The hunter of mages and destroyer of the arcane arts, Magina the Anti-Mage is highly regarded as one of the strongest carries heroes in Dota. This charismatic warrior has a bone to pick against the mages. His hatred for the arcane arts is unmatchable. He has what you need to counter most mage heroes, mana break. An early game AM can effortlessly decimate his enemies' mana and this will slow down their farm while AM is known to farm at a faster pace, allowing him to get ahead in the net worth charts. If he hits his right timings, there is no way you can counter him easily.
The striking Anti-Mage is an excellent hero in the meta, but with certain builds and items, he can dominate the game quite easily. We bring you the Best 5 Anti-Mage Builds in the current meta, these builds are highly effective and make sure he ends up crushing the game in his favor.
5. Yatoro Build
The pride of CIS and the most prominent name in the current dota scene is none other than young superstar Yatoro. He is regarded as one of the best carry players due to his insane map awareness and impeccable mechanical skills. This is due to his immense understanding of the game. His Anti-Mage has been highly lauded due to his excellent spell-casting and item builds. As the vicious greevil, he focuses on shoving his enemy out of the lane and capitalizing on that by farming neutrals and taking all the runes, ensuring he hits his item timings earlier than his opponents. Yatoro loves going with a typical fight-oriented build which helps him dominate the mid-game.
The dynamic and evolving Yatoro changes his build according to the heroes he is against, constantly shuffling between items like Manta Style, Assault Cuirass, and Abyssal Blade. Yatoro is quite an aggressive and dominant player, and Anti-Mage for sure suits his play style. You can see his highly dominating playstyle right off the bat, the way he shoves enemies out of the lane with his massive physical damage. He is an extremely aggressive laner, often diving towers to get kills, which he can do quite effortlessly with AM. You may learn a few tricks if you follow Yatoro’s build thoroughly. Even though Yatoro lost this game, pay attention to his farming pattern and map awareness skills.
Use This Build If:
- You want an extremely reliable carry build for the late game
- You want to deal physical damage as an Anti-Mage
- You want to be mobile or are facing slippery mobile heroes
- You want to be involved in more skirmishes from the early game
Skill Points
Level 1: Mana Break - Burns enemy mana upon physical attacks. It also deals damage in the percentage of the mana burnt. This is the primary damage-dealing spell for AM, which shoves enemies out of the lane due to their lacking mana. It can be combined with other heroes to synergize well and deal higher damage in a fight.
Level 2: Blink - Allows Anti-Mage to teleport a short distance. It is a helpful spell that has to be skilled from the early game as it allows him to both initate or escape a fight. It also increases his farming speed.
Level 3: Counterspell - Upon usage, it reflects a single targetted spell, sending it back to the caster. It also grants passive magic resistance which increases with each point in the skill. This spell is the reason why AM is highly durable in a fight, not only does he have high magic resistance, but he also has ways to reflect spells and shield him from massive damage.
Level 4: Mana Break
Level 5: Mana Break
Level 6: Mana Void - For each mana point missing in enemies, it deals damage to them, reducing their mana pool while also causing similar effects to their allies surrounding them. It is an exceptional spell if you are facing high mana-reliant spellcasting heroes, as it reduces their impact and allows you to beat them down within no time.
Level 7: Blink
Level 8: Blink
Level 9: Blink
Level 10: Mana Break
Level 11: -1s Blink Cooldown
Level 12: Mana Void
Level 13: Counterspell
Level 14: Counterspell
Level 15: +0.6% Max Mana Burn
Level 16: Counterspell
Level 17: Stats
Level 18: Mana Void
Level 19: Stats
Level 20: +250 Blink Cast Range
Level 25: -50s Mana Void Cooldown
Items to buy for this build (Early to Late Game)
- Tango (90 Gold) - Provides health regen if used on a tree. It's the cheapest yet the most convenient way of healing up in the early stages of the game when you are playing in the side lanes. Regardless of the hero you play, Tangoes are a core item.
- Quelling Blade (100 Gold) - Increases the physical attack damage on non-hero units, and can also be used to cut trees. It is a must-have item on melee carry heroes like Anti-Mage.
