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The Unkillable Rooftrellen, The Treant Protector




Changelog

This is a guide for version 6.63x.
When there's some changes related to this guide, I'll edit it.

07/10/2009: Added and changed a lot of stuff thanks to the comments that I received. If there are still things that you don't agree, please let me know.
07/20/2009: A lot of cosmetic improvements and rewrites until the Items section.
07/21/2009: Completly reworked and improved "Playing Treant Protector" section.
07/22/2009: Added "Feared Enemies and Valuable Allies" section.
07/28/2009: Added "FAQ" section along with some answers.


Introduction


Hello guys!

I got some free time, so I wrote this guide for one of the best heroes of the game, and also one of those I like most. Just keep in mind that this guide is mainly made for experienced players, so I expect you know at least the basics on a true DotA game (like deny, last hit...).

My native language is not english, so I hope you guys can understand some possible mistakes, and I would appreciate some help to fix them :P

On pub games, Treant is not a common pick, probably because his skills doesn't includes stuffs like "use it and gives 9999999 dmg on everyone around you", but on organized games it makes a real difference for his team. All his skills are supportive, quite simple in teory, but asks for some experience to use it effectively.




Pros and Cons

[+] Very high base damage
[+] Huge survivability
[+] High Strenght growth
[+] His skills provides free wards
[+] One of the best AoE disables
[+] The only hero which can increases structures armour and is able to regen them as well
[+] Highly supportive skills
[+] Besides of the great sprite, Treant is a bit difficult to be clicked
[+] Great attack animation
[+] It's one of the most versatile heroes on DotA, being able to tank, support and/or DPS

[-] A little boring to play early game (at least for me =p)
[-] Invisibility easily countered with Dusts/Gems/whatevers
[-] Highly mana dependent to be efective played as a supporter




Skills and Personal Comments

Detailed skill information: http://www.playdota.com/heroes/99

Nature's Guise

Can make any ally invisible for an almost unexistent cooldown and a long duration, awesome skill! On early game you probably won't want to use it so much cause spends much mana, but on mid game and so on, abuse of it! The only "problem" is that the target must be close to a tree, but since there are trees on the entire map, it won't be a real problem. You can also use it far from a tree to make the attacker lose the target and give you or your ally some chances to escape. The target also don't need to be exactly at the side of a tree, the distance you can get from the tree is 375. I'm trying to provide a picture showing this, but I lost the link...
Note that due recent changes, now you can use any other skill or item and your Guise won't break. Making an ally invisible is a lot easier now.


Eyes in the Forest

This skill gives for your team free wards through the map, allowing a great map control and preventing ganks as well. And don't forget that the Eyes have True Sight, or in other words, you can see invisible units on the area. Great against Techies :P And remember: Never stop of using it when you can... NEVER! It's free map hax!!! Thanks to the recent changes on this skill (6.60), it's better than before, since now you can create your own tree, allowing you tu put it anywhere you want. When you're going to place a new tree, try to do replace the existing trees (with Quelling Blade) or behind them for disguise. Don't just put it in the middle of anywhere or you will be colaborating with the DotA devastation...

PS: For tips of where to place it, check some warding guides, they're almost the same. I'm trying to get some free time to make it myself, but it's quite dificult lately.


Living Armor

This skill is your signature, awesome mainly for early game. It provides a good regeneration and a good amount of armor as well, and all for a low mana cost. Remember that after recent changes you can also cast it on structures, great for defending the towers and regenarate them as well.


Overgrowth

Treants ultimate is one of the best AoE skills of the game, causing a good amount of damage, interupting channeling, preventing your enemies of move, auto-attack and cast Blink for some seconds (other skills are stil available for use), providing some free time for your team gank safely. Some useful information about Overgrowth:

* Can be used to interrupt channeling.
* Overgrowth does not affect or reveal nearby invisible units. However, units that are already afflicted by Overgrowth may not turn invisible while the spell is in effect.
* It's blocked by Linken's Sphere.
* The targets can't use the spell Blink, while any other body deslocation spells works (like Mirana's Leap), but they will continue to receive damage and stucked into the new location for the remaining time.
* The damage is blocked by Spell Immunity but the disable still goes through.





