Dota 2 - Shadow Shaman Build Guide

BIO
Born in the Bleeding Hills, Rhasta was just a starving youngling when picked up by a travelling con-man. For two pins of copper, the old con-man would tell your fortune. For three, he'd castrate your pig, for five, he'd circumcise your sons. For a good meal, he'd don his shaman garb, read from his ancient books, and lay a curse upon your enemies. His strange new youngling, part hill trowle, part...something else, worked as assistant and lent an air of the exotic to the con-man's trade.

Always one step ahead of cheated customers, one town ahead of a pursuing patronage, the two trekked across the blighted lands until one day the con-man realized that the little youngling could actually do what he only pretended at. His ward had a gift-a gift that customers valued. And so the youngling Rhasta was thrust before the crowds, and the trade-name Shadow Shaman was born. The two continued from town to town, conjuring for money as Shadow Shaman's reputation grew. Eventually, the pair's duplicitous past caught up with them, and they were ambushed by a mob of swindled ex-clients. The con-man was slain, and for the first time, Rhasta used his powers for darkness, massacring the attackers. He buried his beloved master, and now uses his powers to destroy any who would seek to do him harm.

INTRODUCTION
Shadow Shaman is one of the best support hero in Dota. With 2 disables, 1 nuke, and his ultimate (Multiple Wards), Rhasta become a very strong support to disable enemy in the teamfight also one of the best hero in pushing-counterpushing with his Multiple Wards and Lightning nuke.

PROS	CONS
Have 2 strong disables	Squishy
Doesn't need many items to be strong
A strong pusher

ROLE

Ranged - Pusher - Disabler - Nuker - Support

STATS

LEVEL	1	15	25
HIT POINTS	511	937	1,621	SIGHT RANGE	1800 / 800
MANA	273	819	1,469	ATTACK RANGE	500
DAMAGE	47-54	89-96	139-146	MISSILE SPEED	900
ARMOR	1	4	9

ABILITIES
1. Ether Shock

Creates a cone of ethereal energy that strikes multiple enemy units.

MANA COST: 95/105/135/160	COOLDOWN: 8
ABILITY: UNIT TARGET	AFFECTS: ENEMY UNITS
DAMAGE: MAGICAL	DAMAGE: 140 / 200 / 260 / 320
TARGETS: 1 / 3 / 5 / 7

Originally used to open shows with the travelling con-man, Rhasta's lightning display shocks adversaries in more ways than one.
This skill is Rhasta's underrated skill. Actually, I think this skill is pretty good skill with a decent damage and a multiple targetted spell.
A very good speel for harassing the enemy and can also destroy a wave of creep. 320 damage on early game will ensure a god damn damage on your foes and can easily kills the enemy.

2. Hex

Transforms an enemy unit into a harmless creature, disabling their attacks and abilities.

MANA COST: 110/140/170/200	COOLDOWN: 13
ABILITY: UNIT TARGET	AFFECTS: ENEMY UNITS
DURATION: 1.25 / 2 / 2.75 / 3.5

Rhasta often ended performances by turning himself into a chicken - now, the humiliation is shared.
Hex is one of the best Dota's disable. Your target become a chicken and can't do anything in the duration so your team can harass the target and kill him.

3. Shackles

CHANNELED - Magically binds an enemy unit so that it cannot move or attack, while dealing damage over time.

MANA COST: 110/130/155/185	COOLDOWN: 16
ABILITY: CHANNELED, UNIT TARGET	AFFECTS: ENEMY UNITS
DAMAGE: MAGICAL	DAMAGE: 40 / 40 / 40 / 40
CHANNEL DURATION: 2.5 / 3.25 / 4 / 4.75

A self-defense incantation, Rhasta developed shackles after his master was slain in the Bleeding Hills.
A long disable while you must stand still while shackling the target. This skill will make your team have the time to harass and kill the shackled target.

4. Mass Serpent Ward

Summons 8 serpent wards to attack enemy units and structures. The wards are immune to magic, and have a small area of splash damage that increases per level. Upgradable by Aghanim's Scepter.

