English isn't my native langage, therefore feel free to point out any mistake, it would be very helpful. Comments are more than welcome.
Harbinger has never been a very popular hero and so far nobody has been able to establish a definitive skill build for him. There is only one competitive player that is regularly (yet not often) playing him and that is Yamateh. He mostly used two skill builds throughout the ages:
- Astral Imprisonment (1-7), Arcane Orb (12-15), Essence Aura (21-25)
- Astral Imprisonment (1-7), Arcane Orb (2-8), Essence Aura (21-25)
However in 2008 Haringer has had one moment of popularity during which pgg (RuSh3d vs. Ks.int), Azen (Ks.int vs. RuSh3d) and AngeL (+46 vs. mouz) gave him a try, respectively using:
- Arcane Orb (1-7), Essence Aura (2-8), Astral Imprisonment (9-14)
- Arcane Orb (1-7), Essence Aura (2-8), Astral Imprisonment (21-25)
- Arcane Orb (1-7), Essence Aura (1-14), Astral Imprisonment (1-14)
Since then Harbinger hasn't changed at all and therefore I consider that his best skill build still isn't clearly established, although I know that here around on PlayDotA people tend to favor Yamateh's kind of skill build, whose are all about boosting Sanity's Eclipse as soon as possible. From my point of view, it is bad, and my goal is to explain you why with a clear and concise argumentation.
Skill build
1. Arcane Orb
2. Essence Aura
3. Essence Aura
4. Arcane Orb
5. Essence Aura
6. Arcane Orb
7. Arcane Orb
8. Essence Aura
9. Sanity's Eclipse
10. Astral Imprisonment
11. Sanity's Eclipse
12. Astral Imprisonment
13. Stats
14. Stats
15. Stats
16. Sanity's Eclipse
This skill build has the following advantages and disadvantages:
- Weaker lane control from level 1 to 7.
- Stronger lane control afterwards.
- More dangerous during ganks.
- More vulnerable to ganks.
- Easier farming.
I have three arguments against the common build:
- Mathematical argument: Astral Imprisonment adds to Sanity's Eclipse 166 dmg at level 6, 192 at level 7 and 216 at level 11, which quickly ends up being less than what can be dealt with Arcane Orb as Arcane Orb approximately deals 100 pure dmg per orb at level 7.
- Inefficiency argument: in most cases Astral Imprisonment can't add so many damages to Sanity's Eclipse because when the lanes are broken, which quickly happens at level 7 and above, it is almost impossible to peacefully cast it three times in a row before an engage.
- Realistic argument: Sanity's Eclipse is suited for 5 vs. 5 situation while early and mid game is mostly about ganks. Therefore it is bad to rely upon it.
I do know that Astral Imprisonment is mostly taken for devensive purpose, because it gives a better lane control. However Harbinger is the strongest orb walker (damage wise) in the whole game at level 7 with Arcane Orb, therefore I think that it is worth it to trade a weaker lane control from level 1 to 7 in favor of this insane orb.
I would add that Harbinger is not a very good carry because he's fragile and really item dependant. He does rely upon a very good positionning in teamfights in order to survive and does die if his team does not have the upper hand when it comes to engages. Therefore it is more interesting to take advantage of the fact that Harbinger is stronger than enemy's carries in early and mid game than to wait and challenge them in late game.
Back to the skill build, Essence Aura is more interesting at level 5 in order to last hit a few extra creeps under the tower with Arcane Orb since anyway at this level there is no way to play agressively. However at level 7 it is defensively and offensively better to level up Arcane Orb to level 4.
It is important to level up Astral Imprisonment to level 2 in order to have a disable and to be able to dodge spells. Do not hesitate to level it up to level 4 if you feel that it is needed (for example against Slithice or Rooftrellen in order to banish yourself to avoid their ensnare).
Item build
Get whatever you want in the beginning, it doesn't matter: a few mantle and some regen, some branchs in order to quickly build up magic wand, etc.
Treads: complete it as soon as possible.
Nulls: we're playing Harbinger as a quick damage dealer and trying to be as dangerous as possible at level 7, therefore it is very interesting to purchase cheap yet effective stuff.
Mekansm: Harbinger is a good Mekansm carrier because he can farm it quickly and takes good advantage of it. However do not purchase it unless your team require it.
Force Staff: very helpful if you're playing agressively, I do think that it rely upon your playstyle to purchase it or not. I know that I don't.
Once you've got your Treads and Nulls, either complete Mekansm and / or Force Staff or move to the next tier and never come back.
Guisnoo: I don't think that Guisnoo needs a lot of explanation.
