Gyrocopter - Rockets, Missiles and Bullets oh my!

Introduction

Usually I'm too lazy to write a guide but now I'm stuck where I got too much free time and no DOTA2 access. So, I will be writing guides for a few underrated heroes to show you readers how to play them properly. Why underrated heroes? Because underrated heroes are those that have not been fully explored, probably have a few different skill build. Any competitive hero would have a "near perfect" skill and item build. I hope you would be able to learn something new even if it is minor.

Pros vs Cons

Pros

• Very Versatile
• Strong Laner
• Strong Early Game
• Strong close range burst damage
• Cool model and sound
• So annoying that they overextend just to kill you
• Underrated (cool to use a non-mainstream hero)

Cons

• Low HP
• Low Mana Pool
• Low basic attack range
• No escape mechanism
• Lack of ways to kill defensive enemies

Skills Explanation

Rocket Barrage

Ability: Damage Type:

No Target Magical

Launches a salvo of rockets at nearby targets in a radius around the Gyrocopter. Lasts 3 seconds.

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Notes:

• The rockets only hit units Gyrocopter can see.

Explanation

A great skill in a 1v1 with no creep situation. Even at level 1 it deals 330 magic damage. It is like Battery Assault or Eclipse. Hits random enemy unit within 400 range, so try to position yourself so that only 1 enemy hero is in the AoE.

This skill looks OP in paper but in reality there is very little chance to land the full damage. Most of the time two things will happen. Either your enemy hero will run to his creep or he will stun/slow you. The reason why this skill is not OP is that it doesn't mini-stun the enemy (not like Clockwerk's Battery Assault).

Best for burst damage.

Homing Missile

Ability: Damage Type:

Target Unit Magical

Fires a homing missile to seek the targeted enemy unit. The missile gains speed over time, stuns, and deals greater damage farther it has traveled. Enemy units can destroy the missile before it reaches its target.

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Notes:

• Towers do half damage to the rocket.
• Enemy gains vision over the rocket 1 second after it starts moving.
• The crosshair over the target is visible to allies only.
• Minimum damage is 50.
• Maximum of damage is reached when the rocket is 1500 distance away from the point where it started
• Cannot hit invisible unit without true sight

Basically a missile that stun and deal damage if it hits. It takes 3 second to charge up, follow the enemy hero till it hit them or destroyed (3 hits by hero, 6 hits by tower). The further the missile move, the more damage. Cannot hit invisible unit.


Yet another skill that looks OP since it hit for a max of 440 damage with a 11 second cooldown at level 4. However, the only time you would hit the max damage is when they're near dead, just running towards the fountain. This skill is most commonly used as a "fight me or retreat". Spam this for free with Soul Ring and Tranquil Boots.

Best against defensive player.

Flak Cannon

Ability: Damage Type:

No Target Physical

Gyrocopter's attacks hit all enemy units in an area around it for a limited number of attacks. Only the main target of attacks will receive attack bonuses such as Critical Strike. Lasts 15 seconds or until the attacks are used.

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Notes:

• Gyrocopter's attack range remains 375.
• Works with Shadow Blade bonus damage

Like Medusa's Split Shot but this hits all target in 1000 AoE for X number of attack or 15 second. Doesn't hit unit in fog of war or invisible unit. Doesn't work with critical and bash. Works with lifesteal.

The underrated skill of Gyrocopter. Most Gyrocopter player would max this last, thinking it is a bad skill in early game. No doubt Rocket Barrage or Homing Missile is better for ganking. However when it comes to laning, this skill is much better with that low mana cost.

Gyrocopter at level 7 have base damage of 57 to 67 (average 62). 62 * 6 = 372 physical damage for 50 mana. This is the ultimate lane control skill. You can harass the enemy while farming.


Enemy heroes have 3 different counteraction when you do this.

#1 High Risk (for them)

Attack you while you shooting the creeps with flak. Likely result - They attract creep aggro and end up taking more damage.


#2 No Risk (for them)

Run out of the range of the 1000 range or into fog. Result - They lose some of the last hit.


#3 Moderate Risk (for them)

Ignore and continue to last hit/deny. 50/50 result.
1. Manage to last hit and buy regeneration item to negate the harass.
2. Fail to get hit the last hit, low on health and low on gold.


Any decent player would do #3, they just try to get the last hit then back off. Whether they get the last hit, it is up to your personal skill to stop it. At mid game or so, always on your Flak Cannon before any possible engage. The Flak Cannon last 15 second and 20 second cooldown upon activation. You can easily turn it into 5 seconds cooldown skill.

Best for pushing and laning.

