Dota2 Advanced Guides - Axe

Big thanks to everyone that help in writing and producing this guide. Without their feedback, this guide would not have been as well made. Special shoutout to Shock, Restocker and Inept for their input during various stages of the guide
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Dota2 Dota "Defense of the Ancient" Luminous LuminouStudios LuminousInverse "Luminous Dota" "Dota2 Guide" "Dota2 Advanced Guide" "Dota2 Axe" "Axe Guide" Axe "manliest hero alive" "tengen toppa axe"

[@CrushingCry]

can't believe how much u grown lumi ..been watching your vids since 2010 and you have improved so much

[@jonikaru9457]

I max out Helix by level 7 because it deals massive damage early game, and wih those early game kills will give you the level advantage axe needs.

[@FranalexMD]

Superb guide, fun, clear and pointing out what really matters, as always. Without a doubt, the most knowledgeable Dota2 caster.

[@kingcow1991]

Best hero guide i've ever watched in my life

[@Ghostshell911]

So lumi, ive watched your videos since you started and didnt even know what you look like. i stopped playing dota when dota2 came out, i still watch your videos but recently i stopped when i started uni. This is the first dota 2 video ive seen from yours and wow youve grown a lot in terms of a teacher, i hope your teaching career takes off mate. :) All the best!

[@naranlerlop]

sry for not being Luminous answering but to answer this question logically, since Counter Helix is a physical damage, it loses its effect later in the game when enemy armor increase but the helix damage max is 205. Therefore, I think it's best to max Helix over Berkserk Call early. 1 level of berserk call early is enough for many things; cancel chanelling spell, 1.5 sec early great enough early for hits. This is in GENERAL. As he said, Axe is very situation and his utility depends on the team.

[@neme5151]

Damn Lumi, that was one hell of an effort. Thank you very much, Sir!

[@olot100]

6:14 possibly the wisest words that have ever been said when it comes to playing Axe.

[@Aloneus81]

I really like getting a eul's on Axe. it solves most of his mana problems, gives move speed, and can ensure you get a beserker's call off when u tornado someone. Plus its relatively cheap. I think Battle Hunger still does damage as the target is tornadoed aswell. So there's a plus.

[@THENSJW]

Loved the Gurren Lagann quote. Axe's Axe is the Axe that will slice through the heavens!

[@Vile_Oreo]

I love how every axe guide on youtube tells you to grow a pair or not play him.

[@Rand0mUser08]

These guides are great! Keep up the good work, Lumi!

[@Lodurr]

The Advanced Guide series is great so far BUT I was expecting some in-depth explanation of how to jungle with him--which camps you can clear at level 1, when and where to stack, and what items to start with. This is pretty important stuff and when I learn a new jungle hero I always have to go to several guides to find it out because no one puts all the info in one place.

[@bG1nSan3]

I take a point in Bers. Call at level 4, helps to set up ganks easier. At first I was maxing helix aswell, like you showed in this guide, but after awhile I thought it's not as needed as call, not sufficient enough. Right now I prefer to elave helix at level 1 until I max hunger and call, easiest way to get those ganks. I've also seen some pro's like Maelk leaving helix at level 1 and focusing on call for the ganks.

[@brunoder303]

Now with pure damage, Octa core is just the perfect item for Axe, combine that with the cooldown reduction, Your Calls gets scarier, You heal alot if you manage to taunt many heroes/units. And it also heals 25% of the damage deflected from Blademail.

[@PhelanVelvel]

"Requires a bestial sense of not giving a fuck." Lol.

[@Nitrix77]

I was looking for this information as well; there's a certain strategy behind jungling him that should have been addressed. Stacking the small camps, which spawns to avoid early, etc...

[@LuminousInverse]

At lvl2 or 3, you can leave the jungle and start ganking. By then you should have Tranquils finished. Axe doesn't really ever go back to the jungle since he can actively gank with Soul Ring. If you're just jungling because the team needs a quick item of some sorts (probably pipe), then you max Counter Helix and afk jungle till then

[@ballwallcallall]

Ok. I have some doubts about this. Wwhy not maxing Call second? Getting one level of Blood should suffice no? Call is Axe's main way for people to focus him; thus activating his passive. Furthermore, it can be used to cut off channels and force enemies that are fleeing to focus him. And there is also Axe's mana problems; Blood quickly drains Axe of his mana. If you go Call, you would be able to skip soul ring and jump into Boots or Vanguard. Its not hard to kill from there.

