At first, I was pretty bad at the hero because I don't really have a clue about the potential of the hero itself so it took me quite a while to get used to it.
I read a few guides where this is always be my starter items before 12 minutes of the game: Aqua ring, thread, and shadow blade
After 12 min and beyond I should get: Manta, BKB, and Butterfly.
However, it didn't goes too well for me playing SF the first time and I noticed a some weaknesses that the hero had.
- 1. Low base damage
2. Low armor
3. Easiest to be gank
4. No escape mechanism
So I start watching videos to get more insight depth about the hero, and what I've learned:
- 1. Shadow blade and blink is situational and only pick up when you see fit.
2. Forcestaff may be more effective in certain games, but not mandatory.
3. Mek is only good if your team wanted to push.
4. Prioritize your farming rather than early-team fight, because shadow fiend farm pretty quick.
5. Soul ring is safer than bottle if you are planning to jungle while defending lane.
6. Aqua ring is not mandatory unless you know how to control your mana usage.
7. Don't initiate fights unless you see an opportunity.
8. Don't always buy euls + blink combo because there are better items out there. Sure, you can one shot some pick-off heroes.
9. Position and timing is key to play shadow fiend.
10. You missed 100% raze that you don't take.
So I tried various set-up and and watch my own replays and see what's went wrong. Surprisingly, most of the time that I get caught because I either was too greedy or doesn't response to enemy that were missing.
So I stop relying on rushing shadow blade and blink, but rather watch and predict enemy's movement.
Spending golds on better items rather than mid-core items.
Buy ward if your support doesn't want to.
Here's 2 games that I've played so far by avoiding rushing shadow blade and blink.
http://storage.entgaming.net/replay/vie ... 446498.w3g
I didn't go mid in this game, because I was kinda afraid that silence would stomp me, but riki went mid.
There's a riki in this game where he can gap really close to my hero, and so I have to decide what's to do in the early-mid game:
- 1. I started buying sentry and obs ward in order to secure my farm in jungle and avoid going to lane from times to times.
2. I manage to pick-off riki passing through the jungle, but I doubt he knows that I warded.
3. I decided to buy ethereal blade to deal with riki and manage to pick him off a few time again. It's odd that he didn't buy bkb.
4. I started to buy manta for extra push and later on buy a gem to push. I noticed techies has force-staff so I have to buy bkb in order to avoid him pushing me in.
5. Game goes on as the enemy team doesn't group and keep getting pick off and finally we won the game.
In this second game, I pretty much did the same thing, but snow-ball a little bit more and help team out.
http://storage.entgaming.net/replay/vie ... 447863.w3g
