Heyo. I main Captain on Vainglory and have been doing so for about a year now. I don't think I'm the best support but I don't think I'm the worst either!
The reason I am making this guide is because I feel like Flicker is a very underestimated and underappreciated hero. Most people are under the belief that he is a useless roamer because he offers no protection for his team mates, he depends largely on ambushes and debuffs, and if the enemy team were to buy vision then he would be crippled. This is not the case! Flicker can become a tank pretty easily so he can body block or tank damage for allies, he does not depend on ambushing in fact he is pretty good for up front fighting, and vision can mean nothing to him if you play right. I am hoping that I can convince most of you reading this that Flicker can even be played in the higher tiers of vainglory if you give him a chance (I've never been higher than credible threat silver right now, so I'm just hoping a POA or Vainglorious can help me prove this right).
I have no idea why, but this guide became unlisted. Sorry about that if you wanted to look at it or come back to it. I have no idea why it happened but it did.
I APPRECIATE ANY FEEDBACK YOU HAVE TO GIVE. IT HELPS ME UNDERSTAND IF YOU LIKE THE GUIDE, DON'T LIKE IT, NOTICED SOMETHING WRONG WITH IT, OR EVEN JUST HAD A TIP THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO GIVE. PLEASE COMMENT IF YOU HAVE FEEDBACK. THANKS!!!
Flicker has a kit that depends upon locking down on targets. Whether it be through slowing them down, rooting them in place, both, or using stealth to search for the selected target, Flicker can provide a good lock on for his team. Flicker has a kit that depends upon team communication! If you just randomly use your Mooncloak or engage a person with Fairy Dust without warning an ally, I guarantee you there will be problems. This is why you should either use Flicker with communication, or save him for parties! Now that that's out of the way, without further ado, lets get started!
WILLOW WHISPER(Roll over icon for stats and description)
This heroic perk is by far the most interesting and most abused in my opinion. It will allow you to be a scout for your team, searching through the jungle bushes for enemies or scout traps. It is similar to Krul's perk in the sense that you have to stand still to charge it. The difference though, is that you are free to move around the bush whilst it charges, while with Krul you need to stand still. The reason I call this the most abused perk is because Flicker users tend to jump right into things with it, getting in the enemy mustache bush or running through the enemy jungle with it. That is just not acceptable all the time. I will explain more in the ability use chapter.
BINDING LIGHT(Roll over icon for stats and description)
Most people probably see this ability as worthless. It requires an immense amount of timing and prediction. Trust me though, its worth practicing with in the end. It packs a massive punch all through the game, and if you land a root your team is almost guaranteed a kill. The great thing about this ability is that it provides vision just like a Heliogenesis does with Julia's Light. If you cast Binding Light into a bush, you can see enemy units standing inside the bush. Don't spam this ability though! It may be tempting with its fast cooldown, but you will find yourself with no energy faster than you think. Just a little thing to put inside your cap if your out of flares and desperately need to check a bush.
FAIRY DUST(Roll over icon for stats and description)
This will be your prime ability, and the first one you overdrive! The slowdown is ideal for catching up and destroying. It's not just for either. If you have a Koshka on your team, a Ringo caught in this ability will be almost to easy. Or if you have a slow Baron or Rona this ability will be a massive help to them. Plus, you will notice how the detonating damage really leaves its mark. Don't assume that this ability is inescapable though. Reflex Block combined with boots should get a person out. blood rush can keep Koshka safe, and even just Kaiten can cause Taka to end up outside of it. Just keep in mind of who might be able to avoid this when you are drafting.
MOONCLOAK(Roll over icon for stats and description)
This ability has multiple uses. You can use it to find enemies, to escape if you or an ally are taking to much damage, or even if you need to sit close to an objective you plan on stealing from the enemy team. This ability really relies on lack of vision on the enemy team's part, so make sure that you have ridden of most of the enemy vision before you use this ult really frequently. This ability is really amazing for Rona or Alpha or any other hero who prefers to be behind the enemy team or in the middle of them without being noticed on the way over.
I feel as if I haven't put in a lot of exciting knowledge about these abilities, but to be honest Flicker has a kit that we've all seen before. Lance has a root, Krul, Rona, and Alpha have slow down effects, and Taka and Kestrel have stealth abilities. What makes his kit unique though is that these can be used in a very search and destroy type method, allowing your team to destroy the enemy team through pure target lock.
