Semi-daily hero tips. Day 81: Skywrath Mage

DISCLAIMER

A lot of you probably know about the weekly hero discussion, but that often ends up in a meta discussion (whether or not the hero needs buffs, etc) or a meme war than actual tips to play, itemize and build the hero.

This is what I'd like to do. Please discuss any notes I made and possible improvements while also giving tips of your own if you have them.

The roles, skill builds and item builds, as well as a lot of the notes are my opinion on matters and should not be seen as a must do or don't. Also remember that almost every single build or role is situationally possible.

A lot of the tips on heroes were also mentioned in tsunami's amazing hero tips series he did over the last couple of years.

Skywrath Mage

Notes:

• Arcane bolt and concussive shot give vision as they travel, handy for hitting heroes on the high ground mid
• Concussive shot has 0 cast time, use off cooldown when being chased
• Ancient seal should be constantly cast on initiators and blinkers
• Try keeping yourself from casting mystic flare unless paired with a disable or slow
• Versus: There is no use in running from arcane bolt if you're going to die anyway. You're giving him free vision
• Versus: Punish him if he wants to use clarities
• Concussive shot has a small AOE on impact
• Mystic flare damage is divided among the heroes in it, including magic immune heroes
• Friends: Furion (sprout + flare), clockwerk (cogs + flare), LC (duel + flare), Void (chrono + flare), Necro (double ult)
• Versus: Get force staff, especially if up against sprout, cogs and roots
• Good versus: Timber, Necro, Morph, Invoker, Storm (silence, weak to magic damage)
• Counters: Beastmaster, CK, Lycan, Furion, Brood (summons/illusions/clones to split up flare damage), Huskar (magic resistance), Pugna (nether ward)
• Counter: BKB

Role: Support, mid

Item build: Bottle/Stick/Wand, Arcanes, Rod of Aui, (Force staff, Veil, Eul's, Agh's, Bloodstone, Aether lens, Glimmer, Ghost --> EBlade, Octarine, Blink, BoT)

Skill build: Arcane bolt --> Ancient Seal --> Concussive shot. lvl 2 value point in concussive shot

PREVIOUS HEROES

• Abaddon
• Alchemist
• Ancient Apparition
• Anti-Mage
• Arc Warden
• Axe
• Bane
• Batrider
• Beastmaster
• Bloodseeker
• Bounty Hunter
• Brewmaster
• Bristleback
• Broodmother
• Centaur Warrunner
• Chaos Knight
• Chen
• Clinkz
• Clockwerk
• Crystal Maiden
• Dark Seer
• Dazzle
• Death Prophet
• Disruptor
• Doom
• Dragon Knight
• Drow Ranger
• Earth Spirit
• Earthshaker
• Elder Titan
• Ember Spirit
• Enchantress
• Enigma
• Faceless Void
• Gyrocopter
• Huskar
• Invoker
• IO
• Jakiro
• Juggernaut
• Keeper of the Light
• Kunkka
• Legion Commander
• Leshrac
• Lich
• Lifestealer
• Lina
• Lion
• Lone Druid
• Luna
• Lycan
• Magnus
• Medusa
• Meepo
• Monkey King
• Morphling
• Naga Siren
• Nature's Prophet
• Necrophos
• Night Stalker
• Nyx Assassin
• Ogre Magi
• Omniknight
• Oracle
• Outworld Devourer
• Phantom Assassin
• Phantom Lancer
• Phoenix
• Puck
• Pudge
• Pugna
• Queen of Pain
• Razor
• Riki
• Rubick
• Sand King
• Shadow Demon
• Shadow Fiend
• Shadow Shaman
• Silencer