Skill Choices


STANDARD skill build:

1- Eyes in the Forest
2- Living Armor
3- Living Armor
4- Nature's Guise
5- Living Armor
6- Overgrowth
7- Living Armor
8- Eyes in the Forest
9- Eyes in the Forest
10- Eyes in the Forest
11- Overgrowth
12- Nature's Guise
13-15 Stats
16- Overgrowth
17-23- Stats
24-25- Nature's Guise

Explanations: The first skill you must get is Eye in the Forest, to watch out for one rune spot (explained later). If you're facing a though lane, Living Armor must be masterized as soon as possible, since it's a regenerative/defensive skill, which works for structures as well. Nature's Guise level 1 is enough to grant your survavibility and can be used for emergencies escapes or ganks, but try to avoid use it cause spends some not so good amount of mana early game. When you masterize all your main skills, get Nature's Guise level 2, or even level 4 if you want, but usually level 2 is enough for the entire game. Get Overgrowth always you can for obvious reasons. If you're facing an easy lane, you can masterize Eyes in the Forest before Living Armor for a better map control early game.





Item Choices

As stated before, Treant is one of the most versatile heroes of DotA, so you have a plenty of item builds to choose depending of what you want to go for. You can choose between be a DPSer/Tanker or a Supporter.


Supporter Core items:


or
or

Optional:
or

This is the easiest core build to complete due the cheap items that you have to combine, and also the one I recommend most. A Necrobook should be get before Refresher cause you won't have enough mana to use Overgrowth twice on early levels, so you have to spend your money with something else, and Necrobook is simply a perfect item for this. It will help with more mana (which helps A LOT when you have Refresher), provide some more STR and an active ability which works very well with Overgrowth, providing Mana Burn, Speed Aura and True Sight as well. If you don't want/like to get Necrobook, go for Null Talismans. If you lacks on survivability, get a Vanguard (or Pipe) before Refresher, but you shouldn't be doing this, since it's not your role, and if you're getting easily pwned, you better improve your gameplay. Anyways, the main objective of this build is to finish Refresher around level 16~18. Sometimes you won't have farmed so much to do a Lv3 Necrobook, but you can finish it later, you should focus on Refresher. As boots choice, I recommend Phase or Travel, since it improves your support abilities.



DPS/Tank Core items (Not Recommended!):



For tank, include one of these items:
or

Opitional:


This is the most expensive build, since you must gather gold for Sacred Relic, which is not an easy job. With Radiance, you will increase sightly your DPS and get a new and nice AoE damage that synerges very well with Overgrowth and your inv. The only problem is that you will lose some of your stealthness cause everybody will know when you approach invisible, possibly ending a gank try, but in other hand, you can damage them without be hitted If you want to be a tanker as well, just include Vanguard or Pipe (depending of your enemies) before buying the Sacred Relic. Opitionally, you can make a AoM to improve sighly your DPS before getting more expesive items. Although it's a good build, I don't recommend it so much. All the Treant skills are supportive, so the only reason which makes you go for this build is his high base damage. You can get Travel instead of Power Treads if you want, but if you want to be THE Powerhouse, I still recommend Power Treads.



After core build:


or

Independent of the build you choose, a Refresher MUST be included on your arsenal after you finish your core, cause it's not so expensive, helps your team A LOT, and on emergency cases, one more ult can save your ass. If you are going for supportive way, make a Shivas (or finish the Necrobook upgrades). If you're going to DPS way, finish Assault right after Refresher. The total amount of mana that you will need for double ult is around 800, 200 for each Overgrowth and 375 of Refresher. If you're DPSer, probably you will run out of mana after this, but Refresher provides a nice mana regen, allowing you to recover the lost mana fastly, so don't worry about it.



DPS Dream's build:



Well... if you get killed with these items, you're the worst DotA player EVER! You have an monstruous Armor, tons of HP, fast regen, 10 seg to freely attack/run (2 ults), two area DoTs (ult and Radiance), invisibility if you need to escape (never lol), total map control to never be ganked and always gank, and TEH DAMAGE. You can also exchange the Radiance for another Rapier to show your already evident supremacy. Well... I personally never was able to finish a game with these items, but I'm pretty sure that you will be the best hero of the game if you do. Even stunlockers can't harm you, since you can (double) ult and aim them first, assuring the kill. With this build you can also be a nice tanker, but still not a perfect supporter, due the lack of some supportive items. And think twice before getting a Divine Rapier on serious games... it's not really a good thing lost it to the enemy team.



