Offlane Bambi - ChiChi's way [6.86]

Introduction to the guide

Hi guys, this is ChiChi, many of you already know me either by playing with me or by my guides on Crystal Maiden or Winter Wyvern. For more details on myself go there please.

It may come as a surprise that I'm now writing a guide for Enchantress, since my are of expertise is the support position. The fact is I've been recently trying this amazing hero, and I came up with my own way of playing it, inspired and based, as you may have guessed already, by the Slasher's way. I've noticed that the guides on our favourite bambi are all a bit outdated and there's no one that addresses my specific way of playing her, and also she was amazingly buffed by the recent change of patch 6.85, so here I go!

EDIT: We're living now the new era of 6.86. With no modesty I dare say my predictions about this hero were true, and she is now incresiangly picked for the offlane, specially by American pro teams - about that and for more info see this article on Dotabuff, "Offlane Enchantress - Escaping the jungle?".

Let's see if I can continue updating this guide as the meta evolves, feel free to help me with any suggestions/corrections you might have.

Introduction to the hero

We all know that Enchantress is usually played as a jungler, because of her Enchant ability. What most people usually ignored though it's her amazing capacity for offlaning. Between her passive Untouchable, her natural high movement speed (the highest base move speed in the game) and the right choice of items, you can not only survive a hard offlane but even cause some troubles to the enemy carry and farm a bit yourself (unless of course you pick her into a straight magical nuke line-up, which you shouldn't do anyway).

This allows you not only to play Enchantress in a different role but also it let's you still occupy the semi-carry role (ideally the #3), because your core items are not that difficult to achieve and you can help your teammates get the kills, while giving up on farming through the game. From there on, there are so many items that are potentially good for you that she ends up being one of the most flexible heroes in Dota 2 in that regard, which makes her an even better pick for many games.

Skill Build

Untouchable is a passive ability which makes Enchantress a surprinsingly tanky hero in the early game. Every time an enemy tries to attack her, be it by right clicks or by spells, he's gonna be slowed for 4 seconds. The slow begins with the animation itself, so you can actually even dodge some attacks by running away if you see the attack animation + slow on the enemy quickly enough.

By maxing this out first you can trade hits with the enemies on your lane, specially the supports that try to zone you out.

Since the only thing that his ability does is diminish the attack speed of your enemies, don't expect to survive later on just because you have it maxed up. Enchantress's biggest weakness is against burst magical damage, because as every Inteligence hero her HP point isn't naturally that high. Also if your enemy turns on his Black King Bar your aura will not work.






In this build, the usually signature spell of Enchantress, Enchant, is usually ignored until level 5, and only maxed last. The reason for this is that you won't be using it to convert creeps but as a slow against enemies - it's actually a very powerful slow, slowing mouvement for 50% during 5.5 seconds. Just so you know how good it is, Rod of Atos's active gives a 60% mouvement slow for 4 seconds. So you basically have a free Atos each 15 seconds.

The reason why I max it last is because I prefer to have the other skills maxed first, as they help with Enchantress] survivibility. The value point at level 5 is to allow you to have a slow before your ultimate at level 6, so that you may have the chance of getting a kill still in your lane and then transition out of it. Skip this altogether if you feel you need to max out Untouchable or Nature's Attendants first, and/or if there are a lot of other disables, soft or hard, in your team.

Feel free to also use it to convert creeps to help you push or disable throughout the game - also auras like the Packleader's Aura from the Alpha Wolf, with its 30% attack damage bonus, are very useful. The encantation only lasts for 80 seconds, so don't forget to recast it before that time expires.

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If circumstances force you to duo lane, but because of that you have some killing potential because you're teammates also has disables/good amount of damage to offer: get more points earlier in this ability, which you will use to initiate, and max it at the same time as Untouchable, leaving only a value point in your cure.




Nature's Attendants is Enchantress heal, and the second reason why she can endure so well the offlane. The spell invokes a cloud of wisps that heal you and allies nearby, randomly - every second each wisp chooses a random allied unit to heal 10 HP. This spell can deal a total of 300/500/700/900 over its duration, and it still goes on if Enchantress dies.

You will notice I didn't pick any mana regeneration items for the laning phase. That's because the only spell you're gonna be using until level 6 is this one, and you can manage between it and your set of Tango to heal during the entire laning phase.







Impetus is Enchantress's ultimate, and it works as Frost Arrows or Searing Arrows do: your regular right click attack gets an extra effect, which is giving extra pure damage based on the distance traveled by your projectile. It's a toggle on, so you may use it to harrass without depleating all your mana, and in regular teamfights you leave it on. The fact that it deals pure damage means it ignores armor and magical resistence alike, and it affects magical immune units, making it very powerfull in that middle game where Black King Bars start being purchased.

Its special characteristic is the fact that you want to be as far away from your target as you can, so that you deal the max added damage. This gives you a clue on the whole way of playing this hero, because you will want to make sure you're not initiating the battle or going in front of your teammates. Ideally you play like a Sniper or a Drow Ranger, in order to be able to do your full damage and don't risk dying with the initial nukes.

