Feathers are for the weak (Proffesional Guide)

great guide mate well presented and thought out.

A couple of things firstly the first buy on the hyperstone i don't agree with i think grabbing your aghs first is a higher priority especially if you are focusing on the early ganks.

the heart, ac and butterfly are ok but a heavens halbard or bkb is a much better pick in my opinion.

All in all great guide but just not the way i would play the hero

Because 250 team heal from mek is game-changing especially in early team fights (and to keep up tower pushes). Pro games have much stricter time windows than pubs, therefore pros often have one (Tanky) utility-item farmer who gets mek as 1. Item (doom, death prophet, viper)

I also play Viper with meka and phase boots often recently.

a) I try to deny or catch runes if an enemy hero needs them but never got a bottle in the latest games with Viper. I think phase boots are better than power treads for two reaseons:
1. You do +24 damage really early.
2. When activate you are faster than with power treads and you can go through creeps which allows better chasing early on.

b) Normally I get boots as fast as possible, then I go for either headress or buckler depending on how much my lane opponent is harassing (and how much consumables are left). The buckler is nice to have at the four minute mark because it's active armor buff makes side lane ganks much safer for you and your teammates. Normally I get phase boots before meka but this is situational, if there are no good gank opportunities because both your side lanes are pushing as hell a meka is better as you can assume that a team loosing a lot of lanes tries to group up early and you want that team heal then.

a) I do agree with rune whoring/controlling but is phase boots a goot pick on viper ? wouldn't treads be a better choice for the extra stats and speed be better for his slows ?

a) I do agree with rune whoring/controlling but is phase boots a goot pick on viper ? wouldn't treads be a better choice for the extra stats and speed be better for his slows ?

b) Mek is a really good item on viper, when do you normally get it

Yes and no: Viper usually doesn't "absolutely" need the bottle regen as he doesn't spam spells and usually stays back so that he doesn't take much damage.

However, you can (but don't have to) go for a fast bottle if

a) you want to control runes (and tactically, at the same time denying them from the enemy): Using haste, invisibility or double damage you can effectively gank the other lanes instead of just sitting mid farming) One of the main functions of a good mid hero is to help win the other lanes by ganking them. (BTW in this role, consider Phase Boots for extra MS/chase/escape)

b) you are up against 'dem nukers and need HP regen. Alternative is to build a Headdress into Mekansm, pros often get mek on Viper for some tankiness and team fight potential.

Starting with Wraith Band and Healing Salve leaves you vulnerable especially to opponent's nukers ( Lina, Keeper of the Light, Death Prophet etc.). If they see you only have a salve for regen they'll be "oh look, Viper has little regen, let's nuke him out of the lane": At low levels you have low HP and little or no extra spell resistance. I recommend starting with Tango as well and taking the 1. level into Nethertoxin for easier last hitting. (If mid, you can instead go for a fast bottle).

Why do you fear Wraith King and Lifestealer? It is you who counters them, not the other way around: Just get Aghanim's Scepter as 1. major item and you can keep them out of the fight with your 12 sec cooldown ulti that goes through BKB and Rage. The upgraded ulti wrecks melee carries ability to fight if used correctly due to the massive movement- and attack speed slow.