-DyNa`Invoker-

Introduction

Hi all! I'm Andy from Indonesia, my English not well so, I'm sorry if there many wrong spelling, grammar etc.
this is my first guide here, my favorite hero is Invoker and I want to share with you all my build, game-play, etc.
Before playing Invoker, you need to remember all his orb combinations.
Enjoy :D

Skill Build

Invoker is the most flexible hero in DotA, it means he can build as Initiator, Semi-carry, Caster, Support
So the skill build depends on the situation and your opponent too.
I always go Exort build, but never build it if your team has enough damage output. I mean it's better for you to build Wex, in the 6.80 patch, EMP become very useful spell. With 7 points of Wex, you can use EMP + Deafening Blast, 550 mana drain + 4 second disarm to prevent Drow,Void,Magina,PA,PL and another carry to attack.

• Focus Exort: If the enemy doesn't have any escape skill and low health point example, Keeper of the Light, Sniper, Crystal Maiden, Pugna, Nature's Prophet, etc. The Eul-SS-Meteor-Blast combo will work perfectly against them. This build have a great AOE damage output but low MS and poor disable skill. Unless you got Phase boots and Eul.
  
• Focus Wex: If the enemy has a low mana pool and they can't do anything without their mana example, Earthshaker, Pudge, Elder Titan, Tiny etc. EMP mana drain will make them can't use their skills except attack (don't worry, they didn't have a high damage and good attack speed too, haha). But there something you need to know, don't focus Wex if your team didn't have a good damage output even your opponent is Tiny, pudge and other.
  
• Focus Quas(?): Never focus Quas, the highest level for Quas in early-mid game is 4, allows you to have 2 Forge Spirit and 1.7 lift time (Tornado), enough time to setup your spell. You may up your Quas till level 4 at Level 7, give a great regeneration but very low damage.
  
• EQ Build: With 2 Forge Spirits and Cold Snap, this build have a great damage output, (cons : Single target). I like this build too, but it can't do a good AOE damage. Dagger and Force Staff work perfectly with EQ build
  
• EW Build: This build have a good damage output,disable,movement speed, etc. This build is great while your opponent was Faceless Void, Drow Ranger, Anti-Mage and another Hitter hero. The balance between Exort and Wex, you will have a good AOE damage, on the other hand, with 4-5 point of Wex, you have a 3 second disarm to prevent them attack, mana drain, great Alacrity for your Carry.
  
• WQ Build: This build has a great disable, if your team has 3 carries, go Wex Invoker. This invoker has a high mobility and MS.

Early Game

Invoker needs Mid Lane, the thing that he needed the most is Level, low level Invoker suck.
So I recommended Invoker go mid lane. You can see at my item build, there no Starting Item part. Why?
Because I think it's situational item, sometimes I buy 2 Circlet, Tango, 2 Branches for +6 all stats. Sometimes I buy Tango, Observer Wards, 1 Circlet and 3 Branch. Or I buy Tango and Blades of Attack. Well~ It's up to you!
But I still prefer you to buy 1 Observer wards in starting game even your team has Support.
Keep getting all the last hit and don't forget to deny when you have a chance. Transfer one Observer ward to your allies so he/she can put it on their lane and the other one, put it on the river (rune spot). Take rune and go gank another lane or use Forge Spirit to deny the Rune if you don't want to leave the lane. Make sure enemy didn't get the rune because he/she will gank your teammates!
Keep paying attention to map and prepare to Sun Strike :D
You get EXP too, if kill using Sun strike.

Mid Game

There will be some wars during mid game, the things that you should remember is Invoker is too valuable to die so maintain your distance in battle. Don'ft put yoursel on the front line.
While your opponent has an Initiator hero, you need to counter their initiation. Your team may receive the damage, disable or even a stun, but you still can Tornado them up. The lift duration will buy some time for your team.

With 4-1-4 build, you can push down a tower easily. Send 1 Forge Spirit to pull away incoming creep and Alacrity yourself. If you want to know what spell you need to prepare before the clash, read "Preparing Spell Before Clash" chapter below.
While pushing down a tower and you can't attend the clash. Use Sun Strike to help your team.

Late Game

Nah ! It's a late game now. Better finish it ASAP if your team doesn't have a Carry (or the carry noob? :P)
I hate it when we dominate the mid game but in the late game, something went wrong. It's quite happen. F*** it ..
Invoker can play as a DPS hero too, with his 3 Exort + Alacrity + Cold Snap, Daedalus and high damage item. Invoker critical hit can reach 1000+ damage!
Invoker is different from another INT hero, he will grow stronger in Late Game. So don't afraid playing late game unless your team Carry noob :D
While many opponents got BKB and your team didn't have enough carry/hitter. I suggest you get some high damage item. Go and fight with them.

