[Buff]Slark; Murloc Nightcrawler

[Roger Black]

Im pretty sure you guys saw this one coming. Slark is sub par compared to other carries IMO.
Dark Pact> double edged skill that has good side effect (which was nerfed at 6.66).
Pounce> Glorified Blink Strike that is even harder to land than max ranged Elune's Arrow (Ok, im exaggerating abit here, pardon me ^^).
Essence Shift> Wow, stat steal passive that lasts for 60secs!!!not >.<". Competent opponent will decimate Slark before he gets the 1st hit.
Shadow Dance> OMG mini fountain with imba MS . The passive is great but the active is not as scary as his intro video lol~

Most people would say that Slark's only problem is his stat gain. I believe his skills are simple underpowered. Hence, the remake suggestion >.<"

current:

Dark Pact Slark calls upon deities of the swamps to seal a dark pact. Sacrificing some of his lifeblood, Slark is redeemed of all negative effects. After a few moment, a dark wave of destruction emits from the Nightcrawler, dealing damage to all nearby enemies. 10secs cooldown and 50mana at all level.
Level 1: 80 total damage; removes buffs; 2secs delay; Slark receive 60%damage from this skill.
Level 2: 160 total damage; removes buffs; 1.75secs delay; Slark receive 55%damage from this skill.
Level 3: 240 total damage; removes buffs; 1.5secs delay; Slark receive 50%damage from this skill.
Level 4: 320 total damage; removes buffs; 1.25secs delay; Slark receive 45%damage from this skill.

*Kept the manacost constant at all levels; damage increased; cast delay and damage on himself rescaled.
*Destroys trees within the AoE. (As a counter to Rooftreelen)

Pounce Surges directly forward and latches on to the first enemy hero he hits, binding it with chains of darkness. The enemy hero is unable to move more than 325 distance away from the point of impact for 3.5 seconds.
*http://www.playdota.com/forums/16829...slarks-pounce/.
*Other than that, it stays the same.

Essence Shift Reciting ancient Nightcrawler incantations, Slark enchants his blade to steal the power and courage from his enemies. Every time Slark hits an enemy hero, he steals stat points from them and transfers to himself as agility points. Slark also deals extra damage against non-hero units.
Level 1: Essence Shift lasts 15 secs. 10 bonus damage to non-hero units.
Level 2: Essence Shift lasts 30 secs. 20 bonus damage to non-hero units.
Level 3: Essence Shift lasts 45 secs. 30 bonus damage to non-hero units.
Level 4: Essence Shift lasts 60 secs. 40 bonus damage to non-hero units.

*stays the same against heroes.
*added bonus damage against non-hero units i.e: Sentinel/Scourge creeps, Neutral creeps, Ancients, Roshan and Summoned Units for better lasthitting in lane.

Shadow Dance Covers himself with a dark smoke, he becomes invisible and does not reveal himself while attacking or casting spells for 5.5 seconds. Passively increases Nightcrawler's movement speed and regeneration when he is out of sight of hostile units. Has a 0.7 delay when activated or deactivated. 120 mana and 30secs cooldown at all level.
Level 1:Active: Invisibility and +30IAS on cast, Passive: +30% movement speed and +2% HP regeneration when not visible.
Level 2:Active: Invisibility and +40IAS on cast, Passive: +40% movement speed and +3% HP regeneration when not visible.
Level 3:Active: Invisibility and +50IAS on cast, Passive: +50% movement speed and +4% HP regeneration when not visible.
Aghanim Upgradeable: Shadow Dance (passive) will still apply even if Slark is revealed while under Shadow Dance (active).

*added IAS when Shadow Dance is active.
*added Aghanim: Shadow Dance (passive) still applies even if Slark is revealed while under Shadow Dance (active).

It might seem OP at first glance but please realize this:
*Slark has lowest base str and str gain in the game apart from Enchantress and Soul Keeper (who will definitely be remade soon).
*Slark's Shadow Dance is like an invisibility with a big "KILL ME NOW" sign all over it.
*Slark needs to get at least 10 hits before he becomes a threat in a teamfight, which is quite impossible.
*His Pounce is only good against players who don't know how to juke.
Poof deals more damage and its faster as well.

What my suggestion aims is to make Slark a deadly hero killer during a teamfight by killing an opponent and retreating to heal himself and coming back in the fight without being as fragile as he is now. The 4%hp regen is wasted when you are dead, right?

