Jungle Troll Warlord (7.02) - Fast Farming Guide

Introduction

So, another jungle guide from me. This time is Troll Warlord.

I would have said the hero is probably better in lane, but considering his farming speed that can make your mid run for his money (and experience), I actually wonder if the hero is actually a jungler instead.

Guaranteed level 10 by 10 minutes by farming creeps only is Great. Very few junglers can boast about it. Enigma probably can do it easily, but you don't jungle Enigma for 10 minutes. You jungle Enigma for 5 minute Black Hole. Axe with Vanguard can do it easily, but that's just asking for reports from your teammates.

Make no mistake, it is still not a good thing. Even if you have fast farm but already losing towers because your solo laner cannot hold it, it makes the point of Jungling a moot.

Unlike other carries, Troll Warlord benefits bigger from levels far more than items in early mid rather than your standard carry due to his skill sets. This will be covered in Hero's Strength and Weakness section of this guide.

Again, like my Juggernaut guide, this hero is intended for laning and should be done so. The reason you jungle is most likely your allies pick another hard carry.

TL;DR Guide

So you don't want to read the rest of the guide? Don't worry I won't blame ya.

Here's the super short version:

1. Get 0 minute Bounty Rune.
2. Level Berserker's Rage at level 1 since we want to farm melee.
3. Kill easy creeps first twice, then medium camp. Then Grab Iron Talon and the salves. Kill every neutral creeps in sight while bagging runes.
4. Get Morbid Mask ASAP.
5. Kill Ancients.
6. Rosh at level 10 or 11.
7. Finish Shadow Blade then play as normally would.

Hero's Strength and Weakness

Strengths:

1. Fast attack speed from Fervor and Battle Trance.
2. Innate Bashes.
3. Fast movement speed from Berserker's Rage.
4. Harder than many carries out there. Harder than Phantom Assassin that's for sure.
5. Farming speed is great.
6. His skill sets scales well with levels.

Weaknesses:

1. Like Ursa, Troll Warlord has the most obvious glaring weakness, Kitings. Generally you depend on allies to catch enemies while you are the one finishing them off with your right clicks until you get items like Eye of Skadi or Blink Dagger.
2. Bash has a low chance to proc and not guaranteed even after using Battle Trance.
3. Illusion is his biggest weakness throughout the whole stages of the game since his skills are designed for killing one by one.
4. Heroes with innate escape is also one of his weaknesses, at least they will be countered somewhat by a quick Orchid Malevolence or Bloodthorn. Weaver, Queen of Pain, Morphling.
5. His skill sets pretty much demands him to get superior levels.

From all the heroes available, in my opinion, the one that counters him the hardest are Weaver with his Shukuchi, and Morphling with his escape. Against these heroes, Bloodthorn is necessary and most likely buy Diffusal Blade to force pop their Linken's Sphere.

Guide's Strength and Weakness

This section is to point out the guide's value.

Strength:

1. Crazy farming rate. XPM is slower than mid at first 5 minutes, then going as fast as mid after getting Morbid Mask. GPM surpasses any lane because you don't contest or trying to zone the enemies, thus last hits are guaranteed.
2. No clearing trees necessary. Tank all of them neutral creeps. Just enter camp and start pounding.
3. This guide brings level superiority for Troll Warlord which makes him more dangerous since he scales better with level than items until level 14.
4. Early Roshan.

Weakness:

1. My rule of thumb in jungling is that it shouldn't take more than 10 minutes to start contributing. Unfortunately, this jungle guide does not cover that rule, but this time there is an exception. Troll Warlord can solo Roshan 10 to 11 minutes into the game, which brings tower gold for everybody and a safety net for him. For that reason alone, he is exempted from my rule.
2. This guide needs your offlane to not be destroyed. No need to win the lane, but certainly he must not feed the enemy carry, since you want superior level and farming rate. So your offlaner hopefully is a hero who is strong to hold the lane solo.
3. Riki, Bounty Hunter, Treant Protector are heroes that will nerf your jungle. Just don't jungle if they are roaming.
4. You may have to use the Shrine one time until getting Morbid Mask depending on your luck at what creeps you get. You are more likely not use the shrine at all, but things can happen. Coordinate with mid to use the shrine if such things happen that you are forced to use it.

Abilities

Ugh, really hate writing this part... so lackluster... I'll copy pasted this some from gamepedia.