- Magic Stick (200 Gold) - Gains a charge each time an enemy uses a spell around you. Each charge grants 15 HP and mana and can have up to 10 charges. It is a perfect item in the laning stage if you are facing heroes that cast spells frequently.
- 2x Iron Branch (50 Gold) - Grants +1 of all attributes per branch. It provides decent sustain in the early game. The branch can be also planted to block paths for enemies or to deceive them under the fog.
- Faerie Fire (70 Gold) - Instantly restores 85 health upon usage. It also passively grants 2 damage per instance. It is an effective item if you’re playing in the mid lane, or just want extra damage and sustain in the side lanes.
- Ring of Health (825 Gold) - Bought at 2 minutes. It provides AM with a +6.5 health regeneration, allowing him to sustain well in the early game. It is further upgraded into Battlefury.
- Power Treads (1400 Gold) - Bought at 6 minutes. It provides 45 movement speed and 25 attack speed along with toggleable attributes, which offer everything from increased mana pool to armor and even strength, helping Anti-Mage stay durable and sufficient in all game stages.
- Battlefury (4100 Gold) - Purchased at 13 minutes. It allows melee heroes like Anti-Mage to deal 70% of their damage as cleave damage. As the Prominent focus of this build is to split push and farm quickly as a carry Anti-Mage, which pays off in the late game, Battlefury is quite essential as it is the gateway to acquiring other items quickly.
- Manta Style (4600 Gold) - Bought at 18 minutes. Creates two illusions of Anti-Mage on usage, also allowing him to dispel certain spells or dodge if he times it right. It can also be used to split push lanes and farm efficiently. It also provides him with increased stats, agility, and attack damage.
- Black King Bar (4050 Gold) - Purchased at 22 minutes. Provides magic immunity upon usage, making the vicious AM invulnerable during team fights. It is essential in most matchups as he has low magical resistance.
- Skull Basher (2875 Gold) - Purchased at 24 minutes. These grants Anti-Mage a high chance of bashing enemies upon physical attacks. It also increases his attack damage and allows him to deal bonus physical damage.
- Abyssal Blade (6250 Gold) - Purchased at 26 minutes. Skull Basher is upgraded into Abyssal Blade, which stuns the targetted unit, it pierces spell immunity. Hence, it can be a useful item to temporarily disable any heroes under the effect of Black King Bar.
- Assault Cuirass (5125 Gold) - Purchased at 31 minutes. Grants 30 attack speed and 5 armor to allies and structures near Anti-Mage. It also reduces armor for enemies around Anti-Mage. With reduced enemy armor and increased damage for Anti-Mage, he can wreak havoc upon his enemies.
- Eye of Skadi (5300 Gold) - Bought at 37 minutes. This causes Anti-Mage’s attacks to lower enemy attack and movement speed while reducing their health regeneration and lifesteal by 40%. It is an exceptional item if you are facing tanky heroes that regen or lifesteal fast. It also provides immense bonuses such as increased stats, HP, and Mana. It works well in tandem with Mana Break due to the attack modifier buff.
- Moon Shard - (4000 Gold) - Purchased at 40 minutes. It grants 140 Attack Speeds and 200 Bonus Night Vision. Upon consumption, the bonuses are halved. Anti-Mage benefits greatly from increased attack speed bonuses as he lacks majorly in that department.
- Aghanim’s Scepter (4200 Gold) - Purchased at 45 minutes. Grants Blink Fragment ability, which blinks an illusion at the target enemy or unit for a brief duration. Counter Spell is replicated on the Blink Fragment illusion. It can be used to deal high damage in lanes or to enemies without the risk of the real AM being caught.
Neutral Items
- Broom Handle - Provides increased armor, attack speed, and attack damage to AM and also provides him with increased armor which helps him fare well in a teamfight.
- Pig Pole - Provides +6 of all attributes. Its active turns AM into a pig, making him unable to use spells or items but increasing his movement speed, which can allow him to escape certain sticky situations.
