Nyx Assassin Guide


Items

Starting items:

Early game:

Core items:

Situational items:

  • Aghanim`s Scepter unlocks Burrow, which can give Nyx Assassin a strong tactical advantage against certain enemies. It also improves his overall attributes, aiding in his survivability and buffing up his mana pool.
  • Blink Dagger greatly increases Nyx Assassin`s mobility, allowing him to jump on top of enemies and initiate without relying on Vendetta. In particular, being able to quickly re-position to cast Impale can allow Nyx Assassin to stun multiple enemy heroes at the start of a fight, and in a pinch Spiked Carapace can be used to prevent enemy initiating nukes from putting it on cooldown.
  • Force Staff For the cosmetic item equipped by Crystal Maiden, see Force Staff (Equipment)   Item   Changelogs     Force StaffB Allows you to manipulate others, for good or evil. Cost2250 (400) Bought FromCaster Active Force dota2 is a handy utility item that grants Nyx Assassin many strong bonuses. It provides more intelligence for increasing the size of his mana pool, as well as HP regen for sustaining his health pool. The active greatly improves Nyx Assassin`s mobility, allowing him to re-position for casting his spells, or chasing and escaping more easily. In a pinch, it can also be used as a cheap way to break an enemy Linken`s Sphere prior to landing other disables and nukes, and can even be used to re-position Nyx Assassin during Burrow.
  • Aether Lens will increase Impale and Mana Burn`s cast range, which is good to offset their terrible cast animation. It can be built by recycling the Energy Booster you got from Arcane Boots. The spell amp is always nice, especially on a nuker like Nyx.
  • Ethereal Blade is a strong nuke booster that improves Nyx Assassin`s ability to burst down enemies. As his primary attribute is agility, the bonus agility will increase the damage that Ether Blast deals, which will also greatly slow its target`s movement speed while weakening their magic resistance, leaving them wide open for Impale, Mana Burn and Dagon.
  • Observer Ward can be useful to purchase on Nyx Assassin, as he is a very heavy roamer who can place wards before or after ganks to spot out enemy movement to strike again.
  • Enchanted Mango is a strong laning item, as it provides a small boost to HP regeneration, augmenting his innate base HP regen to greatly increase his survivability in the off-lane. It can also be consumed for instant mana replenishment to be able to cast one more disable or nuke to secure a kill.
  • Stout Shield can greatly increase Nyx Assassin`s resistance against harass damage when off-laning. Along with his innate HP regen, the damage block can keep his HP full and able to continue gaining gold and experience. It can further be upgraded into a Poor Man`s Shield which could help you grab some last hits thanks to the +6 agility it provides.
  • Bottle is a very strong self-sustain item that allows Nyx Assassin to replenish his HP and mana, increasing his autonomy. As he constantly roams, Nyx is able to easily pick up runes to refill his Bottle, and utilize the runes during ganks as needed.
  • Eul`s Scepter of Divinity is a strong casting item that boosts Nyx Assassin`s ability to roam and gank. The increased intelligence and mana regen help to sustain his spell casting, ensuring that he doesn`t have to return to base to replenish mana, and the increased movement speed gives him more mobility for hunting down enemies. The cyclone can be used to dispel debuffs from Nyx Assassin while providing temporary invulnerability, or can be cast on an enemy as a further disable.
