Lich Start Guide for Noobs by a Noob

Introduction

This Guide is for noobs like me. It is a work in progress and will expand as my experience grows with Lich. If you are an experienced player this is not for you, please see the two links below for advance tactics.

Being new to Dota I built this guide for my personal use and understanding of the sequence of buying items and leveling skills in the most efficient manner. I have not yet been past the tutorial phase of playing with bots so everything I say maybe trash and probably is, but here goes anyway.

I make no claims to this working or it being the end all, be all guide to Lich. It describes the basic strategy and timing for buying items and leveling skills. It may as I get experience get more into tactics and strategies for team play.

I want to thank Eanh and SeCTeen for their guides that gave me the starting point for this guide please check them out.

Eanh
http://www.dotafire.com/dota-2/guide/keep-frosty-a-lich-guide-1199

SeCTeen
http://www.dotafire.com/dota-2/guide/frosty-990

Why Lich

So why do you want to play Lich if you are new to dota.

1. Lich is a support hero and is a recommended hero for new players.
2. Lich is not as item dependent as some of the other heros
3. Everyone wants to play the big damage glory seekers so are thankful you are playing the support role and may be more inclined to overlook totally stupid noob mistakes, or even better, explain in a nice way wtf you did wrong and help you get better.

Start of Game

So I want to play Lich now what?

Well now that the easy part is over prepare to be overwhelmed with way to many options on what to do.

It is important to chose your hero, Lich, fast and get into the game so you can spend extra time adjusting and looking at store (which I hope to lessen in this guide)

When the choose hero screen comes up press L. This will take you right to Lich (or close to it) Select him then hit play. This will give you a few seconds before battle starts to adjust and get everything setup.

Fast Start Summary:

1. Open shop
2. Buy Courier -> Deploy courier (press z)
3. Buy Iron Branches x4
4. Buy Circlet
<optional instead of circlet can go Tango/Healing Salve or Wards>

Start Detailed:

Open shop F4
Put shop in grid view if it is list view. Top right corner view, icon looks like 4 squares

Right click on the Courier (buy courier)
Location:
Basics
Middle first column consumables

Press Z or whatever hot key you have bound to first item.
Deploys courier and frees up a inventory slot and gets courier ready to deliver

Next buy 4 Iron branches
Basics, Second Column, Top Slot

Next buy circlet
Basics, Second Column, 5th from top


I like to have courier bring me tango after first couple of last hits so I start with circlet or you can do it the other way round or not get tangos at all.

Reason for these Items
Besides the courier, this gets the most stats possible at the start for the money.
These also set up your first upgrades making them cost less and getting them in play faster.

1 Courier because you are the support and you want to let the high gold requirement heroes spend on items.

3 Iron Branches becomes Magic Wand

1 Iron Branch becomes Headdress

1 Circlet becomes Bracer

If you choose not to buy courier you will have about 200 gold to spend on tango wards or other items.

Early Game Set

First Item to Upgrade to is
Magic Wand cost to complete 350

Components of this Piece are:
3 Iron Branches cost 53
1 Magic Stick cost 200
1 Recipe: Magic Stick cost 150

New Item One
Boots of Speed cost 450


Second Item to Upgrade to is
Bracer cost to complete 340

Components of this Piece are:
1 Circlet cost 185
1 Gauntlets of Strength cost 150
1 Recipe: Bracer 190

Third Item to Upgrade to is
Headdress cost to complete 550

Components of this Piece are:
1 Iron Branches cost 53
1 Ring of Regen cost 350
1 Recipe: Headdress cost 200


Breakdown of Upgrades
The items are listed in least expensive to most expensive to upgrade. If not doing wards and runes you can move the wand upgrade to last of the set, but I like having the space. Another choice is skipping upgrade to wand sell the branches and buy a later upgrade

Magic Wand
Upgrading this item is more a side grade for space and preparation to go to the next step. It trades 3 +1 all attribute items for 1 +3 all attribute item freeing up 2 inventory spaces.

Boots of Speed
Should be self explanatory. Speed is Life chum. Helps you get into or out of trouble faster, and sets you up for the upgrade to Power Treads

Bracer
This one is a little strange at first glance as its main stat is str and your primary is int.
You use your circlet to upgrade to this piece and in return you get net +4 to str and +1 increase to all other stats.
The reason for choosing this item, besides the stat boost, is it is inexpensive and use as part of the upgrade for Drums of Endurance which is a really good stat boost,attack speed boost and movement speed boost all in one. So get this early and use its stats while saving up for the big item.

Headdress
This uses one of your branches from earlier increases all your stats by +2 (1 increase) and gives you and your team some extra Hp regen.
This also sets up the upgrade to Mekansm

Mid Game Set

Items For Mid Game Set
Magic Wand
Yep still here can replace if have gold with another item just haven't decided what yet

Power Tredas
This is the upgrade for the boots of speed. This comes with a flat +55 movement speed boost and +30 attack speed boost with the bonus of +8 to one stat int, str, or agil on demand.
Click to change the stat for the one you want int = blue stripes, str = red stripes, agil = green stripes.

Drums of Endurance
With +9 to all attributes +3 to damage, a passive aura for +5% movement and +5 attack speed which can be double if activated, 4 charges, whats not to like. Can be recharged by getting recipe again. Nice team support Item

Mekansm
+5 all stats +5 AC, passive aura for 4hp/sec, active aura for healing 250hp and 2ac for 25secs. Again team support Item.

Coming soon

This is as far as I have gotten today. I want to play some before heading to bed :)

Publishing this in the hope that it may help someone cut down the learning curve for Lich and more to the point explain why some items are chosen over others and their place in the upgrade chain.

For more detail strategies see the two guides I linked at the start.

Future plans to finish out the end game and situational and luxury items.

Do a skill section.

Do an early, mid, end game tactical guide.

Do a tips, tricks and advice to make things easier section.

For now this was mainly for me to structure my game play and cut down on the wtf do I do now and spending to much time looking at shop window and not enough time paying attention to what is going on in game.

Thanks,