A Guide to Dirge, the Undying

Background Story

Considered to be an exceptionally filthy and despicable specimen by all who encounter him, including his fellow zombies, Dirge has wandered in from the wastes outside to serve the Lich King in hopes of finally obtaining a place of acceptance amongst the Undead masses. While he is still considered to be unpleasant as ever by the rest of the Scourge, his horrifying abilities, which include raising self-replicating lesser ghouls and spreading vile, rapidly communicable plague throughout the enemy ranks, are unquestionably powerful and may just give the Scourge the edge they need to complete their unholy conquest once and for all.

Introduction

Welcome to my guide to the Undying. Dirge is one of the most powerful and nasty heros around. However, i really do like him and decided to write a Guide. It aims surely for the competitive playing, but should also statisfy the normal Public players. Be aware of the fact, that this is my first guide, which leads to some natural mistakes i guess. Additionally, im not a perfect english user so i would like u to correct me there as well! Im thanksful for any good tips.
However, lets start with the guide shall we?

Note* To understand and use this guide, u should at least know the basics of Dota and Undying.

Table of Contents

1. Basic Information
-> Stats
--> Skills
---> Pros & Cons
2. Skill Building
-> offensive & optional Build
--> Skill Explanation
---> Skill Usage
3. Item Building
-> Starting Items
--> Core Items/Luxury Items
---> Items u better avoid!
4. Strategy Section
-> Early Game
--> Mid Game
---> Late Game
----> Your role in the team
5. Hero Section
-> Laning/Allys
--> Worst Enemies
6. Additonal Information
7. Outro & Replays



1. Basic Information

25 + 2.1
10 + 0.8
27 + 2.8

Dirge has overall more Int than Str while being a Str hero, which is very unique!

Advanced Statistics

* Affiliation: Scourge
* Attack Animation: 0.3 / 0.3
* Damage: 57 - 65
* Casting Animation: 0.45 / 0.51
* Armor: 3.4
* Base Attack Time: 1.7
* Movespeed: 310
* Missile Speed: Instant
* Attack Range: 100 (melee)
* Sight Range: 1800 / 800

More information about the hero and his skills *click*


Pro's & Con's

+ Dirge can be used in any way thinkable.
+ great early game harrassment
+ nice lane control
+ Team Clash Winner
+ great Manapool for a Str hero
+ GREAT Attackanimation!
+ nice farming

- VERY mana dependant!
- mostly banned
- he�s been mobbed by the scourge



2. Skill Building

There are mainly 2 ways to skill Dirge. Anyway, i HIGHLY recommend using the offensive one, since its just imba. Many ppl refer to the other skill build, but through my experience i found my skilling to be the best one around.


offensive

Level 1 - Decay
Level 2 - Tombstone
Level 3 - Decay
Level 4 - Tombstone
Level 5 - Tombstone
Level 6 - Flesh Golem
Level 7 - Tombstone
Level 8 - Decay
Level 9 - Decay
Level 10 - Soul Rip
Level 11 - Flesh Golem
Level 12 - Soul Rip
Level 13 - Soul Rip
Level 14 - Soul Rip
Level 15 - Stats
Level 16- Flesh Golem
Level 17+ - Stats

Justification :
To put it simple, this is the most effective way to dominate ur lane. Tombstone is skilled over Decay at level 5. Why? At level 7 our Zombies will go enrage at 400hp, after 2 Decays there wont be too many heros with much more than that. Also, most incoming gangs can be counterattacked with tombstone+Decay+Flesh Golem. Played offensive, Dirge dont need the early Soul Rip Heal at all, but i will explain that further in the strategy section. We�re gettin all of our spellls asap instead of gettin stats between, because we want our full combination ready.


optional Skill Build

Level 1 - Soul Rip
Level 2 - Tombstone
Level 3 - Soul Rip
Level 4 - Tombstone
Level 5 - Soul Rip
Level 6 - Flesh Golem
Level 7 - Soul Rip
Level 8 - Tombstone
Level 9 - Tombstone
Level 10 - Decay
Level 11 - Flesh Golem
Level 12 - Decay
Level 13 - Decay
Level 14 - Decay
Level 15 - Stats
Level 16- Flesh Golem
Level 17+ - Stats

Justification :
The main argument for this skilling option is, that Decay has high mana cost while doing not so much dmg as Soul Rip normally. Another argument is the fact, that Soul Rip can do LOADS of damage with enough units around. Additonally, it can heal you. Imo The AoE Decay kills better combined with Tombstone. Figure it out yourself, im still recommending the offensive build.