The thing about Flicker is that he only really needs a set bunch of items no matter what. His ideal build is already perfect for just about any threat, but you don't have to stick to it. You can also move around the order in which you should buy items. It depends on what you think is a priority. NOTE: For Flicker to be a roam, he can't really afford to have any red or blue items. He works in a way that strictly calls for either aggressive jungle or supportive roamer. It's easy for Flicker to be a tank, as I have said, but that requires all of the proper supportive items. If you buy any red or blue items, it tends to throw off his performance as a roam. You don't have to follow this advice, but it's just something to think about.
CORE ITEMS
Flicker has a very odd core that focuses half on support and half on cooldown and objectives. You can actually experiment with his core since it is easy to change, but this is what I play and personally recommend.
FOUNTAIN OF RENEWAL(Roll over icon for stats and description)
Fountain of Renewal is just the mandatory first item with roamers, with the exception of Lyra or Adagio. Getting this item as fast as you can is ideal, and helps you win more early fights or at least keep your allies healthy. Proper use of this item is necessary though. Use it too late and you probably wont get the heal to your allies in time. Use it too early, however, and you probably wont have given your allies a big enough heal to let them last through the fight. I will be posting a link for a helpful video on timing with Fountain of Renewal in the links chapter.
CRUCIBLE(Roll over icon for stats and description)
This item is usually in your core, as Flicker needs to get close and personal with fighting. The barrier that this item has to offer lets Flicker soak a little more damage so that his allies can keep on fighting. This wont always be your second item however. With Ringo, Vox, and even WP Joule being played a lot more, you most likely will be substituting this with an Atlas Pauldron a lot. It's a good second item to have against a Phinn, Catherine, or anyone else with a ruthless stun or root.
CONTRAPTION(Roll over icon for stats and description)
The master of vision is being called so by me for a reason. Flicker is perfect for laying down vision in even the deepest of enemy territory. All you have to do is use your perk or flare to check a bush, then place a scout trap. The cooldown and energy regen is also massively effective for him, as his Fairy Dust has a large cooldown on it. This item is usually bought 3rd but can be swapped with Stormcrown if you want.
STORMCROWN(Roll over icon for stats and description)
This item is pretty useful for Flicker. His abilities already deal a lot of damage on their own, having this will make your basic attacks have some bite to them too. The primary purpose for this item is to deal some good damage to whoever is caught within your Fairy Dust. The cooldown and energy regen are helpful towards your abiltites. Don't forget that this item is ideal for taking mines, the kraken, and the turrets. You will take objectives twice as fast with this item. Usually your 4th item, but you can swap it with Contraption if you want.
DEFENSE ITEMS
ATLAS PAULDRON(Roll over icon for stats and description)
Normally, I don't recommend this as a second item with Flicker, but a lot of people are playing attack speed heroes such as Ringo or Grumpjaw, so you will probably end up buying this second anyway. You will actually find that Atlas Pauldron is just as much a good buddy for Flicker as it is for Ardan. The fact that he can move in right on top of his target without being seen and then hold them down almost ensures a successful atlas. You actually might find yourself buying this second with Flicker just because of how easy it is to use with him. Just remember, your ok with a Crucible second when against a team reliant on debuffs, but if you end up against a team reliant on attack speed, buy this second at all costs!!!
METAL JACKET(Roll over icon for stats and description)
This is usually an unnecessary item for roamers, as your already meant for defense and you have an Atlas Pauldron. But if you were to end up against a double WP or a WP carry who is really chewing in to you, it might be a good idea to get this item alongside atlas.
AEGIS(Roll over icon for stats and description)
The same rules apply to this item as do Metal Jacket. Fountain of Renewal already has shielding on it, but if you are up against double CP or a devastating CP carry, you might want this in your belt for the extra defense.
UTILITY ITEMS
WAR TREADS(Roll over icon for stats and description)
These are your go to boots on average. They make Flicker a little tankier, plus you can use War Treads while your whole team is stealthed with Mooncloak to reach your objective even faster! Flicker has one of the best movement speeds in the game, so you don't have to make boots a very high priority. It's still nice to get these at about your 4th item sometimes, though you can drift all the way to having Travel Boots through even the 15 minute mark if you want.
