tony85poon
29th July 2008, 12:11 PM
Dirge the Undying had a major change in new 6.53 version- Soul Rip Cooldown time (previous is 30 seconds, now is 25/20/15/10), therefore I intend to elaborate this. Defending means not doing the actual killing. Instead, protect allies. Honestly, once I had 7 assists(ally killing enemy hero with your help) in 25 minutes.
Skill Build:
1. Soul Rip
2. Heartstopper Aura
3. Raise Dead
4. Soul Rip
5. Heartstopper Aura
6. Plague
7. Heartstopper Aura
8. Heartstopper Aura
9. Raise Dead
10. Soul Rip
11. Plague
Item Build:
1. Ring of Basilius
2. Scroll of Town Portal
3. Sobi Mask
4. Lesser Clarity Potion
get this if you want to buy boots before sobi mask
5. Boots of Speed
Early Game:
- Side lanes (up or bottom) preferred. Middle is sometimes "haunted" with 2 ranged enemies.
- I don't suggest attacking by your own because there is no escape skill for Dirge.
Reduced Soul Rip cooldown time!
- Try to "steal" kills from your own creeps for more experience.(Soul Rip)
To use soul rip frequently, the early Mana supply comes from Clarity Potion (Use when you Mana count is below 100) [keep you left index finger at the R button for quick-casting!]
Heal teammates early enough. Only works when the Health-point status is yellow (press alt to see). Personally, I usually use it when enemy creeps and your creeps just meet. 10 units gives you 250 healing power. This explains why I suggest level 2 Soul Rip as soon as possible.
Vs Meelee (use skill-build above)
Raise Zombie at a location for continuous attack against units, when the enemy is focusing at your creeps. 6 numbers of attacks gives you an additional zombie. Feel free to use Soul Rip to heal zombie.
Also let the enemy Meelee attacker fall into the range of heartstopping Aura. Please note that clicking the enemy unit will show this aura in the status below the name and details in the namebox. Walking towards you and away from you means a long period of time within the aura.
VS Ranged
Level 2 Heartstopping Aura is useless (beause the Area of Effect is only 500 at level 2, even shorter than Sniper attack range of 550. Therefore, avoid the raise dead skill, and go for Heartstopping aura of 750 range (level 3). Bear in mind that zombies are easy target for enemy archers (because they want gold and experience). Harrass enemy hero with Soul Rip.
VS 1 Ranged, 1 Meelee
In this case,start with Soul Rip then Raise Dead.
VS CREEPS/Neutrals
Obviously, you don't need plague against creeps. Raise dead at level 6.
Middle Game:
Exact method to kill enemy hero:
1. At early game, keep the enemy Meelee hero at low level by using Soul Rip frequently. The enemy needs to go back to heal and therefore cannot gather experience.
2. Slow the enemy with plague, this compounds the Heartstopping Aura. This is because when the enemy hero moves slower, he/she stays in your Area of Effect for longer time. 1% hp per second. Ouch!
3. Drag yourself and zombie, attack! (Press A, then left click target unit). I find zombie attack very useful especially when you yourself don't want to chase all the way to the enemy tower.
4. Use Soul Rip again!
Self-Survival (Dirge is known as Undying!)
1. Raise some zombies, expect them to die.
2. Prophylactic Soul Rip.
3. Slow enemy hero with Plague (really helps!)
4. Stay with teammates, because of the aura you provide.
Video-demonstration by Fatbatero. He did use Soul Rip correctly at level 3.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3gt5QqsCSg (high quality available)
Getting quick Cash:
If it is safe to do so, attack enemy tower. This is best when your zombies have already raised extra zombies( usually in the number of 4 or 6). Drag all the units, attack the tower specifically (press A and left click). After getting the cash, it is better to stay back, because Dirge has no escaping skills against the "haunted forests". Personally, I hate pudge who is always trying to ambush.
Inventory:
Negopai suggests getting Radiance right after Sobi Mask and Ring of Basilius. I don't agree with this. He says "I'm not crazy, you can farm this in about 20 minutes..." This is possible only if you can farm continuously without interruption. In online-gaming reality, I suggest Boots of Speed (for flexibility) and Point Booster (200 extra HP against all sorts of attack). I don't think it is fun to farm in the Jungle for 16 minutes.
