: 600 / 650 / 700 / 750
Channeling Time: 0.9 Seconds
Mana Cost: 10
Cooldown: 25.0 / 20.0 / 15.0 / 10.0 Seconds
Applies Power Drain to target for duration of the channel. The Witch Slayer gains mana equal to the mana drained.
Instantly kills illusions.
Power Drain Effects
20 / 40 / 60 / 100 mana drained per second
http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j321/ihatecapslock12/drain.png
Usage:
Since the addition of Blood Chalice, this ability is less and less useful. It still has two major reasons why it should be taken (at level 10). One: it can proc nullstones, which is very useful if you are faced with people bound to get them (:wret::doct:) and Two: it kills illusions which makes it useful versus every geobane carry and of course, Sand Wraith.
ULTIMATE Silver Bullet
http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/heroes/120/ability4_128.jpg
With no other option left, the Witch Slayer fires a Silver Bullet from his gun at the target enemy. The impact usually leaves them in many small pieces.
Type: Magic
Range: 700
Cast Time: 0.9 Seconds
Mana Cost: 200 / 420 / 650
Cooldown: 150.0 / 90.0 / 55.0 Seconds
Deals 500 / 650 / 850 Magic damage to target.
This ability can be boosted by Staff of the Master.
Staff Effect: Increases damage from {500,650,850} to {600,800,1025}.
http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j321/ihatecapslock12/bullet.png
Usage:
Your big finisher, your super burst damage. I think its obvious what it does but when to use it is less obvious. Most people think getting a kill with it at any time means you are just kill stealing. Not true. Here are some general Do's and Don'ts.
DO Use it on dangerous heroes if they are going to use their ultimates (:temp::behe:)
DO Use it on fleeing heroes which your team either can't or won't chase.
DO Use it to save a teammate's life or your own life
DO Use it to grief the person who picked scout
DON'T Just wait until someone is about to die in ganks, use it earlier and let someone else get the kill.
DON'T Use it on heroes with stupid amounts of magic armor
DON'T Use it on people with Nullstones up :3
Skill Build
There is pretty much no reason to deviate from this build, unless you are finding that you are really having mana troubles but aren't dieing (In which case you've probably won anyways).
1 - Graveyard
2 - Miniaturization
3 - Graveyard
4 - Miniaturization
5 - Graveyard
6 - Silver Bullet
7 - Graveyard
8 - Miniaturization
9 - Miniaturization
10 - Power Drain
11 - Silver Bullet
12-15 - Stats
16 - Silver Bullet
17-22 - Stats
23-25 - Power Drain
Item Build
Staring Items
http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_HealthPotion.jpg http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_RunesOfTheBlight.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_GroundFamiliar.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_FlamingEye.jpg
That is my recommended set of regen items, due to the price actually, however you could buy two runes instead. If you are in the short lane, buy the courier, if you are in the long lane get wards. If your other supports are being stupid, make sure to at least buy the courier.
If you are laning in the short lane, you may also want a http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_ManaEye.jpg so that you can pull.
http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_CrushingClaws.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_MarkOfTheNovice.jpg
If you went mid for some reason, try to get other people to buy courier/wards so you can get these and build them into a blood chalice later.
Regardless of where you went, spend the rest of your gold on http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_MinorTotem.jpg
Total Spent: 602
Regen - 190
Courier or Wards of Sight - 200
*Ward of Revelation - 100
*Mark/Claw- 300
Totems - 53 per
Boots
http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_Striders.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_EnhancedMarchers.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_Steamboots.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_PostHaste.jpg
Striders are the front runner, it is best not to spend extra money if you don't have to. Ghost Marchers are perfectly viable (especially if you just don't like striders). Steamboots work if you want the extra health, however they make you painfully slow, I would not recommend them. Post Haste works on anyone but its stupidly expensive, you have better things to spend your money on WARDS.
Total Spent: 1402 - 2102
Post Haste not considered in cost.
Core
After boots, you should finish your core (try to have this done by mid game).
http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_BloodChalice.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_PowerSupply.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_Strength5.jpg
Blood Chalice is absolutely necessary for Witch. The Power Supply works great if you need extra ways to heal yourself. Bracers are perfect if you are getting smushed a lot.
