Skill Build:

1. Blink Strike
2. Smoke Screen
3. Blink Strike
4. Backstab
5. Blink Strike
6. Permanent Invisibility
7. Blink Strike
8. Backstab
9. Backstab
10. Backstab
11. Permanent Invisibility
12. Smoke Screen
13. Smoke Screen
14. Smoke Screen
15. Stats
16. Permanent Invisibility
17. Stats
18. Stats
19. Stats
20. Stats
21. Stats
22. Stats
23. Stats
24. Stats
25. Stats

Item Build:

1.
Wraith Band (460)
+3 to All Attributes
+3 Agility
Slippers of Agility + Circlet of Nobility + Wraith Band Recipe Scroll
Cheap boost to damage HP and mana. Get 2-4. Get Poor Man’s Shield if you only get 2
2.
Diffusal Blade (3300)
+22/26 Agility
+6/10 Intelligence
Feedback (Passive, orb)
Purge (Active, 8 charges)
Burns 20/36 mana per hit
Purge has no manacost and 12 seconds cooldown.
Can be upgraded and recharged by buying the recipe again (2 levels).
Orb effects do not stack.
Blades of Alacrity (2x) + Robe of the Magi + Diffusal Blade Recipe Scroll
Huge damage and chasing power that is reliable, and refuelable
3.
Poor Man’s Shield (550)
+100% chance to block 20

Stout Shield + 2 Slippers of Agility
Optional. Get as a substitute of 1 Wraiths. Good defense agains physical molestations.
4.
Power Treads (1900)
+65 Run Speed
+35% Attack Speed
+10 Selected Attribute
Boots of Speed + Gloves of Haste + Boots of Elvenskin or Robe of the Magi or Belt of Giant Strength + Power Treads Recipe Scroll
Huge increase to damage output and more stats.

Early Game:

caspian -

That’s right, something is not quite right about people picking Rikimaru and then thrashing most games with Diffusal Blade.

Due to the Frog’s “league balance” moves [which makes things even more imbalanced sometimes] – nerfing sentry wards so strongly in 6.56 and a now-considered-strong buff on Diffusal (link), now Riki is the hottest guy around in the taverns. I had never expected my prediction – that Riki would be good with Diffusal Blade – to be so spot-on :P . But what is not right is this:

In case you may have not noticed, the current (infectious) trend in 6.57b is for leaguers to ban Rikimaru if they cannot handle him, or hope for a mistake in enemy bans and then pick the new superhero. In most games I’ve seen the in-thing to do when getting Rikimaru is first, try to get him past early

GOOD GOD THANK YOU FOR 6.58

If you are looking for a quick

“read this kiddies!”

CONTENTS

Skim it with this baby

1. Introduction

-Pros and Cons

-When to pick

-Role of the

2. Skills

-Smoke screen

-Blink Strike

-Backstab

-Permanent Invisibility

3. Skill build

-Why?

4. Item build

-Starter kit

-Core items

-Power items(Luxury)

5. Items debate

-Orbs

-Damage items

-Survivability

-For long games

6. Early

-What to do

-Harassing

7. Middle

-Hunting

i. In packs

ii. Solo

iii. Being hunted

-Assisting

-Mind games

-Countering detectors

i. Heroes

ii. Items

iii. Towers

8. Late

9. Conclusion

-Nightmares and tooth fairies

i. Nightmares

ii.

10. READ THIS KIDDIES!

11. Replays

12. Questions and Answers

13. Credits

1. Introduction to the

“I strike when my enemies when they least expect it, and where they least expect it”

Pros and Cons

Pros-

-Powerful DPS

-Invisible all the time

-Free ward to the team

-Not so item dependant

-equipped with one of the best disable

-Carry-capable

Cons-

-Low HP

-Ineffective early game

-The only hero with no useful ultimate in team battles

-Subject to focus fire

-Disable dependant

When To Pick Riki

-Comfortable line-ups, you have at least 1 AoE disable

-You’re going to lane up with a good ally

-Not so many heroes that can easily kill you, such as the Gondar+Lina combo

-Not so many other invisible heroes on your team, because that just screams “Buy a Gem and kill us all!”*

(*Shim demands to contribute to this guide via edits since it denies him the chance to remake his own SA guide lol)

And he made himself 2 credits lol

(I don’t know what you’re talking about…)

The Role Of Rikimaru

Rikimaru prizes his team as a scout and DPS ganker. His ultimate allows

him to sneak within enemy territories to search for targets to be taken down, to make

pushing better and easier. As a damage dealing tool, his ability can be matched by few,

however just like other DPS heroes, he is simply item dependant although just a bit, still

this is his biggest problem.

Riki can be said as a potential game breaker, and ranks as a powerful hero, however does

not prize as much a powerhouse, as he has no AoE damaging skills and incompetent with

items of such.

Being invisibile, Riki should be played to gank all around as soon as he can chase effectively.

This can be achieved by good farming up early game, and no feeding. And so, mind your early game

2. Skills Guide

Smoke Screen

-No longer does a mini-stun on every organic stuff in the AoE when casted

-Item abilities such as Lothar and Dagger are not silenced

-Melee cast range

Anti DPS, anti caster, and havoc creator, smoke screen is your main gank value, aside your powerful DPS, since it is your only disable. It is stupid for a hero to stay within the smoke, and so do not ever hope to kill them alone in the smoke. Smoke screen is the terrorizing initiating skill. It’s function, is to make the enemy hero inside the smoke to run away while disabling them from using any skill and dealing any damage, so that you may have the upper hand in physical attack combats for a short while. Also ,certain disables such overgrowth, still enables trapped heroes to use their skills, and so, if your team has one , use smoke screen in conjunction of that disable, to make both skills more effective. You should only take 1 level of this skill early, as this is the least important skill to max early. 1 level is sufficient early. Skipping this is a very dumb act no matter if you’re gonna farm for long or not.

Also, this skill has an annoyingly long filler animation. Cancel it and save time so you can get an extra hit.

How to use

The main purpose of this skill, is to allow Riki and his allies to deal as much as damage possible while staying out of any possible threat. This skill has a minor slow of 20% and a relatively small AoE, therefore correct placement is vital. The logic is, when an hero is enveloped within, he will try to escape. This way, you can deal monstrous damage thanks to backstab. This will give the enemy an impression, “I wont win because my HP is already too low”. This, is what makes initiating and positioning an important thing.

