Please read my guide carefully before posting.No flames nor spams.

Rikimaru is an easy hero to play with.Hes easily mastered.Hes owns most pub games due to his power dps and disabler.


Range: 125 | Move Speed: 300
Primary: AGI
Str: 17 + 2 | Agi: 22 + 2.9 | Int: 14 + 1.3
Damage: 46-50 | HP: 473 | Mana: 182
HP Regen: 0.76 | Mana Regen: 0.57
Attack Speed: 1.29 | Armor: 3

Background Story

Born as the heir to the satyr dominion, Rikimaru was trained by the mightiest warriors of his race. However, the power of the Burning Legion managed to corrupt many of his kind, leaving them as mindless beasts in the forest. Vowing revenge against the Scourge, he sharpened his skills for battle. Using his small size to his advantage, he can render himself invisible, enabling him to stab his enemies in the back. He can also use thick smoke as a cover, to silence his enemies and become nearly untouchable.






Why play Rikimaru?

1)You love playing as an assassin.
2)You love rikimaru from tenchu.
3)You love backstabbing.

Pros

*Powerful DPS
*Free ward to the team
*Powerful Disabler

Cons

*Puny in size
*Depends on Disable for the kill
*Ineffective Early Game
*First to be aimed

Role of the Game



*Mid&Late gamer
*DPS ganker
*Scout

Skill Build
1. Blink Strike
2. Smoke Screen
3. Blink Strike
4. Backstab
5. Blink Strike
6. Permanent Invisibility
7. Blink Strike
8. Backstab
9. Backstab
10. Backstab
11. Permanent Invisibility
12. Smoke Screen
13. Smoke Screen
14. Smoke Screen
15. Stats
16. Permanent Invisibility
17. Stats
18. Stats
19. Stats
20. Stats
21. Stats
22. Stats
23. Stats
24. Stats
25. Stats


Skills


SmokeScreen

Throws a smoke bomb down in the area, silencing opponents and causing them to miss on most of their attacks. Also slows by 25% at all levels


Lvl taken:2,12,13,14
Comments:Your disable,helps you for the kill.It can also helps you to save a teammate of yours.
Notes:Try to cancel the casting animation.Its a complete waste of time.


Blinkstrike

Teleports to a unit and strikes it if it is a foe, dealing bonus damage
Lvl taken:1,3,5,7
Comments:Helps you chase and escape.It can be also used for last hitting if you want.
Notes:After a blinkstrike,the strike next will also be a backstab.

The estimated range of Blinkstrike



Backstab

The Stealth Assassin is not afraid to fight dirty, and specializes in attacking his opponents from behind.
Lvl taken:4,8,9,10
Comments:This skill is what make rikimaru a feared hero by many.Most of his damage comes from this skill.It also improves last hit for early game.
Notes:Bonus damage from Backstab can't be evaded.


Permanent Invisibility

Rikimaru becomes permanently invisible when not attacking.
Lvl taken:6,11,16
Comments:Allows your team to have a scout in any area.Also helps you to kill.
Notes:Rikimaru will not auto attack enemies.
If Rikimaru is silenced this ability will be disabled.

Read here for the complete moves with its damage and etc.



Skill justification

Q1)Why do i get blinkstrike first?
A1)Serves as a escape mechanism at lvl 1.Also can help you last hit.

Q2)Why do i get smokescreen at lvl 2 only?Why do i only add 1 lvl of smokescreen on early game?
A2)It can get you out of sticky situation.With smokescreen and blinkstrike together,you can be one of the best escape artist at lvl 1.1 level of smokescreen is already very efficient as it helps to silence and slows.

Q3)Why do i get backstab at lv4?
A3)It helps you to last hit better.

Q4)Why max Blinkstrike first?
A4)Its cooldown on lv 1 is very long...You cant escape fast or chase fast.

Items

Complete Item Set:





Alternatives item build:




Other Items


Orbs

Okay Okay...

This could work, very well since the new bacstab is physical, but your team needs to have a disabler.

No...

Although it also slows,you already have a slow.The price is ridiculus.Farming for it will take almost forever and the intel might becaome a waste.

No...

Although it gives good damage,it does not helps you chase.Diffusal is even much better

Nope..

Your backstab doesnt contribute to your lifesteal.It also doesnt helps you to chase..


Survivality Items




Heart is favored, get it if you dont get guinsoo. If you do, get it anyway. Lifesteal from vlads and any other source is too overrated. You get Satanic+Vlads+DD, you blink into Atropos, you get disabled, you die. You get satanic+vlads+DD+BKB, you blink into a bunch of heroes, you get focus fired, you die. Lifesteal does not improve your EHP when you cant hit. With HoT, you increase you HP to almost another 1000. Anyway, this is far better than vlads most of the time. However, this only applies IF, you use SnY as orb.

