How to play Witch Doctor | Dota 2 Support Guide

Witch Doctor Support Guide! He's a better Hard Support but broken enough that you can play Soft Support too. The balance team must be a bunch of Witch Doctor players.
Link to In Game Guide:
steamcommunity.com/sharedfile...
Timestamps
0:00 - Intro
0:43 - Skill Build
5:43 - Item Build
9:44 - Tips & Tricks
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[@f0rgotteng0st]

If the enemy team has a rubick, make sure you get a value point in restoration and get used to tapping it after casting any spell so he doesn't steal something good.

[@markmillerftw]

That's a good tip

[@user-br9th4ei6v]

hmmmm now I think this is precisely the reason why restoration can be cast during death ward

[@Jeff-yj1jn]

great tip... didn't realize it. I'll be doing this from now on

[@GreyAmbience]

That's so fucking smart dude. Thanks

[@HerrSchnabeltier]

As a new player, I greatly appreciate your content. As someone who plays league and this game and has been binging content for both, you are one of the best if not the best for informative content. And Ive just been starting to learn WD so this video came at a perfect time!

[@HighLanderPonyYT]

I love that you acknowledge that pub teammates often AFK in the jungle instead of getting things done. It feels vindicating.

[@kostjame]

I swear in pub games with randos it feels they are playing some other game. Like sims or farmville 🤣

[@TankorSmash]

A bit of a speedrun but I appreciated the faster pace. Looking forward to more, as always!

[@ichangiz]

Great video Zach

[@theacme3]

an absolut chad move is to buy early shadow amulet, walk to a creepcamp enemy carry is about to farm, go invis wait until 1 creep is left, stun maledict ulti and solo kill their carry ;)

[@liaryde]

Love your content Zac, interesting thing with deathward is that it always shoots to the right. You can lose a tick of damage if it has to turn to shoot the enemy. If you place it to the left of your enemy you will maximise the amount of shots as it doesn’t have to turn 🎉

[@icecoldkorova]

great tip, thank you!

[@rodrigozanon8080]

Thanks for the video! Do this Guide for Ancient Apparition as well! I'm playing AA a lot on this patch, I think he is good to climb MMR.

[@immortaltick146]

I've always maxed out the maledict and skipped heal and was hoping this video would convince me to try the max heal build, however it turns out maxing cask could be really good, gotta try it out sometime. Thx!

[@supersmegma9801]

I always max maledict first because it lowers cd and allows for early kill potential. At level 3 with 2 mal, especially with blood grenade, you and your carry can easily get a kill. Then you focus on burning the remaining enemy's regen. He'll run away afraid of maledict and you rinse and repeat. It has huge dot potential so if you land it and your carry has a jump or stun, it's almost always a kill or at least a free lane.

[@suntzu6122]

Maledict is an ult. Lets be clear lol.

[@bjo9000]

Feeling good man 🤙

[@thecrystalblue23]

Very fine

[@KoopDeGrace]

This is me expressing interest in an Oracle guide without demanding/requesting it, thank you.

[@froglasers]

I also find it easy to get early kills on the enemy carry if I hide near a creep camp and use Q to stun lock the baby dog pa with the creeps

[@dueceduck3608]

thumbs up for my boy!

[@marcusmeins1839]

Before the rosh two gates patch , maledict was very op .

[@noblelikeyou]

nice video

[@minmin-fs1nn]

you didnt mention you can actually control deathward target. click on ward and click on hero you want to to attack. useful when in clusterfuck war and you wnat to target specific hero or hero with maledict debuff

[@ZQuixotix]

OH SHOOT I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT. Binding Deathward to a control group hotkey is super useful for this!

[@ferdikristianto]

​@@ZQuixotixhow to bind it?

[@LLlap]

@@ZQuixotixor use the Select all other units button without binding.

[@GamingBossez]

​@@ferdikristiantoyou open a training lobby with WD. Use ultimate. Select your death ward only then use control+(your control group button) in the control settings it is in the control group section to change the binding. When you start a real game there will be no need to re-make the control group, it will remember the button you set it to.

[@minmin-fs1nn]

@@GamingBossez or u can use tab like any other controlled unit.

[@pcxxy]

Perfect timing for the guide as I'm just about to learn (re-learn) wd Because he's so popular right now, it'd be nice to include a section dedicated on his to counter this hero Eg. Emphasizing that he is a high priority target in team fight, ghost scepter, as well as the burst heal you mentioned, is a cheap item that stops you from taking damage during death ward, and heros that can easily catch him, are great to have in the draft, or picking silencer that can guarantee cancel of his ult channeling

[@ivylim8612]

Abaddon is a huge counter to WD

[@pcxxy]

@@ivylim8612 yup that too

[@ChinkyChickenxx]

Orchid if you're desperate

[@LLlap]

I made it into the video! Hi, Mom! I appreciate that my little clip starts at 4:20. Got sweet cask bounces in there. Oh wow! Another one at 7:20! The LC bait.

