Thanks to "The Other Guy" for this awesome complimentary banner I've got.
Introduction
Since Icefrog remade Visage on 6.65 and the only skill which reminded us of the great old visage was his famous Grave Chill, Visage is not likely seen on competitive games(or usually banned by experienced players). However, I think Visage was improved. And because of this improvements; I am willing to take the risks of criticisms and angry riots of wrong grammar and spellings.
Before I start; I want to share a video which was made by Zambitit0; this video is a small introduction of what Icefrog remade and is a great video for Visage's terror!
I would also like to introduce you a video made by RiGuDi; this shows his play of Visage and his pawnage of the new skills IceFrog gave the bat.
To see more information about Visage; I would recommend you to click here
This are important aspects of Visage since it helps you to know a small part about Visage's stats and early game effort.
Based from his stat gain, Visage is a strength monster; though intelligence is his priority. Visage is one of those rare heroes who can tank a lot of damage though not meant to be a tanker. Unusual for an intelligence hero to be doing an inside job and taking a lot of damage; well this is one of the main role of the NEW Visage; even if you hate it or not.
Movement Speed is balance, only it lacks five more ms(idk why Icefrog decided to) however; we have gravechill to handle that ms problem. Armor was radically low; and speaking of low, very low; but of course, the great frog won't let the bat flee in a single attack: The Gravekeeper's Cloak helps you to stay in lane far from any other hero can endure.
The Flying Menace's Role on DoTa
Support:
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Gank:
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Team Fight:
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Tank:
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Carry:
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Yes, though many will disagree on me. Visage's role is to gank not to tank. Though he was a beefy hero; Icefrog made Cloak for him to be able to take up small amounts of damage not tons of damages. He is also great on ganking which is his main role.
Team Fights are also covered by you, since a 3 seconds AoE stun is not a joke for clashes and gives you and your teammates a big support. However; you are not a team carry. Avoid kill stealing and last hitting too many creeps since you are an item-independent hero.
* Added the changelog box
*Added an extra information on the skill build
January 27, 2011
* Fixed some typhographical errors I found
* Fixed the replay url
February 5, 2011
* Added another skillbuild for first blood attempts as suggested by Syaska and The_4Lb1N0S
* Fixed the skillbuild color scheme
June 24, 2011
* changed the version from 6.70c to 6.72c(however i did not change anything)
* fixed the published version link
Alt + Tab Miniguide
Skill build
Item Build
Early Game
Core Items
Visage's Foes and BatCounters
First of all, I'm gonna list Visage foes, since you must first consider who you're messing with before picking this flying menace. What guide-writer's errors are they list allies and foes on the last part of their guide; which was seen after reading the whole content. Needless to say we gotta consider every heroes' match and counter match before picking it so.
Probably a horror to some intelligence heroes. Dps monsters are horrible sight especially on last-hitting and lane control, since they dominate until the late game. They also would eat you whole once they got near you and nerf you down until you're diced. They are often the carry heroes, which with some of pro players playing, you might be doomed.
Author's Suggestion: They dominate from Mid up to Late game; so Early game is your chance. Try to creep-steal as much as possible. Last hit as many times as you can and deny like nobody would ever do. What DpS monsters lack are some nukes that may eat you in a second. Abuse it, and abuse you're range. Try to scare them away by Chill+Attack combo; and soon dominate your lane with your ally. Gank them until they are left behind, and make sure your carry hero is with you for if you go in alone. You're dead meat.
vsNukemonsters
They are heavy. Low armored. And yet terrifying on lane. They'll out-nuke you. The problem with Visage is he has no nukes available(not available unless you'll go on team fights: Soul Assumption). You are beefy, still you're four layered armor might perish. They also have a one-hit-kill nuke that may come in when your cloak pays off. So be careful with dealing with heavy nukers. They'll kick your flying butt out.
Author's Suggestion: Abuse the fog of war. Stay with your buddy as much as possible. There's no helping you if they get inside you. Try to last hit as much as possible. Get away from their range of attack and casting range. Babysit them. Deny creeps and delay creeps until they're at your tower range. Whenever you got the chance to kill them, do so. Gank them whenever no allies around. Be sure to have a stunner with you, so you can initiate before they do.
vsBlink escapees
Probably, one of those most annoying heroes in game. Where you can kill them, then they poof away. Imagine them on your grasp, then getting out on your line of fire. That sucks. You're slow won't do. A simple blink away on unpassable terrain may get you're balls on the ground. They are fast, they are wise, they are brave, they are bold and they're out to kill you. A blink and a 1, 2, 3, then you're dead. What's more annoying than getting killed by these gay dudes?. Well here are some tips for you:
Author's Suggestions: Babysit your lane. Deny and last-hit as many as you can. If possible, attack them until they ran. This may let them be left-out on experience and even be annoyed until they switch lanes. Whenever ganking; and they blink out. Follow them using you're familliars. They are much faster and Yes! they can go through unpassable terrains. They also have stuns that may give you the advantage on ganking blinkers and surprising them whenever they poof away. Be ready, cause slow hands doesn't pay-off.
vsSpellBreakers
This little brats show no mercy when it comes to AoE silence and gamebreaking. This maybe a potential teamfight treat since they can cast skill-breaks from far. They are also equipped with surivability skills which is a drag on you and your teammates. They are low-hp and low-armored, but never underestimate them, for they will dominate on late games. Especially on team rapes and gangbangs. No one escapes their wrath when it comes to gangsex.
Author's Suggestion: Not to worry, since they won't be bothering you too much. Familliars aren't silenced. They can still stun. And they can also deal a lot of damage. Your only nuke might be disabled but not your beefyness. You're still a hell of a bat when entering the battlefield. As much as possible outlane them using expert last-hitting and get away when somebody's missing on map. Be aware of the minimap. This is the key to avoid teamrape and avoid death. Since spellbreakers are very weak armored; you can harass them until they flee. But make sure; you aren't going in their trap. Because they can change the flow of battle anytime.
vsStunmammoths
Beefy and an extreme nuker. Stun mammoths may out-lane you completely. Beware of their stuns and disables. One wrong move and you'll end up a fried bat. They are also DpS heroes which makes them double the trouble. What's worse? completing up their dagger. You're doomed. No matter what you do; they'll nuke you out. In a battle of nukes. Those whom have disables win. And a flying bastard like you doesn't have any. They are very dangerous especially when it comes to teamfights. They are extremely handy since they have massive disables up their sleeves. Be alert for this heroes. Pray first, then its show time!
Author's Suggestion: Also abuse the fog-of-war. Be alert. Always stay with your teammate. He can help you out. No matter what you do. Just babysit the lane and try to last-hit and deny as much as possible. In here; Denying is your biggest priority. Never leave them with gold on their sleeves because they'll eat you whole. Get away whenever they tried to get close to you. Abuse your only nuke which may send them running from you. Be alert always. They'll probably initiate and let them rape you. If you have the chance. Gank them, scout them with your familliars and let your allies do the dirt work. Do not let them outlane you since you're gonna be roast. Exploit they're weakness. Gank them whenever they are not aware of it. And turn the tide upside down.
vsMagic Immunes/Debuffers
Anyone's nightmare inside the field. They are extremely powerful and are extremely agile. They are bold, they are brave and yet, they can skin your wings. Magic Immunes are those who can deflect or reject your skills, which is really fragile for any intelligence heroes. They can also debuff negative effects, making you lose your only slow. You can't even stun or out-nuke them using your Assumption since they are magic immunes. They are every Int's worst nightmare. And every Visage's worst predator.
