- Tittle: Lina, the Worldslayer
- Author: Dreamish
Lina is a fairly straightforward hero. She's all about nuking the enemy into the ground and almost nothing else. She can (barely) carry in the right-click sense, and she can turtle/push with her low cooldown nukes, but she isn't geared as specifically toward these roles as she is at ganking.
Below is a list of the strengths and weaknesses that Lina has, and should be able to show you why Lina is such a powerful ganker.
- Incredible nuking power, with the single most damaging nuke in the game.
- Is fairly item independent, but still scales well with items.
- Has two AoE nukes, giving her quite impressive teamfight potential.
- Low cooldowns on spells allow her to spam, thus increasing her ganking effectiveness.
- One of the highest attack ranges in the game (625).
If that doesn't scream ganker I don't know what does. Within a second Lina does more damage than most heroes do during a teamfight. She has decent lane control with her nukes and long range, as well as respectable base damage and decent stat gains. However, she also has some weaknesses and these are listed below.
- Low base MS and no escape mechanism.
- High cooldown and manacost of ultimate at level 1 and 2 means sparing use of it.
- The worst freaking attack animation in existence.
- Stun is tricky to land against competent players.
- Fairly low Strength and quite low Strength gain.
As such, Lina is quite a tricky hero to play. With no way to position herself nor escape, and low HP, ganking with Lina is by no means easy. She has incredibly high damage potential, but needs finesse to achieve her maximum. However, with enough mastery and practice, you too can make Lina the Worldslayer she's capable of being.
Skills
Dragon Slave
A wave of fire that ripples out from Lina Inverse, causing damage to land units in a line.
- 1. Mana 90 / Cooldown 8.5 / Deals 100 damage
- 2. Mana 105 / Cooldown 8.5 / Deals 170 damage
- 3. Mana 125 / Cooldown 8.5 / Deals 230 damage
- 4. Mana 140 / Cooldown 8.5 / Deals 280 damage
- Damage type: magical
- Can hit units up to 1225 units away.
Light Strike Array
Summons a column of flames that damages and stuns enemies for 1.6 seconds.
- 1. Mana 90 / Cooldown 7 / Duration 1.6 seconds / 90 damage and stun
- 2. Mana 100 / Cooldown 7 / Duration 1.6 seconds / 150 damage and stun
- 3. Mana 110 / Cooldown 7 / Duration 1.6 seconds / 210 damage and stun
- 4. Mana 125 / Cooldown 7 / Duration 1.6 seconds / 280 damage and stun
- Damage type: magical
- Effect is delayed 0.5 seconds.
Fiery Soul
Grants you bonus attack and movement speed each time you cast a spell. Stacks with itself. Lasts 7 seconds.
- 1. 7 seconds / 40 IAS, 4% MS
- 2. 7 seconds / 55 IAS, 5% MS
- 3. 7 seconds / 70 IAS, 6% MS
- 4. 7 seconds / 85 IAS, 7% MS
- Duration refreshes each time a spell is cast.
- Stacks at most 3 times.
- Using items does not trigger Fiery Soul.
Laguna Blade
Fires off a bolt of lightning at a single target, dealing critical damage.
- 1.Mana 280 / Cooldown 70 /Deals 450 (600*) damage
- 2.Mana 420 / Cooldown 60 /Deals 675 (925*) damage
- 3.Mana 680 / Cooldown 50 /Deals 950 (1250*) damage
- Damage type: magical
- Can be improved by Aghanim's Scepter (* shows the improved values).
Skill Build
Standard Lina
- 1. Light Strike Array (will henceforth be referred to as LSA)
- 2. Dragon Slave
- 3. Dragon Slave
- 4. LSA
- 5. Dragon Slave
- 6. Laguna Blade
- 7. Dragon Slave
- 8. LSA
- 9. LSA
- 10. Stats
- 11. Laguna Blade
- 12. Fiery Soul
- 13. Fiery Soul
- 14. Fiery Soul
- 15. Fiery Soul
- 16. Laguna Blade
- 17 - 25. Stats
From practicing, theorycrafting, and all those other forms of evidence, I've found this build to be the most ideal and effective way to build Lina as both a ganker/semi-carry and a support. However, if you're feeling particularly adventurous, you can try the build below.