Black King Bar: another obvious choice. However I do have to explain when it is interesting to rush Black King Bar before Guisnoo. Let me highlight one obvious fact: they will focus you (Harbinger) whenever they can. Therefore they will focus you whenever they have the upper hand when it comes to engages. If you know that your team cannot dominate this part of the game, then purchase Black King Bar as soon as possible, period.
Necronomicon: very hard to play yet amazingly powerful if properly used, because of its summons as well as because of its great buildup. Not as good as Guisnoo in most cases, but way better for an hardcore push or an enforced map control (you can use its True Sight to destroy wards). Never forget about this old and mighty item: any old school player will think about Lightofheaven and see what I'm talking about.
Linken's Sphere: not as good as Black King Bar when it comes to avoid nukes and weaker than Guisnoo when it comes to damages. However get it if you think that you need it to avoid a few fearsome spells like swap (especially swap…).
Harbinger's core items are Guisnoo and Black King Bar, period. However don't get Black King Bar and Linken's Sphere, and don't get Necronomicon if you cannot micro it (beside that, it is never a bad choice to purchase it).
Shiva's Guard: don't forget that Shiva do not only gives an useful slow but also removes fog of war with its spell, which can be very helpful. However don't get it if you're being owned by nukes and spells or if you need raw power.
Orchid Malevolence: its damage amplification can be amazing along with Arcane Orb, and its silence is often more powerful than Cuirass' armor in a defensive perspective.
Assault Cuirass: useful but do not get it unless your team require it (for example if the enemy has a lot of negative armor spells or a lot of physical damages).
Refresher Orb: not popular at all but I don't see how it is supposed to be bad to cast two Sanity's Eclipse in a row in late game, when it deal more than 1000 damage to agility and strength heroes (it would be insane to neglect 5000 damage per ultimate to the whole enemy team).
Bloodstone: although Harbinger's late game is mostly about a choice in between Shiva, Orchid and Cuirass, you may need some extra HP in late game. If you're not weak enough to rush Tarrasque instead, then Bloodstone may be an option to consider, although I think that it is not an optimal choice. However, remember that you may get more HP only if you cannot solve your fragility issue with a better positionning or engage from your team.
Heart: more interesting than Bloodstone in most cases because if you're being flimsy in despite of Black King Bar, then do not go for half-measures.
How to play
Positionning: one of the main thing about which people don't think and that separate a good player from a bad one is the art of positionning: when to get in range of who and why? Do not forget that your position in a battle determine if the enemy can engage you easily or not. It is extremely important for a fragile and dangerous hero like Harbinger that, on top of that, has a relatively short attack range to master that art of staying out of the range of the most dangerous nukes, of playing with cooldowns and fog. It is not something I can teach you: only time and experience will.
Best friends and foes: as Harbinger is public enemy number one in every single game he's in, he must avoid to be engaged at any cost. There is only one solution to that issue: to play with the heroes that can do that rather than against them. Leviathan and Vengeful Spirit are your worst enemies in my opinion because there is absolutely no way to disable their ultimates (they do not rely on a dagger that could be disabled). Therefore they are also amongst your best friends. That is what you must have in mind when you pick Harbinger. If you're not wise enough, you'll fail miserably, because Harbinber cannot be picked in any circumstance.
Minimap awareness and map control: it should be obvious but I'm always amazed to see how people lack map control and minimap awarenesse. Let me remind you one fact: one eye for the minimap, another for the creeps, always: that is how DotA is meant to be played.
Battle plan: that is quite simple. You must play defensively from level 1 to 7 (avoid ganks, take little to no risk, etc.) and then join every single teamfight. One difficult thing is to be able to gank and to farm in the same time. Most players tend to forget to farm when they start to gank. There are some tips to avoid that issue:
- gank when you know that you have a chance to pick a rune, because it maximize your effectiveness;
- never ever neglect any last hit;
- always carry a TP and get back in a free lane after a gank in order get back to farming quickly.
If you can't handle this kind of playstyle, don't play Harbinger.
Replays
[…]
Conclusion
It is all about trading a better lane control from level 1 to 7 for an insane damage output at level 7 in order to improve Harbinger's progression curve (XP and gold wise). It makes sense.
Harbinger, the Obsidian Destroyer
An obsidian construct brought to life through the ill conceived necromancy of the Lich King, Harbinger craves magic to make up for the emptiness brought on by the incomplete nature of its summoning. Ironically however, to devour the magic that it so desires, Harbinger must tap into his own pool of mana time and time again, expending to the point where it ends up with even less than it began with. Yet despite this, the Obsidian Destroyer is a proud servant of the Undead Scourge, and takes great pleasure in annihilating the foolish Sentinels it encounters through psionic exploitation.