Skill Usage

Now we go into Detail. Dirge�s Spells are not easy to use if u want to maximize the their functions

Decay

Decay has 300 Aoe and 625 range. Combine this and u can hit enemys 925 units away. Great for last hitting!
Tips : Always try to hit at least 2 ppl with the Aoe(if not used fot last hitting), so u get more str, giving u more hp & dmg.



- Effect is stackable, but can't set hero's strength lower than 1.
-The strength loss takes effect before the damage.



The maximum range of Decay


Soul Rip

Soul Rip counts every unit in a 1000 Aoe. Use it to heal allys or to damage enemy heros. At level 4, it has just a 10 sec cd so Dirge can even support great. Beside the 25 dmg u can just target one Unit however.


-Can heal Tombstone, but can't heal or damage another buildings.
-Every counted unit, friend or enemy, is damaged by 25; it can kill (or deny) counted units, but this will shown like suicide.



A nice situation to use Soul Rip to heal yourself


Tombstone

The skill why Dirge is such annoying. Always place it in the enemys way, meaning that they have to come across it while running away. Used that way, more Zombies will spawn , resulting in more slow and dmg. Having an final AoE of 1200, its rly excellent for pushing and team fights.


-Tombstone is magic immune, but can be healed by Soul Rip.
-Zombies won't spawn to attack buildings.



This Tombstone is nearly perfect. Zombies spawn to get the creeps busy, so they are not gettin in ur way. it also blocks their way to escape and tping enemys will instantly be attacked also. Finally, it creates a lot units for Soul Rip.


Flesh Golem

Not much to say here. Activate it in every teamfight, it just has a 90 sec cd.
It will also make u bigger, meaning that enemys probably going to focus you.
The Dmgoutput will increase noticeable!


-If hero or unit around Dirge was not killed by him, it's soul will still return to Dirge and heal him.
-Plague Aura is strongest within 200 distance of Dirge (amplifies 20% / 25% / 30%) and decreases farther away from him (minimum of 5% / 10% / 15%).



Ulti used to increase the dmg and the slow to catch a fleeing Sniper

Ive never seen a hero, which skills are synergizing THAT well!



3. Item Building


->+

We get some mana regen , hp regen, armor and Dmg. The armor is fine, since Dirge�s base armor has just been decreased in the latest version. Remember to turn RoB to Heros only if u dont intend to push




Quelling Blade is a Must-Have!
Phase Boots giving us more armor and speed, which fits us very well.
We need Bracer for a bit hp, although we are gettin much str by using Decay.
Vlads let us have a few more secs to live thanks to life leach. Additonally, besides our amplify aura we got an dmg aura now, too. Thats kinda nice!
Shiva finally let us fully bloom at our role as tank. Using the active combined with the ultimate and the zombie slow, there a few enemys who could escape us. The items should be purchased in the given order.



If Dirge is played as full carry, he is determined to get kills. This item however is determined to be imba, if kills are made. Also support our Role as a tank!


U are going to be focused. Use that item to avoid getting killed


Farming well? Farm better! If u dont have enough Dmg Output around, get this item. It works well with our ulti and our zombies. Radiance should however, just be purchased if u farm very well and have no massive Dmg Dealer.


U are a tank. If u can farm it, just get it between vlads and shiva. Same Rule applies here : just buy it , if u can afford it. Shiva is badly needed for enough mana, remember this!


Anyone has to get it, why not you? As a tank, it will protect u very well against spells. Ur even more supporting then by giving the shield. U could nearly be a supporter.. ...However, heros Like Abbadon are just better for this, so u can farm ur core items.


U are a tank. U need to cast ur spells often, u dont want to be disabled. Purchase if playing against Rhasta,Lion,Earthshaker,Tide,NA,Necro...kinda like that xd.


