by mattjestic_gaming

Mages (3/6)

Units: 7 in Total

1 Cost: Ogre Magi

2 Cost: Crystal Madam, Puck

3 Cost: Razor, Lina

4 Cost: Keeper of The Light

5 Cost: Lich

Class Combo: Magic Resistance Debuff to the Enemy units at the start of the fight (Thank you Health776 for highlighting this!)

3 Mages: 40% Magic Resistance Debuff

6 Mages: 40% Magic Resistance DeBuff, Additional Magic Debuff 56%, Total Debuff 96%

**Note that Dota 2 works Magic Resistance Deference Debuff multiplicative, with increasing gains, which means each additional Magic debuff stacks grant more total magic damage amplification! (1.4 x 1.4 =1.96)

Race & Stages:

Early Game: Weak, Solo tank ogre, most mages are hard to find into 2★

Strong in mid game (Once Key Piece like Razor, Cm are 2★)

Late Game: One of the Strongest Late Game, Fast initiation with Mana Reg and high burst damage!

Counters:

Weak Against: Early game lineups before build matures, Knights (Super armor), Nagas

Note for Naga (2) > Mage 3 it is 0.7 ^ 1.4 = 98%* bonus Magic damage after Nage Buff, Where 100% is 0 Magic Resistance

Newest Possible Counter: Hunter! (Could Use Range and Focus Fire)

Possible Transition:

Assassins (3), Dragons (3), Mages (3/6 SF, Disruptor, Kunkka), Naga (Tide, Dusa), , Demons (Qop, SF), Beast (LD + Lycan)

Goblins (3/6), Orcs (2/4), Warlocks (3) (SF/DP/Necro/Enigma) [Thanks Red for the suggestion!)

Key Transition units:

Jugg, Timber, SF, Razor, LD, Kotl, Kunkka, TA, Gyro, Tide, Dusa, Lich + Other Legendary

Item Priority Suggestions:

Defensive Items Front line, Ogre, Timber or Kunkka etc

Attack/Mana Items

Early game: Razor, SF, Kotl, LD

Late Game: Gyro, Lich, Tide, Dusa, Disruptor

Positioning:

Early Game – Defensive (Corner Back),

Mid Game – Side/Defensive (Depends on number of 2 ★ Mages)

Late Game – Spread, with Tide, Disruptor, Kunkka imitator front line and TA as possible tank!

Race Specific Tips

1. Leveling is key! to 6/7+, Since most key Mages are 3 cost +
2. Don’t go into Mages too Early game! use some transitional strong early game units like Orc warriors, or goblins!
3. Flexible! Losing Streak, sure keep it up!, Low on hp after round 15? lets roll/Level up!
4. Mid Game Transition! Try to complete Core units like 2★ Razor, SF, to stabilize in the mid game, Remember each Hp % lost in the mid game is gonna be painful when we are facing round 40 Trolls >,<
5. Health is a Resource! Here in the Early game, we quite weak, below are some hp indicators
   1. Key Hp indicators (note indicators are for hp just equal or slightly above the threshold!) For Early/Mid Game consideration!
      1. Hp > 80% Losing streak? Great keep losing!
      2. Hp > 60% Have Pairs of Key units ready or plan to complete some with re rolling once pairs >= 4
      3. hp > 45% Probably should start spending now (level/rolling), Especially when key pieces are not 2★!
      4. Hp > 20% Its time to go all in, Mages are one the strongest come back races but we still need some hp for random losses and against the PVE rounds after 30+