Spectre, The Mercurial - DotA Hero Strategy Guide

A darkness who was ancient even in the early days of the world's existence, Mercurial is the embodiment of rage and vengeance in the souls of those long dead. Haunting her enemies with relentless fervor, she is able to throw a dagger-like projectile that allows her to chase her prey beyond physical boundaries, and the fear and the desolation struck in the hearts of those who have the misfortune of encountering her alone is a pain impossible to withstand. Spectre's thirst for destruction is insatiable, and the upcoming struggle seems to be just what she was waiting for.
Mercurial

Mercurial - The Spectre


Range: 100 | Move Speed: 295
Primary: AGI
Str: 19 + 2 | Agi: 23 + 2.2 | Int: 16 + 1.9
Damage: 46-50 | HP: 511 | Mana: 208
HP Regen: 0.82 | Mana Regen: 0.65
Attack Speed: 1.26 | Armor: 3
Spectral Dagger Spectral Dagger (E)
The Spectre launches a deadly dagger that trails a Shadow Path. Deals damage to the targets in its path. Units hit by the dagger will also trail a Shadow Path. The Spectre becomes phased (gains zero collision) while on the path.
Level 1 - Spectre gains 5% movespeed, enemies lose 5%. Deals 50 damage.
Level 2 - Spectre gains 9% movespeed, enemies lose 9%. Deals 100 damage.
Level 3 - Spectre gains 14% movespeed, enemies lose 14%. Deals 150 damage.
Level 4 - Spectre gains 18% movespeed, enemies lose 18%. Deals 200 damage.
Mana Cost: 130/140/150/160
Cooldown: 25
Comment: Main skill for chasing you can consider this as a nuke, im gonna teach you how you can combine this skill with Haunt to finish an enemy hero.
Dispersion Dispersion (I)
Reduces and causes any damage taken by Mercurial to be reflected onto all enemies in a 1000 AoE.
Level 1 - 5% of damage.
Level 2 - 10% of damage.
Level 3 - 15% of damage.
Level 4 - 20% of damage.
Mana Cost: N/A
Cooldown: N/A
Comment: Good skill against channelers like voljin rylai we are going to max this first for defensive purposes.
Desolate Desolate (E)
Deals bonus damage that cuts through armour when attacking a hero that has no nearby allies. Works on Illusions.
Level 1 - Deals 15 bonus damage
Level 2 - Deals 25 bonus damage
Level 3 - Deals 35 bonus damage
Level 4 - Deals 45 bonus damage
Mana Cost: N/A
Cooldown: N/A
Comment: This Skill is all about hero killing this is what makes Spectre a good Solo hero.
Haunt Haunt (T)
Creates a haunting image beside each enemy hero. These images are uncontrollable, take 200% damage, deal 40% damage and each of them will attack only its pair. Images also have the dispersion ability. Cooldown goes down with level.
Level 1 - Lasts 4 seconds.
Level 2 - Lasts 5 seconds.
Level 3 - Lasts 6 seconds.
Haunt has a 1 second delay during which they fade in before the images start attacking the targets
Mana Cost: 150
Cooldown: 120
Comment: Your Ultimate skill this can finish off heroes with 1/4 health this skill is a free maphack. Use Reality to transfer with your illusions and use spectraldagger for the win.
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Skill Build

Skill Build:

1. Spectral Dagger
2. Dispersion
3. Spectral Dagger
4. Dispersion
5. Spectral Dagger
6. Haunt
7. Spectral Dagger
8. Dispersion
9. Dispersion
10. Desolate
11. Haunt
12. Desolate
13. Desolate
14. Desolate
15. Stats
16. Haunt
17. Stats
18. Stats
19. Stats
20. Stats
21. Stats
22. Stats
23. Stats
24. Stats
25. Stats

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Item Build

Item Build:

1.View Details for Boots of Travel
Boots of Travel
(2700)
+90 Run Speed
Active: Teleport
3 Second Cast Time, 60 Second Cooldown, 75 mana cost
Boots of Speed + Boots of Travel Recipe Scroll
Gives good speed and needed defending purposes and the images stack with the increased speed
2.View Details for Manta Style
Manta Style
(5800)
+30 Agility
+6 Intellegence
+250 HP
Passive: Feedback
40 Mana Burned per Attack to Heroes
Active: Illusion
Creates 2 illusions of yourself that deals 40% damage and takes 300% damage 20 second duration, 70 second cooldown, 165 Mana Cost
Orb effects do not stack
Diffusal Blade + Vitality Booster + Manta Style Recipe Scroll
the best item so far for Spectre images gain desolate and dispersion not to mention the also gain speed from Spectral dagger
3.View Details for Heart of Tarrasque
Heart of Tarrasque
(5500)
+300 Hit Points
+15 HP/Sec Regeneration
35 Strength
Messerschmidts Reaver + Vitality Booster + Heart of Tarrasque Recipe Scroll
Tanking purposes
4.View Details for Buriza-do Kyanon
Buriza-do Kyanon
(5950)
+75 Damage
Passive: Critical Strike
20% Chance 2.2x Damage Multiplier
Crystalis + Demon Edge + Buriza-do Kyanon Recipe Scroll
Crits stack with images so im game with this
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Early Game

Early Game:

Most Important items in surviving Early game

.BracerBracerBoots of SpeedAnimal CourierRing of RegenerationAncient Tango of Essifation

Self Explanatory Bracers give good Hp rather than wraiths. Boots is always needed by any hero. Chickens are for faster transport. Ring of Regeneration is for hp recovery. Tangoes are for Hp recovery since Spectre is very fragile.