Supportive Dream's build:



Just like the DPS build, this is another powerhouse one, but working differently. You can go anywhere of the map to support your allies, your defense is almost unbreakable due Shivas and Tarrasque, and on team battles you can really pwn double ulting plus double shivas'ing. Your little Necronomicon buddies are still there to help with some auras, DPS and Mana Burns. If no one of your team already got Pipe, you can carry it to provide some more support, but if somebody does, you can get a Assault instead for some more useful auras.

IMPORTANT: Obviously you don't have to go exactly for these items, maybe your team needs asks for some different items. "Dream's build" means something that is just on your imagination, you probably won't get it even on late games.



Another item choices:

How I told up here, Dream's Build is not something that should be followed exactly how I told. Here goes a list of possible items for Treant regardless of those already stated before (don't even think about items not included here!). Please reminde me if I missed something:


This is a item that a lot of people use to make for DPS Treants, mainly on pubs, cause it helps you farm and increases a little your DPS, but is not that big deal. It would delay your core and isn't that much useful. I don't recommend.



Some people use to make BKB to help you successfully place a ultimate, but I personally don't recommend it. You can do this using your inv or even getting a Blink Dagger if your inv is being highly countered, plus you have a good armor and HP, so you won't be brought down so easily.



Buriza will boost your DPS, but IMO there are better items for this role.



It's a nice item to have on SUPPORT Treant on rare cases. If your team REALLY needs an additional disable, would be a good choice.



Another situational item. I don't think you'll need it.



Some support Treants think about getting this item, but since you can be healed just for one Mekans at time, leave it for Int heroes of your team, since they can improve their survivability without teams support. It would delay your core anyways. I don't recommend you getting it even for pure support Treants, Pipe can do a better job.



This is a good item for DPS Treant. You can change it for the Divine Rapier on DPS Dream's Build.



Boosts your IAS, your mana regen, and gives you a silence. Not a bad item at all. If you're going for support Treant and your team is facing troubles against casters, you could try it.



This is a nice item for DPS Treants. It piss off your enemies showing them you can regen your full HP when you're on red if combined with double ult and Tarrasque. =p Nice item for a DPS Treant.



Useful against tankers. You can change your Divine Rapier on Dream's Build for Desolator if you want, but I don't really recommend it.



This is an item that is very discussed about being or not included on DPS Treants. I personally don't like Midas for any heroes, I believe it's just a delay for you core, but a lot of players consider this an core for DPS Treants. I can't exactly help you with this, so it's up to you to decide it. =p



A lot of players like this item due the IAS bonus to be used after ulting, but I personally never liked it. The HP that you will absorve is almost nothing, and the 2k that you would spend could be used to make half of one of your core items. I mean... there are better ways to spend these 2k gold, but if you still want to try MoM, get it for DPS Treants and trade it for Satanic later in the game.



No, no and no. SY is not a item to be made for Treant, It's made a lot on pub games, but on organized games, there are betters ways to spend this money.





Bottle and Rune Control

Bottle is not a good item for Treant, and going mid to keep the rune control is pointless, since you can place trees at rune spots and probably your ally laning mid would do a better use of the runes with a Bottle. Anyways, if happens of you find a rune, here are some tips:

- General runes information: Runes spawn every 2 minutes on ONE of the two spots, initiating on the minute 0. But there are two occasions when a rune won't spawn:

- Illusion: You can do a good use of this to atract some possible disables with one illusion before a gank try, or you can go along with the two illusions and improve your DPS combined with Overgrowth. It will hurt.

- Double Damage: Just like illusion, use it to improve your DPS in a Overgrowthed target. They will probably run if they see you with DD, so you need your ultimate or you'll just waste the rune.

- Invisible: Useless for you, let it for one ally.

- Regeneration: If you need, get it.




Playing Treant Protector

Early game

As first items, get these items:


Quelling Blade will make your last hitting a piece of cake, plus making you able to take out original trees to place fake ones as your eyes, so your enemies won't suspect of some trees randomly spread through the map and take it out. Ring of Basilus will provide some armor aura which helps you pushing better. Tango is obviously for the regeneration that your Living Armor can't provide. If it's a 5x5 game, you won't have money for everything in the beginning, so start buying a Ring of Protection, QB and one Tango, then you can finish the RoB at Goblin's shop.

Before the game begins, make sure you get Eyes in the Forest and place it next of the top rune (taking out the tree and placing yours). Try to go to the bottom lane, so you will be able to protect all the lanes. If the enemies gank top, you will see, if they are going to gank you, just use Nature's Guise.

