Dota 2 - Invoker Build Guide

BIO
In its earliest, and some would say most potent form, magic was primarily the art of memory. It required no technology, no wands or appurtenances other than the mind of the magician. All the trappings of ritual were merely mnemonic devices, meant to allow the practitioner to recall in rich detail the specific mental formulae that unlocked a spell's power. The greatest mages in those days were the ones blessed with the greatest memories, and yet so complex were the invocations that all wizards were forced to specialize. The most devoted might hope in a lifetime to have adequate recollection of three spells--four at most. Ordinary wizards were content to know two, and it was not uncommon for a village mage to know only one--with even that requiring him to consult grimoires as an aid against forgetfulness on the rare occasions when he might be called to use it. But among these early practitioners there was one exception, a genius of vast intellect and prodigious memory who came to be known as the Invoker. In his youth, the precocious wizard mastered not four, not five, not even seven incantations: He could command no fewer than ten spells, and cast them instantly. Many more he learned but found useless, and would practice once then purge from his mind forever, to make room for more practical invocations. One such spell was the Sempiternal Cantrap--a longevity spell of such power that those who cast it in the world's first days are among us still (unless they have been crushed to atoms). Most of these quasi-immortals live quietly, afraid to admit their secret: But Invoker is not one to keep his gifts hidden. He is ancient, learned beyond all others, and his mind somehow still has space to contain an immense sense of his own worth...as well as the Invocations with which he amuses himself through the long slow twilight of the world's dying days.

INTRODUCTION

Invoker is different from another hero. He needs to combine Quas, Wex, and Exort to create an ability. He have 10 abilities in total. If you can maximize the usage of all your abilities, you become a god because his abilities are all destuctive. The player of this hero needs a faster hand. You need to invoke a skill quickly and use the right combo in every situation.

PROS	CONS
Have lots of possible combo	Needs a fast hand
Have high damaged nukes	Needs a clear mind, not to be panic to be able to invoke ability correctly and use it correctly
Can deal both high physical (Forged Spirit, Alacrity) and magical damages (Meteor, Tornado)	Need a good prediction for sunstrike
Have a global spell: Sunstrike	Needs lots of mana
Have many defensive spells (Ghostwalk, Defeaning Blast, Ice Wall, Tornado)	Needs a good skill for can successfully escape with this hero. (Fast use of Defeaning Blast or  Tornado or Ice Wall or Ghost Walk, +Force Staff +Wex walking  +Phase Boot)
Handsome

ROLE
Ranged - Carry - Nuker - Initiator - Escape

STATS

LEVEL	1	15	25
HIT POINTS	511	963	1,666	SIGHT RANGE	1800 / 800
MANA	286	741	1,326	ATTACK RANGE	600
DAMAGE	35-41	70-76	115-121	MISSILE SPEED	900
ARMOR	2	6	11

ABILITIES
1. Quas

Allows manipulation of ice elements and grants a permanent strength bonus. Each Quas instance provides increased health regeneration.

ABILITY: NO TARGET

HP REGEN PER INSTANCE: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7

BONUS STRENGTH: 2 / 4 / 6 / 8 / 10 / 12 / 14

This skill is for defensive-support type invoker which focuses on survivability. If you prefer defense to offense, increase this skill.

2. Wex

Allows manipulation of storm elements and grants a permanent agility bonus. Each Wex instance provides increased attack speed and movement speed.

ABILITY: NO TARGET

ATTACK SPEED PER INSTANCE: 2% / 4% / 6% / 8% / 10% / 12% / 14%

MOVE SPEED PER INSTANCE: 1% / 2% / 3% / 4% / 5% / 6% / 7%

BONUS AGILITY: 2 / 4 / 6 / 8 / 10 / 12 / 14

Good for escaping cause this skill gives you extra movement speed, also helps with carrying because this skill gives you attack speed

3. Exort

Allows manipulation of fire elements and grants a permanent intelligence bonus. Each Exort instance provides increased attack damage.

ABILITY: NO TARGET

DAMAGE PER INSTANCE: 3 / 6 / 9 / 12 / 15 / 18 / 21

BONUS INTELLIGENCE: 2 / 4 / 6 / 8 / 10 / 12 / 14

This skill is for attacking type invoker, you can combined it with Wex for Meteor, or you can Combine it with Quas for Forge Spirit.

