Guide to IshKafel The Dark Seer
Guide by PhearthecowZ
Table of Contents
1. Changelog
2. Forward
3. Hero Overview
4. Skill Overview
5. Build Overview
6. Items Overview
7. Strategy
8. Gameplay Walkthrough
9. Additional Information
10. Replays
11. Final Words
Forward
Well, this is my first guide. Also, my very first post on these here forums. Ha, been reading these forums for 14 months or so, figured it’s time to contribute. The primary reasons I am writing this guide are three fold. First - I like to write. How ’bout that. Second - The DS is a very intriguing hero since his deployment in DoTA. Third - To show my preferred way to play him. This is my first guide, but read on if you want to have some laughs and learn about the mysterious Dark Seer.
Hero
HP: 568
Mana: 377
Damage: 60-66
Armor: 5.7
Move Speed: 305
Range: 125 (Melee)
Pros:
- Amazing Early Game
- Fantastic Farmer
- Relatively High HP
- Fast. Really fast.
- Awesome Support
Cons:
- Weaker End-Game
- Horrible Agility Gain
- Difficult To Use Effectively
Skills
Vacuum [c]
Creates an abyss upon a chosen parameter, pulling in and damaging foes in the area.
Level 1 - 60 Damage. 300 AOE.
Level 2 - 120 Damage. 400 AOE.
Level 3 - 180 Damage. 500 AOE.
Level 4 - 240 Damage. 600 AOE.
Cooldown: 16
Manacost: 100/130/160/190
Remarks:
A great harassing skill, and amazing farming skill. It takes practice to aim correctly, but when a well-placed vacuum goes off there is usually either a lot of confusion–or a lot of dying, depending wholly on who saw it coming or not. If your teammates didn’t expect it, then maybe you get to die. Yay!
Otherwise an all-round great utility skill. Can be used to catch fleeing heroes, position for a fight, farm, harass, it’s just a real winner. To farm most effectively with it, slap on Shell, then vacuum all the creeps on to you. Watch the gold fly.
Late game (and even mid-game) the damage becomes rather negligible and it becomes more of a positioning and farming tool. The cooldown is low enough to allow spamming, but high enough you might not get to use it twice in a fight.
The general trick to use with this, as with aiming any AoE targetable spell, is to aim where the target is going to be, not where it is. Unless it’s still. In which case, fire away Captain Hoover!
Ion Shell [e]
Surrounds a target with energized spellwork, creating a shield that causes damage per second to enemy units who come in contact with it. Lasts 15 seconds.
Level 1 - 30 damage per second
Level 2 - 45 damage per second
Level 3 - 60 damage per second
Level 4 - 75 damage per second
Cooldown: 15
Manacost: 60/80/100/120
Remarks:
Voila, the ‘wtfpwnbbq’ skill for DS. Early game this damage is absolutely devastating, it’s what makes you run up to the front-lines screaming ‘rrawrg-murgh-ack-hrth’ making everyone retreat. Later in game the damage becomes not ‘useless’ but far less ‘useful’. You’re not going to solo any tanks, that’s what I’m saying.
What makes this skill so great is it’s versatility. Up against a sniper that likes to sit by his ranged creep? Slap this bad boy on their ranged creep, and if he’s smart, he’ll move or suffer some electro-shock therapy. Give your creeps a nice little buff, and no melee character is going to go in and last hit, and if they do, then it gets complicated. Long story short, some one is going to die.
However, harassing and farming aside, what makes this an absolutely INSANE skill is the synergy with DS’s other skill ‘Surge’. Instead of attacking early game you harass a bit, slap this guy on, surge and run beside them. Watch them weep as their health keeps plummeting! Ha ha ha! Victory! *Cue maniacal laughter
That is the most important thing to remember when using this skill; never, ever click on the enemy hero. Run beside them, let this do it’s job. Fast reflexes might be necessary due to juking, but if you have faith, you’ll get it. Easy.
Surge [r]
Floods a target with excess power giving it maximum speed for brief period of time.
Level 1 - Lasts 2 Seconds.
Level 2 - Lasts 3.5 Seconds.
Level 3 - Lasts 5.0 Seconds.
Level 4 - Lasts 6.5 Seconds.
Cooldown: 12/11/10/9
Manacost: 20/30/40/50
Remarks:
The other, other skill you have. Yes, it may not be exciting. Yes it may not be flashy. Yes it may not melt faces, but you know what it DOES do? Makes you faster than the flash. That’s right. Oh, and it’s also an integral skill to master as DS. This skill is highly underrated.
Master you say? But how? All I need to do is press ‘r’ click myself, and run around like a mad-man “weeeee!”
