Hello, my name is Warren! Today I will guide you in detail about my most MMR-gaining hero Spirit Breaker in this patch which I mostly spam as position 3 and position 4, one of the main reasons I keep on spamming Spirit Breaker in rank matches is due to his presence in the team fights and plays a vital role as Spirit Breaker can initiate fights, to me it is considered as one of the best gankers in Dota 2.
Introduction
Spirit Breaker is a great ganking hero who can reach the target in a matter of seconds across the map/ In ganks Spirit Breaker can initiate fights for the team by bashing all the enemy heroes on his way to the charged target. This hero helps a lot to his team in terms of making space and securing the farm, successful ganks in early games make him so strong that he can semi-carry the whole match.
Tip: Many players spam this hero in Dota 2 boost journey to increase their rank.
Pros and Cons
| High starting health | item and level-dependent |
| can solo kill support heroes | weak against illusion heroes |
| great ganker due to his ability | countered by vision on the map |
| can lock down a single target with bashes | mana problem in the early game |
Item Build & Skill Build
According to the current patch 7.35c, this is the skill build you should make.
Skill Build
- Always start playing Spirit Breaker with a first skill Charge of the Darkness which allows you to harass the enemies in the lane.
- Only 1 point in this ability should be placed before leveling up your ultimate.
Tip: Keep Bloodgernade at the beginning of the game with that you can slow down enemies and with your teammate coordination in the lane there are higher chances to get a kill.
- Greater Bash should be leveled up after Charger of the Darkness.
- 3 points should be placed in Greater Bash before level 6.
- Upgrade this skill in the following sequence (2,4,5,7)
Note: Greater Bash deals more damage according to the movement speed the more speed the more damage it deals with the combo of charge ability.
- Bulldoze should be taken on level 3 which provides status resistance allowing you to tank spells and provides a moment speed.
- You can upgrade this ability according to the hero levels in this sequence (3,8,9,11)
- Nether Strike deals major damage to the target, this ability is used for the enemies to cancel teleport, channeling spells, or bilking heroes.
- Make sure not to use this ability to kill steal if the enemy is almost dead try to save this ability for a major purpose.
- Always level up to this ability whenever it is up on level 6, level 12, level 18
Tip: if your team gets caught by Enigma’s Blackhole you can change the whole fight by using Nether Strike on time to cancel his Blackhole.
Tip: Spirit breaker can also cancel Shadow Fiend ultimate by using his Nether Strike meanwhile you can read out the whole SF guide here.
- Aghanim’s Shard Planner Rocket provides +75% magic resistance for Spirit Breaker and his allies in a 900 radius, if any magical spell is cast by the enemy the damage will be redirected towards Spirit Breaker consuming the damage with magic resistance. This ability is very strong against the strong magical spell heroes.
- Don’t forget to purchase Aghnim’s Shard on Spirit Breaker against the magical heroes.
Talent Tree Choices
- Level 10 select +500 Night vision
- Level 15 select -3s Bulldoze cooldown
- Level 20 select Bulldoze 400 all barrier damage
- Level 25 select +200 Charge of Darkness bonus speed
Item Build:
Starting items
- 1x Tango
- 1x Mango
- 1x Wind lance
- 2x Iron Branch
- 1x Blood grenade
Early game items
- Magic Wand
- Urn of Shadows
- Phase Boots
Mid-game items:
- Eul’s Scepter of Divinity
- Shadow Blade
- Spirit Vessel
- Drum of Endurance
Late-game items:
- Silver Edge
- Wind Waker
- Octarine Core
- Aghanim’s Scepter
- Yasha and Kaya
Situational items:
- Black King Bar
- Scythe of Vyse
- Shiva’s Gaurd
- Nullifier
- Assault Cuirass
- Heart of Tarrasque
- Aeon Disk
Early gameplay / Mid game / Late game
Early gameplay (0:00 – 12:00)
If you are playing as Spirit Breaker as position 3, you should start ganking enemies after level 6 but if you are playing position 4 keep on harassing in-lane enemies with your Charger of the Darkness ability or keep on hitting the supports with your right click so that passive Greater Bash may be applied. Try looking to gank mid as Spirit Breaker has the early advantage to gank with your ally mid try to coordinate with him and gank by using smoke so that if they have a vision you should be unseen.
Mid gameplay (12:00 – 25:00)
As the game goes further you will have some basic items, you can push the lanes easily with your Charge of Darkness or you can keep hunting down the supports or the cores by going in with a shadow blade so that you won’t be spotted. Always focus on the heroes who have channeling abilities or teamfight ability for example ( Earth Shaker, Enigma, Witchdoctor). Play safe so that you don’t die that much. Spirit Breaker becomes weak when he keeps on dying again and again.
Late gameplay (25:00 – 60:00)
In this phase of the game, Spirit Breaker will be harder to get caught try to get as much advantage as you can by simply securing the kills and cutting down the waves with Charge of the Darkness. Enemies will forced to make linkens against you which is very good you can pop the Linken’s globally by your first skill and provide the opportunity to your teammate to catch him and secure the kill.
Counters of Spirit Breaker
If you are wondering how to counter Baratharam (Spirit Breaker) then all you have to do is pick the following heroes against him.
Omni Knight
- This hero seems to be an easy target by Spirit Breaker but Omni abilities like Purification and Hammer of Purity can turn the fight,
- Repel can be used to counter the Charge of the Darkness allowing Omni Knight to prevent the damage.
Clockwork
- Clockwork can counter Spirit Breaker easily by using Battery Assault preventing SB using Nether Strike.
Outworld Destroyer
- Astral Imprisonment can be used to protect himself and the allies by Spirit Breaker making him unsuccessful in the ganks or initiation.
Rubick
- Rubick can stop Spirit Breaker in the Charge of Darkness by using his ability Telekinesis.
Juggernaut
- Juggernaut can kill Spirit Breaker with his Omnislash if he tries to escape by using his Charge of the Darkness.
- You can read out the whole Juggernaut guide on how you can easily counter Spirit Breaker.
Mars
- Mars can counter Spirit Breaker easily by using his first skill “Spear” and another way is to put down the Arena into the fight and can lockdown Spirit Break in the team fights which makes Spirit Breaker useless in the ganks and not allow him to Charge or escape
Necrophos
- Necrophos can counter Spirit Breaker as he has the ability which heal himself and Ghost Shroud to prevent any kind of further damage.
Underlord
- The Underlord can stop Spirit Breaker by using his ability PIT OF MALICE which leads to an unsuccessful attempt.
Ember Spirit
- Ember Spirit can counter Spirit Breaker with his SEARING CHAINS ability making SB trapped for a few seconds and Ember Spirit can easily escape from the Spirit Breaker by using his Fire Remanent.
Tiny
- Tiny counters Spirit Breaker very well by simply using his ability AVALANCHE and making SB stop or any kind of attempt
Conclusion
Spirit Breaker is the perfect hero to learn how to initiate or ganks from early game to late game, by playing this hero you will understand whom to charge and you will improve your gank timings with the help of this guide you can stomp the game in rank matches. Hope you like this guide try this out and let us know in the comment section.
Death has many doors; I open one for you.