Ringmaster Guide in Dota 2 – How to Play the New Hero

awaited puppeteer, who was announced last fall. Now the character is available to all players for free in any mode.

In this text, we will briefly analyze the pros and cons of Ringmaster, which will help you master the new hero faster and use him more effectively in games.

Role and Application of Ringmaster

Ringmaster is a hero with the Intelligence attribute, low agility growth and skills that deal magic damage. He won’t make a good carry or mid.

You can try to assemble him into a magic carry, but be prepared that he will be inferior to classic position 1 heroes, especially in the late game. In the mid, the hero has only 39% win rate – an indicator that it is better not to experiment.

In theory, Ringmaster could secure the role of an offlaner, but in the current meta of auras (which he does not want to buy), this is also difficult. The ideal role is a support , position four (more often) or five (less often). He deals a lot of damage, slows enemies and can even save allies.

Who to pick Ringmaster against

There is no exact data on counter picks yet – only experience will show this. Right now we can only say that Ringmaster saves well from carries with single-target control – this is also supported by statistics. But against mass damage dealers, the character will not be the best choice.

*Storm Spirit can be good vs Ringmaster due to free ultimate bug, no exact stats yet

Ringmaster Dota 2 Skills

First, let’s briefly review Ringmaster’s abilities and try to understand in what order they should be upgraded.

— Tame the Beasts deals damage with a whip and puts a fear effect on the enemy. You can swing longer, then the damage and fear duration will be greater, but the radius will be reduced. You may not reach the enemy.

— Escape Act  hides yourself or an ally in a box that moves quickly and can pass through enemies. This way you can escape from a number of spells, but the box does not cancel area-of-effect skills. This is worse than OD’s astral or Shadow Demon’s save.

— Impalement Arts activates a dagger that deals magic damage to the victim and slows them down. With upgrades, there are more charges, and there is a talent for penetrating one target.

— Wheel of Wonder (ultimate) summons a wheel of wonders that deals damage and slows enemies, mesmerizing those who look at it for more than 0.5 seconds. If you manage to mesmerize at least one, it deals large area damage.

Innate ability grants one of three souvenirs when an enemy dies. This is a consumable that buffs an ally’s attack power, creates an illusion, and jumps with a slowdown on enemies. 

Ringmaster abilities on video

Skillbuild Ringmaster in Dota 2

At the start of the game, Ringmaster focuses on damage skills, pumping Tame the Beasts and Impalement Arts. The second skill is needed during team battles.

The most effective is pumping through the third ability, which can be fully studied at level 6. Then we pump the “whip”.

Ringmaster Talents

As for the character’s talents, the most powerful buffs for a damage dealer are the bonuses to Impalement Arts daggers. Interestingly, at levels 15 and 20, players more often choose the left talents, but statistics show that the win rate is higher with the right ones.

At level 10 we have two equal options – the left one is worth taking if you want to save your allies with the box. If you are focused on the core role, the right one is better.

At level 25, it is better to improve Escape Act, which helps to choose a better position or leave a teamfight on your own. The alternative can work well in strategies with area damage: Enigma, Mars, Tidehunter, etc. 

What to buy on Ringmaster in Dota 2

Ringmaster’s item build resembles variations of other aggressive supports. The item build always includes Aghanim Shard, and the new hero focuses on items exclusively for support.

Initial purchase for the line

Usually before the start of the game it is worth buying two Iron Branches and a Circlet for the first items, Tango and Mango (Clarity) for regeneration, and a pack of wards. 

Depending on the situation, you can immediately take Magic Stick (if you are against heroes who often use skills in the lane) or Blood Grenade for early aggression. Free money can also be spent on extra healing.

With the first money you can immediately take cheap composite items like Sage’s Mask, if you want to collect fast Arcana later, or Wild Lance for the “medal”. 

Midgame Items

Traditionally, in the current meta, the support focuses on Magic Wand (easy to make from a stick and Iron Branch) and Arcane Boots , the assembly of which can be started with a useful Ring of Basilius aura. Stat items like Bracer or Null Talisman will not be superfluous.

Next, there are several options for the first significant item:

• Urn of Shadows (880 gold) with subsequent upgrade to Spirit Vessel (2780) is a good option for the aggressive playstyle for which the hero is designed;
• Pavise (1400) and then Solar Crest (2600) – a way to defend or attack, one of the best items in the current meta;
• Glimmer Cape (2150) – a classic inexpensive option for a support, capable of hiding yourself or an ally from the enemy’s sight;
• Eul’s Scepter (2625) – a good item for attacking and choosing a position before using skills;
• Rod of Atos (2350) – a good way to slow down the enemy before attacking and using abilities;
• Force Staff (2200) – a nice support item, never a bad idea.

Most importantly, we do not recommend forgetting about Aghanim Shard . This item gives an important additional ability Spotlight, which in a large radius reveals enemies in invisibility and gives them 30% misses. 

Item build in late game

Closer to the late game, Ringmaster can collect almost any popular and effective items. We will highlight only the main options that are bought in publics at a high rating:

– Guardian Greeves as a good development of Arcane Boots will help the team in teamfights due to healing and other positive effects;

– Scythe of Vyse will add control, which is always useful in the late game;

— Octarine Core will increase the potential of Ringmaster’s main abilities, they can be used more often. It will be useful if the enemy has no protection from magic damage;

– Khanda as an item for a carry Ringmaster can also be useful on a support, since his abilities can deal a lot of magic damage;

– Gleipnir remains one of the most effective items in the current meta and looks very good on the new hero.

Ringmaster has been in the game for less than a day, so players have yet to discover his strengths. A lot of skill builds and items also depend on your playstyle, so feel free to experiment and try something new.