DOTA Hero Tips: Bristleback

Bristleback can survive even the strongest physical or spell damage and eliminate enemy heroes at the same time. This hero is basically used as a full tanker. However, some professional DOTA players use him as a hitter. The build may be questionable yet it’s definitely something that can be considered. His last skill greatly increases his attack and movement speed. Bristleback’s first skill offers a stackable crippling effect which made him a good chaser as well. His great tanking ability came from his third skill. It lessens enemy attack on his back and rear so it’s almost impossible to kill a fleeing Bristleback. There are various playing styles suited for this hero. Nevertheless, his effectiveness lies on how much you deeply understand his role in every part of the game. To help you on this matter, here are some basic yet proven effective tips.

Early Game

Bristleback users often use his second skill to farm. If you choose this path, purchasing items that can increase Bristleback’s mana regeneration is imperative. However, spamming his second skill is not necessary if you are quite confident about your last hitting skills. Some players rush Vanguard and Hood of Defiance to make him the perfect tanker. This is a good idea but is not advised in most cases. There are some cases where your team needs a hitter more than a tanker. In this kind of situation, buying aggressive items early on such as a Radiance or Battle Fury is advised. The best thing about Bristleback is that he can still act as a decent tanker without purchasing items that boost hit points and health regeneration. You can either harass or be on a defensive mode during the early game. If most enemy heroes are good harassers, maxing Bristleback’s third skill should be your goal. On the other hand, if they have high hit points and are less effective during the early game, upgrading Bristleback’s second and first skill is advised. You must be aggressive and grab a couple of skills if possible.

Mid Game

Bristleback is an effective ganker. His first skill’s effect stacks. Only enemy heroes with blinks and various escape mechanisms can get away from an ambush participated by Bristleback. Your items should depend on what heroes compose the opposing team and their respective builds. As a tanker, buying a heart of tarasque as soon as possible is imperative. You don’t need to have fast hands in using Bristleback effectively as his skills are very easy to use and he don’t need passive items to be strong.

Late Game

This is the part of the game where one team clash decides the game. If you grabbed a couple of kills through ganking, you most likely have enough cash to purchase luxurious items like an Assault Cuirass or Buriza-Do Kyanon. You should focus more on increasing your hitting power especially if your team lacks a decent hitter. Moreover, it’s also important for a tanker to be irritating. This made Radiance and other damaging items also important for Bristleback.