- Tittle: Facebook's style for Bristleback
- Author: Facebook
Pros
- Low cooldown spells
- Cheap manacost for spells
- Can tank very well
- Can chase without problem
- Physical based
- High Int gain
Cons
- Fair stats (Especially for Str)
- Countered by high armor
- No disable at all
- Delayed animation for casting
- Item dependent
You'll notice that Bristleback's main potential are three things: Low cooldown and manacost of spells, Ability to chase and cripple very well, and the Ability to tank without no problems. Talking about his stats, he has a very good Int gain meaning that he can spam more spells, which he really needs in addition for surviving. Another problem for him is that he cannot live without being farmed and no items, his surprising manapool and overestimated Bristleback skill cannot breach the threshold of having a good gameplay and teamfights.
So far, there are no pros and cons for about whether picking him or not. He is just plain good for everything he encounters.
Skills
Viscous Nasal Goo
Covers a target in snot, causing it to have reduced armor and movement speed. Casts on the same target are cumulative
- 1. Mana 30 / Cooldown 1.5 / Duration 5 Seconds / -1 armor, 20% and +3% slow a cast.
- 2. Mana 30 / Cooldown 1.5 / Duration 5 Seconds / -1 armor, 20% and +6% slow a cast.
- 3. Mana 30 / Cooldown 1.5 / Duration 5 Seconds / -2 armor, 20% and +9% slow a cast.
- 4. Mana 30 / Cooldown 1.5 / Duration 5 Seconds / -2 armor, 20% and +12% slow a cast.
- Stacks a maximum of 4 times.
Your main cripple spell. What I meant by cripple is a combined disable and armor reducer. The effect of this spell is that it single-handledly slows and reduces armor of an enemy unit, yes, I said it's single-targeted, so it's only good for taking one enemy down at a time. If you continually cast it to the same target, it will stack, only limited for four times, after that, it stops there. Due to it's very low cooldown, you can completely close the stack for only 6 seconds.
Quill Spray
Sprays enemy units with quills dealing damage in a 625 AoE. Deals 30 extra damage for every time the unit was struck by a quill in the last 14 seconds.
- 1. Mana 35 / Cooldown 3 / Duration 14 seconds / 20 direct damage, 30 stacking damage.
- 2. Mana 35 / Cooldown 3 / Duration 14 seconds / 40 direct damage, 30 stacking damage.
- 3. Mana 35 / Cooldown 3 / Duration 14 seconds / 60 direct damage, 30 stacking damage.
- 4. Mana 35 / Cooldown 3 / Duration 14 seconds / 80 direct damage, 30 stacking damage.
- Damage type: physical
- Has a cap of 400 damage.
- This damage is not reduced by damage block abilities (such as Vanguard, Kraken Shell, etc.)
Your only nuking skill (If done in right time). Why? First of all, it is an instant AoE damaging spell that deals damage instantly in an area of your position (obviously). Second, Like I said, it deals damage, but not only that, it's damage increases for every previous quill sprays that the targets got hit. So therefore, you should keep yourself tight in the area where all enemies will be hit by your sprays in order to keep it useful. Damage type is not magical, it's physical, therefore, it is only reduced by armor and synergizes with Viscous Nasal Goo and other armor-reducing items and skills.
Bristleback
Rigwarl covers his back in spines, causing him to take reduced damage. Automatically releases a quill spray whenever his rear receives 250 damage.
- 1. 16% reduced from rear, 8% from sides
- 2. 24% reduced from rear, 12% from sides
- 3. 32% reduced from rear, 16% from sides
- 4. 40% reduced from rear, 20% from sides
- Bristleback's rear is considered to be within 70 degrees from the back.
- Bristleback's side is considered to be 70–110 degrees from the back.
- Does not work against towers.
Your passive trademark and self-titled skill. Due to the power of it's nature, you are considered to tank all the damage (if it can). This skill reduces all damages (even Pure damage, except HP removal) if you turn your back (literally) to the original source of damage. The damage is also reduced to left and right sides.
Warpath
Everytime Rigwarl casts a spell, he works himself into a fury. Movement speed and damage increase on repeated spell casts.
- 1. Duration 10 seconds / 20 damage/5% MS Base + 20 damage/1% MS Stack
- 2. Duration 10 seconds / 25 damage/7% MS Base + 25 damage/2% MS Stack
- 3. Duration 10 seconds / 30 damage/10% MS Base + 30 damage/3% MS Stack
- Stacks up to 5 times.
- Illusions will benefit from the original's casts.
- Using items does not trigger Warpath.
Your passive ultimate and infusing/empowering skill. The effect of this skill is simple, casting spells will simply give you additional movement speed and attack damage. Easy to say isn't it? It's bonus, power enough to deal attack damage since it's physical type and it synergizes with Viscous Nasal Goo.
Skill Build
- Level 1 - Viscous Nasal Goo
- Level 2 - Bristleback
- Level 3 - Quill Spray
- Level 4 - Quill Spray
- Level 5 - Quill Spray
- Level 6 - Warpath
- Level 7 - Quill Spray
- Level 8 - Bristleback
- Level 9 - Bristleback
- Level 10 - Bristleback
- Level 11 - Warpath
- Level 12 - Viscous Nasal Goo
- Level 13 - Viscous Nasal Goo
- Level 14 - Viscous Nasal Goo
- Level 15 - Stats
- Level 16 - Warpath
- Level 17 - Stats
I hate skill build justifications but I will still do this. Nasal Goo is taken at level one just in case of being killed or having first blood. How about Quill Spray? Well no, even they can help you farm, the base 20 damage is very risky and low chance for getting last hit, but still we're going to max it out by level seven. Bristleback is maxed out next for your tank capability, and for Nasal Goo, why not max it? Because you're only fine with one point of it, unlike Quill spray.