If you get Manta and have no other orbs, I highly suggest you get Eye Of Skadi for survivability, though most of the time, this will not happen as we wont go this far. Forget what I said before, if you use manta, EoS is the better item. It gives clones armor of about 3, approximately 18% EHP, it also supplies 25 more damage and IAS to you and you clones, although it gives around 200 less HP than a HoT. Also, you can prioritize the orb, to get EoS's 20% movement slow over the feedback. I personally like feedback more though.





You can get this item if you are facing alot of disablers.



This item is a NO for him.Hes an assassin.With radiance,you might reveal yourself.Your opponent would then get a ward or dust and gank you down.but it still works well in pub games


This item is good for last hitting so this item could be gotton but note that your backstab does not gives bonus damages.




RUNES

Runes are really important for Rikimaru. Not only can they completly trick the enemy, but it can completly destroy them. Let's set them in order of power on Rikimaru.

Double Damage - Nobody can complain about that. You cloud, and kill anything before it ever gets out. Also, what's nice with this is you can find anybody that has low hit point, and you simply blink strike/kill.

Illusion - Illusions get Permanent Invisibility. It can actually be really nice. You find a weak caster that is bored of getting owned by you. He will surely waste all its spells on the illusion, and boom, he hates you even more!

Haste - It is a lot more useful late-game when you are sure nobody can outrun you. However, it can still be pain for the enemy early-game against low-hp enemies, but still less effective than double damage.

Regeneration - I love to see this rune early-game. However, late-game, it's a lot less useful, less than a double damage

Invisibility - You don't wanna see that rune ever... Leave it to an ally except if you bottle whore



Early Game

Where to pick rikimaru?His in the Sentinel,agility tavern.If you are playing him for the first time,once you summoned him,he would say,'The Shadow Calls'.
If you pick him,get 1 slipper,1 circlet and tango.
If you randomed him,het 2 circlet,2 slipper and tango.


Lane Selection

Bottom for Sentinel and Top for Scourge.Reason is that those lanes can bring you closer to your own tower.You can farm better.

NEVER EVER SOLO!!!I REPEAT!NEVER EVER SOLO!!!
If you are laning with a disabler or a nuke,it would be good as you can have a chance to farm well.

When the creeps wave comes out,block creeps.This will make your opponent creeps come closer to your tower thus making you farm well.

Last hit and Deny.Two simple things to do.You need to farm,farm and farm.If your opponent wants a kill,you can help by using smokescreen.

Last hitting can be improved by using blinkstrike.It not only gives bonus dmg,it also gives a backstab.

Denying is also important as it ensures your opponent doesnt farm well.Deny can be done by hitting A and left clicking on the creep with the low hp.

Survival is also your number one priority.You should back when your health is low.

If you are stuck in a situation,use smokescreen and immediately use blinkstrike on your ally to escape.Theres 90% you will survive unless hes a aoe dmg like ES or Zeus.

Your early game will be easier after you get your permanent invisibility.Making you farm much more easier.

You can head to the side shop to get slipper too.If you need poor man's shield,its optional.Get magic stick if you are facing heavy nukers.

Some things to take note.Always try not to take damage by creeps or towers.Always ensure that you are not auto attacking too.

By early game,you should at least have power treads* and 2x wraith band.

*Switch it to Str for hp bonus

Mid Game

This should be the time when the fun is starting.You should have 2 wraith band and power treads.Now go for diffusal or SnY,the item which helps you kills.

Mid game is easy for you as you have invisibility.You can go around killing paper heroes.Push if you want to end the game fast.
Pushing easy for you.Go behind the creeps and backstab.A few hits,the creeps will then die.

Once you get your diffusal or SnY,This is how you kill.
Go behind the opponent,and hit him.If he retreats,continue chasing unless an ally of his comes out or you are going to reach his tower.
If he stays,just spam blinkstrike until he retreats.Watch out for your hp.If it is low,retreat.If he has gem,blink of your ally and run..<--most likely wouldnt happen unless his to fat.If he retreats chase and read below.

Halfway of chasing,you can blink strike and then smokescreen.Remember to cancel the casting animation by right clicking the opponent.Use purge afterwards if you are using diffusal build and he cant escape out of your smoke.Most likely,he will die if not continue chase.

Assist your ally by using smokescreen whens his in trouble or ganking starts.This does helps your team alot.With a silence and slow.

After going for diffusal or SnY,get butterfly.Most like you wouldnt complete this item on mid game unless you are like killing everyone and going beyond godlike.It would then be possible.

Smokescreen not only helps to assist ally and helping you kill,it can also helps you clear trees which helps you create a route.This allows you to save your ally by going in to help your ally or help your ally to escape.

Use permanent invisibility to do some scouting.