DPS BUILD OF EXTREME OWNAGE
- 1. LSA
- 2. Dragon Slave
- 3. Dragon Slave
- 4. Fiery Soul
- 5. Dragon Slave
- 6. Laguna Blade
- 7. Dragon Slave
- 8. Fiery Soul
- 9. Fiery Soul
- 10. Fiery Soul
- 11. Laguna Blade
- 12. Stats
- 13. Stats
- 14. Stats
- 15. Stats
- 16. Laguna Blade
- 17 - 22. Stats
- 23 - 25. LSA
This build maximises on physical damage more than magical damage. You might be wondering, "But Dreamish, what about her nuking power?!" and all I have to say to you is "SHUT UP AND BUY MORE CRITS".
On a serious note, in a pub this build is hilarious and can even be used in middle skilled games. The standard build is almost always better in orgainised games, however. Use this build for fun.
Item Build
Starting Items
For solo:
Lina as a solo is an interesting choice. I personally prefer a solo Lina to a trilane support version, but I understand that she fits as a support very well.
When it comes to soloing, Lina is going to be playing a ganker/semi-carry role, and so we try to gear ourselves towards this idea. We pick up the Mantle of Intelligence and Circlet of Nobility to build a Null Talisman later on.
The GG Branches are for a Magic Wand, as we're going to be roaming, meaning we'll be picking up quite a few charges. We only need one set of Tangoes as we have two nukes, one of which is a stun, and 625 range. We're not really going to be outharassed too easily, not to mention if you solo mid you should head for a Bottle, which is enough regen by itself with some decent runewhoring.
For trilane:
Support Lina plays differently to solo Lina as we aren't going to be semi-carrying anymore. As such, we want to pick up consumables like they're going out of style. We're not going to be getting much money, so we want to pick up little items to make our support effective.
At first though, we want to pick up either the courier or some Observer Wards, as we are palying support.
Lina is an incredibly good level 1 ganker, and as such a Smoke of Deceit can get an easy first blood for your team.
Core
By this time, we've reached about level 11 and we've transitioned into mid-game. We've solved almost all of our fundamental problems and we're just waiting on our positioning item to really get the ball rolling. Arcane Boots is my personal choice for boots as I find myself spamming spells like it's going out of style, and so they prove more useful than any other boots. Feel free to get Phase Boots though, they're not too bad either.
Null Talisman is going to stick around for a while, and may be upgraded to Dagon after our positioning item, depending on the game at hand.
Magic wand is just good on every hero, and Lina is no exception.
Town Portal is core on you.
Core Extension
Now to solve our main problem, positioning. We've fixed our mana issues, our MS issues, and have gotten some tools to help us roam. Now we are going to get something to change us from a mid game ganker to a mid game killer.
Kelen's Dagger of Escape is the favourite child of this trio, sporting the longest initiation range and the lowest cooldown. It also helps to be able to blink anywhere in a 1250 radius, making it the most rewarding option. The 3 second cooldown is certainly not attractive though, and the lack of any other benefits other than Blink is a little bit of a blemish on an otherwise perfect item for Lina. Nevertheless, this is probably the best item of the three.
Force Staff is the younger, more reserved version of Blink Dagger. it only pushes you half the distance Blink Dagger can take you, but doesn't have that 3 second cooldown when you've been attacked. It also costs 50 less mana to use, and provides some nice stats for about the same price. You can also do some super pro moves like forcing people into your LSA and stuff if you're into that kind of thing, but I think you're probably better off with Blink Dagger.
Eul's Scepter of Divinity is the "alternative" option, as it grants a disable as well as bonus MS and some useful stats but no Blink or Force. That being said though, it also costs the most and the disable it offers can be tricky to time with LSA. Not to mention it once again does us no favours in terms of survivability. Overall though, this is my favourite of the three because I just like Eul's. It's my guide, I can be biased to whatever I want.
Luxury
Ethereal Blade is my favourite item, and it suits Lina extremely well. Granting her a slow is great, as it allows LSA to land much more easily. The stats are quite good as well and help with the whole semi-carry thing. But the Ether Blast, oh my lord. -40% magic resistance is no joke, and makes Lina nuke so much harder. A quick calculation of just how hard I'm talking, at level 16 without Eblade Lina's three nukes combined deal 1510. With Eblade, they deal 2114 damage. Ridiculous. That's more than another Dragon Slave and LSA in extra damage.
Hex is a given on most Intelligence heroes and Lina is a great holder of it. This grants you another disable, great stats, and a much easier way to land an LSA. All in all a great item to have.
