Guide's Contents:
I. Introduction and Foreword
II. Hero Introduction
III. Builds
IV. Early Game Strategy
V. Mid Game Strategy
VI. Late Game Strategy
VII. Friends and Foes
VIII. Fun Facts
IX. Replays
X. Signing Off
XI. Changelogs

I. Introduction and Foreword

Hello one more time. It's just 1 day, and my Magina, Anti-Mage guide was published. You may also know me, due to the guide I've written for Rhasta, the Shadow Shaman. These guides can be found here:

Dissipitate it all - DotA Guides - Magina

Wards'up - DotA Guides - Rhasta

Firstly, King Leoric, or the Skeleton King, is one of the heroes that has very unique skills: 3 passives, 1 active, which makes him different from other heroes. I started to play Skeleton King along time ago, and started to diffrentiate him with items and his skill build. One of the skills that make Skeleton King different, was his ultimate. More will be revealed later.

Why a Skeleton King guide?

Well, I figured that wasn't any good guides for Skeleton King here, at PlayDotA.com. And so, I will take up the opportunity, once again, to write about one of my favourite DotA heroes that I've been practising with my cousin. Please comment on the guide after reading, thanks.

II. Hero Introduction



Hero Story:

Once a noble knight protecting his kingdom, the man was thrown into Hell, where he was ripped apart over and over for centuries. Now, Lucifer has thrown him back onto the soil, corrupted and mindless, as King Leoric, the Skeleton King. He marches on, leading his minions with an unfaltering gaze, knowing only one thing: the orders given to him by the dark lord himself. Able to cripple his opponents by drawing power from the fiery depths of hell itself, King Leoric is a major threat on the battlefield. His mighty blade allows him and others in his presence to drain the blood of their enemies. It is said that he is unkillable, and those who are struck down by his hellfire don't wake up again.


King Leoric's Stats:

22 + 2.9 (Primary Attribute)

18 + 1.7

13 + 1.6

Being a Strength attributed hero, King Leoric has one of the highest Strength and Strength gain, while his Intelligence and Intelligence gain is the otherway around. His Agility and Agility gain is also quite low, but they aaren't as bad as what his Intelligence would be.

Advanced Statistics:



The Skills

Hellfire Blast



Leoric launches a sphere of hellfire from the end of his sword, causing his victim to burst into flames. Deals damage and stuns for 2 seconds.



King Leoric's nuke, or basically, his only active skill. While this skill has 140 mana, always keep watch early game. Spamming this skill early game is NOT advised, since this will trigger his ultimate from happening at level 6. In fleeing heroes, this skill is exceptionally well, also used for fleeing if used correctly.

Vampiric Aura



Nearby friendly melee units gain hit points when they hit enemy units.



Probably one of the best auras in the game. This makes King Leoric very stable early game due to the % it gives back as health. This can also be gained back when you were hit by enemy heroes, or towers. It's a good aura not to be missed.

Critical Strike



Gives a chance to do more damage on an attack.



What is best when the aura is increased with additional damage? Of course, it gives you more lifesteal, and makes you able to regenerate alot faster. Also, while fighting 1v1, the damage and aura is great, and not to forget the stun from Hellfire Blast.

Reincarnation



When killed the Skeleton King will come back to life.



Skeleton King's ultimate, and now revealed! The good thing that Skeleton King has. Reincarnate is a good ultimate, that gives you a second chance to fight, like a second chance to kill. It gives also gives you full hp and mana, which is great for killing/chasing enemy heroes down which you haven't kill them yet, and go with a Hellfire Blast.

III. Builds

In this section, I'll be covering 2 split-ups: The skill build, and your item build.

a. Skill Build

Return of the King

1. Hellfire Blast
2. Stats
3. Hellfire Blast
4. Stats
5. Hellfire Blast
6. Reincarnate
7. Hellfire Blast
8. Critical Strike/Stats
9. Critical Strike/Stats
10. Critical Strike/Stats
11. Reincarnate
12. Critical Strike/Stats
13. Vampiric Aura
14. Vampiric Aura
15. Vampiric Aura
16. Reincarnate
17. Vampiric Aura
18 - 25. Stats/Critical Strike

Changed.

b. Item Build

Starting build



Gauntlets to help you in your Strength, and early on, you'll need money, so maybe try not to get other stuffs. IT is good if you can replace Gauntlets with Circlets, since they match up with the low Intelligence that King Leoric has. Salves are needed, and maybe replacing Tangoes is a good idea. But then, we've got Vampiric Aura. If you're up against nukers, then get Salves. They promise good results, and so I promise their effectiveness. If you think you're not suitable, change it in anyway.