  • Scythe of Vyse gives Nyx Assassin an instant ranged hard disable, useful in many situations. Also, it gives him stats across the board, particularly improving his intelligence for more mana and providing powerful scaling mana regeneration to allow him to roam independently.
  • Boots of Travel is an expensive investment, but greatly increases Nyx Assassin`s ability to move around and secure kills for his team. The increased movement speed makes it easier to scout and roam for kills, particularly when further boosted by Vendetta, and the global teleport allows him to show up to get kills whenever opportunities present themselves. As well, it provides a way to easily return to base to retrieve items and replenish HP and mana, or quickly return to the field after respawning.
  • Veil of Discord can be a good alternative to the usual dagon as it`s built from the same Null Talismans but gives better overall stats. If you`re not getting any pickoffs by yourself, Veil will increase your team`s magic damage as well as your own.
  • Necronomicon is an unorthodox utility item to build on Nyx Assassin, but can be useful in certain situations. The ability to summon minions to assist him during ganks can increase the odds of getting a kill, and upgrading to level 3 Necronomicon provides True Sight that can debilitate an enemy`s chances of using invisibility spells to escape. It also provides teamfight contribution, adding damage output on top of Nyx Assassin`s disables and nukes.
  • Diffusal Blade does not give Nyx Assassin many strong attribute benefits, but can be a strong utility item nonetheless. While Nyx Assassin does not rely on his physical attacks to deal damage outside of Vendetta, he can use Diffusal Blade`s purge to pin down enemies and remove their buffs during ganks, or to remove debuffs from himself if he is being chased by the enemy.
  • Lotus Orb allows Nyx Assassin to further use the enemy`s spells against them on top of Spiked Carapace. Echo Shell can give Nyx Assassin a 5 second window with which to reflect enemy spells rather than 2.25, and even though it doesn`t block the damage done by these spells it can reflect debuffs and stuns rather than just the damage. It also provides armor, increasing Nyx Assassin`s survivability, and HP and mana regen for self-sustain.
  • Orchid Malevolence provides Nyx Assassin with a soft disable that can greatly improve his ability to gank and kill enemies. By silencing an enemy during a gank, Nyx Assassin can prevent them from casting retaliatory disables to get away; as well, his high burst damage can take advantage of the burn damage at the end of the silence to increase the odds of getting a kill during a gank. The item also provides increased intelligence and mana regen, further improving Nyx Assassin`s ability to roam independently.
  • Drum of Endurance is a useful stat booster that is easy to build. It gives Nyx Assassin all-around attributes, improving his HP, attack damage and mana. The aura can be very useful, as it boosts Nyx Assassin`s movement speed, allowing him to chase down enemies more quickly.
  • Ring of Aquila provides Nyx Assassin with an assortment of attributes, as well as increasing his armor and providing some mana regen. It is a good cheap stat-booster that helps to sustain his mana pool.
  • Linken`s Sphere greatly improves Nyx Assassin`s survivability, and allows him to engage and gank enemies through single-target disables. The Spellblock allows Nyx Assassin to ignore any targeted disables that enemies may try to hit him with, allowing him to continue pursuit and kill the enemy.