[@Phike9391]

Can you post more gameplays of you playing?

[@Jeff-yj1jn]

I find late game that patience is key. By this time you've fried more than a few heros and they are going into fights with 'GET THE WD FIRST'. Let the fight start and progress a few ticks before engaging. This 1) tends to group heros more, and 2) they seem to forget about WD quickly once engaged in a fight. Do not rush up with the group... hang back and count to 5. [Guardian experience at least] Also, WD on the other team sucks. So always pick it. Most of the time WD is banned, and most of the rest of the time the other team tries to pick WD. So, you'll only get to play occasionally but you'll never need to deal with your team getting itself death warded into the grave. Important to go invis right after casting death ward, but I get invis after upgrade. And if you are up against a WD, bring dust and don't let your team forget about that bag of bones. Wait for it!!!!

[@samisfun868]

the count to 5 thing is so real

[@machination3e]

Thats when the 3rd item Aeon buy is so clutch. I get tpks because of that get WD focus and timing with a new Aeon.

[@adventuritis]

Tip: (correct if no longer accurate) Cask is blocked by Linkens, even its bounces, which means you can cask a nearby enemy unit and the bounce will pop Linkens.

[@Grzybons]

Well something new I learned is that aeon disc does not affect death ward. For real after 200 games with wd I didn't build it cause I though that it will make my ult useless. You just open a new door in my gaming experience.

[@Gwgitu77]

Bless algorithm

[@GenjaOrigins]

which supports are meta now?

[@BuddzBunnyHD]

If ur not against any bkb piercing stuns I just go glimmer > aghs > bkb and its literally insta win after that.

[@auderyabhowmick5834]

For some reason the match making is confirming and not starting the game due to an update

[@Jebu911]

WHAT voodoo restoration deals damage now? Didnt play dota for few years and got back at large map patch. I see its not insanely huge damage but thats great for canceling TA shield and just not letting OD and such blink away. PS the spell name sucks they should have changed it.

[@BreadAccountant]

Thanks for the video. Greaf tips

[@migzfurry165]

is treant still good?

[@markermarque9843]

Excellent video like always! But you probably should add neutrals items in the next guides...

[@ColivaX]

A few other tips from a WD spammer: 1) On laning - use their range and flag creeps to bait - try save your cask for the moment the enemy feels tempted to deny their range or flag creep. When they step up is as you throw the cask on them, grab 2 bounces and if its the last creep, all your creeps start hitting them too. With maledict, or any follow up, it's either a kill or massive damage 2) On solo killing carries - WD is one of the best heroes for solo killing a jungling carry, especially melee heroes big in this meta who farm right in the middle of the jungle camps - if their carry is farming off map, grab a smoke and a ward, and go find that PA/Sven, etc. Even heroes with stuns that could cancel the WD ult can't do it fast enough when they're chain stunned next to a creep. 3) On death ward - you can micro your death ward to hit the target of your choice - no need for this once you have aghs but crucial if you don't. It also gives decent vision so throwing it on high-ground if there aren't other wards is super helpful.

[@LLlap]

Also the Ward is a Ward and you can block path with it. Trap someone in the woods with the ward blocking the way out or protect yourself from a melee hero with 2 trees and a ward blocking the way in.

[@martonboda3649]

Nice how at 2:42 slardar died, because WD didn't want to "steal" the kill :D

[@darkobakula5190]

You forget the best part about WD. He can force a perma-stun with casks by picking his fights. For instance, there is nothing preventing you from buying a smoke and a shadow talisman, walking into an enemy camp at min 10 and sitting close until an enemy carry shows up to farm it. Once there is just one creep left to farm by the enemy carry, you can permastun, maledict and death ward them. 😂😂 Typically if the enemy is bad, they will not start placing sentry wards near camps to try and anticipate your move and you can do this 2-5 times per games on different camps. If they are good you can do it once or twice per game after that, they will ward or sit in ambush to try and kill you. Point is, you create space for your team, enemy has to spend more gold to place sentries.

[@sidneyflinton6500]

Idk why they don't just nerf his ult and buff the heal

[@Katsunai]

Probably cuz his ult can be stopped and easily, if you have aoe stuns or fear or silence. It is kinda like cm's ult or black hole where it's really strong but the draw back is that it will be completely useless if there is an enemy silencer in the opponent.

[@Monkey-hg6rm]

Cuz that would be really boring

[@tommehzlol]

His heal build with locket + greaves can be busted. Couple with switcheroo his survivability is insane. It's easy to hit 25-40k heals in a game

[@fairy6818]

I don't know why, but ever since they buffed WD, my win rate with him went down.