MANA COST: 200/350/600	COOLDOWN: 110
ABILITY: POINT TARGET	DAMAGE: PHYSICAL
ATTACK DAMAGE: 43 / 58 / 73	DURATION: 45 / 45 / 45
SCEPTER ATTACK DAMAGE: 59 / 79 / 100

Snake charming was a big part of the Shadow Shaman's act; now Rhasta can empower the snakes to do his bidding.
This wards is very useful for pushing or counter pushing. With the massive damage output from the wards, you can:
1. Destroys enemy's tower quickly
2. Defend your tower from the enemy's push
3. Give some damage in the teamfight.
But unfortunately, your wards gives some bounty to the enemy who destroy it.

SKILLBUILD

Level 1: Ether Shock
Level 2: Shackles
Level 3: Ether Shock
Level 4: Hex
Level 5: Ether Shock
Level 6: Mass Serpent Ward
Level 7: Ether Shock
Level 8: Shackles
Level 9 : Hex
Level 10: Shackles
Level 11: Mass Serpent Ward
Level 12: Hex
Level 13: Shackles
Level 14: Hex
Level 15: Stats
Level 16: Mass Serpent Ward
Level 17-25: Stats

Why maxed Ether Shock first?  With the high damage on early game, you need this to get some early kills.

And then you need to increase Shackle and Hex.
Those 2 skills is your main disables and very useful in the teamfight and ganking,
It's up to you whether you prefer Hex or Shackle, or balance between Hex and Shackle.

STRATEGY
Early Game
Rhasta is one of the best support hero in the game, I think it will be wise if you save your money for courier and wards. Courier and wards will benefit the whole team and make sure your team can survive through the whole game because you can get your item delivered by courier and because you can watch the fogged map via Observer Wards so your team can be save from enemy's gank.
On early game, if you are the solo-mid hero, you should fight with the enemy's solo-mid. Be careful and keep focusing on the last hits. If you increse the Ether Shock first, you can harass your opponent and make him more careful about you and he cannot savely get the farms. Once you get your ultimate, you can roam and gank enemies.
You can also play Rhasta as a supportive non-mid hero which you should support your partner to make sure he can farm in your lane. maybe you can help him by denying the creeps, don't last hits too often because it will delay your friend's farm. You can also initiate a gank by using Shackle of the Hex so your partner can easily harass your target.

Mid Game
Mid game is your time to shine, with the maximum damage of Ether Shock you can harass all enemies in the teamfight with maximum damage, or with your Shackle and Hex you can initiate a gank or can disable enemy target in a teamfight And because Shackles requires you to channel the skill for several second, this skill order is the last skill to cast of your 4 skills.. And with your wards you can deal tons of damage in the teamfight.

If you fight enemies near their tower, place the wards in the place that it can attack the tower after you win the teamfight, remember that ward deal tons of damage to the tower. Wards can also be used to trap 1 target inside it, it will be painful to the target because he can't run for a long time and constantly harassed by the wards.

Also remember to buy the Observer Wards to support the team. You can place the ward in the uphill near the rune.

And because you have 2 disables, you can be a roamer to help your friend all around the map, gank enemies and get many kills.

Late Game
In the late game, your presence become more crucial for the team, you have 2 disables, so you become the initiator for your team. You can do it by jumping using  a dagger and then hex a target so your partners can come and dominate the teamfight. In Dota, the one that initiate a teamfight, have the higher chance to win the teamfight. Be careful and watch closely where your target it, press the hex button quickly and win the teamfight by initiating the teamfight,

Double Hex?
Because you already have a natural hex skill, if you buy a Sheepstick or a Refresher Orb, you can double the hex and have more disables in the teamfight.

Double all the skills
With the Refresher Orb, you can use all your skill twice. And the most of it, is a double Serpent Wards, it will deal a massive damage to the tower or in the teamfight.

ITEMS BUILD

1. You need to buy courier and wards for the team. If someone already done it, you don't need to.
Courier: 150
Wards: 150

Courier: Transfer items from shop to heroes Wards: Scouting some important area to protect teams against some ganks.