Call Down

Ability: Damage Type:

Target Point Magical

Call down an aerial missile strike on enemy units in a target area. Two missiles arrive in succession, the first dealing major damage and minor slow; the second dealing minor damage and major slow.

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Notes:

• The duration, missile damage and missile slow columns show: First rocket/second rocket
• The visual warning indicator is visible for allies only, but enemies can see the rockets launch.

A interesting ultimate, but useless when using incorrectly. First missile hit after 2 second while 2nd missile hit after 4 second. Slows and damage when either missile hits.

Despite looking like a complex skill, it is rather easy to use. Use it when the enemy are slowed/stunned, so that the 1st missile is a 100% hit. If possible, try to aim the AoE at their escape route (likely behind them) so that the 2nd missile can hit also. For escape purpose, you can aim at your escape route to prevent them from chasing you.

Skill Build

Before I start with the skill build, I reiterate that gyrocopter is a flexible hero. Maxing a skill first at level 7 is not a must. His damage come from the combination of all his skils.

Solo Lane / Farming

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Non-Legacy Key: EQEWEREWWWRQQQ
Legacy Key: FRFEFCFEEECRRR


Why max Flak Cannon first?

This is the most used skill during laning. Flak Cannon will apply pressure to your opponent when they're trying to last hit. It will make it harder for them to last hit when you're harassing them with Flak Cannon. With just only 50 mana, you boost your own attack range to 1000 and hit all creeps + hero. It also help you clear creep faster which means free hits from Rocket Barrage.



Why max Homing Missile first instead of Rocket Barrage?

Rocket Barrage is skill that looks good in theory. You will find yourself using Homing Missile more than Rocket Barrage, simply because you will not have the chance to get to 400 range without creep in laning. Any attempt to get close to your enemy hero (without missile) may find yourself getting nuked and maybe killed with that ****ty base health Gyrocopter has. Max Homing Missile have decreased cd and longer stun duration. In long fights, you have the chance to cast the Homing Missile again after the first hit.

Roaming/Ganking/Babysit Build

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Non-Legacy Key: QWQWQRQWWEREEE
Legacy keys: RERERCREEFCFFF

Switch around with Rocket Barrage and Homing Missile depending on the situation. Most of the time at level 1 Rocket Barrage is more important for ganking.

Why max Rocket Barrage first?

When you're ganking, I assume that there will be some form of stun or slow. You would be able to get into the optimized position for Rocket Barrage which means the full 690 damage. Always remember to activate your Homing Missile before Rocket Barrage. The earlier you use Homing Missile the better it is. However, the enemies are able to see you when you cast Homing Missile on them.

Bugs / Difference between Dota1 and Dota2

Homing missile is visible to the enemy as soon as it drops (it should be viewable 1sec later - e.g if launched from uphill)

Flak cannon can miss

Item Build

Starting Items

+ + + + = 603 gold

or

+ + + + = 598 gold


You can substitute the Ring of Protection with other item if necessary. Try to get your team to get Animal Courier, if there isn't just get it yourself. Remember, the starting item is flexible, if necessary just substitute Circlet and Iron Branch with Magic Stick.

If you start with Ring of Protection you can complete Tranquil Boots at side lane. Mostly, I would prefer to get Tranquil Boots first but if you're having a easy lane, just get Soul Ring first.

Core Items

+ +

After discovering the power of Tranquil Boots + Soul Ring with gyrocopter, I would never go any gyrocopter game without both of them. Activate Soul Ring + Tranquil Boots then Homing Missile and Flak Cannon. Watch your enemy being unable to last hit and run more than 1000 range away from you. The reason why Tranquil Boots + Soul Ring works so well with gyrocopter is the casting range of Homing Missile. Tranquil Boots will negate the hp lost from Soul Ring, while Soul Ring will remove the mana cost of Homing Missile. With proper management of mana, you can stay in lane all day long.

Shadow Blade is just there to make yourself more annoying, harder to target and more mobility. If you can get a free farm lane early on, a fast shadow blade is quite game breaking. In high level games, people will get sentry/dust to counter your shadow blade. However, it is still useful, the river and runes are often warded, windwalk allows you to bypass them without detection. In low level games, nobody will get Sentry Wards/ Dust of Appearance so windwalk = free invulnerability.

Mobility Tool

vs

Shadow Blade
Pros

• Gives attack speed and damage
• Windwalk useful against Observer Wards

Cons

• Countered by Dust of Appearance, Sentry Wards and Gem of truesight

Blink Dagger
Pros

• Cheaper
• Instant teleportation

Cons

• Disabled by radiance

x2

Always keep 2 Town Portal Scroll in your inventory so that you still have 1 left after using.