Author's Suggestion: NEVER go near them, especially when alone. They might lure you in and eat you whole like a fat chick. What they really want is you to get close to them, then they come and hunt you. Again, stay as far as possible, if it is possible to changelane, switch with another ally. Don't risk your valuable life to let them feed you. Be alert. Be as close as possible to your allies, since they are the only one who can deprive you from their annoying spells. Babysit your lane and maintain your lane control until you get your bats. This far, you will dominate your lane once again and try to spree as much as you can, so they cannot rise from their ashes and avenge.
vsAoE Carries
AoE carries, are those who are often mistakenly listed as DpS carries such as Nevermore or even Captain himself. I decided to list them since we will often see them on tourneys, inhouse as well as clan wars. They are awfully good on early up to mid game, and can carry the whole game if they've farmed a lot. And yes! they are good farmers. However, whats devastating about them is their AoE damage, and in just a hit you are doomed for eternity! never ever leave them farming or you'll see your self in the hands of death!
Author's Suggestion: As I have mentioned never ever leave them free farming. They can carry the whole game if they want to unless you harass them. One good way to stop them is to let them eat dirt. Yes, gank them as furious as a madman. Make them plead until they don't have the guts to show on the minimap. What is good about them is that they're effectiveness is only seen based from their ultimates which is probably on mid game. So before it hits, make sure you have a higher level than one of them. Having a step ahead of them means they're not doing pretty well. Babysit them, especially if they are on solo mid. And of course, trust and rely on your teammate's power, give them the chance to kill those bastards before they even have the chance!
vsSight and Escape Items
This items are extremely dangerous to you. They maybe an item. But combined with a great hero, is always a knock-out. However I'm gonna show you how to counter each item.
Scroll of Town Portal: This may be a little annoying when you're ganking without you're familliars beside you. However, a little stun should do. Be sure to gank with your familliars for a portable stun and cancellation of tp. Get ready, cause slow-hands won't catch up an escaping artist.
Dagger of Escape: This item can be easily countered. Once again, use your familliars to counter them from blinking away. Keep those familliars attacking him until he drowns to death.
Observer Wards: This is crucial for you. Since you are a gank, Observer wards may counter you. One solution is planting counter-sentry wards on positions you think there are wards on it. Or simply avoid obviously warded areas such as the sentinel jungle and rune spots. Also, try to scout using your familliars. Try to see whether someone is jungling or not. Because they might be planting wards all over your place.
Lothar's Edge: Invis heroes are annoying, and non-invis heroes with these are much more annoying. However, you may counter them with some items you desire. First: Necronomicon Level 3 is my first choice. The stat gain is not a waste and the summon is also pretty good. Gem of TS is also viable since you are a beefy hero with some couple of stunners by your side. A dust never hurts your budget. Especially on early games.
I cannot list all probable counters of Visage. Any heroes that are inside this foe markers are extremely potent on Visage and must be eliminated on your early streak.
Visage's Friends and BatAllies
This time I'm gonna list the heroes that are best themed up with Visage. I'll list it hero by hero for more information and guidelines on their teamrape. Any heroes that are in this list are considered best buddies of the bat, and other heroes not mentioned but with some characteristics are about the same.
and
An ultimate synergy combined with great DpS. Magnus can rape many heroes with ulti+shockwave combo, not to mention his skewer is a great help. What this two truly have is their ultimate thats synergistic to the bat's familliars. A skewer+reverse combo is a bomb, but adding a 6 seconds AoE stun? how dominating. They might be pissed by your great synergy so be careful, since you two aren't the beefiest hero in game.
A step-by-step skill synergy:
++++
and
The DpS combo. Dark Seer is well-known on pub games and even in competitive games. Dark Seer maybe a potential threat to you if an enemy, but with him on your side is simply awesome. A devastating vacuum+ion shell combo is devastating fused with your bats are the heaviest DpS on game. Ish'ka'fel can even enhance you're movement for more terror and fleeing powers. Dark Seer never hurts and is never a pain in the butt at your side. Maybe he lacks DpS, but he has the greatest self-casted AoE damage buff on hell.
A step-by-step skill synergy:
+++
and
The no-escape combination. Clockwerk is seen mostly with blink dps heroes and range carries. However, Clockwerk and Visage also makes a great team. One reason is his rocket which can be used for scouting, and is really handy for ganking as roaming is one of the best roles Visage may get. Another one is the Hookshot+Cog+Assault combo which we know on early games is unescapable. With your familliars' ability to fly on unpassable terrain, attacking inside the cogs is a great idea, and with you on range is simply awesome. Those who think may escape, only finds themselves stunned on the face of a stone gargoyle. There's no escape path for this two ugly menace.
A step-by-step skill synergy:
++++
and
The perfect positioning buddy. What Visage and his family really needs are those whom can put anyone to sleep until 5 seconds. Where in the lesser bats get into position to pump up and land the 6 seconds AoE stun. Tauren is a great partner, especially on ganking terms. He can abuse the fog-of-war since he can cast his spirit far from many other heroes can see. He can also cast his nervewrecking ultimate which gives you're bats more time to position yourself. Visage is one of those hero who must be in perfect position(that positioning is very important that I will make another section of it sooner or later) and Tauren is the one whom rocks and makes the position.
A step-by-step skill synergy:
++++
and
A perfect landing and the perfect crewmate. Visage's ability to stun greater than 3 seconds is a great advantage, especially when it comes to Kunkka. Since he won't waste a single drop of his mana by just crashing his boat to nowhere. Grave Chill helps him a lot: to gain on the enemy, and to cast that water sprout easily. X mark also helps Visage as it gives him a great position for his familliars. Needless to say this two are tag partners when it comes to air and sea. No one may defeat them on teamfights, especially on a 5v5 clash.
A step-by-step skill synergy:
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I may not be able to list all heroes that synergizes with Visage, so please let this heroes be a basis. What Visage really needs is a perfect position, and not a perfect DpS. Be intelligent, know who you're messing with and lane with a partner thats gonna help you out no matter what.
The Flying Menace's ability: Why is he called the most underestimated bat on earth?
This part is where I list all his skills. If you are so very very interested on his skill details, then click here if you're not interested on detailed lists; then i'll be accompanying you to your journey on this bat's abilities.
A simple skill where you drain his movement and attack speed and you gain what you drained.
Basic Math:
Let us assume that you are Visage with 345 movement speed(boots of speed) and your target is an enemy hero with 360 movement speed(normal hero speed with treads)
360-32%(115.2) = 244.8
345+115.2 = 460.2
You have a high chance now to gain on your enemy.
Roles:
-Ganking
-Fleeing
-Raping
During Cast, Visage and the target gets a glowing green orb above their head.
Soul Assumption
This is a first-time hard to understand skill. However, practice makes perfect. Whoever inside a 1200AoE(a very huge radius) that has taken 110 damage increases soul counter by 1(6 max soul charges on level 4) creep damage are not counted. Each damage added by the soul counters expires after 6 seconds or when cast. So you must have a very quick eye and hand in this skill, this is your only nuke that might turn everything upside-down.
Basic Math:
Deals 20+60*(per charge)
a maximum of 6 charges
20+60(6) = 380 damage
A great nuke for a low manacost of 100 and a cooldown of 4 seconds. It's just awesome.
Gravekeeper's Cloak
The only thing thats keeping Visage alive and healthy. This increases your armor and magical resistance by a great amount that you can even tank DpS heroes on late games. However, layers are disrupted everytime you get a 2 or higher damage from a player or player-controlled units(has 4 layers)
The one man team. Visage with this two other guys are a hell of a team. They have a really really high attack power but it drains every attack(6 attacks maximum) but may recover the lost attack power after sometime. They have a huge bounty of 100! so don't let them lingering on their forest! its free gold.