The only thing to be rambled about this skill is the way of placement and on what hero to place it on. Use it on heroes that have AoE skills and disables, or multiple disables in team battles, as well as on easy to kill heroes. Heroes like Raigor, heroes like Atropos and Lina, heroes like Nevermore. You get the picture. These hero are important in the enemy line-ups, and so you should take them down first ,rather than heroes like Slardar or Centaur first because they are, easier to kill.

Like told before, it is stupid for an enemy hero who is trapped inside to stay, even when ruptured. There is about nothing an enemy hero could do when they’re in the smoke screen. And so, they way you place this skill, must make use of this factor. Place it in a way, a hero would struggle the most to escape. If he’s running away ,make sure he’s gonna have to take more time to escape.

Note that zeus is in the centre

Riki however, does not face much difficulty upon placing this skill compared to other heroes with AoE but short effect range, due to the reason he’s concealed from sight. What makes a smoke screen sucks, is inevitably the player himself. You should always centre the hero in the smoke if hitting him when he’s is stationery condition just in case he’s smart and a calm person. When he’s running somewhere, place the hero on the edge of the smoke, and most side of the smoke in the position he’s running towards. This way, you would slow him longer, and therefore you can get more hits in.

The slow provided by this skill is usable to slow down the motion of enemy heroes, and help you deal damage. Use this to slow chasing and escaping enemies. Use it to assist chases if your HP is too low to attack the enemy for too long.

Note how I placed the edge of the smoke .This way Zeus has to take the hardest route.

Blink Strike

The max range of this skill is about 700, or so.

The infamous blink strike, is Riki’s only natural means of escaping and chasing. Just like smoke bomb, 1 level of this is sufficient, but maxing it is also a way to go. Either you max backstab first, or blink strike first, it doesn’t really matter because they give about the same result, and so this will not be debated here.

Some people actually doesn’t know that this skill is usable on allies. Use this when facing sticky situations where there’s units you can see standing in a position safe from danger.

Golden rule 1# – The first strike after blink is always a backstab

Yes true. I don’t know if this is a mechanic, but the blink strike will always be a backstab because you will always land right at their backs. This will help you to deal lots of damage in the first strike, not just in team fights, but when last hitting too. Since blink strike will place you behind the target, use this when initiating, to provide a body block. This will later help you to cast smoke screen

Important thing to remember 1# – Remember that the bonus damage is magical, and deals full damage on creeps.

Early game, where your mana pool will be put to a constraint by just casting a smoke screen, using blink strike to last hit isn’t possible. Furthermore, it’s cd for the first 3 level really sucks, and if you blink in just like that, shit may happens. This is why you should not use it to last hit early game, unless you’re pitted to a situation or true pressure, or unless your lane partner gets RoB. You’re free to your own opinions, whether to max it or not first.

Backstab

-Disabled under the effects of doom

-Does not require successful attack to trigger

One of the most imba damage dealing skill, however requires a condition, which is it’s main problem.

“Deals bonus damage equal to X.XX of Rikimaru’s agility when attacking from behind”

The phrase behind, refers to the back of a hero, about 120 degrees of a hero’s rear position. I deduce this simply based on Bristleback’s definition of back.

Backstab is the reason why Riki is so powerful against low HP heroes. But as foretold, it requires a condition. In this guide, we will mention it as a manipulated variable. This variable cannot be controlled, but it can, be influenced. The variable is the actions of the rival hero itself.

Inducing the “fear” factor

Let us look at a level 6 Rikimaru-

-Invisible

-May pop from behind

-Has smoke bomb

-Has blink to catch up

-May or may not be at the same lane

-May have DD, haste and invi rune

-His MIA might not be notified

Tell me, who wont be afraid? Except Doom and Techies.

Now with all this, you can induce fear. When you strike, he will, most of the time, run. When you attack a hero from behind, his straight action, 99% of the time, is to run away. When this happens, his back is yours to stab.

When your opponent is afraid of you, he will panic. When Lion has 100 HP left, he’s gonna put forth the running away motion above all else rather than casting impale, because his judgment is ruined by fear. This is what you want.

What makes the difference, is the way you use all these factors, to influence the variable. As shown before in the “how to smoke” section, the way you use the smoke screen can be an event changing ability. Keeping an enemy hero under a distressed situation for just “1 extra second” is enough for you to get all the advantage to your side.

Here’s some tips-

-Blink strike, attack once and smoke immediately with just some agi boosting items, this will deal like 300 damage and above.

-Strike a hero whom you found jungling, when he’s fighting with creeps, but don’t let the creeps be shrouded in the smoke screen. Preferably when they’re handling camps like the Satyr camps, because the bitch who looks like you can, and will purge him. Good, unholy allies.

-Strike when they’re close to creeps, and smoke immediately, to trap them and prolong the duration of them being stuck in the smoke. This can be easily done on melee opponents when they’re farming the lane creeps.

Important thing to remember 2# – BACKSTAB IS NOW NO LONGER DEAL MAGICAL DAMAGE AND STILL DOES NOT CONTRIBUTE TO LIFESTEAL. It also have a damage deal delay of about 0.5 seconds which sometimes ruins last hit timing.

Since the damage is now physical, it deals smaller amount of damage the whole game run unlike the old 6.58 ones. However though, this makes it a good asset when teaming up with armor reducers like Slardar and Leviathan.

Why low HP, caster and DPS heroes?

As told, the first blink strike is always a backstab. Low HP heroes, will notice that they wont have the abilities to endure this after taking the first hit, and so, they will be forced to run. This will make backstab effective. In other words, the variable is influenced greater when confronting low HP heroes because they get frightened easier.

Lets take an example –

VS

You decide to kill a 800HP Drow. She cant see you coming because you’re invisible, so you have the upper hand. You blinked, and hit her, and reduced her HP to 600, will she stay? She might fight ,but again, you have smoke screen to mitigate her DPS to almost 0. So straight after you casted Smoke screen, she’ll run . With that, you probably hit and damaged her down to 400 HP or so after 1-2 hits. Lets say she has boots, but again, you can blink again. If she fights she’ll lose. If she don’t she’ll die. This is what I meant, there is nothing, Drow could do to you even though she got a DPS boost ultimate and DPS boost skill. So why would you be afraid of her?

