Victory is the goal - a guide to Dark Seer [6.80 READY]

Mid Game Items, final paragraph, kthxbai.

why is vanguard in the build?
it is definately not a luxury item and you dont say anything about in in the item section.

I think the guide is really great! I really like the choice to level Wall at 6 because it is actually useful in lane for securing kills.

I know that Wall of Replica level 6 is actually starting to be a thing in the pro scene, which is odd, but makes sense if you are going for early aggression. Darkseer generally isn't picked up in aggressive line-ups though, but lately he has been

Very true, and I've done it myself a couple times. I'll still keep it at 6-11-16 on the skill build though, just to indicate that it shouldn't be neglected.

OK, I played a couple games to test out level 1 Ion Shell and maxing it earlier, and the results are spectacular. Major guide update coming up.

Usually I'll sit on my first level upgrade until I figure out who I'm up against in lane and whether there's any instant danger you might need to avoid. Wherever possible thou (95%+ of the time) you get Ion Shell first, and max it by level 7. You might sometimes want two levels of Surge early if you're up against it and need some extra escape time.

Even then you really need at least 1 level of Vacuum by 6 (cancel TPs and channels) and want to max it 2nd after Ion Shell. Wall of Replica early-mid game is pretty meh - the 150 damage and "fear factor" it generates tend to outweight what the illusions do at this point, so you can delay it depending on the game situation. Sometimes it's fine to leave Wall until 10+11.

If they are pulling the carry is going to take massive amounts of damage from Ion shell, and you can contest the pull with ease, since you will get at least 1 wave worth of solo experience, which if they don't deny well is a guaranteed level 2. If they do deny and they are good and can pull through, then you can just ion yourself and go tot he pull camp to pick up some CS.

Thanks Wisdomeyes1!

What you're saying is very interesting, given the fact that most trilanes you're up against will have at least two stuns, three if they are extra aggresive, which nullify Surge. In this case as a Dark Seer it would be better to get Ion Shell level 1, then stay back and hug the tower.

My only concern is if the trilane you're up against is pulling the lane, you'll lack the mobility to get next to the creeps for a last hit or deny, then quickly go back to a safer zone. At worst, though, you'd still be able in this case to abandon the lane and go jungle.

However, I haven't explained how to level 1 jungle as DS in this guide, so I'll have to update it a bit.

Even if they aren't teamfighting I don't see the reason why would you max surge second. Even when finding pickoffs you might need the extra radius on your vacuum. And in my opinion ion shell should always be maxed first no matter what since the damage really hurts only early-mid game. The extra seconds on surge just don't seem worth it in any situation in my opinion.

I personally would never get Surge first level. I would rather risk dying in almost every case, to be honest.

That said, I only play Darkseer in 5 stacks and in captain's mode (where I am for sure offlane solo and more than likely vs a tri-lane)


In a solo v solo or solo v dual lane, then you could possibly get away with simply getting surge first, with tri-lanes, having the ability to contest farm, get farm, and choose to jungle if the lane is to hard is invaluable.

I actually decided that when I was watching a Dignitas game. Universe was offlane solo vs a tri lane of something like Keeper of the Light, Alchemist, and Lion I believe, and he ended up being forced to take Surge level 1. Against a tri-lane like that, he could not get experience without dying, he had no presence in any lanes, and he could not jungle. He was level one 6 minutes into the game.

With good lane control and decent lanes, taking Surge level one is always a mistake, I think (some lanes it will be okay possibly)

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I have never considered a Darkseer early teamfight build in which you max Vacuum and Surge while getting your ult early. It is interesting. My only concern with that is that it requires forgoing Ion Shell points (past the first) which relieves a lot of pressure from the carry, which is the primary reason I usually pick Darkseer.

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Items:

Bottle is also really good if your mid solo doesn't use Bottle, like Necrolyte or Invoker.

I don't personally like Claritys because you are a melee hero and have to go into melee range a lot to get last hits (and despite what people usually do, you actually do have to go up to guarantee those last hits, due to enemies denying and the chances of a low level Ion Shell last hitting creeps being really really small. Getting those last hits, of course, builds towards a Soul Ring

Saying "against dual lanes Ring of Regeneration and Stout Shield are fine... I disagree with, but if it works for you it works for you. Against really ****ty dual lanes like Spectre Omniknight it would work well, probably.

Check the chapter "Adaptive Skiil Build" , right under "Mid Game". I distinctly say that if enemies are forcing early teamfights, Vacuum should be maxed first and Ion Shell last. So if you swap Ion Shell for Vacuum, that means Dark Seer is 100% team-fight ready at level 12, and at level 10 if you skip the fourth level in Surge, which is still very viable, especially in team games.