Total Spent: 2027 - 2727
Does not include optional items.
Blood Chalice - 625
*Power Supply - 546 (Minus your totems)
*Bracer(s) - 510 per
From here the options are limitless but they should always include wards. Buy wards whenever you can, whenever your team needs them.
Luxuries: My Top Picks and Why
A good way to pick which item is to know how much you can farm without making it look like you are playing WoW. A 2000ish gold item is easy to farm under just about any circumstances. Although not all at once, items built in pieces are good for a reason.
http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_Astrolabe.jpg 9 times out of 10 I'll buy this. Healing is the only thing Witch Slayer can't do as a support and this fixes it. Its cheap to build, gives decent stats (including delicious armor) and it fills the one gap in Witch's powers.
http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_PortalKey.jpgIf you manage to farm any luxury item, you should get this next. The mobility/initiation you gain from it is top notch. This item should (almost) never be picked first because a naked Witch usually won't survive blinking into some enemies. If you have other Portal Key users, it could be a viable first item so you could follow up with them easily.
http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_Summon.jpg Whenever I see an annoying invisible hero, or if that enemy support won't stop smacking my wards, puzzlebox is the logical choice. It gives high damage and utility all while boosting your health and mana pools.
http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_Morph.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_Silence.jpg:Stormspirit:These are great for more cc. Have tons of cash? Get a Kuldra. Need to silence someone for a long time? Get a hellflower. Poor? Get a storm spirit.
Honorable Mentions/Situational Items
http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_Protect.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_BehemothsHeart.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_Nuke.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_VoidTalisman.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_PushStaff.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_BarrierIdol.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_HarkonsBlade.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_Stealth.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_Immunity.jpg
Most of these items are just too expensive to farm during the course of a regular game (but are very good). For the others, if you need them build them. Being chased down by predator? Get a void talisman. Pebbles keep blinking on you? Get a barrier idol. Pharaoh keep trapping you? Get a tablet of command. A few oddballs are up here because you could conceivably build them, a shroud could replace a portal key if their entire team has mocks or something, a shrunken could be built if the enemy REALLY wants to focus you.
Worthless Items
http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_Intelligence7.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_SpellShards.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_NomesWisdom.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_Replenish.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_RestorationStone.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_Damage9.jpg
If you need damage, buy a Codex, not a staff, NEVER a staff. Same goes for Spellshards, Codex is better damage, if you desperately want CDR get a heart. Blood Chalice is better and cheaper than a mana ring (Mana rings are only useful on heroes who desperately need the mana pool increase), if you are STILL having mana trouble, level power drain, don't waste the gold. Your ultimate has such a low cooldown, Restoration Stone is also useless. Obviously damage/carry items are useless on Witch, no point in getting them.
Nomes being down here will surprise some people so I'll explain. Its about the same price as an Astrolabe (80g less). The healing it provides mostly benefits heroes who either cast quickly (Witch's cooldowns are longer in comparison) or that have expensive spells (Witch only has one: his ultimate). The healing you personally will gain from Nomes is negligible whereas Astrolabe provides burst healing when you need it. For other allies (usually what you should be thinking about when you buy items on Witch) it is even less useful unless they should be buying a Nomes in the first place. Your Sand Wraith isn't going to want the heal from him casting Desert's Curse to run away when your Astrolabe could heal him for much more, and right as he is about to get killed. For the stats, Nomes does grant more intelligence (if you need Intelligence that much buy a Tablet), but it has less armor and less strength (albeit just one, so that is probably negligible).As for the passive aura, if your team desperatley needs the mana regen or armor aura, you can just buy the Ring of the Teacher for 500g, saving you a lot of money.
Early Game/Which Lane am I In?
Witch Slayer has the option of going into any lane. He serves as an excellent babysitter or as an aggressive nuker who can shut down an enemy carry. If you are taking the long lane, buy wards, two of them, one for the rune and one for the creep camp. If they have a jungler, be sure to put your rune ward where you can see them approach. You should place your camp ward where they can't see it only if it is in danger of being countered.