In other words, when you engage a low HP hero, most of these heroes have lower initiating damage compared to you, and they cant see you. This, will make them think that they cant kill you, and it is best for them to escape. We don’t know if that’s true or not, but that is exactly what we want them to think. Make them think that they wont win. Use all possible abilities to intimidate them because when you do, you will probably win.

Permanent Invisibility

-Disabled by silence

-Will dodge any damaging projectiles if they hit after fade

-Renders you immune to Poison Nova , if no true sight is available and Veno cant see you

-Does not dodge Thundergod’s Wrath

-Having Aghanim’s will not make Riki undetectable by gems.

This is what makes Riki a bitch to everyone. This skill will allow you to scout, gank, and escape easily early. This skill will make backstab a chicken killer. This skill made Obama won. Sort of.

This skill however, is the most useless ultimate in team battle.

Do not ever, stick in team battle with spit HP thinking you wont die, because they cant see you.

Important thing to remember 3# – Rikimaru is the only hero who does not have an ultimate in team battles.

Being invisible, having blink, as well as Smoke Screen, Rikimaru is perhaps the most suitable hero to place wards inside enemy territories. A warding guide by caspian can be found at the “read this kiddies!” section.

There’s nothing much to say, max this every time, since it’s more worth it than +2 to stats.

When you have this skill, scouting for farming heroes, like PA and all else is easy. So use it to scout.

Intro to permanent invisibility – Tower’s true sight range

Important thing to remember 4# – The tower’s true sight range exceeds their attack range by a slight amount.

The following screenshots will show you the true sight range of a Scourge level 1 tower . Use it as reference to the true sight range of all other towers. So if you’re lingering too close to towers, you better be careful.

Put the tower with red circle SS here shimmeh *

**THIS SCREENSHOT WAS NOT THERE, GO GET IT!

Die Shimmeh. Anyway, the last thing to remember, DO NOT FARM WHEN HERE ARE 2-3 NUKERS AT LANE EVEN THOUGH YOU’RE INVISIBLE. LAST-HIT ANTICIPATION IS OBVIOUS, AND THEY WILL NUKE YOU TO AUSTRALIA(Where Shim the pizza freak is). SWITCH LANES IF SUCH CONDITION ARISE.

3. CF[X]’s Rikimaru Skill Build And Explanations

Blink Strike(BS)

Smoke Screen(SS)

BS

BS

Backstab(B)

Permanent Invisibility(PI)

Bs
B
B
B
PI
SS
SS
SS

Attribute Bonuses(AB)

PI

AB
AB
AB
AB
AB
AB

AB
AB

Sunder(S) if possible, if not then AB

Why?

Blink Strike is taken first thing first, to avoid shitty situations, since smoke screen is not reliable.

1 level of smoke screen is explained.

Blink strike is maxed first, since it is a more reliable mechanism to deal damage, to escape, and to last-hit. Once you managed to get the few wraiths, your mana pool should be sufficient to last hit 2 creeps at once and therefore will promote farming skill. Blink strike also helps chasing and further placement of smoke. Also you better max it by leveling up real quick, because the first 3 levels of this skill is really, really crappy.

We then max backstab over smoke, because they boost your DPS amazingly, and at the time, you agi build up is enough to deal satisfying amount of damage via this skill. The fact that backstab works only when you hit from behind is also another reason to avoid maxing this early. And since you only become invisible after level 6, walking behind opponents and hoping that you wont be owned is quite impossible without invisibility.

Smoke screen is eventually maxed, since the AoE gets sweeter and the miss% gets nastier. This skill when maxed, will make Drow and Troll nothing more than trashes.

4. CF[X]’s Rikimaru Item Build

CF[X]’s Riki Starter Kit In All Pick Games

2 slippers of agility ,because you have 2 feet’s, and they help you last hit nice. They can also be formed into Wraiths or Poor Man’s Shield

1 circlet to boost damage and give some HP and MP. Can be Formed into Wraiths.

A salve because it heals better than tangoes

I am not your God, you may get circlets over slippers if you think survivability problems could arise. As for Quelling Blade, it’s decent, but you can’t jungle early due to low HP. Damage on heroes are far better than a farm item. Quelling Blade should only be gotten if you are bad at last hitting(we last hit with Blink Strike anyway to farm after some Wraiths).

CF[X]’s Riki Core Items Set

3-4 Wraiths to boost HP, damage, and mana so that blink can be use to last hit creeps. Poor Man’s Shield is also a good substitute to 1 Wraith. It gives decent defensive powers, especially against creeps, so you can jungle better if lanes are taken, or infested with enemy heroes.

Power Treads, because they supply good DPS and you need neither BoT’s teleport because you’re going to be the one who’s walking in the enemy forest, and Phase Boot’s active isn’t useful since youre going to use spells like every 5 seconds.

Town portals, because we don’t get Travels

Diffusal Blade, because it gives a tremendous damage boost and a nice slow, and can remove bad buffs, as well as giving free gold from heavy duty summons, like Necronomicon and Infernal. It also burns those painful mana out from enemy heroes, potentially disabling escaping chances.

CF[X]’s Riki Power Items

Butterfly, because it further boosts DPS and it is the ideal item for Rikimaru’s concept

Manta Style, because you pump agi, and your illusions will be a pain. It gives huge MS bonus as well. This item is great late game asset.

Guinsoo’s Scythe Of Vyse, because when purge is all used, this item is a good asset to have. Furthermore, guinsoo is very powerful is team battles. This also makes you harder to counter.

Heart Of Tarassque, because it boosts survivability of the 1.6k HPed brat we call Rikimaru.

Vladmir’s Offering, if no one favors, as it helps pushing

5. Items Debate

Orbs

OR

The current pub game style Riki which I have been observing is SnY. Let me tell you something,

-Early game SnY>early game manta

-Late game manta>late game SnY

-Diffusal>Manta in any way

-Diffusal>SnY in any way

You might not believe this, but it’s true. I cant help you to understand if you keep being hardheaded thinking it is better to have high move speed than a sure slow. You have to try it yourself, to get what I mean. Upgrade when charges runs out. Do not sell even if it can’t be upgraded anymore.

Why Feedback as the orb?

Try to understand here, I am not saying SnY is bad, I am only saying in the name of my God Allah, Diffusal is better. So please, nobody scream.