4. Invoke

Combines the properties of the elements currently being manipulated, creating a new spell at the Invoker's disposal. Click the help button to see the list of possible spells. Upgradable by Aghanim's Scepter.

MANA COST: 20 / 40 / 60 / 80	MAX SPELLS: 1 / 2 / 2 / 2
COOLDOWN: 22 / 17 / 12 / 5	SCEPTER COOLDOWN: 16 / 8 / 4 / 2
ABILITY: NO TARGET	SCEPTER MANA COST: 0

Your skill to create spells. Think carefully before creating a spell, try to match spell with situation.

5. Cold Snap

Invoker draws the heat from an enemy, chilling them to their very core for a duration based on the level of Quas. The enemy will take damage and be briefly frozen. Further damage taken in this state will freeze the enemy again, dealing bonus damage. The enemy can only be frozen so often, but the freeze cooldown decreases based on the level of Quas.

MANA COST: 100	AFFECTS: ENEMY HEROES
COOLDOWN: 20	DAMAGE: MAGICAL
ABILITY: TARGET UNIT	INITIAL DAMAGE: 60
FREEZE DURATION: 0.4	BONUS DAMAGE: 30

This skill is a very nice chasing spell. This will make your target get mini-stunned for every damage he received. This is a flexible skill, you can combo this skill to any damage, attack or spells. Great to combo this with skill that an ability that damaging enemies gradually for seconds like Meteor or Poisonous skills from Venomancer.

6. Ghost Walk

Invoker manipulates the ice and electrical energies around him, rendering his body invisible. The elemental imbalance created as a consequence slows nearby enemies based on the level of Quas, and slows Invoker as well based on the level of Wex.

MANA COST: 200	RADIUS: 400
COOLDOWN: 60	DURATION: 100
ABILITY: NO TARGET

This ability will make you invisible, be careful to dust or sentry wards. Use this skill in desperate condition

7. Tornado

Unleashes a fast moving tornado that picks up enemy units in its path, suspending them helplessly in the air shortly before allowing them to plummet to their doom. Travels further based on the level of Wex. Holds enemies in the air for a duration based on the level of Quas. Deals damage based on the levels of Quas and Wex.

MANA COST: 150	RADIUS: 200
COOLDOWN: 30	DAMAGE: 70
ABILITY: TARGET POINT	DAMAGE: MAGICAL

Very good skill. Can be used in many conditions.
1. Combo with EMP, This skill first and then EMP second. It will make EMP hit perfectly to the target. To drain enemy;s mana _ damaging the enemy.
2. To initiate a teamfight
3. To chase a person
4. To harass enemies
5. To escape

8.  EMP

Invoker builds up a charge of electromagnetic energy at a targeted location which automatically detonates after a duration based on the level of Wex. The detonation covers an area, draining mana based on the level of Wex. Deals damage for each point of mana drained.

MANA COST: 125	DAMAGE: PURE
COOLDOWN: 30	RADIUS: 675
ABILITY: TARGET POINT	BURN DAMAGE: 50%

It will drain your enemy's mana . Use this skill before teamfight start to make your enemy can't .use their Abilities.

9. Alacrity

Invoker infuses an ally with an immense surge of energy, increasing their attack speed based on the level of Wex and their damage based on the level of Exort.

MANA COST: 100	ABILITY: TARGET UNIT
COOLDOWN: 15	AFFECTS: ALLIED HEROES
DURATION: 9

Will helps the carry of your team become faster in attack speed and higher in attack damage. Powerful support for single alliy.

10. Chaos Meteor

Invoker pulls a flaming meteor from space onto the targeted location. Upon landing, the meteor rolls forward, constantly dealing damage based on the level of Exort, and rolling further based on the level of Wex. Units hit by the meteor will also be set on fire for a short time, receiving additional damage based on the level of Exort.

MANA COST: 200	DAMAGE: MAGICAL
COOLDOWN: 55	LAND TIME: 1.3
ABILITY: TARGET POINT	RADIUS: 275
DAMAGE TICK: 0.5	BURN TIME: 3

Very powerful nuke that attacks large area. Very nice skill in a crowded teamfight.

