Dota 2 - Shadow Demon Build Guide

BIO
Among the sovereign Demons with explicit access to this world, Doom Bringer scarcely bothers with the affairs of Noninfernals and Lesser Spectral Consorts, while Shadow Fiend passes through almost exclusively on collecting expeditions. The Shadow Demon, however, has always taken a deep and abiding interest in the material plane, as if sensing that mastery of this gritty dimensional nexus might be the key to total domination of all realities. Summoned first by minor wizards, the Shadow Demon granted every wish and put on increasingly impressive displays of power until he had the full attention of the greatest demonologists, and through them the various lords, tyrants, autarchs and heirophants who depended on sorcery to buttress their mundane power. So great was his deception that all his summoners considered themselves the master and Shadow Demon the servant; meanwhile, he eroded their identities and made their minds his own. In the end, most members of the cult were hollow puppets, extensions of his evil will. What Shadow Demon's next step would have been remains open to speculation, for around this time, Nevermore the Shadow Fiend bit into a particularly nasty-tasting soul and discovered that it held nothing but a foul nougat of Shadow Demon's essence. Alerted that a coup was underway, and that the ancient equilibrium of the Umbral Pact was about to be destabilized, Doom Bringer and Shadow Fiend briefly joined forces to destroy the burgeoning cult. Combining spells of incredible force, they undid Shadow Demon's centuries of patient work, reducing his cult to smithereens--and all its members to a bloody splatter. Nothing remained except a tiny speck of demon shadow. Immortal and irreducible, this mote of evil was enough to seed the Shadow Demon's next scheme, and in fits and starts, over further centuries, he began to regroup. Whatever that speck of shadow touched, it tainted, and its influence gradually grew. A chaos of damaged parts pulled together, reknit, and combined to give Shadow Demon a form even stronger than his former. He is all but complete now, and his plan for infinite dominion lacks all of its former weaknesses. It would seem that such a being of pure malice and malevolence, a threat to all creation, would be forever out of place in our world...yet Shadow Demon does not lack for followers.

INTRODUCTION
Shadow Demon is a decent support hero which have many supportive abilities. He is also a good nuker.  He have some deadly spells and combo to deal a big amount of magical damage to all enemy. This hero doesn't need good item to be good in game, so this hero usually is a hero whose the function is to buy ward and courier in to he team.

PROS	CONS
Can create a perfect setup in ganking	Squishy
Have a purge
Have some deadly nukes
Can create illusions of enemy
Have a nice damage amplifier
Can achieve very high damage by stacking the Shadow Poison

ROLE
Ranged - Support - Disabler - Nuker

STATS

LEVEL	1	15	25
HIT POINTS	473	978	1,719	SIGHT RANGE	1800 / 800
MANA	338	829	1,440	ATTACK RANGE	500
DAMAGE	53-57	91-95	138-142	MISSILE SPEED	900
ARMOR	3	7	13

ABILITIES
1. Disruption

Banishes the targeted unit, removing it from play for the duration. Upon returning, two illusions of the unit are created under Shadow Demon's control.

MANA COST: 120 / 120 / 120 / 120	COOLDOWN: 25.0 / 22.0 / 19.0 / 16.0
ABILITY: TARGET UNIT	ILLUSION DURATION: 5 / 6 / 7 / 8
ILLUSION BONUS DAMAGE TAKEN: 50%	ILLUSION DAMAGE: 30% / 40% / 50% / 60%
BANISH DURATION: 2.5 / 2.5 / 2.5 / 2.5

This ability makes your opponent banishes for 2.5 second, very good to setup Lina or Leshrac's stun.
This skill makes 2 illusions of the opponent. This is very painful the higher the opponents damage because the opponent will be attacked by his own illusion.

2. Soul Catcher

Curses a random enemy in an area to take increased damage. The bonus damage is dealt as a separate instance of damage. Units under the effect of Disruption can still be affected by Soul Catcher.

MANA COST: 50 / 60 / 70 / 80	COOLDOWN: 13.0
ABILITY: TARGET POINT	DAMAGE: PURE
BONUS DAMAGE: 20% / 30% / 40% / 50%	RADIUS: 450 / 450 / 450 / 450
DURATION: 12 / 12 / 12 / 12

This skill amplifies random target in an area, very good damaga amplifier on a late game.

3. Shadow Poison

Deals damage in a line, and afflicts enemy units with a poison effect. The poison deals 1/2/4/8 times the stack damage based on the number of stacks on the target, up to 4 stacks. Additional stacks cause 50 damage each. This deferred damage is dealt when Shadow Poison's duration is expired, or the Release sub-ability is used.