[@macadaegmarlonj.4007]

I'm a position 5 player and pos 4 and I want to learn undying and shadow demon the anti carry. Please feature it

[@macadaegmarlonj.4007]

Btw. Legend 3. I can read lanes. I got no problem in laning phase but yeah I want to optimize it and be better cause I know I'm just legend SEA player.

[@j3llyzz]

i am 16-4 with the healing build. i max w and go arcane boots holy locket and barrel down the lanes. it’s really good imo

[@pcxxy]

I know speeed recommends the heal build. Just curious which bracket you're in..?

[@j3llyzz]

@@pcxxy divine 3 i play both ranked and un ranked, i do this build about 80% of the time

[@pcxxy]

Cool, ancient 4 here, I've only played wd in the recent patches, should give him a few more games to test the different builds under different scenarios

[@avocadoarmadillo7031]

I've specifically built crimson for an out of control WD, now I know it doesn't work :(

[@PaszerDye]

13:23 cool micro tidbit another dota youtuber pointed out recently; when you cast your ult and instantiate the Death Ward, the skull that points towards the enemy and shoots at them faces to the right by default. So, you consequently cut or add a fraction of a second to the overall deployment of your ult, depending on your positioning. Not really feasible or ubiquitous to keep track of as tread swapping IMO, but it's something to keep in mind, I guess.

[@theacme3]

maledic is magic dmg but, somehow, dont ask my why, it prices bkb. Very important earlygame vs a jugger thinking he can spin away. No he cant.

[@MrAnanthajith]

It doesn't pierce BKB. It's just not dispellable if you get hit by it. Which is still pretty annoying, but not that bad.

[@theacme3]

@@MrAnanthajith yeah, i didnt phrase it quit right, the ticks pirce bkb. Not sure why though as its magic dmg.

[@fitzviandraduivenab2790]

​@@theacme3Ever since they changed how magic immunity works, it's no surprise things like this can happen. Now BKB pretty much give you cc immunity and 50% magic resist

[@thecrystalblue23]

Jakiro sp plz

[@FareedFaghih]

Holy locket?

[@suntzu6122]

Always get maledict first. Max at 7

[@LegitBacKd00rNiNJa69]

Make the pure damage a level 25 talent come on valve

[@r___n___]

I will wait for someone to do IO WD combo again in pro games.

[@Ycpunkrock]

if you have a friend its still a good combo, either as wd 5 or wd 3

[@kostjame]

what's so good about it for those who doesn't know? :)

[@shortround9869]

Step 1: Cask, Step 2: Maledict Step 3: Death Ward, Step 4: There is none, they're dead, congrats...

[@shayatz]

how to counter wd?

[@ZQuixotix]

He's not very good against mobile heroes because his range is short and he can be jumped and killed before doing anything. Having tools to cancel his ult are also very good, especially instant silences that can also prevent him from using his shard (at least until he gets BKB or something). Force Staff, magic resistance, and heals can help to deal with his different spells as well

[@LLlap]

Riki is a nightmare to play against - that silence cloud destroys you and he always finds you. Similar with Night Stalker. Fat boys with good regen like Huskar or Techies that can get on top of you. Morph and Dusa don`t lose HP. Oracle and Dazzle heal and prevent death. Bursty Satanic builders like PA and Ursa just chew through your maledict.

[@ApexFungi]

Don't forget to have Infused Raindrops.

[@mantistoboggan2676]

Teamates always in the jungle lol

[@cm3462]

Banned every game (in my Crusader bracket) xd

[@meffzchannel]

10:37 cslul

[@Abutalabashuneba1]

2nd

[@yldronejoeypagar8285]

1st weeeeee

[@user-hl7ls9mt4e]

Maledict is too overpowered needs to be nerfed

[@DarkRahl69]

I have spammed WD for 20 years and no you max maledict first, this is the path of the standard YT dota guide, i.e. the wrong way. At 3 with 2 in male I can trade with almost any mid at 5 with 3 in male same story except they might actually die now trying to trade with me, and at 6 I get the kill. Flip flop those lvls with cask, 2 in cask at 3 and 3 in cask at 5 and you are not even dangerous, just bad information. Shortly after a clip follows, that shows a WD getting FB with 1 in male at lvl 1, guide is just a joke really. OMG follow that with male is a just an amp of damage and if your teammate is jungling it is going to feel bad, bro you are lost, maybe use the spell a few times before you talk about it. And recommending the 75 death ward range over the 25% male burst at lvl 20 really shows me you do not play WD, the male talent is about 4x better than the ward distance. A hero gets a buff, a YTer makes a guide, that YTer does not even know the hero the just made a guide for, facepalm.

[@RoffelMonster]

What rank are you?

[@DarkRahl69]

@@RoffelMonster I don't believe in the ranking system, but happy to 1v1 anyone and you can decide for yourself.

[@RoffelMonster]

@@DarkRahl69 that just shows that you are bad at this game then, even after 20 years of playing it, thinking 1v1 in a TEAM game means anything at all, lol. Bye.