Death Prophet : a complete guide (6.81)

Sorry to hijack the thread Eanor :)

I get your issue with people saying "always go Bloodstone, it's core", it isn't! I might go Scythe of Vyse, Drum of Endurance/ Eul's Scepter of Divinity or even pickup a Ghost Scepter, Rod of Atos or Orchid Malevolence depending on the situation.

However, the point I'm making is that a Soul Booster, and it's parts, have a bigger impact earlier on, unlike the Scythe of Vyse, which you'll likely have to wait longer for while you get that 2700 gold for the staff together. A Point Booster in your inventory at 1200 gold (after full boots - usually Phase Boots for me) is a much quicker 200/150 increase in your pool sizes, which can allow you do more, and maybe survive situations you wouldn't otherwise.

I'd argue that usually has more impact on the midgame (and DP is primarily a midgame hero) than having a weaker set of bonuses and a Hex 10 minutes or so later. Being able to deny yourself, heal your team, and respawn faster are pretty useful too. Having all that move speed, +450 hp and +400 mana (with some regen) at level 11 or earlier can make you horribly difficult to take down.

Obviously sheepstick is great against 4 protect 1 type line ups if they haven't got a BKB yet, against very mobile heroes and if your team already has a tank or two.

What about a Eul's as a first item? I've seen that. Not that I play DP, though. It just seems nice because of her high movespeed from Witchcarft. You can also ulti+euls to give 3 seconds of free damage.

@Sando

I think Bloodstone is a good item on Death Prophet. I don't like when people say it is a core first item on her. Not just Death Prophet, on some other heroes it bothers me aswell.

It is a fairly easy-expensive item to get. But you are playing mid and if you are a good player, you shouldnt be using the argument of "easy to get", when deciding which item you should get.

My point is this: if your team is winning every lane, winning every team fight and taking tower advantage, then Bloodstone with its HP/Mana boost and regen is a good item to just roll over your opponents.

However, if your team is not stomping, then you should be more careful deciding what to buy:

1. Mana issues: You shouldn't be having mana issues. You have Bottle and Arcane Boots. Why are you having mana issues with these two items? I know DP spams a lot (I play mid, I have played DP tons of times), but with Bottle and Arcane, you don't have mana issues, unless you aren't being careful about it. However, if mana is your problem, then Scythe of Vyse gives as much mana and mana regen as the Bloodstone, and aditionally an Hex. Also gives you 200 HP. Shiva's Guard doesn't give as much mana, but its more than enough, because, you have 1 Bottle and Arcane Boots.

1. HP issues: Bloodstone gives 500 HP. Eye of Skadi gives 725 HP and 550 Mana. Heart of Tarrasque gives 1060 HP.

It just seems obvious to me there are so many better options than Bloodstone as a first item. Thats why I always disagree when people say it is a must buy 1st item on Death Prophet.

Bloodstone vs Shiva's Guard vs Scythe of Vyse is an interesting discussion, and it does depend somewhat on the game situation - if your team really needs a Hex then you should get the Sheepstick asap. However, I would say Silence can go along way in situations where you're looking to lockdown mobile heroes, so it wouldn't necessarily be my first choice that often.

A big point in favour of the Bloodstone is I find it much easier and more useful while it's building - temporary Arcane Boots (if you don't go phase), then a lovely Point Booster 1200 gold later (basically as good as a more expensive Ultimate Orb), then into Soul Booster which is a pretty great item. These items are relatively cheap, and give you instant game impact.

The buildup for Shiva's Guard and Scythe of Vyse is nothing like as good - the staff is expensive, and I don't think stuff like armour is as useful midgame as extra HP - obviously it does depend on the opposition. Shiva's also not so impactful early on when right click is less of an issue.

For me, Soul Booster at 3300 > Ultimate Orb + Void Stone at ~3000, or Mystic Staff and Void Stone at ~3600.

Personally, I'll tend to build at least the Soul Booster before either finishing it, or starting right away on a Sheepstick, with the Shiva's or AC coming after that if necessary. There's a degree of personal preference and situational stuff though - I just think the Bloodstone build needs some defending as it does get some stick.

Good guide, nice work. However, I think there are some things you overlooked, and you shouldnt overlook stuff if you want to say your guide is a "complete guide" :P.

I know a lot of people like Bloodstone as first item, but I deeply disagree with it. If your team is stomping and you are winning all the lanes, then Bloodstone could be a first major item. However, if you want mana, Scythe of Vyse gives you as much mana and mana regen and 1 hex (which will help your team so much more than a Bloodstone. Even Shiva's Guard gives you mana and armor (making you more tanky). It doesnt give as much mana as Bloodstone, but its more than enough during the early stages of the match. If you only need more tankyness, rushing a Heart of Tarrasque is much better than Bloodstone. But seriously now, mana issues??? Come one, you have a Bottle and Arcane Boots, how the hell do you have mana issues?

