I have been spending plenty of time playing initiator heroes (Earthshaker, Tidehunter, etc.) but none of them have the same impact on a game as Enigma. He is a great farming hero, yet could hold a lane pretty effectively, too. Enigma is one of those heroes who relies on great positioning more than anything else. I hope this guide could help you out with this often-overlooked hero.

Pros:

• Huge teamfight impact
• Lane control
• Disabler
• Silencing Ultimate

Cons:

• Squishy hero
• One disable could potentially kill you
• Low Mana Pool
• Ultimate needs a lot of mana

Item Build + Progression:

Early Game:

Wards/Chick + Sobi Mask + Clarities
This build is primarily for the jungling Enigma. (Notice that it does not provide any stats.) Upgrade Sobi Mask to Ring of Basilius.
OR
Ring of Protection + Chick/Wards + Tangoes + Clarities
For the Laning Enigma. Upgrade the Ring of Protection to a Ring of Basilius later.
OR
Magic Stick + 1 Set of Tangoes + Clarities + Ironwood Branches
For the Laning Engima. Alternative Build. Ironwood Branches provide good stats.
First Core Item: Soul Ring
It is REALLY important for Enigma to have a high mana pool. With Soul Ring, your mana problems are easily solved; however, it converts health points to mana points, so be careful when you use it.
By the end of the early game (~15 minutes +), you should have Soul Ring + Ring of Basilius, maybe even Boots of Speed, and about halfway to a Dagger (if you bought Boots).

Mid Game:

Main Core Item: Blink Dagger

THIS is what makes Enigma devastating. Without it, he is, basically, naked. Make sure you farm it fast enough, so that you could get involved in more teamfights. If you win enough teamfights, you'd have enough money to buy a BKB.
By the end of the mid game (~30 minutes +), you should have Soul Ring + RoB + Boots of Speed + Blink Dagger + Ogre Axe/Mithril Hammer.

Late Game:
Core Item: Black King Bar
During and after Mid Game, opponents would try to kill you before you start a teamfight. Try to position at the back of your team, or at a side that the opponent has no vision of. With BKB, you could pull off an uninterrupted Black Hole. This is (kinda) the ending item for your opponent, as they could not stop you from landing an ultimate.

Situational Items:

Vanguard
If you can't last long during a teamfight, try getting this. Get it after farming your Dagger.

Force Staff
Being constantly ganked at your jungle? Worst nightmare of an Enigma player. If you're certain that you cannot farm your Dagger in time, Force Staff is a viable option. However, its' mobility is lower than that of Dagger. (You may be thinking, 'Dagger costs 2150 while Force Staff costs 2200. How could I have a hard time farming Dagger when they both cost about the same?' You see, buying a Force Staff is a LOT easier than buying a Dagger because it is bought part-by-part. Easier to store money.)

Mekansm
Buy this if there aren't any other support heroes on your team. It will delay your Dagger though. Grants a bit of survivability.

Linken's Sphere
You could exchange your BKB for a Linken's Sphere if you feel that the enemy team is lacking disables, or if there are enemy spells which go through BKB (like Rexxar's Roar, Doom).

Necromonicon
For those pesky invi heroes. Works well with your eidolons during Black Hole.


Luxuries:

Heart of Tarrasque
Extra Health + Strength. You could regain your health quickly after a teamfight (after a teamfight, you'd start pushing right away with your eidolons). However, you should NOT get this by farming; that's too much time being dedicated on an item that won't help you land your ultimate.

Refresher Orb
For Double ulti OR just being aggressive and forcing teamfights.


Skill Build:

1. Demonic Conversion
2. Malefice
3. Demonic Conversion
4. Malefice
5. Demonic Conversion
6. Black Hole
7. Demonic Conversion
8. Malefice
9. Malefice
10. Midnight Pulse
11. Black Hole
12. Midnight Pulse
13. Midnight Pulse
14. Midnight Pulse
15. Stats
16. Black Hole
17. Stats
18. Stats
19. Stats
20. Stats
21. Stats
22. Stats
23. Stats
24. Stats
25. Stats

The reason I max out Conversion first is because Level 2 Malefice and Level 3 Malefice still have the same stun duration (even though a Level 3 Malefice deals more damage). By maxing out Conversion first, eidolons could tank more damage from neutrals, and dish out more damage during ganks. Take Black Hole whenever it is available. I've seen other people delay Black Hole because they say the mana is not sufficient enough. (Try to gank immediately when you become Level 6.)