Against Ranged enemies/ not enough cash for Point Booster
2x Ring of Regeneration (375 each)+ Planeswalkers Cloak (650)+ Helm of Iron Will(950)= Hood of Defiance
Avoid Dropping (helmet and armous available at the weapons dealer in the corner)
(620) + (1400)+(2100)+2000 =Assault Cuirass
Enough Cash:
Point Booster (1200) + 2 Ultimate Orbs(2100) + 1450=Eye of Skadi
(Items in Secret shop, Gateway of Demonic Artifacts and level 4 undead shop respectively)
Late Game:
If you find that all 3 of your skills are loading (soul Rip is 25/20/15/10, Raise dead is 30 seconds, Plauge is 45 seconds), you are maximizing the potential of Dirge.
Negopai on 2007-11-01 points out that "your function here is to push and counter push". I think he means attacking and defending towers. The Boot-of-travel allows efficient farming: killing incoming/neutral creeps in the map for more gold. (Use Town-Portal depending on the situation)
The ideal inventory:
Sacred relic(3800) + 1525=Radiance
Ring of Regeneration(375) + Mask of death(900) + 300 =Vladmir's Offering,green color, assist your ally with auras.
-Secret shop(3200)+(1100) + 1200=Heart of Tarrasque (the pink one)
- Recipes for the Eye , Radiance and Heart are in the level 4 undead shop.
Good Target: :cool:
Invisible enemy is a good target (despite invisible, the heartstopping aura still works, if you press alt to spot Gondor, Bone Clinkz and Crixalis)
Bad enemies: (feel free to add more in the comment!) :tiphat:
Mirana Nightshade's jumping ability renders your Heartstopping aura useless.
Caution: Night Stalker can cast Crippling Fear lasting 5-8 seconds, disabling your Skills, fatal for a low-HP situation (despite High-mana).
Good Allies: :beer:
Any hero without healing capability. Bear in mind that only early healing works. Last minute healing does NOT work because you must need surrounding units to use Soul Rip. For example, you can constantly heal Tinker so that he can constantly gather experiene. Press alt and offer healing when you see your ally's health status is yellow.
Conclusion:
Dirge is really an intelligent defender. I recommend intermediate-level players to try this.
Sources:
1. Dirge the underestimated, http://www.dotastrategy.com/strategy-8495-Dirgetheunderestimated.html Negopa
2. Jungle Undying Guidehttp://blueserver.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=679147#679147 , mylight
3. Dirge got lucky, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3gt5QqsCSg , FerBatero
Skill Build:
1. Soul Rip
2. Heartstopper Aura
3. Raise Dead
4. Soul Rip
5. Heartstopper Aura
6. Plague
7. Heartstopper Aura
8. Heartstopper Aura
9. Raise Dead
10. Soul Rip
11. Plague
Item Build:
1. Ring of Basilius
2. Scroll of Town Portal
3. Sobi Mask
4. Lesser Clarity Potion
get this if you want to buy boots before sobi mask
5. Boots of Speed
Early Game:
- Side lanes (up or bottom) preferred. Middle is sometimes "haunted" with 2 ranged enemies.
- I don't suggest attacking by your own because there is no escape skill for Dirge.
Reduced Soul Rip cooldown time!
- Try to "steal" kills from your own creeps for more experience.(Soul Rip)
To use soul rip frequently, the early Mana supply comes from Clarity Potion (Use when you Mana count is below 100) [keep you left index finger at the R button for quick-casting!]
Heal teammates early enough. Only works when the Health-point status is yellow (press alt to see). Personally, I usually use it when enemy creeps and your creeps just meet. 10 units gives you 250 healing power. This explains why I suggest level 2 Soul Rip as soon as possible.
Vs Meelee (use skill-build above)
Raise Zombie at a location for continuous attack against units, when the enemy is focusing at your creeps. 6 numbers of attacks gives you an additional zombie. Feel free to use Soul Rip to heal zombie.
Also let the enemy Meelee attacker fall into the range of heartstopping Aura. Please note that clicking the enemy unit will show this aura in the status below the name and details in the namebox. Walking towards you and away from you means a long period of time within the aura.
VS Ranged
Level 2 Heartstopping Aura is useless (beause the Area of Effect is only 500 at level 2, even shorter than Sniper attack range of 550. Therefore, avoid the raise dead skill, and go for Heartstopping aura of 750 range (level 3). Bear in mind that zombies are easy target for enemy archers (because they want gold and experience). Harrass enemy hero with Soul Rip.
