Welcome all to my guide on:


Noooooo not this bug -.- next picture please, I know the 2 bugs have something things in common but please just move on......

The Nerubian Assassin.

Aah yes finally so my guide to Nerubian Assassin. Stupid prank picture

Background Story

Anub'arak was once the greatest champion of the Nerubians, but fell in the Second War of the Spider. He was resurrected by the Lich King Ner'zhul, who promised him eternal undeath in exchange for his unswerving loyalty. His layers of spiked armor are nearly impregnable, causing severe damage to attackers. When threatened, he shoots these spikes through enemies, maiming and disorienting them. He channels his dark powers into a bolt of disarming negative energy, and those who witness him blending into the shadows of the frozen tundra have never lived to tell the tale.


Starting HP: 492
Starting Mana: 234
Attack Range: 128
Base Movespeed: 300
Starting Base Damage: 49-53
Starting Armor: 3.7

Stats

Strength: 18 +2.0
Agility: 19 +2.2
Intelligence: 18 +2.1
Overall stat gain per level: +6.3


Advanced Data

Acquisition Range: 600
Cast Point: 0.40
Cast Backswing: 1.10
Damage Point: 0.46
Attack Backswing: 0.54
Base Attack Time: 1.7 seconds

Pro's

1) Has good nukes(Impale and Mana Burn)
2) Average Movement speed(300)
3) Has a good escape/initiating ultimate(Vendetta)
4) Has 2 escape mechanisms(Impale and Vendetta)
5) He is immune to any bug spray.
6) Has spikes on his back

Con's

1) Has a low strength and strength gain.
2) Does not have a very good int or int gain.
3) Has mediocre agility.
4) Is a bug.
5) Is the boy-friend/husband of Brood Mother


Impale[E] (Active)

Slams the ground with massive claws, shooting spiked tendrils out in a straight line, dealing damage and hurling enemy ground units into the air in their wake.
Damage,
Level 1 - 80 damage, .75 second stun.
Level 2 - 160 damage, 1.25 second stun.
Level 3 - 230 damage, 1.75 second stun.
Level 4 - 300 damage, 2.25 second stun.

Level 1: 95 mana, 11 sec cooldown.
Level 2: 115 mana, 11 sec cooldown.
Level 3: 135 mana, 11 sec cooldown.
Level 4: 155 mana, 11 sec cooldown.

Note, Damage type is magical and units will fly for 0.52 sec before the real stun will be applied.


Note:This skill is your initiating/semi-escape/ksing mechanism. It is pretty much the same as Lion's Impale. At level 4 it stuns for 2.25 seconds. Use this to your advantage.

Mana Burn [R]
Sends a bolt of negative energy that burns a target enemy unit's mana based on its Intelligence. Burned mana combusts, dealing damage to the target equal to the amount of mana burned.

Level 1 - Burns up to 70 mana.
Level 2 - Burns up to 120 mana.
Level 3 - Burns up to 185 mana.
Level 4 - Burns up to 260 mana.

Level 1: 65 mana, 7 sec cooldown.
Level 2: 85 mana, 7 sec cooldown.
Level 3: 100 mana, 7 sec cooldown.
Level 4: 115 mana, 7 sec cooldown.

Damage type is magical, damage dealt is proportional to mana lost


Note: This skill is NOT like Lion's Mana Drain, it does not take time to drain mana it launches a burst of green laser and saps enemy mana in 1 shot. It can also be used as a ksing mechanism, It can be used in lane several times to make sure your opponent can't harass you with spells. It does not return mana to you unlike Lion's mana drain.

Spiked Carapace [D]
The Nerubian Assassin forms barbed layers of chitinous armor that increase its defense and return damage to enemy melee attackers.

Level 1 - 10% damage returned, 2 bonus armor.
Level 2 - 20% damage returned, 4 bonus armor.
Level 3 - 30% damage returned, 6 bonus armor.
Level 4 - 40% damage returned, 8 bonus armor.