I can see the advantages of Bloodstone as first item, but saying it should always be the first item to buy as long as you have gold is too limited. Its more a situational item than a "must-buy-1st" core item.

Also you don't mention the skill build where you max Witchcraft before Crypt Swarm. This is a very popular build among the pro players. Its particularly weird you dont mention this in your "pusher" build.

Glad to help Eanor - the AC I'd say is probably preferable to pickup over the Heart of Tarrasque or Shiva's Guard usually - more damage output, more survivability (unless you're facing a massive amount of magic damage) - as you already have Bloodstone the armour is actually more efficient than more HP here, and helps your team too.

You've actually got good intelligence gain on DP, so it's only her lacklustre agility/attack speed that's holding back your right click damage. The armour reduction isn't so much for towers (although it helps), but more for it's effects on opponents - they're not only more vulnerable to ghosts, but to your improved right click, and your team's physical damage too.

Obviously don't get one if your team already has one - normally get Shiva's Guard instead, or a Heart of Tarrasque if they have one of those too. The Heart can heal you very effectively away from fights, but you can potentially do that from Exorcism ending anyway.

The issue I have with level 4 Crypt Swarm is that you pay 25 mana per cast for only 50 damage - it's really poor scaling. Yes, occasionally that extra little damage might make a difference, but personally I find it more likely I'll run out of mana at a vital moment.

With the 4cs/2wc build you do 300 damage for 155 mana, 3cs/3wc would be 250 damage for 125 mana - so you're actually using 30 mana for 50 damage here, and don't forget, you're also reducing the cooldown, cost of Silence, and increasing your move speed too. Levels 2+3 get you 75 damage each for 15+20 mana respectively. Generally I find mana is a big problem for her early-mid game, and is why we love the Bloodstone so much :).

My suggestion would be to try the 3cs build in a game and see how you get on with it - you might find it better, you might not.

Thanks you for your comments !

Krwiozerca : about the Eul's Scepter of Divinity i wrote what you said here " Also you can deal damage with your ultimate while your are on the cyclone." but maybe this is not enough clear or visible and i will make it more apparent in a new paragraph.

Sando : about the Assault Cuirass, i put it in one build but as never use it on the Death Prophet i forgot for the others. As you said this item is nice, for the push and for the teamfight (same for the Desolator), but at level 25 to destroy a tower it almost takes : 7 second with Desolator + Assault Cuirass, 9 second with Assault Cuirass only and 11 second with no armor reduction. I guess as the only way to build for a teamfight oriented DP it is when the game is too long, in late late game as you said, this could be really useful if your main carry, or the offlaner don't build it before you. For the strat push it's a good option and i will ad it to the item. Now about the skill build, i don't know if the one i propose is better but this is the one i prefer for how i play even if the dpm is inferior. What i propose : max the cryp swarm, put the other point in the Witchcraft and take the Silence lvl 4 instead of one witchraft if don't feel safe. When i hit the lvl 6/7 i go gank and i feel the 300 dmg given by the lvl4 cryp swarm is safer to kill than the 250 given by the lvl 4. I never tried this other build but i guess in a early push strat this build is better with the +50 dmg given by the witchcraft to the ultimate.

the other Mark : the attack speed aura (beastmaster or AC) doesn't affect the attack speed of the spirit of the Exorcism as sando said the AC only affect the physical damage taken by the enemies and the attack speed aura only affect the heroes and friendly units

It has an armour reduction aura (for enemies, increase for allies), but since Ghosts do physical damage, it boost their damage output.

I have always wondered if the attack speed aura effects the spirits from her ult. It would be really hard to measure but they seem to really hit hard with it.

Seconds Assault Cuirass on her. Especially if you are doing a push build. The aura affects towers as well and with her ult they come down in a hurry.

She works best with fast games since she tails off the longer the game goes. AC really helps end the game.

Overall nice guides, especially like the pictures. Consider Assault Cuirass on her as a super-luxury: it makes you tankier, vastly improves your attack speed, and most important reduces enemy armour to make them more vulnerable to ghosts.

However, I would reconsider some of the skill builds, take a look at this explanation.

Few typos, generally nice guide. I love the Eul's Scepter of Divinity on her. You forgot to mention that when you will use that item on yourself while Exorcism is on, then you will still deal damage, being invulnerable for the duration of the Cyclone.

I am sure it will he helpful to new players. Well done.