Zeus - Dominate Mid, Ultimate Ganker.

Introduction

This is my first guide ever. But I love playing Zeus, I've been playing Dota for 4 years on Dota-League before I switched to HoN then LoL until I got a Dota 2 Key.

This is the way I play Zeus, so any useful feedback would be useful. :)

Pros / Cons

Pros

- One of the best mids with rune control.
- Really high damage that scales due to Static Field.
- Guaranteed full team AoE with ultimate (provided their Linken's Sphere isn't up).
- Can carry bad teams before they have a chance to feed.
- Top tier early game, Over 500 damage with less than 3 seconds combo at level 6 (full mana).
- Can play all lanes, excels at mid.
- Amazing ganker, with high range spells
- Can also play support
- Can counter stealth heroes with spells

Cons

- Completely reliant on mana
- Squishy
- Easily countered
- Always gets blamed for Kill-Stealing

Summary

Zeus

Also known as TB(Thunderbringer from HoN)

1. Early - Mid hard carry . Meaning you will dominate early-mid game, late game you will reach your limit but by then if you haven't won or if your team lacks a carry, you will struggle.

2. Can enter a team fight at any point, although, may be accused of killstealing if arriving at the end.

3. Needs to be game average level or higher to not get killed immediately. (meaning all heroes in game average)

4. Great fun to play as he is a passive aggressive hero. Blow W and Q, spam Q till W is up and finish with ulti, depending on mana.

Skills

Arc Lightning

Zeus's Q move.

Hurls a bolt of lightning that leaps through nearby enemy units.

Cast Range: 700, Bounce Area: 500

Number of bounces: 4/6/8/14
Damage: 85/100/115/130
Mana cost: 65/70/75/80
Cooldown: 2seconds

Mana cost is exceptionally low. It has an extremely high range, so this should FOLLOW your W due to it's long and assumption that the hero will run away.
It can be used to farm due to the bounces, and is a guaranteed way to due some decent damage due to the bonus effect of Static Field.

Lightning Bolt

Summons a bolt of lightning to strike an enemy unit, causing damage and a mini-stun. Lightning Bolt also provides truesight around the target in a radius of 900.

Cast Range: 700

Damage: 100/175/275/350

Mana Cost: 75/95/115/135

Cooldown: 6.5seconds

Zeus's W move, and also his main source of burst damage. You should always open with this as it will reveal any stealth units around your target giving you a chance to focus on that hero or run away in time.

Also, it will likely do at least 1/3 of the target's HP in damage and will give you a chance to chase some more due to human reactions.

If your team is struggling in team fights against a Shadow Blade holder or Riki or some other form of stealth carry, save this for when he/she goes back into stealth and use it on another target to reveal him/her. You can then chain it with your ulti (Thundergod's Wrath). To provide adequate true-sight.

This also has a ministun, which means it can counter any channelling spell and allow for some chasing. If you're up against a channeling game-changer like Enigma's Ultimate, stay out of range and Bolt him out of it.

In a fight, this should always be on cooldown.


Static Field

Zeus's E (passive)

Zeus shocks all nearby enemy heroes whenever he casts a spell, causing damage proportional to their current health.

Area: 1000

Percentage of Current HP Dealt as Damage: 5%/7%/9%/11%


This is the only reason why Zeus scales well. If you're up against a Tank with 3k HP, a W on him at max level will do 680 damage. (depending on magic armor).

There isn't much to say about this skill, you don't have to do anything but take it to make it work and you will always be in range to make this work while using your Q and W.

The only thing I have to say about this play-wise, is if you're in a team fight. It will hit ALL heroes in range. Meaning it will cast 3 times to all surrounding heroes after you cast your combo.

Thundergod's Wrath

Zeus's Ultimate (R).

Strikes all enemy heroes with a bolt of lightning, no matter where they may be. Thundergod's Wrath also provides truesight around each hero struck in a radius of 900. If an enemy hero is invisible, it takes no damage, but the truesight is still created at that hero's location.

