Hello Everyone! My name is Warren. I love playing Phantom Assassin ( PA ) as she is one of my favorite and best heroes in Dota 2 which helped me climb my MMR from 8k to 11k. Many patches come and go as it is an evolving game but this patch Phantom Assasin got a little buff.
You have to be on point to win games according to the best skill build and the perfect item build along with the strategy to follow. I will guide you on how to stomp the game in the current patch.
Introduction
Phantom Assassin ( PA ) is a carry known for her massive output damage and can one-shot enemies with the perfect items and the timings. All she requires is a decent amount of gold and items to be effective thanks to her versatility in spells she can slow down the enemies with a stifling dagger, jump on the enemies with her phantom strike, hunt down the target with her blur and you all know the ultimate which is the coup de grace.
She’s among the rare few who can effectively take on 1 vs 5 scenarios keeping in mind the Black King Bar (BKB) as the main item Even if she doesn’t achieve a rampage, PA consistently emerges from fights with kills and successful escapes. Her reputation for delivering devastating crits makes her a force to be dealt with, often turning the tide of battles with just a few well-placed strikes. This hero guide will advance you to become a strong Phantom Assasin (PA) player.
Pros and Cons
| Strong physical damage | Rely on battle fury to farm |
| High burst damage | Rely on critical strike |
| Passive Evasion | Weak against magical damage and disables |
| Can farm without taking damage from the neutral creeps by using blur | Depended on Black King Bar (BKB) |
| Can also farm without being seen on the map by using a blur | Weak against blademail, ghost scepter |
| Low cooldown on spells | Extremely weak when not farmed |
Item Build & Skill Build
Skill build
Let’s dive into the skill build. While this build is mostly used in the current patch of ranked matches, feel free to adjust it according to the situation.
- Stifling Dagger (Q) Initially, distribute points evenly among your abilities until level 4, prioritizing Stifling Dagger. This ability aids in chasing, harassing, and safe farming if necessary.
- Phantom Strike (W) Following this, prioritize maxing out Stifling Dagger first. Its damage scales with your attack damage, making it increasingly potent as you grow stronger.
- Blur (E) Next, focus on maxing out Phantom Strike. This ability allows Phantom Assassin to effectively chase and jump between enemies during fights, dealing devastating blows. Remember, Phantom Strike can also be used on allied units, providing an escape mechanism when in danger.
- Coup de Grace (R) Finally, max out Blur last. While a single point early on is sufficient, this ability significantly amplifies your durability against physical damage dealers and allows you to walk safely on the map. And, as always, allocate points to your ultimate whenever possible, as it defines Phantom Assassin’s assassin-like playstyle!
Talent Tree Choices
- Level 10 Choose between -2s Stifling Dagger cooldown and +0.5s Phantom Strike duration. While reducing Stifling Dagger’s cooldown can be advantageous, increasing Phantom Strike’s duration enhances your damage output when engaging enemies.
- Level 15 Choose between +250 Phantom Strike Cast Range and 25% Blur evasion. While the bonus range on Phantom Strike aids in mobility and chasing potential, Blur evasion provides increased survivability against auto-attack-focused enemies.
- Level 20 Choose between +60 Phantom Strike attack speed and +20% Stifling Dagger damage. While both options are viable, the attack speed boost generally offers greater utility in combat.
- Level 25 Choose between triple strike Stifling Dagger and +7% Coup de Grace chance. While the triple strike dagger can be devastating in team fights, the increased critical strike chance enhances Phantom Assassin’s burst potential.
Item Build
According to the current patch 7.35d, you have to make these items to destroy the enemy with your high burst damage.
Starting Items
- Quelling Blade Speeds up farming and aids in last-hitting.
- Tango Provides early regeneration for sustain in the lane.
- Iron Branch Offers additional stats and can be upgraded into a Magic Wand.
- Circlet Provides extra stats and can be upgraded into a Wraith Band.
- Magic Stick Provides charges that grant both mana and health when spells are cast nearby.
Core Items
Gone are the days when Phantom Assassin rushes to make desolator after battle fury but now this patch is different. You have to understand that new items are there in Dota 2, all you have to do is combo up with the perfect build and you are gonna stomp everyone.
Note: Never forget to get the shard on Phantom Assassin when the enemy team has a strong passive spell.
For example (Bristle passive quills, Axe passive spins, Antimage passive mana burn, Sladar passive bashes)
- Power Treads for moment speed, attack speed, and some stats
- Aghanim’s Scepter refreshes your active spells when you get a kill and less cooldown on Blur.
- Khanda This will amplify your critical damage and buff your magical damage when a stifling dagger is used
- Black King Bar (BKB) Grants magic immunity, crucial against disables and magical damage.
- Battle Fury for cleave damage
Meta Items
This is the current and my build which I follow on Phantom Assassin (PA) in this patch 7.35d, with this build you can even kill 6 slotted cores or even a tank, this build is called the OP magical build.
