Saturday, January 15, 2011

Dota Phoenix Guide, Build & Strategy | Icarus The Phoenix

DotA Phoenix: Icarus The Phoenix Guide, Strategy & Build. Icarus is another addition to the Sentinel Strength hero along with Tuskarr in DotA 6.70. This post will provide you with the Phoenix Skill Description, the Phoenix Guide, the Icarus Strategy, the Icarus Item Build and Icarus the Phoenix Skill Build.


Ancient scriptures spoke of seven sacred emanations of light, and of their convergence in great conflict. The collision of these rays upon the mortal realm created a pyre of the highest purity, giving birth to the mythical Phoenix. As a manifestation of divine flames, Icarus can discharge either flames of death and destruction, or of life and healing. The concentrated beam of energy that he can emit can incinerate whole armies from across the battlefield. Unafraid to utilize his own life-force in order to vanquish his enemies, Icarus can also harness the direct power of the sun to create a stellar explosion.



Alliance: Sentinel

Strength: 22 + 2.9 (Primary)
Agility: 12 + 1.3
Intelligence: 18 + 1.8

Base Damage: 56-64
Starting Armor: 0
Movement Speed: 290
Attack Range: 500


Icarus The Phoenix Skill Descriptions

Icarus Dive

Phoenix dives forward in an arc with a fixed distance in the targeted direction, dealing damage and disarming any units he comes into contact with, and then orbiting back to his original position. If during the 2 second duration of this spell Phoenix casts another spell, the dive ends. Phoenix gains magic immunity for this brief dive period as well. Costs 10% of current HP to cast.

Damage: 100/150/200/250
Disarm Duration: 2/2.5/3/3.5

Travel Range: 1400
Travel Width: 500
Total Travel Time: 2 seconds

Cooldown: 40
Manacost: 100
HP Cost: 10% of current HP

Note: You can also press the same hotkey or another skill or stop hotkey anytime to end the dive

A cool move which allow you to damage and yet gaining magic immunity for 2 seconds. It can also be used as escape mechanism, just immediately press the same hotkey to stop on desired location. Also an effective measure to ruin enemy gank by prevent them to attack for several seconds. Cost you some HP though.

Fire Spirits

Born out of his own life force, Icarus creates 4 fire spirits to fly alongside him. Each spirit slowly grows in power and can be used to damage his enemies or heal his allies. Costs 10% of your current HP to cast.

Maximum Growth Time: 10 seconds

Spirit Minimum Damage/Heal:10/15/20/25
Spirit Maximum Damage/Heal: 40/60/80/100
Spirit AOE: 400

Subability Cast Range: 1200
Manacost: 75
Cooldown: 35
HP Cost: 10% of current HP

Note: The target subability fires off each spirit one at a time. It has no cooldown. If you let them expire without ordering them, they sacrifice themselves where they are.

Another unique skill from Phoenix. You can attack or healing with the spirits. You must direct each summon to your target. For maximum benefits, cast this and wait several seconds before engaging the enemy. Don't forget that the spirits AoE is pretty decent, so you can gather and heal several heroes at one time.

Sun Ray

Drawing from his own inner fire, Icarus expels a huge beam of light at the cost of his own life energy. The beam slows and damages enemies for a percentage of their life. Costs 25% of current HP to activate.

Upon casting, you lose the ability to attack or move directly. Ray extends out to the first hero it finds and burns it and a very small area around it.

Can be toggled on and off.

Slow: 14/20/26/32%
Slow duration: 2 seconds
Damage per second: 10/20/30/40 + 4% of Target's Max Life

Activation Health Cost: 25% Current HP
Activation Mana Cost: 10
Overtime Mana Cost: 4% of Max

You have another sub ability that you can toggle to allow you to drift towards the direction of the ray.

PS: You control the direction of the ray using right click and the beam will move towards that angle. Automatically shuts off if you are silenced or stunned

This move is remind me of Cyclops from the X-Men. The damage is quite huge, however you won't be able to move freely when you cast this make the Sun Ray as the hardest Phoenix's skill to use.

Icarus the Phoenix Ultimate

Supernova

The Phoenix willingly ends his current life for the chance to be reborn. Transforms into a burning sun that scorches enemies within 1000 range. The sun can be attacked by enemy heroes; if it is destroyed, the Phoenix dies as well. However, if the sun survives for 6 seconds all enemies in range will be stunned and the Phoenix will return to life fully regenerated.

Hero Attacks Required (to kill sun): 5/7/9
Duration: 6

Burn AOE: 1000
Damage: 60/80/100 dps
Stun: 1.5/2/2.5

Cooldown: 110
Manacost: 200

We already saw this skill on DotA 6.69 Phoenix Quest. A situational skill which can either killed you or change the tide of battle. You can use it with another massive disable like Black Hole for maximum benefit. You can also use it on the fog to prevent the enemy hit you easily. Another combo is by using Icarus Dive before Supernova which prevent the enemies to hit you for several seconds.

Icarus The Phoenix Skill Build

1. Icarus Dive
2. Fire Spirits
3. Fire Spirits
4. Icarus Dive or Sun Ray
5. Fire Spirits
6. Supernova
7. Fire Spirits
8. Icarus Dive
9. Icarus Dive
10. Sun Ray or Icarus Dive
11. Supernova
12. Sun Ray
13. Sun Ray
14. Sun Ray
15. Stats
16. Supernova
17-25. Stats

Icarus Dive can be an escape mechanism on early game. Maximize Fire Spirits for a quick and massive heal. You can use it for early ganking too. Then choose to maximize Icarus Dive or pick a lvl 1 Sun Ray depend on your playstyle. Always take Supernova whenever it can be taken. The last part is maximizing Sun Ray and stats.