[@chrisw7971]

I recently started playing doombringer, and I published a guide in dota2 that should be available ingame. Something along the lines of Snowball Hard Carry Doom by ILS - I've gone something like 15 - 3 recently, and I give a REALLY comprehensive guide to most all items you'll ever need/get/want on doom. I've out carried endgame life stealers with HH/AB/Doom combo on their team.

[@fernando90287]

Putting a Single Point into Bersker's call could result in many kills in the early game :)

[@hafuuro]

I rarely play jungling Axe. Have been playing laning Axe with Phase Boots and 2/3 skills of Berserker's Call could also snatch some kills early game.

[@clintlapinig9547]

Hi Lumi! Thanks for sharing your guide for Axe! Hope to see guide for Jakiro, also known as twin head dragon..more power to your Dota 2 guide!

[@pij3333]

I love that "going balls deep" is actually a pretty commonly used phrase.

[@zakestrike4553]

"Axe is all the reinforcement this army needs!" Love this hero, he is the iron wall of the team =D

[@Dalbsinny]

6:16 caught me so off guard haha. Love these guides!

[@mobtank]

I think Medallion of Courage deserves to be mentioned. It amplifies your helix damage, provides armor when you need it and makes stacking camps easier.

[@username102490]

best guides on the internet

[@JustForComments666]

Another way to play axe is getting arcane boots and harras like crazy with battle hunger. Plus it helps a ton with his mana problems.

[@Ace32229]

Personally, I get tranquil into then a vanguard (if i get enough farm) then a blink dagger. Then a blademail then a hood/pipe

[@CidGuerreiro1234]

2:40 dat Gurren Lagann reference.

[@AoDIronMask]

An item that wasn't mentioned in the guide is Bloodstone. I haven't played Axe much and I'm not very good with the hero, but someone in a game advised me to get Bloodstone if I was going Agh's to sustain the constant casting of Culling Blade (and other spells). What are your thoughts on this item for Axe, in what situation would it be used and what item would it replace from his normal build? Cheers in advance.

[@huuminbloodborn7570]

How to play axe, LEEEEEEEEROOOOOOOOOOOOY!!!! JENKINSSS

[@thegamesforreal1673]

but, as stated in the first comment in this chain, you would buy it after you buy aghanim. and on axe, you would mostly buy aghanim after your core items... so bloodstone on axe would be extremely late game and maybe (one of) your last item(s).

[@rylanmadge6254]

another good idea with axe is ghost scepter since the enemy sits there and cant attack u while berserker buff is on basically giving free stun

[@coolmgamer14]

Awesome guide lumi, really helps my in game play... Keep up the good work!!!

[@midnightray0405]

Last song sounds like a remix of Dear You from Higurashi no Naku Koro ni. And awesome guide as usual :D

[@bankaihome]

Nice gurren lagann reference

[@frieza88]

Dope guide as always Lumi!

[@ORSMania]

I can't wait for the medusa's guide

[@DottMySaviour]

Lumi, are you literally going to write a guide for every hero? If yes, I'm looking forward to a Meepo guide even though I can play Meepo very well. Because Meepo's item choices are very limited since some are almost ineffective for him.

[@kristian_bez_j]

i have nothing against your way of playing him but i recomend taking call at level 5... i know its hard to support it cuase ur mana is low but sometimes u really could use it...and also i love going tranql into urn into vanguard into Euls and then the dagger :D eul is awesome for catching up to someone trying to run away and also gives great mana and could help in teamfights for getting an enemy out of the fight for 2 sek... so its 4v5 :P

[@ssbbgamer100]

No heart for situational items? Why not? It's give axe more hp reg and more tankyness (if i spelled that correctly).

[@GeneralAdvance]

all jungler's role within a team are as psuedo supports, they are to push, gank and help your team in multiple lanes

[@FluffyFrytz]

Will there be more advanced guides? I'm new and very interested in DoTa 2. I'm not that good yet and your guides helps alot!

[@Musicalmagicnstuff]

Love the References made the video more fun!

[@SooSoo018]

hero can denied hero?

