Skeleton KingDotA guide “King Leoric”
Introduction
Before you continue I want to state clearly that my English is not the world's best and you may
happen to find a lot of incorrect grammar. Furthermore I have never played a high competitive
game, so I cannot assure that this guide will help you through a tougher match. Thanks for your
patience and understanding.
The Skeleton King isa unique hero to play with since he only have 1 active skill that makes his
play style is different from any other hero. I believe he is a unique character and I decided to
make a guide about him (umm, actually all hero in DotA is unique, this is the third time i write
like this, so welcome to my third Dota Guide). Thanks for reading this and let me introduce you
to my guide to the Skeleton King.
There are a lot of various ways to play this hero and in my opinion this is the best. I don’t want
you to copy my play style and you shouldn't. I didn’t write this guide so you can play like "me".
It should rather help you to create your own play style. There are no certain rules how to play
Leoric; you can form this hero as you wish. Use my guide as a help and not as the play style.
Table of contents
1. Hero details
2. Pros & Cons
3. Skills
4. Item build
5. Skill build
6. Game play
Skill use
Early game
Mid game and Late game
Tips and tricks
7. Friends and foes
Worst enemies
Best friends
8. Credits
Chapter I
Hero Details Skeleton King King Leoric
Strength: 22 + 2.9
Agility: 18 + 1.7
Intelligence: 13 + 1.6
Advance statistic
Affiliation: Scourge
Attack Animation: 0.56 / 0.44
Damage: 54-56
Casting Animation: 0.35 / 0.51
Armor: 3.52
Base Attack Time: 1.7
Move speed: 300
Missile Speed: Instant
Attack Range: 128 (melee)
Sight Range: 1800 / 800
Hero introduction
Despite the overall simplicity of the Skeleton King's skills, he is one of the most dangerous close combat
heroes to fight against, and he becomes extremely powerful when equipped with good items. Hellfire
Blast is his one active spell, and it allows him to catch and kill enemies. Vampiric Aura and Critical
Strike make him deadly in a straight fight; the Skeleton King hits hard and gains life with every attack.
Even if Leoric seems to be destroyed, he is still not beaten. This is where his signature ability comes in:
Reincarnation. As long as Reincarnation is ready and the Skeleton King has enough mana, he will revive
where he fell after a few seconds at full strength. Reincarnation makes the Skeleton King very difficult to
defeat, since you essentially have to kill him twice.
Background story
Once a noble knight protecting his kingdom, the man was thrown into Hell, where he was ripped apart
over and over for centuries. Now, Lucifer has thrown him back onto the soil, corrupted and mindless, as
King Leoric, the Skeleton King. He marches on, leading his minions with an unfaltering gaze, knowing
only one thing: the orders given to him by the dark lord himself. Able to cripple his opponents by drawing
power from the fiery depths of hell itself, King Leoric is a major threat on the battlefield. His mighty
blade allows him and others in his presence to drain the blood of their enemies. It is said that he is
unkillable, and those who are struck down by his hellfire don't wake up again.
Chapter II
Pros & Cons Pros
Very Durable, tanky because of good strength growth and good starting armor (moreover if you have Heart of Tarrasque you can activate Armlet of Mordiggian
without consuming your health [the activation of the armlet and the heart will also
increase your hit points], also with the vampiric aura, it will help you to regenerate
your health
Has aegis as an ultimate(plus slow after you reincarnate)
Has a low cooldown stun with slow and a good damage
Good DPS hero with a critical strike
The only one with one active skill
Has a good starting damage and movespeed
Cons Mana Problem(you must keep some mana to reincarnate)
He is a melee hero
Chapter III
Skill
Hellfire Blast
Ability Type: Active
Targeting Type: Unit
Ability Hotkey: T
Leoric launches a sphere of hellfire from the end of his sword, causing his victim to burst into
flames. Deals damage and stuns for 2 seconds followed by a 15% slow for 2 seconds.
