Rise 'n' Shine! Top
Adagio can do just about anything. His ability to simultaneously heal allies, damage enemies, and rapidly regain energy make him unique and it is what I tend to concentrate on. Aside from Ardan, he has the most crystal power, and he is ranged, so he can avoid a certain amount of damage while dealing it.
All that being said, it is because of all that that Adagio is likely to become the first target in any teamfight situation. That is why the very first thing I do when playing as Adagio is to get boots. Only if the opposition includes
Taka, then I'll also get a
Scout Trap. If not, I typically won't get a consumable all game long (unless it seems appropriate to get a
Flare Gun, or rarest of all, a
Crystal Infusion).
Boots equipped, the blitz begins. As long as at least one other teammate is close enough to help out if the situation calls for it, I use the speed to jump one of the two closer of the goblins on the opposite side of the jungle, typically the two by the shop where Adagio's A (
Gift of Fire) can have an immediate use.
If the situation gets too uncomfortable, I'll do my best to sprint to safety, but sadly, there are times when a nearby teammate might ignore the situation and the entire enemy team shows up, but that is rare enough that it is a worthwhile calculated risk.
Those goblins by the store are Adagio's best source of gold early in the jungle, but they can leave one stranded at a really bad moment and cost dearly. Do not overextend your presence in the opposite half of the jungle; without a decent teammate to farm it with who will have your back and take a risk when the time comes, a player is better off keeping to their side of the jungle.
I suggest only entering the lane when it is wise or necessary (e.g. there are enough enemies attacking your turret to warrant protecting it or there is no way to safely profit in the jungle), even if Adagio is the only laner on your team.
Also, remember, using A on Adagio will slow anyone caught in the Arcane Fire, and that anyone buffed with his B (
Agent of Wrath) will do extra damage to anyone (or anything) burning with Arcane Fire. Despite the fact his B, if used on himself, gives and extra damage boost, I find it often wiser to boost a more powerful and relevant ally. Although, if they are not likely to be attacking a favorable target, then feel free to use Adagio's B on himself, but keep in mind that the target may get well out of range in the short span of time it takes for Adagio to cast his B.
Don't get caught up if your teammates seem to be hogging the kills and thus the gold and leveling. This can be to your advantage as the stronger your teammates, the stronger the buffer will be for enemies to get through to kill you, and you will still make marginal gold once you start to build for your Warhorn.
Goin' for Gold! Top
The "Building" set of items suggests, in order of desirability, what branches through which to build whatever items you choose to obtain. Since I seem to often find myself as the lowest level on my team (now without worrying), that usually translates into collecting gold at a slightly diminished rate (although definitely not always the case). In other words, what you spend your gold on matters. So you'll probably have a couple
Hourglasses/
Chronographs before you have a
Swift Shooter, let alone a
Crystal Bit.
The core build relates to how I like to focus on Adagio's A capabilities, with speed to reach allies in need and a greatly reduced cooldown to keep the health flowing positively. With
Clockwork's 50% and Warhorn's 30% cooldown reduction rates, at 80% reduction, what you previously had to wait a minute for becomes available in just 12 seconds (I'll include what that means for Adagio's A at full upgrade once I figure that out).
(Something to consider: evidently, casting Adagio's A ability on a target that is already under the influence of it will not cause the initial burst of healing effect to take place. Rather, it will extend the duration of the healing-over-time effect. In other words, casting his A on an ally again before the initial cast wears off actually diminishes the potential overall healing effects.)
I personally prefer to get the Swift Shooter before the Crystal Bit now because I find it balances nicely and helps to defeat goblins much quicker, although I find it best to first concentrate on preparing the core before beginning the power or defense.
While I now prefer to go for the full power outfit, sometimes you may find utility in including some defense. The
Crucible can protect you and your team from a bad situation, and it is usually a way to ensure completing Adagio's C without getting killed.
The list of other options includes all the remaining complete energy, defense, and utility items. Depending on how the match is playing out, it may be wise to have something to give Adagio an edge, whether it's geared toward protecting him so he can effectively change the battle to a positive outcome or geared toward eliminating a specific enemy so you and your teammates are more effective.
In order to remain adaptable, build whatever item is least necessary to your game (usually
Frostburn or
Eve of Harvest for me) last. There may be an enemy
Krul or
Catherine or some other powerful hero that is good at reducing your health and capabilities, and it is usually a good idea to get an item that will help you stave off assaults that may otherwise turn the tide of battle against you. Counter their build(s) by checking the score and adjusting accordingly.
Even as you become more powerful, try to play it safe by sticking with teammates or close enough to an allied turret. If you do choose to rough it alone, consider attempting to bait and switch with an allied hero or turret. You can always try to find a spot momentarily neglected by the enemy from which to teleport back to headquarters.
Just stick to the strategy originally outlined: get gold and levels for you and you teammates, deny such for the enemy, and try to maintain initiative through tactics like surprise attacks and letting enemies start fights that you and your allies finish (it's satisfying when the enemy team attacks the goldmine and then you and your team lands the final hit and then pursue the damaged enemies). Oh, and avoid getting killed! (Unless you judge a situation to benefit from baiting enemies to death. I often find myself allowing my sacrifice in order to position my team to ace. But just as often, I find I have to turn away from an imperiled teammate to protect us from getting aced. It's always in shame, I hate to leave a teammate to their death. Don't always play it safe though. The more you play, the more you'll get a sense for when the risk will pay off. Pay attention to how the enemy is building and playing.)
Finish 'Em! Top
If all goes as I prefer it to, then I am equipped for a swift finish. I can bait and switch and assist allies easily with the boots, rush the enemy and avoid being aced with Warhorn, and use my abilities quick and often with Clockwork. With the all-power outfit, Arcane Fire can slow enemies no matter who I heal thanks to Frostburn, plus it will heal my hero, and every other attack I land is going to heal me and might also slow the target thanks to Eve of Harvest and
Alternating Current. This build strikes a nice balance, being able to slow the enemy often and allowing Adagio to have some sustainability through his increased capacity to cause crystal damage.
At this point, it may make more sense to start using his B on himself more often and healing allies almost exclusively (not that this will not necessarily be a sensible strategy from the beginning of the match).
Something to note if you find yourself unable to complete Adagio's C (
Verse of Judgement) effectively is that if he is concealed in brush, the enemy cannot see the telltale circle of runes ringed with the red boundary marking its effective range.
Stunning enemies can buy an ally time to escape. Don't be afraid to self sacrifice to avoid getting aced. Also, be sure to communicate effectively, letting your allies know what's dangerous, what's wise, and what your plans are so they can play accordingly.
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