Hero Discussion of this Day: Rhasta, Shadow Shaman (22 January 2013)

Rhasta, the Shadow Shaman

Rhasta is one of best heroes for disabling enemies, with two strong spells of this type. However, he is a fragile hero who tends to get focused in battle. Teamwork and communication are essential if the Shadow Shaman is to make full use of his potent spell arsenal. Forked Lightning is a useful ability, good for harassing foes, killing creeps, and finishing off wounded enemies who escape Rhasta's snares. Voodoo is a straightforward polymorph skill, transforming the target into a critter and knocking them out of the fight for a few seconds. Shackles is an interesting ability which disables both the target and Rhasta while he channels the spell. However, this is not much of a disadvantage to Rhasta, since his Mass Serpent Ward ability gives him a deadly source of alternate damage to destroy his target while he holds them in place. The wards are a powerful sieging tool as well, able to level buildings very quickly. Since towers can only attack one ward at a time, they stand little chance against this skill.

Lore

Born in the Bleeding Hills, Rhasta was just a starving youngling when picked up by a travelling con-man. For two pins of copper, the old con-man would tell your fortune. For three, he’d castrate your pig, for five, he’d circumcise your sons. For a good meal, he’d don his shaman garb, read from his ancient books, and lay a curse upon your enemies. His strange new youngling, part hill trowle, part…something else, worked as assistant and lent an air of the exotic to the con-man’s trade.

Always one step ahead of cheated customers, one town ahead of a pursuing patronage, the two trekked across the blighted lands until one day the con-man realized that the little youngling could actually do what he only pretended at. His ward had a gift—a gift that customers valued. And so the youngling Rhasta was thrust before the crowds, and the trade-name Shadow Shaman was born. The two continued from town to town, conjuring for money as Shadow Shaman’s reputation grew. Eventually, the pair’s duplicitous past caught up with them, and they were ambushed by a mob of swindled ex-clients. The con-man was slain, and for the first time, Rhasta used his powers for darkness, massacring the attackers. He buried his beloved master, and now uses his powers to destroy any who would seek to do him harm.

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Roles: Pusher, Disabler, Nuker, Support

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Strength: 19 + 1.6

Agility: 16 + 1.6

Intelligence: 21 + 3

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Damage: 47-54

Armour: 1.24

Movement Speed: 285

Attack Range: 500

Missile Speed: 900

Base Attack Time: 1.7

Sight Range: 1800 (Day) / 800 (Night)

Turn Rate: 0.4

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Spells

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Ether Shock

Creates a cone of ethereal energy that strikes multiple enemy units.

Level	Manacost	Cooldown	Casting Range	Area	Duration	Effects
1	95	8	600	200 (Starting AoE)/500 (Distance)/300 (Final AoE)	N/A	Shocks one target for 140 damage
2	105	8	600	200 (Starting AoE)/500 (Distance)/300 (Final AoE)	N/A	Shocks 3 targets for 200 damage each
3	135	8	600	200 (Starting AoE)/500 (Distance)/300 (Final AoE)	N/A	Shocks 5 targets for 260 damage each
4	160	8	600	200 (Starting AoE)/500 (Distance)/300 (Final AoE)	N/A	Shocks 7 targets for 320 damage each

• Magical Damage

• Secondary targets can be up to 1000 distance away

Originally used to open shows with the travelling con-man, Rhasta's lightning display shocks adversaries in more ways than one.

==

Hex

Transforms an enemy unit into a harmless creature, disabling their attacks and abilities.

Level	Manacost	Cooldown	Casting Range	Area	Duration	Effects
1	110	13	500	N/A	1.25	Transforms the target unit into a chicken
2	140	13	500	N/A	2	Transforms the target unit into a chicken
3	170	13	500	N/A	2.75	Transforms the target unit into a chicken
4	200	13	500	N/A	3.5	Transforms the target unit into a chicken

• If the target is an illusion, it will be instantly destroyed

• The hexed target will have a base movement speed of 100

• Hex disables damage block and evasion

• Hex disables experience gain

Rhasta often ended performances by turning himself into a chicken - now, the humiliation is shared.

==

Shackles

Channelled

Magically binds an enemy unit so that it cannot move or attack, while dealing damage over time.

Level	Manacost	Cooldown	Casting Range	Area	Duration	Effects
1	110	16	400	N/A	2.5	Disables the target enemy unit and damages them for 40 per second
2	130	16	400	N/A	3.25	Disables the target enemy unit and damages them for 40 per second
3	155	16	400	N/A	4	Disables the target enemy unit and damages them for 40 per second
4	185	16	400	N/A	4.75	Disables the target enemy unit and damages them for 40 per second

• Magical Damage

A self-defense incantation, Rhasta developed shackles after his master was slain in the Bleeding Hills.

==

Mass Serpent Ward

Ultimate

Summons 8 serpent wards to attack enemy units and structures. The wards are immune to magic, and have a small area of splash damage that increases per level.

Level	Manacost	Cooldown	Casting Range	Area	Duration	Effects
1	200	110	550	N/A	45	Summons 8 Serpent Wards, which have 39 - 43 (53-59*) damage
2	350	110	550	N/A	45	Summons 8 Serpent Wards, which have 54 - 58 (74-79*) damage
3	600	110	550	N/A	45	Summons 8 Serpent Wards, which have 69 - 73 (94-100*) damage

• Serpent Wards deal piercing damage.

• Serpent Wards have splash damage.

• This ultimate can be upgraded via sceptre, (*) shows the upgraded effects

• The splash from level 1 wards deals 100% damage in a 50 AoE, 40% damage in a 75 AoE, 20% damage in a 150 AoE

• The splash from level 2 wards deals 100% damage in a 75 AoE, 40% damage in a 100 AoE, 20% damage in a 200 AoE

• The splash from level 3 wards deals 100% damage in a 85 AoE, 40% damage in a 110 AoE, 20% damage in a 220 AoE

Snake charming was a big part of the Shadow Shaman's act; now Rhasta can empower the snakes to do his bidding.

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Recent Changes from 6.77

• None

Recent Changes from 6.76/6.76b/6.76c

• None

Recent Changes from 6.75/6.75b

• None

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Findings (not-factual information as above):

When casting Shackles and Hex consecutively (either order) make sure you don't stack your disables, while also making sure you stack it a little bit by casting just before the disable ends, as to not let the possibility of escape happen. Clicking on a unit or hero with Mass Serpent wards can allow you to trap them inside your wards.

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A thread about Rhasta's viability and reasons not being picked recently. thread by f1xx

A tl;dr by Wilco-

A thread here full of useful combos with Rhasta, thread by Nadrojxam

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If you guys want a specific hero to be discussed next, please feel free to post (or message as people have for Meepo, Lina, Krobelus, Sylla, Puck, Brood, Omni, Disruptor. Viper, Shadow Demon, Prophet and Rhasta).

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Posts are every 2 days, next post will be on the 24th.

Important Prophet tip of last thread by Baby_giraffes: "don't spam your ultimate. Use it in team fights or to try and stall an enemy push/help your team's push. If you just spam it once you're level 6 you are hurting your team's overall farm for a small amount of gold for yourself."