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Introduction
Axe's cookie cutter playstyle has remained unchanged for many DotA versions and he remains a decent pick in competitive DotA. The two stout shield build popularized by ThisIsBob's guide continues to be the dominant way to play Axe. Axe's ability to tank is unparalleled. This guide will continue that legacy and shows how Axe should be played in the most recent versions.
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Table of Contents
1 Overview
2 Items
3 Skills
4 Gameplay
5 Synergy
6 Conclusion
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Information
Role
Axe is a semi-carry tank as well as being a decent initiator when given Blink Dagger. Against an experienced team, the chance of initiating well even with blink is slim.
Playing Axe
All though it's a matter of opinion, Axe is probably one of the most fun heroes to play due to the ability to decimate creep waves in seconds without a scratch. Being good at DotA requires patience and common sense and you need to know when to fight even if you are extremely tank. This comes through experience and concentrating on the game. After all, Axe is only one hero.
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Starting Items
The extra Ironwood Branches is for that little bit of extra health and mana.
Side Shop
From the sideshop either buy a second stout or two slippers to get Poor Man's Shield. Later you'll sell it for Vanguard. Magic stick keeps you in the battle for longer and is extremely useful in keeping your mana pool up. Components for Hood of Defiance you can also get from the sideshop but get it after your second Stout/Poor Man's Shield and Magic Stick.
Core
After you have boots, finish hood then get blink dagger. Boots of Travel is an underrated item and gives you maneuverability and the ability to be at battles and farm that is unmatched so get that after your blink. Sell either your Poor Man's Shield or a stout to get Vanguard at any point at your discretion.
Luxury
Shiva's Guard gives you the mana to spam and the slow helps your team a lot. Hex is situational as is Linken's. It's up to your discretion and experience to know what to get next in order to help your team win the game.
Alternative
If there's not many heroes that deal magic damage on the other team, you won't need Hood. Blademail is good if they have burst damage from fragile heroes. You can really get this at any point up to your discretion but I'd recommend sticking with the core.
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Order
1. Counter Helix
2. Berserker's Call
3. Counter Helix
4. Berserker's Call
5. Counter Helix
6. Culling Blade
7. Counter Helix
8. Berserker's Call
9. Berserker's Call
10. Stats
11. Culling Blade
12-15. Stats
16. Culling Blade
17-21. Stats
Justification
Battle Hunger, despite its recent 'buff' still sucks and really doesn't compare to the power and potential of Berserker's Call. Other than that it doesn't really need justification. Maxing Helix first is far superior to going Call first but I won't go in to that.
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Laning
Lane with a support hero either top for Sentinel or bottom for Scourge so you can creep skip when possible. Against good players, nukers and stunners, you shouldn't creep skip too early because you will die, never underestimate the enemy in this way. More detail in lane partners in synergy section.
Creep Skipping
Creep skipping is when you single-handedly take on a creep wave without aid from a friendly creep wave. It almost exclusively refers to Axe farming waves with helix using this method. Once you have two stouts, you can do this unhurt. When creep skipping, you should watch for ganks and people teleporting in to kill you since you'll be in a vulnerable position. The more you practice, the more you will be able to creep skip safely.
Ganking
Ganking is pretty much explanatory with Axe. Just make sure you don't miss your Call and do it at the right time. Timing Cull is also very important and it's not something I can teach in words, it just comes through experience. You should try and get blink dagger before trying to gank.
Travels Farm Whoring
When Travels Farm Whoring, there are 3 steps:
1. Farm a lane as efficiently as possible, stop and go to step 2 if you feel your are in danger of being ganked and killed.
2. Teleport to a 'safe' lane and repeat step 1. If your teleport is on cooldown go to step 3.
3. If at any point you aren't able to farm in a lane, jungle. If any point you are able to do step 2 during step 3, do so or if your teleport is on cooldown, just run to the safe lane if it is close.
You will rack up exp very quickly if you follow these steps. However games aren't like that. There will be pushes, ganks, team battles and some of them should be priority over farming. It's up to your discretion when to farm or when to stop and go help your team.
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Lane Partners
Any of the above heroes are great lane partners for one reason or another. Your lane dominance or lane failure relies more on them than you.
Ezalor is a good hero if you want to spam Call. There is also another fun strat where you lane with Ezalor, max Hunger and spam Hunger but that's more of a pub strat.
Magnus
Magnus blinks-stomp-wave-hit then Axe blink-calls-culls the tank. Team down.
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Replays
Me (AItair) playing Axe in an IDL Captains game. I get BoT before blink which allows me to farm blink very quickly.
Replay Link
Q&A
What do you prefer: 2 stouts or Poor Man's Shield?
I've gone through many DotA versions always going 2 stouts so I just go 2 stouts but I think they're equally as good after seeing the maths. I have tried out the Poor Man's Shield build and it really doesn't make much of a difference to be honest.
Final Words
I hope you've benefited from reading my guide and remember: if you fail following my guide, don't blame me.
