Before the actual guide, I'd like to say that English is not my first language, so please excuse me for any typing mistakes. Second, this is my first guide, so, please leave constructive and not destructive commentaries. Ok, thats it =)
The Priestess of the Moon
Introduction
Mirana is, without a doubt, one of the most balanced heroes on the game. She has an AoE nuke that, if used in close range, deals a good amount of damage; one of the best single targeted stuns, an amazing fleeing or pursuing skill, and a global invisibility, which can be used for various purposes. She has the ability, if played in the right hands, to own early , mid and late game. She is also a very versatile hero: she can be a amazing ganker, a strong semi-carry and a ok support hero.
She is also a hero that requires a lot of practice, unlike other click-and-kill heroes, you will need to play a good amount of games before getting a good average of hits with Elune's Arrow.
Table of contents
Alt + Tab Mini guide
Description
Stats
Pros and Cons
Mirana: Semi-carry or support?
Skill Build
Item Build
How to play
Elune's Arrow
How to Leap
How to use Starfall
When to use Moonlight Shadow
How to gank
Best Allies & Worst Enemies
Replays
Change-log
Credits
Alt + Tab Mini guide
Description
A matriarch and high priestess of Elune's blessed order, Mirana Nightshade serves as a light in darkness for the front line of the Sentinel ranks, raining arrows and falling stars alike upon the shambling undead masses of the Undead Scourge, while her very presence is said to be so holy that it melts away the fatigue of nearby allies, giving them greater haste on the battlefield. In times of need however, she can fade herself and others around her into the safety of invisibility, making her a potent supporter matched by few.
Stats
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Can own early, mid and late game
- Excellent escape mechanisms
- Ultimate is helpful for the whole team
- Excellent ganker early-mid game
- Can play the role of a support or a semi-carry hero late game.
Cons
- Requires a lot of practice to master Elune's Arrow.
- Somewhat fragile.
- Somewhat item dependent late game.
Mirana: Semi-carry or support?
An important decision to make at mid-game is if you're going to play a support or a semi-ganker PotM. In my opinion, the semi-carrier is a better use for Mirana, but sometimes, it's worth it to go Support. So, what do you need to check to make this decision? Basically you need to look your allies, especially in pubs, where everyone -random or simply pick without caring for what the team has. Sometimes you will find yourself with a extremely late-game team. Your team already has a Troll and a Mortred so in this case go for support. Sometimes the opposite will happen: there are no carriers, Mirana then is supposed to carry late game.
Skill Build
In depth information on PotM skills here
1 - Elune's Arrow 1 / Leap 1
2 - Leap 1 / Elune's Arrow 1
3 - Starfall 1
4 - Starfall 2
5 - Starfall 3
6 - Elune's Arrow 2
7 - Starfall 4
8 - Elune's Arrow 3
9 - Elune's Arrow 4
10 - Moonlight Shadow 1
11 - Moonlight Shadow 2
12 - Leap 2
13 - Leap 3
14 - Leap 4
15 - Stats
16 - Moonlight Shadow 3
17 - Stats
18 - Stats
19 - Stats
20 - Stats
21 - Stats
22 - Stats
23 - Stats
24 - Stats
25 - Stats
Skill Build Justification
Elune’s Arrow and Leap for the first two levels. The choice of which one to go for first is entirely yours. You should get Elune’s Arrow if you think your team will try an early gank or Leap if you’re trying to escape an early gank attempt. I usually go with Elune’s Arrow but hey, it’s your choice.
Next you want to maximize Starfall. The reason why you want to maximize Starfall before Elune’s Arrow, is because Starfall is a much more reliable skill then Elune’s Arrow. You can’t really miss Starfall. Besides Elune’s Arrow’s stun stays the same at all levels, so level 1 is fine for you.
At level 9 you should've maxed out both Starfall and Elune’s Arrow, because, as the game goes on, the less effective your nuke's damage is.
Next two points at your ultimate, you don't want your ultimate earlier because you won't really have the mana required to use it, since you'll be ganking all the time.
