First Impressions: Witch Doctor

Paralyzing Cask Q R
	Ability Type Targeting Type Allowed Targets Active Unit C
	Launches a cask of paralyzing powder that ricochets between enemy units, stunning and damaging those it hits.

Voodoo Restoration W V
	Ability Type Targeting Type Allowed Targets Toggle Instant Allied units
	Witch Doctor focuses his magic to heal nearby allied units.

Maledict E E
	Ability Type Targeting Type Allowed Targets Active Area Enemy Heroes
	Curses an area such that enemy Heroes within it take damage 3 times over 4 seconds, adding bonus damage for every 100 HP lost since the curse began.

Death Ward D V
	Ability Type Targeting Type Allowed Targets Active Point Enemy Hero
	CHANNELED - Summons a deadly ward to attack enemy heroes. Lasts 8 seconds. SCEPTER UPGRADABLE: Increases ward damage and causes bounce damage.

Recommended Items
Starting
Early game
Core
Situational

Witch Doctor Hero Showcase:

Review:

He's quite squishy and plays mainly as a support character, but Witch Doctor can be quite lethal if played correctly. Now I doubt that I was playing him at his best, but I enjoyed playing him nonetheless. He's got a stun, a healing aura, an AoE, and a channeling ultimate that deals massive damage to any enemy in the immediate vicinity. I've had some good moments with him, and I've had a few cringe-inducing moments with him, but I love his hero design and his voice acting. I feel like his hero illustration above makes him out to be a little more sinister than he really is (He looks more like a Witch Doctor/ Zombie in the illustration), but don't let that fool you. He's actually quite a charming guy.

As a big fan of Dazzle and other support heroes, I've gotta say, following the recommended build is not a farfetched idea, even for the most hardcore pros out there. Getting Phase Boots and that Aghanim's Scepter is not a bad idea with Witch Doctor. In teams fights, he can be a valuable player, both in dishing out damage and stuns, as well as providing healing support and buffs from the right items. However, there are probably other ways to build him that would work just as well. I'll keep playing him to find out what else works well with this hero.


(Sources: Recommended Items and Abilities from Dota 2 Wiki)

First Impressions: Earthshaker

Fissure

	Ability Type Targeting Type Allowed Targets Active Point Ground / Enemy units
	Slams the ground with a mighty totem, fissuring the earth while stunning and damaging enemy units in a line. Creates an impassable ridge of stone.

Enchant Totem Ability Type Targeting Type Allowed Targets Active Instant Self Empowers Earthshaker's totem, causing it to deal extra damage on the next attack.  Aftershock Ability Type Targeting Type Allowed Targets Passive N/A Enemy units Causes the earth to shake underfoot, adding additional damage and stuns to nearby enemy units when Earthshaker casts his abilities.  Echo Slam Ability Type Targeting Type Allowed Targets Active Instant Enemy units Shockwaves travel through the ground, damaging enemy units. Each enemy hit causes an echo to damage nearby units. SCEPTER UPGRADABLE: Causes each initial hero hit to echo twice. Recommended Items Starting Early game Core Situational Review: Earthshaker is a lot of fun to play. I'd say the highlight of this hero is his Fissure ability, mostly due to the fact that the ability is his keystone for initiations and team fights.  His other abilities, such as Enchant Totem and Aftershock, supplement his Fissure and Echo Slam ultimate. His voice acting and character design are both spot on. One misconception, especially one that may confuse new players, is that Earthshaker is not a tanky hero. His best aid is the element of surprise. I'm intrigued to hear from those good with him: what is a good laning combo with Earthshaker? Or does that even matter? I would also recommend for new players to use his Fissure ability wisely. If casted incorrectly, one could end up trapping allied heroes in the wrong spot, or almost killing an enemy hero and then finding oneself having to walk around the wall he just created to try and last hit that enemy.  I don't normally play Earthshaker, but when I do, (I'll drink Dos Equis) I'll be sure to have a slammin' time. Earthshaker Hero Showcase:

First Impressions: Bloodseeker

Bloodrage

	Ability Type Targeting Type Allowed Targets Active Unit Any units
	Drives a unit into a bloodthirsty rage, during which it is has higher attack damage, but cannot cast spells and takes damage every second.

Blood Bath

	Ability Type Targeting Type Allowed Targets Passive Unit Any units
	Bloodseeker revels in combat, gaining health with every enemy unit he kills.

Thirst

	Ability Type Targeting Type Allowed Targets Passive N/A Enemy heroes below 40% HP
	Enables Bloodseeker to sense enemy Heroes with health below 40%, giving him vision of that unit and increased movement speed.

Rupture

	Ability Type Targeting Type Allowed Targets Active Unit Any Enemy Unit
	Causes an enemy unit's skin to rupture, dealing massive damage. The affected unit takes damage based on how far it moves during the duration.

Recommended Items
Starting
Early game
Core
Situational

My first play-through with Bloodseeker:

Review:
Well, let me just start off by saying that, from the past few games I've played online, a fed Bloodseeker can win games. Now, Bloodseeker can be very bipolar. Either he can be really good, or really bad. And that isn't always relative to the player's skill. He can just have a bad game, and that's really tough. Because what Bloodseeker needs, as any carry really needs, is farm. And lots of it. That's how he gets his health and self-sustainability. He can be great at mid, and he can also be an exceptional ganker. His ult is a lot of fun as well: It deals a chunk of damage, and the more the enemy hero walks around, the more he/she/it bleeds out, dealing more damage over time. Attack speed, as the recommended items suggest, is great on him. However, I'm still trying to figure out good builds with him and I'm working with getting him off the ground faster in games that I play as him. Oh, and his voice acting is superb.