Item Build
Starting items:
or 
- Tango for regeneration against last-hits. Salve for refilling your health. Ring of Protection for some prick of armor, allowing you to withstand harrassments. Stout Shield has also the same function as Ring of Protection, only stronger and more expensive (Stout Shield for beginners). Three branches for cheap stats, giving you damage, health, mana, and a pinch of armor.
- I usually start with three branches, one set of tango, one salve, and you choose either you're going for ring or stout shield, by getting ring, means you're getting Ring of Basilius, and by Stout shield, you're going to rush Vanguard. So it's up to you. But I recommend ring of protection.
Core items:
or 
- If you're harrassed very much, you must buy Ring of Health first, in other cases, you may directly buy Power Treads, then Vanguard. If you have Ring of Protection, you may upgrade it to Ring of Basilius, same applies to the three branches, upgrade them into Magic Wand. Don't forget to buy a TP.
Core Extensions and Alternatives:
- Some extensions and/or alternatives for your cores. Get Hood if you are getting killed much by spells two in a row, you can exchange that for BKB since it's cheaper. Same for Blademail. Get Tranquil Boots in exchange of Ring of Health in case you're harrassed very much, after getting your second core, disassemble it and make a Power Treads, the other components can be sold or be kept for Vladimirs. Get Janggo for movement speed and good stats. Get Vladimirs if you have still money and you need to push fast. Orb of venom provides cheap slow just in case you're having a bad time having empty mana for Nasal Goo. Lastly, get Urn of Shadows to for a great heal or damage for your team or enemies, also providing cheap mana boost and STR increase for a cheap price.
Luxury items:
- More items to boost up Bristleback's capability to help and maintain at teamfights. Get Pipe to dish all magic damage, just don't get it if someone bought it already. Shiva for slowing attack and movement speed. Black king bar to withstand all disables and slows. Another alternative for Black King Bar is Linken Sphere, but I recommend Black King Bar more. Guisoo for disable, since you don't have one, and Rod of Atos for slow. Heart for supreme tankishness, if you're going to get heart, it's better to remove Vanguard if there's no available space. Get Boots of Travels when you have already four luxury items. The other items I didn't mention is up for you to decide.
Rejected items:
- Midas, no no no, you're wasting time and there are better items for it's attack speed like Power Treads and Assault Cuirass. Veil of Discord is obviously no, you can't deal additional damage with Quill Spray because it only deals as Physical type and Veil only reduces magic resistance. Phase boots may be the best boots but it only beats itself for one thing, it cancels the Phase Buff whenever you cast a spell, and that's Bristleback's mainline job. Bottle may be also good but there are other items that can cover your health and mana like Ring of Basilius and Ring of Health. Dagon is eliminated unless you're having a fun game. Divine Rapier, along with other items in the Ancient Weaponry except for Radiance and Armlet, are just blooby for it's damage because you don't need attack damage. Ethereal blade is rejected too, and has the same reasons with Veil of Discord. Radiance is one debatable whether it's time to buy or not, but right now, NO. By the way, Radiance will lose it's effectiveness on late game or whenever one of the enemies bought a Mekansm or Pipe.
Gameplay
Early game
- 1. This is the part where you will farm until you get two cores
- 2. I advise to take dual lane with someone that can support or babysit you
- 3. Solo hardlane is not recommended, especially when you're facing trilane lineup
- 4. Do NOT ever take solo mid, EVER
- 5. By level 1 and a stun from ally, you can easily kill someone in you lane IF THEY HAVE NO ESCAPE MECHANISMS like invisibility and blink.
- 6. I also advise to spread out with your teammate (called Delta Split) just in case with aligned spell casts like Impale and Icy path to limit death chances.
- 7. If you are having hard time, tell your support to pull, if they don't know how, you'll have to do it instead (Refer to #8 below)
- 8. If you are Sentinel Bot/Scourge Top, you can pull by the time mark of xx:15 or xx:17 (in cases of Dota2, it's Radiant bot and Dire top)
- 9. By level 4, you can easily use your Quill Spray to last-hit and harrass at the same time
- 10. By the THIRD hit of Quill Spray, you may start killing your enemy. Start with Nasal Goo first.
- 11. If you are harrassed, farm up some money and get a Ring of Health.
Mid game
- 1. You should have at least one core, at least, there should be Treads by 10:00 below
- 2. You can join fights and clashes once you breached your second core, more likely, your Vanguard
- 3. Bristleback has no escape mechanisms, but only a TP scroll will do, to escape safely, hide behind trees or ramps where enemy can't see you, once you have hidden yourself, quickly double-click the TP scroll
- 4. If you're going to start a clash, you should prioritize or plan on who's going to kill first. I recommend to dispose first all stunners and disablers.
- 5. If you're going to start a clash, you should be the frontliner, in other words, you should be the one who is being attacked and also the one who is infront of battle
- 6. Once they start hitting you, you can turn your back to them, just don't forget to dispatch off fleeing heroes.
- 7. If you have Blademail, activate it before you are going to be focused, otherwise, it will be a waste
- 8. If you have Pipe, activate it before entering the clash
Late game
- 1. By now, you should have at least 2 Luxury items in your inventory
- 2. Don't forget to carry a TP and It's importance of escaping (Refer to Mid game #3)
- 3. Your job is still tanking, so don't forget to go infront before teamfights
- 4. Stay right near your target, your target should be covered at least 2 Nasal Gooes
- 5. Don't forget communication
- 6. To reduce stress and hard time, you and your team should break the mega buildings before the enemy could do, or else, it would be a major problem to all of you, especially when two megas in your base have been destroyed
Edited by basicdotaguide.blogspot.com