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Guide for Dark Seer
(Ver. 6.72 and 6.72b)

Guide Version | Forum Version

Important Note: Read Please

Please read this in "Guide" version, not "Forum" version if you still want to have clean eyes, cause it look's bad when you're viewing it at forum .

Im a Filipino, English is not my native language so please, if you saw a single mispelling or grammar, point it out, I will fix it right away


Quick Alt-Tab Guide
Skill Build
Level 1- Surge
Level 2- Vacuum
Level 3- Vacuum
Level 4- Ion Shell
Level 5- Vacuum
Level 6- Ion Shell
Level 7- Vacuum
Level 8- Ion Shell
Level 9- Ion Shell
Level 10- Surge
Level 11- Surge
Level 12- Surge
Level 13- Wall of Replica
Level 14- Wall of Replica
Level 15- Stats
Level 16- Wall of Replica
Level 17+- Stats

Item Build

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Early game



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Mid game


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Late game



-
Finished Build



General Tips
- Take dual or tri lane.
- Dont jungle early game.
- When ganking, bring an ally with you to assist.
- You're not a carry.
- You're a support.
- When farming, bring an ally, just in case for ganks.
- Be supportive.
- Understand your allies.
- In pub game, rage quit when there's a feeder.
- Whenever someone's chasing a dying ally, vacuum the enemy chaser to the opposite direction where the dying ally is facing.
- Whenever someone's dying, casts surge to the dying ally.
- Block out who chases your dying ally.
- Casts ulti as much as possible at teamfights.
- Casts ion shell to ally melee heroes when they are under attacked.
- Casts your items as much as possible
- Practice as much as possible with AI, cause pratice makes you perfect.


Hero's Story

Thought by some to be among the most cunning and manipulative among the Scourge's varied champions, the dark seer Ish'kafel, living in exile from his people, is also the most secretive, for he speaks to no one but the Lich King himself. His unconventional talents, which lie in augmenting himself and allies with a variety of both defensive and offensive supportive castings, are quite unusual and versatile, often capable of turning the tide of battle before it even starts.

Hero's Introduction

Dark Seer is one of the heroes who always gets banned (But not always) in some games. He is often banned because of his superior supportiveness against allies. You'll see that this changelog shows many nerfs and buffs of Dark seer. Today, Dark seer is often banned and picked now due to his buffs and nerfs made by Icefrog.

Changelog
6.60
- Lowered Ion Shell cooldown (15->7 cd)
- Vacuum no longer goes through magic immunity
- Vacuum now drags the units in over 0.3 seconds rather than instantly

6.63

- Ion Shell manacost increased from 60/80/100/120 to 70/90/110/130
- Wall of Replica no longer replicates allies
- Wall of Replica now deals 125 damage each time it affects an enemy hero
- Wall of Replica illusions damage improved from 35% to 60%

6.64

- Ion Shell cast on an already affected unit will replace the old buff instead of stacking
- Wall of Replica damage dealt when affecting an enemy hero increased from 125 to 150
- Wall of Replica image damage increased from 60% to 70%

6.65

- Vacuum cast range decreased from 800 to 550
- Vacuum damage decreased from 60/120/180/240 to 40/80/120/160

6.72

- Wall of Replica illusion damage improved from 70% to 70/80/90%
- Added Aghanim Scepter upgrade

Hero's Info and Stats
Strength: 22 + 2.3
Agility: 12 + 1.2
Intelligence: 29 + 2.7 (Primary)
Affiliation: Scourge
Attack Animation: 0.59 / 0.58
Damage: 60 - 66
Casting Animation: 0.4 / 0.67
Armor: 5.7
Base Attack Time: 1.7
Movespeed: 305
Missile Speed: Instant
Attack Range: 128 (melee)
Sight Range: 1800 / 800
Pros
[+] He is one of the most versatile supports in DotA
[+] You can provide anyone with a free speed buffer
[+] You can quickly chase a fleeing enemy with your two skills
[+] You can able to confuse enemies
[+] He is one of the highest armor in DotA
[+] He is one of the highest base damage in DotA
[+] Average movement speed
[+] Can support in ganks
[+] Item Independent, doesn't need too much items to support
Cons
[-] He is a Intelligence hero
[-] He is a Melee hero
[-] Cannot gank all by himself
[-] Ulti is completely useless in 1v1 situation
[-] Ulti aghanim upgrade is useless too in 1v1 situation

For hero's complete Info and stats, click here http://www.playdota.com/heroes/dark-seer




Hero's Skills



Vacuum
Pros
[+] One of the skills that is completely versatile in chasing and ulti placement situations.
[+] If used correctly, AoE ulti like Requiem of Souls can deal a tantrumic damage
[+] The reason why Dark seer is picked when there's hero like nevermore in his team
[+] Useful in chasing situations
[+] Disrupts/Interrupts channling like teleporting and spells like requiem

Cons
[-] Deals a big load of mana at max level (190 mana)


Ion Shell
Pros
[+] Low mana
[+] Low cooldown
[+] Deals a "2012 Doomsday" damage when you're near the enemy
[+] Combined with vacuum cleaner, you can deal all enemies near at once
[+] Combined with surge, you or/and your teammate can easily polish off the fleeing enemy