Gameplay

Playstyle
Nyx Assassin This page is about the hero. For the goddess in Dota 2 lore, see Nyx.   Hero   Strategy   Counters   Equipment   Gear   Responses   Sounds   Lore   Old Abilities   dota2 is a powerful roamer The heroes in Dota 2 are defined by the roles that they are suited to play as a combination of their attributes, abilities, and items, and the ways that these shape the game. Although the dota2 whose burst damage nukes allows him to quickly kill any lone heroes he encounters. While his spells provide relatively little teamfight contribution outside of Impale, his ability to kill the enemy one by one can put the enemy team at a disadvantage in terms of economy, creating opportunities for his team to take advantageous teamfights or outfarm the opposition. Be that as it may, Nyx Assassin`s abilities fall off in the late game, where he plays a more supporting role with his stuns.
Pros Cons
  • High burst damage.
  • Reflects damage.
  • Can give a big space advantage to his team by ganking the enemy team in the early to mid game.
  • High health regeneration.
  • Less effective in the late game.
  • Low mana.
  • More information needed.

Videos

Info


Hero Strategy Counters Play “Many hands make light work.” This article is badly written or needs more information. Please help the community by updating it. Read this formatting guide first.   Hero   Strategy   Counters   Equipment   Equipment   Hero   Strategy   Counters   Equipment   Gear   Responses   Sounds   Lore   Old Abilities   Changelogs   Known Bugs     v • d • e Nyx Assassin Equipment (collapse sets)Sets Alpha Predator Set Carapace dota2 Gear   Hero   Strategy   Counters   Equipment   Gear   Responses   Sounds   Lore   Old Abilities   Changelogs   Known Bugs     This is a list of cosmetic items that reflects dota2 Responses   Hero   Strategy   Counters   Equipment   Gear   Responses   Sounds   Lore   Old Abilities   Changelogs   Known Bugs     v • d • e  Voice responses Hero responses Abaddon Alchemist Ancient Apparition Anti-Mage dota2 Sounds   Hero   Strategy   Counters   Equipment   Gear   Responses   Sounds   Lore   Old Abilities   Changelogs   Known Bugs     v • d • e  Dota 2 Sounds Hero Sounds Abaddon Alchemist Ancient Apparition Lore   Hero   Strategy   Counters   Equipment   Gear   Responses   Sounds   Lore   Old Abilities   Changelogs   Known Bugs     Nyx Assassin Deep in the Archive of Ultimyr, shelved Old Abilities   Hero   Strategy   Counters   Equipment   Gear   Responses   Sounds   Lore   Old Abilities   Changelogs   Known Bugs     Scarab Summon Level 2 Duration Permanent Health 200 Health dota2 Changelogs   Hero   Strategy   Counters   Equipment   Gear   Responses   Sounds   Lore   Old Abilities   Changelogs   Known Bugs     Contents 1 Version history 2 Patch history Version history dota2 Known Bugs   Hero   Strategy   Counters   Equipment   Gear   Responses   Sounds   Lore   Old Abilities   Changelogs   Known Bugs     Vendetta edit] Vendetta s backstab applies to every hit during

Ganker

Nyx Assassin is always played as a ganker. With Vendetta, his purpose is to slip into hostile territory, and take out enemies, mostly in the jungle. A successful Nyx Assassin is able to shut down the opposing team with repeated assassinations, and intimidate enemies into playing very defensively. A Dagon For the cosmetic item equipped by Nyx Assassin, see Nyx Assassin s Dagon.   Item   Changelogs     DagonB A lesser wand that grows in power the longer it is used, it brings magic to dota2 helps Nyx Assassin greatly, as it allows him to finish off most heroes after using Vendetta.

Support

Nyx Assassin is sometimes played as a support, and usually transforms into a more supporting style during the late game. In this role, his goal is to stun as many enemies as possible with Impale and Spiked Carapace, and pick off dying enemies with Vendetta and Dagon For the cosmetic item equipped by Nyx Assassin, see Nyx Assassin s Dagon.   Item   Changelogs     DagonB A lesser wand that grows in power the longer it is used, it brings magic to dota2 .

Ability Builds

Generic Nyx Assassin
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Talents

Notes:
  • Upgrading health increases maximum health capacity and keeps the current health percentage.
  • The magic resistance stacks multiplicatively with other sources of magic resistance.
  • The damage bonus to Spiked Carapace increases the damage to 200%, not by 200%.

General

  • Despite his mediocre attribute growth, Nyx Assassin is a deceptively durable hero, as he can take advantage of damage block Damage Block is a passive ability that gives the wielding unit a chance to block some physical damage from an attack. Contents 1 Mechanics 2 Stacking 3 Sources of Damage Block 4 Version history 5 dota2 items in-lane due to being a melee hero and possesses higher-than-average base @@@#@@@HP(hp.com)###@### regen. As well, his Spiked Carapace ability allows him to shrug off extremely powerful damage nukes that could kill other heroes.
  • Because of his skill set, Nyx Assassin prioritizes in building items that increase the size of his mana pool and provide mana replenishment. His ability to roam autonomously and kill with his high burst alpha means that he can do more for his team if he does not have to return to base frequently to refill his HPTechnology company and mana. As well, items that improve his mobility, nuking and disabling power will better allow him to find, chase down and kill important targets.
  • Beware that while Nyx Assassin`s spells have respectable cast ranges, his 0.4 second cast animation means that they can be telegraphed and anticipated by the enemy, allowing them to counter the spells. Surprise is key to getting off Nyx Assassin`s spells, as the enemy may be able to otherwise avoid them.
  • Nyx Assassin is best played as a roamer or a solo off-laner in order to maximize his effectiveness.
    • As an off-laner, Nyx Assassin can take advantage of his innately high base HPTechnology company regen to survive enemy harassment, and has Spiked Carapace at his disposal to deflect enemy magic nukes back at their caster. By taking advantage of solo experience and possibly gold if he can manipulate creep equilibrium to favor him, Nyx Assassin can get an early level 6 to begin roaming and getting kills with Vendetta.
    • As a roamer, Nyx Assassin focuses on taking advantage of his respectable base movement speed and the long cast range of Impale to set up kills for his team in their lanes. Getting important pick-offs during the laning stage can get him the gold and levels he needs to further roam in the mid-game, and can set back the enemy`s level and item progression considerably, making them easier targets to kill.

