The role Energy plays is sometimes hard to understand and often not discussed. I hope this thread can remedy this. I've been thinking about this for a while, but after watching the new Ardan character in action today, I decided it was time to write something down and discuss the role energy plays -- I think an overlooked and important one. Energy, as I see it, goes hand in hand with the capability to use a hero's abilities. This is not to be confused with cooldown acceleration,...

Great feedback! I use flares often, but not scout traps much at the start (there's expensive in the beginning, relatively speaking)... I'll try to incorporate this into my MO.

That's great! I agree with you previous comment, typically 2 junglers and 1 laner (which is somewhat subjective, but generally true IMO) is the "right" combo. One thing I notice when I "wait around" for others to pick this "right" combo is someone ends up quickly picking a laner, and they want a laner too. The only logical thing I can think of is be because they think they won't level "fast" enough with 2 in the jungle? I even fast...

Well, to play devils advocate here ( (I know not your situation here, and I've been in your shoes before too), when you have the strongest build at the time, and everyones getting ganked left and right 3v3, and you're turrets are dropping one after another, then sometimes it does make sense to save the extra 10 or so minutes and just call it a match. Further along these lines, if you see something they don't, like you just got a item you know can turn the game around, or maybe you think...

@Polymess, I completely agree with you on all counts. The only problem is, if I back out of a match at hero selection because the other two guys picked, for example, a SKAARF and SAW, we get dinged right?

@wolf_hands, I usually go with a Irongard Contract to start, but even if I did get boots I might escape a kite or two but end up loosing the jungle 2v1. When I say I go to the lane, most of the time it is just to gank, as killing minions to start will mute the laners from leveling... also, in order to get the jump I usually do wait until they're in range (so they can't run back to the torrent before getting ganked). But even this sometimes doesn't work out as most of the time I can only...

What I've encountered lately is (I'm playing with Krul mostly), getting ganked by two (sometimes more) in the jungle early (I mean right out of the gate -- can't even get one minion out of the way before being ambushed), while my other two team mates stay in the lane (and won't come down to help often)... We usually loose these matches because I can't level, and a single Ringo/SAW holds the lane against the two on my team long enough for the other two the in the jungle to out level me and...

What do you mean, just before Breaking Point you start going for Warhorn (utility tree)? Or you get Chronograph (on utility tree), then get Breaking Point?

I got absolutely stomped in the jungle with this build like never before (with other builds). He's weak as all get out. Might as well just start from the top and pick tier 3 weapons on your way down to the bottom -- would be better IMO. If you're not given enough time in the jungle to farm (opposing team loves to shut Krul down early), then you won't get close to the fully realized build (but that's the case no matter what build you get)... the problem is, without the crystal items here,...

"counter builds": I just lost the game with this build (it was close)... Why? IMO, I think #1 reason was teamwork. The guys on the other side played almost the whole game side-by-side. Except for Ringo, which stayed in the lane and was up against Skaaraf (he doesn't seem to hold his own one-on-one in the lane). Taka and Petal stayed together almost the whole time. And Petal, at least for Krul, is really tough to beat. I couldn't even get one on one time with the...