If you are in the short lane, your job is to pull and babysit for your carry. This means that you need to buy a reveal ward if you think they may ward your creep camp (even if they don't you'll recoup half the gold at some point). You should focus on attacking the enemy heroes and (since its cheap) stun them if you want to stop them from creeping or if you want to try to jump them.
Witch Slayer can indeed solo mid, but there's not much of a reason to. Only take mid if your team lacks a hero who needs it (:souls::wret::dead:) or if everyone else on your team is incompetent. If you are mid, your priority should be ganking and shutting down their ganker (if they have one). It is NOT acceptable to say: deadwood going bottom. It is acceptable to say: deadwood going bottom, come help me cut him off. You should hound them and make sure your carry(ies) stay safe. If you are mid against a farming hero who isn't or won't gank, then you should do your best to kill them and roam about whenever they are dead or out of the lane. Don't waste your time farming, that harkons/codex won't do much against shrunken heads late game.
Mid Game/Where Do We Go From Here?
Mid game is when your job is roam about the map, warding and counter warding, ganking and pushing. Stay with your team whenever they make a concerted push but also stay away from your carries when they are trying to farm (you staring at the creep wave won't help them at all). Whenever you are in the jungle around the X:48-X:52 mark be sure to pull out all nearby creep camps and stack them.
If you are being pushed in, be sure to defend any and all towers you can . . . with help that is. Don't try to defend a tower versus five heroes on your own, it just won't work. Either call for backup, try for a sneaky deny, or go somewhere else.
Sidebar: When to Farm
Witch Slayer really doesn't need farm other than boots/wards. That is to be effective, to stay alive however he does need items. At some point, you'll want items, its natural, and you are allowed to kill some creeps to get gold, seriously, you are. A support hero is only useful as long as they are alive after all. When you stop to farm, be sure that you aren't doing it for long periods of time, doing it where your carry was trying to farm, or doing it while your team is pushing/getting pushed. There's no harm in taking the creep kills if you are defending a tower by yourself or with another support, and there's also no harm in nuking the creeps during this time.
Late Game/God So and So is Fat
This is where 99% of Witch Slayer's lose all effectiveness. You are a walking stun and a paltry nuke at this point. Your job in teamfights is CC, plain and simple. Make sure their main damage dealers and CC heroes are stunned/mini'd for as long as possible, get rid of troublesome illusions and nullstones with power drain. Also try not to stand in the way of anyone who does a lot of damage. Staying out of sight and running in and out to stun is the key to surviving late game fights.
If you read the sidebar on farming, you could conceivably pull 200+ gold per minute without disrupting your team. At this point you may have a luxury item or two which increases your CC and survivability making you more a factor in team fights.
http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/heroes/120/icon_128.jpg
Legion Intelligence Hero
Role: Support/Ganker
Range: 600
Base Damage: 42-48
Base Armor: 1.1
Strength: 16 [+1.7]
Agility: 16 [+1.5]
Intelligence: 23 [+3.0]
Background: No city is more pious in its worship of Sol than Arasunia, and no man is more fervent among its zealous citizens than the Witch Slayer. Although he is viewed with uncertainty by the Beast shamans and human sorcerers in the Legion, his combat prowess and holy powers make him a mighty ally. Wielding a musket and a bladed icon of Sol, he not only can hold his own in battle, but also can sap his enemy's strength and turn any ground into sacred territory.
Table of Contents
Abilities
Graveyard
Miniaturization
Power Drain
Silver Bullet
Skill Build
Item Build
Starting Items
Boots
Core
Luxuries: My Top Picks and Why
Honorable Mentions/Situational Items
Worthless Items
Early Game
Mid Game
Late Game
Lane Partners
Enemies
Warding
Replays
Abilities
Graveyard
http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/heroes/120/ability1_128.jpg
Most at home on holy ground, the Witch Slayer creates a temporary Graveyard in front of himself. Enemy units caught in its creation suffer the consequences.