Basic Math:
Max of 108 damage, 500 hp
lose 18 damage per attack
regains attack every 15 seconds
Familiars have 96.25% magic resistance and is targeted by spells as heroes. They also have 160 attack range(pretty short for a range player-controlled unit)
Familiar's Abilities:
Stone Form
This is your bread and butter skill. A 1.5 second AoE stun is not a joke; and having two bats at the same time means 3.0 seconds AoE stun!
*Whenever they enter Stone Form, damage charges are restored, fully health regenerated and is invulnerable
*Will stun in a 325 AoE(self positioned) for 1.5 seconds
*After cast, a delay of 0.5 seconds is inevitable before the bat perishes from stone form.
A 6 seconds stun impact:
this is pretty easy, all you need are fast-eyes and fast-hands.
*Click on one familiar and cast stone form(stuns for 1.5 seconds)
*Click on another familiar before the stun duration ends, cast stone form(another 1.5 seconds)
*Now is the tricky part, resummon them then repeat the steps at the top.
Note: Be careful a 4 minutes cooldown is really a hassle
This skill build maximizes Visage's potential as a gank and an early tank on your team. This also gives Visage the power of heavy nuke on early levels. Which may aid your teammate on a burst damage on team clashes and gang rapes. If you want to consider trilaning and first blood attempts, please consider the skillbuild below.
Again, Cloak gives Visage beefiness and balls. No matter what or why, you should first give it a skill point. Let it stay as level 1, since a 16% magic resistance on early game is awesome compared to other magic resistant skills in game. It also gives you the capability to tank creeps, so aggro isn't a problem. It helps you to baby sit, it gives you courage to go past your creep lane and get beside their ranged creeps for them to lose exp. Overall, you should take it first for safety purposes.
Grave Chill is taken on level 2, for a sole purpose: Hit & Run. It can be use widely; you can use it as an early escape mechanism, or an early gank from your teammates. A 3 seconds slow is really handy, especially on desperate cases. Some guides I read, takes Soul Assumption on level 2, but I really doubt that it can help on early game, especially when Visage lack burst damage not until mid game.
Soul Assumption is taken on third level, and should be maxed out first. The main reason is for you to be able to aid your allies with burst damage on ganks and jukes especially when on team clashes. Remember: Nukes are always maxed first.
There's no reason why you should miss on getting the bats. A high damage on early game(where your enemies are at their weakest link) and a 2 seconds AoE stun or a gamebreaker on level 6; is without a doubt, really handy. Whenever you get this on level 6, your role as a ganker will now gradually increase. Since you start roaming with your bats and a bottle. However; make sure an ally is by your side, or you're gonna turned upside down.
Why not max Grave Chill first?
The reason is simple. We are a burst damage support and not some kind of a slowing idiot who will roam around the map. Getting Grave Chill and maxing it out first is a very bad idea, you are ruining the game destroying the future of burst nuking and easy kill. Sure! the slows are really handy and a huge pain in the ass, but what can it do to stunners, blinkers and invisible heroes? nimble around? If you want to support, go for the soul assumption build, it works much better. Let your teammates do the slowing, disabling and blocking. Again; you are not a fucking slower disabler, you're just a bat with a cock to fire laser on the highest early nuke damage on the history of dota, and on the history of sucking.
This skillbuild is suggested by the forum guys which i owe thanks to: Syaska & The_4Lb1NOS(that's a very hard name). This skillbuild unlike the build above is more focused on trilaning and supporting your teammates. This is due the fact that Visage is one of the best hero with lane partners which you can urge your wrath with your Soul Assumption.
Gravekeeper's Cloak is taken on level 5, since you are on a lane with supports on. Trusting your teammates is one of the key on earning a first blood attempt. Focusing on burst nukes is more than enough of a satisfaction to give to them.
Chill the same as above is taken on second level for support and assists. With your slow on you should be able to chase heroes and flee no matter what happened. Plus, chain stuns are a great way to trigger your slow. Just make sure to use your slow the last after your lane partner casts their stuns!
Soul Assumption is by far, the best nuke you have(or at least the only one). So giving it a first point on your skills is a great decision. As suggested, with your powers on trilaning and a burst nuke which cools down every 5 seconds, there's no escape on your lane and makes first blood attempt a 99% possible. Just be careful on your early levels, you are a bat with no balls.
There's no reason why you should miss on getting the bats. A high damage on early game(where your enemies are at their weakest link) and a 2 seconds AoE stun or a gamebreaker on level 6; is without a doubt, really handy. Whenever you get this on level 6, your role as a ganker will now gradually increase. Since you start roaming with your bats and a bottle. However; make sure an ally is by your side, or you're gonna turned upside down.(Copied above) bleeh..
The most important part of the guide: The bat's tier items
Here is the exciting part where I list the items that can incredibly fit on Visage. Especially the core and early items. Remember to read every line and every word on my explanation so you won't miss a point
This is one of the best item build for Visage. Not only it gives him enough stats to beat the crap out of enemies, it also gives Visage guts and a little health. In most cases, Visage with this build are experienced players(knows what to do with Visage, and plays Visage well) since they go for a stat rather than tons of clarities and salves. After this build I recommend you to tp back to base and buy magic wand and stick for more life saving gears.
The pure stat build, who would likely go for a brace or null after getting some gold out of creep farming. This build is very well-suited and is best played with a lane partner with no disabling nukes or no other one-shot damage that may retard the enemy; or going on a solo-mid lane. This gives Visage damage which he needs on babysitting and some small mana regeneration for spamming your chill to help allies or kill enemies.
A safe way to start off as Visage. This makes Visage a little power to stay on lane longer, this also gives Visage some more health and damage for last hitting efforts. Chicken is bought for early bottle; since we all know gankers must have their bottles tied up on their waste. But if you wish to go real time roaming, you might consider the build below.
Roam-free build. This build is most likely seen on inhouse games and on some competitive games. This build is used, together with maxing grave chill first(though i strongly do not recommend it) to maximize Visage's full potential on juking. A reserve pots and a bamboo-eater for health benefits and a small addition to Visage's starting hitpoints are great, however, avoid this build when you want to maintain a lane control or babysit strong enemy heroes.
The support-type build. Best seen on tourneys and inhouse games. Observer wards for rune scouting and 2x salve for assisting your lane partner. 3 GG branches are necessary for more stats and attitude on your lane. This is a pure support-type build since this gives your lane partner an advantage to save money for tangoes and pots.
One of my favorite item builds for Visage. This helps Visage to maintain his lane a little longer(until he buys a bottle) and even give him enough stats to tank or to babysit. Tangoes gives him a non-cancelled regeneration, which is really helpful to orb walkers(Huskar or Viper) which Visage really hates. A lot.
A weird starting build, but a great boost on lane partner and farm frenzy. Headress of Rejuvenation costs exactly 603 gold! no more and no less. A +3 health regeneration aura is really handy in terms of roaming and lane control and a small boost on stats would really do. However, what this build lacks is toughness and burst heal which you might need against experienced players and heroes like Lina and Lion.
Early item. Most pub players are really frenzied about Visage skills and health, that they would go for a bottle instead of damage and health. A noob considers this build. Let me tell you one thing: Visage lacks DpS, not mana regeneration and a little hp regeneration. What Visage needs are heavy stats and health benefits on early games since it makes Visage survive easier than anyone. Visage might go roaming, but not before level 6 where you have your familiars on you(on which by the time, I think you have a bottle already). There are more heroes that are much more bottle efficient like Akasha and Dark Seer, so why waste a 600 gold if you can do something useful to it?
