Advice on Spectre

Okay, so I've been playing for several months now, and I have a pretty good handle on how to properly play supports (doesn't mean I'm that great, but I know what I should be doing :P ). Now I'd like to go back and master some of the carry heroes, one of which is Spectre, because I've heard lots of people say that she's one of the hardest carries in the game, and very tanky.

Well, I started practicing with her the other day in bot matches and I did terribly because no one in bot matches ever seems to play support heroes. So I decided to ask my friend(s) to help me by playing some support heroes, and I did a bit better, but even after getting a few kills I'm still not hitting as hard as heroes like Slark, etc.

I am a little curious as to why Spectre doesn't seem to be working. Which heroes are good combos with Spectre? Is there a particular order I should build the items she gets? Is it because the game is ending before I get to realize my potential? If you guys had any advice, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Good item picks for Spectre :

Power Treads ( Gives you some stats + ms/as )
Radiance ( Only if you can get it before 20 minutes )
Vanguard ( Health and damage block, perfect for you )
Diffusal Blade ( If you don't get Radiance )
Heart of Tarrasque ( This item is what makes Spectre a great tank )
Manta Style ( Damage, speed, stats, more health )
Butterfly ( A lot of damage and attack speed and also evasion, which will make you even more durable )

The best Spectre players are the Asians, I suggest you to watch them running Spectre in competitive matches.

Basically, every minute is important, you need to farm farm farm, and you can't help your team at all in early-mid game. The spotlight will be on you in late game, when you got your expensive item build.

If you have a bad start and you can't farm, you'll be useless the whole game.

It depends on how you engange with Spectre.

Her greatest strength is catching heroes who are alone due do Desolate, you deal bonus PURE damage.

Illusion rune is possibly the best rune you can get on spectre, because illusions also deal the bonus damage of desolate, dealing 3 times Desolate damage to an hero who is alone.
Same goes for Manta Style.
Illusion Rune, Manta Style AND Haunt maximize your damage at 6 times Desolate-Damage which is 390 additional pure damage per attack on Desolate level 4! (given you did not use Haunt to jump to your target and the Illusion is still up)

With a Shadow Demon on your team who uses Disruption on you to create even more Illusions you can go even further!

Also, use Diffusal Blades Active to slow down your prey and use Spectral Dagger to catch up to them if they have a positioning ability or item.
DO NOT(!!!) Upgrade Diffusal Blade until you used up all charges of Level 1! You will need all charges!

Also Radiance is a great choice if you can get it early enough, for the same reason Desolate is great, all Illusion will have its effect!

Here is a nice Video of Purge playing with Spectre, and it is not to old yet.
Purge playing Spectre
He describes his playstyle very good.

I think it's important to realize that you're not going to be winning your lane by yourself and to play passive until level 6, but then jump on your opportunity to deal stupid amounts of damage with desolate during the first round of ganks.

Don't waste time with this hero -- if your team is standing mid because they need to defend a push you can be farming, that is why you have an ult.

Orb of venom is so incredible on this hero.

Okay, thanks! I will try to keep busy at all times, that seems to be the key to this hero; if you're not getting more money, you're doing it wrong. The item choices look pretty good too, I will play around and see what I can do.

Pretty much, Spectre needs a lot of farm.

There are builds that rush:

Radiance - Very risky, you need a good support for this.

Manta Style - Good damage and Desolate benefits them too!

Drum of Endurance + Diffusal Blade - Great Orb Effect, can purge annoying heroes.

Maelstrom - Rarely seen but much like a last-ditch effort, but better than [{Radiance]].



I wouldn't suggest Vanguard. Spectre needs damage fast during mid, but Vanguard only offers survival. You're better off rushing Yasha or Diffusal Blade.

Alright, I've been messing around with different builds, and I think I found one that I like a lot and works pretty well. If anyone sees any way it could be improved, I'd appreciate it. :)

I start with Quelling Blade, Ring of Protection, a set of Tangos and a salve. I build into Tranquil Boots for some extra sustain, then rush a Hand of Midas and an Orb of Venom. From there, I go in and out of the jungle building up as much money as I can, and depending on the enemy team comp I usually build a Maelstrom right after that, and then build that into Mjollnir. Alternatively, sometimes I'll build a Yasha and progress to Manta Style. After one of those two items, I'll build my Orb of Venom into an Eye of Skadi for extra tank, damage, and chase power. From there it really depends, but I like to build a Heart of Tarrasque or Satanic if I can.

Nearly the same build I usually use in game and in my guide. Never tried skadi, though. Well next game.

Quelling - core
Tranquil - if your enemy Is harassing you a lot. If not, treads are better.

Other than that, it works good.

Also remember the Midas time limit. After 8, don't get it or you'll screw yourself up.

Just GO => tranquils, armlet, pt , vlad/hod/diff.
An armlet is way more superior than a vang.
A satanic will do more for you than a heart will.

Vanguard gives you damage by keeping you in the fight - and you're extremely squishy without it. The damage from Desolate is unaffected by your normal DPS, and you should be able to chase just fine with your dagger. You can make do without it (such as radiance rush), but as Spec you really shouldn't be concerned with your DPS or getting kills in the midgame unless they fall into your lap - not dying is much more important until you have a full item build.



Spec works best as a tank, not a DPS right-clicker - Dispersion is the reason she is a carry. Lifesteal is unnecessary and far less effective than Diffusal Blade or Orb of Venom. Heart is the single most important item to get on Spec, bar none. Obviously you will be doing tons of damage lategame, but Spec is better at outlasting the enemy than out-DPSing them.