An obsidian construct brought to life through the ill conceived necromancy of the Lich King, Harbinger craves magic to make up for the emptiness brought on by the incomplete nature of its summoning. Ironically however, to devour the magic that it so desires, Harbinger must tap into his own pool of mana time and time again, expending to the point where it ends up with even less than it began with. Yet despite this, the Obsidian Destroyer is a proud servant of the Undead Scourge, and takes great pleasure in annihilating the foolish Sentinels it encounters through psionic exploitation.
Harbinger has never been a very popular hero and so far nobody has been able to establish a definitive skill build for him. There is only one competitive player that is regularly (yet not often) playing him and that is Yamateh. He mostly used two skill builds throughout the ages:
- Astral Imprisonment (1-7), Arcane Orb (12-15), Essence Aura (21-25)
- Astral Imprisonment (1-7), Arcane Orb (2-8), Essence Aura (21-25)
However in 2008 Haringer has had one moment of popularity during which pgg (RuSh3d vs. Ks.int), Azen (Ks.int vs. RuSh3d) and AngeL (+46 vs. mouz) gave him a try, respectively using:
- Arcane Orb (1-7), Essence Aura (2-8), Astral Imprisonment (9-14)
- Arcane Orb (1-7), Essence Aura (2-8), Astral Imprisonment (21-25)
- Arcane Orb (1-7), Essence Aura (1-14), Astral Imprisonment (1-14)
Since then Harbinger hasn't changed at all and therefore I consider that his best skill build still isn't clearly established, although I know that here around on PlayDotA people tend to favor Yamateh's kind of skill build, whose are all about boosting Sanity's Eclipse as soon as possible. From my point of view, it is bad, and my goal is to explain you why with a clear and concise argumentation.
Skill build
1. Arcane Orb
2. Essence Aura
3. Essence Aura
4. Arcane Orb
5. Essence Aura
6. Arcane Orb
7. Arcane Orb
8. Essence Aura
9. Sanity's Eclipse
10. Astral Imprisonment
11. Sanity's Eclipse
12. Astral Imprisonment
13. Stats
14. Stats
15. Stats
16. Sanity's Eclipse
This skill build has the following advantages and disadvantages:
- Weaker lane control from level 1 to 7.
- Stronger lane control afterwards.
- More dangerous during ganks.
- More vulnerable to ganks.
- Easier farming.
I have three arguments against the common build:
- Mathematical argument: Astral Imprisonment adds to Sanity's Eclipse 166 dmg at level 6, 192 at level 7 and 216 at level 11, which quickly ends up being less than what can be dealt with Arcane Orb as Arcane Orb approximately deals 100 pure dmg per orb at level 7.
- Inefficiency argument: in most cases Astral Imprisonment can't add so many damages to Sanity's Eclipse because when the lanes are broken, which quickly happens at level 7 and above, it is almost impossible to peacefully cast it three times in a row before an engage.
- Realistic argument: Sanity's Eclipse is suited for 5 vs. 5 situation while early and mid game is mostly about ganks. Therefore it is bad to rely upon it.
I do know that Astral Imprisonment is mostly taken for devensive purpose, because it gives a better lane control. However Harbinger is the strongest orb walker (damage wise) in the whole game at level 7 with Arcane Orb, therefore I think that it is worth it to trade a weaker lane control from level 1 to 7 in favor of this insane orb.
I would add that Harbinger is not a very good carry because he's fragile and really item dependant. He does rely upon a very good positionning in teamfights in order to survive and does die if his team does not have the upper hand when it comes to engages. Therefore it is more interesting to take advantage of the fact that Harbinger is stronger than enemy's carries in early and mid game than to wait and challenge them in late game.
Back to the skill build, Essence Aura is more interesting at level 5 in order to last hit a few extra creeps under the tower with Arcane Orb since anyway at this level there is no way to play agressively. However at level 7 it is defensively and offensively better to level up Arcane Orb to level 4.
It is important to level up Astral Imprisonment to level 2 in order to have a disable and to be able to dodge spells. Do not hesitate to level it up to level 4 if you feel that it is needed (for example against Slithice or Rooftrellen in order to banish yourself to avoid their ensnare).
Item build
Get whatever you want in the beginning, it doesn't matter: a few mantle and some regen, some branchs in order to quickly build up magic wand, etc.
Treads: complete it as soon as possible.
Nulls: we're playing Harbinger as a quick damage dealer and trying to be as dangerous as possible at level 7, therefore it is very interesting to purchase cheap yet effective stuff.
Mekansm: Harbinger is a good Mekansm carrier because he can farm it quickly and takes good advantage of it. However do not purchase it unless your team require it.
Force Staff: very helpful if you're playing agressively, I do think that it rely upon your playstyle to purchase it or not. I know that I don't.