Mid-Game Items: Early Core Items
This is the most(when i said most, the MUST) effective way to urge your wrath against your opponent. This is a hell of an item which makes you a hell of a bat. I should be explaining here piece by piece:
Bottle: This is pretty self-explanatory. No ganker should ever live without bottle(unless late game or DpS gankers). Roaming is fun + trudging down alongside the rune spots is a great idea. There are great power-ups there that might help you in your way, so you should buy this first before any other tier items available.
Bracer: I recommend this item rather than Nulls. Why? Gives you cheap health, and a small boost on agility and your intelligence. This makes the bat beefier and not smell fresh meat nor even look like one.
Urn of Shadows: Is taken as the second core item, before Bracers. A 50% mana regeneration is a great boost on your gank/roam style and your abuse of nuke. This also helps you to maintain some hp after a successful gank with your allies.
Magic Wand: One of the best and cheapest survival kit in the game. I strongly recommend for you to buy this, since he'll be visiting lane to lanes. Where opponents might give out their best nukes in order to survive, not knowing that this only gives you more hp and a handy one-click mana restored mechanism.
Observer Wards: Is really important even if you are a semi-support. This gives you vision which helps A LOT whenever your roaming around(gives you warning signs whenever you'll meet someone dangerous on your way or meet someone with low health on your way).
Boots of Speed: No idiot should be running around, foot-naked.
Situational: Situation Dependent Items
The situational items are made when you are in a tight situation. This may vary according to what kind of style your playing as Visage; whether a support or a roamer, a tank or a ganker, you should have the best items you can carry.This guide does not restrict you to get all the items mentioned here, but this guide aims to give you more knowledge on what kind of items Visage can carry. This miniguide will let you know the usefulness of each and every item that the bat can have.
Mekansm
Mekansm, has always been a situational item in the whole history it was first made. The stats are great and the price is cheap which makes this item affordable even on early and mid game. It also comes on pieces which makes it more viable than the cold Shiva's guard. It can be used on all occasions whether you want to save your teammate's ass, your ass or even on an all out push strategy, you can use it always. One click and you're refreshed!
Linken's sphere
Linken's sphere is more of a luxury than a situational item since it only benefits your hero. This is also viable the fact that the Flying Menace can be a stat monster if you wish him to be. Visage is very flexible on any game. Buying this lets you avoid terror ultimates like Finger of Death or Doom that will sure rip you inside-out. This also gives you extra regeneration and a small boost on your mana supply you need. Buy this if you are pissed on chain stunners or disablers that are focusing on you.
Vanguard
Vanguard gives great early tanking powers, this can last up to late game. With this equipped, you are given the capability to tank lots of damage(not tons of damage) and even go on front of team clashes. This however does not benefit your teammates. Still this is viable, and buy this if you really really need it, whether for lane control or aggroing.
Hood of Defiance
Getting annoyed by spammers? nukers? or disablers? buying this on early game makes you tough. This also comes on pieces which gives you more time to save your money and buy it one by one. This is often upgraded to pipe however, upgrading it might cost you a piece of gold. This gives you another ability to tank lots of magical damage but not tons of it. However this does not offer any hitpoints, which will make you still an immature hero.
Pipe of Insight
Pipe gives you an AoE magic resistance. This gives you the beefiness on magical AoE ultimates like Earthshaker's or even Harbringer's. However, upgrading this may require some many. My tip is you might upgrade this if you have enemy AoE nukers or your team badly needs it.
Eul's Scepter of Divinity
Scepter is one of the best situational items that the bat may get his hands on. 25 movement speed is no joke + the mana regeneration is simply the best. Of course, the best is the active ability, which sends the target unit flying through the sky. Remember, I mentioned before that Visage needs the best positioning skill as much as possible and this is one of it. 2.5 seconds is enough to let your bats go fly in to it. This means a perfect landing and a perfect 6 seconds!
Necronomicon
Necronomicon again is the best item for Visage if there is invisible units. Getting Necronomicon for me, is only necessary if there is invisible units roaming around like Rikimaru or even Gondar. The bonus strength and intelligence gives you what you need to be a stat monster, and the summon is simply fantastic. However, make sure to upgrade it to Level 3 to get its full potential and true sight!
Soul Ring
Another item to set eyes on. Soul Rings gives plenty of mana for a trade of hitpoints. Gives 150 mana at a cost of a life. Very dangerous item for a low hp bat, however, is a very generous mana item. Since the bat is semi-mana independent; One click of this may enable him to cast at least one skill that may turn the tide of the battle. But choose wisely though! getting this may also give you trouble if not properly used.
The Wealthy Man's Items: Luxury Item
Orchid of Malevolence
First item on the list is Orchid. Though for costs are slightly high, this handy item comes by pieces, so you can collect them all one by one. The great bonus of ATS and DpS combined with your skills is simply marvelous and in addition the active ability of a 5 seconds silence is outstanding! Running along with this makes you a bully to fragile heroes like Drow or VS.
Guinsoo's Scythe of Vyse
Sheepstick is considered the best item for Visage if in terms you are a support or a ganker. This build is often accompanied by Orchid to perfectly pawn them out of the game. The Bat can also make use of this for positioning or for chasing and fleeing. This is simply marvelous, in addition to the active ability, is the constant manapool and regen it gives you. Is this the best or what?
Shiva's Guard
Whether a pusher or a ganker, you must have at least one armor on your inventory. My first choice, is Shiva's guard. Additional Intelligence is marvelous plus additional armor makes you beefier than rs. The active ability provides you and your teammate the chance to chase or to escape in any situation plus it can also weaken DpS carries like Sven or Void. Its simply a fantastic armor for a flying bat.
M'jolnir
Another overrated item that he can wear. M'jolnir makes you evasive, the fact that you can kill even without doing anything or avoid being attack due to its active ability. This also adds DpS and another ability of pushing and farming. Making this one maximizes Visage's full potential on 1v1 clashes as well as supporting your carry hero.
Stygian Desolator
Mostly seen on pubs. This does not mean you should not buy it. Stygian offers huge amount of damage and -armor which gives more DpS for your bats to feed on. However, I do not recommend buying this, since this item will make you more of a DpS than a support hero. This may also loosen your bond between you and your carry hero. Think twice before buying this though.
Eye of Skadi
This again is the best item in hell. This makes you a stat monster and a slow killing machine. Roaming with this gives you enough manapool, beefiness and damage combined with Snowman attacks is simply unstoppable. However costs as much as crap. Choosing this item will lead you to disregard other situational items. Which is highly unadvisable.
Survivability Item: Armor Choices
Never mistake Visage as a tank. If somebody's guide is pointing him to be a tank, never listen or at least waste time going through it. Like Zotmaster's guides, never mistake a hero with an ability to survive to be the tank. Come on! this bat can only tank at least 6 hits and he is dead. 4 hits and he is out of any armor. However, this guide takes you to the depth of survivability, and much likely, if you want, though not advisable; be a puny tank.
Shiva's Guard
Shiva's Guard is without a doubt the best and the first armor choice that Visage would likely choose. The armor is simply massive combines with the intelligence that suits you spamming Soul Assumption perfectly. Remember that Intelligence comes with mana regeneration which really is a delight. The passive skill slows AS, thus helping you and your allies slow down their carry hero. The Arctic Blast is perfect for one good reason; a stackable slow is simply, amazing.
Blade Mail
The second choice is without a doubt the very annoying and very predictive Blade Mail. Why? if you are asking why not cuirass? then let me explain some things to you. First, though this choice has low armor compared to cuirass, you don't need AS, and perhaps you need a small boost on intelligence for spamming slow and your nuke. Second is the active ability. What the? aura is good compared to return, hell no! You get assault, then you get balls, you get Blade Mail, then you get balls plus hairballs, return is perfect to let any hero or even they're carry, be doomed to death. If you want to die as a hero then pick Blade Mail, if not, go for the assault. Suits you right?