Before, I have mentioned in the intro that Riki rivals the incompetent Magina as the new Anti-Mage. This is just a potential, and this is only possible with Purge. SnY requires luck, which can not be classified as a controllable variable. Purge doesn’t. The feedback, though inferior to Magina’s, burns out mana and deals bonus PURE damage given the enemy has mana. And if the enemy has no mana, it’s still a good thing. SnY cant do this. Yes it pumps up your movement speed, but Riki’s move speed can be said crappy, and raising a crappy percentage to a crappy amount is still crappy, though we know it isn’t really so and with luck, it wont. To make it more clear, what can you do to Lion with SnY? With Purge you can prolong the period of him staying in the smoke and prevent him from using his skills. Eventually this is the same with any other heroes. Let me tell you, in short notes, the benefits of Manta/Diffusal over SnY-

-To pump up backstab damage, you pump agi, by pumping agi, you make late game damage dealing by using illusions effective because clones gets their punch from stats

-Purge instant kills True sight Necro summons and infernals.

-Diffusal gives more damage than SnY

-Purge can purge out bad buffs, like shadow strike

-Purge gives an absolute slow, so you wont need to chase badly, and you can be sure you will backstab frequently.

-You get 2 naked twins with Manta that can cause havoc and block everything

-Late game SnY isn’t a game breaker, Manta is.

-In 90% of games you play, there are heroes called disabler, where MS and slow are useless if they cant move

-You can send you images to do your dirty job without you having to endure the pain

-You cant save your ally with your own SnY. Purge can.

^^^^ The range of Purge (Diffusal’s) ^^^^ (THIS IS NOT MINE IN THE ORDER)

I am NOT saying SnY is bad. There are, some occasions, where SnY is good but diffusal with purge charges is better. As I said before, I am not your God, you are free to choose what you want as the orb , I am just telling you what I think is good.

If you do not understand this thinking of mine from the side as a Riki user, see it from the side as a Riki victim. Which type of Riki is more intimidating, a Riki with SnY, which is luck based, or a Riki with Purge, mana burn and some buttload of damage that can slow you for sure? Your allies don’t benefit from your SnY anyways.

Other Orbs

KIND OF

This could work, very well since the new bacstab is physical, but your team needs to have a disabler.

NO

EoS gives slow just like purge anf SnY. However, EoS is horrible, its freaking expensive. Yes, it gives great HP boost and agi boost, but the int goes to a waste. Yes, the slow is very promising, but still it’s expensive. I would rather if someone else gets it. Butterfly and SnY is way better then EoS. Having to farm 6.5k for a core item which gives +25 crap damage will waste your whole mid game potency.

NO

Chain lightning, from either mjolnir or maelstrom is crappy. Amp likes this build (*so does Shim occasionally while ultimately acknowledging the superiority of Diffusal), I tried it like 16 times, it does gives good damage, but it doesn’t help you chase. Unless your whole team except you is composed of stunners, do not get this.

Lifesteal orb is crap, since backstab is does not contribute to lifesteal. And also, no chasing power. MoM which crappanizes a hero’s EHP will make a hero with crappy HP have a crappier EHP. Case closed.

In short, for orbs use either Diffusal or SnY only unless you get basher. However i stood still DO NOT RUSH EoS

CRANIUM BASHER

The 6.58 nerfed riki but buffed almost all melee heroes. 25% chance to bash is ridiculous needless the price. If you like other orbs or any, you can get this straight after then rush Butterfly. This works well with Desolator. This pretty much removes the need to chase.

Damage boosting items

If you follow my build, direct damage items can be considered shiz, except buriza, because you will eventually get Manta, and illusions do no get direct damage. So pump up your agi.

However, if you choose SnY or other orbs except lifesteal, I would really recommend you get MKB instead of buriza, since the DPS of (SnY+PT+MKB)>(SnY+PT+Buriza)

Either orb you choose, get Butterfly straight after you acquired your orb.

The Butterfly

The Butterfly is the most sweetest item not incorporated with chasing that you can get on Riki. It boost DPS amazingly, and enhances survival. It is far better than its duplicate, Assault Cuirass, since you already have good armor. It gives you 90 damage, far sweeter than even buriza, and a sweet 30% evasion. Clones can also evade attacks, and they get 30 damage with this item. However, eagle horn is a crap to farm , too expensive for little benefit. If you used all charges of purge, I would recommend you farm this item ASAP so that you damage can match those of late gamers as well as allowing you to live longer on the field.

Radiance

Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. After the introduction of the Dust of Appearance, radiance carrying Riki is really asking for it .

* Shim supports owning Radiance to pieces.

DARN U<– CF[X]

Buriza-Do-Kyannon

Good when using Manta build, but not great. Illusions gets nothing from the 75+ damage, but they can proclaim some quite frequent crits. There are however, some downsides. Since now you have no slow, it’s quite hard to get the kill. I would only, recommend buriza as 4^th luxury item. At this stage, even a vladmir’s is better than buriza, if nobody else gets it. Also, this doesnt multiply backstab’s damage.

Monkey King Bar

Great when using SnY as orb. It is better than buriza(as 1st item) since the mini-stun kinda help you chase, and prevent TP. It also proclaims more frequently than buriza, and though minor, it gives a still sweet IAS bonus. The damage pump is also good for tower hitting. The problem with this item is the core requirements, which sucks. If you want to farm for this, make it quick. Whether you get butter first, or not, does not make any significant change. Also, the bonus proc damage is actually magical(when the wielder is melee), and so it deals full 75 damage on most heroes. This further adds to your magical damage fury.

Divine Rapier

“BUY A GEM”. Gem sellers are incorporated with drug dealers. Every time someone buys a gem, a kid is infected with tooth decay. I don’t know what it has to do with drugs, but just don’t buy DR.

Survivability Items

Heart is favored, get it if you don’t get guinsoo. If you do, get it anyway. Lifesteal from vlads and any other source is too overrated. You get Satanic+Vlads+DD, you blink into Atropos, you get disabled, you die. You get satanic+vlads+DD+BKB, you blink into a bunch of heroes, you get focus fired, you die. Lifesteal does not improve your EHP when you cant hit. With HoT, you increase you HP to almost another 1000. Anyway, this is far better than vlads most of the time. However, this only applies IF, you use SnY as orb.