This is your main way of dealing damage, because all of your other skills don't do it. That's why your only core item will be something that gives you more range: I suggest Dragon Lance first in most games, usually getting Aghanim's Scepter later on if you don't need anything else. It will allow you to augment your attack range, therefore augmenting the distance additional damage from your attack. Also, you welcome the stats: first the extra strenght and attack speed, and in the case of the Aghs also HP to help you tank more and more manapool to cast everything you need each teamfight.

This skill was considered an Attack Modifier/Orb effect before, that is, it didn't function at the same time that other Attack modifiers do, such as lifesteal or the slow from Eye of Skadi. This, however, was changed in the recent 6.85 patch, allowing this skill to become even more potent because you can couple it with any attack modifier of your choice. That doesn't mean you should necessarily get one, because it might not be the best item choice for that specific game. In the same sense, I suggest avoiding life steal in general, because this hero is not build to benefit from that like regular carries are.

Item build

What's really awesome about Enchantress is that she's one of the most flexible Inteligence heroes I know concerning her item build. Besides the Dragon Lance/ Aghanim's Scepter, which you will want almost every game but even that may be skipped, you will buy for her what you need specifically for that game, bearing in mind your enemies and your role - which may even range from the Position 2 to the Position 4.

Because so many items are possible for her, and I'm here only to tell you about my way of playing her, I will not explain those items such as a Bloodstone, which you may buy in some occasions, but that are not my favourite go-to items.

On the items that I don't recommend going for - again, if you intend to try my way of playing - a brief explanation: Don't go Hand of Midas because you're priority won't be farming and you will be joining fights from level 6 onward (and because you already have a nice XP boost in the beggining of the game by offlaning); Don't go Mask of Madness unless in rare situations because the attack speed boost is offset by the extra damage received, and you're not in a position to handle that nor do you need the extra attack speed for anything else than teamfights (and you don't need lifesteal).

This is my regular set of items in the beggining of the game, if I don't expect too have too much trouble in the offlane. It gives you enough damage to compete in last-hits and denies, and also general stats to help with HP and mana. You can also use it to go mid if you notice suddenly your team doesn't have a mid. I usually sell the Null Talisman later in the game, as I don't like the items it upgrades to.

This alternative initial items are called "the Slasher's way", which you can see in this video. The principal diference from my usual build is that mine gives you less HP points and more damage points, and this one gives you more HP points and less damage points - that is, this one is better for surviving a very hard offlane, but worse in terms of damage. Use it if you're expecting a trilane or even a nasty combo lane with lots of disables and nukes. You will later use the Circlet to buy a Magical Wand, which I think is very good for Enchantress through the entire game.

As I've been explaining, this is Enchantress's only core because most games you will want to build a Dragon Lance for your first item, as it gives you a mix of all the things you need: more survivibility, more damage, more attack speed. At some point you might want to trade this for an Aghanim's Scepter or not, depending on the specific game. Tip: Don't forget that Dragon Lance can be disassembled, so you can disassemble it at some point to help you get your extra item, be it the Aghanim's Scepter or a Black King Bar (or even an Orchid Malevolence with that Quarterstaff, if you have a good timing on it, beause if it comes after the enemy team has their BKBs up is useless). Power Treads used to be the best Boots for her because of the attack speed, extra life points or mana from tread switching, but now I think Phase Boots are a best choice most games, since you will already have attack speed and HP from the Dragon Lance, so this item strenghts your laning phase and the burst move speed is usually just what you need for that extra hit in that will kill your target. If you go this route, however, consider items like Magic Wand and/or Drum of Endurance, for some extra survivibility.

As your big weakness is magical damage and disables, you will probably need a Black King Bar most games. Get it as your second item or even first if you're having troubles surviving teamfights.

Since you can now have attack modifiers working at the same time that Impetus, Eye of Skadi is my favourite one. Not only his stats make Enchantress very difficult to kill (what other Inteligence hero can gro to 2k HP?), but also you have no more kiting troubles and you don't depend on your Enchant to slow your enemies.

You will notice there's a point in the game where you have nice HP, nice mana, good damage to give, but not that much attack speed. Moon Shard is the item for this - don't eat it, just buy a casual Hyperstone if you have all the items you think you need that game, and upgrade it if you have the money for that and buyback. It's even more worth it now that is has no recipe - you're ahead in the game and controlling the map, just buy it in the enemy's secret shop.

Damage and attack speed are always welcomed, and you might need a Monkey King Bar in the late game if your enemies are purchasing evasion items.

I already explained you might encounter the need for armor some games. You will always want also attack speed for more DPS. If no-one in your team is getting one and you think it's a good idea (for instance, you're against enemies with armor modifiers, such as Sven and Dazzle), then an Assault Cuirass is just what you need.

An Hex and Inteligence? Yes please.

If you're dealing with pesky mages, you might prefer to get an Orchid Malevolence besides or instead the BKB. Even just the casual Oblivion Staff is actually amazing for Enchantress, because it gives her all the stats she wants, including attack speed.

If you need to be protect against some kind of strong spell that usually initiates the fight (for instance a Rupture or a Doom), but you don't really need a BKB for other than that, consider buying a Linken's Sphere to counter that.