Assault Cuirass
If you are somehow thinking straight, then you'll begin to ask why assault? Simple, it is a small boost item. Boost on armor to you and your allies for great survivability and tankability bonus and the great armor reduction for enemies are astounding, really helpful for any carry hero on the game. Buy this, if you are without a doubt; the greatest farmer the earth has ever seen and if not, pick the item below.
Vanguard
The most famous item in the pubs and also, the history! Vanguard! aye? without mention, this shield comes piece by piece, so buying it is a no problem and that stout shield of yours is indeed charming. The regeneration is the best and the damage block makes it even better, the only thing lacking in this, is the support ability(blade mail has return, shiva's has arctic blast and of course assault has armor bonus and reduction) but who cares!? at least your a bat with a shield on!
Support and Gank Item Build
This is the build where I list the full item build that lets out Visage's full potential as a gank and a support type hero. Feel free to suggest or to comment on this build as I find it myself very interesting:
Guinsoo's Scythe of Vyse: Is taken to maximize Visage's full potential. This gives him the ability to disable any channeling opponents or even disable carry heroes that are blocking your way. With this on, nothing can stop you and your team from ruining their gameplay. It is your choice whether you go for this first or the Orchid first, it depends on the situation you're in.
Orchid of Malevolence Is taken usually for its silence and damage. It is taken first before Guinsoo if there are blink users or nuke spammers that are terrorizing you and your team. This is pretty handy on ganks if you are being dealt with invis user or escapees.
Empty Bottle: Any ganker should have at least one bottle up on his sleeves. No other explanations are viable.
Boots of Travel: You're boots are upgraded to BoT on late game. The purpose is to roam around the map. Without this, getting distracted by other enemy heroes while they are desperately pushing on your bottom lane is pretty irritating. Still, with this flying boots on, nothing escapes you. You can also teleport on your bats which is pretty useful too.
DpS and Carry Item Build
Though not advisable, this is the part where Visage gains momentum of the game. If there are no carries present or the carries cannot anymore rise the game up from the ashes, get this item. Again, Visage is flexible in many ways, so being a DpS may not also seem handy.
or
Stygian Desolator: Is taken on desperate measures if your team needs a clean killing machine. Buy this one if your team asks you or if your team doesn't have any late game or hard carries. Do not buy this one if you have trusted carries that will push the game later on.
M'jolnir: Bought for two purposes. Defense an Offense. Mjolnir is ten times far more better than Desolator. Why? boost on DpS and AS really hurts a lot + the active ability of the forked lightning and the passive of chain lightning makes you a pushing monster. This however does not provide massive damage boost than the desolator.
Vanguard: No hardcore carry can survive if he has no armor worn, or a shield at least. This gives early boost on tanking capabilities and specially lane control. Buy this first before Mjolnir or Desolator if you are having a hard time to farm your way out.
Empty Bottle: Again, no man should waste a single drop of rune whoring.
Power Treads: Your boots is upgraded to treads for more firepower, DpS and AS. It can also alter your stats depending on what you need. Strength for health and regeneration, suitable on team clash and 1v1 fights, agility for armor and nothing else and of course Intelligence for more manapower and damage.
What Item to Take?
Item Path
Now, if you are asking what this mini guide is for, its for nothing. Really, its for nothing. Again, Visage is definitely one of the most flexible heroes on the game. You can change roles as the game goes on, if you are on the pride to take the role of a carry, then I am not restricting you so, however if the game does not suit your play style then pick another role for god's sake.
This comment is taken from The Other Guy whom is a fan of Visage himself. Read this if you have problems on dealing with your item:
Getting charges is a non issue, generally speaking at around lvl 7 you only need to slow most heroes long enough to get a few hits off with your bats and trust me, those charges will be there.
The great thing about him is just how versatile he is. His nuke and his slow can easily be interchanged to suit your situation.
As for the items he needs nothing more than boots really. You need to decide early on how you will play and which role he should take in the team. Facing a lineup with some scary carries? Gank them and farm like a madman and get that early Guinsoo or Shivas. Facing some powerful early/mid/late game pushers? Push back by gunning for items such as Mek, Shivas or Necro.
And the possible builds go on, as do the situations where you might need them. Remember, there is no such thing as a core build on ANY hero, only situational ones. Don't restrict yourself, adapt to the situation and most of all have fun.
Awesome.
Special Ass-Saving Powerups
This is the part where I list every powerups and their benefits to Visage. This is really helpful especially to noob players, who doesn't even know what Haste means.
Maximizes your movement speed to its full potential(522 ms). The MS can't be slowed down(e.g. poison slows, frost slows) however can be debuffed(e.g. purge). This ups is really helpful to Visage, especially when he ganks a magic invulnerable hero(omniknight, Naix) which renders your only slow spell useless.
Useful for:
-Ganking
-Escaping
-Chasing
-Harrasing
-Checking the powerups again
Invisibility:
Grants you invisibility for 60 seconds(a really longtime, might be really handy for afk pub gamers). This is really helpful for Visage as it gives him chance to scout lanes before ganking(e.g. if there is someone hiding behind trees etc.). This also helps Visage by hiding himself and avoiding disables or shots that are really fatal to his skin.
Doubles your damage(self-explanatory). This gives Visage a burst damage which he lacks + the soul assumption combo is pure ownage. You can even rape your opponents by slowing them using your Chill or stun them by your flying gargoyles.
Regeneration a really friendly powerup. Specially in cases that you need to escape without salves or getting desperate. This also saves you a lot of pots since if regenerates your health fully(however, one damage cancels the heal).
Useful for:
-Fleeing
-Running when low hp
-Chasing when low hp
-Surprises
-Ganking
Illusion:
Illusions are handy to agility heroes. Since it gives them more DpS and pushing power, and also the ability to confuse enemies. Since Visage is not an agility or a DpS hero. Illusions are pretty much garbage on him. But still it has its uses:
Useful for:
-Confusing enemies
-Escaping(idiot enemies)
-Pushing your lane
-Harrasing opponents
The Flying Menace's Skill Arsenal
The skill arsenal is the part where the author(which is me) lists the skills, its uses and of course how to use it. This is the part of the guide where you must put your focus on, since Visage is a skill type hero and not a DpS hero. This guide will teach you how to use each and every skill of his to its full potential and hopefully its maximum streak. You will get to know his skills one by one and its help. So pay attention or you'll get dumped!
The Chill, or perhaps the Grave Chill is without a doubt one of the best draining skills in the game. It drains any enemy units movement speed ad attackspeed, it does not matter whether its a hero or a creeps and gain the MS and AS. However, to use its full potential, you must target it on an enemy hero. This is the only slow the bat has on early games, so maintaining it and using it properly is also a key to winning fights.
Grave Chill when compared to other slow abilities, has rather higher manacost. This is because of the effect of the slow. However, a 100 manacost on early game up to mid game takes toll on Visage, so spamming it won't be necessary. But still, a 32% IMS and IAS and 32% decrease on theirs would be pretty annoying.
The effective usage of Grave Chill: Green: Visage's position
Green Arrow: Visage's Target and sight
Red: Food
This rather shows the use of Visage on competitive and teamfights. Its support. Whether you have a lane partner or soloing, it doesn't matter what lane you take, as long as you support others is just as good as being a carry. Grave Chill, offers great slow effective on early up to extremely late game if the game goes that long.
In this picture, shows the cast of Grave Chill on VS, which for now will be our prey. Notice that VS got near Tidehunter too much, thats when I cast my skill. With my slow and Tide's Gush, we got a kill on just a second.
