Riki The Killer (patch 6.87/6.88)

Introduction

I would like to share my playstyle with Riki. I am in 3-4K bracked now, playing ranked games. My ranked winrate as Riki is around 65% with 15/5/14 KDA avarage. (see more: http://www.dotabuff.com/players/312654250)

You have to take into account that this build is primarily concerned to enjoy the game on public gaming and make from Riki the key player in team. I have no ambition to do guide for "pro" players. I can't hardly know if this build work in high (5K +) bracked games, I hope yes, but I'm not sure. I can only say that it definitively works impressively in 3-4 bracket solo / party ranked games.

Let's begin.

Skills explanation

Maxing Blink Strike beforeCloak and Dagger provides safer lasthiting and better ESCAPE/chase ability. Stay alive and get last hits is most important thing in early game. This skill order is even more important if the enemy has sentry wards / dust on your line, so you can blink to last hit and immediately go back to safe position. The only acceptable reason for maxing Cloak and Dagger before Blink Strike is when you playing with good / disable support (and lane is easy), so you can faster finish your enemy in early game. But don't forget that reduced cooldown on Blinkstrike often safe your *** from enemies who are chasing you and makes you a lot more flexible (in fight,escape, teamfight). It must be mentioned that after Lvl 4 (4sec cooldown) you will be able to blink - ulti - blink back... in some cases very useful combo.

Last benefit from it is easier last-hitting enemy heroes which provide extra gold to rushing diffuzal blade.

After Blnk Strike you should max Cloak and Dagger for obvious reasons and next max Smoke.

Take your ultimate on 6,11 and 16 lvl (better cooldown, more attacks) and FEEL FREE TO USE IT. The cooldown is really very short! Properly using this skill takes some time to learn (often you must have fast fingers), but then you will find how many uses this skill have. Evasion of all kinds (like stun, Invo Meteor, dust, death :)), last hitting escaping heroes, massive dmg deal in teamfight

Items explanation

Starting items

Ring of Protection - Go with RoP on the lane and finish Ring of Basilus asap. (better survivability and mana regen for spaming Blink Strike)
Slippers of Agility - boost dmg / part of anquilla
Iron Branch - bonus stats / tree to eat when you have low hp
Tango - help to stay on the lane longer, if you expectate hard lane you can buy two of it. (Riki has very poor hp regen!)

Early game

Power Treads - (after RoB) - Increase attack speed and dmg boost - dont forget about swithing your PT (agi,str,int - depends on situation)
Ring of Aquila - RoA partly solves your mana problems and give you some extra dps boost for your early/mid game
Healing Salve - Riki has poor health regen, if you havent support who gives you health don't hesitate and buy it - you want to stay in battlefield as long as possible... - with Salve you needn't to waste time at fountain and you can continue farming or ganging
Enchanted Mango - It is a chood choice in some situations to get some extra kills when you have lack of mana you and havent time to wait. = situational item
Clarity - replenish your mana
Town Portal Scroll -TP provides you escape, fast gang ability, safe farm on free lane, refresh at fountain etc... If you have empty slot TP should never miss in your inventory.

Core/Mid game items

Diffuzal Blade - Most important item which massively increase your game impact. After you build RoA and PT you must finish Diffuzal as soon as possible, normally between 15-20 minutes - the sooner the better :). In many games getting this item change game progress dramatically - changing advantage in teamfights or just by fast killing lonely heroes (since you have it, you are able to kill common supports in 3-5 slashes)
It gives you very good DPS and Purge.
Don't hesitate to use purge often, of course it depends on situation, but use two (merely three) purges on important enemy hero for kill is profitable.
Sometimes you can save your own life by using it on yourself (deleting - dust/track/amplify etc.) And sometimes you can save life your teamnate by using it on chasing enemy hero. If you have zero (or 1) charges buy Diffuzal 2.
Sange and Yasha - After Difuzz rush Yasha immediately - it improves your DPS and movement speed, after Yasha you must decide between Sange or Basher. It is situational. In less cases (e.g. if game is hard and you have real problems with track/amplify/dust etc.) I decide to go Manta Style, but most often after getting Basher. +16%movement speed and Maim from SaY is very good and perfectly fits to Riki. With SaY you never do bad purchase.
Basher - After Diffuzal Blade your most important item. It can save you some charges of Purge and you can cancel enemy hero porting away (smoke doesn't work when somebody ports with TP or BoT). It has good synergy with your ultimate, it is very important in teamfights and improving your chasing/killing potential a lot more.

Lategame

Diffuzal Blade 2 - ....
Abyssal Blade - Best item for lategame, you won't be squishy ANYMORE! After Diffuzal,Yasha/SaY,Basher I always complete this nice weapon. It gives you very good survivability / regeneration and active bash, everything you really need.
Daedalus - Greatly improve your DPS. I prefer Daedalus more than Butterfly cause DMG/DPS from it is better and it works good with your ulti.
Butterfly - Very good item in lategame. With backstab even more better. It looks very nice but in most of my games I didnt build it. I rather build Daedalus first. Butterfly is good like last item when the game is continuing.

Situational items

Manta Style - If you have problems with track / amplify / charge you can buy Manta instead of SaY. In most of games SaY is better then Manta.
Monkey King Bar - Buy it only if you stand against heroes with evasion, especially Mortred.
Black King Bar - If you big problem with avoiding enemy disables BKB is good choice, but you have good evading skills, so BKB will be rarely in your inventory.
Boots of Travel - In very late game if you need fast push/def. In other cases Power Treads are better for you.
Gem of True Sigh - Good choice, but let buying gem on your team-mates or your enemies ;). You need spend money for something different..
Divine Rapier - In very few games it could be usefull.
Bloodthorn - Good team item, good synergy with your skills.

P.S.

Never try to build Echo Saber - it is waste time/money to get Diffuzal which is a lot more better and building this item lately hasn't any sense. I try it few times, but it isn't worth at all.

Gameplay

Early game

If your allies admit that you play Riki as carry, go on safe lane. It is real problem cause now many players (after watching some pro teams pick Rikki as supp) think that Riki must play roamer / support. And often they underestimate Riki carry potential. In a lot of games I went mid because I didn't want argue with my teamnates. You can farm on mid lane very well against majority of heroes so it is second best option after safe-lane.

In this stage of game you must farm a lot, and when you feel you can try some gangs for early kills (= +gold). Remember that your main task is to get Diffuzal Blade as soon as possible. (after PT and RoA) After you get this item, your killing potential and teamfight utility raise very high.

Mid game

Participation in teamfights and looking for lonely heroes worth to kill are main tasks, but don't forget to farm creeps as well! Your killing potential is good enough but with every next item it grows higher and higher. Usually (in most of my games now) I continue with Yasha and Basher (+ Diffuzal 2).

h3]Late game[/h3]
By completing SaY and Abyssal you got all items which make from you a nightmare of your enemies. The key point of well play is timing when to come fight. Usually is better not go like first one. If you join to fight a little bit later then your allies, you will do better job here. It isn't general rule, but often is better to kill some squishi/supp heroes at the edge of the fight, cause you need only few slashes to kill them and they will be unequal to register you in time. Be smart of using ulti / smoke / purge - good placing these skills changes result of teamfight dramatically.

Riki best friends

Good supports for Riki:

Ancient Apparition, Crystal Maiden, Lich, Omni, Abbadon

Good synergies:
Magnus, Naix, Warlock

Worst Enemies

Heroes you want to ban:

Phantom Assasin, Disruptor

End

My english is bad and I haven't much time, but I will try to edit this guide soon. Any advice welcome!

Thanks.