Dagon is usually frowned upon by most players, but it's very effective if on Lina. The extra nuking power it provides often turns out to be the last little push to get a kill, and I've found myself nabbing kills I otherwise wouldn't have gotten several times a game because of Dagon. If you do pick up Dagon, however, I advise picking it up straight after your positioning item and leaving it at level one until you have more luxury items.
Refresher Orb is hilarious, and if you REALLY want someone dead, this is the item that will do that for you. Just make sure you have to mana to support this!
Boots of Travel are the standard lategame boots. You have good anti-push abilities so you sohuld try and make the most of them.
Situational
Honestly, these aren't so much situational as they are endgame items. Mjollnir is fantastic on you, as you have incredible attack speed with Fiery Soul, thus making the Chain Lightning proc quite often. Also the shield makes people less likely to want to fight you.
... I know it looks dumb. But it -can- work. I did it once, it worked pretty well. If you're super lucky, get it, if not, probably steer clear. All I'm saying is it worked for me and it was hilarious seeing everyone who called me bad for getting it suddenly dying to a Basher Lina. Get it after Mjollnir or something.
If you're really struggling for HP, get Ahgs. It's an easy buildup and gives some nice stats and a decent boost to your ult. If you're looking for nuking power, however, stick with Eblade.
You attack really fast, you have one of the longest ranges in the game, critical strike is great on you. Just make sure you've got a hex or something first because while you hit hard, you can't take a hit back very well.
Rejected
- MoM is a massive no. You already attack fast and are squishy, you don't need to make it more extreme. Lothar's is outshone by the three positioning items I mentioned already on Lina, and Skadi is too expensive when there are better items available.
Gameplay
Early Game (Levels 1 - 11)
Firstly you need to now if you're solo or support. If you're solo go mid, if support, head to wherever your carry is headed. The game branches different depending on what role you play.
If you're soloing, play on your strengths, you have a very spammable nuke and long range, so abuse that. Against a Storm Spirit in mid? Make sure that every time he goes for a creep he gets damaged, whether it be by Dragon Slave or just autoattacks. If it's something like a Lion, you can trade hits with him quite well, and you have stronger nuking potential, just be sure to be the first to nuke or he may screw you over. Against a melee make sure you make their life hell, there is almost nothing they can do to you.
Also remember your nukes are AoE, so try and grab a creep or two with Dragon Slave AND hit the enemy hero. Efficiency ftw!
On the other hand, if you're supporting, you want to do most of the same things. Trade hits if you can, just keep the enemy off of your carry. You are fantastic early game and can trade hits with the best of 'em. Not to mention if you have say, a Panda as you carry, you can very easily set up a kill. Lina is an aggressive hero, so you should play her as such.
Mid Game (Levels 11 - 16)
If you've done well early, you should just about have your positioning item and your core done. This part of the game is extremely fun for Lina, as you get to run around to map smacking people around with heavy nukes. You set up ganks, you nuke down carries, and you make sure you try and get as much dominance now as you can, because lategame is going to be hard if you don't start to gain momentum now.
Late Game
This is the great thing about Lina. She still has some serious damage magically but she also does some nice damage physically. You can semi-carry late in the same vain as heroes like Windrunner, PotM and such. Don't try and fight hard carries because you'll lose your face in the process but be sure to make sure the enemy knows you're still something they have to deal with.
When it comes to teamfights, nuke down their main teamfighters. See an AA? Nuke him down. See a Lich? Cave his face in with a Laguna Blade. See a Bounty Hunter? Fry the sneaky bastard. Always pick an important target to take down, make sure it counts!
Tips and Tricks
Spell Stopping
Different to animation cancelling yet similar in function, spell stopping is like cancelling a spell before it is cast. The best example of this is easily Shadow Fiend's Shadowraze. Many good Shadow Fiend players will cast a Shadowraze but they'll realise it won't hit. So what they do is simple. Before the casting animation of Shadowraze completes, they press "S" which immediately stops the cast and thus doesn't use the spell, allowing them to reposition themselves and retry.
Lina can do the same thing with her LSA. As the animation is quite long, it is possible to cancel and retarget where you want to stun. Just be sure to cancel early enough or you'll end up casting it anyway!
Never know what hit 'em
Make sure during midgame that you give your opponent almost no time to react. You should blink/force etc-> LSA-> Dragon Slave-> Laguna Blade all in about a second. The more time you give an enemy to react, the more chance they have of dodging your stun.
Edited by basicdotaguide.blogspot.com