Have you been thinking about trying out Ancient Apparition in Dota 2? It might seem like a good idea, as he has a pretty high winrate and the people who can properly use his abilities can really destroy the opposition. The only problem is that you need to be a very skilled player to be able to do this. Otherwise you will most likely just end up throwing the game for your team.
If you are feeling confident, I have prepared this handy starter guide for Ancient Apparition to help you win. He is a really rewarding Dota 2 hero when you know what you are doing, and one of the few who can stomp a Huskar carry into the ground. Since Huskar is becoming a bit too popular, you should know how to play against him.
Who should play Ancient Apparition?
As this is not a beginner friendly hero, I highly suggest taking time to practice others before him. You can sort through the champions by difficulty level in Dota 2, so you should work your way up to the third tier before you even think about playing Ancient Apparition. You can start with Ogre Magi, move onto Vengeful Spirit, and then you can try this hero once you feel confident with both of them.
Also, you should be comfortable with slow movement, and not panic if you get cornered. Most Dota 2 players tend to button mash if they get into uncertain situations, which is not an option if you want to use this hero. Each of your abilities need to be used at the right time and the right way. There isn’t much room for error, so a good Ancient Apparition needs to always stay frosty.
What items does Ancient Apparition need?
- Eul’s Scepter of Divinity
- Aghanim’s Blessing
- Hurricane Pike
- Rod of Atos
Even though these are your core items, I suggest rushing your boots first. Ancient Apparition has a huge disadvantage in Dota when it comes to his movement speed, so you should try to fix that as soon as possible. You can do so with Tranquil Boots or Arcane Boots, depending on the situation.
If you are ahead, you can build two items: Orchid Malevolence and Scythe of Vyse. Both will give you some mana regen so you can spam your abilities a little more. In the early game this can mean the difference between killing and getting killed. They also raise your intelligence.
If you are just beginning to learn how to play as this hero, you should also buy Heaven’s Halberd. It will help a lot with your survivability, since you won’t be able to escape fights easily and you need all the HP regeneration and lifesteal you can get. With this you will be able to take more risks without sacrificing too much. Although, you should probably not stick to this item and build something more useful once you get used to the hero. That way you don’t become dependent on Heaven’s Halberd.
When to switch it up
If you come across a counter for Ancient Apparition in Dota, you need to switch tactics immediately. Do not follow anything stated above and below, because it will not be pretty. You will get clapped pretty hard and you won’t learn anything about the hero.
The main rule you will need to follow is this: stay back. Since this hero has barely any movement speed, you will struggle if you are forced to retreat, or if someone ganks your lane. Your survivability is especially bad in the beginning, so it’s not worth risking. Ask your carry to stay close to the turret whenever possible, so neither of you are in any danger. This will slow down your snowball, which is pretty inconvenient, but necessary.
How to play as Ancient Apparition
If you are playing against a regular lane without any of your counters, your job will be very easy. Ward religiously so you can watch out for any incoming ganks, and push in. Ancient Apparition has the ability to carry the early game in Dota 2, so you will likely have nothing to worry about. If you can get ahead at this time, both you and your carry will have an easy followup.
Keep this in mind, however: if you do get ganked and you don’t react in time, you will need to sacrifice yourself. Your movement speed likely won’t be enough for you to get away, but if you get the carry out of a sticky situation, they will be very happy with you. Just make sure that you really can’t get away though, before you do this.
Later on in the match you will need to communicate with your team as much as possible. This hero relies on his ultimate a lot, which needs the whole team to be on board. If you have a team that is capable of following one certain plan and showing up when needed, your job as a support will be much easier. Simply gather everyone up for a teamfight, launch your ultimate and reap the benefits.
