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Windranger has had a love-hate relationship withDota 2. It’s been a while since this once-first-phase pick/ban hero in the pro scene has been played in the middle lane. Ever since her shift to Universal Hero, she was picked up for a few games as a Position 1 carry, but soon after, she was hit with the nerf hammer once again, making her obsolete.
The pub scene, however, paints a different picture. This hero is still every bit as popular as it once was, if not as a core, then as a support. But how good is she really in a support role? Is Position 4 Windranger a viable pick in the currentDota 2meta? Turns out the answer is yes!
Windranger Position 4 Support in Dota 2
As a Position 4 support hero, Windranger makes a lot of sense. The hero has a strong nuke at level 1 to harass the enemyPosition 1 Safe Lane carryand secure the range creep. Her Windrun ability gives her 100% evasion for a few seconds, allowing her totrade hits by auto attackingthe enemy Position 5 support. She also has a strong disable in Shackleshot to offer some kill threat in the lane.
How it Works
Shackleshot (Q)
A unit target ability that shackles the target to an enemy unit or tree directly behind it for up to 3.1 seconds
Powershot (W)
A channeled ability that fires a projectile dealing up to 470 damage to every enemy along its travel path
Windrun (E)
Grants Evasion to Windranger for up to 6 seconds and also boosts her movement speed by 60%/
Focus Fire (R)
Grants Windranger up to 500 bonus attack speed against a single enemy hero or unit for 20 seconds while reducing her attack damage by 30%.
As ofDota 2Patch 7.36, the update that also introducedthe huge Crownfall event, she also has two Facets and an Innate Ability.
With Aghanim’s Shard item that becomes available at minute 15:00, she can get an additional ability called Gale Force. It’s an area-targeted ability that pushes the enemy units and heroes caught in it toward a specific direction. This one ability makes her one of thestrongest heroes inDota 2sub-15 minutes.
Apart from her ultimate, all of her abilities are what you’d expect from a typical support hero. Her poor base stats also make her a liability as a core, as she can die easily if she gets caught with Windrun on cooldown. However, she excels in her role as a Position 4 Support, where her main job is to harass the enemy heroes and force them out of the lane.
Position 4 Windranger Build Guide
Here’s a breakdown of everything you need to know if you want to play Windranger as a Position 4 support inDota 2:
Ability Build and Talents
When you’re playing Windranger, as Position 4, Focus Fire is the Facet you want to start with. Since the hero scales well with some damaged items, you may use your ultimate on a key enemy backline support to force them away from the team fight.
Use the following image as a reference for your ability build and talents:
Depending on the lane matchup, you might want to go with Powershot first instead of Windrun at level 1. Powershot will help you secure the ranged creep, while Windrun lets you trade hits. Other than that, this ability build is pretty standard for most games.
Item Progression:
Windranger doesn’t need too many items to be effective as a Position 4 support. Her role is more about how you play her than what you build with her. In most cases, you want to adjust to the situation and heroes on the opponent’s team.
For the early game, two sets of tangos, along with some stats, will give you enough to trade hits with the enemy team. If you run out of regen, ferry out some more using your courier.
You want to prioritize building your Boots of Speed and Magic Wand early in the laning phase. This will allow you to gank the middle lane during rune spawns. You’ll also have an easier time contesting enemy support pulls with just your Brown Boots. An Infused Raindrop in your inventory will help you survive if the enemy team has a lot of magic damage.
As Position 4, Windranger excels with some mobility items. Blink and Force Staff both let you position better in team fights to get Shackleshot connections. Glimmer Cape is a great choice to save your core in critical situations. Rod of Atos can serve as an excellent catch if your team is lacking disables. If you manage to save up gold, Aghanim’s Scepter can be an amazing upgrade, as it will make you completely invisible when you press Windrun.
Aghanim’s Shard is arguably the most important item on Windranger. As you reach the 15-minute mark, make sure you have saved 1400 gold to get it for a massive power spike. As for your Boots upgrade, both Arcane Boots and Tranquil Boots are good choices. It’s a question of whether you want more sustain or more Mana. If you go with Tranquil boots, consider also building Drums of Endurance to get the Boots of Bearing in the late game.
Windranger even though you’re playing the hero as a Position 4 support, can scale well into the late game with some damage items. If you think the game might go late, consider upgrading your Rod of Atos to Gleipneir. In some situations, Daedalus can also be viable even on a Support Windranger.
Against Silence, Eul’s Scepter of Divinity or Lotus Orb are good items to build. Diffusal Blade can help against heroes that rely on Mana, such as Medusa or Wraith King. If you’re having trouble with hard-hitting enemy heroes, Ghost Scepter can help.
How To Play Windranger Position 4 in Dota 2?
Playing Windranger in the Support role isn’t too complicated. You want to go to the Hard Lane with yourPosition 3 Off Lane. Your job is to secure the early range creeps while harassing the opponent carry as much as possible. Trade hits with the enemy Position 5 and force them to buy more regen. Contest the camp pulls and secure the Healing Lotus for your ally.
During minute 6, if the lane is going well, you can movetowards the middle laneto secure the power rune for your Position 2. You can also look for any potential gank opportunity on the enemy Midlaner.
Windrun can make risky moves in the enemy jungle if the enemy team doesn’t have many disables. Use this to your advantage and secure vision in the enemy junglewith some observer wardsto keep an eye on the enemy carry early on.
For team fights, you want to stay behind your core. Windranger is a squishy hero, and the last thing you want is to become the focus of the enemy team. Instead, try to keep your distance, land your Powershot to deal damage, and try to catch key enemy heroes with Shackleshot.
Use mobility items and your Windrun ability to position well during team fights. If you manage to save up for the Aghanim’s Scepter, you can use your Windrun to scout ahead and get vision on the enemy’s backline.
Windranger isn’t a tough hero to master, but it does take some practice. Feel free to try out this build in your next pub game inDota 2. With some practice and a bit of effort, you’ll soon be able to make Windrangerone of your main heroes inDota 2.
