AngeloBangelo's Guide to Support Shadow Demon

Add Necrophos into Easy Conversions. Shadow Demon is just able to Disrupt the Scythed unit and it won't have effect!

You should add Dragon Knight in easy conversion Angelo. Because illusion has his Frost Breath. But, correct me if i am wrong

Y dont u add Brewmaster into "Easy Conversions" once the illusions Crits at the first hit (thanks to pseudo-chance) when hes catch by Disruption. Also illus r pretty tanky thanks to Drunken Brawler Evasion.

Generally you want to pickup SD for kill lanes - especially when your team has a lot of unreliable burst/stun - Sun Strike, Split Earth, Torrent, Sacred Arrow etc. He's a really good damage amplifier with Soul Catcher (hence usually max'ing it first), but relies on your allies being in communication and/or good enough to get the timings right.

The likes of Bane are probably easier to setup with when playing with randoms, and have more "straight forward" abilities. SD has a lot of utility with his skills, but relies a lot more on allies to make use of them.

Well, I haven't really played Shadow Demon at all, so this guide will really help. I tended to max out Shadow Poison first, because it can deal some great damage early game, and I find it can secure kills very easily. Is this a bad thing to do? I just ended up spamming it in lane, and releasing it when I'd got a few stacks on the enemy heroes.

Cataclysm: I added Sheepstick and BoT to the end game item build

Croach: I think there are better ways to beef up Shadow Demon other than Necronomicon. However, if you're doing a push strategy of some sort perhaps you could grab it. I just think by the time you have the gold for it, necro 1 will be irrelevant.

Also, I actually LOVE Dagon on SD when he's middle. I'm just trying to keep this guide aimed at more of a support role. I may add Necronomicon though.

Sando: Absolutely. SD's role will vary depending on the composition of both teams. He takes a lot of game knowledge to know what targets to choose for which spells, and where to position himself.

You're correct on the items as well. If you're able to farm 2700 gold, it's probably from 2-3 towers all being taken at once. If you have that much gold, you have to consider where you're getting it. If it's from creeps, you're not doing your job as a support. The only way you can get gold as a support is stacking and pulling. If you have a carry that can do ancients, stack them for extra EXP. If they cannot, just stack the hard camps for them so you can catch back up.

SD needs minimal items, so even though a Sheepstick would be nice and would only benefit the team... The methods in which you have to obtain the gold (And the process of saving it), hurt the team more than a sheepstick helps. This is why you don't see sheep on supports in pro games.

Nice work Angelo! +1

Was an interesting read, I play a lot of Int support but not played a lot of games with SD for whatever reason. Maybe because his skillset is more flexible/less clear cut in usage than many others, and that executing your combos properly with allies is so win/lose in lane (i.e. due to mana costs, you won't get many goes). So it was interesting to get a couple of extra ideas for the next time I play him - thanks.

BTW guys - I think there's no Scythe of Vyse/ Necronomicon/other expensive item mention because he's almost always played as a #5, and even something like a Force Staff is seen as a "luxury" item. Sure, if you ever have the gold, consider them strongly - but don't ever expect to have that much gold on him in a higher level game!

i like the emphasis u place on making sure to stay off the mini-map and forced opponents to play cautious when they should be trying to farm.

would you consider adding necrobook to your items? i think its a great pickup, especially if your team needs a little more push power, and you are in need of a little more strength and security.

also for a fun build, comboing a dagon with soul catcher is pretty devastating! (but i respect if you want to keep your guide more serious than that :P)

+1

HOW DARETH THOU FORGETH LE ALMIGHTY SHEEPSTICK?!
Seriously though, sheepstick is good on pretty much every int hero. You should also mention that staying by your team in a fight is a bad idea. All your abilities are ranged, and you can't counterinitiate if your are killed by the initiation combo(Likley if you are hit by the full combo)

HOW DARETH THOU FORGETH LE ALMIGHTY SHEEPSTICK?!
Seriously though, sheepstick is good on pretty much every int hero. You should also mention that staying by your team in a fight is a bad idea. All your abilities are ranged, and you can't counterinitiate if your are killed by the initiation combo(Likley if you are hit by the full combo)