- Tittle: Io, in Organized Games
- Author: XeNiM666
Pros:
- One of the best gankers
- One of the best support heroes
- Has a scouting ability
- Global Teleporting skill
- Skills cost little mana
- Easy to master
- 0 starting armor
- VERY squishy
- Laughable starting damage
- Useless without a good ally
- Auto-banned in -CM games
- When you would like to support
- When you and your carry would like to farm easily
- When you are confident with at least 1 teammate
- When you have many gankers in your team
- When the enemy is full of burst damage spells
- When the enemy ganks better than you
- When you would like to support yourself
- When you have no one to support
- When your allies are epic n00bs
- When you are an epic n00b
- WHEN YOU ARE A MEGA KS'er!!! >.<
Skill Build:
Ganker / Roamer Build:
- Level 1 : Tether / Spirits
- Level 2 : Spirits / Tether / Overcharge
- Level 3 : Tether / Spirits
- Level 4 : Spirits / Overcharge
- Level 5 : Tether / Spirits
- Level 6 : Relocate
- Level 7 : Tether / Spirits
- Level 8 : Spirits / Tether
- Level 9 : Spirits
- Level 10: Overcharge / Tether
- Level 11: Relocate
- Level 12: Overcharge / Tether
- Level 13: Overcharge / Tether
- Level 14: Overcharge / Stats
- Level 15: Stats
- Level 16: Relocate
- Level 17: Stats
Yes the skill build is a bit messy, but I will explain. After much testing, this has been proven to be the most recommended skill build for Io. Spirits is maxed out early game for that extra damage nuke and the 30% slow. Although harassing with Spirits is a bit of a mana problem. Leveling Spirits at Level 1 is very useful especially when you plan to have an early first blood. At least 1 level of Tether and Overcharge is taken before Level 6. It's up to you whether to max Tether or Overcharge after Spirits. It's a matter of choosing between extra movement speed and stun duration, or increasing the attack speed of an ally. Relocate is taken whenever possible as when you reach Level 6, you should be ganking hard...
NOTE: Roaming with Io is far more difficult than roaming with Vengeful. If you want to roam, you MUST have another roamer with you with either a STUN or a SLOW.
Laner / Support Build:
- Level 1 : Tether
- Level 2 : Overcharge / Spirits
- Level 3 : Tether
- Level 4 : Overcharge / Spirits
- Level 5 : Tether
- Level 6 : Relocate
- Level 7 : Tether / Overcharge
- Level 8 : Overcharge / Tether
- Level 9 : Overcharge
- Level 10: Spirits
- Level 11: Relocate
- Level 12: Stats / Spirits
- Level 13: Stats / Spirits
- Level 14: Stats / Spirits
- Level 15: Stats / Spirits
- Level 16: Relocate
- Level 17: Stats / Spirits
This is another useful skill build for Io, but the only downside to this is that you will gank less often, but stay in your lane and help your carry farm better with Tether and Overcharge. Tether is maxed out first for the extra movement speed and stun duration. Overcharge is maxed out next for the increased attack speed. At least 1 level of Spirits is needed because as a laner, it's only use is to slow and scout when chasing. Relocate is taken whenever possible. Try to gank with your carry when someone on your team will gank an enemy hero, and at least give the kill to your carry.
Item Build:
Starting Items:
or 
Always bring with you a Healing Salve or an Ancient Tango of Essifation before leaving the base. Never leave without them. Tango is useful when you want to heal yourself but Salve is better because if you and/or your ally is low on health, Salve will share the heal between both of you in less time than Tango.
Gauntlets of Ogre Strength is a cheap stat item that adds 3 to Strength, meaning +57 to life, +3 to damage and +0.09 to hp regen. It is very useful since Io is very squishy early game. Plus, the Gauntlets can be used later in order to make Urn of Shadows, which is one of Io's core items.
Magic Stick never looses its usefulness, even in mid-late game phase. It is useful when you need that sudden burst in life when you are trying to avoid that last hit to kill you or your ally. Combined with Tether, it's like a free heal and mana for you and your ally, which can save you in tight conditions. Magic Stick can be upgraded to Magic Wand for more charges.
Yes, Io, as a support hero, has the potential to buy Observer Wards for the whole team, provided that no one is willing to. Although, some heroes, like CM and Warlock, are better warders that Io, simply because Io needs the gold for healing/support items to support his ally with. Wards provide sight to critical areas in the game, including rune spots, ganking sites and Roshan.
Utility Items:
A Ring of Basilius is a cheap utility item that gives a +3 armor aura, useful when your teammates have very low armor. It's advantage is its cheap gold cost ( 500 ) as it also gives Io extra armor and mana regen. Plus, if your team really need it, you can upgrade it to make Vladimir's Offering to help your teammates by giving them a life steal aura ( melee only ) and a 15% damage aura.