Prepare Spell Before Battle

Preparing your spell before clash is important, while your team has a better initiator, keep staying behind to wait him to initiate the war and ready to cast your spell. Think twice before using Tornado, because it will make a fatal mistake if wrongly timed, example : Ravage, Echo Slam, Cronosphere, or Reverse Polarity cancelled by a Tornado. Not funny man :P
But if you're the main initiator in your team, always use tornado to initiate :D

Exort Invoker : If your team has a better initiator, let him initiate the war. Invoke Sun Strike or Cold Snap first and Meteor second, after cast SS or Cold Snap, replace it with Deafening Blast. Max your Exort in early game will make Invoker lack early-mid game initiation.
Wex Invoker : Prepare EMP and Cold Snap or Alacrity. If you're main initiator, prepare Tornado + EMP, replace the second spell with Deafening Blast. Don't cast it too early, cast a few second later. It will make your Blast more effective than cast it while the enemy gets stunned.
EQ Invoker : Invoke Forge Spirit first and Cold Snap second. You may invoke the third spell too but make sure your Forge Spirit will last throughout the upcoming clash.

Invoker's Spell

Sun Strike
SS has 1.7 second delay so you need to predict it, it works amazingly with 2 second stun and another disable spell.

EMP
In 6.80 patch, EMP drain 550 mana and restores Invoker for 50% of the mana it drains from heroes (excluding illusions). With Refresher, you can get 1100 mana drain, 550 pure damage and 8 second disarm.

Cold Snap
Coldsnap is invoker's best spell. It's great againts Bane,Sand King,Shadow Fiend,Enigma,Spirit Breaker. The perma-stun will interrupt their ultimate channeling. moreover, the stun lock can prevent QoP or AM to blink away.

Chaos Meteor
Synergy with cold snap, the DPS will trigger the mini-stun. Using Eul or Tornado can be a great setup for this spell, but if your team have a AOE stunner, do you need it?

Alacrity
Double-click will cast it to yourself (in DotA warcraft, you need to target it to yourself instead of double-click it) that's why it more easy to play in Dota 2. LOL
Use it while pushing, invoke Spirit to pull the incoming creeps away. this spell can cast to Siege Unit too.

Tornado
It has purge like properties and will remove certain buffs from enemies hit by it. It can be a perfect setup for EMP, Meteor, Icewall and Sunstrike. Tornado have maximum 3200 range, use it for catch your enemy that about to runaway. Initiate with Tornado if you are the main initiator in team. Several second lift time will give Allies to positioning themselves.

Forge Spirit
Reduce 1 armor per hit. you can use it to deny Rune in early game, scout into the jungle while pushing, kill and more. synergy with Medal, Sladar, Lanaya etc. while pushing tower, invoke spirit and control one of them to pull incoming creep wave away.

Ice Wall
It's a perfect spell for escape, slow enemies while clash, catch an enemy that about to run away. With 3 point of Exort (13-14 damage after reduction), it deals more than 10 damage and it will trigger coldsnap.

Ghost Walk
Ghost walk become more useful in 6.80 patch, with 3 Wex orb and level 7 wex, it will provide almost max movespeed. The slow aure not blocked by magic immuity.

Deafening Blast
This spell is a great disable, with a high quas and wex, it will push enemies back and prevent them to attack for 1-4 second. when you use tornado or Eul, if you cast deafening blast and they lands exactly on blast, they will get pulled toward you. it happens several time on me and it's cute to see (>.<) LOL ..

Invoker's Item

well, in my opinion, the most important thing in dota is countering our enemy.
Invoker can counter almost all heroes in DotA however he is easy to counter too.
enemy just need to buy Dust and his Ghost walk are useless now,, Haha
Now I want to discuss about Invoker's item ..