Scepter Upgradable: Increases Damage.

Area: Global

Damage without scepter: (210/335/460)
Damage with scepter: (400/500/600)

Cooldown: 120seconds

Manacost: 225/325/450

This is the ****. Honestly, Once you get level 6, with full mana, you can do a total of 570 damage not including Static Field! Meaning around 700 damage! Enough to solo any hero at level 6 provided he/she hasn't stacked health.

As you can see, Aghanim's Scepter should be your first main item pick up (apart from boots). As the damage increase is substantial.

You should save this for a guaranteed kill or save. Unless in the case of a team fight, you can use this to initiate and bring every opponent down a large notch.

If you are playing a support role, save this for when your team-mates ask for it or if they are losing a fight and it will turn it around.

The only problem with this is it's large mana cost, make sure you have enough to cast it, prioritise this spell for manacost. Don't spam your Q if it leaves you without mana to cast your ultimate.

Early-Game

Items

Start off with a bottle. Many people would argue with this. But I have tried a ton of reccomended starting builds and found a bottle the most sustainable and useful.

EDIT: Due to much debate which has ended up in a semi-flaming war. I have added alternate starting items, simple recommended build. The logic behind this is that it will give you an early advantage (since Bottle doesn't give you any attributes). You buy the chicken(courier) so that theoretically you never have to leave the lane. Then as soon as you get enough for a bottle (600 gold). Buy a bottle and get your chicken to deliver it to you, keeping you in lane and rewarding you with a full bottle and early advantage.

This starting build depends on your ability to last hit, so if you're not used to playing mid, I don't recommend it as compared to most heroes, Zeus's attack animation is dreadfully slow, if you can forsee your opponent being Razor in mid, then I would definitely stick with the bottle as his attack speed animation is one of the fastest in the game. If you choose this build and your farm is below average, you will struggle without the bottle at level 5 and will likely have to return to base.

Playing Early

Take Mid-Lane

If possible, ask a team mate to buy a rune ward for you, this will guarantee you all wards. (note you only need one of these at a time, if the rune isn't at the visible spot, it's at the other).

TIME YOUR RUNES. The only way the bottle is sustainable is if you can refill it. Don't leave the lane unless you need to use your bottle though, a full bottle when you have full HP/MP is not worth the EXP/Gold loss from leaving your lane. Start walking at the 55th second. Meaning at the rune spawn of 4minutes, leave your lane at 3:55 to check for it (assuming you dont have a rune ward).

First blood is guaranteed at 6. Feel free to harass with your W after level 3 (it's not worth the mana unless the skill is at level 2). But make sure you have enough mana to do your combo at 6. Cast your W, Q, then chase with another Q if he isn't low. Finish with your R. Easy. this will also you get you 7.

You should roam at 7. By now you should have a kill, or at least enough to get boots. Pick them up, fill your bottle and check the rune. You should gank every rune spawn as every rune allows for gank potential.

If you are struggling in your lane (against a Bloodseeker for example). Buy yourself a rune ward and play offensively.

Mid-Game

Mid-Game

At around level 10, your laning phase is over. Hopefully you'll have arcane boots and a point booster by now or close to it.

Roaming is your game here. Help out your bot and top lanes with constant ganks and watch for enemy health to use your ultimate.

Around the end of mid-game your team should be winning. So get pushing, co ordinate team fights.

Late-Game

Late-Game

By now you should have your Scepter, Have or be on your way to a Refreshers Orb.

Your team should be on their way to their final builds and if you haven't won by now you should be pushing and starting to win.

If you think your damage isn't doing much, play the glass cannon roll, meaning once a team fight starts, W, Q, R, Refresh, W, R, Q. By now you've done tons of damage and given truesight.

If you have the money, play the support roll and get a sheepstick. (Scythe of Vyse). It's expensive but one of the best items in the game for a caster. Disable their carry and it can turn fights easily.