11. Sun Strike

Sends a catastrophic ray of fierce energy from the sun at any targeted location, incinerating all enemies standing beneath it once it reaches the Earth. Deals damage based on the level of Exort, however this damage is spread evenly over all enemies hit.

MANA COST: 175	DAMAGE: PUREL
COOLDOWN: 30	RADIUS: 175
ABILITY: TARGET POINT	DELAY: 1.7

Global skill but small area which needs precision to get the damage. Hard to use, it will be easier if your friend stuns the target first.

12. Forge Spirit

Invoker forges a spirit embodying the strength of fire and fortitude of ice. Damage, health, and armor are based on the level of Exort while attack range, mana, and duration are based on the level of Quas. The elemental's scorching attack is capable of melting the armor of enemy heroes. If both Quas and Exort are level 4 or higher, Invoker will create two spirits instead of one.

MANA COST: 75	ABILITY: NO TARGET
COOLDOWN: 30

Call an army , or two, of powerful creature which it's attack will reduce enemy's armor. Call this creature before teamfight starts.

13. Ice Wall

Generates a wall of solid ice directly in front of Invoker for a duration based on the level of Quas. The bitter cold emanating from it greatly slows nearby enemies based on the level of Quas and deals damage each second based on the level of Exort.

MANA COST: 175	ABILITY: NO TARGET
COOLDOWN: 25	DAMAGE: MAGICAL

Create a wall in front of you to make the enemy hard to move. A perfect defens ein a teamfight

14. Defeaning Blast

Skill invokes if Kael has 1 Quas, 1 Wex and 1 Exort instances. Invoker unleashes a mighty sonic wave in front of him, dealing up to 280 damage to any enemy unit it collides with based on Exort. The sheer impact from the blast is enough to knock those enemy units back for a maximum of 1.75 seconds based on Quas, in addition to preventing their attacks for a further 1-4 seconds based on Wex.

CASTING RANGE: 1000	MANA COST:200
COOLDOWN: 40	RADIUS: 250
DURATION: 1-4

This skill is a nice disabler ability. Use this skill in the beginning of teamfight followed by your other skill like Chaos Meteor to create a good combo.

SKILLBUILD

Quas Wex Build Pros: High movement Speed Can drains lots of enemy's mana Lots of escape mechanismam Cons: Less physical damage	Quas Exort Build Pros: High Physical damage Easier to use Good pushing power Cons: Low movement speed
Level 1: Quas Level 2: Invoke Level 3: Wex Level 4: Quas Level 5: Wex Level 6: Exort Level 7: Invoke Level 8: Quas Level 9 : Wex Level 10: Quas Level 11: Wex Level 12: Invoke Level 13: Quas Level 14: Wex Level 15: Quas Level 16: Wex Level 17: Invoke Level 18: Quas Level 19: Wex Level 20: Exort Level 21: Exort Level 22: Exort Level 23: Exort Level 24: Exort Level 25: Exort	Level 1: Quas Level 2: Invoke Level 3: Exort Level 4: Quas Level 5: Exort Level 6: Wex Level 7: Invoke Level 8: Quas Level 9 : Exort Level 10: Quas Level 11: Exort Level 12: Invoke Level 13: Quas Level 14: Exort Level 15: Stats Level 16: Quas Level 17: Invoke Level 18: Exort Level 19: Wex Level 20: Wex Level 21: Wex Level 22: Wex Level 23: Wex Level 24: Wex Level 25: Wex
The primary combo is EMP + Tornado. The EMP will drain the enemy's mana before the teamfight starts. And the Tornado will damaging the enemey and also preparing a setup for a good teamfight. Ghost Walk is needed to escape. And coldsnap is needed to Chase the enemy. This build have the highest movement speed because of the high Wex. This build have the high survivability because of high HP gain from Quas.	With this build you will have your forged spirit accompany you all the time. And also maybe with the additional Necronomicon for maximum dps. Coldsnap and Forge Spirit will be your primary spells to fight the enemy. The advantage of this build is the easy to use. With the tons amounts of DPS from forge spirit and Necronomicon.

STRATEGY

Early Game
Invoker usually choose the mid lane. It is because of the need for fast leveling because if Invoker can become the higher level than the opponent, he can easily kill the opponent. On early game beware of enemy's gank. Your team needs ward. Ask your support to provide you the ward.