- Dragon Scale - Provides 5 Armor and 5 health regen while also dealing 18 damage per second to enemies hit by Anti-Mage’s physical attacks.
- Paladin Sword - Increases lifesteal, spell lifesteal, regen, and healing by 14%. This allows Anti-Mage to sustain his teamfights.
- Witchbane - It purges the targeted enemy or ally. Anti-Mage can purge negative spells off allies or purge off any buff from enemies. It also provides him with 20 increased attack speed.
- Ninja Gear - Casts smoke of deceit on Anti-Mage himself, increasing his movement speed and allowing him to be invisible unless he comes in close contact with enemies or enemy towers. It also provides Anti-Mage with increased 25 agility and movement speed.
4. Cooman Build
This is a special player on the list, as he is the only one to not actively compete in pro-Dota but he is often seen streaming very high-level pub games on Twitch. Cooman is known to be a menace in pub games. Cooman’s playstyle may be slightly farming-oriented, but it benefits his team due to his map awareness. He strikes when the iron is hot, instead of farming idly. Cooman is known to be a master at Anti-Mage, his mechanical skills are unparalleled. He is most feared in the CIS region.
Cooman’s slow-paced laning is quite a contrast from his fast-paced farming speed on Anti-Mage. Within no time, he can get fat and join fights to swiftly turn the game around. He is known to be a problem to the enemy team if left free to farm. His AM build includes items like Battlefury, Aghanim’s Scepter, Manta Style, Skull Basher, and Butterfly. Cooman may often build items that are rather unorthodox but work in that specific matchup.
Use This Build If:
- You want to be involved in more skirmishes from the early game
- You want to be tanky and deal high damage at the same time
- You want a self-sustainable build that makes you tanky, making it extremely valuable against damage-dealing heroes
Skill Points
Level 1: Mana Break - Burns enemy mana upon physical attacks. It also deals damage in the percentage of the mana burnt. This is the primary damage-dealing spell for AM, which shoves enemies out of the lane due to their lacking mana. It can be combined with other heroes to synergize well and deal higher damage in a fight.
Level 2: Blink - Allows Anti-Mage to teleport a short distance. It is a helpful spell that has to be skilled from the early game as it allows him to both initate or escape a fight. It also increases his farming speed.
Level 3: Mana Break
Level 4: Counterspell - Upon usage, it reflects a single targetted spell, sending it back to the caster. It also grants passive magic resistance which increases with each point in the skill. This spell is the reason why AM is highly durable in a fight, not only does he have high magic resistance, but he also has ways to reflect spells and shield him from massive damage.
Level 5: Blink
Level 6: Mana Void - For each mana point missing in enemies, it deals damage to them, reducing their mana pool while also causing similar effects to their allies surrounding them. It is an exceptional spell if you are facing high mana-reliant spellcasting heroes, as it reduces their impact and allows you to beat them down within no time.
Level 7: Blink
Level 8: Blink
Level 9: Mana Break
Level 10: -1s Blink Cooldown
Level 11: Mana Break
Level 12: Mana Void
Level 13: Counterspell
Level 14: Counterspell
Level 15: +0.6% Max Mana Burn
Level 16: Counterspell
Level 17: Stats
Level 18: Mana Void
Level 19: Stats
Level 20: +250 Blink Cast Range
Level 25: -50s Mana Void Cooldown
Items to buy for this build (Early to Late Game)
- Tango (90 Gold) - Provides health regen if used on a tree. It's the cheapest yet the most convenient way of healing up in the early stages of the game when you are playing in the side lanes. Regardless of the hero you play, Tangoes are a core item.
- Quelling Blade (100 Gold) - Increases the physical attack damage on non-hero units, and can also be used to cut trees. It is a must-have item on melee carry heroes.
- 2x Iron Branch (50 Gold) - Grants +1 of all attributes per branch. It provides decent sustain in the early game. The branch can be also planted to block paths for enemies or to deceive them under the fog.
- Slippers of Agility (140 Gold) - Grants +3 Agility. It is a usual early item on Anti-Mage, as he lacks the early game attack speed and stats which is hence fulfilled by this item.
