Unorthodox Pubstomping - One Pub/ One traditional item build.

Introduction / Skills

First of all I wish a wonderful day : )

Welcome to Jack o' Blades guide to Templar Assassin. I am happy that those fency alliterations lured you here ;)

Lanaya is one of my favorite heroes, but to my surprise, a not sooo often picked hero compared to some others. She IS an ***sassin a ganker that eats squishy heroes especially those who heavily rely on single burst nukes and ultimates, but she can also carry/semi-carry if you managed to get your sweet early-midgame game kills and snowball. Her Psi Blades can be used as a great farming/harass tool, her Refraction gives her enough survability to go in and out like a ninja and is absolute essential why this heretical MoM build works so well. Her Psionic Trap give you the perfect tool for rune control aswell as for chasing an enemy. Meld is a great Nuke and handy physical damage amplifier throughout the entire game.

However, she has very little healthpool to start with,it requires a good amount of experience to not overestimate the power of your Refraction or your own damage output. You have to know exactly WHEN you using your MoM for WHICH purpose. Actually this is a very important skill for every hero but for Lanaya and particular this build the chances of extrem high reward/risks are solely depending on that "skill".


NOTE: This guide was designed for "mostly" public games where it brought me GREAT SUCCESS.
In ranked matches it is medicore but I would still consider it valid as long the enemy team does not have more then one counters for Lanaya(best example Batrider or any strong DoT Hero)

Skill Sequence

1. I always try to find a balance out of Meld and Refraction
2. Personally prefer only one level in her Ultimate but in the end this is a matter of personal preference if u need more then 5 Psionic Trap ignore my stat oriantated skill sequence.

Pros and Cons of the Templar Assassin

Pros

-High physical burst
-Solid Laner
-Psi blades can be used as farm or harass tool
-Strong mid game but also solid carry
-High Gank and therefore snowball potential
-Great rune control
-Armor reduction is helping at killing enemy heroes and roshan aswell.
-Refraction can counter most Nukes.

Cons
-There are many couters for her (Batrider,Doom,Viper,Veno,etc)
-Squishy without Refraction "not smart" decissions will be punished hard
-Outclassed by true hard carrys late game if you cant manage to end.
-Damage over time destroys your entire game for example Venomancer is a Squishy Support 1vs1 but his poisen will absolute destroy you in Teamfights.
- Radiance is also quite annoying

Cyka почему вы строите маску?! / Why a Mask of Madness?

Okay now we come to the part where I try to explain why MoM on Lanaya is not that dumb as you mid think.

Stats: Mask of Madness

+100 AS (that is about an average of 68% more DPS)
17% More Movement Speed.
+ 20& Lifesteal
downside being that you take 30% bonus damage

What it brings you:

FOR 6 Attacks the 30% extra damage is not existent thanks to Refraction...that is the great synergy which makes this build valid in the first place.

- Extrem early killing potential. With Mask of Madness and Phase Boots activated you can close the distance to your prey so fast that you always can surprise meld him. WITHOUT A BLINK DAGGER.

- Allows you to deal all your refraction damage charges out extremely fast
In Combination with traps...almost no one can ever run away from you.

- Great Synergy with all of your armor reduction

- The high damage output is so fearsome that even tanks will panick early midgame and try to run away from you...which is for the most heroes just impossible...the result is an easy kill.(man you are so fast u can even chase Stormspirit and manage to get him)

The slow from your Psionic Trap and the movement speed bonus from your Mask of Madness and your Phase Boots is not only perfect for chasing...no it is also good for ESCAPES.

No one can outrun you...they sending nuke after you? ohh look refraction is off cooldown again.


The Mask of Madness Lifesteal is also quite nice and allows you very fast jungle farm and ancients killing.


As you can the Mask of Madness offers a entire world of advantages. The big disadvanges can be avoided by a man who knows when to charge (or latter blink) in and when to use Refraction.

Of course if you misjudge a situation (what can always happen) you are of course dam dead. But to be honest i dont care if i die 1 Time because of MoM if i get 3-4 kills in exchange for that.


I often noticed that every build including a MoM gets down votes and hate. Mostly from people who didnt even tryed the build or from those who are making the mistake that they are playing a hero with a MoM the same way as without it. (Thats just not possible you have to TAKE CARE)

Furthermore i do not claim that this build is more then medicore in ranked matches and useless in top games with very smart enemys...but in Pubs it is absolutely superior (if you get the hang to it)

Items (besides MoM)

Start with a good old Tango and one Blades of Attack those will make it easier for you to last hit and are already 1/3 of your Phase Boots

Dont forget your Bottle if you are mid lane (which is the best position for a TA)

• 
  Phase Boots are great and give you enough damage output for some realy early kills. As soon as your Mask of Madness is finished there is literally no Hero who can escape you at this stage of the game (even a Stormspirit will not have a big enough mana pool yet to outrun you)Okay Power Treads are a solid choice too, but Phase Boots are essential for this build imo because the synergy is just to good.
  
  
• 
  Crystalys is in my eyes the second breakeven point for Lanaya (after MoM +Phase Boots)
  Crystalys is just a extrem good item for TA with our without MoM. But with MoM and the armor reduction from Meld...its legendary.
  
  -High Damage bonus for low costs
  -A Crit with a Meld attack is devastating.
  - Critical strikes benefit extrem from reduced armor.
  - Thanks to MoM = More Crits
  - Upgrades into Daedalus
  
  
• :
  
  We all know that Blink Dagger is a quite tradional item for lanaya and also a MoM TA cant life without one...its just to fancy and thanks to Crystalis+MoM+Phase Boots is our Damage output already pretty high...so if we blink...we kill. I prefer this everytime before a Blink dagger rush...JUST meld isent enough to kill anything besides a support. But with my way even tanks should fear us.
  