Anyway here's the abilities:



Basically, Troll Warlord can switch between melee and ranged after leveling this ability once.

A value point already gives +6 armor, making him able to tank creep hits.

Leveling this up increases the bash duration, damage, and movement speed.

Depending on you play style, this can be maxed second or third.




Whirling Axes depends on whether you are in melee form or ranged form.

Ranged form is for chasing enemies. Melee form is for fighting.

One value point before level 6 is for the miss changes to help tank creeps attack until we get Morbid Mask.

Depending on you play style, this can be maxed second or third.

• Troll Warlord gains or loses stacks as soon as he reaches his attack point.
• This means that missed or disjointed attacks still count and it does not matter what he attacks, be it enemies, buildings, wards or allies.
• With maximum stacks, Fervor increases attack speed by 105/140/175/210.

The number one reason we max this first is take on Ancient Creep as early as possible, which will boost your jungle fast.



Very self explanatory skill. Make sure to use this when taking ancients down in early game.

Skill Builds and Talent

Build 1

This build is intended for Solo Roshan at level 10 or 11. If you are worried being forced to contribute in early game or do not plan on taking Roshan early, go for the second build.

Build 2

You can still Solo Roshan at level 11, but definitely riskier than Build 1, since Roshan hits you more with your less Bash duration. So save Roshan for later if going this build.

Talents

Other than level 10 and 20, Level 15 and 25 depends on your play style or needs.

Level 10: +10 Agility is a no brainer, damage, attack speed, armor. Do not take the +7 Strength, ever.

Level 15: By default, +6 Armor is good, but +15 Movement speed is no joke either for Troll Warlord, bumping your base movement speed to constant 400ms in melee form. Choose whichever you want.

Level 20: +40 Damage scales waaaaayyy better than health does. We will buy items that makes Troll Warlord tanky anyway, so don't take the +350 Health ever.

Level 25: -7 Whirling Axes Cooldown or +20% Magic Resistance? Both are good. If not facing many magic damage, take the cooldown reduction.

Item Builds

Starting Items

Quelling Blade

Stout shield

Tango

Bounty Rune

The only items you need until you get Iron Talon from clearing easy camp. Bounty Rune in 0 minute will supercharges your farming rate, so make sure to grab it.

First Courier Use

Iron Talon

Healing Salve

Healing Salve

Iron Talon for obvious reason to deal huge damage to large creep in hard/medium camp.

2 Healing Salves to prep you up to tank creeps until getting Morbid Mask.

Depending on your luck at what creeps you found (though it happens rarely, but it does happen), you may have to use the Shrine after you are out of Healing Salve. Coordinate with mid to use the shrine if you are in such situation.

Use the healing salve if your health is down more than 400 from maximum HP. Or perhaps use it when below half but tanking the creeps as your health potion heals you up.

Second Courier Use

Morbid Mask

Morbid Mask is for the lifesteal. For Troll Warlord, the item is more efficient than Helm of the Dominator. Make sure to take the ancients as much as possible after getting this. Generally, you should have this at level 5 to 6.

If you have extra gold and health is below half, squeeze an extra Healing Salve. The safety of having huge health is better than farming below half HP.

Early Game

Phase Boots

Claymore

Smoke of Deceit

Grab Boots of Speed fast and immediately use courier. It will fasten your farm since you can go camp to camp faster.

Grab Phase Boots after this, for damage and faster movement from camp to camp.

Then Grab Claymore and Smoke of Deceit at the same time.

Claymore is for the damage to clear Roshan fast. Smoke of Deceit is to avoid wards when entering Roshan.

Core

Shadow Blade

Shadow Blade is the fastest shortcut to kill enemies down. Starts being active after getting this. Kill solo enemies, if in fights, clear the squishy ones in the back first. With your farm superiority, getting this item by 13 to 14 minutes is not hard.

Extension/Luxury

Silver Edge Bloodthorn

Eye of Skadi Butterfly

Monkey King Bar Satanic

Generally, the ones you want to get first is Silver Edge since it gives nice stats, damage, and passive disabler. But you can leave Silver Edge for later when other needs are mandatory to be dealt first.

Pick Eye of Skadi if you don't want enemies to escape from you, ever. Pretty much a guaranteed kill to whoever your axes touch unless they have Blink skills or Force Staff. Nice item to tank up as well.