Following then max out Leap. If you feel you need it, you can trade Leap for Stats, although I really think Leap is superior.
Same thing for your ultimate, if you feel you need the extra stats go ahead and take them instead of Moonlight Shadow.
Item Build
Start with
if no one buys chicken
Slippers can be upgraded later on, branches for cheap stats, Magic Stick for burst healing. If no one buys a courier, you can buy one yourself, in my opinion it's worth it.
Core Build
or 
Core Build Justification
Bottle for the hp and mana regen you will need for all your ganking, wand for the cheap stats and the burst healing, Diffusal because it greatly increases Mirana's ganking potential, Wraith if you feel you need that extra - HP, Mana and damage improvement. And for the boots, I'd say travel if you're playing more like a supporter late-game and treads for a semi-carry. If the game goes on for too long Treads could also de traded for Travel.
Extensions
Semi-Carry
Manta Style is a great item for Mirana, it synergizes very well with your stun and diffusal's purge: three Mirana's smacking a stunned/purged opponent. Yasha comes in nice small pieces, which can be assembled without great difficulty. Ultimate Orb on the other hand need a somewhat solid 2100 gold.
The Butterfly is a good item in any Agi DPS hero, Mirana is no exception. Other then the damage and attack speed, it also provides a nice 30% evasion, which will give you more survivability. The downside is that Eaglehorn is a really expensive item.
Cuirass is a great item if you need survivability and some DPS. It will provide you with damage, attack speed and armor. Best of all, it also helps your allies and penalizes your enemies. Downside is that it's really expensive. Get it when you feel your team will benefit the most of it and when you need more survivability.
and 
Pure damage items, they should be considered when you feel you can't survive long enough in battle. Between the two of them I like MKB better, especially against heroes with evasion (Mortred, Butterfly carriers).
Tarrasque gives you lots of HP. Personally, I don't like this item a lot for Mirana. But, if you're getting smacked by your opponents even after getting other survivability items, go ahead and grab it.
Malevolence is also a viable choice for a semi-carrier. It increases your damage output and solves all your mana problems, and has the nice Soul Burn skill. Personally not my favorite for the semi-carry Mirana, because it doesn't provide with any HP and there are better damage items. But if you think your mana just isn't enough, or the disablers aren't doing their job correctly go ahead.
Support
Guinsoo is an excellent support item. 3.5 seconds of pure smacking can make all difference. This item is so powerful that in some leagues having more then one or two in a team is prohibited by the rules. Besides, it solves all your mana problems.
Malevolence is similar Guinsoo, but inferior. But if your getting pwned all the time, I suggest you go for this one, because it's composed in nice, cheap pieces.
Shivas gives you a great AoE nuke, and a passive attack speed slowing aura, and it still gives you some armor.
Pipe is one of the best support items in the game. This item is so powerful that it's being completely BANNED on some leagues. Get it when your team needs to block some spell damage.
Alternative Orbs
and later 
Maelstrom and Mjolnir provide a good DPS addition and a nice AoE damage for team battles, besides it help farming a lot. Note that Maelstrom and Mjolnir are particularly effective against illusions, so it's a viable choice against hardcore late-game illusion based heroes like Phantom Lancer and Terrorblade.
Desolator gives you huge amounts of damage. Period. Get this if you feel your team needs the Corruption orb and that you're playing a semi-carry Mirana.
Skadi gives a nice boost to your attributes, and a really cool orb effect, which will make escaping a lot harder for your enemies. Can be combined with Mjolnir, since Skadi is only a buff placer for ranged heroes.
S&Y gives you damage, HP and a Greater Maim... I'd say it's a good Orb but not really the best one on Mirana... And besides the movement speed bonus doesn't stack with the one on Manta.
Survivability Items
Linkens is a pretty good item on Mirana, giving you HP and mana plus HP regen and mana regen, and the awesome skill of blocking most single targeted nukes. Get this if you're getting chain-stunned and just can't Leap out of the situation.