Placed your tree, is time to rock! There is not too much you can do early game unless land some hits on your opponent and last hit/deny creeps. The creeps won't damage you too much and your base damage is very high, so you can harass the most of the heroes easily. This is an important preparation until level 6, where you get your only killing skill. ALWAYS wait for the right moment to ult. Do this when your opponent is under your tower or he's low on HP and close to you (or when you're absolutly sure that you will get the kill). There's no point on use your ult early game to don't score the kill. It spends a lot of mana and with an ally the kill is granted. If you are having a hard time on your lane, go to another one and ult there (mainly a lane with more than one opponent, so you can harass both =D). Keep farming till you can buy your core. Always go help your allies if your ult is ready and there's no point on using it on your lane.

When you get around level 5, your Eyes cooldown will probably be finished. Use it on a tree in the jungle next to you, so you'll be able to predict ganks on you as well.


Middle Game

Now you probably have nice items and some Eyes on the entire map (map hax!), you and your team are protected from ganks and you have enough mana to make everyone inv to perform perfect ganks. For now, they probably won't counter your inv, so abuse of it and make them spend money with Dusts/Gems/Wards. The rest depends of the build that you went for. If you choose DPS build, do your job. Go on team fights and score as many kills as you can. Your AoE damage is really significant, but you lack on chasing abilities, so you probably will want an ally to go with you. Try to support with invisibles as well. Your mana won't last so much, so just try to use it wisely. If you went for support way, Necrobuddies will give you a nice help to your team, just try to focus your attacks on the most mana dependent enemy hero. Double Overgrowth will probably wipe out the enemy team with your teams help.


Late Game

At this part of the game you'll be probably one of the most feared hero of the game. Independent of the way you choose (this word is not right...), you'll be a powerhouse. For supporters, Double ult + double Shivas + Necrobuddies will provide like 14 seconds to highly damage your enemies and keep them stucked, plus your team will be almost unkillable (just like you) thanks to your support spells. For DPSers, Radiance + Assault + Double ult turns you a DPSer machine, and probably you can remove from battle a single target by yourself.

There is not much I can help you here, your DotA abilities will define the rest of the game, the max I can do is provide some more useful information on specific scenarios. If you guys miss something, please let me know.


Advanced strategies

Early game Overgrowth'ing: Early game the disables are minimal, and score kills at this part is not dificult. Just get someone alone with half HP or less and score a kill. Never use Overgrowth against someone that you're not right about getting the kill. Your ult is too precious to be wasted.


Using Overgrowth: Your ultimate plays an very important role on middle/late games team fights, cause it blocks mainly auto-attacks, which pisses of agility heroes, blocking their main source of damage. Even being able to cast spells, the targets can't do it effectivelly, since they still are unable to move. Try to get as many enemies as possible when doing it, confusing them, making them many times waste their spells on different targets (the closests ones), giving to your allies free pass to finish them. If you see that you're going to die late game, use your ultimate independent of the situation. Always wait for the right moment to use your ult, don't just come out and throw it against random enemies, you have to cast it when you your team is around to make sure nobody remains alive. Wait for the enemies waste their disables before ulting is a good idea too, but don't let any allies die for free, spam your invisibility.


Necrobook + Overgrowth: Always cast the necrobuddies BEFORE using Overgrowth. The main reason is that the True Sight will grant that someone hide around you will be caught plus you can target better his attacks.


Refresher + Overgrowth: Be sure of casting the second Overgrowth BEFORE the first one ends. For god's sake, DON'T OVERUSE THEM!


Refresher + Necrobook: You can't have 4 necrobuddies, so be sure the first ones get killed/finishes before casting more of them. And don't waste your Refresher only for the book, it's pointless. Refresher is made for Treant to refresh his ultimate!