• It returns the amount of damage before Damage Block, armor type and armor value reductions

Note: This is your "almost" Blade-mail like skill. It returns physical damage and grows spikes on your back

Vendetta [V] (Ultimate)
The Nerubian Assassin turns invisible for a short period of time, and can break his invisibility with an incredibly damaging attack.

Level 1 - Deals 225 backstab damage. 10% movement speed. Lasts 20 seconds.
Level 2 - Deals 375 backstab damage. 15% movement speed. Lasts 35 seconds.
Level 3 - Deals 525 backstab damage. 20% movement speed. Lasts 50 seconds.

Level 1: 160 mana, 90 sec cooldown.
Level 2: 210 mana, 75 sec cooldown.
Level 3: 260 mana, 60 sec cooldown.

• Damage type: normal
• If Nerubian Assassin's invisibility expires, the bonus damage will not be dealt to the next target.
• Nerubian Assasin is revealed when he damages the target, not at the beginning of his attack.


Note: This is an amazing ultimate. Its an amazing escape/ganking mechanism. It does a good back-stab damage and at level 3 its cool down is only 60seconds. A simple Vendetta+Impale+Mana Burn on a weak squishy hero can assure you an easy kill. Later though its gonna be a litter harder.


Level 1- Impale
Level 2- Mana Burn
Level 3- Mana Burn / Impale
Level 4- Impale / Mana Burn
Level 5- Mana Burn / Impale
Level 6- Vendetta
Level 7- Impale / Mana Burn
Level 8- Impale / Mana Burn
Level 9- Impale / Mana Burn
Level 10- Spiked Carapace
Level 11- Vendetta
Level 12- Spiked Carapace
Level 13- Spiked Carapace
Level 14- Spiked Carapace
Level 15- Stats
Level 16- Vendetta
Level 17-25- Stats






Mantles are gotten since you have a low int and int gain, they are made into nulls later,which are used to give you more mana(joy to the world ) Tangos is staple for early game.




Nulls have gotten a mention before, Bottle is gotten is gotten to rune control and get mana and health. Getting dagon is pretty straight forward because it allows you to grab easy kills, ks once in a while and take down heroes like mortred or troll in no time. Backstab+Impale+Hits+Mana Burn+Dagon-------> Kill BoT is gotten for amazing increase in Movement speed and also because you need to be at many places for you to gank. Orchid, this is gotten if your enemies and weak and squishy spell casters like Lina,Tinker,Lion etc. Just orchid,vendetta,backstab,impale and dagon them. Guinsoo is gotten against any tough tanks, it gives you time for more damage and then deal the final blow with dagon. Pipe is gotten if your opponents have 1 too many spell-casters, Its barrier is also very helpful. After you get your BoT level up your dagon to 5 then continue with your items considering the game isn't over by now.




Remember you are NOT a hero who deal damage per second(D.P.S) your role in the team is to gank/support and ks(occasionally) you are not like anti-mage or phantom lancer to go about getting agility items and thinking you can carry your team to victory. If you even feel Lothars is a good item, I will strangle you personally with your mouse cord,if you have a wireless mouse I will strangle you with your key-board wire, if you have a wireless keyboard I will kick your balls, if you are a girl I will ask you out on a date!!!



The following few paragraphs will teach you to play Nerubian Assassin in different lanes.


If you're soloing mid, then i suggest you get a bottle and rune whore to keep your mana from getting over, if you're soloing in bot or top, go with mantles/nulls and tangos. If your team bought a chicken get it to bring your bottle. In solo lane aim to harass and farm, imaple the opponent when his creeps are almost dead and he has only like 1 or 2 left, stun him and you and creeps attack him thereby increasing your harassment. Keep this up and try scoring some easy early kills, if your opponent is smart and stays back, wait till 6 to deal the final blow.