BKB is a must if you're aiming for semi-carrying. Providing you 10/9/8/7/6/5 seconds of magic immunity while you dash damage is pretty damn good.
How to play
Early Game
The game begins and you picked/randomed PotM. First thing is choosing your lane. Mirana is a pretty good solo hero, but if there are any better heroes for the job (Tinker, Shadow fiend), you should leave the solo lane for them. Try harassing your enemies with normal attacks on the first few levels. At level three you are already able of killing someone. If the opportunity appears throw and arrow, and try killing them. The best time to do this is when your creeps just ended killing their creeps. If you're laned with a disabler wait for him to stun first, so you have 100% chance of hitting with your arrow. This, of course, will require some communication. Try last-hitting and denying until level 6-7. Until then you should have at least your Wand and Boots or Bottle. Your choice, I usually go with Bottle first, since you have leap you can keep up to your enemies but hey, your choice. At this point you should look for good ganking opportunities without wasting too much time without farming. Mirana is somewhat item-dependent late-game so try roaming as shortly as possible. But don't just stay AFK-farming either, as the game goes one your 2 damage skills lose their effectiveness.
Middle Game
Almost the same as Early Game, try keep a balance between farming and ganking. If you see some allies are getting ganked don't hesitate on using Moonlight Shadow. Somewhere in this stage you should complete or almost complete your core. At this point, you can use use Starfall from times to times to farm and push.
Late Game
At this point of the game you should simply accompany your team in pushes or team battles. Use Moonlight Shadow for positioning or fleeing. Try keeping some distance and not getting to much attention. If your team is winning and you see some fleeing enemies, feel free to leap in and snatch a kill. Spam Starfall to farm and push, but in a much intensive way then in middle game. Especially if you went for a support build and now have lots of mana and mana regen.
Elune's Arrow
How to Leap
How to use Starfall
When to use Moonlight Shadow
How to gank
Best Allies & Worst Enemies
Allies
Disablers
Everyone's best friend, these guys are particularly good when you're having a hard time aiming your arrows.
Close ranged DPS freaks
These guys love you for your IMBA 5 seconds stun. Simply stun so they can get at close range and do the rest of the job.
Special mentions
Atropos
This guy, thanks to nightmare, makes your arrows undodgeable. Pretty much holding someone for 5 seconds, you move your mouse over him and click. At the moment Atropos use Nightmare the guy is pretty much dead, even a Magina. If he, for some reason, survives Nightmare + Elune's Arrow + Starfall + Brain Sap Atropos still has Fiend's Grip, which will hold him for additional 5 seconds!
Rhasta
Works pretty much the same way as Atropos, only that he will shackle your enemy so you don't miss.
Crystal Maiden
Other then being an awesome disabler, CM has her IMBA global regen aura, that will help you A LOT on keeping the ganks up. Also, your ultimate covers her while she's channeling Freezing Field.
Worst Enemies
Silencers
These guys can pretty much screw all your plans. Leaving you just as a fragile target riding a pretty, but useless, tiger.
Long disablers
These guys can keep you in a place for a long time. Long enough you can't even leap out of the situation.
Special mentions
Bloodseeker
This guy is Mirana's nightmare. He can silence you (Bloodrage), catch up with you even after you leaped (Strygwyrs Thirst), see your or your allies even after Moonlight Shadow when less then 40% hp (Strygwyrs Thirst) and leave you unable to move (Rupture), while he kicks your ass.
High burst damage combos heroes
Due to Mirana's low HP, these guys can pretty much kill you with their combos. Sometimes even when you're at full health.
Replays
GosuGamers DotA | Replay: OK vs Unique
Epic pro game with PotM acting as a carry hero. On this replay you can see some pretty good uses of Moonlight Shadow. But seriously, even if you don't want to watch a Mirana replay, this one is worth it, because it was an awesome match.