Type: Magic
Range: 500
Radius: 150
Cast Time: 0.5 Seconds
Mana Cost: 100 / 120 / 145 / 170
Cooldown: 12.0 Seconds
Creates a Graveyard for 700 units in the target direction. Any enemies hit will fly into the air for 0.52 seconds and are stunned for 0.5 / 1 / 1.5 / 2 seconds when they land, taking 60 / 130 / 200 / 260 Magic damage.
http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j321/ihatecapslock12/graveyard.png
Usage:
This is your basic nuke/stun. The first thing you need to know about it (other than that it does damage) is that it's longer than you think. Although clicking on someone will ensure that you won't miss, it travels a bit farther than its cast range. You will be using this ability to help set up kills, interrupt channeling abilities, and whatever else you usually use stuns for. This should be maxed out first.
Miniaturization
http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/heroes/120/ability2_128.jpg
The Witch Slayer has mastered the use of the gem socketed into his glove, letting him shrink and render an enemy useless for a short time.
Type: Magic
Range: 500
Cast Time: 0.9 Seconds
Mana Cost: 110 / 140 / 170 / 200
Cooldown: 13.0 Seconds
Applies Miniaturization to the target enemy for 1.25 / 2 / 2.75 / 3.5 seconds, settings its base Movement Speed to 100.
Miniaturization Effects
Perplexed
Silenced
Disarmed
Smaller!
http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j321/ihatecapslock12/mini.png
Usage:
Your second CC spell, this one turns the enemy into a little person for a few seconds. Your enemy will be forced to crawl about for the duration of the spell (unless they are hasted, in which case they will look like Speedy Gonzalez). In addition to normal CC, this spell allows you to set up a perfect graveyard with no worries about missing. Just be sure to stack your stuns (ie: don't use graveyard until mini is about to wear off).
Power Drain
http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/heroes/120/ability3_128.jpg
Over the years the Witch Slayer has learned how to drain the power of his enemies for his own use.
Type: Magic
Range: 600 / 650 / 700 / 750
Channeling Time: 0.9 Seconds
Mana Cost: 10
Cooldown: 25.0 / 20.0 / 15.0 / 10.0 Seconds
Applies Power Drain to target for duration of the channel. The Witch Slayer gains mana equal to the mana drained.
Instantly kills illusions.
Power Drain Effects
20 / 40 / 60 / 100 mana drained per second
http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j321/ihatecapslock12/drain.png
Usage:
Since the addition of Blood Chalice, this ability is less and less useful. It still has two major reasons why it should be taken (at level 10). One: it can proc nullstones, which is very useful if you are faced with people bound to get them (:wret::doct:) and Two: it kills illusions which makes it useful versus every geobane carry and of course, Sand Wraith.
ULTIMATE Silver Bullet
http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/heroes/120/ability4_128.jpg
With no other option left, the Witch Slayer fires a Silver Bullet from his gun at the target enemy. The impact usually leaves them in many small pieces.
Type: Magic
Range: 700
Cast Time: 0.9 Seconds
Mana Cost: 200 / 420 / 650
Cooldown: 150.0 / 90.0 / 55.0 Seconds
Deals 500 / 650 / 850 Magic damage to target.
This ability can be boosted by Staff of the Master.
Staff Effect: Increases damage from {500,650,850} to {600,800,1025}.
http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j321/ihatecapslock12/bullet.png
Usage:
Your big finisher, your super burst damage. I think its obvious what it does but when to use it is less obvious. Most people think getting a kill with it at any time means you are just kill stealing. Not true. Here are some general Do's and Don'ts.
DO Use it on dangerous heroes if they are going to use their ultimates (:temp::behe:)
DO Use it on fleeing heroes which your team either can't or won't chase.
DO Use it to save a teammate's life or your own life
DO Use it to grief the person who picked scout
DON'T Just wait until someone is about to die in ganks, use it earlier and let someone else get the kill.
DON'T Use it on heroes with stupid amounts of magic armor
DON'T Use it on people with Nullstones up :3
Skill Build
There is pretty much no reason to deviate from this build, unless you are finding that you are really having mana troubles but aren't dieing (In which case you've probably won anyways).
1 - Graveyard
2 - Miniaturization
3 - Graveyard
4 - Miniaturization
5 - Graveyard
6 - Silver Bullet
7 - Graveyard
8 - Miniaturization
9 - Miniaturization
10 - Power Drain
11 - Silver Bullet
12-15 - Stats
16 - Silver Bullet
17-22 - Stats
23-25 - Power Drain
Item Build
Staring Items
http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_HealthPotion.jpg http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_RunesOfTheBlight.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_GroundFamiliar.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_FlamingEye.jpg
That is my recommended set of regen items, due to the price actually, however you could buy two runes instead. If you are in the short lane, buy the courier, if you are in the long lane get wards. If your other supports are being stupid, make sure to at least buy the courier.