Introduction
Axe's cookie cutter playstyle has remained unchanged for many DotA versions and he remains a decent pick in competitive DotA. The two stout shield build popularized by ThisIsBob's guide continues to be the dominant way to play Axe. Axe's ability to tank is unparalleled. This guide will continue that legacy and shows how Axe should be played in the most recent versions.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Table of Contents
1 Overview
2 Items
3 Skills
4 Gameplay
5 Synergy
6 Conclusion
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
1 Overview=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Information
Role
Axe is a semi-carry tank as well as being a decent initiator when given Blink Dagger. Against an experienced team, the chance of initiating well even with blink is slim.
Playing Axe
All though it's a matter of opinion, Axe is probably one of the most fun heroes to play due to the ability to decimate creep waves in seconds without a scratch. Being good at DotA requires patience and common sense and you need to know when to fight even if you are extremely tank. This comes through experience and concentrating on the game. After all, Axe is only one hero.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
2 Items=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Starting Items
The extra Ironwood Branches is for that little bit of extra health and mana.
Side Shop
From the sideshop either buy a second stout or two slippers to get Poor Man's Shield. Later you'll sell it for Vanguard. Magic stick keeps you in the battle for longer and is extremely useful in keeping your mana pool up. Components for Hood of Defiance you can also get from the sideshop but get it after your second Stout/Poor Man's Shield and Magic Stick.
Core
After you have boots, finish hood then get blink dagger. Boots of Travel is an underrated item and gives you maneuverability and the ability to be at battles and farm that is unmatched so get that after your blink. Sell either your Poor Man's Shield or a stout to get Vanguard at any point at your discretion.
Luxury
Shiva's Guard gives you the mana to spam and the slow helps your team a lot. Hex is situational as is Linken's. It's up to your discretion and experience to know what to get next in order to help your team win the game.
Alternative
If there's not many heroes that deal magic damage on the other team, you won't need Hood. Blademail is good if they have burst damage from fragile heroes. You can really get this at any point up to your discretion but I'd recommend sticking with the core.
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3 Skills=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Order
1. Counter Helix
2. Berserker's Call
3. Counter Helix
4. Berserker's Call
5. Counter Helix
6. Culling Blade
7. Counter Helix
8. Berserker's Call
9. Berserker's Call
10. Stats
11. Culling Blade
12-15. Stats
16. Culling Blade
17-21. Stats
Justification
Battle Hunger, despite its recent 'buff' still sucks and really doesn't compare to the power and potential of Berserker's Call. Other than that it doesn't really need justification. Maxing Helix first is far superior to going Call first but I won't go in to that.
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4 Gameplay=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Laning
Lane with a support hero either top for Sentinel or bottom for Scourge so you can creep skip when possible. Against good players, nukers and stunners, you shouldn't creep skip too early because you will die, never underestimate the enemy in this way. More detail in lane partners in synergy section.
Creep Skipping
Creep skipping is when you single-handedly take on a creep wave without aid from a friendly creep wave. It almost exclusively refers to Axe farming waves with helix using this method. Once you have two stouts, you can do this unhurt. When creep skipping, you should watch for ganks and people teleporting in to kill you since you'll be in a vulnerable position. The more you practice, the more you will be able to creep skip safely.
Ganking
Ganking is pretty much explanatory with Axe. Just make sure you don't miss your Call and do it at the right time. Timing Cull is also very important and it's not something I can teach in words, it just comes through experience. You should try and get blink dagger before trying to gank.
Travels Farm Whoring
When Travels Farm Whoring, there are 3 steps:
1. Farm a lane as efficiently as possible, stop and go to step 2 if you feel your are in danger of being ganked and killed.
2. Teleport to a 'safe' lane and repeat step 1. If your teleport is on cooldown go to step 3.
3. If at any point you aren't able to farm in a lane, jungle. If any point you are able to do step 2 during step 3, do so or if your teleport is on cooldown, just run to the safe lane if it is close.
You will rack up exp very quickly if you follow these steps. However games aren't like that. There will be pushes, ganks, team battles and some of them should be priority over farming. It's up to your discretion when to farm or when to stop and go help your team.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
5 Synergy=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Lane Partners
Any of the above heroes are great lane partners for one reason or another. Your lane dominance or lane failure relies more on them than you.
Ezalor is a good hero if you want to spam Call. There is also another fun strat where you lane with Ezalor, max Hunger and spam Hunger but that's more of a pub strat.
Magnus
Magnus blinks-stomp-wave-hit then Axe blink-calls-culls the tank. Team down.
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6 Conclusion=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Replays
Me (AItair) playing Axe in an IDL Captains game. I get BoT before blink which allows me to farm blink very quickly.
Replay Link
Q&A
What do you prefer: 2 stouts or Poor Man's Shield?
I've gone through many DotA versions always going 2 stouts so I just go 2 stouts but I think they're equally as good after seeing the maths. I have tried out the Poor Man's Shield build and it really doesn't make much of a difference to be honest.
Final Words
I hope you've benefited from reading my guide and remember: if you fail following my guide, don't blame me.
Mogul Khan the AxeAuthor: livinki
Map Vers.: 6.64
livinki's Guide to Axe
You spin me right round
Last Comment:08/07/2011
Total Votes: 46
Current Rating: 5.84
Views: 35882