Well, no. Timing is important, but most importantly is noticing debuffs. Yep. This bad boy removes debuffs (movement speed ones). A Teammate just got ganked by three people and, unfortunately, just got blasted with purge. What do you do when you see a purge? SURGE, BABY!
Also, notice the cooldown and incredibly low mana cost. This allows you to zoom around to your hearts content. Remember, don’t be greedy either. Help your teammates with this guy, because it is an AMAZING utility skill when used correctly. Such and example is when your fleeing and say, oh, Lina is running right by you to catch the hero fleeing from you. Surge her and, bam, you don’t risk your life and the other person is one dead jive sucka.
Wall of Replica [W]
Raises a wall out of pure mana across the landscape. Heroes who attempt to pass through it will have images of themselves emerge from the wall to serve under the Dark Seer until the wall’s duration is up. Images take 250% damage and deal 35%.
Level 1 - Lasts 15 seconds.
Level 2 - Lasts 30 seconds.
Level 3 - Lasts 45 seconds.
Cooldown: 100
Mana Cost: 200/300/400
Cast Range: 500/900/1300
Remarks:
Ah yes, the DS ult. A seldom harnessed power that is a great utility to the team. It is incredibly useful late-game when doing a 5-man push, but how many uses does it have? For one, it can confuse the enemy, sometimes. Second, it let’s you know if an invisible hero is about (you will get a copy of the invis hero), and third, it adds to raw DPS. That much said, it still doesn’t really DO that much until much later in the game. Why? Because the images are pretty weak, and most enemies aren’t stupid enough to come running through the giant phasing wall thing. For it to have a huge, huge impact, the characters need to be pretty buff, or the enemy has to be pretty stupid. Or you have to be extraordinarily amazing at micro to pull of a bluff of massive proportions. Yep, a 5-man bluff. Cool.
Oh, did I mention that if the image dies you just need to walk through it again and you get a new one? Neat.
So, after all that, when to use it? Well, three situations are a given. First: Rosh. If your team goes to rosh, throw that wall up behind you. Any intruders who come to stop you, bam, you get an image. More damage for your team. Also it causes mass confusion in that cramped area and images are everywhere. Literally.
Second time: Defending a base tower/rax. Throw it up on the ramp, unless they wanna go allllll the way around, they’re coming through your fancy pants wall. Third time is when assaulting an enemy base tower/rax (dur). Set it up on ramp again, and here is where you can get fancy. You can keep running through it during the assault for more backup, and if they chase your team away, you get images. And if they get tired and come down to fight, you get images.
Also, one neat trick I like to do if I can get my team organized enough to do it (GOOD-F*CKING-LUCK in a PUB) is to get all 5 together, place wall. Create copies. Send in phony 5 man group. Let them fight. Wasted ults? Rush in and kill if they were that stupid. It’s not everyday you see one illusion of every team member coming towards you, so many times they get excited.
A more boring use is just to drop it down in the middle of a team fight. Why not. Low enough CD. Just watch your mana (it’s expensive)
Builds
The PUB Dominator
Introduction
Okay. You’re in a PUB. You’re playing AR. You get this guy. Don’t go ’swap? SWAP? SWAP ME -repick” say “Muah ha ha ha ha” maniacally in all chat. Let them know you mean business. Hell, you’re playing AP and want to use him. Go ahead! However, remember this is a ‘pub owning build’ not for you serious players.
Skill Build:
Level 01:Ion Shell
Level 02:Surge
Level 03:Surge
Level 04:Ion Shell
Level 05:Ion Shell
Level 06:Surge
Level 07:Ion Shell
Level 08:Surge
Level 09:Vacuum
Level 10:Vacuum
Level 11:Vacuum
Level 12:Vacuum
Level 13:Stats
Level 14:Wall Of Replica
Level 15:Wall Of Replica
Level 16:Wall Of Replica
Level 18~25:Stats
Justification:
Ion Shell and Surge are your bread and butter here. You use these for super easy FB, and also an easy method of escape (which you wouldn’t have with Shell/Vacuum). Also this build is VERY easy on the mana. As in, cast as much as you want, your spells cost jack all. Spam away. [Note to readers: I am slightly sarcastic, eventually you will run out of mana, it'll just take a while] Vacuum is nabbed right after Shell/Surge to really start the ganking. With Vacuum a backstab is almost a guaranteed kill.
One thing people might find controversial is this: Wall of Replica so late? It’s so imba! No, it really isn’t. The 15 seconds at level one is pitiful. And the manacost is high enough to warrant putting it off to here anyway. This is also when the usual ‘team pushes’ happen, giving it the most use. Sitting at level 6 with level one WoR is a waste. And Vacuum is more important, so it can wait.