JOURNEY BOOTS(Roll over icon for stats and description)
These are just to be far more sticky and annoyingly fast with Flicker. The fact that Flicker is usually always hitting someone with an ability allows him to use the passive to its fullest. They aren't really ideal for being a tank, but they will grant you 250 extra health to pack in your stats. Flicker is a fast little devil to begin with, but I assure you that these will make you a marathon runner.
SHIVERSTEEL(Roll over icon for stats and description)
It was pretty obvious from day 1 that Flicker would benefit greatly from this item. Shiversteel with Flicker is pure speed hell on the enemy carry. The slowdown from Fairy Dust always ensures that you can get 1 basic attack in, and if that basic attack is laced with slowdown, its almost too much. Even the most speedy of heroes such as Koshka, Taka, or even Vox are afraid of a Shiversteel with Flicker. It's not an ideal item, but definitely purchase if there is an annoying road runner on the enemy team getting away from even your Fairy Dust.
NULLWAVE GAUNTLET(Roll over icon for stats and description)
This item is certainly not ideal for Flicker. He can usually cause an ambush so sudden that the enemy roam doesn't have time to react with his/her items, but you should definitely purchase this if your Fairy Dust is getting blocked a lot or if the enemy roam is reacting to fast for your likings.
CONTRACTS
The thing about Flicker is that he is a contracts man. I call for Hourglass at the match start because I think that some slight energy regen and cooldown is necessary for Flicker at the start of the match. A beginner or someone who can't play Flicker well or even just someone who doesn't care for the Hourglass should get a contract. Flicker benefits greatly from all the contracts, but deciding which one to get first is the key.
IRONGUARD CONTRACT(Roll over icon for stats and description)
If you are looking for a more passive start, this contract is probably what you want. It enables you to help your allies farm easier, get energy and health, and even keep the carry from getting to bullied in the lane! NOTE: In the lane, only the bigger minions actually work with this contract. Smaller minions wont do anything for you.
DRAGONBLOOD CONTRACT(Roll over icon for stats and description)
This is for a more aggressive early game with someone like Koshka or Reim on your team. Flicker can really take advantage of this contract since he can easily get close enough to enemies to use and slow them down enough for his allies to benefit from it. NOTE: This contract can be used with both WP and CP damage from allies, but in my opinion it is far better to use this with CP damage allies as this gives enemies a quick burst of CP damage! Don't feel like you can't use it with WP damage either though. I'm just giving personal opinion.
PROTECTOR CONTRACT(Roll over icon for stats and description)
This can be used 2 different ways: for a more aggressive approach early game with your jungle ally, or a more defensive stand in the lane. It can just be used simply for defense, but these 2 reasons are best in my opinion. NOTE: This contract is extremely effective early game when everyone has little or no damage to give, is ok mid game when everyone still has some slight difficulty dealing massive damage, but is worthless late game when everyone is doing tremendous damage compared to early game. If you buy this contract, I advise you sell it at around 10-15 minutes.
That is what I think of the contracts. Flicker really benefits from all of them. You can even get 2 contracts at the start if you want though I recommend you only use that tactic in certain comps and after you have practiced with it a bit. If you want to try 2 contracts, I recommend Dragonblood Contract with Protector Contract. I promise that your early game aggression will be really effective with that combination!
I might edit different things on the items. I somehow feel as if I haven't explained them right. For now, here they are. Just remember that with Flicker, you don't need to get Crucible second you might even be getting Atlas Pauldron second more. I might edit the guide so atlas is bought second rather than Crucible.
As I have mentioned before, Flicker has a set of abilities that greatly require team work and communication. I hope to help you better understand how to use your abilities in this chapter, and I still strongly recommend that you save Flicker for parties with friends who you can play with well rather than soloq. He is still effective in soloq, but many people (and even I sometimes) forget to communicate in the middle of a match.
Willow Whisper
You can use this to look into enemy bushes and possibly camp in them. If there are enemies in the bush I highly recommend you don't camp in it.
You can use this to scout bushes that you can put vision down in. Vision is essential for Flicker so do a good job.
You can use this to get to allies in trouble quicker. It gives you a speed boost which is effective for transportation.
