I never know what items to get!

[fishmael]

I'm not a bad player and know when to use skills and what-not, and have played DotA a lot (though by any means not "good") but I've never really known what items to get for each hero. From my understanding, getting the right items for your hero makes him, and getting the wrong ones f***s you over. Example, I was playing as Legionnaire/Axe and knew to get a +6 STR/+3 stats ring, and two vanguards, and I ended up getting Vladimir's offering for life leech and mana (kept running out of mana) and phase boots but ended up selling a vanguard for a shaman's thing that offered me some magic defense against Zeus. Then I bought something that gave me some damage and chance to crit...but didn't have a definite build order. How do people know what items to always get? I mean there are some that you ALWAYS get, but does each hero have an optimal build?

[Supremacy]

Most heroes have some key items that are "cookie cutter" in terms of builds (Helm of the Black Legion on Legionnaire being one of those) but a lot of it comes from experience and knowing what you need for the other team.

Ex. If you're a tank and the other team has a bunch of nukers, Shaman's Headdress is probably a really good item to get, even if it's not in your normal lineup of items.

[fishmael]

also, what's so great about portal key/dagger of escape? people say it makes heroes like pyromancer and axe unstoppable but I don't see how. you can chase them sure, but if you're melee and weaker than them it does nothign

[Ferret1]

Happens to me sometimes as well, I know what to get for most heroes, but some are different such as the nuker INT heroes and some AGI.

[Phineas]

I'm not always sure which items to get, but I can suggest a few things.

First, learn all of the items if you haven't. This is easy if you make a private game with yourself. Second, understand how str, agi, and int affect your hero (max health, max mana, regen, etc). Third, read hero guides and analyze the author's build. I like to assume the author may be wrong, then figure out how his item choices are good or bad.

After a while of doing this, I've begun to notice patterns in which items work with which types of heroes.

Edit: To answer one of your questions: In general, portal key is good for heroes with AOE-type ultimates. Behemoth and Glacius come to mind. There may be other reasons to get a portal key.

[Powster]

Well.. theres lots of guides for heroes on what items to buy read those and buy what it says.. After you understand the reason you bought those items you can probably start coming up with your own builds.. When I first started I didnt know what to buy either and would just buy exactly what the guide says and that helped me a lot still. Now I come up with my own item builds.. main thing is knowing all the items and what they do exactly..

[Whitebushid1]

also, what's so great about portal key/dagger of escape? people say it makes heroes like pyromancer and axe unstoppable but I don't see how. you can chase them sure, but if you're melee and weaker than them it does nothign

I go vanguardx1 or x2, phase, blink, heart, etc.

Blink is good for initiating heroes(enigma/ES/axe/etc.) because they can just blink in and wreak havoc with their aoe cc/dps. It's much easier to dodge something you can see before it happens :)

[noodle0117]

ok soo... here are so mid game item recommendations
Agility: duckboots, Slash, lifesteal item
Strength: Helm o black legion, sustainer, Shammy's headress
Intellect: Arcane staff (i cant remember the name, it looks like a blue staff), bit o armor

[GeneralCash]

never get 2 vanguards

ever

ever

ever

ever



seriously, just read the item descriptions and figure out how they would work with the hero you're playing. if a hero focuses on dps, figure out if he needs ias or dmg or stats, then get the appropriate dmg item. if you have a caster that can farm well, get guinsoo or orchid depending on the situation. if you are a tank you need radiance to make them focus you and heart, hood and/or shiva depending what is needed. if you are an initiator with low range spells you need dagger and shiva. if nyou are a support hero, you nee dsome bracers and chicken + wards, maybe mek or shiva if you have a lot of money.

anyway, just watch a few dota replays and try to figure out why players got the items that they got.

if you can't understand why dagger/portal is good on axe, you need brain surgery.

[Mark]

also, what's so great about portal key/dagger of escape? people say it makes heroes like pyromancer and axe unstoppable but I don't see how. you can chase them sure, but if you're melee and weaker than them it does nothign

as axe portal key in, taunt, smack the hero up for a few seconds, then ultimate. If you get 1 or 2 enemy creep waves while doing this is makes axe pretty deadly. I know as soon as i get the portal key with pyro and legion I start getting kills much faster. How could you not see the taunt/portal key combo!? :P

ps GeneralCash is right, you probably dont want to get 2 vangaurds. Maybe helm of black legion, enhanced marchers, portal key, behemoth heart, and maybe the magic resitance thing or the barbed armour thing(pretty nice item for some mana)