Mid Game
Mid game is the ganking time! Everybody will roam around the map and find somebody to kill. It's your time to roam too. Don't forget to buy the Smoke of Deceit to hid from enemy's Observer Ward.

You have some ganking skill here. So if you want to initiate in a gank, what you need to do is:
1. Comunicate with your teammates about who should be ganked, you should focus fire on 1 hero in a gank, because if you don't communicate well you may attack the A person and your teammates attack the B person, and that is a bad gank and can lead to failure on getting the kill.
2. Prepare the items needed in the gank:
a. Use Smoke of Deceit
b. Prepare Dust, Sentry Wards, or Gem if you will gank an invisible hero like Rikimaru, Clinkz, or Nyx Assassin
3. Summon the Forged Spirit

4. You may start the gank using
a. EMP + Tornado
b. Defeaning Blast + Chaos Meteor

5. You can use the coldsnap to chase + harass the running away enemy.

6. Assassinate the red-hp ed opponent with Sunstrike

Late Game:
On late game. The teamfight will be very intense. Beware! if your team lose a single teamfight it may cost you the game.
You should already reached high level here so you have an all high level skill and also an already high sats, HP and damage. And so does ebverybody in the map. And also with the high level, that means a long respawn time. That means that every move is becoming more important and decisive. So keep focus and also don;'t panic at every sitaution. Always think clearly and use all you have.

Here you should make a wise decision to choose btween 2 options:
1. To save money for buyback
2. To buy your next item
How to choose between those two? you may see how important is your next item. You can see it by: If you don't buy that item immediately, your team's can't compete with the enemy's power so buy it immediately, but if the item is not that important, you should save for buyback

On late game, initiation is becoming the most important, you need Force Staff + Hex to do it. and after that you can start your combo

Your combo in a teamfight:

Combo

1. Call forge spirit, and ready to attack opponent, 2. Use EMP+Tornado, your opponent will have their mana drained, 3. and then after the enemy landed from the Tornado  use Defeaning Blast, 4. and then use Chaos Meteor. 5. And then go near your opponent and cast ice Wall. 6. After that, use Alacrity and coldsnap, a 7. nd then finish someone who is low hp with sunstrike

The main idea of invoker is to maxing you hand speed, with a full-speed hand, you can use Invoker in it's maximum potential.

After your team won pthe teamfight, you have two options:
1. You can get the Aegis for your team's main hero or
2. Your team can push enemy base and destrouy their buildings. Choose wisely!

A. ITEM BUILD FOR QUAS WEX
1. Phase Boots
Total cost: 1350
Recipe: Boots of Speed + 2 x Blades of Attack

Active: Phase - Gives increased movement speed and lets you move through units. Phase is cancelled upon using another item or ability. Flat movement speed bonuses from multiple pairs of boots do not stack. PHASE DURATION: 4 PHASE MOVE BOOST: 16% + 55 Movement Speed   + 24 Damage   Cooldown: 8

Why Phase Boots? +Decent amount of Damage and +Decent amount of Movement Speed.
If this is combined with wex, it will give a very high movement speed which will make you are hard to catch or makes you can easilly catch someone

2. Orchid Malevolance
Total cost: 5025
Recipe: 2 x Ring of Obilivion + Recipe

Active: Soul Burn - Silences target unit for 5.0 seconds and amplifies the damage it takes by 30.0%. + 25 Intelligence    + 30 Attack Speed    + 30 Damage   + 150% Mana Regeneration Manacost: 100    Cooldown: 18

Why Orchid? This is your core item. You need this to land a perfect combo > Silence + EMP + Coldsnap that will easyly kill a target. Also add damage and attack speed.

3. Force Staff
Total cost: 2350
Recipe: Staff of Wizardy + Ring of Regen + Recipe

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Active: Force - Pushes any target unit 600 units in the directaion it is facing. Double click to self-cast. + 10 Intelligence    + 3 HP Regeneration Manacost: 25    Cooldown: 20

Why Force Staff? ForceStaff is useful on many purposes, you can initiate a teamfight with ForceStaff, or you can save somebody with it.

4.  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.

5. Aghanim's Scepter
Total cost:: 4200
Recipe: Point Booster, Ogre Axe, Staff of Wizardy, Blade of Alacrity

Passive: Ultimate Upgrade - Upgrades the ultimates of certain heroes. + 10 All Attributes   + 200 Health   + 150 Mana

Why Aghanim's Scepter?
It will decrease your invoke's cooldown, that means that you can use more skill in the sama  time.

