My team:
Tusk, Lycanthrope, Zeus, Legion Commander, Spirit Breaker
Enemy Team:
Sniper, Pudge, Axe, Disruptor, Skywrath Mage
This morning I had an okay game with Lycanthrope. The thing that frustrated me was that i got matched up with all Spanish speakers. Only one guy kind of know English. I have nothing against spanish speaker, it just frustrating when you can't communicate with them. I decided to jungle with Lycanthrope. I assumed they knew that i was jungling because I thought the matchmaking system will match me with people that have similar experience as i am. I was totally wrong. These guys knew nothing about support because they didn't buy wards (the opponent had Pudge) and couriers. I had to buy the couriers just so we have one (including the flying courier). They don't even know how the jungling process work. Tusk was our offlane hero. So during my jungle, Zeus obviously didn't know how to play against Pudge because he kept getting hooked and die in mid lane. This is what really pisses me off. Tusk called me many names and told me to get out of the jungle and get in the lane with him. After i refuse and said it was better if i stay in the jungle because i can get the farm. If i go with him, i'm going to end up as "support" and get nothing. So, Zeus abandon mid lane to lane with Tusk. He never returned. I end up trying to jungle and protect mid lane as much as possible. I think i was only level 3 at this point of game. Fortunate for me, Pudge was never really in his lane because he is off trying to gank somebody so defending mid was not that hard. Once i got my Vladimir's Offering, my jungling became 5x easier. My wolves stopped dying and i was beginning to come online. I don't remember when i got it, but i think it was around lv.7-8 (maybe later). The next item i rushed for is the Mask of Madness. This really helped kill the jungle creeps and Enemy heroes. Once i got my Mask, it was time for me to gank enemies. Except, they were in group of 5. That didn't matter to me as long my team is there to back me up. It was a good thing Tusk knew how to initiate otherwise it wouldn't have worked out right. With my Vladimir's Offering and Mask of Madness, there was nothing that could stand in my way as i chased each one down with my Shapeshift. The attack speed was AMAZING. We won that game pretty convincingly despite early game feed to Pudge and Axe.
My final Build was: (i built them in that order)
Quelling Blade, Vladimir's Offering, Mask of Madness, Skull Basher, and Assault Cuirass
My k/d/a: 7/3/15
This is my 2nd game as Lycan, so i need as much help as possible. My biggest weakness is trying to stay in the jungle for as long as possible without returning to the fountain so often. This is not a problem once i get Vlad.
And about jungle Lycan, I think it's too difficult to perform right now. 95% of the time, unless you're also getting kills, you're gonna be underlevelled; you can't pick a Hand of Midas for levels either because you have to rush Vlad's. I know, a quick Roshan is sometimes enough to get those two levels of difference, but you're very easy to shut down pre-Vlad's. I also love playing laning Lycan, his base damage is pretty high.
Agreed, with his High Base Damage, and an early point in his Passive, you've got 70+ Damage, this makes for easy Laning, add in a good 1st Blood, and getting a Hand of Midas in 6 minutes is almost guaranteed. If you're not Jungling or Soloing Roshan (I prefer to Rosh with my Team, since any competant Team will be able to stop you if you Solo), then a Vladmir's Offering can be picked up by someone else. Just use the Summon Wolves for Harrassing/Scouting, etc.
And about jungle Lycan, I think it's too difficult to perform right now. 95% of the time, unless you're also getting kills, you're gonna be underlevelled; you can't pick a Hand of Midas for levels either because you have to rush Vlad's. I know, a quick Roshan is sometimes enough to get those two levels of difference, but you're very easy to shut down pre-Vlad's. I also love playing laning Lycan, his base damage is pretty high.
About the Mask of Madness: I think you shouldn't have bought it. You already have lifesteal, you don't need the extra movement speed because of Shapeshift and the 100% attack speed increase isn't that useful when you're chasing enemies (and is outclassed by the extra benefits from the Assault Cuirass). The damage amplification is too dangerous when you don't have a BKB, especially versus Skywrath Mage and Sniper who tend to throw a lot of nukes/autoattacks in a small amount of time.
But still, congratulations for winning the game: I find it really stressful playing with non English-speaking teammates (Russians...), especially if they're clueless like your teammates.
picking an AFK Jungler is usually a bad idea (<- this article should be read by every new player). There is no Hero in DOTA that *has* to Jungle, granted a Lycanthrope can be a good Jungler, but with a decent Support or 2, he can Lane quite easily.
If you want to keep your Summon Wolves alive, you'll have to Micro-manage them, when one drops below half HP, select it, then move it away from the Creeps, so they stop attacking it, and focus the other Wolf. When both wolves are low, you have to Tank for them a little bit, this is why you need Tangoes at the beginning.
Also, you mention you went 7/3/15, but how well did you (Split-)Push? Did you take down Towers while the enemy weren't paying attention, or at least force them to TP in to defend every other minute? A Lycan's worth is in his Split-Pushing, not his KDA.
As for Items, Mask of Madness is fairly useless on Lycanthrope, the Attack Speed seems nice, but an Assault Cuirass will give you all you need. Secondly, did you build Power Treads, or did you go "No Boots" Lycan? X{D
Personally, I find that after you get you Ring of Basilius and Morbid Mask, you should build Power Treads 1st most of the time (before completeing Vladmir's Offering). The Attack Speed makes for faster Farming, and you'll need them straight after your Vladmir's Offering to be able to go Roshan anyway. After that, I find going Assault Cuirass into Heart of Tarrasque is enough to Escape any low-level 1 vs 5 Gank.
I typically don't get a Black King Bar, but that's because I like to Tank as many Ultimates as possible for my Team. If you don't trust your Team to follow up after you, get a Black King Bar and let someone else take the brunt of the Damage.
http://dotabuff.com/matches/453503209
^ This was my Last Lycanthrope match, it's pretty crazy and not a very High Skill Level, but it shows just how strong a Lycanthrope can be in Lane...plus, you gotta love Lvl 1 Jungling + Ganking Brewmaster X{D although he did want the Lane in the end, so I reluctantly went into the Jungle ._. Thanks to Assault Cuirass and Heart of Tarrasque (+ Aegis of the Immortal, I was basically invincible.
P.S. Don't copy my bad habits, I tend to mess around a lot when I think a Game is easy (getting Hand of Midas for quick levels, but not getting a Black King Bar, Split-Pushing without caring about getting 5-man Ganked etc.