Bottle is another useful utility item as it gives 3 uses of 135 life and 70 mana per use, 405 life and 210 mana in total. A trick BEFORE using bottle is using Tether to any ally to share the heal and mana, regardless of how much life and mana is remaining. Also, runewhoring is not one of your jobs, leave the runes to your ally in the middle lane, as he will need it far more than you do.
Bracers gives an extra 6 strength and 3 to others, a very good but somewhat costly survivability item. You will benefit dearly from the 6 Strength, as it gives you a bonus 114 to max hp, mana, and most of all, armor, regen and damage.
Core Items:
Urn of Shadows is a very useful item for a support hero, especially that you are a global ganker, meaning that you can gain many charges when you gank. Urn may be gotten before Boots but Urn must be your first core item. Try to, as much as possible, have Urn before you reach Level 6. Remember that Urn is like Shadow Word, healing 400 to an ally or damaging 200 to an enemy. Plus, it give you 6 Strength, which is basically what you need.
Power Treads gives you 60 move speed, 30% attack speed and +10 to a selected attribute. Most recommended attribute is Strength for obvious reasons, for the extra survivability and damage. PT can be changed to any attribute suiting your needs, and depending on the situation. Treads can be gotten last because it's only use is the +10 to Strength, and your other core items is much more useful than that.
Mekansm is a great item for support heroes, especially for Io. Because of the recent buff, Meka now heal allies in 750 AoE for 250 hp. Plus, combined with Tether, you have the ability to heal anyone for 500 hp, that's pretty OP. Meka should be gotten after Urn of Shadows.
Luxury Items:
Heart of Tarrasque is your best Luxury item, even for Io, which is a Strength hero. It gives you all your survivability needs, 40 Strength, 300 life and 2% hp regeneration. It also shares the regeneration to your ally, means 2% of your hp is healed to the Tethered ally every second. If you have no item in mind to buy and have lots of gold, then buy HoT immediately.
Guinsoo's Scythe of Vyse is another useful item for Io. Another 3.5 second disable for your team goes a long way, especially in mid-late game phase. You won't really benefit from the +35 Intelligence, but the bonus to stats gives you extra survivability. Combined with HoT, you can leave Overcharge active all the time.
Black King Bar is a possible luxury item for Io. Simply because that Io, as a very squishy support, can be the main target in team fights. BKB will give you additional Strength and damage and Magic Immunity on use, which is very useful when facing a nuker team.
Kelen's Dagger of Escape is a versatile item for every hero. For Io, it means extra ninja escaping skills, especially when you know how to deceive opponents. Plus, with Tether, it almost always means a perfect stun to an enemy unit when you blink besides that unit. Just don't forget the maximum range of the link which is 900 or it will break. If you have practiced Io enough, Dagger will not be needed to land a perfect stun.
Mjollnir is a possible luxury item for Io, although, the game will end before you even buy a Mithril Hammer. But Mjollnir combined with Overcharge, plus Io's maximum attack speed of 2-3 attacks per second means total chaos in team fights. You might even kill without noticing it. Mjollnir can also be used as a pushing strategy. 25% chance to deal 160 damage to 4 creeps is pretty OP combined with your attack speed. Plus the Static Charge maybe useful when used on your tank, or someone who gets focused on by physical attacks. 
Eye of Skadi is another possible luxury item for Io. Your team needs the 30% slow, especially in chasing. Plus Io will need the extra survivability with Skadi, totaling to a 675 bonus to life and 475 bonus to mana. The only downside to Skadi is its expensiveness, costing 6300 gold.
Situational Items:
Vanguard is gotten only when you get ganked all the time. By ganked I mean both you and your ally. It gives you extra survivability in early-mid game phase. Although, Vanguard can be ignored if you get killed all the time BUT still able to gank your enemies pretty well. Plus 2225 gold is pretty expensive, at it will delay your core items a little.
Arcane Boots is a pretty situational item, useful only when you are allies with a nuker team. You would be able to restore up to 250 mana with Arcane Boots. But unlike Power Treads, Arcane Boots loses its usefulness as the game progresses on, because your nuker team will get its mana regen items or so. Plus Io doesn't really need that much mana, he/she needs survivability.
Yes, Io has the possibility to buy Vladimir's Offering for his/her team, if and only if, your team mainly consists of melee physical damage, and they have to farm better items that Vladimir's. Vlads give your melee heroes a 16% life steal aura, 15% damage aura and 5 armor, which is very useful not only to the melee heroes, but also to range heroes and creeps as well. If the possibility of you have to buy Vlads, then finish your core items first before buying it.