Monkey King Bar for damage and eternal "cannot fight back". Literally no carry can fight you back by right clicking alone.

Bloodthorn should be picked up early if you are planning to buy this, like immediately after getting Shadow Blade since this item is countered somewhat by Eul's Scepter of Divinity or Guardian Greaves. Orchid Malevolence part should be bought first if you want to depend on silence to stop enemies from escaping. Pick this up to crush any hope for heroes other than right clickers to fight back.

Butterfly is an agility carries' friend. Troll Warlord included. Though to be honest, this item is almost always the last item I consider to power up Troll.

Satanic is a natural upgrade to your Morbid Mask. Buy this to be super tanky when combined with Eye of Skadi. If enemies try to counter you with Blade Mail, pick this up fast.

Situational

Blink Dagger Black King Bar

Linken's Sphere Assault Cuirass

Mjollnir Dust of Appearance

Diffusal Blade Daedalus

Blink Dagger is the anti-kiting for Troll Warlord. Jump on them, Ult, and right click them to death. If they want to escape using Force Staff, use Shadow Blade or Silver Edge to catch up.

Black King Bar to stop damage nukes and stuns from interrupting you. If your allies cannot crowd control the enemies long enough for you to damage them to oblivion, pick this up. This is probably the most often picked situational item.

Linken's Sphere to stop pesky Duels and any single piercing bkb skills.

Pick Assault Cuirass when facing a stack of minus armor heroes. Weaver, Shadow Fiend, Dazzle, Vengeful Spirit, Slardar etc.

Mjollnir is a mediocre attempt to kill enemy with lots of illusion.

Dust of Appearance should be a nice pick when facing heroes like Invoker or any invisible heroes and Shadow Blade or Glimmer Cape carriers. Since your item slot often leave one open in mid game, you should bring this item if need be.

Diffusal Blade is the anti-Ghost item. If a Ghost Scepter carriers stop you from killing him and lets him cast spells before dying, pick this up.

Daedalus is the inferior form of Bloodthorn but the DPS is higher in lategame. Pick this up against heroes that stacks health and armor. Like when facing 3k+ health with 30 Armor.

Jungling

Ah... welcome to the heart of the guide. The jungle section.

By the way before continuing, be aware of the Rule of Thumb:

FARM THE CREEPS IN MELEE FORM. FROM START TO FINISH

1. Starts by taking 0 minute mark Bounty Rune and level the skill Berserker's Rage.
2. At 0:30, start beating the eazy camp. If by 0:53, you don't manage to clear the camp, pull up to the lane by that second to stack them.
3. Clear the easy camp. This should net at the very least the Iron Talon and 1 Healing Salve. If you already get two Healing Salve, immediately use courier. The stacked easy camp will net you a level 2. Level up Fervor.
4. Clear the medium camp. Your second Healing Salve can be bought at this time if not yet get it at earlier time, then bring it to you.
5. Pick the bounty rune at 2:00 minute.
6. Clear the hard camp after getting the Iron Talon, otherwise go to the other medium camp.
7. Your healing salves and Iron Talon should be with you right now. Clear any camp besides ancient until you get Morbid Mask.
8. By level 4, Level Whirling Axes (Melee). Use this ability on Hard hitting camp like Hard Camps or Alpha Wolfs since the miss chance will help you tank damage until you get Morbid Mask.
9. Use the shrine if somehow no one uses it until now. If mid player wants to use Shrine early, make sure to heal up with him to save Healing Salve for later.
10. After getting Morbid Mask starts killing Ancients as much as possible.
11. Pick Boots of Speed and immediately brought it to you.
12. If no one uses the courier, you can grab Phase Boots immediately.
13. Grab Claymore and Smoke of Deceit. Save Smoke until you get at least level 10.
14. After getting level 10 or 11, check if any Shrine is available, if not go back to base. Make sure to have full health since we want to Solo Roshan.
15. Smoke up and enter Rosh's pit.
16. After killing Roshan, go back to farming. We don't want to waste Aegis of the Immortal by senseless feeding and overconfidence.
17. Go active after getting Shadow Blade. Aegis of the Immortal acts as a safety net, make sure to use it to push towers down with allies.
18. Play game as normal.

Afterwords

Wew... another jungling guide. Geh.

Feedbacks are appreciated.

Changelog

March 06, 2017

• Added TL;DR sections.
• Improving the jungle section a bit.

March 05, 2017

• Guide Published!