Skill table
Level Mana
Cost
Cool
down
Casting
range
Area of
Effect
Duration Allowed
Targets
Effects
1 140 8 s 525 N/A 4 s * Enemy
unit
50 impact
damage,
15 dps,
stun, 15%
slow
2 140 8 s 525 N/A 4 s * Enemy
unit
100
impact
damage,
30 dps,
stun, 15%
slow
3 140 8 s 525 N/A 4 s * Enemy
unit
150
impact
damage,
40 dps,
stun, 15%
slow
4 140 8 s 525 N/A 4 s * Enemy
unit
200
impact
damage,
50 dps,
stun, 15%
slow
Notes
• Damage type: magical
• Total damage: 80/160/230/300.
• (*) 2seconds stun, then 2 seconds slow
Vampiric Aura
Ability Type: Passive
Targeting Type: N/A
Ability Hotkey: V
Nearby friendly melee units gain hit points when they hit enemy units.
Skill table
Level Mana
Cost
Cool
down
Casting
range
Area of
Effect
Duration Allowed
Targets
Effects
1 N/A N/A N/A 900 N/A Allied
melee
unit
Gains
15% of
attack
damage
2 N/A N/A N/A 900 N/A Allied
melee
unit
Gains
20% of
attack
damage
3 N/A N/A N/A 900 N/A Allied
melee
unit
Gains
25% of
attack
damage
4 N/A N/A N/A 900 N/A Allied
melee
unit
Gains
30% of
attack
damage
Notes
• Stacks additively with Vladmir's Offering lifesteal aura.
Critical Strike
Ability Type: Passive
Targeting Type: N/A
Ability Hotkey: C
Gives a chance to do more damage on an attack.
Skill table
Level Mana
Cost
Cool
down
Casting
range
Area of
Effect
Duration Allowed
Targets
Effects
1 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Any Unit 15%
chance,
1.25
times
normal
damage
2 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Any Unit 15%
chance,
1.75
times
normal
damage
3 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Any Unit 15%
chance,
2.25
times
normal
damage
4 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Any Unit 15%
chance,
2.75
times
normal
damage
Notes
Reincarnation
Ability Type: Passive
Targeting Type: N/A
Ability Hotkey: R
When killed the Skeleton King will come back to life and slow enemies in a 700 AoE by 30%
for 3 seconds.
Skill table
Level Mana Cost
Cool down
Casting range
Area of Effect
Duration Allowed Targets
Effects
1 140 260 s N/A 700 4 s Enemy
unit 3 seconds
delay,
slows
enemies'
movement
speed
around
him by
30%
2 140 160 s N/A 700 4 s Enemy
unit 3 seconds
delay,
slows
enemies'
movement
speed
around
him by
30%
3 140 60 s N/A 700 4 s Enemy
unit 3 seconds
delay,
slows
enemies'
movement
speed
around
him by
30%
Notes
• Will revive even if silenced on death.
• Will not revive if Skeleton King does not have required mana.
• Will not revive if he dies on unpathable terrain.
• If Skeleton King has an Aegis and Reincarnation is cooled down upon death, Reincarnation
will trigger first.
• Revives with full HP and full mana.
Chapter IV
Item Build Starting item You can use combination of these items
Name Icon Use
Ancient Tango
of Essifation
Consuming tree, restores 115 hit points over 16 seconds.
3 charges
Circlet of
Nobility
+2 all atributtes
Empty Bottle
It can stores healing water for 3 charges. Each restores
135 health and 60 mana for 3 seconds, if you’re being
attacked when drink the healing water,the healing effect
is lost. You can use it for capture runes (power up)
too.once you capture a rune it automatically refilled by
healing water
Ironwood
Branch
+1 all atributes
Magic Stick
(can be
upgraded into
Magic Wand)
Magic Stick: give 15 health and mana for each charges.