Refresher + Shivas + Overgrowth: This is your most feared combo. Shivas have a active Arctic Blast which reduces the enemies move speed in 40% for 4 seconds. If possible, initiate with Shivas, and let them run a bit (to make a good use of the slow =p), but don't let them reach the limit of the Overgrowth range (yeah, you need some experience to know this on the game), then cast it and refresh. 5 seconds later, Shivas again with the same strategy stated above. It will provide 425 + 425 + 200 + 200 = 1250 AoE damage plus slows and disables for around 14 seconds!!! Do you still expect some does survive this? =p


Radiance free damaging: If you're enemies were not carrying any counters to your inv, stay roaming around them to deliver some free damage =p


Auto-Aegis: This is a fun and totally late game >D With Refresher, Tarrasque, Satanic and DPS items, you can get back to full health going out of red by using all of your cooldowns. When you see that you'll die, do Overgrowth --> Satanic --> Attack Attack Attack --> Refresh after the first Overgrowth has finished --> Overgrowth again --> Satanic --> Attack Attack Attack, and you're done, full health again. Maybe you don't even need the second Unholy Rage. The explanation is: Two Overgrowths provides around 11 seconds free attacks without lose HP, and two Unholy Rages will boost your HP steal in 150% for 7 seconds, and Tarrasque provides 1% HP regen per second. Try it and you will have fun ;D





Feared Enemies and Valuable Allies

I'm not putting single heroes here because there are A LOT of them, so I'll be just doing a general comment, and you use your DotA experience to tell you those who can fit each part.


Hated Heroes

These are the heroes that pisses you off, break a lot of trees, avoid your ultimate or "mark" you. On this category, we have all those with Wind Walk/Invisibility, such as Rikimaru or Clinkz, or those that can escape from the vines, such as Mirana, or a Pudge hooking someone. On the tree breaking category, we can see the monstruous Tauren Chieftain with his insane AoE ultimate, Windrunner, Rexxar, and a lot of them. On marking side, we have Gondar or Slardar, who can make your Guise absolutly useless.


Feared Heroes

Treant does not have many feared heroes, the only ones I can remember for now are those which laughs of your ult or casting spells which makes your ult almost useless. Yurnero can use his tornado to break free from the vines, and Leviatan can stun everyone around protecting his team of free attacks. Also, One of the most support Treant-breaker is Magina, since it makes you spend your ultimate earlier or simple take your mana and you can't ult at all. Keep an eye on him.


Synergies

Treant is a good synergy for all heroes I don't think there is someone special to put here.




FAQ


Everyone says that Treant should never be played as DPSer, so why the hell there's DPS Treant information on your guide?

Treant is not a bad DPSer, he can easily over DPS all the Agi heroes of the game if you were able to farm pretty well, but the only thing that make it possible is his very high base damage. ALL his skills are made to support, so on serious games, you should play it as a supporter, but there are still players who enjoy playing DPS Treants, mainly on pub games, and this is the reason I put DPS information on. More information is never too much, so please, don't complain about it, it's a useful information for a lot of players.


How much mana do I need to Refresh and when I'll be able to do it?

You need 750 mana to double ult.

If you followed this guide and got 3 Stats points at lv16, the minimum items that you'll need are 2 Null Talismans, and you will run out of mana after ulting, but thanks to Refresher, you can regen it fast:




Why there's a Refresher the aftercore of DPS build?

You already have a 5 seconds big AoE entangle, which contributes A LOT to the team, and there's no item that can substitute it. Refresher is by far the best item for Treant, and there's absolutely no reason for not getting it. And if you think that you won't have enough mana, there you go:



Of course you can't Refresh at low levels, you won't even have enough money to make a Refresher soon with DPS items above.


Where are the screenshots!? Eye placing guide!?

I'm trying to find time (and patience) to do it. Don't rush me, someday I'll do it =p


Why not Mask of Madness for DPS Treant?? It's more than a core to me!

It's an ok item, but I personally don't like it. While it's a great item for Void, who can perma bash or cast Chronosphere to be safe from the bonus damage that you'll receive, Treant doesn't have any defensive mechanism which prevents the enemies from taking down his health. Even under Overgrowth effect, you can still be hitted/incapacitate by magics, turning MoM a item that only helps taking down your HP faster. If you bonus IAS, buy a Hiperstone. If you want lifesteal, make a Satanic.




Replays

Sorry guys, no replays... I'm working on a nice replay for ya




Thanks!

Thanks all for reading (or not), and please comment. I will appreciate every (constructive) opinion/critic If you dind't agree with something I wrote, or would like to add something, please let me know.

Also, thanks for all the comments I got. They REALLY helped me improving the guide and I really appreciate that.

Thanks again!

Valasty ~





Rooftrellen the Treant Protector
Author: Valasty
Map Vers.: 6.61

The Unkillable Treant Protector

How to play Treant

Date Posted: 07/08/09
Last Comment:09/04/2011
Total Votes: 90
Current Rating: 7.75
Views: 62670



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