Linken's Sphere V/S Black King Bar

As the title suggests, when do I build a Linken's Sphere and when a Black King Bar?

You build Linken's Sphere against ultimates that go through Black King Bar (say Doom, Flaming Lasso, Primal Roar etc.), when the enemy has little to none targeted skills but they don't also have a lot of magical damage output or when you are playing a hero that gets ****ed up by targetted silences ( Queen of Pain, Storm Spirit). Don't buy Linken's Sphere if they have a lot of spammable skills like Stifling Dagger or Viscous Nasal Goo.



You build Black King Bar when you are scared of getting disabled in fights, or when you have a big channeling ultimate that needs to fully channel ( Black Hole, Death Ward). But it's usually bought against massive disables. Even if they have something that goes through it, you should still be fine, because you're going to be protected from the rest of the magic damage.

Ooohhh,
Thanks for the detailed answer wulfstan.

You build Linken's Sphere when you're up against heroes like Lion, Witch Doctor, Storm Spirit, Anti-Mage, Necrophos, Doom, Bloodseeker, etc.

You build Black King Bar against Earthshaker, Sand King, Tidehunter, Venomancer, Shadow Fiend, Silencer, etc.

If you are not intersted in stats Linken's provides, BKB will be always better except when you face BKB-piercing disables or instant blink+heex initiation.

you should never EVER get linkens for stats. the stats it gives for the cost is absolutely trash. very expensive recepy, ultimate orb is one of the least cost effective items in the game, and so is perseverance.
when debating between BKB and linkens on a hero like weaver or storm ONLY think about the actives. dont give a **** about the stats.

+15 to all attributes and regen are good enough to consider Linken's over BKB even if the oppositin doesn't have scary BKB-piercing disables. If you don't need much spell protection getting BKB is not worth it especially minding the cooldown and the diminishing usefulness.

it really isnt, if you dont need a BKB and are just considering a linkens just because stats then dont get either....

sometimes even when it is a good linkens game regarding their heroes i dont even get it because i need to fight instead of splitpush.

Wulf's answer covers it all tbh.


It really...really...isn't. If all you want is Stats, look to Eye of Skadi.

Once more foryou guys. If I don't face so much disables I absolutely must get a BKB be of some use in teamfights but there are still some nasty spells/item actives for me I will get Linken's, because Linken's gives way better stats.

Eye of Skadi doesn't give regen(which is the best what Linken's gives besides the active), doesn't protect you from spells and it has almost no use if you don't deal damage with your rightclicks. It seems you just assured yourself Linken's is bad. It's weaker than it should be, but there are still enough heroes on whom I would seek for any possibility to get Linken's over BKB.