Comments about this match:
Change-log
Credits
The Priestess of the Moon
Introduction
Mirana is, without a doubt, one of the most balanced heroes on the game. She has an AoE nuke that, if used in close range, deals a good amount of damage; one of the best single targeted stuns, an amazing fleeing or pursuing skill, and a global invisibility, which can be used for various purposes. She has the ability, if played in the right hands, to own early , mid and late game. She is also a very versatile hero: she can be a amazing ganker, a strong semi-carry and a ok support hero.
She is also a hero that requires a lot of practice, unlike other click-and-kill heroes, you will need to play a good amount of games before getting a good average of hits with Elune's Arrow.
Table of contents
Alt + Tab Mini guide
Description
Stats
Pros and Cons
Mirana: Semi-carry or support?
Skill Build
Item Build
How to play
Elune's Arrow
How to Leap
How to use Starfall
When to use Moonlight Shadow
How to gank
Best Allies & Worst Enemies
Replays
Change-log
Credits
Alt + Tab Mini guide
Description
A matriarch and high priestess of Elune's blessed order, Mirana Nightshade serves as a light in darkness for the front line of the Sentinel ranks, raining arrows and falling stars alike upon the shambling undead masses of the Undead Scourge, while her very presence is said to be so holy that it melts away the fatigue of nearby allies, giving them greater haste on the battlefield. In times of need however, she can fade herself and others around her into the safety of invisibility, making her a potent supporter matched by few.
Stats
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Can own early, mid and late game
- Excellent escape mechanisms
- Ultimate is helpful for the whole team
- Excellent ganker early-mid game
- Can play the role of a support or a semi-carry hero late game.
Cons
- Requires a lot of practice to master Elune's Arrow.
- Somewhat fragile.
- Somewhat item dependent late game.
Mirana: Semi-carry or support?
An important decision to make at mid-game is if you're going to play a support or a semi-ganker PotM. In my opinion, the semi-carrier is a better use for Mirana, but sometimes, it's worth it to go Support. So, what do you need to check to make this decision? Basically you need to look your allies, especially in pubs, where everyone -random or simply pick without caring for what the team has. Sometimes you will find yourself with a extremely late-game team. Your team already has a Troll and a Mortred so in this case go for support. Sometimes the opposite will happen: there are no carriers, Mirana then is supposed to carry late game.
Skill Build
In depth information on PotM skills here
1 - Elune's Arrow 1 / Leap 1
2 - Leap 1 / Elune's Arrow 1
3 - Starfall 1
4 - Starfall 2
5 - Starfall 3
6 - Elune's Arrow 2
7 - Starfall 4
8 - Elune's Arrow 3
9 - Elune's Arrow 4
10 - Moonlight Shadow 1
11 - Moonlight Shadow 2
12 - Leap 2
13 - Leap 3
14 - Leap 4
15 - Stats
16 - Moonlight Shadow 3
17 - Stats
18 - Stats
19 - Stats
20 - Stats
21 - Stats
22 - Stats
23 - Stats
24 - Stats
25 - Stats
Skill Build Justification
Elune’s Arrow and Leap for the first two levels. The choice of which one to go for first is entirely yours. You should get Elune’s Arrow if you think your team will try an early gank or Leap if you’re trying to escape an early gank attempt. I usually go with Elune’s Arrow but hey, it’s your choice.
Next you want to maximize Starfall. The reason why you want to maximize Starfall before Elune’s Arrow, is because Starfall is a much more reliable skill then Elune’s Arrow. You can’t really miss Starfall. Besides Elune’s Arrow’s stun stays the same at all levels, so level 1 is fine for you.
At level 9 you should've maxed out both Starfall and Elune’s Arrow, because, as the game goes on, the less effective your nuke's damage is.
Next two points at your ultimate, you don't want your ultimate earlier because you won't really have the mana required to use it, since you'll be ganking all the time.
Following then max out Leap. If you feel you need it, you can trade Leap for Stats, although I really think Leap is superior.
Same thing for your ultimate, if you feel you need the extra stats go ahead and take them instead of Moonlight Shadow.
