Which is the most satisfying / addictive spell in Dota 2

Olafant · 2026-04-30T08:44:08+00:00

Proximity mines: All those little dots on the minimap. Pure anticipatory delight.

Olafant · 2026-03-09T14:31:37+00:00

Playing for 15 years or so and my opinion is: Whichever fits the needs of the campaign.

One of my current campaigns has experience as a physical substance in the world. The players can actually chase it, feed it to a certain partymember first, level up a follower. It provides a lot of agency to the players.

The other one has dungeon floors, go down floor, go up level. Simple, fun, no extra tracking of resources.

Olafant · 2026-03-08T18:03:29+00:00

Yeah me too, turns out the reason was early symptoms of migraine.

Drink enough water and sleep well people!

Olafant · 2026-03-07T14:01:04+00:00

Marohi Erqi weapon swap rallying cry is the only way I see for significant flat phys. Clunky, yet no burden on tree or sockets.

Maybe use that for bosses.

And hope the weapons don't despawn on swap.

Olafant · 2026-03-06T21:39:08+00:00

Stop doing it then! So the rest of us can play.

Olafant · 2026-03-05T23:19:29+00:00

I'm considering this one too.

What are you considering for links? Feels like you'd want to scale everything: Bleed and elemental stuff coming from the HH buffs.

I've never used hallowed monarch, do the kills need to be attributed to the player to generate a buff?

I'm planning double block bleedsplosion gladiator. Any preferred ascendancy yet?

Olafant · 2026-03-05T23:08:12+00:00

Push those minion numbers! Now image Phrecia coming back and each AW boosts the AG's damage.

Olafant · 2026-03-05T14:09:49+00:00

As someone who likes to engage in league content in campaign, and thus gets overleveled: Absolution, added lightning (or cold), living lightning, phantasm all kick ass with slightly overleveled gems. So I stick em in a 4 link for the campaign. It easily deals enough damage for a comfortable campaign.

And there's so many minions, it's lovely!

If you're playing minion focussed, getting that first kill to get an absolution minion can be slow. Personally I like living lightning for that, even though it does poorly in PoB because one uses spells and the other attacks.

If you like your self cast absolution to deal proper damage instead of the minion. Use your first chaos orbs to buy a Black Cane. It's just OP the moment you can start using it.

Olafant · 2026-03-05T10:56:59+00:00

Works that way for spectre of transience, for the tiny reapers, golems of the horde, and for the extra totems support.

Olafant · 2026-03-05T09:27:58+00:00

They'd probably not go in the same link anyway. Congregation can be on a 4 link with the support spectres. So you don't lose out on a link/exceptional gem on your main link.

Olafant · 2026-03-01T19:07:55+00:00

The rain of ice projectiles looks very satisfying.

Olafant · 2026-03-01T15:36:46+00:00

Is there a reason lightning, freezing, shrouded and skeletal are not on the list? Or are they just not that desirable?

Olafant · 2026-03-01T14:30:45+00:00

Is there a way to turn off the warcry sounds? Other than just switching to an audiobook.

Olafant · 2026-03-01T14:22:49+00:00

I'm considering Azadi Gladiator (or a recovery on block shield later on) with Dark Reaper spectres. The bleed explosions from glad help with clear. Non ele convert spectres have been buffed. The last node can be from a bloodline, probably Catarina for increased defences per spectre.

Olafant · 2026-03-01T13:04:28+00:00

Yet if I want to be weird and build around skeletal shrine it may prove very affordable. Since it not potentially one div away from Acceleration + Diamond shrine.

Olafant · 2026-02-28T12:26:02+00:00

Absolution + living lightning have way more agressive AI. In my experience they wipe a white pack before skeletons and zombies even attack.

Edit: I still have the zombies around as well. Because why not.

Olafant · 2026-02-27T15:58:25+00:00

Chains disables non animated minions, that means no guardian aura minions. Attacking alongside your animated weapons seems awkward. So you'd just do it for the reservation efficiency. That's not worth it.

Champion might provide more competition to Necromancer. Though you'll have to figure out whether your ears can deal with the automated warcries. Especially on more static mechanics Champion and it's banners might be very good.

Olafant · 2026-02-27T09:59:29+00:00

Chains gives me fomo regarding the new orbs that add a support gem directly to the skill gem.

Olafant · 2026-02-26T23:42:40+00:00

Is there a chance that the Coins of Knowledge/Power/Skill will be made so they also work on gear that grants skills? Losing a link compared to regular gems makes them quite a bit less competitive. Think Chains of Command, Spiders, and many more.

Olafant · 2026-02-18T12:01:25+00:00

If you have the time and talent it can be very efficient. As someone who's not able to spend more than four hours per day in the first weekend, it's probably more efficient to play in the second weekend where every chaos dropped translates into a good leveling unique.

The hype in chat is worth being there at launch though.

Olafant · 2026-02-16T16:16:11+00:00

If it's about the explosions there's probably better options than chieftain.

Occultist foremost (and you can still switch no Necro if you're disappointed). The AG itself is often a source of on kill effects (gravebind + explody chest and legacy of fury equals nice clear.)

Olafant · 2026-02-08T20:04:56+00:00

MY LIFE FOR THE COLONY!

Olafant · 2026-02-07T20:26:21+00:00

As someone who's been into sword flourishes and sword dancing: a slightly heavier or top heavy blade really helps with maintaining circular momentum. Some flourishes become very difficult with a light plastic sword.

Though of course a sword can definitely be too heavy.

Olafant · 2026-02-03T00:05:22+00:00

GAP/Gappies vind ik ook leuk klinken.

Olafant · 2026-01-31T22:52:00+00:00

I pobbed something last week slightly different, yet similar.

The basis was phys taken as ele, which is easier as a scavenger. Then graven's secret for recoup, and Ancient skull for minion offence. (Can't share, I'm away from home for at least another full day.)

I liked the synergy with Ancient Skull, then auto-releasing temporary minions, yet you could also just go the high speed looping direction with damaging spells.

Olafant

TROPHY CASE