[@PlayFairOrDiE]

Blood stone is great item on Axe but the thing is you need farm for 20 mins to get it, even if you roam and you get lucky with kills its like 18 mins by the earliest. its an overkill for 1 item. remember that is axe's role is to tank.

[@GeneralAdvance]

they should be yes, naix sets up ganks with open wounds and lycan chases with ulti aswell as pushes down towers

[@RubbingLegend]

i still love your baws guide Lumi! its entertaining!

[@Roadshot1]

lummi could you plz explain how does the 6.79 update damage reduction on battle hunger affects our ability to harras in lane and if it should now be replaced on priority with berserkers call

[@Ateka9]

This is basically the perfect Axe guide, btw.

[@MightyBharek]

and what is your superior suggestion?

[@angelpridefull8754]

this build more on competitive game since it focus on lane dominance while using jungle as gold source... for pub game this hard to be apply since the level and game play nature a bit different...

[@Michael_M.]

Props for the Gurren Lagann reference Lumi

[@sidgarthansac3837]

dude... music made this so epic... haha sick guide

[@GruntCatcher]

So, this is the Axe that shall pierce the heavens?

[@Alling]

Can you explain in detail why you would max counter helix over a 3 sec disable?

[@zergisnotop]

I think I heard there is a certain level where axe gets bad, but I don't recall what that is. But is it true, that axe gets useless at some point, or does he need items so bad when his spells aren't so usefull?

[@MrMamfbr]

what about the "blink on int hero>ulti>feed the rest of enemy team" strat?

[@darkaquatus]

5:32 nice random deny you sneaked in there, Lumi xD

[@nesunico]

saw your guide, played with axe, won the game (: just one question, if Jugg use his ulti and I use BC does it stop?

[@x3Genuine]

Mind Doing A Advance Guide On Windrunner ?

[@limzero1992]

try Rod Of Atos on axe. its pretty handy

[@rjhlee]

It really depends if Axe can really one v one a hero. Axe has a massive base regenration of 4.0 at the start of the game and tranqui is still an amazing item in between ganks for huge regen. Coupled with a Vanguard this can be an amazing item choice. Phase boots while giving axe a significant boost in damage earlier on loses its portential during the late game. Axe doesnt have the most impressive amount of damage. If u really want to face off against a hero in a "1v1" tty luring the enemy to a creep wave and blink in to start the fight. Do not go against a lone hero in the river or the jungle. Counter Helix only has a 17% chance of activating. But if performed in a creep wave the creeps will also start to attack axe which the system continuosly "checks" that 17% and battle calls 3 sec is more than enough to demolish your enemies

[@rjhlee]

So although tranquils system has changed i disagree that tranquils are completely useless

[@DarknessKiba101]

Hey Lumi, you should do a new guide on medusa in place of tinker for ancient farming on radiant side so it gets more exposure haha.

[@yuabyuob]

maybe because he can also get farm in the jungle, so he can give the farm in the lane to another hero.. same as enigma, while he can own a lane so hard, he can also be played as a jungler.. and yet we always see jungle enigma most of the time instead of laning enigma

[@ivan8149]

wow waht a great guides,can you make a lone druid he is hard to play and has a lot of tricks and tips'' in my opinion

[@p3drozroom]

so what level do you stop jungling? and with what items?

[@sheller125]

I don't think getting taunt would be optimal because of axes low mana and int gain possibly late game but that farm could go somewhere else

[@Skymnkey995]

NICE GUIDE. AXE APPROVES.

[@PROcrastinatingnao]

YES, GLAD THAT YOU ADDED THE FACT THAT YOU CAN ULT CREEPS

[@andrasszabo9675]

2:56 before ranked: How the f*ck is dragonfirst? now: WOW dragonfirst is friend o Lumi!

[@Wisdomseyes1]

I am still waiting on that madusa video

[@Brazoul]

at 2:40 was that a Gurren Lagann reference ?

[@tejsen000]

Thats from the anime series Higurashi its called Dear You Destructive

[@lokovodo]

Gurren Lagann REFERENCE!!! thats why i love u lumi make more guides

[@XxClickMastaxX]

Lumi its 2014 still no Medusa guide...

[@Reza-hq6bq]

No, seriously. It's 2015 and still no medusa guide. Lumi what gives?