Once you've got your Treads and Nulls, either complete Mekansm and / or Force Staff or move to the next tier and never come back.
Guisnoo: I don't think that Guisnoo needs a lot of explanation.
Black King Bar: another obvious choice. However I do have to explain when it is interesting to rush Black King Bar before Guisnoo. Let me highlight one obvious fact: they will focus you (Harbinger) whenever they can. Therefore they will focus you whenever they have the upper hand when it comes to engages. If you know that your team cannot dominate this part of the game, then purchase Black King Bar as soon as possible, period.
Necronomicon: very hard to play yet amazingly powerful if properly used, because of its summons as well as because of its great buildup. Not as good as Guisnoo in most cases, but way better for an hardcore push or an enforced map control (you can use its True Sight to destroy wards). Never forget about this old and mighty item: any old school player will think about Lightofheaven and see what I'm talking about.
Linken's Sphere: not as good as Black King Bar when it comes to avoid nukes and weaker than Guisnoo when it comes to damages. However get it if you think that you need it to avoid a few fearsome spells like swap (especially swap…).
Harbinger's core items are Guisnoo and Black King Bar, period. However don't get Black King Bar and Linken's Sphere, and don't get Necronomicon if you cannot micro it (beside that, it is never a bad choice to purchase it).
Shiva's Guard: don't forget that Shiva do not only gives an useful slow but also removes fog of war with its spell, which can be very helpful. However don't get it if you're being owned by nukes and spells or if you need raw power.
Orchid Malevolence: its damage amplification can be amazing along with Arcane Orb, and its silence is often more powerful than Cuirass' armor in a defensive perspective.
Assault Cuirass: useful but do not get it unless your team require it (for example if the enemy has a lot of negative armor spells or a lot of physical damages).
Refresher Orb: not popular at all but I don't see how it is supposed to be bad to cast two Sanity's Eclipse in a row in late game, when it deal more than 1000 damage to agility and strength heroes (it would be insane to neglect 5000 damage per ultimate to the whole enemy team).
Bloodstone: although Harbinger's late game is mostly about a choice in between Shiva, Orchid and Cuirass, you may need some extra HP in late game. If you're not weak enough to rush Tarrasque instead, then Bloodstone may be an option to consider, although I think that it is not an optimal choice. However, remember that you may get more HP only if you cannot solve your fragility issue with a better positionning or engage from your team.
Heart: more interesting than Bloodstone in most cases because if you're being flimsy in despite of Black King Bar, then do not go for half-measures.
How to play
Positionning: one of the main thing about which people don't think and that separate a good player from a bad one is the art of positionning: when to get in range of who and why? Do not forget that your position in a battle determine if the enemy can engage you easily or not. It is extremely important for a fragile and dangerous hero like Harbinger that, on top of that, has a relatively short attack range to master that art of staying out of the range of the most dangerous nukes, of playing with cooldowns and fog. It is not something I can teach you: only time and experience will.
Best friends and foes: as Harbinger is public enemy number one in every single game he's in, he must avoid to be engaged at any cost. There is only one solution to that issue: to play with the heroes that can do that rather than against them. Leviathan and Vengeful Spirit are your worst enemies in my opinion because there is absolutely no way to disable their ultimates (they do not rely on a dagger that could be disabled). Therefore they are also amongst your best friends. That is what you must have in mind when you pick Harbinger. If you're not wise enough, you'll fail miserably, because Harbinber cannot be picked in any circumstance.
Minimap awareness and map control: it should be obvious but I'm always amazed to see how people lack map control and minimap awarenesse. Let me remind you one fact: one eye for the minimap, another for the creeps, always: that is how DotA is meant to be played.
Battle plan: that is quite simple. You must play defensively from level 1 to 7 (avoid ganks, take little to no risk, etc.) and then join every single teamfight. One difficult thing is to be able to gank and to farm in the same time. Most players tend to forget to farm when they start to gank. There are some tips to avoid that issue:
- gank when you know that you have a chance to pick a rune, because it maximize your effectiveness;
- never ever neglect any last hit;
- always carry a TP and get back in a free lane after a gank in order get back to farming quickly.
If you can't handle this kind of playstyle, don't play Harbinger.
Replays
[…]
Conclusion
It is all about trading a better lane control from level 1 to 7 for an insane damage output at level 7 in order to improve Harbinger's progression curve (XP and gold wise). It makes sense.
EcceLex
Harbinger the Obsidian DestroyerAuthor: EcceLex
Map Vers.: 6.69c
Harbinger
Obsidian Destroyer
Last Comment:18/11/2010
Total Votes: 0
Current Rating: 0.00
Views: 4366
