Spectre build: Defense of the Ancients

Mercurial is an extremely powerful hero in the right hands. She's somewhat fragile, especially early in the game, but more than makes up for it with her late game potential. She can ambush characters out of nowhere and not just with her ultimate! The spectral dagger skill lets you hide in trees along the path and jump back out with it as enemies pass by.

This item build for Spectre hero is based on her using illusions. Many dota players only save them for haunting, but there's more you can use them for. For example... desolate adds damage to every one of them. This means you can make a manta and all your illusions do an extra +45 against any solo heroes. An illusion spectre build for dota is one to be feared at both the middle and late in the match.

I first maximize spectral dagger and desolate. Her dispersion skill is nice, but not needed just yet. You should try to avoid situations where you'll be taking large amounts of damage early game, which is when dispersion is actually good. That skill reflects a portion of all DPS taken back into a large area.

You'll want to upgrade haunt as often as you can as well. This skill is pretty much the equivalent of a global maphack and you'll also be using it to spawn illusions during group battles.

It's a bit risky, but if the enemy dota heroes allow it, I try to make one that increases the potential of the Mercurial illusions. Spectre illusions all gain the immolation granted by Radiance. If none of the other players on my team are getting one it's a great idea as a first or second item (Easy mode Defense of the Ancients only). It'll take too long for it to be useful in a non-em match.

Manta Style is another must for creating illusions on the fly. While they won't gain the ability to pass through your shadow path from the spectral dagger, they can help block an enemy in and force them to use a different exit, as well as be used to keep vision while you're chasing someone. The path from your daggers will always show where the enemy has went.

Diffusal Blade lets you drain the mana of anyone you might be chasing. It also slows them to the point where all your illusions can get 4 or 5 hits in before they'll be able to run away. This works out to around 450 extra damage due to having Manta Style on Spectre alone, plus whatever they do from your Mercurial attributes.

Two good spots to wait in ambush are the cliffs by the runes. There are areas set above the ground in the Defense of the Ancients terrain, which give you a huge vision radius. The runes are only a couple steps away. These are where some Pudge players often drop their observer wards.

Have fun playing the game with this Spectre build!