Situation Items

Most games will require this but there are some exceptions. But still be prepared to keep a slot for this item.





The item to go when you're facing heavy nukers like Zeus or Lina.

Possible Extension Items

+ Other HP item

Fighting annoying caster like Leshrac/ Death Prophet or even high DPS hero like Phantom Assassin ? Just go for Blade Mail and reflect them.





If you can manage to save up easily after your Shadow Blade, you can just go Radiance for more AoE power.





OP on gyrocopter but risky as hell. It works godly with Flak Cannon just like Divine Rapier on Medusa. Only get this when you know what you are doing.





A good item to get when you have problem with physical DPS hero. Can be use offensively, activating it before the homing hit to burst harder. Or defensively, just it like Ghost Scepter.





Good item for evasion, but expensive and doesn't give hp. Only build this as 5th or 6th item. Ethereal Blade is more useful than this most of the time.





Great item to synergy with Blade Mail, makes you much harder to kill.



vs

Still testing out which is better.

NOGO Items

If you have Soul Ring and Tranquil Boots, there will be no need for bottle. You already have enough regen, better to spend the 600 gold on somewhere else.





Claims to improve your ultimate but most of the time it is useless. Gives you 75 more damage on 2nd missile and global casting range. The 75 damage is laughable from a 4.2k item. By the time you get scepter, the global casting range is already too late. You will not have the chance to use the global cast range for more than 3 times.

Playing It

Early Game

Depending on which role you are playing. As a farmer, just on Flak Cannon and last hit all the creeps. Farm your way up to Tranquil Boots then Soul Ring. You can go Soul Ring first if you are feeling confident and having aggressive teammates. Do not spend to much mana on Homing Missile spamming, especially before you up Soul Ring. Save your mana for Flak Cannon harassing. Slowly farm up, you can get some kills if they make mistake like ignoring your Homing Missile. For middle lane, always try to launch your Homing Missile when they are leaving lane to scout/wait for rune. If another teammate help you gank them in river while Homing Missile is following = free kill.

As a ganker/roaming, you can try to trilane for first blood. Just get someone to stun while you hit with Rocket Barrage. You can choose to either max Homing Missile or rocket first depending on the situation. You can easily coordinate a gank with a strong early game hero soloing mid (like Tiny). Launch Homing Missile when they're going to take rune, cut off their path, get mid lane to come for free kill. However, expect yourself to be poor if you didn't manage to get any early kills/assist.

Mid Game

Once you got the Shadow Blade up, you should use it as the mobility and stealth tool. Windwalk through creeps and wards to avoid their vision. Usually they would think it is safe when they got the vision of that area, but windwalk just screws that up. Try ganking if possible. Gyrocopter's Homing Missile is quite a great ganking tool especially when launch at the escape path (mostly behind the enemy hero). If enemy are sticking or too hard to gank, just push the creep wave with Flak Cannon and windwalk to other lane.

Late Game

Always save your Call Down for team battle. You do not need it to clear creeps. Do not initiate with Call Down unless you are very sure that your teammates can follow up fast enough. You should Call Down right after a stun/slow so at least someone would get hit. Example, your team Earthshaker hit 2 targets with a fissure, you should Call Down immeditately if you're confident of your teammate following up and winning the battle. A proper Call Down will separate the enemy team, those that get hit inside and the rest waiting outside for Call Down to end. A Call Down without any other stun and slow is useless, since they can just walk out from the AoE.

Advanced Tactics

Coming soon

FAQs

Why take gyrocopter?

Because it is a fun and underrated hero.


Why shadow blade?

Makes you more annoying, harder to kill in 1v1 situation. Gives you the mobility to travel around the map fast.


OMG YOUR ITEM BUILD SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!

Actually I did test out many different item build and found Tranquil Boots + Soul Ring to be the most effective items you can get at the start of the game. If you have a better item build, you can suggest it and possibly a replay to support. Also, I'm testing out a blink dagger rush build.


OMG YOUR SKILL BUILD SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!

I suggest you to try out this skill build. No doubt, you will not have as much burst power but you will have much better laning power.

Videos / Replay

Gyrocopter introduction by Dotacinema

Play Video

Guide Changelog

Version 1.01 [13/11/12] - Minor update
Version 1.0 [9/11/12] - First version posted on DOTAFire

Credits

http://www.playdota.com/heroes/gyrocopter - DotA official website
http://www.dota2wiki.com/wiki/Gyrocopter - Dota 2 Wiki
http://www.dotafire.com - For wonderful DOTA 2 guide website :)