If you are laning in the short lane, you may also want a http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_ManaEye.jpg so that you can pull.
http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_CrushingClaws.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_MarkOfTheNovice.jpg
If you went mid for some reason, try to get other people to buy courier/wards so you can get these and build them into a blood chalice later.
Regardless of where you went, spend the rest of your gold on http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_MinorTotem.jpg
Total Spent: 602
Regen - 190
Courier or Wards of Sight - 200
*Ward of Revelation - 100
*Mark/Claw- 300
Totems - 53 per
Boots
http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_Striders.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_EnhancedMarchers.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_Steamboots.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_PostHaste.jpg
Striders are the front runner, it is best not to spend extra money if you don't have to. Ghost Marchers are perfectly viable (especially if you just don't like striders). Steamboots work if you want the extra health, however they make you painfully slow, I would not recommend them. Post Haste works on anyone but its stupidly expensive, you have better things to spend your money on WARDS.
Total Spent: 1402 - 2102
Post Haste not considered in cost.
Core
After boots, you should finish your core (try to have this done by mid game).
http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_BloodChalice.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_PowerSupply.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_Strength5.jpg
Blood Chalice is absolutely necessary for Witch. The Power Supply works great if you need extra ways to heal yourself. Bracers are perfect if you are getting smushed a lot.
Total Spent: 2027 - 2727
Does not include optional items.
Blood Chalice - 625
*Power Supply - 546 (Minus your totems)
*Bracer(s) - 510 per
From here the options are limitless but they should always include wards. Buy wards whenever you can, whenever your team needs them.
Luxuries: My Top Picks and Why
A good way to pick which item is to know how much you can farm without making it look like you are playing WoW. A 2000ish gold item is easy to farm under just about any circumstances. Although not all at once, items built in pieces are good for a reason.
http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_Astrolabe.jpg 9 times out of 10 I'll buy this. Healing is the only thing Witch Slayer can't do as a support and this fixes it. Its cheap to build, gives decent stats (including delicious armor) and it fills the one gap in Witch's powers.
http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_PortalKey.jpgIf you manage to farm any luxury item, you should get this next. The mobility/initiation you gain from it is top notch. This item should (almost) never be picked first because a naked Witch usually won't survive blinking into some enemies. If you have other Portal Key users, it could be a viable first item so you could follow up with them easily.
http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_Summon.jpg Whenever I see an annoying invisible hero, or if that enemy support won't stop smacking my wards, puzzlebox is the logical choice. It gives high damage and utility all while boosting your health and mana pools.
http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_Morph.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_Silence.jpg:Stormspirit:These are great for more cc. Have tons of cash? Get a Kuldra. Need to silence someone for a long time? Get a hellflower. Poor? Get a storm spirit.
Honorable Mentions/Situational Items
http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_Protect.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_BehemothsHeart.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_Nuke.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_VoidTalisman.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_PushStaff.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_BarrierIdol.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_HarkonsBlade.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_Stealth.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_Immunity.jpg
Most of these items are just too expensive to farm during the course of a regular game (but are very good). For the others, if you need them build them. Being chased down by predator? Get a void talisman. Pebbles keep blinking on you? Get a barrier idol. Pharaoh keep trapping you? Get a tablet of command. A few oddballs are up here because you could conceivably build them, a shroud could replace a portal key if their entire team has mocks or something, a shrunken could be built if the enemy REALLY wants to focus you.
Worthless Items
http://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_Intelligence7.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_SpellShards.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_NomesWisdom.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_Replenish.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_RestorationStone.jpghttp://www.heroesofnewerth.com/images/items/Item_Damage9.jpg
If you need damage, buy a Codex, not a staff, NEVER a staff. Same goes for Spellshards, Codex is better damage, if you desperately want CDR get a heart. Blood Chalice is better and cheaper than a mana ring (Mana rings are only useful on heroes who desperately need the mana pool increase), if you are STILL having mana trouble, level power drain, don't waste the gold. Your ultimate has such a low cooldown, Restoration Stone is also useless. Obviously damage/carry items are useless on Witch, no point in getting them.