In a dual lane with Anu'barak, you're gonna either be protecting your ally or teaming up with him/her to do a combo. For example you and sand-king are together and are up against a mortred, one of you initiate by either using Impale or Burrow strike when the first stun is over launch the second one, if she's still alive(Somehow) Mana Burn her and end her torment On the other hand if you're lane partner is someone like void or mortred and you're lane opponent is someone like lich or witch doctor, harass them and don't expect any assistance from your ally because I'm sure no mortred with half a brain would want to assist you in a gank early game knowing she'll be targeted and you'll just KS her anyways, so wait till the right moment and launch your attacks and lower them down to such an extent that this time mortred can help you. Your items for dual lane are same as your items if you're going top or bot solo, Mantles/Nulls and clarities and tangos.
Now this is why Nerubian Assassin was made, he was made to be a ganker and if I may add a very deadly ganker too. Let your allies come in from front, you vendetta and follow your opponents from BEHIND, when the battle is about to begin back-stab the WEAKEST enemy hero and use Imaple, Mana burn the back-stabbed hero and dagon any low h.p hero, If you've got a orchid/guinsoo disable another hero, in this way you can most likely take out the whole team with proper team support from allies. Remember you're the one who should start the gank by using vendetta,coming in from behind back-stabbing the weakest hero and then using impale on the whole team if possible, you and your allies whacking the crap out of your enemies, you Mana burning/Dagon/Disabling your opponents that's the way to go.


Once you've gotten your items and head into a lane(Solo or dual is your choice, you can chose to combo with an ally or decide to solo) The normal last-hitting/denying battle rages on in lane and the occasional usage of spells to harass. If your soloing then try to keep the harassing to such an extent that at level 6 you have enough mana to kill the hero(preferably keep your lane opponent at half hp) Get your bottle and start ganking whomever possible with your allies. Try your hardest not to die,ks and get plenty of gold because the faster you get your level 1 dagon the better. Once you get your dagon killing/ksing is no problem.


Now work on your BoT finish it and start teleporting to ganks and ksing with dagon or teleport into lanes with one squishy hero trying to farm, go in vendetta,backstab,impale,mana burn,dagon. Keep this up and your farm should go smoothly.

Before I move on into late game I would just like to say that please don't go overboard with the ksing. After some time it can really get on your allies nerves. Just ks occasionally and remember you can get easy kills by yourself also if you execute your moves properly.


Now you'll be either getting your orchid or guinsoo. By this time the game should be over. If not keep going with ganking and pushing, end it fast because if they get dust its gonna be slightly harder for you to get kills or escape.


Heroes like Ezalor,Crystal maiden, and other disablers will help your combo easier. All they have to do is put in an extra disable so that you can continue dealing damage. Ezalor on the other hand can help with your mana, constant Chakra magic makes sure you have no shortage of spamming your nukes.



Heroes who can track you down like Blood seeker(Only when his thirst is active on you or if he uses his Blood-rage) Slardar, Gondar can be a pain in the ass for you. Silencers like Silencer himself and Blood-seeker can also spell doom for you. Watch out the only counter is to either silence them first(Not including silencer as his Curse of the Silent takes away the chance for you to follow up on your combo.)


Thank you all for reading my Guide on the first hero I went Beyond-Godlike with, all praises and criticism is gratefully accepted.
Yours Truly,
TheAxe_effect(RNA)~~~


*This is a replay of a clan member of mine you'll notice he maxes out impale in mid even though he's up against lich, because lich was getting back mana from Dark Ritual. So he maxed out imaple and perfectly showed how to keep up harassment and still have enough mana to finish him at level 6. He died once because of a lagg and the tower lowered him down too much. But other than he played really well. Enjoy~~~
http://www.playdota.com/forums/attac...3&d=1256277998

*This replay is me playing Nerubian with my clan mate, ExLordSohan who played nerubian in the previous replay, I decided to go mid so I bought a bottle but my ExLord said he needed it more, so i went into dual lane bot(scourge) with luna as my ally with a bottle(fatal mistake) thankfully the 2nd rune onwards the runes were at bot, i rune whored and harassed my two lane partners lina and clinkz, and even got an easy kill early but due to the dual range lane my farm got hampered and my boot and dagon got delayed.
Throughout the game Luna kept ksing us but even so our whole team played well. Short and simple game

http://www.playdota.com/forums/attac...1&d=1256454856