MANA COST: 50 / 50 / 50 / 50	COOLDOWN: 3.0
ABILITY: TARGET POINT	DAMAGE: MAGICAL
DAMAGE: 50 / 50 / 50 / 50	STACK DAMAGE: 20 / 35 / 50 / 65
MAX STACKS TO MULTIPLY: 4 / 4 / 4 / 4	RADIUS: 180 / 180 / 180 / 180
DURATION: 10 / 10 / 10 / 10

This skill will deal high amount of damage if you stack it enough. This a skill you need to spam all the time.

4. Shadow Poison Release

Releases the poison to do damage on all affected enemies. Units under the effect of Disruption can still be affected by Shadow Poison.

COOLDOWN: 1	ABILITY: NO TARGET

Release Shadow Poison you have stacked. I recommend you to release this skill if the stack is already high.

5. Demonic Purge

Purges the target enemy unit, removing positive buffs, and slowing the target for the duration. The unit slowly regains its speed until the end of the duration, upon which damage is dealt. Units under the effect of Disruption can still be affected by Demonic Purge.

MANA COST: 200 / 200 / 200	ABILITY: TARGET UNIT
COOLDOWN: 50.0	AFFECTS: ENEMY HEROES
DAMAGE: MAGICAL	DAMAGE: 200 / 300 / 400
DURATION: 5 / 5 / 5

This skill have a decent damage and slow, so good to take down enemy. And also this skill gives you 'Purge'. Purge removes certain buffs like Omniknight's Repel, Omniknights Guardian Angel, etc..
Purge also instantly kills the Warlock's Golem


SKILLBUILD

Level 1: Disruption (To get firstblood, or to save yourself/friends from firstblood)
Level 2: Shadow Poison
Level 3: Shadow Poison
Level 4: Soul Catcher
Level 5: Shadow Poison
Level 6: Demonic Purge
Level 7: Shadow Poison
Level 8: Soul Catcher
Level 9 : Soul Catcher
Level 10:Soul Catcher
Level 11: Demonic Purge
Level 12: Disruption
Level 13: Disruption
Level 14: Disruption
Level 15: Stats
Level 16: Demonic Purge
Level 17-25: Stats

Why Shadow Poison and Soul Catcher on early game?
This will gives you high nukes damage on early game, it is fit for you as an Intelligence hero.

Why Disruption on mid-late game?
Because in this state of the game, the damage from this skill will reach it's maximum potential because of the increasing in opponents damage and attack speed.

STRATEGY

Early Game..
You are a support for your team. you should buy 1 courier and a pair of wards.
No need to las hitting because you don't need that much golds.
You can control your lane using Disruption. Every one who is affected by this skill, should retreat to avoid further damage from his illusion.
You should spam Shadow Poison in this state of the game, this skill is so painful in high stack.
You can try to gank enemy if you want. Use Disruption first, and then use Sould Catcher and then followed by your friends attacking the enemy.
Also use Disruption for defensive purpose.

Mid Game
You should gank someone in this state of the game, find somebody and gank him with your friends. You are a ganker here.

Your combo:
1. Disruption
2. Soul Catcher (You can activate this while enemy is inside the Disruption)
3. Demonic Purge
4. Spam Shadow Pison
5. Normal Attack

You are a warder, dont forget to buy wards, and place it in a certain area to spot the enemy, especially in Roshan area, so you know when the enemy is trying to kill Roshan.

Late Game
In the teamfight, your primary target is enemy carry, Disrupt him so he feels his own damage.
Always remember to use Soul Catcher to amplify some damage. Soul Catcher is so powerful in late game because in this state of the game, is the peak of your carry's damage.
In late game teamfight, always careful and try to think and see clearly so you can land you spells correctly.

And if your team won the 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!

ITEM BUILD
As a prime support in the team you should buy some supportive items like Courier and Wards.
1. Animal Courier

 Cost: 150

Creature that carries items to and from your base.

Why Animal Courier? If any teams not buy this item, that means they are noobs.

2. Observer Wards
Cost: 150

Use: Places an Observer Ward to give sight of the surrounding area. Lasts 6 minutes.

Why Observer Wards? It is your job to buy this. This is a must item to observing some area.

3. 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? You have spammable skills, so you need more mana, with this item, your mana will be fulfilled. And also to replenish mana of the team.

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, or you can save yourself.

5. 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.

6. Pipe of Insight
Total cost: 3628
Recipe: Hood of Defiance + Headress + Recipe

Active: Barrier - Gives nearby friendly units a shield that blocks 400 spell damage. Multiple instances of spell resistance from items do not stack. + 11 HP Regeneration + 30% Spell Resistance Manacost: 100   Cooldown: 60

Why Pipe of Insight? Gives barrier for all allies in AoE that Block 400 spell damage, very useful.

7.  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.

Good Allies:
1. Leshrac

Your Disruption will helps him to stun enemies.

2. Lina

The same as Leshrac, Your Disruption will helps her too, Her stun is hard to use properly without a setup from friends.

3. All Carries, because you have Sould Catcher that will amplify the carry's damage