Ganks in the lane are perfect with this perk. Wait for the appropriate time, run up practically next to the enemy carry, and instantly activate a Fairy Dust while your jungle and/or carry drills into them.
Binding Light
Binding Light is perfect for last hitting objectives. See if you can poke and steal a gold mine or two with it.
Poking down enemy carries trying to hide under turrets is an effective use for this ability.
combining this with Fairy Dust can really secure a kill provided you time and aim it so that they are rooted during or after the slow down from Fairy Dust.
You can use this for vision if you are out of flares by using it into a bush. Keep in mind though that this cant spot invisible units, scout traps, or anything like camo mist. Don't let the short cool down get to you, as you will lose energy fast if you do nothing but spam this!
You can also use this ability to try and herd enemy heroes. If you are chasing someone, place this someone in front of them or blocking an exit to see if it will keep them from going.
Fairy Dust
The slow down this item brings makes it perfect for ganking laners alongside your Willow Whisper. If you have atlas as your second item then your ganks will be especially effective against attack speed reliant heroes like Ringo or SAW.
Petal has a disadvantage thanks to this ability as her munions can be slowed down by it, making them useless since they can't reach their intended target.
Combined with Shiversteel, this ability really is a monster. The slow downs combined should be enough to stop the slowest hero ( Baron ) in their tracks, and the fastest hero ( Flicker or Koshka when her Bloodrush is up ) to a sluggish crawl.
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[*] The primary use of this ability is to stealth your whole team so you can scout and destroy the enemy carry and/or jungle. You will typically want to do this whenever you know where the enemy team is, and if they have vision.
[*] The secondary use of this ability is for a quick getaway. Suppose your carry is getting bursted down. Just activate your ult so that he can get away. (NOTE: Some abilities such as Forward Barrage tend to still be visible if they were done while being cloaked. This can cause some confusion and disturbance, throwing both teams off, so I do not recommend you try to do this in a ranked match!)
[*] A use for this ability that I like to practice is last hitting. No, it doesn't deal damage, but lets imagine that you know for a fact the enemy team is trying to take kraken but you cant do anything since when you show up they all turn around and try to kill you. No big deal, except that the kraken is out of your vision range unless you step out of your hiding spot. Wait for the kraken to be about 75% - 85% captured then activate your ult. You should be able to stand around the kraken and wait for a beautiful last hit from your team. (NOTE: You need to make sure there is no vision in the kraken pit for this to work. AoE (Area of Effect) abilities can also screw this tactic up, so watch out for those too!)
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Remember that your abilities are very sudden for unsuspecting team mates. YOU SHOULD ALWAYS PING BEFORE YOU USE YOUR ULT NO MATTER WHAT!!! You other abilities you can get by using without pinging, but your ult is so unexpected for most team mates (especially soloqers) that its usually a better idea to let them know when you will do it. I have found an effective method to be pinging myself with the attack ping before using it. Your allies should pick this up by at least the second time.
I hope this helps with your abilities. I feel like I haven't said anything right so far in this guide, so please help me out with feedback. For now, on we go!
I feel that Flicker is just one of those heroes who can synergize with anyone because he is so neutral about his supporting, but his best match ups by far are with the early gamer's of vainglory. He is effective with late gamer's too, but early gamer's really benefit from what he has to offer. I will give examples of 3 carry heroes, 3 jungle heroes, and then 3-5 comps that I have found to be really effective through personal experience:
JUNGLE HEROES
KOSHKA(Roll over icon for stats and description)
Dream Team alert! These two have a very fast and hard-hitting early game! Koshka already has massive mobility early game thanks to Bloodrush, but Flicker just makes it all the more effective with Fairy Dust. Fairy Dust holds some high damage early game, so Fairy Dust and Twirly Death can cause devastation at the start of the game. If you can play really well with these 2, then you can easily pull ahead in the match and take over. (NOTE: This can actually be a slightly risky duo as they will both fall off late game. Flicker will fall of since his damage will start dwindling, and Koshka might fall off since her squishiness and close range might catch up with her. If you pick these 2, I strongly advise you aim for a lot of early game devastation!