6. MKB
Total cost:: 5400
Recipe: Demon Edge + 2x Javelin

Passive: Mini-Bash - Gives a chance to minibash and deal bonus damage. Passive: True Strike - Prevents your attacks from missing.  + 88 Damage    + 15 Attack Speed CHANCE TO MINI-BASH: 35%      MINI-BASH DAMAGE: 100

Why Monkey King Bar?
Good Damage. It will give you 100% hit rate although you are on the lower ground.

B. ITEM BUILD FOR QUAS-EXORT
1.  Hand of Midas
Total cost: 1400
Recipe: Gloves of Haste + Recipe

Active: Transmute - Kills a non-hero target for 190 gold and 2.5x experience. Cannot be used on Ancients. + 30 Attack Speed Cooldown   100

Why Hand of Midas? It will boost your golds and exp. Here you will think of the long term plan. so you can easily get all of your items because of the gold boost. And also you will faster increasing your level.
Additionally it also gives additional attack speed for physical damage.

2. Phase Boots
Total cost: 1350
Recipe: Boots of Speed + 2 x Blades of Attack

Active: Phase - Gives increased movement speed and lets you move through units. Phase is cancelled upon using another item or ability. Flat movement speed bonuses from multiple pairs of boots do not stack. PHASE DURATION: 4 PHASE MOVE BOOST: 16% + 55 Movement Speed   + 24 Damage   Cooldown: 8

Why Phase Boots? +Decent amount of Damage and +Decent amount of Movement Speed.
which will make you are hard to catch or makes you can easilly catch someone

3. Necromicon

Total cost: 2700

Recupe: Staff of Wizardy, Belt of Giant Strength + Recipe

You can upgrade by buying the recipe again, can be upgraded 2 times, into lv3.

Active: Demonic Summoning - Summons a Necronomicon Warrior and a Necronomicon Archer to fight for you. Their strength and abilities increase as Necronomicon increases in level. Lasts 35 seconds. + 15/21/24 Intelligence    + 8/12/16 Strength Manacost: 50    Cooldown: 80

Why Necronomicon? Your concept is to deal DPS using lots of units. Besides the Forge Spirit, the Necro Book is a strong Companion for you. Easy to push towers and also gives tons of physical. Combine with Forge Spirit and Coldsnap and the enemy cant do anything because of cold snap,

4. Force Staff
Total cost: 2350
Recipe: Staff of Wizardy + Ring of Regen + Recipe

Active: Force - Pushes any target unit 600 units in the direction it is facing. Double click to self-cast. + 10 Intelligence    + 3 HP Regeneration Manacost: 25    Cooldown: 20

Why Force Staff? ForceStaff is useful on many purposes, you can initiate a teamfight with ForceStaff, or you can save somebody with it.

5.  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.

6. Aghanim's Scepter
Total cost:: 4200
Recipe: Point Booster, Ogre Axe, Staff of Wizardy, Blade of Alacrity

Passive: Ultimate Upgrade - Upgrades the ultimates of certain heroes. + 10 All Attributes   + 200 Health   + 150 Mana

Why Aghanim's Scepter?
It will decrease your invoke's cooldown, that means that you can use more skill in the sama  time.

7. MKB
Total cost:: 5400
Recipe: Demon Edge + 2x Javelin

Passive: Mini-Bash - Gives a chance to minibash and deal bonus damage. Passive: True Strike - Prevents your attacks from missing.  + 88 Damage    + 15 Attack Speed CHANCE TO MINI-BASH: 35%      MINI-BASH DAMAGE: 100

Why Monkey King Bar?
Good Damage. It will give you 100% hit rate although you are on the lower ground.

GOOD ALLIES

Because invoker is a good initiator, then, all carry is your best friends,

1. Morphling

Have Waveform to be combined with Your Skills. He also have high damage to finish enemies.

2. Weaver

This hero love to sneak into the middle of chaos and kill everybody inside the chaos. Because your skill is full of chaotic form, this hero is a match for you.

3. Shadow Shaman

Have 2 disables, 1 nuke, and 1 Pushing Skill. A nice partner for everybody

FANART