Cons
[-] Can only have one shell (Unlike before 6.69 which you can have two shells at once)


Surge
Pros
[+] Low mana
[+] Low cooldown
[+] Reason why Dark seer is a one-man supporter
[+] Heavily synergizes with speed-themed heroes like Barathrum
[+] Vigorously synergizes with chaser heroes like mortred and slark
[+] High casting range


Wall of Replica
Pros
[+] Gives you and your allies the opportunity to prepare your combos
[+] Heavily confuses enemies
[+] Extreme casting range at max level
[+] Wall has huge length


Cons
[-] Brings your mana from 376/600 to 0/600 (Especially in maxed level)


Hero's Skill build
Heavy Support Build
Level 1- Surge
Level 2- Vacuum
Level 3- Vacuum
Level 4- Ion Shell
Level 5- Vacuum
Level 6- Ion Shell
Level 7- Vacuum
Level 8- Ion Shell
Level 9- Ion Shell
Level 10- Surge
Level 11- Surge
Level 12- Surge
Level 13- Wall of Replica
Level 14- Wall of Replica
Level 15- Stats
Level 16- Wall of Replica
Level 17+- Stats

Semi-Support Build
Level 1- Surge
Level 2- Vacuum
Level 3- Ion Shell
Level 4- Ion Shell
Level 5- Ion Shell
Level 6- Vacuum
Level 7- Ion Shell
Level 8- Vacuum
Level 9- Vacuum
Level 10- Surge
Level 11- Surge
Level 12- Surge
Level 13- Wall of Replica
Level 14- Wall of Replica
Level 15- Stats
Level 16- Wall of Replica
Level 17+- Stats

Balanced and Competitive Build
Level 1- Surge
Level 2- Vacuum
Level 3- Ion Shell
Level 4- Stats
Level 5- Stats
Level 6- Ion Shell
Level 7- Ion Shell
Level 8- Ion Shell
Level 9- Vacuum
Level 10- Vacuum
Level 11- Vacuum
Level 12- Surge
Level 13- Surge
Level 14- Surge
Level 15- Wall of Replica
Level 16- Wall of Replica
Level 17+- Wall of Replica & Stats

Hero's Item build


Early Items
Options:



Variations:




Last hitter
- Farms you faster
- Gives you juking ability

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-




Expected Harrassment
- Resist you from harrassments
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-




Pure Warder
- Gives you opportunity to ward
- Avoid's you from ganks
- Runes that your team got, gives you opportunity to first blood
- Balanced stats

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-




Spellcaster
- Counters against nuker and spell-spammers
- Gives you enough high mana
- Gives you also additional damage
- Last-hits easily

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

Core Items
Options:


Variations:



Hardcore caster
- Recommended for expected clashes
- Gives you chasing ability
- Gives you enough mana to spam spells

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Supreme caster
- Gives you enough mana to spam spells
- Counters spell spammers
- Warding with this build synergizes your capability of using the bottle

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-



Supporter
- Additional supporting capability
- Gives you heal/damage item that supports you in battles
- Most versatile build if you dont have supporter

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-



Team rager
- Useful for clashes
- Gives you wading capability
- One of the most recommended builds
- Simply versatile

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-



Semi-tanker
- Do they focus on you? No problem.
- Counters spell spammers

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

Luxury Items
Options:



Variations:



Hardcore Caster
- Now comes with disable
- Now you can push faster
- Comes now with vigorous aura

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-



Team rager
- Now you can push faster
- You can slow and nuke now in a same time
- Still counters DPSers

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-



Supporter
- Special build for DPSing team
- Silence is now extremely useful in clashes

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-



Supreme caster
- Now comes with disable
- Now you can chase again
- Comes with slow and nuke

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-



Semi-Tanker
- Unstoppable. Period.
- Silences
- Now with armor reducing aura

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

Finished Items






Hardcore caster
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-




Team rager
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-




Supporter
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-




Supreme caster
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=





Tanker
______________________________________________

______________________________________________

Situational Items





Answer these questions, When you answer yes, you can get it.

Dagger - Need extreme chaser?
BKB - Need to tank better?
Vanguard - Need to tank better?
Veil - Do your team have many nukes?
Pipe - Do your team need protection against nukes?
Medallion - Are your team playing "Anti-Armour" theme?
Janggo - Do you support heavily?
Vlad - Do you support heavily?
Basher - No fast disables?
Ghost Scepter - Is there a Hardcore DPSer in
the other team?
Courier - Need fast delivery in 1 minute?
Flying Courier - Need fast delivery in 30 seconds?
Soul ring - Do you cast spells always?
Blademail -
Is there a Hardcore DPSer in the other team?
Gem - Is there an invisible enemy?
Dust - Is there an invisible enemy?
Eul - Need disable?
Force Staff -
Need extreme chaser?
Desolator - Are your team playing "Anti-Armour" theme?
Diffusal - Is there a supreme caster in the other team?
Lothars - Cant escape from mass disables?
SnY - Need slow?
Necro - Need fast truesight and feedback?
Aghanim - Do you need to clash the other team?
Refresher - Do you clash often?
______________________________________________

______________________________________________

Rejected Items




Bloodstone - You're not a carry or ganker
Aegis - You're not a carry
SnY - You're not a DPSer
Dagon - This guide is for competitive games, not public
Midas - You're not a farmer
Manta - You're not a DPSer
MoM - You're not a perma-disabler
Skadi - Too expensive
Battlefury - You're not a farmer
Butterfly - You're not a DPSer
Divine Rapier - You're not a DPSer
Ethereal Blade -
You dont have any nukes

Hero's Tips and Tricks
#1 Push lanes with an ally, especially destroying towers.