The real buff might be the Shadow Dance buff. I gave Slark +IAS during the invisibility to help his Essence Shift to deal damage as quickly as possible. Added Aghanim Upgradeable as well. Dark Pact now destroys trees within its AoE and Essence Shift passively deals bonus damage to non-hero units.

[revenant666]

You are joking right ? Pls tell me you are joking ? Is this post serious ? i mean buff slark ? WTF !! ? ? ? ?

[letarox]

uhaEAUHEUAHEAUHEAEAUHEHAEAUHEhuAEA

WTF ?!

are you kidding me ?!?! Buff Slark ?!?! Lol ...

Essence Shift ... eAUHEuhAEHA ... 7 agi ... ok ok ... you're not drunk ...

[Player01]

BUFF SLARK!? r u out of ur mind? he nids a nerf instead!

[CurseDemon]

LOL yeah buff slark please, buff again please.

Oh please, what he need is nerf not buff

[Lord_Talron]

ignore all the idiots. you are absolutely right. ive been playing slark and i must say, he dies in seconds when focused. its ridiculous.
however, that being said. i dont think that he necessarily needs a buff like this. especially when people figure out that going tank items, not MoM on him, is the way to go.
if anything id say to give him a very slight starting str like maybe +1-1.5 starting str, otherwise hes fine if you play him right

[Roger Black]

@lord_talron: seems like you are the only one not insane in this thread >.<". It is true that he dies when focused but giving him higher str gain will make him OP especially when if he gets tanky items. My suggestion aims to make Slark a item dependant hero except for maybe an orb and a heart. Anyways, I think this thread deserves better review than the QQers up there.

@the others: Its obvious you have not played or played against Slark that much.

[virtviuz]

We need to buff him for organize game and find a way to nerf his power in pubs.

[Roger Black]

@d4rk_T4nkR: Don't post you nonsense in my thread pls. OFC unless you heave something constructive.

@virtviuz: Guess you're right. But even pubs at my place are good in countering Slark. So far I've never seen any decent Slark. Early game he can kill and stuff, but once the other team learns to focus fire, he's food.

[dominator02]

Use this near of the online/offline status if you want to ignore the idiots or harsher.

Ontopic:
the str buff would is needed because he was killed from Impale+Finger+Dagon and other nuke combos.he needs more buff.

[teStud0]

STR:
--21 + 1.0 -> 21 + 1.5

Dark Pact:
--2 sec cast delay -> 2/1.5/1/0.5 sec cast delay
--10 sec cooldown -> 6 second cooldown
--75/150/225/300 damage -> 80/120/160/200 damage

Pounce:
--15 sec cooldown -> 10 sec cooldown
--400/500/600/700 range -> 475/550/625/700 range

Shadow Dance:
--5.5 sec duration -> 5.5/6.5/7.5 sec duration
--120 manacost -> 80/100/120 manacost
--+2/3/4% HP regeneration when not visible -> +2% HP regeneration when not visible

Although this is a balance tweak atm.

[MonkeyEx]

ok, seriously..
buffing might not be a good idea..
he is as fine as he is..due to the fact that he is an item dependant carry just like terrorblade, void and others..

essence shift is pretty good..
don't buff it further.

pounce is a pretty much a modified leap with leash..
it's already powerful due to the fact that it disables almost any heroes(except heroes with blink,invisibility and others)

overall, if you want to buff slark.
skills are fine as they are..
buffing starting status would be okay..
just buff up str and agi by 2-3 points

[Roger Black]

^
comparing him to Terrorblade is not good. How many current comp game actually plays Terrorblade? Void in the other hand has a pretty good disable and escape mech to be an item dependent carry. Slark has Pounce? thats lame. Also, more than a carry, Slark is a ganker, who should fully abuse his MS and hp regen goind from lane to lane and quickly killing heroes.

Essence Shift is a joke IMO. 4agi gain per hit is great if you can actually hit 'em that much. My suggestion emphasizes on quick agi gain but at reduced duration and 20hit cap, making him an efficient hero killer throughout the game. Shadow Dance +IAS is for quicker agi gain meaning he reaches the cap faster.

Dark Pact damages himself as well, so I don't think 320 damage is too good. I also reduced Pounce's damage but increase his latch aoe.

Overall, it is a buff aimed at making Slark who he really is, a great ganker who can carry his team at late game as well. All with a ridiculously low hp.