Item Build:
- Circlet
- Circlet
- Gauntlet of Strength -> Bracer
- Gauntlet of Strength -> Bracer
- Boots
- Staff of Wizardry
- Blades of Attack -> Dagon
- Sacred Relic -> Radiance
- Boots of Travel
Cost: 12045
Optional Items:
- Heart of Tarrasque
- Linken’s Sphere
- Eye of Skadi
- Guinsoo’s Scythe of Vyse
- Hood of Defiance
- Battlefury
Result:
Why?!
- Bracers = more hp, which means you can tank better with shell on.
- You don’t really *need* boots because of surge, but everyone should have boots at some point. However, you can delay boots to after radiance if you want.
- Dagon is a controversial item. ‘OMG KS’ but for DS it fits perfectly, especially for a chaser. Shell/Surge, run beside, Vacuum, Dagon, Dead. What else you going to do with all that mana?
- Relic allows immolation damage. On top of your shell damage, it’s wicked for chasing.
- Boots of travel are to teleport/farm.
- Overall, a cheap build, with tons of leeway after the core items. If match-up is littered with low-hp heros and you’re doing good, you can even go Dagon 5.
Pros:
- Extremely good chaser
- Good survivability
- Cheap. Did I mention cheap? Yeah, it’s very cheap for such an awesome farmer.
- Fantastic damage early/mid-late game
Cons:
- Less than fantastic late-game
After you have the core items, depending on match-up you can get one of the additional items listed. Against a lot of heavy nukers? Grab a Heart, Linken’s or Hood(depending). Need more damage? DS isn’t much of an attacker, but BFURY is a decent choice. Need a disable? Get an Euls then Guinsoos. After the core build, the last item you get depends entirely on the situation/matchup.
I wouldn’t suggest being a carry build, DS isn’t much of a carry hero. He’s more of an early-mid-game assassin. Also, that serves as an awkward segway into my next portion of items:
Items NOT To Get!
Need I go on? This build is designed to focus on what DS does best, early game destruction.
Now, want some variation?
Swap out Dagon if you want a more pronounced late-game presence, more of a carry feel.
Pseduo-Tank
The following items are good suggestions for replacing Dagon if it isn’t exactly your kind of route:
Skill build still stays the same. If after you have rad/your choice and game isn’t over, start buying up these guys.
Ah, yes, strategy. What DoTA is all about. There are a few key aspects to using ’strategy’ when it comes to Dark Seer, when, how, and is it enough. To play as an efficient dark seer you have to master the use of chasing. You need to be ready for the juke, and be ready to react. That is the most basic skill you need to have. Without it you will lose a lot of kills.
Another key trait to have is awareness. Knowing when and when not to do something. ‘When can I tower dive’, ‘is it safe’? these are questions you need to ask, constantly. Don’t rely on your teammates to call missing, look at the mini-map. It’s not as important as if you were say, Spectre, but it’s an important skill nonetheless.
Now, enough with what you need, let’s learn use some techniques!
Animation Canceling
This is important for DS, you need to be beside the enemy at all times. Ideally, before a chase, cast Shell, cancel his animation, then surge and IMMEDIATELY right click beside the enemy. This gives you maximum time, but not only that, but surge only lasts 6 seconds, you need to be light on your feet here boy/girl!
Ion Shell
First important thing to note. The creature Shell is on DOES NOT take ANY damage. It only damages things around it. So if you shell and enemy, make sure he is close to another enemy (when two bud’s are running away for instance). If you shell an enemy melee creep, it will heavily damage, likely killing, the other two but leaving one unharmed. This doesn’t create as big of a push affect as if you cast it on your own creep. Something note-worthy is also which side is pushing harder. If you shell your creeps and the enemy keeps killing your shelled creeps, shell their creep. They can’t kill it unless it is to deny, so it will get more life out of it. Shelling ranged creeps usually doesn’t do much unless you are in middle lane and they like to hang around their ranged creep.
BS Getting harassed by shell when he goes in for last hit.
Vacuum Aiming
This could take time to master. Think of it as aiming split earth, or maledict, only you need to take the enemies position into consideration even more so. You need to know where they are going to end up. And this is what makes Vacuum SHINE, oh lawd does it shine! There are a few nifty tricks. One trick is to use the trees to your advantage. Vacuum kills trees dead. Use this ability to escape, gank, and surprise your friends and loved ones! Another nifty trick is vacuuming into a tower. Try to aim the vacuum so it will suck them into either a tower, or a wave of creeps and let them wreak havoc on them. Get creative. Typically, however, it will be a standard nuke with a displacement effect.
This is the casting range of vacuum. Notice how close you need to be to the center, but also notice the huuuge AoE. Make sure the target doesn’t get out of the area when you cast.
BS was tower hugging, vacuumed him out. Another wonderful use!