- Circlet (155 Gold) - Grants +2 of all attributes. It helps Anti-Mage stay durable through the early game.
- Wraith Band (505 Gold) - Bought at 0:50. Provides increased attributes, armor, and attack speed. The bonuses are doubled after 25 minutes. Although not a staple item on AM, it is built here for the increased durability and farming potential that it offers in this matchup.
- Ring of Health (825 Gold) - Bought at 2 minutes. It provides AM with a +6.5 health regeneration, allowing him to sustain well in the early game. It is further upgraded into Battlefury.
- Power Treads (1400 Gold) - Bought at 5 minutes. It provides 45 movement speed and 25 attack speed along with toggleable attributes, which offer everything from increased mana pool to armor and even strength, helping Anti-Mage stay durable and sufficient in all game stages.
- Battlefury (4100 Gold) - Purchased at 12 minutes. It allows melee heroes like Anti-Mage to deal 70% of their damage as cleave damage. As the Prominent focus of this build is to split push and farm quickly as a carry Anti-age, which pays off in the late game, Battlefury is quite essential as it is the gateway to acquiring other items quickly.
- Manta Style (4600 Gold) - Bought at 17 minutes. Creates two illusions of Anti-Mage on usage, also allowing him to dispel certain spells or dodge if he times it right. It can also be used to split push lanes and farm efficiently. It also provides him with increased stats, agility, and attack damage.
- Butterfly (4975 Gold) - Bought at 23 minutes. It increases AM’s evasion by 35%, making it hard for enemies to deal with physical attacks on him.
- Skull Basher (2875 Gold) - Purchased at 25 minutes. These grants Anti-Mage a high chance of bashing enemies upon physical attacks. It also increases his attack damage and allows him to deal bonus physical damage.
- Black King Bar (4050 Gold) - Purchased at 31 minutes. Provides magic immunity upon usage, making Anti-Mage invulnerable during team fights. It is essential in most matchups as he has low magical resistance.
- Abyssal Blade (6250 Gold) - Purchased at 36 minutes. Skull Basher is upgraded into Abyssal Blade, which stuns the targetted unit, it pierces spell immunity. Hence, it can be a useful item to temporarily disable any heroes under the effect of Black King Bar.
- Divine Rapier (5950 Gold)- Bought 40 minutes into the game. Rapier is always a preferred item on Anti-Mage due to the massive AoE physical damage that he deals with. Divine Rapier is synonymous with Anti-Mage. In most builds, people do not wait for the late game to purchase this item on Anti-Mage if he has defensive items or ways his teammates can shield him. He benefits heavily from the Rapier as it provides extra 300 physical damage. It is an extremely powerful yet risky purchase as you drop it when you die, and handing it over to the enemies can just mean game over.
- Moon Shard - (4000 Gold) - Purchased at 44 minutes. It grants 140 Attack Speeds and 200 Bonus Night Vision. Upon consumption, the bonuses are halved. Anti-Mage benefits greatly from increased attack speed bonuses as he lacks majorly in that department.
Neutral Items
- Possessed Mask - It provides +7 of the primary attribute to AM while also providing him with lifesteal. It is an exceptional item in the early game for a carry hero.
- Pupil’s Gift - Increases Anti-Mage’s non-primary attributes by +15. It provides increased agility and mana pool to Anti-Mage, increasing his potential to cast more spells and deal damage in a fight.
- Mind Breaker - Provides Anti-Mage with increased attack damage and attack speed while also causing his attack to silence the enemy for 1.75 seconds. Has 12 seconds cooldown.
- Penta-Edged Sword - Increases Anti-Mage’s attack damage by 45 and provides him with 100 increased attack range. It also has a chance to reduce enemy movement and attack speed for a brief duration. Anti-Mage benefits briefly from this slow.
3. Miracle Build
The nefarious Anti-Mage used to be the go-to hero for Miracle when he played in pubs. The early game build is the most prominent Anti-Mage build which he loves to try out in his pub games. Miracle’s map awareness and mechanical skills on Anti-Mage are truly breathtaking and something we all can learn from. He quite well knows everything the hero can do, this helps him induce fear in the mind of his enemies with his immense split-push and fight potential.