Collect charges from nearby enemy that casting spell
Magic wand: +3 all atributes and energy charges
Quelling Blade
32% bonus damage fo non hero unit (12% for range)
and a tree chop
If I were you I prefer this
Ancient Tango of Essifation: because this item is a very cheap healing item (if you play with
someone use this)
Empty Bottle: if you play –np mode do not use this item
Magic Stick (no upgrade): if you face nuker heroes use this item to collect their spell trace to
heal you
Alternate starting item
Bracer
Very cheap items that can boost your stats, also if you want some aura upgrade it to Ancient
Janggo of Endurance
Core item
Armlet of Mordiggian This item makes you tougher also you get more damage, increases attack speed and armor. All in
1 item that only cost 2600 gold
Stygian Desolator This is a very good DPS items that automatically increased your critical attack and health you
gained because vampiric aura
Boots choice
Power treads Help you to chase the enemy. Can increase your stats, also you can activate switch attribute
Example: You need more damage (place it in strength attribute)
You need more attack speed (place it in agility attribute)
You need more mana (place it in intelligence attribute)
Luxury item
Name Icon Use Type
Assault Cuirass
This item is good although you can’t
complete the recipe, plate mail and
hyperstone is great in their own way.
Pack 1 –
Increasing
Survivability
Black King Bar
(situational core)
This item is good to give you magic
immunity, to counter if your enemy is a
nuker
Heart of
Tarrasque
This item is truly great. It can boost your HP
also if you want the activation of your armlet
do not reduce your health, this is the solution
Crystalys
Not increasing your critical strike but increase its chance, very powerful to kill enemy with just few
strike
Pack 2 – Maximize Your
Skill
Mask of
Madness
The berserk effect is very helpful to finish your
enemy
Aegis The Immortal
Now you have 3 lives. Go ahead
Ancient
Janggo of
Endurance
This item is cheap enough to help you increase
your speed (movement and attack)
Pack 3 –
Maximize Your
Damage
Cranium Basher
(upgrade
into
Abyssal
Blade if
you have
enough
money)
Provide bash and greater damage
Sange
Give some damage and lesser maim effect
Satanic
Give a huge lifesteal to increase your survivability
(combined with critical strike can make you
healthy again in one strike)
Alternate item
Battle fury This item provides more AoE damage
Mjolnir This item provides static charge and chain lightning that help you to disable linken’s sphere.
Provide AoE damage too
Radiance Increase your damage and add some burn damage to help killing enemies
Refresher orb It can allow you to reincarnate two times. At one cost, you must have around 655 mana pool
(hellfire blast + refresher orb + Reincarnate cost 655 mana). If you buy Power Treads and set it
in intelligence attribute you can fulfill this requirement in level 17, if you don’t you can fulfill it
in level 20
Vladmir’s offering If all your team is a melee hero. It’s worthy enough to buy this item
Rejected item
I can’t said if everything else that not mentioned in my item build are rejected, but I can’t said
that everything else allowed(mention that if you complete my list of item build, you’ve become
super, but you must mentioned that it need a tons of gold to complete, so don’t waste your
money)
This is the list of items that i didn’t recommend to use due to high expenses or unneeded effect
Name Icon Reason
Buriza-do Kyanon
High expenses(if you pick
Pack 2 in your luxury, this
item is recommended)
Ethereal Blade
Don’t try to make Leoric into
a agility based hero
Kelen’s Dagger of Escape
You don’t need the effect
Manta Style
Don’t try to make Leoric into
a agility based hero
Yasha
Don’t try to make Leoric into a agility based hero
Chapter V Skill Build
Level Skill
1 Hellfire Blast
2 Stats
3 Hellfire Blast
4 Stats
5 Hellfire Blast
6 Reincarnation
7 Hellfire Blast
8 Critical Strike
9 Critical Strike
10 Critical Strike
11 Reincarnation
12 Critical Strike
13 Vampiric Aura
14 Vampiric Aura
15 Vampiric Aura
16 Reincarnation
17 Vampiric Aura
18 Stats
19 Stats
20 Stats
21 Stats
22 Stats
23 Stats
24 Stats
25 Stats
Vampiric aura in early game is not effective. In early game Skeleton King needs more damage
than livesteal (except you make Skeleton King into a jungler hero).