Good and Bad Usage:
Good: When the target is near a carry or any hero, this gives the advantage of not letting your lane partner or teammate run as fast as they could, this saves time, and guarantees you a kill if you're partner is not an idiot.
Bad: Casting at the prey too far away, which wastes time and even manacost. This gets the crap out of your lane partner and will end up shouting at you for not waiting.
Good: Casting it on an enemy hero for fleeing and saving your ass.
Bad: Casting it on an enemy hero for fleeing even if you have green or yellow hp gauge.
Good: Casting it for chasing, or letting them get harrased by your creeps and a 3 strikes from you and your familliars.
Bad: You cast the skill even if there are no creeps or any supports around.
Soul Assumption
Soul Assumption, is one of the greatest nuke that IceFrog ever made. Why? it has one of the lowest cooldowns of all the nukes and has a unique way of casting. Soul Assumption is the only nuke the Flying Menace got, so using it as a spam is not necessary. Saving it for teamfights and ganks is worth the wait.
Without further a do, the Soul Assumption gives Visage the damage that he really needs. However, using it properly is quite risky. So, this skill info can also be a miniguide on how to use this nuke.
The effective usage of Soul Assumption: Green: Visage's position
Green Arrow: Visage's attack direction
Red: Food
Dark Red: Soul Assumption Missile Animation
The Image shows the skill of the bat's Soul Assumption. The Dark Red circle, is the Soul Assumption Missile Animation. Notice that VS is trying to run away from the two of us, that is when I used the nuke.
In order for VS not to escape, I used Soul Assumption on her one time, which results for her hp gauge to drop below 200. I did not use it for last hitting, thus; I used it for letting Tidehunter get the kill. Visage can be a deadly hero even without lots of luxurious items on his back, so getting the kill on obvious situations isn't necessary.
Good and Bad Usage:
Good: Using it to lower the hp gauge of the enemy hero, and letting your carry hero get the kill.
Bad: Using it to last hit, and not letting your carry hero get the kill. You obviously stole the gold, and the glory.
Good: Casting it on fleeing hero to kill him/her, if your carry hero cannot anymore follow the enemy.
Bad: Last hitting the enemy hero even though your carry can chase it in just a second.
Good: Hitting the enemy unit with a maximum damage of the nuke, or using the nuke with low damage, but a guarantee kill.
Bad: Casting it without or with a low damage indicator, this only gives you 1/4 of its total damage and not using the skill to its full potential.
How to Use it?
First of all, Reading the whole skill detail is your main guide and manual on using this skill. The second one is practicing it on your friends or even in pub games. The third, is reading my guide:
IIIIII
You will see a bar that looks like six I's on top of the bat. This is the soul counter or the damage indicator bar. This gives information to the player on how many counters Visage has
IIIIII
If you see a green I, this means you got soul counter. Keep in mind that each soul counter gives Visage an additional 60 damage for his Soul Assumption.
If you are wandering where to get the Soul Counter, you can get it everytime 110 damage is taken around a 1375 AoE, this is a very big AoE, even greater than Tidehunter's Ravage and Necrolyte's Death Pulse. However, creep/neutral creeps damage is not counted. But a player unit(even Eidolons or controlled neutral creeps) or the enemy hero itself, or even Roshan's damage is counted. Let me explain a little more:
If PotM cast starfall on us, we obviously get 2 soul counters, however, if it doubles up(another star falls to an allied hero or to you) you get an additional 2 counters.
Remember that practice makes perfect, so using Visage everytime is a great practice and might even lead you to the hall of fame for being a great bat.
Gravekeeper's Cloak
Gravekeeper's Cloak is Visage's only passive skill. Again, this skill is the only thing that gives the Flying Menace his balls and beefiness. Maybe your wandering why a passive skill needs a guide. Well its good for everybody, plus it gives a bit more information to newbie players whom played Visage the first or the second time.
A great armor and magic resistance for early game is no joke. It provides a decent lane control and overall protection to spammers, nukers or even aggressive supports and tankers. This is the only ability that made Visage a semi-tank hero. However, abusing it too much is a stupid idea, since 4 hits from an enemy hero and you'll be as soft as a marshmallow. You better save it for clashes and fleeing, and not wasting it from randomly spamming your attacks which gives them also the opportunity to spam attacks to you.
WHAT? no picture?
The hell is wrong with you? passive skills does not need one.
Good and Bad Usage:
Good: Using it to lure creeps, getting attacked by one or two creeps doesn't hurt and does not minus the armor layer.
Bad: Spamming attacks on enemy heroes which also gives them the ability to spam theirs too, which decreases your armor to 0.
Good: Attacking on safe distances and maintaining lane control.
Bad: Being aggressive and attacking near enemy heroes, which eventually gives them a chance to finish off a support like you.
Summon Familiars
Finally, the bat family! The skill that makes Visage a wonderful DpS on mid games. Though the hero is not meant for DpS, but the bats are. A huge damage on early game can cripple any low hp gauge enemy heroes like Drow Ranger or any support heroes like Rylai and VS. This skill which was changed on 6.65 is made especially on competitive and teamfights. Why? Continue reading.
With the wings that gave them the ability to fly and pass cliffs or objects, and a high movespeed which enables them to transfer from one place to another as fast as the wind. The bats are made for teamfights with their skill Stone Form which disables anyone in its AoE. The high early DpS, combined with the perfect skill makes you say "OH! so sweet!"
The proper usage of the Familiars:
Green: Visage's position
Green Arrow: Visage's preferably route
Red: Enemy hero chasing the bat
Dark Red: Familiar's look and summon animation
Dark Red Arrow: Morphling's Route
In this picture, you will see Morphling chasing the Flying Menace and watering him. In desperate situations, people attempts to use Grave Chill to Morph, which gives more delay for the running hero and gives opportunity to the enemy hero(I also tried, but with one wave, he catches up). However, my mind was set and summoned familiars, which you will see later why I summoned those two.
Time Management is the key to winning on 1v1 fights. Why? the right time to use the skill, and the right time to escape and flee. Here, I used the Summon Familiars to prevent Morphling from chasing me and attack him at all cost, which did not work. However, I managed to escape using stone form to stun him before he gets me.
Good and Bad Usage:
Good: Summoning your familiars if you need it(i.e. for fleeing or for raping an enemy hero)
Bad: Wasting 180 seconds cooldown for summoning them because they have low health(which stone form saves)
Good: Macroing the bats, Ctrl+1 for Visage, Ctrl+2 for the familiars and Ctrl+3 to Visage and the familiars, and also with the proper use of the tab button.
Bad: Highlighting the map and randomly attacking the enemy hero without even grouping your units.
Good: Focus Fire on enemy hero only.
Bad: Letting your familiars attack neutral creeps or even creeps that makes their damage perish.
Stone Form
Ah! the bread and butter skill of the Necro'lic. How lovely this skill is, this is a potential gamebreaker skill. And can be maxed out to even 9 seconds stun!(but not advised to use it though).
This skill is found on your familiars, this grants them the ability to stun on a small AoE near them, regenerate their hp and even set their damage to full again. However there are some time recovering from their stone form. This gives you the presence of death, this can be used on all sorts of stuff like fleeing, ganking, clashing, juking, chasing, gamebreaking or any ing that you may think of.
The proper usage of the deadly Stone Form:
Green: Visage's position
Red: Enemy hero chasing the bat
Dark Red: Familiar incoming stone form
Red Arrow: Shows the enemy hero's former position and current
Stone form as seen on the image above is great on fleeing. I used it on fleeing because I'll end up a fried bat. Be careful though with the 0.5 seconds casting delay, fast heroes might just get past your stone form.