  
  Combo is lay down your Psionic Trap and detonate it to slow down your prey. Then activate your Refraction and Mask of Madness while you rush your enemy (take care/do not use it always at the start of a fight!) or later on just blink to your target with your Blink Dagger then instantly Meld and autoattack him to bring the enemy hero down. Use another Psionic Trap if hes still alive and trys to runs away.
  
  = The result should be a dead enemy in an blink of an eye. Also dont forget to activate your Phase Boots while rushing in or hunting down your victims.
  
  
• :
  
  I dont think i have to say much here...Supports are now insta kills.
  
  
• 
  Easy rule: Spells making your life unbearable?...buy BKB!
  The extra Health and Damage are also the boni we like to see for a TA.
  
  In the life of every Dota player comes the moment where he have to accept the one true King Stannis Bara...eh the BLACK KING. Once you go black Hitler! You never go back Hitler!
  
  
• 
  
  Attack Speed for your team
  Tons of armour for your Team
  Armor reduction goes hand in hand with your armor reduction from Meld.
  
  If none of your teammates plans to buy this item go for it.
  
  
• 
  
  One Eye of Skadi grants a total of 725 health, 0.75 health regeneration, 3.5 armor, 25 attack speed, 575 mana, 1 mana regeneration and 25 attack damage.
  
  + an awesome Orb effect which is combinable with lifesteal.
  
  
• 
  
  If u evade an attack u can safe your Refraction charges.
  
  
• 
  
  With good reason the traditional orthodox item for TA (armor reduction). You can still buy it in the very end game where your Mask of Madness is not the same thing anymore as it is in the early and mid game. (But not if u went for the Eye of Skadi).

How to play this Madness?

You should always go mid if possible, as there are only a few heroes which can hold themselfes against a Templar Assassin, with a good positioning you can easily harass your opponent with your Psi Blades once you get your bottle and get to level 6, yor rune control is supreme. Set a trap at each rune spot and another in roshans pit this grants you a good awarness and forces the enemy team to spend money for dewarding. Also if you are nearby u can detonate your traps and kill those filhty rune stealing enemys.Mid game, is TA time, you have your core items,you should be ganking constantly.


Use yor Mask of Madness wisely.
- Look at your prey and the situation! Can u kill it even before it can break your Refraction? Are they squishy?
-IF YES! Good rush in with MoM and Refraction, meld besides the victim. Blow him away!
-IF not!Activate your mask not before but during the gank after you recognized the enemy already casted all their stuns and nukes.
-Dont forget that the speed bonus from your Mask of Madness combined with the speed boost from your Phase Boots are also a way to retreat! Keep that in mind and use your MoM not only offensively but also defensively and use skirmish tactics. Go in make a kill and run away before his lane partner can properly react!
(btw: dont forget to activate phaseboots AFTER you activate MoM so that the speed boosts can stack)


Always keep those tips in mind:

-Positioning is important. Dont underestimate the power of Psi Blades
-Use Refraction and Meld to get your blink dagger of cooldown to escape hot situations.
- With the Lifesteal you are able to solo rosh during mid game.
- Dont forget to farm the Ancient camps if u are the hardest carry in your team (or your mates forget to do so)
- Think like a ninja...act like a ninja. BE A NINJA!

Just a little Map to know the most obvious positions for your Psionic Traps

-Credits goes to Mightycookie.

Friends and foes

Friends:

• Slardar
• Bounty Hunter
• Shadow Fiend
• Naga Siren
• Dazzle

• Batrider Sticky Napalm and Flaming Lasso WILL destroy your Refraction
  
  
• Slardar: His Ultimate grants the enemy team true sight on you. And makes you go down faster as soon as your Refraction charges are off.
  
  
• Bounty Hunter: Here true sight again. Keep an eye on your debuffs to you if you have Track on you!
  
  
• Viper: Your Refraction cant block its massive damage overtime.
  
  
• Venomancer: His Poison Nova WILL kill you in the early game. And stays a major thread to you during the game.
  
  
• Timbersaw: His Chakram will destroy your Refraction and will kill you if you try to hide using Meld
  
  
• Pudge: If he hooks you are most likely dead. Rot destroys your Refraction and his Ultimate are also far more then only 6 hits. Also if u try to hide with Meld to prevent being Ultimated. His Rot again will kill you.
  
  
• Bloodseeker: If you are low HP and try to hide with Meld the enemy team will have true sight on you because of his Thirst
  
  
• Meepo: There are plenty of Meepos they will destroy your Refraction shields in no time and then just Poof you to death.
  
  
  
• Phantom Lancer: His Illusions no matter how weak they are will cost you your Refraction charges leaving you open for his nuke. Also the Manaburn of his Diffusal Blade will hurt your HP and Manapool aswell.
  
  
• Dark Seer His Ion Shell does damage every 0.1 seconds so your maxed out Refraction wont even last for 0.6 seconds.
  
  
• Radiance: It destroys your Refraction AND triggers the cooldown of your Blink Dagger from a relativly wide distance away.

• Damage overtime
• AoE
• Truesight
• And Heros wich have the abbility to hit you often in a short period of time.

Conclusion

Well thats it. I hope some of you will give this a try and will have as much fun as I have when playing Lanaya. This was my first guide ever and I hope it will be criticized as such.

In fact i hope to see as many comments as possible. If some people like this guide it would make me so happy and motivated to write another guide without fear being bashed for promoting not 100% conventional builds. Thank you for your time and attention. PS: I am German and i have to apologize in advance that english is not my mother tongue.

Your dearest
Jack o' Blades
PS: Some upvotes would be awesome too ;D