REIM(Roll over icon for stats and description)
It was pretty much decided right at the start that Reim would be a good synergy with Flicker when the devs used them together in the 1.24 dev stream. Flicker can offer a slow down that Reim can take advantage of with all heart. Reim is a very slow hero, literally barely making it to the back minions before they spawn. Because of this, it can be hard for hit to hit heroes, especially mobile ones. Flicker can give Reim the slow down from Fairy Dust, enabling him to actually hit something with his frozen spires. They can both get pretty tanky which can help tremendously with team fights since they both need to be in the middle of it. Use these 2 if you are looking for a good late game advantage that can get up close and personal!
JOULE(Roll over icon for stats and description)
Joule is a really impressive jungle because she can be easily used with both wp and cp. Her only problem is that to fully secure a kill she needs to stun with her Rocket Leap and that can be pretty tricky even if you practice with it. Flicker can really help her out by slowing the target down providing an easier stun for Joule. He also provides more stickiness for her, as it is well known that it is hard for Joule to be sticky. He can also combo his Fairy Dust with her Big Red Button so that enemies are forced to sit in it longer. She provides the damage as well as tankiness and he provides the stickiness as well as a little bit more tankiness. These 2 are awesome together but I recommend practicing with them before you use them.
CARRY HEROES
RINGO(Roll over icon for stats and description)
Ringo is currently considered the most powerful lane hero in NA. He practically has DPS late game and can really start taking down even the tanks when he gets his full build. Flicker can make him really overpowered by simply slowing/rooting enemies so that Ringo can just lay in on them without them being able to do anything. The only downfall to these 2 is that if Ringo is getting attacked, Flicker cant do much to help him out except attempt a Mooncloak and if that's on cool down maybe slow down the enemy team with Fairy Dust. If the person using Ringo knows how to fight and be careful, these 2 can really destroy the enemy team!
SAW(Roll over icon for stats and description)
SAW easily has the best amount of damage done really fast. His only problem is that the attack speed comes at the cost of his movement speed. Flicker helps him out with slow/root. A really good team will combo Suppressing Fire with Fairy Dust and then immediately follow up with a well placed Binding Light. The slowdown from both of their slot B's should be enough to land a good root. This almost ensures a kill for SAW. SAW can have a tricky time with Flicker though since he has the same dilemma as Ringo but on a slightly larger scale. Just practice with them and you should do fine!
CELESTE/SKAARF(Roll over icon for stats and description)
I know I said I would only show 3 heroes for lane, but these 2 score a tie in my opinion. The thing about both Skaarf and Celeste is that they can deal damage at a good range but they need good aiming to do so. Their abilities can be easily escaped as well. Flicker is one of their best friends since his Fairy Dust and Binding Light can both hold enemies down for Goop or Core Collapse. Fairy Dust is also a good boost for their aim with their skill shots, Solar Storm and Spitfire. These 2 are really impressive CP carries to try out with Flicker. They are fun to play with in casual and awesome to win with in ranked. Give them a try!
GOOD COMPS
Just a quick wordd, comp means composition as in team composition. I am sure that some of you reading this have no idea what comp means so I thought I'd say it.
In a comp, Flicker looks for jungle heroes who can help him frontline, carry heroes who can do a lot of damage, and heroes from both who have troubles sticking or have abilities that can cause some devastation but require really good aiming/timing. These comps, in my opinion, can really fill in for these reasons:
Those are the comps I recommend you try. I was thinking about adding spoilers beneath each comp with a description of what makes them good but I'm not sure about the idea. Please tell me your thoughts on that idea in the comments. Thanks!
At the start of the match you usually buy (or at least I buy) an Oakheart, an Hourglass for some cool down and some energy regen, a Scout Trap, and a Flare. An alternative is to replace the Hourglass with a contract. Flicker can really take advantage of the contracts since they are pretty easy to use for him. Just pick a contract that best serves how you plan on playing. If you want to play slightly passive for a little bit then buy an irongaurd contract for the regen. An aggressive early game always calls for Dragonblood Contract or Protector Contract or sometimes even both. Your choice.
Travel with your team down to the tribush so that you can farm your front jungle minions and keep an eye on the elder treant. As Flicker, you usually want to try and take advantage of your stealth pretty fast. See if you can hide in the enemies bush next to the shop/elder treant. If no enemies are around then attempt to take the elder treant. Be mindful not to steal it as this is for your jungle or carry, not you! If the enemy team attempts to take the elder treant, then wait patiently for a good opportunity to steal it from them. A good thing about Flicker is that you can also use this to try and get a first blood kill on whoever is tanking the elder treant.