Chapter VI
Game Play Skill use
Hellfire Blast 1. Don’t harass with your Hellfire Blast. Don’t abuse it for useless effort. Ensure you’ve
enough mana to Reincarnate
Early game Lane on side lane (not mid), because this side lane have side shops where your armlet basic
item belong. Lane with range hero is more profitable than with melee hero. This is the time
to gain your armlet. Farm as much as possible, but don’t forget to not harass with your
Hellfire Blast. Use it just in an important situation, example to protect your friend when he
was running from enemy’s hero or to prevent enemy’s hero back into their base (to escape a
kill) or something like that
Mid game and Late game Once you reach Level 6, mid-game has begun. Now you’ve earned Reincarnation level 1
If you’ve get your armlet now it’s time to get some score
It’s easy to make a kill
1. Choose your enemy
2. Use Hellfire Blast on them to stop his movement
3. Activate your armlet
4. Hit your enemy as much as possible (if you’re dead when fighting 1v1 with him,
don’t worry, you still have second chance)
5. If he run use your Hellfire Blast to stop or finish him (or you can ask your friend help
[if you’re lanning with range hero] to finish him)
6. Deactivate your armlet (don’t forget this steps. If you forget you can make your heath
turn to red)
7. Farm again while waiting for killing another enemy
Don’t afraid or run away, just keep fighting because if you die you will resurrect (watch your
mana)
Tips and tricks
Tip 1
Pay attention to enemy that have skill to reduce your mana (example: anti-mage, silencer,
Etc.)
Tip 2
Always communicate with your teammates. This help you gain your kill
Tip 3
Don't panic if things don't go as planned. You still goy your second chance (Reincarnation!
Yeah! )
Tip 4
Kills aren't everything. Don't hesitate to use your Hellfire Blast to save your teammates or to
let your ally get a double kill by stunning your enemies. Selfish DotA Player is not an
effective one. Believe me
Chapter VII
Friends and Foes
Best Friend
Heroes Friendly level Icon Reason
Alchemist 1
Can help with stun skill
Axe 1
Can help finish enemy with his ultimate skill
Beastmaster 1
Can increase your attacks speed
Earth Shaker 1 Can help with stun skill(also block way with “fissure” skill)
Magnataur 1
Can increase your damage and cleave
Ogre Magi 1
Can increase your attack speed
Rogue Knight 1 Can help with stun skill
Can increase your armor and move speed
Slithereen Guard 1 Can amplify your damage by
reducing enemy’s armor
Stone Giant 1 Can help with stun skill
Tidehunter 1
Can amplify your damage by
reducing enemy’s armor
Can help with stun skill
Undying 1
Can amplify damage that enemy unit receive
Demon Witch 2 Range hero, can help you finish escaped enemy
Can help with stun skill
Drow Ranger 2 Range hero, can help you finish escaped enemy
Carry hero
Enigma 2
Range hero, can help you finish escaped enemy
Can help with stun skill
Guardian Wisp 2
Range hero, can help you finish escaped enemy
Can amplify your damage
Gorgon 2
Range hero, can help you finish escaped enemy
Priestess Of The
Moon
2 Range hero, can help you finish escaped enemy
Can help with stun skill
Shadow Fiend 2 Range hero, can help you
finish escaped enemy
Can reduce enemy’s armor that help you to kill enemy easily
Shadow Shaman 2 Range hero, can help you
finish escaped enemy
“Shackle” skill can capture escape enemy (same with stun)
Slayer 2
Range hero, can help you finish escaped enemy
Can help with stun skill
Storm Spirit 2
Range hero, can help you
finish escaped enemy
Can heavily slow your enemy
Templar Assassin 2
Range hero, can help you finish escaped enemy