VS 1 Ranged, 1 Meelee
In this case,start with Soul Rip then Raise Dead.
VS CREEPS/Neutrals
Obviously, you don't need plague against creeps. Raise dead at level 6.
Middle Game:
Exact method to kill enemy hero:
1. At early game, keep the enemy Meelee hero at low level by using Soul Rip frequently. The enemy needs to go back to heal and therefore cannot gather experience.
2. Slow the enemy with plague, this compounds the Heartstopping Aura. This is because when the enemy hero moves slower, he/she stays in your Area of Effect for longer time. 1% hp per second. Ouch!
3. Drag yourself and zombie, attack! (Press A, then left click target unit). I find zombie attack very useful especially when you yourself don't want to chase all the way to the enemy tower.
4. Use Soul Rip again!
Self-Survival (Dirge is known as Undying!)
1. Raise some zombies, expect them to die.
2. Prophylactic Soul Rip.
3. Slow enemy hero with Plague (really helps!)
4. Stay with teammates, because of the aura you provide.
Video-demonstration by Fatbatero. He did use Soul Rip correctly at level 3.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3gt5QqsCSg (high quality available)
Getting quick Cash:
If it is safe to do so, attack enemy tower. This is best when your zombies have already raised extra zombies( usually in the number of 4 or 6). Drag all the units, attack the tower specifically (press A and left click). After getting the cash, it is better to stay back, because Dirge has no escaping skills against the "haunted forests". Personally, I hate pudge who is always trying to ambush.
Inventory:
Negopai suggests getting Radiance right after Sobi Mask and Ring of Basilius. I don't agree with this. He says "I'm not crazy, you can farm this in about 20 minutes..." This is possible only if you can farm continuously without interruption. In online-gaming reality, I suggest Boots of Speed (for flexibility) and Point Booster (200 extra HP against all sorts of attack). I don't think it is fun to farm in the Jungle for 16 minutes.
Against Ranged enemies/ not enough cash for Point Booster
2x Ring of Regeneration (375 each)+ Planeswalkers Cloak (650)+ Helm of Iron Will(950)= Hood of Defiance
Avoid Dropping (helmet and armous available at the weapons dealer in the corner)
(620) + (1400)+(2100)+2000 =Assault Cuirass
Enough Cash:
Point Booster (1200) + 2 Ultimate Orbs(2100) + 1450=Eye of Skadi
(Items in Secret shop, Gateway of Demonic Artifacts and level 4 undead shop respectively)
Late Game:
If you find that all 3 of your skills are loading (soul Rip is 25/20/15/10, Raise dead is 30 seconds, Plauge is 45 seconds), you are maximizing the potential of Dirge.
Negopai on 2007-11-01 points out that "your function here is to push and counter push". I think he means attacking and defending towers. The Boot-of-travel allows efficient farming: killing incoming/neutral creeps in the map for more gold. (Use Town-Portal depending on the situation)
The ideal inventory:
Sacred relic(3800) + 1525=Radiance
Ring of Regeneration(375) + Mask of death(900) + 300 =Vladmir's Offering,green color, assist your ally with auras.
-Secret shop(3200)+(1100) + 1200=Heart of Tarrasque (the pink one)
- Recipes for the Eye , Radiance and Heart are in the level 4 undead shop.
Good Target: :cool:
Invisible enemy is a good target (despite invisible, the heartstopping aura still works, if you press alt to spot Gondor, Bone Clinkz and Crixalis)
Bad enemies: (feel free to add more in the comment!) :tiphat:
Mirana Nightshade's jumping ability renders your Heartstopping aura useless.
Caution: Night Stalker can cast Crippling Fear lasting 5-8 seconds, disabling your Skills, fatal for a low-HP situation (despite High-mana).
Good Allies: :beer:
Any hero without healing capability. Bear in mind that only early healing works. Last minute healing does NOT work because you must need surrounding units to use Soul Rip. For example, you can constantly heal Tinker so that he can constantly gather experiene. Press alt and offer healing when you see your ally's health status is yellow.
Conclusion:
Dirge is really an intelligent defender. I recommend intermediate-level players to try this.
Sources:
1. Dirge the underestimated, http://www.dotastrategy.com/strategy-8495-Dirgetheunderestimated.html Negopa
2. Jungle Undying Guidehttp://blueserver.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=679147#679147 , mylight
3. Dirge got lucky, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3gt5QqsCSg , FerBatero