You are the kind of hero that doesn't need lots of farm, so you will have golds to buy this kind of items. Your team will rely on courier and wards to become good. Courier will faster item transportation, and wards is needed to avoid enemy's gank.


2. Arcane Boots
Total cost: 1450
Recipe: Boots of Speed + Energy Booster

Active: Replenish Mana - Restores mana in an area around the hero. Flat movement speed bonuses from multiple pairs of boots do not stack. + 60 Movement Speed + 250 Mana MANA RESTORED: 135 Mana Needed: 25    Cooldown: 55

Why Arcane Boots? This boots is needed because you have spammable skills. And this boots also replenish mana for your team.

3. Blink Dagger
Cost: 2150

Active: Blink - Teleport to a target point up to 1200 units away. If damage is taken from an enemy hero, Blink Dagger cannot be used for 3 seconds. Manacost: 75   Cooldown: 14

Why Blink Dagger?
1. Perfect for initiating a teamfight
2. Helps you escape

4. Refresher Orb

Total cost: 5300
Recipe: Obilivion Staff + Preserverance + Recipe

Active: Reset Cooldowns - Resets the cooldowns of all your items and abilities. + 5 HP Regeneration + 200% Mana Regeneration    + 40 Damage    + 6 Intelligence Manacost: 375     Cooldown: 160

Why Refresher Orb? It will gives you ability to cast all your abilities twice, especially Serpent Wards, a double wards is so good to deal lots of damage to enemies and tower.
double hex and Shackle is also powerful in the late game to disable many target.

5. Guinsoo Schyte of Vyse
Total cost: 5675
Recipe: Mystic Staff + Ultimate Orb + Void Stone

Active: Hex - Turns a target unit into a harmless critter for 3.5 seconds. Destroys illusions. + 10 Strength   + 10 Agility  + 35 Intelligence + 150% Mana Regeneration Manacost: 100   Cooldown: 35

Why Schyte of Vyse? Very good item to initiate a teamfight. or to defend against somebody by make him into a chicken.

6. Shivs's Guard
Total cost: 4700
Recipe: Plate Mail + Mystic Staff + Recipe

Active: Arctic Blast - Emits a freezing wave that does 200 damage to enemies and slows their movement by -40% for 4.0 seconds. Passive: Freezing Aura - Reduces attack speed on enemies. Multiple instances of Freezing Aura do not stack. + 30 Intelligence   + 15 Armor AURA SLOW: 25% Manacost: 100   Cooldown:   30

Why Shiva's? Gives you an Arctic Blast (Slow and 200 damage) and gives you a slowing aura, and also gives you +15 armor which makes you tanky.

OTHER SUPPORTIVE ITEMS
1. Mekansm
Total cost: 2306
Recipe: Headress + Buckler + Recipe

Active: Restore - Heals 250 HP and gives +2 armor in an area. Passive: Mekansm Aura - Bonus HP Regen in an area. Multiple instances of Mekansm Aura do not stack + 5 All Attributes + 5 Armor BONUS HP REGEN: 4 Mana:150   Cooldown:45

Why Mekansm? Heal for all allies in AoE, is a must for teamfights.

2. Eul's Scepter of Divinity
Total cost: 2800
Recipe: Staff of Wizardy + Sage Mask + Void Stone

Active: Cyclone - Target unit is swept up in a cyclone for 2.5 seconds, and is invulnerable. Flat movement speed bonuses from multiple Eul's Scepters do not stack. + 10 Intelligence + 150% Mana Regeneration + 30 Movement Speed Manacost: 75    Cooldown: 30

Why Eul? Can make you become more agile with Cyclone ability. You cannot be attacked for 2.5 seconds. Or you can cast it to the enemy and make your team can surround the target and harass him after landing on the ground.

GOOD ALLIES
1. Carries
(Example: Magine, Void, Luna)

Carries should come after you initiate a teamfight, and they should the right click and use all their skills to the enemies.

BAD ENEMIES
1. High Instant Damage
(Example: Lina, Lion, Tiny)

They are all have deathly instant damage. And because you are squishy, you can instantly die, beware of them.