- Khanda
- Divine Rapier
- Revenant’s Brooch
KHANDA x DIVINE RAPIER x REVENANT’S BROOCH
The synergy and the combination of these three items are insane, Divine Rapier provides 350+ damage and 25% spell amplification combo it with Khanda which gives a buff to the critical strike damage by 160% and also slows the enemies when stifling dagger is used and last but to least when you add the final item Revenant’s Brooch and activate this item which will provide Phantom Assassin to deal magical damage in the dagger or you can easily hit the targets which are in eternal form for example ( Supports are making ghost scepter, Mureta ultimate, Necrophos ghost shroud). I would say this is the best-ever build for the current patch which provides Phantom Assassins with a critical damage of around 3k to 4k damage just in the stifling dagger.
Now that the new patch 7.35d is released, they have made major changes to Revenant’s brooch items and it will no longer help PA dominate the games because it will not provide critical damage on stifling dagger.
With these items you have to make some defensive items as well to get caught by the disabled as a support can try to catch for that you have to add the following items
- Linkens Sphere
- Black King Bar (BKB)
Situational Items
You can add or swap items according to the situation. You will have to think in the late game about what items you should require to win the game.
- Divine Rapier is required when you are lacking in Damage output or the enemy is not dying easily or the game is at that point where you have to make it or break it.
As the Divine Rapier provides a spell amp. it will be a perfect build with a Khanda.
- Scythe Of Vyse is required when the enemy is harder to kill or can escape easily, this item will allow you to hold him for a few more seconds.
- Nulifire is required when the enemy has items like an Aeon disk, euls, force staff, and ghost scepter
- Satanic will be needed when you want to stay in the fights for a longer time.
Game Plan
Early Game (0:00 – 12:00)
Your primary objective during the early game phase is to prioritize farming while ensuring your survival, regardless of whether you’re in the mid or safe lane. Dying early on can severely hinder your progress by wasting valuable time that could be spent farming, leveling up, or passively farming gold. Even if farming opportunities are limited, staying alive is crucial, as the passive gold income you accumulate is preferable to losing everything upon death.
Mid Game (12:00 – 25:00)
The excitement ramps up once you hit level 6 and unlock Coup de Grace. Early critical strikes can deal significant damage, putting any lone target in a precarious position. Take advantage of your high physical damage to dispatch heroes with low armor. Exercise caution when engaging in fights; avoid blinking in unless you’re confident in securing a kill and retreating safely. Typically, target the vulnerable supports early on, but beware of their disabling abilities.
Use your time efficiently and avoid unnecessary risks, even if you have a good chance of securing kills. Some players tend to roam for kills once they hit their ultimate, but this can lead to neglecting farm and experience. Focus on your lane and jungle before venturing across the map. If a gank attempt fails, compensate for lost time by farming nearby neutrals or creeps safely.
Late Game (25:00 – 60:00)
As the game moves further and you have more items, you’ll become the primary threat to your enemies, prompting them to prioritize your elimination. Play cautiously to avoid handing easy kills to your opponents. Stick close to your team when enemies are grouped, resisting the urge to initiate fights recklessly. Given your ability to swiftly eliminate opponents, target the enemy team’s most crucial heroes in team fights. While eliminating high-damage carries is often beneficial, there are instances where disabling key support can be equally effective.
Counters of Phantom Assassin ( PA )
Axe
- Phantom Assassin is vulnerable to Berserker’s Call, especially when using Phantom Strike.
- Counter Helix synergizes with Phantom Assassin’s increased attack speed.
- Black King Bar doesn’t prevent Culling Blade from eliminating Phantom Assassin.
- Blade Mail on Axe counters Phantom Assassin’s critical hits, particularly effective during Berserker’s Call.
Omniknight
- Purification and Hammer of Purity counter Phantom Assassin’s aggression.
- Heavenly Grace removes Stifling Dagger’s slow, neutralizing Phantom Assassin’s advantages.
- Guardian Angel renders Phantom Assassin useless, as her damage is primarily physical.
Puck
- Puck’s magical burst damage threatens Phantom Assassin’s survivability.
- Phase Shift and Illusory Orb allow Puck to kite Phantom Assassin effectively.
- Dream Coil can stun Phantom Assassin attempting to flee with Phantom Strike.
Razor
- Static Link reduces Phantom Assassin’s damage output.
- Eye of the Storm negates Blur’s evasion.
Slark
- Pounce prevents Phantom Assassin from using Phantom Strike to escape.
- Silver Edge and Essence Shift counter Phantom Assassin’s Blur and damage output.
- Slark’s mobility with Pounce, Shadow Dance, and Silver Edge makes it difficult for Phantom Assassin to secure kills.
Spectre
- Desolate bypasses Blur, rendering Black King Bar ineffective against Spectre.
- Spectre’s durability makes it challenging for Phantom Assassin to take down.
Troll Warlord
- Whirling Axes (Melee) hinders Phantom Assassin’s ability to land Coup de Grace.
- Silver Edge and Monkey King Bar counter Phantom Assassin effectively.
- Battle Trance negates Phantom Assassin’s high damage output.
Viper
- Netherton disables Phantom Assassin’s passive skills.
- Viper Strike slows Phantom Assassin significantly, even through Black King Bar.
Conclusion
Becoming an expert Phantom Assassin in Dota 2 requires understanding her strengths and weaknesses, as well as how she interacts with other heroes and items. From surviving the early game to dominating in team fights. With the current build reaching its peak in this patch, it’s worth trying out in your games. Whether you’re assassinating enemies or applying pressure in lanes, Phantom Assassin offers versatility and strategic depth. Give it a shot and share your experiences in the comments!