If you get Manta, I highly suggest you get Eye Of Skadi for survivability, though most of the time, this will not happen as we wont go this far. Forget what I said before, if you use manta, EoS is the better item. It gives clones armor of about 3, approximately 18% EHP, it also supplies 25 more damage and IAS to you and you clones, although it gives around 200 less HP than a HoT. Also, you can prioritize the orb, to get EoS’s 20% movement slow over the feedback. I personally like feedback more though. Refer here, the orbs effect table on how

Orb Effects Table

Orb effects table – http://www.dotastrategy.com/forum/ftopic867.html

Vanguard is not necessary, but not bad, same as hood. Vlads is sometime necessary. You should get it if no one in your team is. The aura will increase your creep’s pushing power and durability. The damage aura which is % based increases hero damage based on main attributes. Were pumping agility, some the bonus damage aura will increase your damage significantly.

Super long game items

Guinsoo’s Scythe Of Vyse

The great question will be here. I would like to make it clear, get guinsoo, if, and only if:

-A Butterfly wont help much(AoE fantasy team, i.e. ES+Magnus)

-Purge is used up, and AFTER manta

-ONLY WHEN USING MANTA BUILD

Why? Because hex is an ability better than Doom, as it reduces the potential of its inflicted victim to zero, rendering anyone useless. When this happens, you can rape almost any non-superfed late gamers with your manta illusions. It doesn’t matter if Troll have Butter+PT+Satanic+3 bashers, he’ll still gonna get hexed, and you’ll own him easily with this.

When purge is used up, you need new means to chase, and this, is the solution. Furthermore, you add more fury to your team, by getting another disable. There isn’t much key to click when using Riki anyway. I don’t care the Int and mana regen goes to a waste, it’s still sweet. Like I said, when Troll have like Gay-fat items, and there’s no use to hit him if he still can amend back his HP with his insane DPS, this item can solve that problem.

Important thing to remember 5# – Hex removes passive buffs, like evasion, from both item or abilities. This is why, I like it.

Secondary Purge Blade

More agi, more own. Basically, i do not have to repeat what I’ve said, just get this if you find Guinsoo not interesting.

If you are still, dissatisfied, then just do it your way. Its not like we would get to this part in more than 10% of the DotA games we play anyway.

6. Playing early game

The definition I give for Riki’s early game, is until you can get your core items.

Lane – anywhere but mid. Mid lane’s safe range is short, not suitable for a melee, low HPed, no lane control, no lane staying skills hero like Rikimaru.

DO NOT SOLO. I repeat, do not solo. You are fragile, you are useless early game, you need to farm up early game but you cant risk dealing with ranged lanes, so you must, be partnered. If you plan to lane with a melee hero early, do not lane with heroes, like Terrorblade, not with heroes, like Void, you get the picture. Prefer ranged heroes as partner as you are a melee hero, with no lane control skill(which is why you are an incompetent solo), with crap HP. Ranged heroes as partner will help you to stay away from danger better than melee heroes with the same level of skill abilities. Lane with heroes like melee heroes like Omniknight, like Axe or Crixalis, or heroes that are ranged and powerful early like warlock, heroes like Dazzle, heroes like Drow, heroes like Jakiro, you get what I mean. Heroes that can take care of your health, and helps you farm for that important core items fast.

The general plan of early game is simply to farm up for a item set core, to allow you to gank mid game. Stay away from danger, and always watch the minimap for one. When fighting to get last hit from a very good last hitter-denier ally or enemy, be free to use Blink Strike to last hit. If he has superior damage, make use of the backstab damage dealing delay to get last hits going. Another thing to remember, although you might trigger a backstab. I forgot what is the name of this abuse but it doesn’t matter as the damage is too minimal early game.

If action is favorable, lets say axe gets an invi and then makes a call, join the action but stay, away from danger. Use smoke screen to help him and then hit if favorable. Use what I taught you about placing smoke screen to get maximum result. If he escapes with red HP, do not chase unless you think you can kill without dying, or unless it’s a firstblood. This applies for the whole game run. Dying is not worth killing. I am not encouraging you to die to get firstblood by the way. If you have your ultimate, but you think your HP is too not favorable, lets say the Axe did that on a Zues, then don’t hit, block the zeus with your body after using smoke, to slow him down until Axe can make another call or just until he’s close enough to use culling blade. This way, you’ll stay unseen and safe.

Scouting

An alternative way of play in early game is functioning to the team as a scout, however, I really like to play as scout at mid game stage once I have my diffusal, since everything is easier then.

This style has much been said. You wander in forest, or lanes , looking for targets then call in for help. Unlike the proposed style, this makes you a better asset earlier. However, you surely will be slowed down in further stages, but it’s okay as long as you’re winning. This strategy works very well against carries which are usually found neutral creeping, with lifesteal or so. A very common example is Furion and Beastmaster.

Aside from wards, there is a very interesting item that can help you carry this role better. I have not used this item, until I went to caspian’s blog. A quote -

caspian-

I saw this article in another dota website, www.huachaojune.com (sounds like a person’s name lol), that argued a lot for magic stick. For your convenience I shall quote at length what the author wrote (so this is NOT my stuff and I’m not plagiarising anything):

People don’t remember that it’s only 210g. Buy it from a sideshop when you have the money. It’s useful when facing a dual lane heroes with active spells(or a soloing serious spammer like zeus and bristle).

Ok, so this much has been said by other members on the thread. If Magic Stick was created solely for the purpose of getting something out of spell spammers I daresay its usefulness is very limited indeed. However apparently it is not. Here’s more of what the author said:

Also it’s a good for radaring ganks and junglers.

1. You are running through woods and suddenly you get a charge. No allies on minimap, you know there’s a hero jungling. Profit, for only 210g.
2. You are laning down and miss is called for mirana, pudge, puck etc. and you get a charge. You know something is coming, hug the tower, get called a maphacker, maybe get a kill from towerdivers, profit, for 210g.

Apparently I had not realised that common sense dictates that this is quite true. It takes a lot to figure things out from common sense though. Magic Stick is essentially a radar as well. When you get a charge for no reason, depending on the enemy’s lineup you can sense something’s not quite right, and this is how you can alert your allies as well. Good point.

This is very true, indeed the Magic Stick also helps in the upcoming Blink-last hit powerfarm tactic which will require massive mana. For slot exchange, just take less 1 wraith band. I highly suggest if you were to play as scout early, you should at least have Power Treads and Wraiths so that you have all essential requirements, HP ,damage and mana. If not, keep on farming until you can afford the core items.