Although an unexpected item for Enchantress, you might want a Shadow Blade some games because, offering extra damage and attack speed, it is good for a more kind of ganker Enchantress. Upgrade it to Silver Edge if you welcome the Sange stats and the break active against an enemy with a complicated passive (such as a Viper, Bristleback or Phantom Assassin).

Although Enchantress has very little armor, you will only feel the need for it in the late game, and if you're not ahed/if the other team is killing you through rick-clicks. In that case Shiva's Guard gives you nice Inteligence, which translates into damage, and an attack slow which sinergyzes with your passive.

Gameplay

Your role in the offlane is to stay alive, and disrupt as much as possible the enemy carry's farm, while getting XP and farming enough for your Magic Wand and Phase Boots + some piece of the Dragon Lance if possible. If you do this without dying, you've done your job. Don't hesitate to use your Nature's Attendants as soon as you're hit by some powerfull nuke/disable which you think will have follow-up, because that's how you guarantee you won't die. Your high movement speed - actually the highest base movement speed of the game - will help a lot with this. Because of it, you can even pass on the Boots for a while and get the Magical Wand first instead, boosting even more your survivibility.

Manage between the mana needed to use this spell and your pool of Tango, and don't use your Enchant unless you think it's worth it - either because you've hit level 6 and you see an opportunity, or if you think it might help you escape a difficult situation.





The way I go around with offlane Enchantress is to try and make her the most useful to the team I can, by never stop to idly farm unless it's to finish an important item or just pushing a wave. I recommend deciding upon your level 6 what is the best way to proceed - usually you won't be able to gank immediatly because if you leave the lane it will be very obvious, but you should have a TP on the ready to go help other lanes and start joining teamfights. If nothing happens and you're happily farming, just continue with it, try to kill your opponent yourself or ask your teammates to come gank on your lane.

After that, you should always be around on the map, taking objectives and buying Smoke of Deceit. You're power curve is still up, because BKB's arent'; so make use of that and go gank as often as possible, and organize pushes. The Keywords in this part of the game are: Make Space. Deliver damage. Sustain your team in teamfights.

Try to get your core up as soon as possible, and decide on what item you're going for this game - either be it more magical protection or a purely offensive one.
Later on you're gonna feel your time of the game as passed, as you will be dying more easily. This is will be upset, however, by your purchase of the Point Booster for the Aghs, and any other adequate item. In teamfights, continue to try and stay in the back healing people and using your Impetus.

If the game was rather easy and you went for the tank build (Aghs-Skadi for instance), and/or your enemies don't have that much magical damage, you can just tank for your team and stay in front of the teamfight soaking damage and immediatly activating your heal.

Friends and Foes - an explanation

It's rather obvious by now, but avoid picking Enchantress if you're facing huge magical damage on the other side ( Leshrac, Queen of Pain, Venomancer, etc., all a pain in th *** for you). If it happens for some reason, don't hesitate go to Point Booster into Black King Bar or even casual Cloak or Glimmer Cape, you're not use for your team if you're dead, and you're a squishy hero - you actually have the lowest strength growth – +1 per level - of the game, which you can remedy by purchasing Strenght items.

Other heroes that she isn't good against include all of those that can easily come in her face, making her Impetus damage useless (blinkers like Anti-Mage or abilities like those from Storm Spirit and Phantom Lancer), and those which attack speed modifiers make your Untouchable not that big of a deal (such as Windranger and Troll Warlord).

Also don't pick her if you're missing a hard carry - she can carry, but not outcarry most hard carrys like Anti-Mage or Faceless Void. She's the mid game carry, excelling in situations where the space created by her will help your real hard carry farm unobstructed.

She can mid reasonably, because she can survive and last hit as told for the offlane, but she's unable to gank or contest runes, so avoid this unless completely necessary - and in that case try to have your support help you with runes vision and get a Bottle, because your regen may not be enough.

I don't advice picking her for any other place that isn't the jungle, the offlane or mid, because she needs the early levels to be succefull, so don't run her on duo or trilanes, if you can avoid it. If you're forced to duolane, access if you have killing potential with your teammate and in that case play aggresively; if not, concentrate on farming to get your core items asap and disrupting the enemy's farm.

The fact that she's a flexible hero also means that she can partner up with most heroes, because a heal and a slow are always nice to have. She doesn't have any special preferences though, besides from heroes like Crystal Maiden and Drow Ranger, which make her life easier because of their auras. If you're considering her on a full draft, try to couple her with heroes that have harder disables and even more mobility, as Enchantress is fast but can be kited.

End notes

Enchantress is a very flexible Inteligence hero that you can pick up to explore some flaw in the enemy's picks - are they going for heavy right click physical damage dealers? Are they picking squishy heroes that will melt against pure damage?

This way of playing her is very fun, as you will see the look of confusion on your enemies when they're having troubles shutting down a offlane Enchantress, or later trying to focus you with spells such as Duel and Chronosphere. Be a courageous venison and take these in the name of your team!

And whatever happens, SPROINK ON!

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