Do you want to learn how to Play Wraith King in Dota 2?
One of the best heroes for beginners and high MMR players alike, Wraith King is one of the strongest carries. With his ultimate ability that gives him an extra life, his survivability reaches standards many can not even dream of. Moreover, his solid damage throughout the game makes it lucrative to learn how to play Wraith King in Dota 2.
Besides having a reliable stun that helps him set up kills in all stages of the game, he Farms fast. This is because he has Skeleton Units that help him kill Creeps, heroes, and Towers alike. In addition to this, he can also help his Offlaner in the Frontlines due to his Tankiness. He can absorb a lot of enemy pressure due to this attribute.
Perhaps Wraith King’s most important trait is his ability to fit in almost all Drafts and against any Playstyles. This means that he is a stable choice in most games and has a low Skill-cap aiding Low MMR players. Besides this, it becomes very hard to Kite Wraith King due to his multiple lives. This is another integral reason to play Wraith King in Dota 2.
As the text above states, few do not work well with Wraith King. For example, some compatible heroes are Bloodseeker and Ogre Magi, providing some sort of Attack Speed Amplification. As for heroes who Wraith King works well against, he counters Doom and Necrophos with his second life.
Wraith King’s Abilities
His first ability and only Disable is Wraithfire Blast, with which he can stun enemies for up to two seconds. By firing a skull at the enemy, Wraith King also damages the enemy while also slowing them. After the stun duration is over, the hostile target slows down by 20% for a further two seconds after it.
Vampiric Spirit has two aspects, which are very important to guaranteeing Wraith King’s success in the game. The first aspect is passive and gives him 30% Lifesteal on all of his attacks, making him even more Tanky. This Lifesteal allows Wraith King to stay in fights even when he gets low as he always heals back up.
The second aspect of this ability is the possibility to gather and release Skeletons by killing Creeps. Every time he kills two units, Wraith King gains a skeleton charge that he can release. These Skeletons are not under his control and attack whatever enemy target they see first. They also respawn once after dying, making them a nuisance in the Lane.
Mortal Strike is Wraith King’s second passive ability and grants him a critical attack after every four seconds. Maxing up to 270% of his Attack Damage, this bonus damage can be extremely helpful in securing Lasthits and kills. Furthermore, choosing the right talent can reduce the cooldown for his critical attack to just two seconds.
Reincarnation is Wraith King’s iconic ultimate ability and is the primary reason for his popularity. Reducing his extremely long cooldown to just a sixty-second cooldown at level 18, Reincarnation becomes an efficient fighting spell. Not only this, but upon its activation, Reincarnation also slows all enemies within a 900 radius around him by 75%.
How to Utilize his Abilities
Wraith King’s subpar Mana Pool means that it is very hard for him to utilize his spells continuously. As a result, players should make a constant effort to make sure that they use Wraithfire Blast only when necessary. Situations like these can include initiating, chasing down heroes, or even guaranteeing Lasthits in desperate situations.
With his ridiculous amount of skeletons at max level, Wraith King becomes a very fast Farmer early on. His skeletons allow him to be in two positions at once, pushing and farming all at once. Wraith King should also use his skeletons to perform tasks he cannot do at that moment. Namely, he can use them to push while he Farms.
Mortal Strike has a cooldown of four seconds. Thus, it is important to ensure the correct timing of his attacks. This is because his critical attacks make it very easy to kill and Last hit incredibly easily. Mastering when to utilize his Mortal Strike to burst down a creep is the best way to win the Lane. Moreover, he can make items to aid his burst damage.
Reincarnation requires a tonne of Mana, and early on, it becomes tough to maintain it. Consequently, ensuring the required amount of Mana before entering a fight is essential. Apart from this, making sure to absorb the maximum damage for one’s teammates is ideal for winning fights effortlessly.
Item Build
Weak without proper help in the Lane, Wraith King needs to ensure his itemization is perfect. Increasing stats is crucial to make sure he can play and survive the Lane while also establishing a lead. As a result, he needs to purchase Iron Branches, Tangoes, Healing Salves, and Gauntlets of Strength.
Till the end of the Laning Stage, Wraith King should also have a Magic Wand, which helps him with Mana. Apart from this, starting out with Wraith Bands and Power Treads also helps him be more durable. At this stage, Wraith King also needs to see what item build he should pursue depending on the enemy team.
In the current meta, instead of the traditional Radiance build, Wraith King players opt for a more aggressive build. These items not only help him be active much quicker but also help him in applying pressure to Towers. The first item for this build is the Armlet, a good starting item that amplifies his fighting potential.
Following this item is the Desolator, which is key in bursting down heroes with Wraith King. The combination of Desolator with Mortal Strike is yet another reason why playing Wraith King in Dota 2 is lucrative. Another great item is the Black King Bar, which helps him fend off Disables and Stuns.
Laning Stage and Gameplay
In the Laning Stage, though Wraith King seems quite Tanky, he is extremely weak. This is all because of his low armor. As a result, one must always be careful of ganks and mindful of enemy aggression. Apart from this, Lasthitting under Tower is the best way to both gain XP and establish a successful gold advantage.
One usually levels up Vampiric Spirit and Mortal Strike first, as both of them help Wraith King Farm better. Maxing Vampiric Spirit, due to the skeletons helping immensely in all aspects of the game, is ideal. Wraith King usually moves out of the lane earlier than most cores due to his Farming without reliance on items.
In the actual game, after the Laning Stage passes, Wraith King, with his abilities, can come online after minimal items. Most games require him to build only two starter items before he can join his team in fights. As he is this active relatively fast, he can also pressure Lanes before enemy Cores have Farm. His skeletons also assist him in achieving this.
Wraith King, with his second life and extreme fighting potential, is why playing him is so vital. Working in almost every game and being relevant in every Patch help him stay relevant at all stages. Playing Wraith King is a good way for every Carry player to learn and adapt to the game. Thus, learning to play Wraith King in Dota 2 is vital for all Cores.