#2 Casts ion shell to melee heroes whenever they are attacked by melee heroes.

#3 Block your enemies path or route whenever your dying ally is fleeing. Recommended to do this when the enemy has a long range stun/disable or if you have no mana for surge/vacuum.

#4 Enemy heroes who channel their spell is a must routine to counter using vacuum. Just be careful to heroes like vol'jin, Enigma and Nevermore, since they can easily kill you when you are not quick at casting vacuum

#5 Heroes who rely in their ultimate is a must for them. So cast vacuum whenever you're with them.

#6 Whenever you're juking, dont use vacuum, cause it destroy trees, instead, find a spot where you're enemy will lose sight of you when you vacuum him, so he can hardly find and chase you.

#7 Juking is the most hardest part to master, here's a simple trick, when you're fleeing from an enemy, make the enemy to lose sight from you by disapearing from the fog. The trick is hiding behind trees, walking to ramps, and walking with high speed.

#8 When your team have no pusher and one of your tower is getting ruined, then dont defend the tower, instead, stay with an ally, or if it's important to defend, then bring an ally to defend with you.

#9 Use customkeys generator when you feel clumsy at keyboard posistioning. I recommend to take the QWER keys. Here's the link: DOTA Customkey Generator Note: After downloading the file, put it in the warcraft folder, and nothing else!

#10 Practice with AI as much as possible. Here's an AI map, http://www.playdota.com/forums/45209...-gagarin-rev2/

#11 Whenever a nearby dying ally is fleeing from the enemy chaser, simply cast surge to the fleeing ally

#12 Whenever a neaby dying ally is fleeing from the enemy chaser, alternatively cast vacuum to the enemy to the opposite direction which wherever ally is facing.

#13 Dark seer has high armor, you dont get used to shield yourself from the ally to resist the harass of the enemy.

#14 Casts arcane boots as much as possible, even you have full mana, the important is you're using it, cause it has low cooldown.

#15 Spam surge and vacuum during ganks. period.

#16 Dont gank alone, bring an ganker ally.

#17 When ganking with an ally, be logical. It means you need to be supportive rather than DPSing in ganks.

#18 Dont last-hit when the carry goes to last-hit cause he needs to farm. Unless he is disabled, then surge yourself, wear ion shell to your body, and chase the enemy like no before.

#19 Casts your ulti as much as possible at clashes, not ganks.

#20 Dont buy DPSing items. Dark seer is not a DPSer

#21 Pick Dark seer when it is really necessesary to synergize with him.

#22 Heroes who will love and synergize with him are:
- Nevermore, Rylai, Rhasta, Enigma, Jakiro, Lich, Crixalis, Magnus, Leviathan, Venomancer, Phoenix, Rattletrap, Tauren chieftain, Pit lord, Queen of pain, Warlock, Techies and Invoker.

#23 It's more recommened to pick Dark seer when one of these heroes mentioned above is picked in game.

#24 Dont sit duck like a camper, when there's too many enemies when pushing in one lane, then jungle and wait till the line finshes off.

#25 If you're sure that one of the enemies are going to gakn any lane, then plant ward near or top of the rune spot, just near of it.

#26 Also, if heroes like nevermore needs to runewhore, then do the same above.

Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion

You'll see that Dark seer is a pure and simple supporter, he doesn't need to DPS or tank to win, he just support, Everyone needs his support. Playing Darkseer is one of the most versatile duties in DotA. The End.
Replays

I cant find good replays, need to find one!!!

Your help is appreciated.


Thank you for Reading this guide.

Please vote if it helps you.

If you find my wrong english in this guide, point it out.
You could also find me a casual/competitive replay with support Darkseer, not DPSing Darkseer.
Your help will be appreciated.

Again, thank you for reading and for voting......


Next stop:
Finishing the guide for Troll warlord and Aghanims guide

http://www.playdota.com/forums/47076...arlord-6-72-a/
http://www.playdota.com/forums/47210...hanim-scepter/

Polish my rooftrellen guide and making a literature story for him
http://www.playdota.com/forums/46490...rellen-6-72-a/

Getting to win the hero making contest
http://www.playdota.com/forums/46463...ro-making-1-a/









Ish'kafel the Dark Seer
Author: Facebook
Map Vers.: 6.72

Dark Seer in 6.72

Dark Seer in 6.72

Date Posted: 05/22/11
Last Comment:29/10/2011
Total Votes: 25
Current Rating: 6.68
Views: 38222



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