Recommended places to scout:
1)Rune Areas(get runes to kill or help to tell allies with a bottle)

2)Roshan(Watch out for any enemy there.If there is,try to steal aegis after they destroy it)

3)Jungle(Look out for anyone ncing.It would most likely be those people who are underlevel.If you are confident enough,you can try to kill him.)

4)Secret Shop(They might get carried away buying stuffs so you can try to kill him unless hes too fat.)

By end of Mid game you should have:Power Treads,2x Wraith bands and diffusal or SnY.


Late Game


The game has not ended. With my prediction, the creeps has either push to one of the teams base.

If your team is the one which is losing,push and you will make it. You are suppose to lead the team as you are invisible.

Rikimaru can push easily with smokescreen as it helps your creeps to avoid most of your enemies creeps and also slowing them.You clear creeps fast with backstab too.

If you are pushing, always get a town portal so if your base is under attack and you are still at bottom lane river,by the time you reach home,the game might be already over.

If you are losing, it might be harder for you to kill. The opponent might have became fat.They will get gem and gank you down.

For the other scenario,your team is winning,continue to push.Until their base, switch lane.They might be pushing over to that lane to assist.

If the opponent is laning with you and trying to push,dont always concentrate on pushing.Try to kill him.Always target heroes before pushing so they wouldnt disturb you in pushing.

For your items,do complete butterfly and your luxury item, manta style.You can use manta style to escape or kill.Butterfly gives you tons of dps.If the games still doesnt ends,sell your wraith band and you can get Heart if you want which makes you harder to be killed or BKB if facing disablers.power treads could be switch to agility if you want more damage if not just leave it to strength.

If the games still doesnt ends,just ask your ally to end the game together.Straight away charge to the frozen throne.

By end of late game,you can have this item build:
Power treads,2x wraith band,diffusal or sny,butterfly,Manta style.(optional:Bkb or Heart)


Roshaning

If you see anyone fighting roshan,try to last hit or steal aegis when he is about to destroy it.I would recommend you to steal it as you might die if they gank you.

Roshaning for you alone is a bad idea.Although you can kill alone,the other team might come and gank you.It is best if you kill with your team.

Aegis is not recommended for you to take.Just leave it for your ally as it waste spaces.Unless the opponent team has one pro with gem and no one seems to kill him.You think you can kill him but with aegis,go ahead.

countering anti-invisible

Dust of appearance:This is hard to counter.If you are about to die and the opponent is chasing you just spam blink on your creeps.Retreat to base immediately.

If you still have more than half hp just tower hug.If this is not a threat for you,just continue farming.

Wards:This can be countered by getting your own wards and destroying the opponent wards.
Tower hugging is not recommended as it may cause you to be underlevel.
For my recommendation,You can ask your ally to switch lane with you.If this is not a threat to you,continue farming.

GEM
Gem of true sight:This item has very few ways to countered it that makes it hated for invisible heroes.
You can ask your team to gank him down if not try to avoid him.Try to change lane.If he keeps following you,do what i told you to do.

Necrominion:As you know the demons have true sight.If you are dying try to spam blink strike on your creeps.Just target on retreating.If you still have more
than half of your hp,just continue farming.Since you have a very high damage,you can also try to kill them.If not then tower hug or switch lanes.

Worst enemies


Bounty hunter

Your ultimate ninja rival.Hes going to track you.His team will then gank you down.If not he will chase you and nuke you down.

Slardar

Your ultimate counter for mid and late game.His amplify damage will reveal you and hes going to whack you to death.

Hes also quite hard to kill for you because of his sprint which might ruin your battle plan.

Doombringer

This hero is scary for early game and mid game.Hes doom disable your invisibility and you cant even use any items.

Hes going to chase you down the road and spam lvl? Death til you die.[/
COLOR]

Goblin Techies

This hero is well known for being a first blooder.Hes irritating because of his land mines.Even though you are invisible,hes land mines will still trigger.

Tips about him:When you still have not farm for your invisibility and you are laning with a techies,always remember hes a range.

If he runs towards you,just time when he will reach you and then blink to anyone.He might just kill himself.

Good allies

Support heroes


They are good allies for many heroes.They assist in healing and providing protection for us.

Disablers

They are surely included as they help to keep enemies in the smoke.

babysitters

He helps to keep opponent in place.He provides you with armor and regeneration.He also helps if you are silence by using nature guise on you.

Replays

Currently working on it just like other guides.

conclusion

Hes a easy hero to play with.Feared by many,hes often banned in league games.If you read this guide carefully,you might improve alittle.So good luck!

Credits

Thanks icefrog for such a great game

Thanks playdota for being a great site

Dota-allstars and dota strategy for getting some guide lines


Changelogs
26-7-09-posted this guide.