Impale

  • Impale is a ground-targeted disable that stuns and damages enemies in a line in front of Nyx Assassin.
  • As Nyx Assassin`s primary disable, Impale should be maxed out first, as both its damage and stun duration scale as it is leveled up. Its long cast range allows Nyx Assassin to stun enemies from a surprising range.
  • The area nature of Impale means that it is possible to damage and stun multiple enemy heroes with a single cast. This can be very useful both for initiating engagements by stunning multiple enemy heroes at the start, or for saving fleeing teammates by stopping pursuers in their tracks.
  • Great skill is required in order to successfully land Impale, as Nyx Assassin`s long cast animation, the unreliable ground-targeted nature of the spell, and the travel time of the spell itself can give enemies almost a full second to react if they are far enough away. If a leading stun is not available, good aiming and prediction skills are needed in order to ensure that Impale will successfully stun its intended target.
  • Impale will still animate if it catches an invisible hero; if a spike elevates with no visible enemy units, it means that the spell has hit an invisible enemy. This can be useful for finding fleeing enemy heroes who may have cast invisibility to escape, as detection or follow-up area stuns and nukes can then be employed to finish them off.
  • Remember that as Impale is not a reliable targeted stun, it cannot be blocked by Linken`s Sphere. Use this to your advantage when initiating on enemies that are relying on its protection, casting a more expendable spell or item ability to break it while the target is stunned.

Mana Burn

Spiked Carapace

  • Spiked Carapace allows Nyx Assassin to reflect hero damage back to its origin, stunning the attacker while leaving Nyx Assassin unharmed. It can only reflect the first instance per damage source, and only once per cast of Spiked Carapace.
  • Because it always lasts for the full 2.25 seconds, and is only useful if the enemy attempts to attack Nyx Assassin, Spiked Carapace should be given low priority for maxing out among his spells. One value point in the laning stage can give strong survivability, however the reduced cooldown and longer stun duration are not strictly necessary until later in the game.
  • Spiked Carapace is a very strong escape spell as it can be used to stun enemy initiators, delaying them from landing follow-up stuns. In the event that Nyx Assassin is ganked, casting Spiked Carapace can buy him enough time to escape or land a counter-stun with Impale.
  • Because it only reflects the first instance of hero damage, Spiked Carapace is strong against burst damage nukes but less effective against damage over time spells. While it can completely reflect large single-instance damage nukes like Assassinate and Laguna Blade, it is far less effective against multiple damage ticks like Dual Breath and Battery Assault.
  • Spiked Carapace`s cooldown only allows it to be cast once at the start of an engagement, leaving it unable to be cast again until during the pursuit phase. As such, casting it at the right moment is crucial, as the long cooldown leaves little room for error.
  • Spiked Carapace can be used as a follow-up stun after a successful Impale. Activating Spiked Carapace right as the stun from Impale expires gives Nyx Assassin another opportunity to stun the target, as any counter-nukes or disables that deal damage will be reflected and stun the enemy again. This can be particularly useful against intelligence casters, who may try to target powerful nukes on Nyx Assassin that can be reflected in their full to add to Nyx Assassin`s alpha.
  • Keep in mind that Spiked Carapace only reflects the damage portion of any spell damage, and Nyx Assassin is still fully affected by secondary effects; Light Strike Array and Storm Hammer will still stun, Frost Blast and Venomous Gale will still slow, and so on. Spiked Carapace should not generally be treated as an invulnerability spell, as the enemy can still disable Nyx Assassin for enough time until the spell expires.
  • Against certain enemies, Spiked Carapace can allow Nyx Assassin to turn their skillshots against them while saving his own life. Knowing when the enemy may attempt to cast long-ranged nukes like Powershot, Rocket Flare, Sun Strike, and even Ice Blast can allow Nyx Assassin to use Spiked Carapace to block the damage instance and deflect it back, possibly even getting a kill if the caster is low enough.
  • Good timing and reflexes are crucial for effectively using Spiked Carapace, as its instant cast time and short duration can make it hard to use. Activating Spiked Carapace too early can warn the enemy not to cast any damage spells at Nyx Assassin until it expires, while activating it too late will cause Nyx Assassin to take the full damage from an incoming nuke and possibly be disabled and unable to cast it. Casting it at the right time can allow Nyx Assassin to fully reflect powerful damage nukes and stun numerous enemies while remaining relatively unharmed.
  • Remember that all sources of hero damage can be used to proc Spiked Carapace`s stun, which allows Nyx Assassin to use the enemy`s area nukes against them. For instance, activating Spiked Carapace on top of Firefly, Mar. of the Machines, Scorched Earth and even an active Radiance   Item   Old Abilities   Changelogs     Radiance A divine weapon that causes damage and a bright burning effect that lays waste to nearby enemies. Cost5150 (1350) Bought FromWeapons Passive Burn Bonus +65 dota2 can stun the enemy even if they are not trying to directly target Nyx Assassin, which allows it to be used to stun enemies chasing a fleeing ally, stop a retreating enemy in their tracks, and even interrupt escape teleports.

