Hero Discussion #3: Kaldr the Ancient Apparition

These hero discussions are more and more interesting and teaching! Let's keep this up! :)

I saw an AA mid by Sumail in a recent tournament (last week). I don't think it worked though, and they ended up losing I think. Lemme try to find the game and I will share it here, since you guys are interested.

Frosto, the only thing I can help you with regarding your questions: Urn of Shadows is a good pick-up on him as it is on most other supports, because of the fact that it's a cheap way to offer extra Strenght and mana regen, which are things most supports like. It also offers sustain for him and the team (specially if you go Brown boots). Notice that most support heroes that do not like Mek (such as our beloved Crystal Maiden) benefit from having some other way of helping the team sustain itself in prolonged team fights and pushes.

I wish you had done this thread before I had to do my AA quest, it sucked *** XD but at least I completed it at my first try with three stars (http://www.dotabuff.com/matches/2391558685). I tried the "being closer" style but I fed... Urn and Force were nice though.


Edit: Nvm, EG won, carried by Univere's Void and Fear's Weaver: http://www.dotabuff.com/matches/2524119811 (they ended up losing the series though, hence my confusion)

To Frosto:

1) It does have synergy (quite good actually with Ice Vortex and Cold Feet) but don't think I've ever bought it on him. The problem is that basically it isn't as good as Aghanim's Scepter, and usually by the time you've built that, you'd need survivability items like Ghost Scepter, Force Staff or Glimmer Cape much more, or would just go straight for a Sheepstick if you had the money. (this is a common problem with Rod of Atos...it's not a sheepstick).

2) Exactly what ChiChi said - Urns rock on pretty much every Int support. AA is a good nuker, and you have to be close to get stuff done early on, so Urn can be a good fit, especially if you're solo support and Aghs seems a long way away.

3) You can basically get whatever you want on him, probably not Phase Boots and that's it. Tranquil Boots are about the only affordable option if you want something before Scepter - don't delay for Arcanes usually. Power Treads are fine, but again I probably won't delay as a support, and after Aghs, you've usually got other priorities for survival, or just plump straight for BoTs.

4) If you've got enough co-ordination and synergy with your team mates, fine. It's pretty unusual in pub games though. For just yourself, points in your other skills are usually more efficient/effective. Cold Feet requires setup anyway, so hopefully you picked with that in mind.

5) The problem with Chilling Touch is that it's massively unreliable. The potential damage is huge, but it's extremely rare to get it, and you have to be aware late game especially that the attack slow can be detrimental to your team's overall DPS.

In lane, you're likely to get 1 maybe 2 hits before their offlaner see's sense and backs off. Getting multiple hits in from multiple heroes depends on good setup - e.g. at level 1 your Crystal Maiden lands Frostbite. You cast Chilling Touch on your allies and begin hitting. Slark latches an easy Pounce - they're pretty much dead whoever it is.

If you can't lock them down though, you'll struggle to keep landing those hits and Chilling Touch becomes a very expensive way of doing minor magic damage.

So I guess next time I play aa I buy Boots of Speed (maybe Tranquil Boots, Urn of Shadows, optional a Magic Wand and than straight to aghs. Seems reasonable.

So maxing Cold Feet with first a level of Chilling Touch and at level 4 a level in Ice Vortex is than the best skillbuild, in a normal game. Than I just have to see what my team and theirs are all about to consider maxing Chilling Touch and Ice Vortex.

I really need to play this hero more, because he is actually a really funny hero, but just a bit underrated.

HAI GAIS!

so i've been trolling my way around the deepest trenches of *****-tier and i bring news for our friend angry Popsicle!

I've been trying an AA with Veil of Discord, and the results have been, well... ****ING AMAZING

Pairing an #4 AA with a #5 nuke-heavy support and you have the next ****ing bonnie & clyde gentlemen.

Just thing about AA and Lina gallivanting their way through the map, bestowing upon all their enemies a healthy beating on their buttocks....aaah..scenic

also,

AA + Beastmaster, that's some Restraining Order **** happening when they lane together.

Peace y'all!

Ah Kody-san!

You are only the virgin cola of evil.

If you want full fat Coke, team up with a friendly group of Meepos for Chilling Touch madness.

That meepo synergy sounds disgusting.

Also, Windranger + AA sounds pretty cool as well.

Does anyone know if Lone Druid's bear gets chilling touch?

KODY <3

Whoa I didn't know it works with multiple Meepo (I should have known, really)
....it sounds filthy

Why don't we see this more often?

About the bear, nah, it's not a valid target

I think the reason is purely related to why we don't see more Meepo itself: not in pubs cause it's a high skill hero and people cannot micro/play him that well, not in pro cause actually also not that many teams use the hero successfuly and it gets banned against those that do (still banned in this meta, I see quite often Mapo bans).

I think it also sounds better on paper than irl, since dear Mapo mostly damages you through his POFF, not right clicks. Someone correct me if I'm wrong please.

Meepo poof hurts a lot, but like every carry, past 35min or so his right clicks really hurt. i mean, this fellas can give tiny, lycan, ck and every other hero a run for "fastest towerpush".