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DOTA Hero Tips: Skywrath Mage

Updated on August 13, 2012

Dragonus

It’s not surprising for DOTA intelligence type heroes to highly rely on spells to introduce damage on enemy heroes. However, Skywrath Mage took this dependence on a higher level. If left with no mana, this hero is literally useless. This hero is newly released so many are still confused as to how to bring out his true power. Some are greatly frustrated after observing Skywrath Mage’s measly health points. Despite these negative drawbacks, underestimating this hero is a bad idea. If controlled efficiently and given good items that can support his high need for mana, Skywrath Mage can eliminate enemy heroes with ease. Read on to discover some tips so you can unleash the true might of Dragonus the Skywrath Mage.

Arcane Bolt

Skywrath Mage is gaining the attention of many DOTA players because of this skill. It is perfect for bullying enemy heroes keeping them from gaining both experience and gold. During the early part of the game, spamming this skill could be a headache for agility type enemy heroes with their very low health points. However, you can only apply this strategy if you have enough mana supporting items. Buying at least two Clarity Potions is a must. You must also rush an Arcane Boots so you don’t need to worry about lacking mana as the game progresses and enemy heroes gain more life points and resistance to spell damage. If paired with a hero who boasts a reliable disabling skill such as Rogue Knight and Ogre Magi, grabbing the first blood with Skywrath Mage is very possible with the help of this skill.

Concussive Shot

Forget about running away from Skywrath Mage since this skill will greatly reduce your movement speed. This skill attacks the nearest enemy hero so make sure to get close to your target before casting. The spell damage of this skill increases every level but the slowing effect and duration remain constant so it’s highly advised that you upgrade it only once and focus more on Skywrath Mage’s first, third, and ultimate skill. The effect of this skill stacks with other slowing spells making Ogre Magi, Venomancer, Drow Ranger and other heroes who boast a reliable crippling skill a perfect partner for Skywrath Mage.

Ancient Seal

This skill can not only silence a target but also make him more vulnerable to spell damage. Using this skill and casting Skywrath Mage’s ultimate skill is a perfect combination. Only a few DOTA heroes can survive such kind of punishment. If one successfully does so, Skywrath Mage can easily finish the enemy off with his second and first skill. Many Skywrath Mage users disregard this skill and focus on his second skill. Keep in mind that this skill intensifies all the skills thrown at the target so it will eventually boost the damage deal by your allies as well. This fact alone is enough for us to conclude that this skill is much more useful compared to the second.

Mystic Flare

This is the bread and butter skill of Skywrath Mage. To maximize the destructive effect of this skill, cast it to an enemy without any near ally. This will assure that all its damage will be deal on your target. Always keep in mind that the effectiveness of this skill will highly decrease if casted to a group of enemy heroes. One good thing about this skill is its very low cool down rate despite boasting an absurd amount of damage. The only drawback is its high mana cost. Skywrath mage can only cast it at most four times even with the best items and at maximum level.

Early Game

Skywrath Mage excels during this part of the game. Your role is to bully enemy heroes especially the carry. Spam your first skill to heroes who can end up unstoppable in the late game but starts out weak like Phantom Assassin and Stealth Assassin. Keep them away from your creeps as much as possible. Deny your dying creeps to stop them from earning gold. You can also grab a few early kills especially if paired with a hero boasting a reliable disabling or crippling skill. You’ll need tons of mana to spam your skills during the early game so rushing an Arcane Boots or simply purchasing a lot of Clarity Potions is crucial.

Mid Game

It won’t take an expert to analyze that Skywrath Mage is a great ganker. His second and third skill will make it easier for your team to hunt enemy heroes who farm on the jungle. To be an effective ganker, you need items that can boost your movement speed and provide you with better mobility. A Force Staff and Kelen’s Dagger are great picks. Nonetheless, you should prefer the first as it also grants Skywrath Mage with intelligence bonus, aside from the fact that you can still cast the spell despite being under enemy fire. If you work well with your teammates, successfully ambushing even the quickest enemy hero won’t be so much of a hassle.

Late Game

You must have good items during this part of the game or you’ll be useless. Skywrath Mage has very low health points so always be attentive during late game clashes. In most cases, enemy heroes will target the squishiest. It’s vital that you stay on the back or side line. Carefully study the situation whether you advance or retreat. One wrong move could get Skywrath Mage killed in a matter of seconds. Buying items that can boost your health and mana points such as Blood Stone is a brilliant idea. Many experienced DOTA players also purchase Linkin Sphere for Skywrath Mage to somehow make it challenging for enemy heroes to elimante him at once. Always remember that you’ll have more chances to cause damage to enemy heroes with higher survivability.

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