Stealth Assassin

Introduction

Riki is a squishy yet effectively agility melee hero who excels at silencing with Smoke Screen then dealing tons of damage with Blink Strike and Backstab. Riki is a cunning hero able to escape with the awesome ult and passive Permanent Invisibility which is a really useful tool for escaping and preparing to attack. This guide is a general outline on how to use Riki.

Lore

Riki was born middle child to the great dynasty of Tahlin. With an older brother groomed for the throne, and a younger brother coddled and kept, Riki, the small middle son, seemed born for the art of invisibility. It was an art he cultivated, and one which ultimately saved his life on the night that his people were betrayed and his family slaughtered. Of all the royal line, he alone escaped-small and agile, unassuming, using smoke as cover. He cut his way out of the royal grounds, using the advantage of surprise, quietly slitting the throats of one enemy warrior after another. Now free of his royal responsibilities, Riki uses his talents in service to a new trade: Stealth Assassin. He silences his enemies, sharpening his skills, hoping to one day take revenge on those who killed his family and robbed him of his birthright.

Pros/Cons

Pros

-Great escape mechanism with Permanent Invisibility and Blink Strike
-Good attack speed
-High armour
-Great for chasing down heroes with Blink Strike
-Casting Smoke Screen and Blink Strike sounds awesome!!!


Cons

-Usually runs out of mana if you harass with Blink Strike
-Squishy
-Countered by Observer Ward, Sentry Ward, Gem of True Sight]] and Necronium Book(level 3 only)
-Hitting creeps behind will then trigger Backstab(kind of obvious)

Skills

Smoke Screen

Throws down a smoke bomb, silencing and slowing enemy units in an area while causing them to miss on most attacks. Lasts 6 seconds.
Ability: Target Point
Affects: Enemies
Range: 425
Radius: 250/275/300/325
Duration: 6
Miss Chance: 40%/50%/60%/70%
Attack and Movement Speed Slow: 25%
Cooldown: 13
Mana cost: 75/80/85/90

Notes:
-Does not silence castable items


This will help you avoid magical damage when you cast this on yourself and on the enemy. They will be silenced and have a high chance of missing attacks while you can harass or gank them. Use this to initiate one on one battles or team clashes. This can be used with Mask of Madness for EXTREME dps!!!

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Blink Strike

Teleports behind the target unit, striking for bonus damage if it is an enemy.
Ability: Target Unit
Affects: Units
Damage Type: Magical
Range: 750
Bonus Damage: 30/60/90/120
Cooldown: 20/15/10/5
Mana cost: 50

Notes:
-Bonus damage is dealt before Rikimaru's regular attack.
-Teleports to the back of the target, forcing a Backstab on the next attack
-If the target is an ally, no damage will be dealt


This ability allows you to chase or escape from enemy heroes. This is extremely effective at chasing down heroes because it has a range of 750, which is like a mini blink in a unit. This makes Riki unavoidable! Escape from heroes by targeting the Blink Strike on a creep or another hero.

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Backstab

If Riki attacks from behind, bonus damage is applied based on his current agility.
Ability: Passive
Affects: Enemies
Damage: Physical
Damage Bonus: 0.5/0.75/1.0/1.25 Agility

Notes:
-Even if the animation is shown for Rikimaru's images the effect will not work.
-Bonus damage from Backstab can't be evaded.


Backstab is accompanied with Blink Strike on order to deal awesome damage!!! This passive is the clear wave creeps faster by attacking from behind. Getting agility items will boost the damage by adding extra base damage and Backstab damage.

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Permanent Invisibility

Riki fades into the shadows, staying permanently invisible except while attacking or using abilities. While silenced, Riki will be visible.
Ability: Passive
Affects: Self
Fade Time: 3/2.25/1.5

Notes:
Being silenced prevents this skill from working



This passive can be used to scout out enemies and attack them with the element of surprise. When maxed out, the fade time of this skill is only 1.5 seconds, long enough for you to escape.

Item choice

For my Ordinary Starting Items, I have a Stout Shield to stop earlier harassment received by enemy heroes and creeps. Slippers of Agility is used to deny and last his more effectively and can be later made in to a Poor Man's Shield. The 2 Tangos are used to counter medium to light harassment.

For Early Game, I have a Poor Man's Shield to again last his and deny more effectively as well as preventing 20 damage received from heroes, allowing you to gank more efficiently. Boots of Speed are essential for all heroes to increase movement speed. Belt of Strength is to counter your squishiness, giving you 114 health. This can be later built into Power Treads. Instead of Belt of Strength, you can have a Boots of Elvskin if you are careful in avoiding harassment and want a higher dps.

For Core, i have Power Treads to choose what attribute I want when i need it. Health for hp regen and an additional health pool, Agility for a higher dps and Intelligence for mana regen and an additional mana pool. When healing at the fountain, turn your boots to agility if they were strength or intelligence for faster hp and mana regen. Vladmir's Offering improves pushing power, mana regen, bonus damage, hp regen, armour and 16% lifesteal. This is used to receive health back for Riki. Quarterstaff and Talisman of Evasion are used to build Butterfly, which greatly benefits you.

Butterfly is for late game as it provides 60 attack speed, 60 damage and 35% evasion for Riki. Sange and Yasha provides everything which you want for an agility hero, like Riki. All the situational items are obviously situational.


I will later expand on this area

Allies/Enemies

Allies

Allies for Rikimaru are those who can become invisible for the element of surprise or those heroes who can melt armour to take in extra damage. These guys are Templar Assassin, Sladar, Bounty Hunter, Weaver and some other heroes.

Enemies

Enemies are those who have Gem of True Sight or Dust of Appearance, or they are Sladar and Bounty Hunter with their ultimates. A special mention is Io because he has no backside?!?!?

End

Rikimaru is overall a fun hero can troll people. Please feel free to add any comments :D