Gramm's different guid to Lich (and why you should avoid Aghanim's Scepter)

I have also noticed something else. Because you decided to build Lich as a Glass Cannon (Which he shouldn't be anyway), he needs mana regeneration. Eul's Scepter of Divinity will solve his mana problems. Force Staff can also get him or his allies out of sticky situation. He doesn't require hard and physical damage from his attack. Most Intellegent Heroes are strong through their spells and Lich is one of them.

^ This is because Lina is able to sustain more magic damage. Veil of Discord would be a suitable option with the pair, but in general, no.

On the veil of Discord suggestion over Ag. Thank you, Last two matches I have done it and been far more effective. Especially laning beside Lina.

If you are ganking with your mid hero and the other support like you should be its very easy to get 12-15 min mek from the tower gold and assist cash and as lich you'll probly end up having to steal some killing blows on those who are going to escape

Mekansm is a favourable item that can give you and your team a huge advantage. Whilst it may not look like it can do much, Lich is BOTH a Support and a Nuker. Mekansm is a support item and at least 1 person should have Mekansm for the team. It's aura is very, very useful for the team. If no one has Mekansm, the Lich should. It nsynergises well with Frost Armour, giving bonus armour AND regeneraton.

I will also disagree that Aghanim's Scepter is WORSE than Veil of Discord. Whilst, yes, Veil will offer more damage, it doesn't grant massive bonus stats, like Aghanim's Scepter. Lich is a Support and it's job is not suppose to kill enemies, only deal massive amounts of damage that makes it easier for other heroes to kill. Dagon is just a big no-no. It is only a minor pinprick at later games.

Mek in 12-13 minutes? I don't think is possible if you truly focus on hard supporting, unless you don't buy Wards. My average time to get one is 20-25 minutes (or ~18 if my team has already destroyed all the tier one towers and 1-2 tier two).

dagon is unnecessary... veil will do the thing.

mek SHOULD be core if you are playing support.

if you are playing in a pub even supports dont take mek and take your CS and then rage at the carries who dont get any farm :/

Lich in almost any level of play should and is played as a hard support due to him needing no farm to help destroy in team fights. He's one of my most successful hero's and I always rush mek. You can farm mek normally around 12-13 minutes since at 6 you should be roaming to let your carry get the lane farm and be ganking with you other support buddy and semi carry-mid. Dagon seems silly unless its a pub your about to 22 minute gg them. Veil isn't a bad item just rushed seems useless as you probly won't catch a full team fight early or be playing people bad enough to cluster in a team fight and once bkbs get popped mid game your mainly just a floating mek/ armor fountain for your team with the threat of your ult making pushing risky and rosh ultra scary. Don't build to be a glass cannon. You don't need AA DMG or extra nukes. Just stay alive and buff the threat of lich ult is enough to swing team fights without even casting it as hero's are scared to help who's being focused as the chain frost could be inc.

I did read the guide, and I disagree with it. Veil is a percentage based damage increase and as a result is a poor earlygame item. Mek gives your team a huge advantage early-mid game if you get it before the enemy, and if the enemy have one and you don't... the mek will do so much for your teamfights than a veil.

You say mek does not bring much to lich... have you realised that lich is a support? and as a result, lich buys items which help the TEAM, not lich himself. Therefore mek is an excellent item. Besides, lich's ult is not reliable enough to warrant building items to benefit it. Veil is only a good pick in a team with lots of magic damage, and even then, it's an item for later on in the game, not at 15 minutes.

You say that another hero will build mek, but this is often not the case, especially at the level that people needing a guide will be at. The people who need a guide to tell them how to play lich are the sort of people who don't realise how useful a mek is. They're also not at the level where an offlaner/mid is going to have the common sense to build a mek either, so it will be down to the supports in 99% of games.

Yeah, the Orchid is kinda wasted; I'd rather get a Shiva's Guard instead.

I really like the Mekansm but the Veil is a reasonable item to get too (I'm another fan of the no-Agh's Lich); still, I would pick if after the Mek or after the Drum of Endurance, since it helps a lot more than the Veil early on because it makes chases super easy. The stats given by the Veil of Discord are way too less for its price and you want cost-efficient items for the first ~20 minutes at least.

Also, the Force Staff is a pretty good item as it makes you close the gap between your enemies and land a good Veil and ultimate. You can also force teammates out of Power Cogs, Sprouts and Open Wounds.

The rest of the guide is fine: I would personally leave Sacrifice at 2 until level 14 (the mana-per-sacrifice is already good at 2) and get better starting items like Courier, Wards, Tango, Salve and a Branch, but that's it. I still think the Mekansm is good on Lich, but if my mid/offlaner can build it in 15 minutes, I'd rather leave it for him.

I don't build mek because I build veil, and as I say in the guide mek does not bring much to lich (but you would have to read the guide to know that). By the time you get veil another hero will have built mek, and if not you can if you want.

As for the other items it depends on the enemy team setup.

You reject mek in favour of veil and dagon? What the heck... Orchid is an item for int right clickers, not a hard support. It's wasted gold, rather save up a bit more and get a sheepstick.

Sorry, but do you play at the level where no-one plays a support and no-one buys courier and wards? Because this guide makes it seem that way.