Wall Of Replica Usage
Notice the angle of DS. The wall angles to the angle and direction you are facing. If you cast it from the side of the base, it will create an angle, resulting in a way to bypass it. When defending try to place it just on top of the hill in the fog. If they run up without creeps it’s a nice little surprise. Also remember at level 3 it has a casting range of 1300. Remember this.
Good Allies
Get it? Stuns and slows are your best friends. Heavy harassers are also good (I see you there Zeus).
Worst Enemies
Get it? Disables and heavy nukes are your worst enemies! Later nukers will become food, but early game is when you compete with them. If you play carefully, nukers shouldn’t be a problem.
Gameplay Walkthrough
Levels 1-7
First decision as the mighty Dark Seer…my my, what lane should I be in? This is a tough decision. It usually is best to let your teammates choose their lanes first and get the last one. As sentinel, bottom lane is ideal as you can run the farthest with Shell on before you hit a tower. However, you don’t want solo. Top and Mid work fine too, so try to work it out as a team. Try to team up with someone that can harass though. It will make life much easier, and much shorter for the opposing team. You need to be aggressive, so get an aggressive partner. Lane isn’t as important as your lane-mate.
Now, early game. What do you do now that you are in the lane? You last hit and deny. Denying is more important to you right now, so focus on that. The weaker your enemies are the easier it is for you to kill them.
To harass, if you are laned against range, cast shell on their ranged creep. They will be forced to move about, then your lanemate can harass too. You want them to be wary of getting close, push them away from that delicious XP. You can also harass by slapping Shell on a melee creep if they are last hitting/denying and melee. Bonus: If their creeps are dead, cast shell on your melee creep, if they are slow to retreat the melee creep will keep up with them and hit them, along with the Shell damage.
Also, the most common way is to Shell yourself, and run in and start wailing on them, chances are your damage is higher, especially before level 6. Scare them away and continue to farm, rinse repeat.
When you get an enemy to ~50% you can go for the kill. Shield yourself, harass, but when they run, surge and stick beside them for the kill. You are now a parasite, don’t let go! If you have a stunner or slow with you, this is easy to accomplish at level 1. Almost too easy. Keep farming and dominating your lane until level 7.
Levels 7-16
This is a time to shine. If early game went as planned you should have two bracers and your boots by now. Time to start ganking. Low-hp heros are extremely easy fodder. Watch out for heros with multiple disables or high damage nukes, be careful around them. They like to be trickey. Zoom around the map and try to get as many kills as possible, as soon as you get Vacuum this will be much easier. By level ~11 you should have Dagon if things have went well. Keep ganking and keep them on their toes. If things aren’t going that well for you, sit back and rape creeps with Vacuum/Shell until you get radiance. At the end of the stretch here is when you might notice you are starting to lose some effectiveness. Keep going, your shell doesn’t make as big of an impact as it did earlier but show them it is still something to be scared of.
3/4 Full HP BS ran up and tried to own me. Yeah, who’s the man.
Levels 16-25
This is hard for you. You’ve either been a complete success or a dismal failure. You are hitting the tail end of your usefulness here. Vacuum is beginning to do nothing, and Shell starting to become less effective. Your time is coming to and end, your an early game king but a late-game fizzle. Hope to end it soon with some massive push’s assisted by your Wall of Replica. You should have the core build done and most of your last and final item, and if you chose that item well you’re not down and out yet. This is push push push time. get into gear. Surge up a lane, Vacuum/Shell entire waves of creeps. Do this is as far as safety warrants, TP to a different lane and do it all over. You’re a pusher now.
When the Str and Agi heros start to shine, you start to take a backseat. Your role then is to support whoever is carrying your team. Shell, surge them. Wall, use images to mass effect. Your nukes don’t do anything anymore. Hopefully the game never gets to this stage. Your Dark Seer, you like it hard and fast, that’s how your matches should be.
Additional Information
How do you know when to use Wall of Replica?
You know, as bad as I probably make it sound, it’s not like you need to SAVE it for some momentous occasion. In a 1v1 it can give you an upper hand if you get an image of both yourself and your enemy. The cooldown is low enough you can use it pretty freely, but it’s the manacost that’s the killer.
What about a melee/damage DS?
It’s not terrible, but you need extremely good items to keep up to opponents such as Clinkz, or Faceless, or ANY agi hero for that matter, and most str heros! In my opinion it’s better to focus on what DS does best, and that’s early game destruction. He’s got the HP and the abilities for it.
Replays
Sorry, no replays. Might add some in the future.
Final Words
There you go. A guide to using Dark Seer in pubs. This is the first guide I’ve ever done any feedback is appreciated. Thanks for reading, and remember, this is for pubs. Seriously, pubs. I hope you reconsider the Dark Ownage Seer now.
Super special thanks to fat404, used his same kind of layout. His was the first guide I ever read and I loved it 
