Techies Skills, Item Build, and a few Tricks

Now that operation: giff techies has ultimately proven successful, I think a guide is in order.  For those of you who have not seen my video guides (link in sidebar), I'll briefly explain how my guides work:

• This is not a basic introduction.  This guide is intended for higher-level players who understand the core mechanics of game.
• This is not a step-by-step or a how-to.  Rather, I will give you a bunch of information, and help show you how to make informed choices in different situations.
• This guide is a more user-friendly version, which condenses the math and statistics into easy-to-understand graphs.  I also include a link to the data behind the graphs, which is linked at the bottom of the article.

Also, I wrote this guide prior to the Techies patch.  As such, this guide uses images from Dota 1.  As per usual with my guide, I include stats and suggestions that are equally relevant to both games.  Where something differs between the two, I will make note of it.

With that stuff in mind, let's move on with the guide.

Section One: Skills

 Techies skills are mostly straightforward.  The most common skillbuilds are to max either Land Mines or Suicide Squad, with one point in Stasis Trap if you have a set-up stun early.  These common builds are reinforced by the data:

There is very little variation in the ability scaling here.  A major point of interest is that.  Suicide Squad gains 200 damage from level 1 to 2, and then gains 300 damage from 2 to 3, and then gains 400 from 3 to 4.  This means that levels into Suicide Squad in the early game ramp up damage significantly more quickly than any other nuke.  It is also extremely potent at lvl 1, doing 650 damage.  Land Mines also scale relatively steeply, gaining 100 damage per level with 600 at level 4.  As a result, it makes sense to max either one of these skills.  Stasis Trap, on the other hand, is fine at level one, even though it also has excellent scaling.  It does double its stun duration at level 4 for six seconds, but the three seconds at level one are completely sufficient for most of the early game.  As a result, it seems to me that maxing either Land Mines or Suicide Squad, with a single point into both other abilities is the most versatile build.  An alternative, where no points are taken into Stasis Trap until both other skills are maxed, can work if the rest of the team has plenty of disables and merely requires damage, but this also loses out on any potential synergy with other long-lockdown abilities like Black Hole or Reverse Polarity.

So, then, should you max Land Mines or Suicide Squad?  Honestly, it depends upon the game and your team composition.  Both do the same type of damage, mixed, meaning that they effect magic immune units and are reduced by both armor and hero magic resistance.  This is good in that nobody is safe, but bad in that they are doubly reduced.  Suicide Squad is better against heroes unlikely to roam (and thus unlikely to walk into mines), and when you have a way into the battle like an allied Tiny or Tusk, or maybe a force staff.  Land Mines are better in that you will be alive more often, can stay farther away from fights, and work especially well in conjunction with high-mobility teams that can move around the map ganking while you mine (as the cooldown on Suicide would prevent you from ganking with your team).  In terms of raw damage, the two are actually relatively similar:

Hitting a given enemy with two mines is a fairly reasonable expectation - the cooldown is only 25 at level 1.  As you can see, with either ability maxed, it is relatively easy to instantly kill just about any hero around levels 5-7.  Suicide does more damage, but he tradeoff here is mostly in cooldowns, and in you being dead.

That wraps up skill builds.  Techies, in terms of skill building, is relatively straightforward.  Moving on, then, to the fun part: items.

Section Two: Items

Let's begin by talking about Techies' stats in general.  For his attributes, he has decent initial int and above average growth, with 2.9 gained per level.  This permits him to be efficient casting his spells, with man problems early, but increasingly less so as the game progresses.  His other two stats take a hit, however - he starts with 14 agi and only gains 1.3 per level, and he starts with 17 str with a gain of 2 per level.  These stats effectively prevent him from having any potential in a right-click oriented carry role.  He is too squishy because of low str, and unable to attack fast enough or hard enough because of low base damage and low agi.  However, he has a lot to contribute to the team either as a high-leveled mid or safelane, or I think perhaps in a position-4 farming support.  With levels and a bit of mana regeneration, he becomes increasingly difficult for supports to counter with wards or gem.  His high base armor (7!) allows him to take harass in lane decently well, and his massive 700 attack range keeps him in a safe position while last hitting or harassing himself.  However, he has abysmal movespeed (270, the worst in the game).

So, his strengths:

• High Int and mana
• High armor
• High attack range

And his weaknesses:

• Low attack damage and speed
• Low Agi and Str
• Low MS

As a result, his item build should help him take advantage of his strengths, while minimizing his weaknesses.  To begin with, let's look at boots.

Boots

 Techies has several viable options for boots.  Of the selection, Power Treads help him the least, as attack speed is not one of our goals.  The stats can be nice, especially when toggled to maximize bottle regen, but otherwise these are sub-par.  The next choice is Phase.  These actually help Techies abysmal damage by a good bit, making them a potential good choice when sitting behind a carry in lane if you're looking to harass.  They also provide a nice movespeed boost.  However, Techies was built to explode, not attack, and so these are still a bit sub-par.  The next choice is Tranquils.  These give excellent movespeed for units who do not attack much, helping Techies out quite a bit.  Further, the regen can help while moving around, stacking the jungle, or between fights.  The final boots to be considered for early game are Arcane.  These provide extra mana, and as a result suit Techies' rogue, extremist casting style very nicely.  However, they force Techies into a purely casting role, and provide little benefit outside helping him plant bombs.  Once Techies has a few items after completed boots, I think that an upgrade to Travels is almost always useful.  Techies benefits greatly from mobility around the map, as it is a bunch of freedom to place mines.  However, he needs the added benefits of other early boots, and so I think they are generally a good investment.  A BoT rush is not recommended, but holding on to brown boots while working on some early game items can be effective.

