Viper Aghanim's Scepter style

Only change I would make is I often pickup a casual ring of health with treads which i later make into a hood of defiance. This gives you alot more staying power across the early mid game. I do finish the sceptor usually though before the hood but that just depends on how its going.

i accidentally used exact build as you had before I even see this post. Very efficient way to play him. Only thing different here is i only use phase shoes not treads since i found role of viper at early mid game is for harrassing, and killings.

Thumb up!!

Let's say you are a level 9 Viper with Power Treads, Ring of Aquila and max level in corrosive skin (total 43.75 % magic resistance). Hood of Defiance costs roughly the same as Point Booster and Ogre Club (75 g less). Then you have

Hood of Defiance: ~1030 HP, 60 % Magic resistance => Effective HP against magic: ~2570 HP

Point Booster + Ogre Club : ~1420 HP, ~44 % Magic resistance => Effective HP against magic : ~2360.

If you go for Ogre Club+ Point Booster this means that you have ~210 less HP against magic (- 8 %) but 390 HP (37.8 %) more against other damage (even further boosted by your armor). Of course, the more levels you have the more effective in relative terms Hood of Defiance becomes. Cloak -> Ring of Regen-> Ring of Health -> Hood of Defiance maybe effective if you eat a ton of nukes early on in-lane but getting hood in general is quite a trade-off.

I really enjoy Viper as a hero and typically play him mid - I certainly prescribe to your way of thinking, hence why a +1 from me, though I think Hood of Defiance should be a situational item pick at least since it helps make Viper incredibly tough to remove in a fight with his natural magic resistence with Corrosive Skin - which at level 4 in conjunction with hood and natural hero resistence, will give you an effective 60% magic block - which is huge !