Harassing enemies when you have invisibility

This is what you should do if you lone for an early game kill. Simply ,walk to their backs, hit, and retreat. Simple, because they cant see you. Just don’t do it, when there’s creeps around unless you got help. Don’t do it without using smoke screen when trying to harass heroes like Tinker and Shadow Fiend, because a hit on their back which deals 150 damage is not worth a laser and a missile in the face. 3 seconds fade times isn’t short. There’s a lot of stuff that could happen. Also mind for trouble, and retreat if anything goes wrong.

By doing this, if they don’t die, they might retreat fully or change lane, and so you can farm up safer.

Like I’ve said before, there is no fixed definition for Riki’s early game. Until you can farm up for your chasing power, you are stuck at early game where you are ineffective at.

Mid Game:

7. Playing middle game

I define mid game as the stage where you start assisting in ganks with good core items. This is why Diffusal is better than SnY. Absolute slow baby.

Learn to know what type of heroes that are effective against you, so that you don’t make mistakes. Here are the properties of heroes that you should know.

Heroes you are inferior to

-Has escape mechanisms

-Have high damage nukes

-High HP and have stun

-Heroes with better DPS

Heroes you are superior to

-Low HP and low MS

-No escape tool

-Heroes that are item dependant

When your damage is improved, and you have a mechanism to help you inflict that damage, you can start aiming hard to kill heroes like Lion and Lina, since their stun wont do much good because you can silence and slow them.

When you have the core items, start wandering in forest. Look for low HP with no escape mechanisms heroes if you’re hunting alone, hunt for powerful carries if you’re with somebody. Aim heroes who are inferior towards you when solo hunting. What can Lion do to you when you got diffusal? What can Luna do if she has no true sight? What can Sniper do? These kinds of target promises you a sure kill if done correctly, and no help is available to them. Find those runes. The double damage is your baby. Haste will do fine. Invi is the best. The runes can set the tables turning.

It is very important for you to gank as frequent as possible. Spend up all you purge charges for killing and saving people’s lives.

If ganking is to damn hard(Ward whores), farm the lanes. Last hit and deny as usual, to make sure creep fights stays at the same place. Use blink strike to last hit 2 creeps in a short time. When you got 3 wraiths, you mana should be a problem to do stuffs like this.

But don’t farm up too long. The results you get when you farm 30 mins with Riki isn’t the same when you farm 30 mins with Troll or with Void. You are a ganker. Then gank.

Beginning the hunt

Hunting in pack

Team up with heroes that have abilities you don’t. Slardar for example, can make use of you scouting abilities. He’s also faster than you. His ultimate complements both of your DPS since backstab is now reverted to physical. His stun makes smoke screen deadly. Team up with heroes like Bane. His ulti disables them from moving, from turning around. You can easily get that backstab angle, and will almost make it a sure kill. Heroes like Dark Seer, heroes like Purist, heroes like Meepo. You get the picture. Special mention to Dark Seer, cause he’s such a great buffer.

If they get wards, on a specific lane when you’re farming, just simply switch lane. If they put it mid lane, and your allies wants to push mid lane, then tell them don’t. If they don’t get you, act as if you don’t get their order to push mid. If they mock you for that, act dumb like they act to yours.

In team battles, you can but you shouldn’t initiate. Let the tanks fight first, I don’t mean let them fight without you joining them, just don’t make them focus you. Use smoke screen on heroes that are tide-changing, like Raigor, like Lion and Lina, like CM. These are the heroes that will take the pain of staying in the smoke. Don’t use it on Brad when he’s full HP-ed. That is useless. Don’t aim heroes that you are incompetent against too. Heroes like Viper and Dark Seer, they’ll make you suffer if you aim them early.

Solo Killing

This is only possible if you have chasing abilities that out powers your enemy’s escaping abilities or a montsrous amount of DPS.

Remember this when trying to solo-kill heroes that are low HP, but have disables.

Golden Rule 2# – If they cant see you, they cant strike first

Golden Rule 3# – Under the smoke, they’re trash

Golden Rule 4# – If they’re trash, dispose of them

Initiating

^–SK Loda as Rikimaru. Question the diffusal again and I will kill you.

Strike these heroes when they least expect you to. When they farming, when they’re wandering around. You’ll realize when if you play long enough. At that time, don’t hesitate, blink, hit and smoke, then purge immediately. Try to get the advantage on your side. Purging them in the smoke makes them stay longer in the smoke. Using purge straightly will also save time since there’s a short animation when casting smoke screen. Make use of the shift key to do multiple actions, so you wont panic incase something happen. If suddenly, the variable has changed to an impossible kill, then forget it, value your life. If not, then go for it.

Being hunted

If you are being aimed, by heroes like Doom, Gondar, Slardar and gem whores, I suggest you enter the realm of neutral creeping. If not, stay with lane farming, because it’s easier and faster. Only enter the forest to neutral when lanes are full or you’re in the top wanted list.

Fighting against neutrals are quite a pain, unless you get Vlads. Still I don’t recommend rushing Vlads early, unless you get SnY. If not, use blink and smoke to make strong neutrals easier to handle.

Staying around/Assisting with low HP

Given there’s no true sight, you should stick around in teamfights or chases with low but not too low on HP. Stay away from any possible danger such as probable position of an about to be cast AoE skill. You can always join the action by blinking. If the hero has such skill, stay at safe range until he dispose that skill. Then, re-enter the scene and help as much as you could. Again here, diffusal is a better item if you wish to help but you cant reveal yourself for too long. If not, assist by using smoke screen, and help by attacking if the condition is safe and if necessary.

If you choose not to attack, then you should scout around for runes or for enemy incomings, act like a ward you are.

Playing Mindgames

This is something that invi heroes can do easily. The enemy will always be wondering when would you strike.

Lets say you got 400 HP, and you’re trying to solo kill a 900HP Tinker. Obviously he will own you. But if you did things right, you can level his HP down like 50-60% without dying. Like I said before, in this kinds of situations, a correct timing, placement and good animation cancel of smoke screen is important.

