Refraction

• Blocks 5 instances of damage. Use this to trick your enemies into casting spells.


• Cast it before going into battle. Usually this will let you get another cast in battles, which is quite significant.


• Can be used to last hit and block harress. (You have a short range)

Meld

• Meld can dodge single-target projectiles because it turns you invisibile instantly. If you can be seen while invisible, you cannot dodge.


• Meld works on Siege Units (Meat Wagon / Glaive Thrower)


• You can use Meld to juke by using it when you go into fog


• You can get two hits of Meld off by using it, waiting for it to cooldown before using it.

Psi Blades

• Psi Blades splashes in a straight line; use this to last hit. (and harress, where possible)


• Meld's +50/100/150/200 damage boost can splash.

Psionic Trap

• Has a long cast range; abuse it.


• Spam it in ganks.


• Place behind trees/in areas with fog to prevent ganks.


• Use it to gain sight of runes.


• When laning, place multiples of this and space them evenly apart.

Medallion of Courage

• Medallion of Courage is a very important part of Templar Assassin's gameplay. You will need to use it all the time.


• If you do not have a numpad or fast hands, use a keybinder.


• Keybinder is highly recommended.


• Can be used to farm creeps; Medallion needs no mana to use and the cooldown is fast.


• Can be used on Siege Units. (Meat Wagon / Glaive Thrower)


• ALWAYS use before hitting with Meld.


• Medallion can be used to support allies.

Kelen's Dagger

• Meld can be used to wait for Kelen's Dagger to cooldown. This can be used to escape from bad situations.


• Kelen's Dagger will still be disabled even if Refraction blocks the damage.


• To kill, Refraction -> Psionic Trap -> Activate Trap -> Blink -> Medallion -> Meld -> Hit.


• Try to do that as quickly as possible. It is something you will be doing a lot.

Starting Items: Combination of

Core (Items you should have)

• TP is a must.


• Wand is great.


• Medallion is a very powerful item. It also gives some mana regeneration and is affordable every game.


• Dagger is extremely useful. Use it to Blink -> Medal -> Meld -> Hit for very high damage.


• Dagger or Medal first?


• Medal should come first unless you can farm up Dagger during the laning phase. (usually ~12mins)


• However, I find that Medal can help kill during the laning phase.

Extensions (Good items to get after Core)

• The Armor reduction and damage that Desolator gives helps you in killing heros much faster. Definately the first damage item you should get and the only orb you should want.

Which Boot?

• Phase Boots for ganking.


• STR Treads if you want to live. INT Treads if you somewhy have no mana.


• No Boot upgrade also works.


• This guide used to advocate Treads over Phase Boots, but due to a change to Treads and Phase Boots. This was before Phase Boots was buffed, and Treads was nerfed. Either boot upgrade is fine now.

Extra (Extra Items you may want to get after Core)

• Runes can help you in ganks a lot. Use Psionic Traps for sight. Bottle used to be nessesary for mana. Now with Medal, it is optional but nevertheless a decent item.


• Wraith Bands if you need more early ganking power.


• Bracers are recommended if there are heros capable of breaking Refraction such as Rhasta, Venomancer etc.


• It is NOT absolutely nessesary to upgrade your Slippers/Circlets/Gaunlets into Bracers/Wraith Band/PMS. Do not be afraid to sell them.

Luxury (Late Game Items)

• Butterfly because Evasion helps, Attack Speed helps, AGI helps. +Damage, not so. (remember you have 2 spells + Desolator to boost damage)


• Buriza because it provides awesome damage.


• Assault Curiass because the +AS and -Armor auras are awesome. Plus, you're squishy.


• Hearts for the HP


• Guinsoo because Hex is priceless (cliche'd) and also you can't out-carry hardcarries. That Hex will probably be more helpful than other items

Situational:

• BKB is good if there are too many disables and/or nukes flying around


• Linkens, I recommend this guide to deciding whether you need it.


• Blademail is better against DPS. (like PA, Ursa etc.) BKB / Linkens is still recommended against casters.


• Travels for those late game situations where you need to teleport to lanes instantly to push them.


• Orchid is a replacement for Guinsoo if you're up against caster-heavy lineups where 3.5s of Hex isn't as good as 5s of Silence. It also buffs your DPS up. Situationally useful.

Other Items: I do not absolutely reject other items. This is a guide and should be treated as such. If you know what you are doing, feel free to get other items. However, the items stated above are what works best, usually. There may be other situations where you need to adapt and get other items. In such cases, adapt. Note that this also applies to the Skill Build.