Power Treads or Phase Boots ??
Well, I prefer Treads because it's more durable. But sometimes you need to buy Phase boots too. It's situational man :D
Orchid Malevolence
buy it if your opponent is Magina, Puck, Ember Spirit, Strom Spirit, Templar Assassin, Earth spirit, Morphling, N'aix, Timbersaw, Zeus, Terrorblade and many more. Buy this item as soon as possible.
Aghanim's Scepter
This item is great for Invoker but it doesn't mean that Invoker need this item so bad. with 2 second delay, Invoke Tornado first and Meteor second, then prepare your EMP spell (WWW), after your team initiate war (or maybe you're the one who initiate the war?), cast Tornado, press R immediately, Tornado spell will replaced by EMP, cast EMP, carefully using it because it has 2.6 second delay and tornado has a 2.5 second delay, enemies are invulnerable when in Tornado lift time, cast Meteor, press QWER and cast your Deafening Blast. I learned this combo from Grimorum Raging Fury 6. If you have Refresher, click it and cast EMP+Blast again. 1100 mana drain + 4-8 second disarm!
Black King Bar
I have played many matches with Invoker and always he is the first target in a team fight. I recommend Invoker buy this item if you always get aim. With this item, you can avoid Orchid silence, stun etc, so you can cast your spell perfectly. Global Silence and Overgrowth goes through BKB, active it after they use their ultimate. Beware of Reverse Polarity and Blackhole, active your BKB won't help you to avoid their disable.
Blink Dagger
This is a good item for chasing, escape, initiate and help you setup the deadly combo, icewall, coldsnap and more. I like buy this item if i went EQ build, Blink-Spirit-Coldsnap!
Force Staff
buy this item can help your team alot, click on them to help run away or chase enemy. you better buy this item if there are Clockwerk, Nature's Prophet on enemy team.
Eul's Scepter of Divinity
Eul is a great item, it can be used to dodge projectiles. Beside as the useful item for setup spell, Eul was a great item for survive from Spirit Breaker's deadly charge. His ultimate will cancelled when you cast it to yourself. when he is charge you, before he reach you, double-click Eul. you may Cold Snap him too from 1000 range away.
Eye of Skadi
Some player will say "wtf? Invoker with Skadi? what a noob". +25 all stats mean +475 health point, +325 mana point, 25 attack speed, 3.5 armor, +25 damage. so it's called useless item? LOL
The slow effect goes through magic immune. It works amazingly with Cold Snap and Alacrity.
Buy this item if many opponents have magic immune.
Linken's Sphere
It great againt Doom, Venge, Wraithking, Ogre etc. Becareful with Doom, even you got Linken's Sphere, he still can Doom you by using his 3rd spell. Remember that you can transfer Spell Block buff to your Allies.
Refresher Orb
Perfect item for Invoker. Buy it in late game, where all of your spell are max and ready to rape enemies. Againts BKB user, maintain your distance from them while they are immune, wait until their immunity expires, go now, GO RAPE THEM! LOL
Scythe of Vyse
Evasion ? F*** it! Hex disable damage block and evasion, it makes the target only have 100 movement speed.
Daedalus
Invoker have a carry potential. with Alacrity and Cold snap, he will deals a great damage like the other carry does.
Monkey King Bar
well, this item great againts hero with evasion.
Abyssal Blade
The more high your attack speed, the more stun will occurs. Remember that Overwhelm goes through magic immune

Build Discussion

Well, in this guide you can find 4 type of build. I'll explain it 1 by 1 ..

• -DyNa`Invoker- : This build is the most flexible one. The skill build and item build depends on the situation. That's why I didn't fill the skill build.
• Support : Go Support if your team too many carry. It's good too play as support, buy mekans, ward etc. This Invoker focus WQ, but at certain level, up 1 Exort. Too bad a high Wex without 1 Exort you can't invoke Deafening Blast to disarm opponents. Buy Arcane for support your team, if there are some hero in the team with Arcane as core item, you just buy Treads or Phase boots.
• The Corruptor : Don't build this if your team didn't have a good Tanker, Initiator, Support. The Corruptor Invoker deals a massive damage to single target but if you were stunned. Good Bye :)
  So I put BKB as his core item, this Invoker are lack of movement speed and more vulnerable than normal Invoker. Which means low stats (no Aghanim), no dagger, no Eul, no Forcestaff for escape, in this case, you need a Tanker and Initiator. Forge Spirit and Cold Snap as main spell.
• The Deadly Assassin : Carry build. Satanic and EoS as Luxury Item. With lifesteal, it makes Invoker more 'tanky'. You still need Tanker, Initiator and Support too in this build. Alacrity and Cold Snap as main spell.
• Thorvoker : Well, still the same with Assassin and Corruptor build, need Tanker, Initiator and Support. Thorvoker have high Wex, so if you can cast EMP or Blast, why not? being Carry didn't mean you should hit only. Alacrity and Cold Snap as main spell.

Closing

Well, I hope this guide will help you all. I'm so sorry for my bad English and wrong spelling. Sorry if there so many unclear word, bad explanation. LOL.. XD
My English are teribble dude .. Haha
I suggest you to watch Invoker Raging Fury on Youtube, played by Grimorum, he was the most awesome Invoker player in my opinion..


You don't need to follow all my item build and skill build. Make your own build too, maybe it's will be better for you .. Everyone have a different gameplay..
I'll keep make this guide better and better :D

Special Thanks to GRIMORUM