EARLY GAME(1-6)

As you choose spectre buy some tangoes a chicken and proceed with any lane you wish to choose. If your laning with somebody be sure to dominate the lanes so your enemies wont farm well. If your alone and facing a meelee hero Last hit and deny is all that your going to do because of Spectres high attackspeed she should farm well easily. If facing a nuker just stay back your range creep and last hit or hug your tower so the enemy nuker wont chase you to death. Dont forget to buy a Ring if you didnt consider getting tangoes

If you farmed well this should be your Inventory

BracerBracerBoots of SpeedAnimal CourierRing of Regeneration

We wont be getting Ring of Bassilus since we wont spam Spectral dagger keep that in mind ok.

KILLING TIME

Killing with Spectre is more noobish than Zeus. Ok First look for a Half healthed hero think it over and over if you can kill him/her a failed attempt can cause you your own demise. Start out with Haunt then reality to your Illusion he should be running with a few whacks throw in a spectral dagger chase for the kill then you will be 100gold richer and happier

Summary in Killing

1.Find a 1/2 health hero that you can take on.

2. Quickly Cast Haunt and let it have a few whacks.

3. Reality Next to him/her little mor whacks then spectral dagger for the win.

With a Team mate

1.Tell your team mate that you will be ganking if he/she has a stun let them go first./p>

2.Haunt Few whacks then Reality.

3.Spectral Dagger and You or your team mate should have a kill.

Spectre's Role in Mass gangbanging

Her role is simply to slow a hero or Haunt a hero for thier location but more importantly she is a hero assasin herself.

END OF EARLY GAME

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Middle Game

Mid Game:

MIDGAME (7-15)

Bracer BracerBoots of SpeedDiffusal Blade

If you farmed right and ganked well you should have these items

Spectre's Mid game is all about 3 things

1.Farming

2.Ganking

3.Pushing

With Diffusal and Spectres Attack speed farming will be a breeze for her and so is Ganking.

Pushing

In early game you and your team mates should have taken down all Lvl1 towers in Mid game pushing is the key of winning.Dota players tend to forget this and brag about killing rights remember 1000Kills and 0 deaths dont mean a thing if your Frozenthrone/World tree is destroyed.

Pushing will be easy lane with an ally and start pushing towers fast, 2-5 minutes is the common time of pushing while nobody is defending. Your Pushing should attract some attention and they will defend so what do you do? Use your improved Killing and Ganking Skills.

NEW COMBO

Haunt-> Reality-> Spectral Dagger-> Purge-> Chase and Kill

Full Hp Heroes

1. Whack a few times

2. Spectral dagger as a nuke

3.Whack again a few times

4.Spectral dagger and purge for the kill

1/2 HP HEROES

Either A.

1.Haunt and Reality

2.Spectral Dagger

3.After using the dagger Purge for the kill

B.

1.Hit for a few times

2.Spectral dagger

3.Purge and chase for the kill

TEAM GANKING

1.Notify and Ask your Ally to go first if she or he has a stun or slow

2.Once both of you are there Surely your ally will be duking it out with the enemy

3.Haunt Asap and reality next to him/her

4.Purge and chase this should give you or your team mate the kill and expierience.

PURGE USES

Purge is what makes Spectre a team player or a Soloer

The uses

1.Saving Allies

2.Removing Skills doom poison etc.

3.Solo Kill or Team Kill.

Remember to finish all the charges before upgrading to manta since all charges count.

These should be your items

Boots of SpeedBracerBracerRing of RegenerationManta Style

END OF MIDGAME

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Late Game

Late Game:

LATEGAME(16-25)

The defining moment of Spectre, as you know Spectre is a late game hero she sucks early game but comebacks strong in Mid and Late this all depends in your farming and Ganking

Whats next to get?

VanguardHeart of TarrasqueBuriza-do KyanonBoots of Travel

1. Vanguard has a nice synergy with dispersion i usually get this to boost Spectre's Hp after getting Manta this isnt hard to farm.

2. Tarasque this is for tanking or incase you dont get Vanguard.

3.Buriza This is for damage since Images bennefit from Crits.

4. Boots of Travel for pushing and defending also for killing since the speed stacks with the images i usually get this after tarasque or vanguard because defending is a must in late game

SUMMARY ON WHAT TO GET

Vanguard ORHeart of Tarrasque

THEN

Boots of Travel

THEN

Buriza-do Kyanon

Not much to say after you get Manta and tarasque or vanguard the game should end

So in short Spectre should do this

1. Farm Less

2.Gank and Team Battles

3.Push like crazy

4.Defend

The only Tip i can give you is stay with your team mates because all of your enemies have good items or completed thier core itmes so be careful DYING IS NOT FUN IN LATE GAME.

