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Animal Courier
Stout Shield
Tango
ClarityClarity
Arcane Boots
Blink Dagger
Observer Ward
Shiva's Guard
Assault Cuirass
Heart of Tarrasque
Hood of Defiance
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Hello DOTAfire,
My name is Cameron (Watcher) Hopkins, I am a MOBA veteran. I have been playing since Aeon of Strife (if you can believe it) since that time i have been playing everything from DOTA 1, League of Legends, Heroes of Newerth, Smite, Realm of the Titans, and of course i always come back to DOTA 2 now.
After receiving some flame for my first guide on Nature's Prophet. I would like to state i am new to Mobafire and still learning some of the functions of the guide creator! However MY GUIDES FOCUS ON CONCEPT MORE THEN THEY FOCUS ON STRUCTURED BUILDS. If you want to improve and become an over all better player, my guides are for you. I apologize for any typo's beforehand, i will be typing like i am talking to you for an easier understanding!
It is my pleasure to present you with the TIDEHUNTER!! ALL I CAN SAY IS HE IS A BEAST AND FAVORED PICK BY MOST TEAMS AT THE MOMENT! HMMM LETS SEE WHY!
"What role does Tidehunter fall into?"
Good question, is he a support,a damage dealer,interrupter,initiator, or something else? Well lets talk about it. I personally find Tidehunter to be extremely versatile, however when it comes to be the most successful, you need to access the primary strengths of your hero! Tidehunter is best utilized as a initiator, with items geared around aoe support and tankyness! (I love a good troll build and play style as much as the next guy, but get serious he is a perfect initiator!)
" So what does an initiator do?"
He does just that, Initiates! you are the crutch on which all your major team fights should start! His ultimate ability can destroy a teams structure and allow for your team to clean up the core dps of the other team!
"So in hero select is Tidehunter always a good pick?"
Id say he is always a viable initiator, depending on how you structure your team. Other initiators can serve better in some situations! Focus on the fact that Tide can reduce the damage of attack based champions, and has a slow for chasing potential and a huge AOE stun! As you play you will learn when Tide would be the best initiator! I always encourage practice and team play!
" Does a team always need an Initiator Role?"
No, you don't. (What!!!) if you have a team focused around split pushing and not team fighting, you do not necessarily need an initiator! (i only recommend this for coordinated teams) But in some cases 2 tanky dps is all you need!
Once the game starts, pick up the starting items and head to lane!
"What lane should i pick?"
I suggest a duo lane, if you can help it (Tide makes a great solo lane because you can get your blink dagger much faster) however Tide really shines with a partner. His gush ability can make a jungler's gank job so much easier!
Laneing is not nearly as structured as jungle paths! it is more about assessing the lane. If you are agains squishy ranged, zone them out! Tide can handle it because of his Kraken shell. If you are against melee, that is fine get in there and use anchor smash and have your lane partner (preferably ranged with a nuke) harass them!
"So i should use my abilities to constantly farm and harass right?"
Sure you do that! (lets see how long Tide's small mana pool last) NO!!!! you want to deny deny deny deny deny! let your lane partner collect farm! you can pick up a few kills here and there on farm they may miss but as a general rule your early deny should be around 40-50 deny to like 10-15 cs. (your core build is so much cheaper then a carries) Focus on not dying but providing a safe environment for your carry to farm!
"Mana boots?"
Yes! not only does Tide have a tiny mana pool, it is always nice to be an acting mana battery for your carry/team!
"Blink Dagger? why not force staff? it gives me stats?"
Yes! this really comes down to distance and control! (as well as skill level) Blink dagger is a click and blink, Force staff is more of a hectic launch in the direction in which you are facing! One could argue that Force staff is over all better, but i want to focus on controlled blinks with short cooldowns! and long distance!
"Wards? But I'm not Crystal Maiden Why!?"
I know, I know. Nobody can outward the ward *****! however not only should everyone be purchasing wards! Tide makes for a perfect ward carrier! he is a safe warder and on top of that the cheapness to his Core build makes him an ideal ward purchaser!
"So early game went good!! Ive got my core build and i am still warding, what now?"
Work on your Luxury items based on what you are going up against! if you need armor vs hard hitting attack heroes! go for Shiva's Guard! If you are having trouble with casters perhaps you should go for Hood of Defiance! Just pick according to what you are facing!
"So I want to use my ult! i am going to blow it on this one guy so we can kill him?"
Dont do that! focus on coordinated ganks with your team and use Gush and Anchor smash to take out individual targets with the help of your team!
"So when do i use my ult?"
Finally, so your team has started to group and as a team you are now going after controlled objectives! Wait for there team to cluster to stop you! NOW THIS COMES DOWN TO TIMING AND COMMUNICATION! BECAUSE OF THE RANGE AND CONTROL ON BLINK DAGGER YOU CAN GET RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL FIVE OF THEM GROUPED AND POP YOUR ULT! (IN MOST SITUATIONS)
"HELL YES! so that was cool! i got in there and popped my ult! but........ then like 3 of them channeled there abilities and destroyed my team?"
Sometimes using your ult the second you blink in is not always the best idea! if they have channeling heroes (IE: Pugna or Witchdoctor) you may delay for a short amount of time, then use it! also giving your team enough time to close the gap from your blink dagger in order to be there while you have stunned the team!
"Well if i wait a second they may stun me, you didnt put BKB in the build options?"
I personally dont use BKB in most situations because i think Tides ult is more about timing and positioning! (besides you are tanky, if they focus you it will cost them the fight regardless) However i do encourage a bkb against highly highly cc based teams! Timing takes practice, dont use bkb as a crutch!
If you have Shiva's Guard, using it shortly after RAVAGE, can destroy a teams movement and coordination!
"Well they have BKB what now?"
Like i said before it really comes down to timing! try and bait the BKB (get them to waste it when you have no intention of using your ult!)
Easy To Learn, Hard to Master, Practice and you will be successful! (Never stop Warding!)
YOU ARE GOING TO BE A LEADER AS TIDEHUNTER! REMEMBER YOUR TEAM IS WAITING ON YOU TO MAKE THE BIG PLAYS, AND TO PROTECT THEM (MAN UP). If you practice positioning yourself with blink dagger and starting fights at the right moments you will find amazing levels of success! Is this the only way to play tide? NO.. HOWEVER, if you learn the concept behind his strengths as i pointed out you will be a valued addition to most team compositions in the role of
INITIATOR!
RELEASE THE KRAKEN!
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