Here are the stats:

 Low-Cost Items

The next category of items are low-cost items.  In this category, I include items costing less than 3000 gold, but above simple items like bottle, consumables, or magic wand.  Building any one of these items first may be a good idea, depending on the game.  I consider each of these viable options.  Here are the stats:

The first two items are the two I see most commonly on Techies.  Eul's Scepter gives the best mana regeneration for the price, a bit of damage, and some much needed movespeed.  The Cyclone ability also brings utility.  Force Staff adds some Int for damage, mana pool, and regeneration, and additionally brings a good bit of HP regen.  It is mostly useful for the active Force, which can both be used defensively, on yourself or a team mate, and to force opponents on to mines (do not count on this for higher-level matches, however).

The next several items are others that I thought might be useful in fewer cases, but did not seem as perfectly suited to Techies.  I will discuss them in no particular order.  Dagon adds burst damage, increases stats, and gives a good chunk (16!) int.  The stats here are for a level 1 Dagon.  Vlads can help Techies push, as the auras help his creeps while he bombs towers (more on this later).  Further, a support Techies can lend the auras to his teammates.  Necro is actually a pretty good item for Techies, giving him much-needed str and a good bit of int.  Moreover, the units with Archer's aura and attacks can help him push, and he benefits from true sight from lvl 3 units in order to deward and better set up his mines.  Again, this assumes stats from lvl 1 Necronomicon.  Mek is another decent item.  Although it does not help Techies be Techies, it gives him some survivability, and gives him the opportunity to contribute more in a teamfight before blowing himself up.  And, finally, Veil can increase the damage of all three of his damaging abilities, provided he is close enough to use it.  This is especially good when Techies is included in a teamfighting lineup.

Some other considerations which are very fringe, but potentially viable are Medallion and Blink.  Medallion gives mana regen and an active to use in teamfights, but Techies does not really need the armor and rarely right-clicks himself.  However, reducing enemy armor will increase damage from Suicide or Land Mines, as these, once again, do mixed damage.  Blink can be good for maneuverability and, if you must, blink suicide, but is not as useful as Force Staff and does not provide stats.

High-Cost Items

The next tier of items to be discussed are high-cost items.  In most games, Techies does not get the farm priority to immediately rush one of these.  Instead, it is generally better to get one or maybe two smaller items before building up to one or two of these for ultra-late game.  However, Techies does tend to stall games out, and so it is important to think about these items as the minutes push on towards 40, 50, 60, and beyond.  Again, here are stats of some items I thought might be useful for comparison.

Of these, Aghanim and Sheepstick are by far the most useful and most frequently purchased.  Aghanim increases the cast range, detonation range, and damage of his ultimate, significantly increasing his utility as well as his damage output, all while providing good stats, hp, and mana.  Sheepstick solves his mana problems with the highest int gain of any item, and also gives him further utility with the active.  Of the two, Aghanim is cheaper, but Sheepstick is always an excellent choice.

The other items here are all potentially useful, but do not suit Techies quite as well.  I will, again, discuss them in no particular order.  Orchid gives excellent mana regen, and also makes his attack moderately worthwhile, and also grants him the ability to silence and increase the damage of his mines.  However, it grants no survivability, and the attack speed and damage are a bit wasted.  Shiva gives a lot of int, further AOE presence, and a good aura to help your team, but Techies' high base armor makes that component not as helpful as on other heroes.  Atos gives excellent stats, but the active doesn't really help unless you're trying to catch up to someone to suicide, or keeping them in Stasis Trap AOE.  Bloodstone gives excellent HP, mana, and regeneration.  However, you can already suicide, and you generally aren't close enough to gain charges.  The stats listed above do not factor in the HP regeneration gained with bloodstone charges.  Finally, Linken is an option, because the stats and regeneration are excellent (15 all stats?  Yes, please), and survivability is also always welcome.  Also, since you can now defer the Linken buff to a teammate, this is even more viable when a carry would like the buff but doesn't have the inventory space.  However, this does not contribute quite as much to Techies reign of explosive terror like Sheep or Agh would.

If you wish to build expensive right-clicking items like Daedelus or Butterfly, be my guest.  Techies has good range and good armor.  However, I think that in a competitive setting, a casting-oriented Techies will be more successful.  As such, you can figure out what DPS items you like for Techies on your own.

Section Three: Tips and Tricks

I will only put a couple things here. First, camp stacking.

Techies benefits immensely from camp stacking, and can farm stacked camps efficiently similar to heroes like Sand King, Shadow Friend, or Meepo.  Here is the process:

Simple enough!  Keep in mind that a Wildwing (Wildkin) will add armor to the creeps, making your mines deal less damage.

Second, Remote Mines can be used to gain vision of high ground, which is useful for dewarding (this is especially useful if you have a gem or Necro 3).

And, finally, keep in mind that both Suicide and Land Mines do affect towers.  However, Tier 2 towers will take less damage than Tier 1, as they have more armor, and higher-tier towers will similarly take less damage.  Further, an organic enemy unit (a creep, for instance) will need to go near the mine to detonate it.

Conclusions

Thank you for reading my guide.  Hopefully, this helps you be a more intelligent Techies player once you join the rabble rushing to play him upon release.  I believe that Techies can be a viable hero in a competitive scene, and could perhaps bring back a longer, more farm-oriented playstyle every once in a while if used properly.  Have fun with the Squee, Spleen, and Spoon!

If you would like to see the original spreadsheet of data, it can be seen here.

Hero and item information used here comes from http://playdota.com.