The thing about Flicker is that his early game is his strongest as a support because no one has the defense or movement speed/mobility to take his Fairy Dust full force. Because of this, you should usually look for a good early game assault. After completing an ordeal with the elder treant, choose 1 of the following 2 choices:
1) Attempt a raid on the enemy jungle. Because this is early game you have a good advantage as Flicker, and if your playing with an early game jungle like Koshka or Petal you usually have a ridiculously steep advantage. If you have a Dragonblood Contract or Protector Contract you can usually hang out long enough to steal all the way up to the enemy teams back jungle minions. Don't stay too long though since you will probably become a little weaker with each onslaught from the enemy team. If you gain the advantage of a jungle raid, see if you can start making regular invasions on the enemy jungle. Don't get overconfident though since Flicker can die really fast too overconfidence!
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2) If you have a late game jungle hero like Rona or Joule, I would recommend staying in your own jungle and just giving hell to the enemy carry for a little bit. It's a little difficult to gain an advantage in the jungle with a late game hero, so backing out of jungle fights until about mid game is usually a good idea. The passive jungle play tactic can also apply if you think the enemy team is not drained enough, has the elder treant buff, or as a good early game advantage over your team.
Once you are done with either of those 2 choices you should head up to the lane to help your carry secure some kills and live if he/her gets ganked. You shouldn't worry about putting vision down just yet as you probably wont have enough gold to do so, but it would be a good idea to put that Scout Trap you bought at the start of the match in the enemy teams tribush.
MID GAME (6-14 MINUTES)
This is when you start trying to live up to your name as the master of vision. Every time you shop you will want to think about getting at least 2-3 Scout Trap's and 3-4 Flare's. If you have a hard time keeping Flare's you can always buy a Flare Gun if you need to. You should pick at least 2 spots in the enemy jungle to place vision, and 1 spot in the lane. For the jungle I recommend placing a Scout Trap in the corner of the tribush and the shop bush on the enemy side. For the lane I simply recommend the mustache bush. Don't forget to keep your own jungle and lane backed up with vision as well. Some players get smart and realize that you spend a lot of time in their bushes so they start coming up in yours! Don't buy too many traps and flares though. Remember that you need gold for your support items!
Mid game is usually when Flicker starts to deliver absolute hell for the enemy carry. At this point he has his Fountain of Renewal and usually an Atlas Pauldron to accompany that around 6-7 minutes in. Flicker is a master at pushing the lane, especially when he has vision down, so it is usually a good idea to deliver as much harassment as possible without biting off more than you can chew. Your jungle hero should start considering to gank very often or try to seize control of the enemy jungle. If they want to take the enemy jungle, you will need to help them since this is usually hard for a jungle hero to do alone.
Try and get a lot of good fights in. I'm not suggesting to pick a fight every chance you get, but if you think you can win it and choose it carefully, fighting will be your key for pulling ahead mid game. Do not try to force a fight most of the time!!! Forcing fights can be bad idea's since your usually starting a fight that isn't calculated and could end up going in either teams favor. Only force a fight if you have it figured out. When it comes to forcing a fight, you need to calculate what the roam will do to protect their team, how much damage the jungle and/or carry is capable of doing, and even something as little as if chasing them into their own jungle is a good idea even if they only have 10% health. I know I'm not doing a very good job of explaining this but hang in there.
Try and gain the advantage of at least 1 or 2 turrets in mid game. The less turrets the enemy team has the less control they have over their own jungle! If you can force the enemy team behind their 3rd turret then you have a pretty good mid game on your hands!
(NOTE: With Flicker it is very easy to kill someone which makes it very easy to kill steal from someone. The thing about kill stealing is it isn't always bad. If you need to confirm a kill then it is okay to end up with the kill. Don't take kills just because you think its fun or cool or whatever. Captain kills are for securing, not for looking good on the battlefield! Decide when an enemy has a high chance of escape or not. If they have low chances then you don't have to secure a kill. If they are someone like Joule or Baron who can jump a wall then kill securing might be necessary. The same thing applies if an ally is being attacked.)