As seen by the image above, I used it on fleeing from Morphling. Notice that after I summon the familiars, I quickly controlled one of them to go straight forward and wait for the right time before it stuns. You may also notice that Morphling's old position is indicated and the 0.5 second delay, its a perfect landing for the familiar since I read where Morphling will go and where he is supposed to run when I cast the stone form.
Good and Bad Usage:
Good: Using stone form when fleeing or chasing enemy heroes
Bad: Casting stone form for creep farming and last hitting purposes
Good: Anticipating the opponent's next move and casting the stone form a few steps ahead of their way
Bad: Casting stone form right in the middle of a moving enemy hero which they can pass right through it
Good: Casting it on teamfights and ganks, and efficiently landing it in the middle where most heroes are located
Bad: Casting it on one enemy hero during a teamfight, which does not break their constant hail storms.
Good: Using it to protect a dying teammate or supporting your carry hero
Bad: Wasting it on saving a support hero, if your carry hero is in danger
Good: Anticipating its cooldown and the right moment to use it
Bad: Getting on team clash without stoneform in full cd, which will end up practically thumbs down
Macroing: A special guide for grouping your units!
This is a special guide for you to learn how to group your units and use them properly. This is the MACROING guide:
This section provides you the information on how to use the almighty tab button and the Ctrl button properly and nothing else.
1.) Cast Summon Familiars(or not if you have your familiars with you)
2.) Click on Visage and press down Ctrl+1 This gives Visage the 1st group, meaning he is the only one on the group, this also means you can freely control him without the familiars
3.) Click on the two familiars and press down Ctrl+2 This creates a group for your familiars, without Visage on them, this makes them safe from any misfiring and attacking anonymous units
4.) Click on Visage and the two familiars, press down Ctrl+3 Creates a group for your whole family, best used when travelling with your familiars by your side.
Additional Tips:
*Using the tab button is pretty useful, this is done when all three of you are grouped, usually, the group consists of Visage first, then bat1 and bat2. When arriving on teamfights, use Grave Chill and focus fire on an enemy unit. If in case you need stone form, press TAB ONCE to switch the control to the bat1 then cast stone form. If you need another, press TAB ONCE again(if you're on bat1 control) then cast stone form.
*Practice using the familiars, you can set them to other groups where you feel you can control them better
Now that you have grabbed your items, let's lock and load! First things first, where should the bat lane? if you are wandering where, then read this. Based from my experience and further tests, I've made a conclusion that Visage is to never solo. Criticisms are always free and subjective reasoning is welcome. My point here is, that the flying menace is such a glass cannon in early game. First you are really fragile and only four hits and your armor is all gone. Two you have no escape mechanism other than fleeing away and your Grave Chill which makes other heroes with chain stun have their advantage on you. Third you cannot use your nuke if it has no charges on it. Visage is specially designed with a lane partner, hello? a nuke that sets off every 60 damage on an AoE near you doesn't ring a bell? plus a slow without any freeze or stuns on it? What can a nuke mean if there isn't anyone whose gonna boost em all up for you? and what can a slow mean if only you with merely 40 damage per hit can live up to it?
Think first; which is much better? a trilane which is probably the best lane you have ever came up to or a solo lane which you are not made up of, unless you are a dumbheaded carry.
Early Walkthrough
Now that you're mind is set let's start getting gold. Try to last hit as much as possible, however if there is a carry around let him get the gold and support him by damaging the creeps near him. One good way to last hit is pressing the "S" button to stop your bat from attacking and then press "A" button if you wish to attack. Another tip is analyzing your ranged creep's projectile. Since it does the highest damage and has a projectile speed.
If you are farming pretty well then grab a set of wards. I do not want to discuss the warding tips in here so just click Lycan's Warding Guide to learn more about warding. However, I should say that you must grab a ward on early game if you are facing against a trilane and a more aggressive roamer like potm and butcher. Place it near where your carry is and place it near your lane to be safe on ganks.
When you are in trouble of getting outlaned and feeding up, go back. Go hide behind your ranged creep projectile as your ranged is quite high. If you see them going near you, then pull back or let your teammates be aware of it. Use gravechill on opponents trying to incapacitate you then let your teammates do the dirty job.
Always pay attention on your minimap. Never ever concentrate on just a single lane. Remember that the minimap is the most important thing you can see on the wc3 world. Calling a miss is a good chance to let your teammates escape or even gank a fragile hero. While you farm your ass out and outlane your enemy completely.
Mid Game
Mid game starts when you are on level six. This means that you have your family beside you and you are ready to roam around freely like what bats certainly do. Before you start, let me remind you of some things that you don't want to miss when you're on mid game:
Avoid letting enemy heroes free farm
Now we know that you will be roaming like hell on mid game but still never ever let them free farm, especially if they are carries. Always carry a tp scroll with you whenever there are solid pushers like axe and centaur. Do not let them get that gold they want. You can delay they're free farming by simply ganking them with your teammate as you will be roaming.
Roam on lanes near you
Roam on lanes that are a few steps away from you. Do not go to top lane if you are on bottom lane. And always go to lanes with fragile heroes like Traxex or Kardel. Saving time is the key on a good bat you know.
Use runes like they're burgers
As I have told from the rune sections, be an effective rune user. As you will be roaming, you will pass on rivers or even scout runes and use them eventually on fight. You need to use them proficiently and effectively as it can easily turn the tide of the battle in just a quick blink.
Scout with your bats
Your bats are flying. Take this opportunity to scout on runes, or even missing heroes. They can go through unpassable terrain like a flying burito. Without a question, they are excellent tools of ganking. Especially sight.
Roaming is good, but too much is awful
Well maybe you are roaming. But too much is very bad. You may get outlaned, out-experienced and out-skilled. To the extent that your skills don't even do that much damage to them as on your early level. Never get fed up with scores hitting on your multiboards. If you are always roaming, the tendency for other heroes to farm gets higher up to 80%. Always carry a tp scroll with you if you need to go to your lane. Never let those stupid heroes farm and much more, level up.
Never gank with low hitpoints
You are to never gank if you have a low health. You are such a glass cannon and one focus fire on you and you are dead. You don't have any stun that will disable them and slow them on eating you. You have a slow that is thanks to God that isn't any better than a stun. Oh come on, you have bats and they have stuns!, 2 seconds AoE stun is good, but chain stuns on enemy heroes are far more better.
Low mana? No Problem!
Low mana? like other heroes you don't have any problem on your mana. Why? your bats are the most important ppl in your sleeves. If you are on low health, low mana. Go back to base. But if you're teammates complained that they need a gank. Then you have your bats to go beside them. Let your hero go straight to your fountain while your bats go straight for the gank. Get it?
Mid game, though your use is starting to shine, you are not at your full potential. Mid game is where Visage gets his item, farms it, and gank potential threats. If somebody tells you that mid game is where he shines most, he is dead wrong. Clashes and Teamfights are far more better than roaming and juggling around. At least thats what my experience is telling me.
Late Game
Shining
If you readers do not know what late game is; well its all about teamfights and clashes. And thats what the bat is all about. Shining on late game is not that hard yet not that simple. If you managed to crawl up and at least not get overfed by your enemy carries then you have at least the talent to be a great gamebreaker. Shining is all about letting your carries finish your opponent while you support and give them your best nuke and hits. A support is not a killstealer and a lasthitter, being aggressive is good but too much is bad. Do not steal kills especially from allied carries that will eventually carry the game for all of you on the last part of it.
Your role on late game
You are not an initiator. The bold letter summed it up. If you think a 1.5 seconds stun and a gravechill is initiating, well you might think again. Leave it to heroes who has high gamebreaking skill, or high AoE stuns like Leviathan, Enigma or Magnus which can ruin they're game and give you a perfect position.
