Mini Guides for all 66 Heroes (update in progress)

[[eatU]Newti]

The guide is now fully updated for 1.66!

Thanks for the feedback Manock, Exalion and Pimp_C.

I didn't know about the Vagabond Leaders, added this to the gameplay hints. (I am very thankful for such tips!)
Corrected the spelling mistakes - altough i kinda liked the Lime Leap one....

And also thanks for the over 400 positive votes! Let's hope this guide can be moved to the premium section one day .

[[HFR]obe]

Great post, thank you for the great work done.

[Manock]

vagabond leaders give you hp regen aura( of 3) around your other creeps helping to keep them alive stacking well with astrolab

[TKDSUSDK]

Very impressive guide, a lot of effort. I was expecting some noob crap, like is often the case with these kinds of "every hero guide," but for the most part I agree with almost every item build you gave (have only read the first 15-20 heros but it's all quality so I assume the rest is as good).

[Yakuza]

Premium for sure!

[[Zoff]Alucard187]

A great guide really! It helped me alot on very much heroes! THX VERY MUCH!

[Exalion]

Very impressive guide, a lot of effort. I was expecting some noob crap, like is often the case with these kinds of "every hero guide," but for the most part I agree with almost every item build you gave (have only read the first 15-20 heros but it's all quality so I assume the rest is as good).

You assume correctly. This guide is great, I can play SD, pick a hero that seems appropriate, and not worry.
I just pull up this guide and I have item builds and some handy tips ready to go!

[[MsMD]Grim_Death]

Just a note on Rampage, His Dota name was Spirit Breaker thus SB not Spirit Walker

[[0190]JimmehCake]

Hey, didn't you have that geometer build on chronos before?

If so, would you mind putting it back as an alternative? (I played that build the whole time and this match where I used the elder one didn't got me much kills, So they are probably both good!)

[ClipClop]

for kraken..

you said: Roles: Tank, Initiator, Anti-Pusher, (Anti-Carry)
but when you were talking about hotbl you said you are not a tank?

so what is it?

[Exalion]

Hey, didn't you have that geometer build on chronos before?

If so, would you mind putting it back as an alternative? (I played that build the whole time and this match where I used the elder one didn't got me much kills, So they are probably both good!)

pretty sure geometer's bane is kind of useless on him now as it doesn't increase the likelihood of the bash working, which is why one would get it previously.

[Ragnarok17]

Nice guide

Shouldn't you have added 5-10 more posts to reserve for future heroes? Or do you plan on dedicating this thread to the first 60 heroes?

[TKDSUSDK]

for kraken..

you said: Roles: Tank, Initiator, Anti-Pusher, (Anti-Carry)
but when you were talking about hotbl you said you are not a tank?

so what is it?

He's not really made to tank, in the same way that someone like accursed can tank for the team, or electrician. He CAN be a tank, if he HAS to be (team composition requires it), but he's nicer to throw support items on and be a beefy initiator

[[eatU]Newti]

Hey, didn't you have that geometer build on chronos before?

If so, would you mind putting it back as an alternative? (I played that build the whole time and this match where I used the elder one didn't got me much kills, So they are probably both good!)

As Exalion said, since the rework of his bash the Geometer's Bane illusion can no longer stun, making the item much weaker; especially as the first item. I consider rushing geometer's bane on chronos no longer viable and thus can't add it as an alternative.
I can however give you the build oder here:

Starting Items:
Runes of Blight, Healing Potion, Logger's Hatchet, 3x Minor Totem

Core:
(Iron Shield >> Fortified Bracelet >>) Marchers >> Firebrand >> Geometer's Bane >> Steam Boots

After Core:
Savage Mace >> Wingbow >> Riftshards

for kraken..

you said: Roles: Tank, Initiator, Anti-Pusher, (Anti-Carry)
but when you were talking about hotbl you said you are not a tank?

so what is it?

Ok, let me explain what I consider to be a "Tank". I will list a few properties that describe a tank:

1. A tank wants to be focused by his opponents. However, the reason why focusing him is desirable is different from hero to hero. This is the only point that is required for a hero to be classified as a tank. All the other points are optional/typical.

2. Tanks typically have skills that either require an opponent attacking you (e.g. Legionnaire's Whirling Blade) or that force opponents to attack you (e.g. Taunt).

3. Tanks can have skills that actively reduce incoming damage (e.g. Armadon's Armadillo)

4. Tanks typically have a lot of Health and High Damage resistance.

5. Tanks are often initiators to increase the chance they are being attacked first.

Now let's look at kraken. He has no skills that benefit him if he is attacked, he has no tanking skills and he also has no exceptional physical or magical resilience (he does have a high str gain but is still surprisingly squishy). So why does he want to be focused and attacked by his opponents?
After using his Ultimate and his 200-somewhat damage nuke Kraken is useless. He has no spells left, he has ridiculously low damage. He might as well be dead. 90% of the time every other hero in the team will be more useful than Kraken after Whrilpool and this is the reason why Kraken wants to die first. The best way he can help his team is to absorb as many nukes and hits as possible before he goes down. And exaclty this is what makes him a tank even though he does not qualify for points 2-4.

A good team will not focus Kraken. There is no reason to focus him after all as he is useless. This is why you are not getting tanking items on him but rather supportive items.

The problem with the usage of the word "tank" is that most people think of a "warrior maintank" like in WoW for example. But there is no such thing in HoN. When i say "you are not a tank" i actually want to say "your opponents have no reason to attack you and you have no reliable means to force them to do so even if you want them to attack you. Don't waste your gold on items that let you survive longer when you could spend it on items that actually benefit your team." Its just that saying "you are not a tank" is easier and gets the job done .

Oh and to clear up another missconception: Your team does NOT require a tank to win. Being a tank is like being a nuker. It's how you play the hero. You also don't say "hey, we need a nuker to win this game". Do not force heroes into the tanking role simply because you have no tank hero in your team.

[PapaLion]

Great help for me, thank you. Tards like me would appreciate some "whys" (like why no sotm at pyro) tho.

[TKDSUSDK]

Great help for me, thank you. Tards like me would appreciate some "whys" (like why no sotm at pyro) tho.

Because the bonus it gives to your ultimate is negligible and for the same price you can have a sheepstick, much better mana regen, and a useful activated skill like hex to disable a carry or stunner or whoever you want. Heros where it gives a straight, tiny damage boost to their ultimate are heros that SOTM is a waste of money on. E.g. Pyro, Witch Slayer

[Yakuza]

Maybe suggest boots as first item for swiftblade.

[Stelanie]

AMAZING GUIDE PREMIUM FOR SURE!
and I agree with iyakuzaa, boots on swiftblade as first is almost a must

[SunRa]

Agi looks spot on, str looks decent but int is really off in many of the builds and hero assessments.

[Exalion]

Played engineer a couple of times, and you're right, that item build is a bit... rubbish. You need to do something about his infinite squishy-ness and lack of mana regen...
I'd be more helpful, but I haven't found a solution myself yet!

Edit: I will be trying out Plated Grieves, Portal Hey, and Fortified Bracer (instead of Soulscream Ring) and Puzzle box as core, I'll post again with my findings.