LATE GAME (15+ MINUTES)
I hate to say this but this is when the reign of the master of vision starts to fall. Flicker has an amazing early and mid game, but his late game is pretty rough. I will explain what you should do if your ahead and if your behind.
IF YOUR AHEAD...
You will still be a pretty effective support but you will notice that you will still slightly fall off. Being ahead in the late game with Flicker usually means that at least 2 enemy turrets are destroyed, and you can walk around the enemy jungle without worrying much. If you are at this point, than you should really consider taking kraken. Kraken for a Flicker is a good advantage to have. If you get the kraken you should consider trying to get the enemy vain crystal destroyed in 1 push. Don't be too greedy though!! If you feel that you can't take it all in 1 push then that's okay. Not everything can be accomplished in 1 push.
Lay down vision throughout the whole enemy jungle if you can and then eliminate the enemy crystal miner if you can. Set up good places for ambush so that you can try and score an ace. If you can accomplish this when you are ahead, you have a very good chance of winning.
IF YOUR BEHIND...
It is really hard to try and gain an advantage with Flicker in late game if you are behind. Behind for Flicker can just be as little as 1 of your turrets being destroyed. To succeed, you need to play smart. Try and figure out a weakness the enemy team has. Do they stick together a lot? Then do your best to separate them with your Fairy Dust and Binding Light. Do they engage with a debuff or the advantage of a first hit? Then bait out the ability/item/hero causing this to make it a wasted attempt. Does the enemy captain lay down a lot of vision which prevents me ( Flicker) from doing anything sneaky? Then buy 5 flares and find the vision. Replace it with your own once you have found a way to take it out. The answer to a situation depends on what you come up with. Think it through and play it smart and you can at least go down with a good fight!
Do not try to get kraken if you are behind. Sure, you can take it if there is only 1 person on the enemy team or you have aced them, but even just 2 heroes alive on the enemy team is dangerous. If you get the kraken, be very careful about your push. 9 times out of 10 you wont even come close to attempting to end the game in 1 push because you are behind. With an ace and/or kraken push, you are just looking to slowly worm inside their base. Usually you only need to destroy all their turrets and then wait a little while for either a back door tactic, or a chance to get another advantage.
The thing about Flicker both behind and ahead late game is that you need to play carefully. Your time is close to up, and you aren't the support you once were 15+ minutes ago.
Please tell me if this was descriptive enough in the comments. I feel like it wasn't and I might have left some things out or made other things confusing. I hope you found this helpful :)
(NOTE: If you end up in a 20+ minute match with Flicker, it is going to be virtually impossible for you to win. The more the match drags on, the more Flicker loses his ground. Be mindful of that 20 minute marker and do your best to end the game before then. If you end up past the 20 minute mark, do your best. Just because you will have a hard time doesn't mean you should give up. Just do your best and win or do your best and go down kicking and screaming. While losing isn't fun, it's better to have said that you didn't give up and did your best rather than you just quit and didn't even try!)
Thank you for reading my roaming guide on Flicker. I would very much like some feedback as to whether or not you found this helpful. I am trying to prove that Flicker is not a bad hero to play even in the higher tiers, and I hope that you, the readers, can help me on that. :)
My IGN is Prodigy955 and my rank is Credible Threat Silver.
Thanks to... (even if the people here don't see it I'm still thankful!)
Woodworking for his amazing video's on how to play the captain role.
Desperation for his Roam Guide which helped me so much when he made it.
Flashx for his streams and guides that helped me out.
ZngXng my team mate for helping me along the way.
Goob3r my brother for helping as well.
And every one else who has helped me with playing the captain role.
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Flicker
Krul
Heliogenesis
Julia's Light
Koshka
Ringo
Baron
Rona
Reflex Block
Kaiten
Taka
Alpha
Lance
Kestrel
Lyra
Adagio
Vox
Joule
Phinn
Catherine
Grumpjaw
Ardan
Travel Boots
Reim
SAW
Petal
Bloodrush
Merciless Pursuit
Hangry
Combat Roll
Forward Barrage
Twirly Death
Rocket Leap
Big Red Button
Suppressing Fire
Goop
Core Collapse
Solar Storm
Spitfire
Flare Gun
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