Item Build
Start with
if no one buys chicken
Slippers can be upgraded later on, branches for cheap stats, Magic Stick for burst healing. If no one buys a courier, you can buy one yourself, in my opinion it's worth it.
Core Build
or Core Build Justification
Bottle for the hp and mana regen you will need for all your ganking, wand for the cheap stats and the burst healing, Diffusal because it greatly increases Mirana's ganking potential, Wraith if you feel you need that extra - HP, Mana and damage improvement. And for the boots, I'd say travel if you're playing more like a supporter late-game and treads for a semi-carry. If the game goes on for too long Treads could also de traded for Travel.
Extensions
Semi-Carry
Manta Style is a great item for Mirana, it synergizes very well with your stun and diffusal's purge: three Mirana's smacking a stunned/purged opponent. Yasha comes in nice small pieces, which can be assembled without great difficulty. Ultimate Orb on the other hand need a somewhat solid 2100 gold.
The Butterfly is a good item in any Agi DPS hero, Mirana is no exception. Other then the damage and attack speed, it also provides a nice 30% evasion, which will give you more survivability. The downside is that Eaglehorn is a really expensive item.
Cuirass is a great item if you need survivability and some DPS. It will provide you with damage, attack speed and armor. Best of all, it also helps your allies and penalizes your enemies. Downside is that it's really expensive. Get it when you feel your team will benefit the most of it and when you need more survivability.
and Pure damage items, they should be considered when you feel you can't survive long enough in battle. Between the two of them I like MKB better, especially against heroes with evasion (Mortred, Butterfly carriers).
Tarrasque gives you lots of HP. Personally, I don't like this item a lot for Mirana. But, if you're getting smacked by your opponents even after getting other survivability items, go ahead and grab it.
Malevolence is also a viable choice for a semi-carrier. It increases your damage output and solves all your mana problems, and has the nice Soul Burn skill. Personally not my favorite for the semi-carry Mirana, because it doesn't provide with any HP and there are better damage items. But if you think your mana just isn't enough, or the disablers aren't doing their job correctly go ahead.
Support
Guinsoo is an excellent support item. 3.5 seconds of pure smacking can make all difference. This item is so powerful that in some leagues having more then one or two in a team is prohibited by the rules. Besides, it solves all your mana problems.
Malevolence is similar Guinsoo, but inferior. But if your getting pwned all the time, I suggest you go for this one, because it's composed in nice, cheap pieces.
Shivas gives you a great AoE nuke, and a passive attack speed slowing aura, and it still gives you some armor.
Pipe is one of the best support items in the game. This item is so powerful that it's being completely BANNED on some leagues. Get it when your team needs to block some spell damage.
Alternative Orbs
and later Maelstrom and Mjolnir provide a good DPS addition and a nice AoE damage for team battles, besides it help farming a lot. Note that Maelstrom and Mjolnir are particularly effective against illusions, so it's a viable choice against hardcore late-game illusion based heroes like Phantom Lancer and Terrorblade.
Desolator gives you huge amounts of damage. Period. Get this if you feel your team needs the Corruption orb and that you're playing a semi-carry Mirana.
Skadi gives a nice boost to your attributes, and a really cool orb effect, which will make escaping a lot harder for your enemies. Can be combined with Mjolnir, since Skadi is only a buff placer for ranged heroes.
S&Y gives you damage, HP and a Greater Maim... I'd say it's a good Orb but not really the best one on Mirana... And besides the movement speed bonus doesn't stack with the one on Manta.
Survivability Items
Linkens is a pretty good item on Mirana, giving you HP and mana plus HP regen and mana regen, and the awesome skill of blocking most single targeted nukes. Get this if you're getting chain-stunned and just can't Leap out of the situation.
BKB is a must if you're aiming for semi-carrying. Providing you 10/9/8/7/6/5 seconds of magic immunity while you dash damage is pretty damn good.