Vendetta

Burrow

  • Burrow, unlocked through purchasing Aghanim`s Scepter, turns Nyx Assassin invisible while regenerating his HP and mana over time, and boosts the effectiveness of his spells.
  • Burrow greatly boosts the cast range of Impale and Mana Burn, while almost halving Impale`s cooldown time. This can give Nyx Assassin a powerful tactical advantage for striking enemies from a greater range.
  • Beware that because of its 1 second cast animation, Burrow is very difficult to cast tactically. The principle behind Burrow is to predict enemy movements and lie in wait, then use Nyx Assassin`s abilities when a target arrives, springing into action with his spells once surprise has been achieved. Remaining Burrowed in one location for an extended period of time can allow the enemy to approach Nyx Assassin from multiple directions and score an easy kill, or simply avoid him and engage his team 4-vs-5.
  • The health and mana regeneration allow Nyx Assassin to roam more independently, as he can quickly recover HP and mana by holing up, and utilize his boosted abilities if enemies stumble upon his lair.
  • Casting Vendetta will instantly unearth Nyx Assassin if he is Burrowed. This can be useful for misdirecting enemies, by hitting them with his spells first and then retreating away invisibly when they respond, ready to strike with Vendetta`s backstab damage and a ready Impale.
  • Try to utilize trees and high ground when casting Burrow. Nyx Assassin is not revealed when casting his spells, however remaining hidden from plain sight can keep him from being stumbled upon with detection and killed. In particular, the longer cast range on Impale and Mana Burn can help him to defend high ground against enemy pushes into his base.
  • Because it roots Root (formerly known as Ensnare and Entangle) is a status effect that prevents affected units from moving, and from casting some mobility spells. Contents 1 Mechanics 2 Rooting abilities 3 Self-rooting abilities 4 Disabled by dota2 Nyx Assassin for the duration of the ability, he is unable to utilize Blink Dagger during Burrow. Be that as it may, he can still be displaced by other abilities and items, particularly Force Staff For the cosmetic item equipped by Crystal Maiden, see Force Staff (Equipment)   Item   Changelogs     Force StaffB Allows you to manipulate others, for good or evil. Cost2250 (400) Bought FromCaster Active Force dota2 , Boulder Smash, Snowball, and so on. This can be useful for utilizing the instant stun from Spiked Carapace in order to stun multiple enemies quickly.