[BaBaUTZ]

Is the bug, that he cant leech stats from morphed heroes, already fixed? If not, fix this first. Then make his Aoe spell dispell instantly, so he isnt so easily discovered just by dust (wards, gem and necro still do the job). Also his Ulti passive gets completly countered by Blood Seeker and some other "Vision" Heroes like Rexxar - one of the reasons, why he never will be a competitive pick in the current version. Fix these issues, and he might become useful.

His essence shift is (beside the bugs it has) pretty good, so dont buff it to much. His other skills are what makes him weak.

[Dynes]

OMGWTBUFF???

Dark Pact:
I vote for keeping the delay at a constant time. (i.e not 1.75.1.5/1.25/etc)

Pounce:
I vote no for larger latch aoe.

Essence Shift:
No for -5 target str per hit.
Semi no for the scaling of gain over fixed duration.

This is even more imba than the current since granting 7 agi and -5 str (to str heroes, meaning [+7% IAS, +7 Damage & -95 target hp] per attack) give him MUCH faster killing power in a short amount of time.

Previous one gives you faster killing power for a long while. And its already imbaness.

Shadow Dance
Actually, with your given Essence Shift, I don't think IAS is needed.


And Slark is very much item dependent, obviously...
I T-Null on the point of giving Slark everything else thee needs.

[SUperPhat]

I only really like the Shadow Dance buff and the Dark Pact delay concept levelling, the rest is just really not needed at all actually.

Dark Pact - I like how you've added the concept of the delay to be reduced, makes him quickly burst enemies abit faster to gank better, but I don't really think that extra 20 damage is needed.

Pounce - I don't like the fact you've gave it an improved latch radius, it's like making him easier to play and own with. If you have trouble Pouncing, then keep trying and strive to be the best Pouncer.

Essence Shift - Stealing 7 agility is quite alot of agility late game, sure when he's focused he can be easily killed, but that's like everyone else then. But with the new Shadow Dance that you've suggested, it makes Essence Shift too powerful so we're better leaving Essence Shift like it is.

Shadow Dance - I like the idea of adding attackspeed, fits well for him to kill faster as a ganker since he is supposed to roam but keep the Essence Shift to a minimum to 4 agility otherwise the new Shadow Dance and the new Essence Shift becomes way too powerful of DPS.

That is my review
PS. I like the 2 new icons

[lozarian]

erm, stealing 5 primary stat? That's better than mana break against int heroes, and almost 100 pure damage against str heroes. that's just silly.

I agree he might (MIGHT) need a small buff. +.5 str a level, or reduce the dlay or cd on pact slightly.

[†GodKing†]

I suggest we add magic resistance to shadow dance and lower cooldown/mana cost to pounce. Obviously slark is too good but buff is truly needed.

P.S Add a maim effect to essence shift pls. Thanks. ^^

[Roger Black]

Originally Posted by SUperPhat

I only really like the Shadow Dance buff and the Dark Pact delay concept levelling, the rest is just really not needed at all actually.

Dark Pact - I like how you've added the concept of the delay to be reduced, makes him quickly burst enemies abit faster to gank better, but I don't really think that extra 20 damage is needed.

Pounce - I don't like the fact you've gave it an improved latch radius, it's like making him easier to play and own with. If you have trouble Pouncing, then keep trying and strive to be the best Pouncer.

Essence Shift - Stealing 7 agility is quite alot of agility late game, sure when he's focused he can be easily killed, but that's like everyone else then. But with the new Shadow Dance that you've suggested, it makes Essence Shift too powerful so we're better leaving Essence Shift like it is.

Shadow Dance - I like the idea of adding attackspeed, fits well for him to kill faster as a ganker since he is supposed to roam but keep the Essence Shift to a minimum to 4 agility otherwise the new Shadow Dance and the new Essence Shift becomes way too powerful of DPS.

That is my review
PS. I like the 2 new icons

I simply can't refute you >.<" damn!!!
Pounce and Essence Shift is back to normal then ^^
Thx for the review

[drogirant]

I think Slark should be played as a roamer, rather than a carry because of his hp eating nuke, hp regen while not visible, and a good movement disable, also some crazy dps once he gets a few hits.

But as others have stated, he is simply too weak to survive being focus fired.So what I'd suggest is make him gain +1 to str, agi and int, and another +1 to agi when he steals attributes from enemy.It would make him have more hp to survive focus fire, noit relying as much on tank items, more mana to make him not too dependent on early game mana regen items.

Also he could possibly take reduced dmg from his nuke, as he is really simply too fragile to spam it to any significant degree..... I think gaining IAS while invisible is a nice buff too.