Dota Guide-Spectre

Spectre Guide

A darkness who was ancient even in the early days of the world's existence, Mercurial is the embodiment of rage and vengeance in the souls of those long dead. Haunting her enemies with relentless fervor, she is able to throw a dagger-like projectile that allows her to chase her prey beyond physical boundaries, and the fear and the desolation struck in the hearts of those who have the misfortune of encountering her alone is a pain impossible to withstand. Spectre's thirst for destruction is insatiable, and the upcoming struggle seems to be just what she was waiting for.

Hero Skills

Spectral Dagger - The Spectre launches a deadly dagger that trails a Shadow Path. Deals damage to the targets in its path. Units hit by the dagger will also trail a Shadow Path. The Spectre becomes phased (gains zero collision) while on the path.

Level 1 - Spectre gains 5% movespeed, enemies lose 5%. Deals 50 damage.
Level 2 - Spectre gains 9% movespeed, enemies lose 9%. Deals 100 damage.
Level 3 - Spectre gains 14% movespeed, enemies lose 14%. Deals 150 damage.
Level 4 - Spectre gains 18% movespeed, enemies lose 18%. Deals 200 damage.

Desolate - Deals bonus damage that cuts through armor when attacking a hero that has no nearby allied units. Works on Illusions.

Level 1 - 15 Bonus Damage.
Level 2 - 25 Bonus Damage.
Level 3 - 35 Bonus Damage.
Level 4 - 45 Bonus Damage.

Passive

Dispersion - Gives Mercurial a chance to avoid damage and disperse it to an area around her. Has a minor stun effect. Can only disperse for as much hp as she has. 400 AOE.

Level 1 - 4% chance.
Level 2 - 8% chance.
Level 3 - 12% chance.
Level 4 - 16% chance.

Passive

Haunt - Creates a haunting image beside each enemy hero. These images are uncontrollable, take 200% damage, deal 50% damage and each of them will attack only its pair. Cooldown goes down with level.

Level 1 - Lasts 4 seconds.
Level 2 - Lasts 5 seconds.
Level 3 - Lasts 6 seconds.

Hero Builds

MVP Build I - This is best if your role is the main mvp of the team and you are being given priority by your teammates when it comes to items. This includes letting you farm as you can at the same time protecting you as much as they can so you can secure your items.

• Starting Items - 4 tangos, 1 flask, rest to branches
  
• Early to mid game items - power threads, 2-3 wraith bands (or vanguard), sacred relic
  
• Late game items - radiance, sange & yasha or(manta style), butterfly
  
• Skill Build : dagger, dispersion, dagger, dispersion, dagger, haunt, dagger, dispersion, desolate, dispersion, desolate, haunt, desolate, desolate, stats, haunt, rest to stats
  

Gameplay :

Play safe during early lane battles specially if your enemies on the lanes are very strong and aggressive. Hopefully you have a good support hero with you early in the game(like lich and warlock) so you will feel secure. Concentrate on getting gold on last hits. Don't let your enemies attack you freely so only get close when you will do last hits to get gold or else keep distance. Use your dagger wisely. Use it only when you will go for the kill or to run away. You can use it to cross trees to escape death. Other than that, reserve your mana. Don't use it to spam. Recharge your health and mana when you reach level 6. Be sure you have enough for haunt in case your teammates ask for it. That's the beauty of spectre. She(yes, mercurial is a girl) can help early game offensively anywhere on the map while still farming on the lanes unlike other mvp heroes. Get items when you recharge on the fountain at level 6 or so. Get boots and wraith bands(or vanguard). Buy wraith bands if you are going to be aggressive on killing enemies early. Specially when your game plan is to cast haunt always and go for the kill. If you fele you're going to have any difficulty on the lanes or you might resort to farming on the creep camps, buy vanguard. Buy power threads after that. Power threads is very important to mercurial whether for farming or hunting for kills. After that, concentrate on farming for relic. Your priority from this point on is to get sacred relic. This is only the hard part. Once you secured radiance, it will be a lot easier later on. You can get your next items easily and you will now be a big threat to enemy heroes. Haunt along with desolate will hurt them badly once you have radiance specially if you got it below 30 minutes in the game. Whenever your teammates or opponents do a push, just farm on the free lane then cast haunt during the clash and go there when haunt is almost finish to sweep your opponents. Always target the weakest and most vulnerable heroes first(these are usually the support heroes or could be the mvp hero with low hp). After that, go back to farming. This is what you will always do. Go to a free lane or go to creep camps. You will only join your teammate during clashes through haunt. This is the reason why mercurial is one of my favorite heroes. She can push a different lane by herself and when your teammates need you, you can go there just in time.

Your next items would be Sange & Yasha(or manta style). Assess carefully which item is best. Manta style is best if most enemy heroes rely on mana or crucial enemy heroes are dependent on mana just like Skeleton King for reincarnation. Other than that, buy Sange & Yasha. It will boost your attack speed, health points and damage. Then buy butterfly after that so you will have higher damage and you will attack very fast which will make haunt very effective. You can experiment what item you want next. I like going for refresher orb. Two haunts will hurt your enemies very much. hehe.

MVP Build II - Do this build if you are not the main priority for the team when it comes to item meaning you are not given that much time and protection to farm for relic early part of the game. Use this build too as an alternate build for MVP Build I if you are having a hard time securing radiance.

• Early to mid game items - power threads, 2-3 wraith bands(or vanguard)
  
• Late game items - sange & yasha(or manta style), butterfly
  
• Skill Build : dagger, dispersion, dagger, dispersion, dagger, haunt, dagger, dispersion, desolate, dispersion, desolate, haunt, desolate, desolate, stats, haunt, rest to stats
  

Gameplay :

Almost the same as MVP Build I except you will not go for radiance. You will directly go for sange & yasha(or manta style) instead of getting radiance first. The good part on this one is you are flexible middle part of the game unlike the first build on which you will really come out late game. You can be actively hunting with this build middle game. This is also your best alternate solution if your enemies keep killing you. So instead of waiting for sacred relic, just go for sange and yasha instead. The drawback on this build is your items won't be as fast as the build with radiance and most likely you won't be as strong as the first build late game.