Turbonium
Platinum Member
- Mar 15, 2003
- 2,109
- 48
- 91
This is news to me (the Mek thing), but I definitely hate depending on allies (which is why I go semicarry even as a support hero a lot of the time, if the hero allows it - I get yelled at for stealing farm a lot of the time, it's tiring).Mek on OD is pretty good, because it's an item you can rush by 5-10 minutes and because against most mids an OD solo lane is pretty close to having free farm - if you're not winning pretty handily, you're doing something wrong. It's an item he can abuse the active on because he has the mana to sustain it, and he has the teamfight ability to make the most use of it. The reason pros get Mekansm on OD is because straight after they group up as 5 and try to force teamfights and pushes as a team. In a pub it's highly situational - if you have a lineup with decent early-game presence and you have the coordination and everyone understands what's going to happen, go ahead. Otherwise, just scrap it. Go for a forcestaff or something that will increase YOUR damage output.
Anyway, my playstyle is a bit "different" (although I don't claim it would work vs. pro level players, but it certainly does in pubs).
With OD, I go 2 mantles, 2 branches, tango and healing potion at start. I go straight to Power Treads (intelligence) after. Then I get 3 intel staffs (wizardry), followed by a vitality booster to finish Rod of Atos, after which I finish Aghs. Then I usually just fill up remaining slots with Mystic Staffs. It's hilarious because you can literally one-shot most heroes with your ult, if you know how to use Astral properly.
I've gotten Force Staff a couple of times, but I don't find it necessary since I'm positionally strong, so I rarely get caught with my pants down to have to escape. And in terms of its offensive potential, I just don't ever find myself wishing I had it often enough to justify getting it (I totally get that's it's a great item, but I rather have another 15 intelligence via Mystic Staff; it's probably not the greatest build, but it works for me in pubs, for now anyway).
If you're wondering, back when the skill tier thing worked, almost all my games were in the High bracket. Not saying I'm pro, but I'm not playing versus total noobs either.