Can slow enemy’s hero with
her “Psionic Traps”
Tormented Soul 2
Range hero, can help you finish escaped enemy
Can help with AoE damage
Troll Warlord 2 Range hero, can help you finish escaped enemy
Can help with his ultimate skill that increase your attack speed
Vengeful Spirit 2 Range hero, can help you finish escaped enemy
Can help with stun skill
Witch Doctor 2 Range hero, can help you
finish escaped enemy
Can help with stun skill
Worst Enemies
Heroes Danger level Icon Reason
Alchemist 1
Can stun you
Ancient Apparition 1
Can freeze you, decrease your
movement speed
Can freeze your HP regeneration. If your health is
below 12% you will be
shattered
Batrider 1
Can “lasso” you and fly to impassable terrains where you
can’t resurrect
Counter with “Keeper of the
Light” (he can recall you)
Drow Ranger 1 This kind of heroes can make you hard to get last hit on creep
Enigma 1
Can stun you
Gorgon 1
Can absorb your mana (it
means no mana for reincarnate
or do some “Hellfire Blast”)
Can slow all your movement (attack speed, movement
speed, very - very slow I mean)
Invoker 1
His EMP can drain your mana
Keeper of the light 1
Can separate your mana (whatever, the point is you lost
some mana)
Live stealer 1
This kind of heroes, their
damage is based on your HP
Lord of Olympia 1 This kind of heroes, their damage is based on your HP
Necrolyte 1
This kind of heroes, their damage is based on your HP
Nerubian Assassin 1
Can stun you and burn your
mana
Obsidian Destroyer 1 Can get rid of your mana (whatever, the point is you lost
some mana)
Ogre Magi 1
Can stun you
PandarenBrewmaster 1
This kind of heroes have evasion skill that very
annoying
Priestess Of The Moon
1 Just try to dodge his arrow so you don’t get stunned
Rogue Knight 1
Can stun you
Sacred Warrior 1
This kind of heroes can make you hard to get last hit on creep
Silencer 1
Can get rid of your mana (whatever, the point is you lost
some mana)
Stone Giant 1 Can stun you
Storm Spirit 1
Can heavily slow you
Troll Warlord 1 This kind of heroes have evasion skill that very
annoying
Can stun you (bash)
Vengeful Spirit 1 Can stun you
Viper 1
This kind of heroes can make
you hard to get last hit on creep
Witch Doctor 1 Can stun you (max 1 second, don’t be too worried)
Demon Witch 2 Can stun and hex you
Can absorb your mana
Faceless Void 2 He can stop time and after that he hit you, when you hit back
he can stop the time, also he
can enter and leave battlefield
whenever he wants, so if you
want to kick his ass just
prepare the best
This kind of heroes have evasion skill that very
annoying
Naga Siren 2
She can create some illusion that makes you confused which
were that real (your stun also
can’t work because you can’t
know who’s the real one)
Phantom Lancer 2
He can create some illusion
that makes you confused which
were that real (your stun also
can’t work because you can’t
know who’s the real one)
Shadow Shaman 2 Can disable you (“shackle”, “hex”) and finally finish you
with serpent ward
Soul Keeper 2
He can create some illusion
that makes you confused which
were that real (your stun also
can’t work because you can’t
know who’s the real one)
Anti- Mage 3
Can burn your mana and
finally “mana void” will finish
you
Chapter VIII
Credits
Made by Suicide bomber
Thanks to: Friends that have helped me make this guide;
FadTheGame (thank you for the suggestion and correction)
>,<
WinTheGame
And all friend that I can’t write the name
All Skeleton King Guide makers that his or her guides that I have make
reverence to this guide
All Skeleton King Player who have read and like this guide
Any question? Email at [email protected]
Top Related