Stats, regen and spell Block. Its fine for a Tank who needs mass mana, isnt it?


More Armor, more Support, more Push. EXPERIMENTAL!


Its just a Theory based Idea of mine. Having 3 Flesh Golems and confusing the enemy, not able fo focus you...needs to be tested...EXPERIMENTAL!


I tried it a few times. However, it would be too imba : They disabled Soul Rip while being in Ghost Form. Combined with other heros it still may be useful
EXPERIMENTAL!


Any other items, excluding regeneration items.



4. Strategy Section


After u decided to play Dirge, grab ur starting items. Dirge can solo against most lanes, but i recommend to choose a double lane. Dont go in too agressive, just try to deny/last hit. After u hit level 3, u can easily get kills with a nuker at ur lane. RoB Mana aura works wonders here. Use Decay to harass ur enemys, but always have enough mana for a tombstone+Decay combo! After the enemy was harassed a few times, u can engage following one rooster :

1. Sneak up behind the enemy after he took a few hits.


2.After a few nukes, tombstone & Decay usage, Zombies go enrage and slow ur enemy, allowing you to hunt them.


3.The enemy hero is dead


Dont waste too much time with ganging however, u need gold too get ur items ready. Travelling through half the map to kill a hero is not what u want to do. Dominate ur lane, thats enough for now.




After u got ur first kills and items you can go into teamfights. Always ensure, that u have Tombstone & Flesh Golem ready before engaging. The procedure described in early game still works wonders. Teamfights are what Dirge is really good for, thus staying at the lane still farming is not recommend. Other Heroes may need the farm and u are more usefull in teamfights anyway.


Dirge raped a teamfight. 3 Heroes dead, Beastmaster is about to die also.




By now, you should have enough hp & armor to survive in teamfights easily. Sure, the Zombies wont go enrage too often anymore now, but by purchasing Vlads and Shiva u are now supporting ultimatly. You can heal, triple slow, got a dmg amplify and a atk bonus armor. If u farmed good enough, the enemy teams shouldnt stand a Chance. Place ur Tombstone in the center of the battle, dont worry its magic immune (but you can heal it using Soul rip). The enemy should not have enough time to focus the Tombstone or the zombies obviously. This results in a lot of extra damgage




Dirge is supposed to be a tank. He can do loads of Damage, he can support great and his skills are annoying to the enemy. Dirge can even take the role of a carry, if there are no other fitting heroes around. If thats the Case, purchasing Blood Stone is surely a nice idea. Once you have enough Armor & Hp, initiate the Teamfights! U can heal yourself greatly! There are other Heroes who cant tank as well as you!



5. Hero Section



Zeus and Undying > all. This Lane is just ridiculous! By Level 3, zeus can bring every Hero to low hp combined with ur Decay. Place a Tombstone and u will get kills every time u have mana. Trust me, this lane is still one of best around!

Other great Allys for Dirge

Anything that can slow or disable is fine. Abbadon can make us nearly unkillable and Axe works fine with our Zombies

Worst Enemies

Anything that can focus us is very annoying. Also, we dont want to get mass disabled or mana burned! Kunkka kills Zombies._.



6. Additonal Information

The Guide is finally coming to an end.
Please remember, this Guide is aiming for competitive playing. Knowing that, dont expect to get Dirge very often. He is mostly banned. I wouldnt handle him as "autowin", but he is surely a key to winning, when fighting for your team. I also know, that most you wouldnt ever think of the Skill Build i use. I recommend to test it at a high level game before judging about it. Of course, u have to play Dirge very well :P


Did u know?

Zombies are great against heros with a slow attack like Tiny, since he cant get away from them without being slowed. Since they are magic immune, they can be really annoying!

Dirge doesnt even need to animate his arm to lasthit.

Pm me if u have more Things which i can add here!



7. Outro & Replays

Thanks for reading this Guide. It took me a lot of time and i hope you like it.
I found any information about Dirge at playdota.com/heroes. Any suggestions (dont tell me u dislike the skill build, thanks) can be made in the thread or via pm.100% wrote by Wuschel ! Finally we got an Undying Guide for this site, cheers!
~Wuschel

(ill add a public replay for now until i get a better one)