A Divine Strike! - A Guide To Mortred, The Phantom Assassin

It's not only about being different.

not going BKB as a core item pretty much wastes the only time where you can truly dominate - the mid game.

I agree, Maelstrom is a good pickup, but as good as BKB? i think not.Why? BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT A FARMER. You are a killer.

I'm here to blur the line between life and death

NOT TO FARM YOU KL- *cough cough* you get the idea :P

First off all I want to say Good Job for the guide
This guide is easy to read and easy to understand

In some section above you mentioned about do not banking on the critical hit, finally a people who understand it :). I have seen in many public and even ranked games that PA user is somehow careless(or maybe overconfident because their items already good and have massive critical damage) when diving toward enemy and when he/she can't beat the hero because no crit, he/she said it because he dont get the 15% crit. SAD.

And also you mention about MKB/BKB user that makes PA less effective and you just go kill the support. I SUPPORT YOU DUDE, just like the cases of critical hit.

Simple, Well-Made, Solid Guide

but, one thing to ask, the cases of you choose maelstrom or battle fury is depends on the enemy. Would you explain in detail about this cases.
Please reply, I really appreciate your work
+1 if reply

There is an issue with this guide, its the "what makes this guide credible bit"

Your goal in writing a guide on PA of all heroes is for it do be different, there are thousands of guides that are almost identical to this out there. That section should be titled "What makes this guide different!"

Maybe you write a detailed section on something no one has thought about putting much detail in before, maybe a new idea or way of playing the hero.

For example, if I start a business in France and I want to sell something, the location I have chosen is surrounded by croissant makers am I going to make more croissants? No I'm not, I'm going to find a new market, something that hasn't been done yet, or even something that isn't available in the area.

Be different

Butterfly isn't a very cost efficient item in my opinion for Phantom Assassin. 6000 gold is a lot of money that can be spent elsewhere like a Desolator or Manta Style. Even a Skadi costs less than a full Butterfly. You're paying more than 1800 G(Talisman + the extra evasion given from the Butterfly itself) for something the enemy can already deal with. While the raw damage it gives to us is insane, having wasted stats on an item isn't the best idea.

Magic Wand is a must on early game. I saw 3 branches, so I was expecting Magic Wand.

Well, almost everything has been explained by kainen, so i will just add a few:

-PA doesnt always have to go late / super late game. Just go Helm of the Dominator with Black King Bar and Skull Basher is enough.

-If you are going for fast Battle Fury, I suggest you to buy Ring of Health to Broadsword / Claymore instead of perserverance. The damage from the sword is better than a few HP regen from perserverance.


Is it even more acid than Acid Spray? XD

EDIT: I forgot!! Where is Butterfly??

Well, here it goes. This comment is very very long.

Good formatting, man! For a first guide you made things organized and clear to see, something that isn't common.
The problem here in this guide is your item build - that I believe it's far from optimal. Looking at PA, what do we see: a carry-hero that has very strong passives and two skills that let her pick targets with ease. She has slow farming rate with no-inbuilt flash farm skill.

Going straight, I believe that Battle Fury isn't the way to go. It does help her farm, but PA isn't the kind of carry that you want to go real late-game, but instead explore her ability to pick-off targets to get an advantage and finish the game earlier than other carries. BF isn't suited to her because you want to spend time getting kills and towers not afk farming till late-game. Also, have in mind that Blur falls off later because of MKB and Hex from Scythe of Vyse, things that are counter it, get more common as the game extends. Maelstrom, while cheaper, gives you more midgame presence and to farm when you need to, building later into Mjollnir, that gives insane attack speed and has useful active for your tank mate, making the enemies' attacks backfire.

Also, Assault Cuirass isn't the best item for her. It gives a lot of nice bonuses, but PA already has high armor because she's a AGI hero. For minus armor and attack speed - Desolator and Mjollnir are far better choices for her. Let Assault Cuirass for your tank mate, like Brewmaster or Bristleback.

Also, you are missing some items that are very very good for her. First, Manta Style. Built from Yasha, an item that gives any AGI carry a notable DPS increase as a movespeed increase as well, Manta illusions abuse her passives as well, as illusions get her Evasion and Critical chance, something people often forget. When actived, it also purges debuff and you can also dodge some projectiles if well timed, giving extra protection.
The other one is Eye of Skadi. Amazing all stats boost and a BKB piercing slow that stacks with Lifesteal, what not to like on this item? Also, with Manta, it let your illusions a little more tanky. Really helps you, but you should finish the game before having the chance to get one.

Abyssal Blade, BKB, MKB, Dominator/Satanic are very legit and no problems with these items, just to say.

Two other things that I like to point:
- PA can be a very strong split-pusher, because you are invisible of the mini-map (making Manta even more legit) with Blur, so you can push lanes without enemies suspect you are there unless they put the camera over the creeps.
- Helm of Dominator gives more than the ability to get the Wolf creep aura, it also gives a creep that you can control to stack other jungle / ancient camps and can also help during fights, if you manage to use their actives during the battle.

Sorry for the long comment, but I'm trying to help - hope it does. Any questions, just ask.

Was going to drop an acid comment about peasantry, going to abstain from that since this guide is actually solid for what basic knowledge is concerned.

I am sure other users will provide you with actual criticism in a bit so look forward to those.