Core:






Optional/Luxury/Situational:



Rejected Items:



IV. Early Game Strategy

Pick your items and head for the lane. The lanes could be top for Sentinel, and bottom for Scourge. The fact is, that, any lane is possible with King Leoric, but they have to get close to a/any shop, that is within your reach. That way, you won't be running back and forth to fountain as your enemy takes this opportunity to push.

Alot of people starts to Hellfire the first enemy they see in the lane, healers/nukers/disablers and such. But, DON'T. King Leoric is very fragile early game, and that's the point. Never waste mana to satisfy your opponent when you reach level 6 with 0 mana and no Reincarnate, which is plain stupid when your enemy can use it against you.

As the first creep wave comes, stay back and farm like a normal melee hero. Last hit and deny, since you're very fragile, nevertheless, always have map awareness. If your map awareness is escellent, you can not bother about ganks, since you know when ti time-out to leave. If you're laning with a disabler, it's a much easier way to get a first-blood. You have a 2 second stun, which is useful un many ways in chasing and such. And a disabler is there to focus while you wade into kill your target.

As soon as you are level 7, Hellfire should be maxed, but still; never SPAM the skill. It makes Reincarnate less useful, since it needs mana to activate. For killing early game, get Hellfire Blast level 3, and you are ready. Spot an enemy, and go for your kill. Of course, the target needs to have 300 hp or less, but anove that, it is mabybe possible. When you've spotted one, fire your Hellfire Blast. He should be stunned, and is a few more hits to hell. Finish him off, it should be done.

V. Mid Game Strategy

Here, you are maybe supposed to farm. I would not recommend ganking until further core items are purchased. If not yet, then farm. Pushing during this time is probably the best time. You've got Reincarnate ready and should be on your way to tanky pushing. Absorb any damage from creeps, and blast them off. Once the tower strikes down all of your creeps, make the tower aim you. If it aims your allies, ask your allies to 'b', then make the tower focus on you. If you are very tanky, let the tower focus it all on you, not your creeps, neither your allies.

If you notice enemy creeps coming, move in to attack it before your allied creeps notices, so that you give them time to do much more damage they can on the specified tower, and since you can kill an enemy creep wave much faster then your creeps can due to a tower beside it.

When you are counter-ganked, never be afraid to stun and run, making use of Hellfire Blast. It is a good skill that many King Leoric users don't know. A 2 second stun is already enough to prepare for a run, when your enemy starts running back for you (in the case he isn't Balanar or anybody else with high movespeed).

VI. Late Game Strategy

During late game, or apporaching late game, your core should be ready. You can be able to take down 2 heroes (provided that you know how to counter them) and maybe even hit heroes within the 2 second stun. With Reincarnate at 140 second cooldown, you don't need to worry about dying. Because maybe you won't even die if your build consits of great hp items.

If teambattles starts now, initiate. You're able to absorb riduculosly amount of damages, and deal it back to them as damage-returned, while critical striking them down. Make enemy heroes focus fire on you, since you've got a 2nd life, why worry? The thing you've got to know is to do as MUCH damage as you can to them, without getting them to do as much damage as they can to you. While the game ends with your team winning, congratulations on that much.

VII. Friends and Foes

Friends:



Melee DPS heroes. They get Vampiric Aura, which will boost their lifesteal when dealing with enemy heroes, stayed together. May not work well with DPS chasers.



Stunners. They make a good combination with Hellfire Blast with an epic stun and makes them laid down for awhile.

Foes:



Mana burners. They are the top of the list, since without Hellfire Blast and Reincarnation, you're mostly useless during the whole game for your skills to work.



Illusionists. They can get Diffusal and mana burn while you can't counter since they won't give lifesteal on images and have a hard time finally knowing which to Hellfire Blast on.

VIII. Fun Facts



IX. Replays

To be added.

X. Signing Off

Well, that's about it. I know there were some problems in the skill build and item build, since there was alot of changes. I hope that new players learning to try Skeleton King, found this guide useful. Thanks for reading the guide.

XI. Changelogs