Icarus The Phoenix Item Build

1. 3x ironwood branch, Magic Stick, 4x Clarity Potion
2. Boots of Speed
3. Finish Magic Wand
4. Finish Arcane Boots
5. Medallion of Courage

Icarus' core item should be like this:


Magic Wand - Obviously used for instant regen (HP and Mana). Best when enemy has spell users.

Power Treads - Give some str (which mean HP and damage), MS, and AS. Good for increasing your dps but will reduce your spell usage cause your limited mana. Its not a problem cause you can change it onto int Treads everytime you want.

Medallion of Courage - Provide you with armor and mana regeneration which are you lack on early game. It also have an active ability for reducing an enemy's armor by 6. Very useful for ganking.

Boots of Travel - Using your Fire Spirits you can do easy farming in early game. Teleport to bunches of enemys creeps and ka-ching, your sacrificed Fire Spirits would turn into gold.

Arcane Boots - An alternative to Treads. You will need when you want to be a supporter. Use this to replenish your mana.

Bracer - an optional item. You can purchase this item for additional stats. Can be upgraded to Janggo of Endurance later which is good for positive aura.

Hood of Deviance - a situational item. Very useful when enemy's team has good nukers. Plus HP regen. Can be upgraded to Khadgar's of Insight.

Luxury late game items:


Shiva's Guard - Unlimited mana, Nice armor, Aoe nuke and slow. An absolute item for Icarus.

Assault Cuirass - Gives you armor and it's IAS is AOE. Plus armor reducer which make your enemies suffer. Perfect item for late game.

Heart of Tarrasque - good item for survivability during battle because it gives huge amount of HP. Also +40 damage boost for a strength hero like Icarus.

Buriza do Kyanon/ MKB - DPS items. No need further informations. Just choose one of these ancient Weapons and you can be a DPS machine.

Satanic - Another EHP boost item. Gives you lifesteal, HP, armor, and damage. Plus 3.5 seconds of 175% lifesteal is always welcomed.


Icarus The Phoenix Strategy

You can pick this hero when your team needs supporter, nuker, late carry, or supporting chaser.

You need to be supported by:
- Mass Disablers :
Just to make sure your Fire Spirits or ulti land into the right target without scratch on your body. It will be enemy's nightmare when Supernova lands together with Overgrowth or Blackhole. You can also combo your skills with Chronosphere.

Beware of his counter:
- Attack speed boosters:
such as Jah'rakal, Ursa, and Syllabear. They will ruin your ulti in no time.
- Silencers and Manabreakers:
can't do anything except do normal attacks. Including Lucifer the Doom Bringer, a hero with an awesome spell which is troublesome for a spell depended hero like Icarus. No escape or ulti means death.
- Dps heroes with silence skill:
such as Traxex or Rikimaru.
- Heroes with illusions ability (including manta carrier):
Their mirror's hit counted on your ulti. So be very-very careful if you fought this kind of heroes.

On early minutes, lane with your teammate. Or if theres no one want the mid just take it. Consider you are slow cause confused to pick a hero (-ap,-se,-rd mode) or items (-ar mode). lol. Focus on farming and denying. It will be best if you can harass and dominate the lane. Remember that Icarus dive is your only escape mechanism this phase of the game and its drain your mana a lot with little nuke damage, so dont use it too much. Instead use Fire Spirits to harass while healing you and your teammate. Try to not push the lane unnecessarily. If you go mid lane and get to above lvl 6, you can try to gank a lower level heroes. The combo is simple. Use your Fire Spirits in approximate 1200 range from your target. Wait for about 6 secs or above. Just before the spirits get big, then Icarus Diving and stop as close as you can from your target (max 400 range). If youre not close enough just walk into them. For maximum damage, dive then stop behind them and keep attack them while the clock ticking. For several seconds, your Fire Spirits will sacrifice themselves. Makes your enemies in range feel the damage and perhaps die. Of course It will be more effective with help of your teammates.

In the middle of the game, You can stop farming. Do gank almost every chance of this phase of time. You can go with your partner or solo if you see some low-HP heroes in the side lanes. Use your ulti effectively so you dont die when your Supernova is pop-up in the middle of battle. But in this phase you'll be dominator of the game if you can use the maxed Fire Spirits well. Still, farming is needed to gain gold and push the lanes. Use your Fire Spirits Aoe damage for fast killing creeps. When the other team feels their defense is in the pinch, they'll try to help. And this is your chance to send em back to their fountain (you always call this death :P).

Late game is the time for Icarus to change his strategy. He is not as strong as when he is in the mid-game. So stay safe and help your teammates when team clashes occurs. This phase of the game let you use your Sun Ray a lot. Cause when maxed, this skill is very powerful to make that enemy tank or carry burned to death. Or at least slowed him down so your carry teammate can easy kill him (exept for blinkers and windwalkers and escape mechanism carrier).

Based on: Playdota Guide

This post contain Icarus Guide & Build - The Phoenix Strategy. If you have different build or strategy, you can give your comments or make your own guide on the Phoenix Forum. 

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