Nomes being down here will surprise some people so I'll explain. Its about the same price as an Astrolabe (80g less). The healing it provides mostly benefits heroes who either cast quickly (Witch's cooldowns are longer in comparison) or that have expensive spells (Witch only has one: his ultimate). The healing you personally will gain from Nomes is negligible whereas Astrolabe provides burst healing when you need it. For other allies (usually what you should be thinking about when you buy items on Witch) it is even less useful unless they should be buying a Nomes in the first place. Your Sand Wraith isn't going to want the heal from him casting Desert's Curse to run away when your Astrolabe could heal him for much more, and right as he is about to get killed. For the stats, Nomes does grant more intelligence (if you need Intelligence that much buy a Tablet), but it has less armor and less strength (albeit just one, so that is probably negligible).As for the passive aura, if your team desperatley needs the mana regen or armor aura, you can just buy the Ring of the Teacher for 500g, saving you a lot of money.
Early Game/Which Lane am I In?
Witch Slayer has the option of going into any lane. He serves as an excellent babysitter or as an aggressive nuker who can shut down an enemy carry. If you are taking the long lane, buy wards, two of them, one for the rune and one for the creep camp. If they have a jungler, be sure to put your rune ward where you can see them approach. You should place your camp ward where they can't see it only if it is in danger of being countered.
If you are in the short lane, your job is to pull and babysit for your carry. This means that you need to buy a reveal ward if you think they may ward your creep camp (even if they don't you'll recoup half the gold at some point). You should focus on attacking the enemy heroes and (since its cheap) stun them if you want to stop them from creeping or if you want to try to jump them.
Witch Slayer can indeed solo mid, but there's not much of a reason to. Only take mid if your team lacks a hero who needs it (:souls::wret::dead:) or if everyone else on your team is incompetent. If you are mid, your priority should be ganking and shutting down their ganker (if they have one). It is NOT acceptable to say: deadwood going bottom. It is acceptable to say: deadwood going bottom, come help me cut him off. You should hound them and make sure your carry(ies) stay safe. If you are mid against a farming hero who isn't or won't gank, then you should do your best to kill them and roam about whenever they are dead or out of the lane. Don't waste your time farming, that harkons/codex won't do much against shrunken heads late game.
Mid Game/Where Do We Go From Here?
Mid game is when your job is roam about the map, warding and counter warding, ganking and pushing. Stay with your team whenever they make a concerted push but also stay away from your carries when they are trying to farm (you staring at the creep wave won't help them at all). Whenever you are in the jungle around the X:48-X:52 mark be sure to pull out all nearby creep camps and stack them.
If you are being pushed in, be sure to defend any and all towers you can . . . with help that is. Don't try to defend a tower versus five heroes on your own, it just won't work. Either call for backup, try for a sneaky deny, or go somewhere else.
Sidebar: When to Farm
Witch Slayer really doesn't need farm other than boots/wards. That is to be effective, to stay alive however he does need items. At some point, you'll want items, its natural, and you are allowed to kill some creeps to get gold, seriously, you are. A support hero is only useful as long as they are alive after all. When you stop to farm, be sure that you aren't doing it for long periods of time, doing it where your carry was trying to farm, or doing it while your team is pushing/getting pushed. There's no harm in taking the creep kills if you are defending a tower by yourself or with another support, and there's also no harm in nuking the creeps during this time.
Late Game/God So and So is Fat
This is where 99% of Witch Slayer's lose all effectiveness. You are a walking stun and a paltry nuke at this point. Your job in teamfights is CC, plain and simple. Make sure their main damage dealers and CC heroes are stunned/mini'd for as long as possible, get rid of troublesome illusions and nullstones with power drain. Also try not to stand in the way of anyone who does a lot of damage. Staying out of sight and running in and out to stun is the key to surviving late game fights.
If you read the sidebar on farming, you could conceivably pull 200+ gold per minute without disrupting your team. At this point you may have a luxury item or two which increases your CC and survivability making you more a factor in team fights.