One thing to be realized is, as soon as Tinker escapes the smoke, he’s going to kill you. You cant keep him in the smoke forever , and so you better time your attacks perfectly. This is why maxing your ultimate is important, to minimize the fade time and damage taken. However, you must realize, just like your skills, Tinker’s skill also have an animation, but just the Lasers. Therefore, this factor must also be included in your judgment. Knowing these stuff can further make your moves more intriguing.

Like I said, once Tinker escaped the smoke, he is now more dangerous to you than you are to him. If you managed to reduce his HP to like 400 or 300, he will eventually run for cover, or perhaps call for allies if he has no true sight. What you want here, is for him to run for cover, because you’re solo killing and there’s no Sven to help you stun. Don’t strike right after you went re-invi, wait for a while. You will realize that, after a certain range, he might think, the threat is gone. When he does, there will be this moment where he is just too busy to mind his keyboard buttons because he’s gonna try to keep alive. At this moment you should strike, or wait for smoke screen to be again usable. So you may have the upper hand. This kinds of stuff isn’t possible in a short range chase, so don’t try it in short ranged chases. By doing this, you make them wonder what will happen, this will eventually make them panic.

Disclaimer – This is true, well, most of the time

Another example is when you found a hero neutralling alone in the forest. If you decide to attack him, he will probably run ,if he have any common sense, because he thinks that you’re a scout and theres more heroes incoming. Here, if you attack him continuously, you will realize that you will face little suppression if the hero you’re fighting can not kill you easily(like centaur and troll), because this hero will not get any benefits if he choose to fight, and he thinks your whole team is on the way to kill him, and so he will run away. But lets say, your allies are still far away, you might face problems if he chooses to fight, but what he thinks ,that he is about to be ganked, will not change unless he got some sort of map hack. He doesn’t know if there’s more enemy heroes or not. He will still think there are more enemy heroes coming after him. This will give you the upper hand.

However, if he chose to fight, your next move should depend on the situation. If you can kill him, then fight. If not, stop attacking and continue to follow him, until help arrives.

Countering detectors

Hero detectors

Gondar, Doom and Slardar are just like you, they’re gankers. But, they are not at all item dependant unlike you. This is the problem. They’re gonna wait until you show up, then they’ll use their ultimate on you. You can flank Slardar easily if he’s alone, but if he’s teamed up, you might not. Gondar can easily out power you with Shuriken Toss and you wont see him coming at all. There’s little that you can do to Gondar. Doom is going to own you easily since he’s faster ,stronger, and there’s nothing you can do with that crap HP against someone with twice your HP and deadly nukes.

Countering these situations however, would require a good team, and requires you to pay close attention to the mini map. Always observe the red dots, and be careful when farming alone.

In the 6.58 version, there is however a new method to counter these people, and basically a melee hero can now counter most fears. The new improved Cranium Bashers.

Item detectors

Wards are easy. If they place it in a specific lane, don’t farm for too long at that lane or across the river. If there’s a ward whore, buy the dust of appearance or sentries to counter wards.

Counter gems by ganking the gem holder. Problems come when the gem holder is annoyingly strong, like Ursa and Panda. Usually these powerful gem holders will stalk for you, and so you should be really, careful, since you cant follow and scout them. I would suggest you make quick work of these gem holders by pushing. When they come to defend, focus these gem holders.

Dust of appearance however, is a complicated story. It doesn’t drop on death, it cant be killed neither. BUTTT, it can be purged out. But still, I want to say to SnY Riki users, if they get this, then there’s nothing much you can do. Fight like you usually do if your HP permits it, and escape when necessary.

If their team also have invis, then I suggest you wait for them to buy the gem first, unless you’re rich but they kept escaping when theres just 50 HP left of them. In that case your team should buy gems or wards or dust to counter these assholes.

Towers

Towers are the traffic police, and your chase limiter. Most of the time, in a chase where the target is not low on HP, I, and almost all other players will stop as we realize, there might be complications involved if we do continue the chase. This is, a big problem and it will bug you unless you do something about it. Solve it, by pushing and tower razing.

Late Game:

8. Playing it late game

Late game for Riki has no fixed definition. It pretty much depends on the condition of late gamers, whether ,they’ve farmed up or not. This is why, if you could, make mid game stage longer, by constant ganking so that your reign would last longer.

So here, I would think you have Diffusal+PT+Butter. This is the optimal and standard item achievements for Rikimaru at stages around 40 mins. With just these items, you can raze tower with relative ease, and kill disabled heroes with 3k HP without sweat thanks to your crazy DPS. Here, the main role in team battles doesn’t revolve much on you, but more to heroes like Raigor and Treant. Your main role is to complement their abilities to deal as much as damage possible and destroy main targets. Here , I would stress on pushing. Lets say you don’t have Guinsoo, and the disable is still far, but you can push. Then please do. Use the Manta and whack the towers. This isn’t FOC, you don’t win according to kills. As the game progress, your effectiveness will wither against a fairly powerful line ups. There isn’t much to say, since the heroes who will render you ineffective are heroes like Lion with his Voodoo, heroes like Bane. At this stage, AoE will be your biggest problem. Solving it is easy, and yet hard. Just focus fire them or wait them to waste their skills first before doing anything.

If you bought Manta, your total DPS is monstrous. To use Manta to the fullest, I suggest you enter the battle after your team has used an AoE disable. Blink, then split. This will trap your target hero, further making smoke screen more effective. Otherwise if you’re initiating, use Manta split first. You should aim high priority targets now, not Axe, because all he can do is just tank, not Magina, because he cant do anything to 5 heroes. Aim Ezalor, because his ulti gives him this very annoying knockback and miss, but he cant do anything when silenced. Aim Sven because he’ll rape everyone if let alone. Aim Zues because his passive will rape your team’s HP. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR CLONES TO MIND THEIR OWN BUSSINESS. Always use them to attack, do not underestimate them. EVER.

A very common thing forgotten, you should always have spare golds for buy-backs just in case you die. You dont need more than Diffusal+PT+Butterfly and wraiths + scrolls, you dont need really that vladmir or second butterfly, those items are enough. Buying back is important in case something happens.

If pushing is very hard, lets say you dragged to a 60 mins game, try backdooring. This is simple with manta, with butter. I’d say you can kill level 4 towers in 6 seconds with butter, manta, treads and perhaps vlads to bolster image damage. With such items the Throne should be eaten in just under 10 seconds.