How to play
Early Game
The game begins and you picked/randomed PotM. First thing is choosing your lane. Mirana is a pretty good solo hero, but if there are any better heroes for the job (Tinker, Shadow fiend), you should leave the solo lane for them. Try harassing your enemies with normal attacks on the first few levels. At level three you are already able of killing someone. If the opportunity appears throw and arrow, and try killing them. The best time to do this is when your creeps just ended killing their creeps. If you're laned with a disabler wait for him to stun first, so you have 100% chance of hitting with your arrow. This, of course, will require some communication. Try last-hitting and denying until level 6-7. Until then you should have at least your Wand and Boots or Bottle. Your choice, I usually go with Bottle first, since you have leap you can keep up to your enemies but hey, your choice. At this point you should look for good ganking opportunities without wasting too much time without farming. Mirana is somewhat item-dependent late-game so try roaming as shortly as possible. But don't just stay AFK-farming either, as the game goes one your 2 damage skills lose their effectiveness.
Middle Game
Almost the same as Early Game, try keep a balance between farming and ganking. If you see some allies are getting ganked don't hesitate on using Moonlight Shadow. Somewhere in this stage you should complete or almost complete your core. At this point, you can use use Starfall from times to times to farm and push.
Late Game
At this point of the game you should simply accompany your team in pushes or team battles. Use Moonlight Shadow for positioning or fleeing. Try keeping some distance and not getting to much attention. If your team is winning and you see some fleeing enemies, feel free to leap in and snatch a kill. Spam Starfall to farm and push, but in a much intensive way then in middle game. Especially if you went for a support build and now have lots of mana and mana regen.
Elune's Arrow
How to Leap
How to use Starfall
When to use Moonlight Shadow
How to gank
Best Allies & Worst Enemies
Allies
Disablers
Everyone's best friend, these guys are particularly good when you're having a hard time aiming your arrows.
Close ranged DPS freaks
These guys love you for your IMBA 5 seconds stun. Simply stun so they can get at close range and do the rest of the job.
Special mentions
Atropos
This guy, thanks to nightmare, makes your arrows undodgeable. Pretty much holding someone for 5 seconds, you move your mouse over him and click. At the moment Atropos use Nightmare the guy is pretty much dead, even a Magina. If he, for some reason, survives Nightmare + Elune's Arrow + Starfall + Brain Sap Atropos still has Fiend's Grip, which will hold him for additional 5 seconds!
Rhasta
Works pretty much the same way as Atropos, only that he will shackle your enemy so you don't miss.
Crystal Maiden
Other then being an awesome disabler, CM has her IMBA global regen aura, that will help you A LOT on keeping the ganks up. Also, your ultimate covers her while she's channeling Freezing Field.
Worst Enemies
Silencers
These guys can pretty much screw all your plans. Leaving you just as a fragile target riding a pretty, but useless, tiger.
Long disablers
These guys can keep you in a place for a long time. Long enough you can't even leap out of the situation.
Special mentions
Bloodseeker
This guy is Mirana's nightmare. He can silence you (Bloodrage), catch up with you even after you leaped (Strygwyrs Thirst), see your or your allies even after Moonlight Shadow when less then 40% hp (Strygwyrs Thirst) and leave you unable to move (Rupture), while he kicks your ass.
High burst damage combos heroes
Due to Mirana's low HP, these guys can pretty much kill you with their combos. Sometimes even when you're at full health.
Replays
GosuGamers DotA | Replay: OK vs Unique
Epic pro game with PotM acting as a carry hero. On this replay you can see some pretty good uses of Moonlight Shadow. But seriously, even if you don't want to watch a Mirana replay, this one is worth it, because it was an awesome match.
Comments about this match:
Change-log
Credits
Mirana Nightshade the Priestess of the MoonAuthor: Tanlatos
Map Vers.: 6.67c
A throughout guide about PotM
Warriors of the Night, assemble!
Last Comment:13/05/2012
Total Votes: 112
Current Rating: 8.51
Views: 391827