[@uberfella]

say what

[@XxClickMastaxX]

2016*

[@milo36gdh]

I NEED that medusa guide

[@Reza-hq6bq]

still waiting.......

[@pewpewpew45]

Lumi u are such a straight up g

[@vvvvvv675]

C-C-C-C-C-COMBO BREAKER I laughed way harder than I should have.

[@cralleic]

Haha, I was hoping he would mention Euls :D I run it as often as I can, because of, as you said, the mana issues and the MS bonus (I just like permahaste) and secondly because it's hella fun. Blink/vanguard is excrutiatingly boring after you have run it practically every Axe game for 5 years.

[@lamanhhieu93]

6:15 that *beep* scared the living shit out of me.

[@kirbywizard]

What was the name of the song at the very end of the video? It sounds like a remix of Dear You but I can't seem to find it.

[@Ateka9]

Do people still jungle with Axe? He's a crazy early laner imo.

[@Shoryueppa]

It makes sense, people will want to know how to play and use new heroes, so they'll search for Medusa guide, Lumi's will come and it will net more cash for him! Lumi's pretty smart :)

[@POZDRAW]

Oh! Sorry then! I just changed my mind, now you're a pro for me sir. Btw i like your picture, that moonkin in STV at the end of the beach where pirates are :) WoW days..... nostalgia! :)

[@Icer48]

Anyone know the song that was played at the end? The very last one.

[@thegamesforreal1673]

bloodstone on axe is great, since it allows him to tank more with the extra max-hp, and the mana regen gives him a great "dunk-that-shit" ability when an aghanim's is picked up as well. finally, and maybe the better thing on bloodstone on axe, is the decreased respawn. you have no idea how scary it is when an enemy axe has a bloodstone with 30 charges... you can do all you can, he'll be back in a second anyway, which is EXTREMELY fearsome.

[@mkbmzk]

MY AXE IS THE AXE THAT WILL PIERCE THE HEAVENS

[@Blue-mf1cy]

this guide its good i tryed it and its op as hell

[@ZaBraGoz]

6:18 first dota 2 guide that i heard curse

[@neilmerchant2796]

Haha the random navi "hey listen"...I thought I got a text for a second!

[@trapisti]

Lumi y u no make Bane guide next?

[@ToanOfNorune]

Pretty sure he mentioned the debuffing effect of Culling Blade.

[@hanh59]

Usually i get vanguard, chainmail and go all leeroy jenkins on the enemy with my Q

[@BearBeatsLion]

No mention of bloodstone?

[@AnthanKrufix]

A rather old guide, so much new stuff has happened since then. Biggest being Axe ult now resets on kill, Blink Dagger is free to use and Tranquil boots are hardly worth it, if that, anymore.

[@lazycouch1]

Trans are really good just not on every hero, I mean they are a cheap way to get 75 move speed and if you are offlaning great regen. Sure you can't regen and lh but better than dying and you can't really lh most the time in a tough offlane.

[@AnthanKrufix]

lazycouch1 I have to say that I am starting to like Tranqs a lot more than I did previously. However I generally can't see a reason to get them on a standard laner or jungler. A ganking support would see good use of them, a Nyx can regen up quite a lot as he switches lanes to gank. But they're on cooldown way too often if you're last hitting, denying or jungling. At least I think, I haven't used them in a while.

[@lazycouch1]

Anthan Krufix I agree, jungling isn't that great but for gankers it's really good for the init speed and the high regen for cost.

[@coldeed]

Anthan Krufix still, gotta give passive heal to the heart, 40 strength makes you extremely meaty tank and phase boots are better for damage and escaping. so long as you mash phase boots. playing like this video is a terrible idea, its like he's a throw away support. 1v1 axe can take out most hero, and even if he can't blademail is your friend

[@IAmebAdger]

5 months later, Tranqs is insanely popular on jungler Axe because you can drop them on the ground before engaging the creeps, then pick them up for fast regen.

[@GamesGirlsMovies]

so u saying a 4k hp & 40+ armor + 40 from taunt + dagger + vangaurd & hood axe is not a late game axe ?

[@abdulazizmohdbaghowi6674]

is that include naix and lycan too??just asking =l

[@IceX92]

Can you tell me which one is it??