Starting Items

[Phineas]

Which sets of starting items do you think are the best? Which are terrible? Here's my opinion:

2x Mana Potion, 2x Runes of the Blight, 2x +3 stat booster items. This is good for heroes with spells that allow you to harass early on. I played a game where I was Behemoth and my lane partner was Swiftblade. The combination of fissure to close escape paths and spin chop away their health was effective.

No regen, only stat boosters. It may seem like having as much extra STR or AGI as possible will help in last hitting, but not having any regen items is something that your opponents can take advantage of. If you have to go back to base within the first 5-8 minutes, you're that far behind in xp.

The only exception to this is with Blood Hunter and his Feast ability that allows him to gain health from creep and hero kills. I like to get 3 or 4 duck boots to get 9-12 extra agility, meaning 9-12 IAS to help with last hitting. The only time this didn't work was when I was solo vs Hellbringer, who was harassing via Bottle.

No items, go straight for a lifetube. It seems effective to get a lifetube early so that you can stay in a lane longer (or get a head start on a Helm of the Black Legion if you're Legionnaire). However, if I see someone doing this I try to take advantage of the fact that they have no boots or regen, and harass so that when they finally can afford a lifetube or whatever they're rushing to, they're too low on health to stay in the lane anyway.

[Shadowcamsy]

For me it all depends on the hero really, if I've got a agility hero I generally go 3x duck boots + 1x Runes of the blight and 1 minor totem purely because it lets you last hit a lot easier. If someone is hardcore harassing me I'll just tower hug.

With casters I go with health/mana pots and +2 stat items

If I'm soloing mid I might go straight bottle or courier/minor totems/rotb

And for strength heroes I generally get a budget ring and 4 minor totems, in serious games you never ever get lifetube first item or boots first item, no exceptions.

[rhodric1]

depends on the hero. Assuming we are talking about non-em games, 2 pretenders of crown, 2 runes of blight (or 1 rune of blight + mana potion) for almost every single hero in the game. And then proceed to complete 2 bracers. Early stats is very helpful for any hero.
There are some exceptions, mostly for a few strength heroes, for whom I might get regen or iron buckler.

[zzSleeper]

Depending on hero, I usually go one of:
pretenders crown x2, minor totem, runes of blight x2
scarab, pretender's crown, runes of blight
scarab, minor totem x5

[Grimkor]

depends on the hero. Assuming we are talking about non-em games, 2 pretenders of crown, 2 runes of blight (or 1 rune of blight + mana potion) for almost every single hero in the game. And then proceed to complete 2 bracers. Early stats is very helpful for any hero.
There are some exceptions, mostly for a few strength heroes, for whom I might get regen or iron buckler.

I actually use this exact same setup, saves me writing it out myself lol.

[Jake]

If its 603 gold -> 2x pretenders of crown, minor totem, 2x runes of blight
+5 every stat and enought regen to last hit under some harrasment.

[Mulgen]

Hmm, since this thread is about starting items, I'm a real noob and I've been doing the following:

Buying the reciped item for agi/int/str depending of my hero, and the rest to runes of blight and 2 mana potions. Then I go for Steam boots and a combat recipe like runed axe. Is that good or should I do what you guys say? I'm playing easy mode btw.

[_sh]

Mulgen, that really depends on the heroes. You don't really NEED a mana potion unless you're a hero that feeds on mana. The Runes of Blight are good, but buying the recipe for an item does not give you that item's benefits, so you'd be better of getting 2 Pretenders of Crown.

[Mulgen]

What I mean is that I get the item, "reciped" in my noobie dictionary equals an item that requires a recipe. I get the components and the recipe.

[Knut]

it might just be my inexperience talking but isnt it good to start out with boots on swiftblade? making sure no hero can escape the spin is awesome imo

[_sh]

Knut, that depends on the hero you're laning against. Some heros can disable you while you're in it or they have other get away methods such as a blink or Charging Strike (Dark Lady).

[livmew]

If I do not get bottle, I'll almost always get 2 x pretender, 1 x rune, 1 x potion, and fill up with minors (I think you can afford 2). Fills up the inventory nicely. I pick up a lifetube if needed from the side shops, and try to last long enough in the lane to afford it.

I've been using courier a lot more on certain heroes where farming 875g early on is either hard, or stupid (Glacius and a lifetube). It's absolutely lovely.

[zzSleeper]

Hmm, since this thread is about starting items, I'm a real noob and I've been doing the following:

Buying the reciped item for agi/int/str depending of my hero, and the rest to runes of blight and 2 mana potions. Then I go for Steam boots and a combat recipe like runed axe. Is that good or should I do what you guys say? I'm playing easy mode btw.

Buying the recipe to complete the item right at the start of the game isn't cost effective. For the 125/150/175 you pay for the recipe, all you get over the base components is +1 to all stats - which you can get for just 53 with a minor totem. Completing these items is only worthwhile a little later on when inventory space starts to be an issue. Purchasing these immediately puts you at a disadvantage.