Io can buy Helm of the Dominator or Satanic, mainly because of Tether. While Tethered to an ally, every attack you make will cause the lifesteal amount to be shared also with the Tethered unit, useful when your teammate doesn't have any life steal at all and/or he/she needs some life. Both items gives you sruvivability. +5 armor and 15% life steal is useful when it comes to mid-late game. Plus, if you decide to upgrade to satanic then better, it gives you additional 25 Strength and 25% life steal!
Rejected Items:
Dagon is a very expensive item that gives very small bonuses to Intelligence and damage. Dagon is mainly gotten because of the burst damage. I listed Dagon here because most of the players in the world use Dagon to KS from their allies. But Dagon may be a possible item for Io PROVIDED that you use it immediately to an enemy unit, leaving the last hit to your ally and NOT using it to KS.
Io doesn't need DPS items to support his/her allies, he needs supporting items for his team, not damage to KS with. You need to let your carry farm, because your carry is much, much more stronger than you if you bought the same items. Plus, these items are far too expensive.
Strategies:
Level 1-7:
Choosing your Lane:
Io can play any lane as long as he has someone to support. Never go solo with Io. No support can play alone in a lane, especially Io, which has no soloing/nuking skills whatsoever. If for some reason Io goes mid, then ALWAYS try to ask for a gank. Io can't kill with Tether, Overcharge and 1 level of Spirits.
Io can play his best when he is paired with a carry, preferably with a stun or slow. Give all the last-hits to your ally but try to take some too. You can't rely on 1 gold/sec. All you have to do is deny. If you're lane with an enemy melee hero then do your best to harass him. If your ally decides to kill, then support him. As much as possible, give hero kills to your ally. If, for some reason, you get the kill, then give the creeps to your ally.
Io and Roaming:
Io has the potential to become a Roamer. But unlike other roamers, Io has to have at least Level 1 on both Tether and Overcharge and must have another roamer with him, preferably one with a stun or a super slow. But choosing to roam on such low level will leave you under-leveled a lot. Plus, without you, your carry won't be able to kill with ease early.
Io and Tri-laning:
It is possible to have Io in a tri-lane, provided that 1 of your lane-mate has at least 1 stun or slow. With Spirits, Tether and Overcharge, killing squishy heroes early game will be easy, especially when you have a tri-laning buddy such as Vengeful, Vol'jin or Rylai. Most tri-lanes consist of a carry, buffing them with Overcharge is very deadly, plus with Tether, he can easily escape because of the added movement speed from Tether. But when Io is in a tri-lane, it is most likely that Io will be a target in ganks as Io is very squishy.
Level 8-15:
Mid-game Phase:
This is where ganks and pushes are being done. As a global ganker, you should participate in almost all ganks, while bringing 1 carry along with you, for you to assist and support.
Items:
- Before you reach Level 15, you should have all your core items with you. Your Urn has to have at least 3-5 charges left. If you've been a good little orb, the game should end before you even reach Level 16. Continue ganking with your carry, which has at least 1-2 core items, to let him earn some gold for his luxury items.
Ganking:
When ganking, always remember to bring with you a carry. He will make use of the killing/assist gold for his luxury items, and so will you. Also, make sure that you can kill the target enemy in less than 11 seconds or it will be just useless, although you can leave your carry behind for the last hit. When you are done ganking, let your carry farm while Relocate is on cooldown. Always try to be there when your carry farms, give him all the last hits and you just deny. Be aware of the opposing team, they might gank you, slowing your farm a lot. Never farm alone, always have an ally nearby. There's no sense in supporting allies if you have nothing to support with.
Level 16-25:
Late-game Phase:
This is where mass team fights and mass pushes are happening. All of your have your core items and some luxury items at hand so the key to winning late game is pure skill and strategy. You, as a support, must know when and where to use your skills wisely.
Items:
- Most games doesn't let you become Level 25. But in the slight chance that the game flows on endlessly, these items are the ones you should look out for. The first luxury item you should buy is Heart of Tarrasque. If you've been a good orb lately, you wouldn't have to buy heart at all, the game should end. But if the game is going good, Guinsoo should be your second luxury item. Your team will need the extra disable from you. The last luxury item is all up to you. Whatever item will do, it depends solely upon the situation.
Teamfights:
As a support, you should be always there in team fights, although the enemies will target your first. You shouldn't be afraid to die when you know that you did what you can do to help. In a team fight, you should ALWAYS activate Tether and Overcharge on an ally hero. Now, knowing who to Tether is crucial to your victory in a team fight.
An endless list of hard/semi carries will love you with your bonus move speed and attack speed. Especially for heroes like Mortred, Bara and N'aix because of their big damage outputs. Plus with your power to heal allies, it's almost a guarantee that you will win the team fight. With Relocate, any carry with low life can be transported to the fountain for free healing and return to fight once again.
Edited by basicdotaguide.blogspot.com