You're all about support. After initiating; if the stun almost wears off, use stone form. You're all about the second stun and slows. You are all about chasing and not letting them get away. And you are not a tank. You don't want to go upfront with high DpS heroes like Ursa and Sven. Go behind the real tanks like Centaur or Axe. On late game, you will eventually learn your use as your teammate will instruct you. And last, you are not to kill. You are to damage them with your nukes and your hits. Maximize the use of your nuke which means using them upon having full charges, and slow them upon cooling down.
Maximizing your potential
Its all about clash and teamfights now my friend. Now its time to get serious. I will try to teach you how to help on teamfights especially on positioning. Try to scan the photos below and see for yourself how to clash with the flying menace:
Activating Stone Form
Clustered opponents are achieved upon initiators like Magnus or Enigma. This is the best position where you can land stone form perfectly. Not only that you may hit 3 to 5 enemy heroes, but you can constantly focus fire and not panic. Initiating is really important for you. Though you are not to do it. Let them handle it and you'll then do your job as the second AoE gamebreaker. Remember; to let your initiators do the trick before you cast stone form or you'll end up wasting a skill point.
Hitting 2 or 3 enemies isn't a bummer, especially if you hit they're carry hero. However hitting only one opponent on a teamfight is not gonna do any good. Whether you hit they're carry hero or just they're support. Its all about your AoE stun which takes toll on your opponents. A stun slows them down to the point that they are dead before they even cast they're devastating ultimate. Generally speaking, try to target where to land your stone form. This requires good concentration and a slight precision. Imagine that you're stone form AoE is smaller compared to its AoE so you can get that bull's eye perspective you really want to get.
Why land on ramps? Ramps are genuinely wise because you force them to go where you want them to go. Landing on ramps makes them squabble all over to get away from the ramps as soon as possible and that is where you and your teammates finish them. Be wise to intercept them because you will fail if you are just following him on his tail. If you managed to land on ramps, the tendency for your opponent is to ran straight ahead so intercepting them is a very good idea. Landing also on ramps and cliffs gives you unimaginable vision of the terrain below. So get ready to hide and stun in all directions!
Green circles are your allies
Red circles are your opponents
Plum circles are your stone AoE
Never ever waste your skill point
Now that it is late game, wasting a skill point will be very awful. If you managed to fail and set your skills to cooldown then a teamfight came near you then what do you do? Valuing them is pretty good. You won't know when they are handy!
Eliminate the threats
Your first target is they're carry. Never ever get fooled of a bigger target or tanks trying to lure you to attack them. Eliminating they're carry is an 80% chance win. So if you ask me why not support first? they're more fragile? and yes! they are, but wait? What does a support hero do? Support carries of course! if the carry is doomed what do supports do? they die instantly. Never let the small hp fool you. They are luring you using they're fragile butts and ass. Picking on them is no good. Try to stay manly by killing the manliest of them all.
Remember that you are most effective on late games and so forth. You now have your items that you can rely on. So now is your chance to prove to yourself and to your teammates if you have what it takes to be the flying menace!
The Exorcist: Mind Game
Observing the minimap
Playing mind games is probably one of the most devious thing you will ever do on Dota history. Mind games is all about watching your opponent's movement and pattern; where they would go next, and who's they're next target. Though you are not all about mind games like Goblin Techies, you're still playing it. As a support, knowing what to do and where your opponent is located is very important, especially for your carry heroes. So observing the minimap is one of the most important part on mind game tricks.
Red bulls eye are opponents. One missing could be a danger to any of you, especially to your supports. If your minimap is set to assign colors for each hero, I would like to recommend to switch it to only two colors, the teal and the red. The point is, you don't have to assign colors because you are not houdini who likes rainbow patches and patterns. You are all about calling a miss and seeking where is the miss. Remember to scout on your minimap. One eye on your hero, the other on your minimap. If you see somebody missing then call a miss and quickly identify who is missing. Identify if it is a support, a roamer who is very dangerous from early up to mid game, or a carry hero who usually is ganking on mid game. Buy wards and implant it to where you're opponents are usually going.
Observe where they usually gank. If they are furiously ganking at the top lane then plant wards to scout the top pathways. If they are pushing towers too desperately then plant wards on the lane where they would likely escape after pushing a tower. Are they rune whores? plant near rune spots. Are they farmers and late game carries? plant on the neutral camp where they are likely to farm. Mindgame is not about shitting and guessing where they will go. It is an intelligent guess.
If you or any hero is feeding on the game, assist. Now that you are on his side, well maybe they'll be scared a bit. Supporting has its name warped on you.
Breaking the opponent's pattern
If you are finally aware what they're attack pattern is, then it is time to break it in them. You will know the attack and gank pattern by observing who is missing on the map. If most likely one is missing then they gank, that means they're pattern is one miss then gank. If usually three heroes are missing before a gank happens then there is three miss then gank. However, you will only find yourself get used to reading they're pattern after sometime playing the game. Playing with friends also helps. Or playing on single mode and trying to memorize and be familiar with the whole map, juke and escape paths is always viable.
However, let us assume that you are now good on observing who and what kind of pattern they do before they gank. Now is your chance to break it on they're face!
Let me give you an idea on how it works. If an enemy hero is missing, and you find other heroes acting strange(i.e. some are squabbling to retreat, others are not focused on last hitting which is awkward; usually this means that they are typing or they're mind is set to something) then you see an opportunity that a gank will happen. Next is to know where and who will they gank, try to scout the map for at least three to five seconds, if the missing heroes or hero is on top lane, then you can conclude that he or she will gank on the middle lane, still; you must know if that hero is carrying a tp scroll. If he or she is carrying a tp scroll, then look on your allied hero who is nearest on the enemy tower. You tell him to stop pushing, and go hide under the bush. Now that you've annoyed them completely by not giving them the blood they wanted, its time to counter attack!
Proceed to the path they will take after an unsuccessful gank. I.e. if they are on a lane, then they will probably go back to their lanes. Then try to intercept them by going to where they would probably land. You can also do scouting using your familiars which are really useful to you and your teammates. If it is done and you spot them, well, you handle the rest.
Additional Tips & Strategies
Practice makes perfect
Practice makes perfect, but nobody's perfect, so why practice? Nah, just joking. Practice does not make a person perfect, instead makes you better. Practicing using him makes you quicker and soon you will adapt to the macroing and usage of his skills. From time to time you will soon realize that you are playing a hero, so devastating that they are banned all the way to competitive games and are considered OP by many people. And of course, practicing with your friends isn't that hard to do isn't it?
Go get the runes!
It is the age of rune keeping. Whoever gets the rune, wins the game. Never ever forget that.
Always let your familiars go a step ahead
Never ever let your familiars go behind your tail. They should go step ahead of you and stun all the way to their tower. Remember that slowpokes never get they're gold. So do not be a slowpoke, never slouch and let your familiars do the trick for you.
Being aware is not a bad idea
If you are aware of what is happening, what is going on, and who's gonna die. Then I am sure you'll not be overfeeding. You can outlane your enemies if you are aware of what they can do. Play all heroes on Dota. On the extent of getting familiar of them, because knowing what they can do is really great. Now that you know what they are capable of, you know what they're counters are. So playing with heroes doesn't hurt a bit right?
Replay
This replay is provided by mineski.net, watch this to learn more visage's wrath and awesomeness.
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11+1.3
21+2.5
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DPSers
Nukemonsters
Blink escapees
SpellBreakers
Magic Immunes/Debuffers
AoE Carries
Sight and Escape Items
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