Frosty!

Introduction

Hello, I'm SeCTeen and welcome to my first guide ever. I started playing DotA since 6.34 and I'm still playing WC3 DotA, as well as the brand new DOTA 2. I've started playing LoL too, but winning a DotA game seems more exciting to me than winning a LoL game.
So I've been browsing several websites/forums and I've always seen people contribute to the community by posting several guides, so now it's time for me to post one for a relatively easy and old DotA hero, Ethreain (or Kel'thuzad for oldies) the Lich.

Roles and Pros/Cons

Lich is a powerful hero who can play as:

• Support
• Ganker
• Nuker

• Superb laner
• Good babysitter
• Above average starting MS
• 3 slowing skills
• Great early and good mid/late game
• Devastating ultimate
• Fountain independant
• Can spam skills b/c of Sacrifice
• Not as item dependant as others

• Vurnerable when focused
• Not good Strength/level = Less HP
• Ulti useless if not timed correctly
• Long casting animation (but cancelable)

Deciding lanes

In pubs, when you're taking Lich, you should try to get the Solo Mid lane. Lich is a powerful solo laner who's able to outlane every other hero when played proficiently.

However, in higher level games, the mid should be taken by a hero who needs a LOT of farm and can push to the tower (Dragon Knight) and/or can gank as well (Bloodseeker/Brewmaster/Puck etc.). Then your role would be to babysit a carry in the side lane, which includes leaving most of the gold/experience to your carry.

Lich could also do well as a tri-laning support, where there is always potential for an early kill.

Gameplay

ATTENTION, THIS GUIDE NEEDS POLISHING AND MORE INFO/PICS, FOR NOW ONLY BASIC INFO/TIPS
Thank you :)

Early Game
Level 1: Skill and use Sacrifice on the RANGED creep when the creeps come out (Ranged Creeps push better than Melee Creeps). After that, try to always Sacrifice MELEE creeps (since they got more HP and Sacrifice benefits from that) and out of your enemy XP range. That way, you'll be denying the most experience possible from the enemy, as well as precious gold.
Level 2: Skill Frost Blast and use it to harass the enemy hero by using it constantly. Keep an eye to your mana and replenish with plenty of Sacrifices, which you should keep on abusing their power.
Level 3-5: Same as levels 1-2
Level 6-7: Skill Chain Frost. If you're on the sidelane, make sure you have plenty of mana to use both Chain Frost and Frost Blast and make an attempt to kill them. Try getting between them by getting in fog and abuse your Ulti casting range and use it when they're close enough and far from creeps, so the Chain Frost bounces only on them for several times. Use Frost Blast to slow them more, so your ulti has more chances to bounce from one hero to another.
If you're on the middle lane, get to 7 first before proceeding to a Chain Frost/Frost Blast gank. Or you can try killing the enemy mid hero by using Chain Frost on the enemy hero when he's next to a single enemy creep. That way, the enemy can be hitted by Chain Frost from 2 to 3 times, if you landed it well, dealing:

• 420 Damage for 2 CF hits [(280 x 2) - 25%(basic Magic Resistance)]
• 630 Damage for 3 CF hits to [(280 x 3) - 25%(basic Magic Resistance)]

• Min. damage: 420 + 206.25 = 626.25 (682.5 with Frost Blast lvl 4)
• Max. damage: 630 + 206.25 = 836.25 (892.5 with Frost Blast lvl 4)

• Max your Sacrifice skill, since you'll have to push to get some towers and you shouldn't deny many creeps, cause Mid game is about pushing and getting Tier 1/2 towers. Maxing Sacrifice will benefit your MP gain and ability to spam your skills, as well as your pushing power, since you'll need less creeps to get the same amount of mana.
• When you get level 9, skill Ice Armor and Use it on you and your allies THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE GAME. The 30% MS and 20% AS slow it gives to enemy melee heroes, as well as the 3/5/7/9 Armor is a great support to every teammate, which should be given in every possible moment.
• Try getting Roshan. Your Ice Armor skill works against Roshan, so it makes it pretty easy to kill him.
• Get Observer wards and use them at key spots.
• ALWAYS CARRY A TP SCROLL. It can be used to defend/gank/escape, so it's out of the question not to hold one.
• Always be with at least one teammate. Gank/Push is what you have to do, but always do it with a mate. You can't be alone, since you're kinda vurnerable to ganks and a few nukes will get you down.
• When ganked, prepare to launch your Chain Frost. Since you're being hunted by the enemy team, you'd be running in a straight line OR running around trees, so they lose vision of you and they get close to each other. So now, ask yourself.
  1) Are they 2 heroes with average HP holding each other's hand? CHAIN FROST
  2) Are they 2-3 heroes with below average HP dancing together? CHAIN FROST
  3) Are they 3 heroes with average or more than average HP and you're alone or with a squishy non-aoe mate? GET THE **** OUTTA THERE, DON'T YOU SEE THE MINIMAP? (Juke and use the TP scroll if they're getting too close.)
  4) Are they 4 or 5 and you're 3 or less and same level as the enemy? AGAIN GET THE **** OUTTA THERE, YOU'RE COMPLETELY BLIND AND CAN'T SEE THE MINIMAP AT ALL. (Same as 3, but don't use your ulti at all, you should use it when you're with the whole team.)
  5) Are they all coming to you and it's gonna be a 5v5 clash? PREPARE FOR TEAMFIGHT
  
  ROLE IN TEAMFIGHT
  1) Use Ice Armor on your allies beforehand.
  2) Use Pipe of Insight if you have it and there's need for it.
  3) Be at the back of your team in order not to get focused. Your skills have a good range, so there's no problem.
  4) Use Chain Frost when the teams clash and enemies are close to each other.
  5) Use Mekansm to heal your allies after 2-3 seconds the clash happens.
  6) Spam Frost Blast to escaping enemies and to whatever there is left to kill.
  7) Redo Ice Armor to your allies when it wears off.
  8) Spam some more.

• Your ulti has a sharply decreased cooldown (60 seconds), so use it when there is a big load of creeps pushing OR you're behind the half of your lane and you need to push.
• When you finish your build or you're close to it, disassemble your Tranquil Boots and get Boots of Travel, you need some extra mobility and Boots of Travel is what gives is to you and every hero in the late game.
• Get some more Observer Wards and use them in your enemy base (away from towers) or in places close to your base, in order to scout your enemies.
• When you've pushed a lane far enough, regroup with your team.
• When in teamfights, follow the same strategy mentioned above. Use Veil of Discord if someone has it.
• ALWAYS have more than enough money when buying an item, cause you may have to buyback.

Things to do

• Polish the gameplay section and insert seperate chapters for each game phase.
• Get Skillbuild/Item Section/Skill Section/Warding Section/Epilogue/Replays.
• Add pictures to give a better understanding.

Special Thanks

My thanks to:
DotaFire, which hosts this guide.
Icefrog, for getting DotA to where it is right now.
Valve, for creating DOTA 2 and making it a worthy successor of WC3 DotA.
You, for reading and commenting this guide.

Changelog

14/7/2012: Added "High-end Support Build"
13/5/2012: Written and published basic guide.