OVER ALL ITEMS

Boots of TravelManta StyleVanguardHeart of TarrasqueBuriza-do Kyanon

OR

Boots of TravelManta StyleHeart of Tarrasque

Manta Combo

Spectral dagger-> Manta -> select all illusions-> Whack enemy to death

OR

Haunt- Reality-> Spectral Dagger-> Manta-> select all illusions -> Whack enemy to death

Manta is a very good item for spectre since illusions gain bennefit from feed back and they got all her passive skills not to mention they get increase speed in spectral dagger

Manta for escaping?

Yes Manta is also for escaping once your in low health use manta and spectral dagger send all your illusions in diffrent directions to confuse the enemy or just simply do this

Manta-> Spectral Dagger -> Escape like there is no tommorow

END OF LATE GAME

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Other stuff

Conclusion:

NOOBS SECTION

An alternative Build incase you dont want Manta Please i hardly recommend this

Boots of TravelSange&YashaHeart of TarrasqueMonkey King Bar

Why the skills?

Spectral dagger is your nuke and chasing skill, Dispersion is for Defense, Haunt in level 6 can net you first blood and desolate is effective mid game. May i remind you Spectral dagger is also for escaping.

Why not desolate in Early game?

No because do you expect that you can kill an enemy with out help from your ally in early game Desolate is only i reapeat effective in MID to LATE game.

Why Manta?

Manta has good synergy with your ulti and images bennefit from feed back and be aware they images has Dispersion and desolate not to mention they have increase speed when using Spectral dagger.

What not to Get

Eye of SkadiGuinsoo`s Scythe of VyseRefresher OrbArcane RingMjollnirHand of Midas

Eos is too much expensive dont get int items you wont need it Mjolnir i dont like it even with increased IAS Midas is also a waste of time and gold.

DR/AEGIS

You can get this if you have time and gold.

Further use of Spectral dagger and Haunt

Spectral dagger gives you zero collision, this means you can move like ghost imagine moving to a cliff by passing through it.

As for Haunt it can be a good use for Map hack hehe

Spectral dagger Escaping tips

At my recent activity i found out a way to use Spectral dagger for escaping effectively example, Spectre uses the spectral dagger to escape through a cliff. This is possible how you ask by shift clicking.

Shift Clicking!!

Yes you can use Shift clicking for escaping its easy press shift and right click you will see some marks yes marks like a spear mark where you shift click sounds confusing eh but you should try. I suggest practicing in your fountain first Shift clicking makes spectre do a diffrent approach in moving.

How do you master Shift Clicking?

The easiest way to master this is to practice it in the fountain, You see the big rock in your fountain Use spectral dagger there and shift click spectre should move through if you made a mistake Spectre will go around the rock. Try it on diffrent areas on the map so you can get a hang of it.

What are the skills that Dispersion disperse?

1.Freezing field

2. Death ward

3.Epicenter

4.Soul steal

5.Nightmare- you cant disperse this

6.Requiem of Souls

7. Shackles

8. Blade fury- It can but Yurnero will not take damage

9.Frost Bite

10.Over Growth

11. Fiends Grip

12. Counter Helix

13. Spirit Bears Entangle

14.Ignite

15.Black Hole

16.Malefice

17. Avalanche

18.Fire pandas immolation

19.Diabolic Edict

20.Decriptify+Nether Blast- She can disperse the whole thing or take less damage

21.Rot

22. Reapers Scythe

23.Shadow weave

24. Doom

25.Static Field

26. Geo strike

27.Fatal bonds

28. Shadow word

29. Infernals Immolation

30.Rupture

Note: She can disperse this skill nulling them or she takes less damage.

Concluding Section

Good Allies and Bad Enemies

Shendelzare Silkwood - The Vengeful SpiritSven - The RogueknightSlithice - The Naga SirenRikimaru - The Stealth AssassinJakiro - The Twin Head DragonTiny - The Stone GiantBradwarden - The Centaur WarchiefGondar - The Bounty Hunter

And many more you guys should know what to do

Enemies

Kel`Thuzad - The LichLucifer - The Doom BringerRhasta - The Shadow ShamanRikimaru - The Stealth AssassinAiushtha - The EnchantressMorphling - The MorphlingLina Inverse - The SlayerLuna Moonfang - The Moon Rider

Early game nukers and Heroes that can out last you.

I hope you learned something from spectre she isnt your average hero i hope people get to play her more often.

Thanks to:

Dota strategy for making this guide.

To all dota players out there keep rocking \m/.

Reminder

I will update this from time to time and post pictures to since our internet speed is slow and get bad lags in Gg client or battle net so i am forced to play outside.

Thank you again!! I await your comments

-END OF GUIDE-


This guide has been taken from DotaStrategy.com