If you abhor backdooring, then gank their main heroes first before pushing. Make them lose their defensive abilities. This way you’ll make pushing safer and you wont get flamed by losers who wont press f9.

So throughout the guide you heard me mumbling about superiority and inferiors. This is very important. You should never aim heroes you aren’t a match for by power, and those who could kill you. Remember what I said, the results you get with a 30 min Riki farming is not the same when using Troll or Specter.

9. Nightmares And Tooth Fairies

Nightmares

Gondar

“the greatest assassin a ninja should fear, is its own kin”

Your number 1 counter early-to-mid game, not Slardar. Why?. Because he’s gonna nuke you down. Because he can track you. Because you’ll miss when trying to hit him. Because you cant see him. The problem with Gondar is the burst damage and his invisibility. He doesn’t need a gem to counter you, but you do.

Doom

Your ultimate, full game run counter. Your HP is no match to his nukes and ultimate. There’s nothing much you can do, so stay out of trouble. Again I repeat, that silences disables your invisibility, and doom silences you for 16 seconds. Try to stay away from this guy unless you’re seriously fed or his ultimate is cooling down. When you’re doomed, you cant use blink or smoke, backstab will be disabled, you can be seen, you cant evade even though you have butter, you cant split, you cant mana burn, you cant lifesteal from non-aura, you cant maim, in short, you’re doomed.

Slardar

Late game counter to Riki. As his attack speed and damage improves, he will be more competent against you due to his bash and stun. Counter by farming up better items.

Heavy Duty Nukers

Because your HP wont remain 100% full. They are heroes bent on KS-ing, and they pay close attentions to enemy hero HPs. And yours isn’t promising. Counter by aiming them

Escape Artist

You cant kill them alone, so don’t.

AoE Disables

They don’t have to see you. Counter by aiming them. And also, Treant’s eye have true sight.

Necronomicon 3

Riki’s counter in IH games, since almost no pubbies gets this item. Most of the heroes who gets this have long duration disables, and so they are competent against you. The summons die instantly if you purge them, but you’re gonna take some serious damage. Don’t purge if your HP is too low.

Tooth Fairies

Baby Sitters

These people ensure you get a good start, so that you are effective late

Stalkers

They benefit from your ability to scout. They also deliver powerful payloads within seconds. Suffice to say they only need you to scout.

Disablers

They help you deal hefty amount of damage, and makes ganking easy.

Conclusion:

10. READ THIS KIDDIES!

Guide Summary

(this one has a very loose guideline)

Start with 2 slippers, a circlet and tango set or a flask

Farm up early game, help in ganks using smoke screen. Initiating strikes should be start by using blink strike to deal huge initiating damage. Harass when you have invisible by moving to the rear of the enemy so that you will deal backstab damage.re

Farm until you can buy these core items, 3 wraiths, tp’s and treads. For you orbs, choose either Diffusal or SnY as they provide reliable DPS and chasing power for a small price. If you want to farm up fast, and you mana pool is good, use blink to last hit 2 creeps at the same time.

When you have you ultimate, good survivability and damage, scout for enemies and get ganks running.

When you have chasing abilities, i.e. Sange and Yasha, Diffusal Blade, go on ganks . Search for runes such as double damage, haste or invisibility so that you can deal more damage. Partner up with heroes who have stuns, slows, or disables because yours isn’t really dependable. Aim heroes that have low HP, it doesn’t matter if he has DPS or disables, as your smoke is dependable to take down 40-50% of their HP. Initiate these strikes by blinking first and then cast smoke so that you would render their DPS and skills useless.

Buy a Butterfly, MKB or buriza as luxury items. If no one gets vlads you should if you like it that much.

Towers are problems to you when chasing, so take them down quickly. Urge your teammates to realize this. The tower is gold friendly anyway.

If your HP is not to favorable to help, stay away from battles, until the time is right. Then blink and use smoke screen.

If your enemies buy wards, and place it in a specific lane, and you are still in need of farming, switch lanes or go neutrals. If the buy gems, urge a gank.

If you are being aimed, stay away from dangers of lane farming, and seclude into forest neutrals. If they don’t have invi detectors, I guess you should enter battles when they don’t expect you to.

11. Replays

sfsy1 has kindly provided us with a compilation of orbs comparing replays. His skills are better than mine, prolly because he doesn’t have girlfriends, or perhaps because he’s a rich Singaporean. Neways, we and especially you must thank him for these replays, because I watched them . These compilations is a good way to compare orbs, because they are all played by the same guy and so we end up again thanking sfsy1.

Download RikimaruReplays.zip

12. Questions and Answers

The usual Q&A sections are boring and requires constant updating, not to mention that I have been infected by a disease called slothicus lazysinus which causes the infected person to look handsome in exchange for lazyness. But recently, I found a sacrificial lamb to fulfill this purpose. Click the link below to ask the DS Oprah a question! Anything including his sexuality will be answered!.

Ask me a question! – By caspian

Link – http://www.dotastrategy.com/forum/ftopic13512.html

Also, when this guide is published(hopefully), I might not be here anymore. Shim might be, but he bites strangers with his decaying teeth(He blames McCain).

(Bite, yes – blame the brand of pizza, NEVER!)

13. Credits

In honoring the people ,who had spilt their blood, who left their wife and children, who lost their dignity, who paid their taxes, just to see this guide being published, I decide to dedicate a section in this guide for their lost souls.

Drew for the site

Shimrra_3 as he has always been the one to figure me the Screen shots (I think I got them all, that Centaur one is a bit iffy) and for dealing with last minute editing. Also, for helping to improve the guide

Shimrra_3 : WEEE I MADE 2 CREDITS LOL! WORSHIP ME U PPL OH!

(*by editing little bits all over the place in unasked-for ways that will take forever to find and fix!) Oh U (Thats right you can’t stop me muwhaha!)

Team mouz Gaming for the inspiration and because they own with this guy

caspian for being my Oprah and for the cool quote

Ghost for the inspiration of the “READ THIS KIDDIES!” section as well as for insights and for his constant availability here in DS to squish people

DarklordSr because I might have copied his quoting style

quale for the moving thingy we call fraps

sfsy1 because I ruined his riki guide planning’s, and still he kindly provided me with

multiple orb-comparing replays

Antonio Banderas because I love Shrek and cats

p.s. – give an appropriate debate or suggestion if you want your name to be here.

THATS ALL FOLKS!