Lone Druid: When things go wrong

But why don't we rush a radiance?

Things go wrong. Sometimes you can't. Sometimes you are squishy. Sometimes, there's a solo mid weaver who is also going radiance (and they don't stack!). DOTA is about being adaptable, and having a plan B. This guide is that option.

Introduction

Alright, so what is a Syllabear?

Sylla is a tanking carry that requires some micro.

Sylla is a solo mid or jungler. Sylla should never be in a lane with a partner.

Sylla has 12 item slots (we'll get there) making him arguably the best late late late-game hero.

Sylla is a beast.

Pros / Cons

Generic, required chapter. Let's get to it!

Skills

Summon Spirit Bear This gets you a bear. A BEAR! So, at with one level you have 1400 health on that guy. Wowzers. That's more than a level 25 clinkz.

Okay, okay, not very exciting. But you max this first, because the bear can carry items, and does crazy amounts of damage. At Lvl2, you get a blink option. This means you can use your bear to harass and come back, tank and send to the fountain to heal while you farm, etc.

Lvl3 is an important level. You get some Entangling Claws. It's a random net with a small amount of damage, but it is awesome. So many kills come from that bear hitting someone, rooting, and then your allies surrounding.

Lvl4 gives you bonus damage against towers ( Demolish). Yay!

Rabid This makes you run faster, attack faster. You should, after synergy, have a 50 second duration on this with a 30 second cooldown. It should always be up.

I get one level at level 4 for the increased speed, some people don't like that. It can go either way.

Synergy This is a, well, synergy spell. It improves everything, mainly, bear movement speed and attack speed. Maxed after bear.

True Form This makes you a tank. At full level, with full synergy, you have an extra 1000 hp, plus access to Battle Cry! You should stay in melee form all the time! I get this at the same time I complete my vlads, normally 8ish. I don't get it before, because normally I am too busy upgrading my bear.

One thing to note, is that when you upgrade this, you have to change in and out of bear form. Maybe its a bug, maybe it's to prevent you from being too OP.

Battle Cry Gives bonus armor and damage for 10 seconds. I use right after all the stuns are thrown in a team fight.

Items

Why is my core, my core?

Well, the Stout Shield and Quelling Blade are great on the bear to reduce damage and help with last hits. They pay for themselves in about 5 minutes. If I go mid, I be sure to grab so Tangos too. Lane stay is the key to victory.

We get a Vladmir's Offering because the lifesteal helps the bear, the armor helps the bear, and the mana regen is all you need to cast rabid and Battle Cry on cooldown. It is a wonderful item that will let you solo Roshan. Later in the game, I put the Vlads on the bear to free up a space on Sylla.

Mjollnir is what we get instead of the radiance. While attacking, it does the same damage to people around you, because that lightning jumps. If you active it, and people start to hit you, you do even more damage! But the reason we get this is because it is farmable. The most expensive piece is 2100, and that isn't for a while. Remember, this is a things not going great guide, and you want items that come in small pieces. And, once you get the Maelstrom, you can farm with ease! Sometimes I go for this before the Vlads.

For footwear, I like either Power Treads or Phase Boots. Phase boots are great if you think you will be chasing, put power treads are nice for the extra hp they give. Your call, and they are about the same price.

For the bear, I just slap on some Boots of Speed with and Orb of Venom. This makes him great for chasing and slowing, and is cheap at that. If I think of it, some Gloves of Haste go on for more Entangling Claws procs.

Oh, and TP Scrolls are just godsends. Try to have some on you!

Extended Items

What to get next? I can't tell you. If there are stuns, a BKB is nice. If they are armor reducing, get an AC. Get pure damage. Get a butterfly. Use your best judgement, and try to adapt.

You DO NOT NEED a battlefury though. That's why we went Vlad's/Mjollnir.

Tips and tricks

1. Try to use the bear to block the enemy when you are being ganked. If it gets a root off, you can run home scot free!
2. Be aware that when your bear dies you lose health. Remember to summon a new one when needed!
3. If you see a Lich, be prepared to split your units so Chain Frost doesn't mess you up.
4. Similarly, keep your bear next to you when you see a Juggernaut so his Omnislash is at half potential
5. Farm!
6. Always carry some TP scrolls! Cannot stress this enough.

Suggestions/feedback

Always welcome! Just remember the point of this guide is to play Sylla WITHOUT a Radiance!