Miracle has a different way of playing Anti-Mage as he opts to play the hero in an extremely fast-paced manner, often wishing to buy the spellcasting and mobility items as soon as he can to paralyze the early game of his enemies. He prefers ganking and helping his team in teamfights instead of farming away as he can just push with his illusions and Blink, ending the game as soon as he can. Miracle’s item choices and skill build allow him to go aggressive on his enemies as early as possible. This build is ideal if you are facing enemies with low magic resistance or high armor.
Use This Build If:
- Your enemies have a low mana pool or are generally squishy
- You want to fight right from the get-go as a carry AM
- You want a self-sustainable AM build that makes you tanky, making it extremely valuable against damage-dealing heroes
- You want to be involved in more teamfights from the early game
Skill Points:
Level 1: Mana Break - Burns enemy mana upon physical attacks. It also deals damage in the percentage of the mana burnt. This is the primary damage-dealing spell for AM, which shoves enemies out of the lane due to their lacking mana. It can be combined with other heroes to synergize well and deal higher damage in a fight.
Level 2: Counterspell - Upon usage, it reflects a single targetted spell, sending it back to the caster. It also grants passive magic resistance which increases with each point in the skill. This spell is the reason why AM is highly durable in a fight, not only does he have high magic resistance, but he also has ways to reflect spells and shield him from massive damage.
Level 3: Blink - Allows Anti-Mage to teleport a short distance. It is a helpful spell that has to be skilled from the early game as it allows him to both initate or escape a fight. It also increases his farming speed.
Level 4: Mana Break
Level 5: Blink
Level 6: Mana Void - For each mana point missing in enemies, it deals damage to them, reducing their mana pool while also causing similar effects to their allies surrounding them. It is an exceptional spell if you are facing high mana-reliant spellcasting heroes, as it reduces their impact and allows you to beat them down within no time.
Level 7: Blink
Level 8: Blink
Level 9: Counterspell
Level 10: Counterspell
Level 11: Counterspell
Level 12: Mana Void
Level 13: +9 Strength
Level 14: Mana Break
Level 15: +0.6% Max Mana Burn
Level 16: Mana Break
Level 17: Stats
Level 18: Mana Void
Level 19: Stats
Level 20: +250 Blink Cast Range
Level 25: +20% Counterspell magic resistance
Items to buy for this build (Early to Late Game)
- Tango (90 Gold) - Provides health regen if used on a tree. It's the cheapest yet the most convenient way of healing up in the early stages of the game when you are playing in the side lanes. Regardless of the hero you play, Tangoes are a core item.
- Quelling Blade (100 Gold) - Increases the physical attack damage on non-hero units, and can also be used to cut trees. It is a must-have item on melee carry heroes.
- Iron Branch (50 Gold) - Grants +1 of all attributes per branch. It provides decent sustain in the early game. The branch can be also planted to block paths for enemies or to deceive them under the fog.
- Magic Stick (200 Gold) - Gains a charge each time an enemy uses a spell around you. Each charge grants 15 HP and mana and can have up to 10 charges. It is a perfect item in the laning stage if you are facing heroes that cast spells frequently.
- Slippers of Agility (140 Gold) - Grants +3 Agility. It is a usual early item on Anti-Mage, as he lacks the early game attack speed and stats which is hence fulfilled by this item.
- Magic Wand (450 Gold) - Bought at 4 minutes. Gains a charge every time an enemy uses a spell in an AoE. It can store up to 20 charges, with each charge healing you up to 15 HP and mana. It is an ideal starting item as it allows AM to sustain himself in the lane if he is facing spellcasting heroes.
- Wraith Band (505 Gold) - Bought at 4 minutes. Provides increased attributes, armor, and attack speed. The bonuses are doubled after 25 minutes. Although not a staple item on AM, it is built here for the increased durability and farming potential that it offers in this matchup.
- Ring of Health (825 Gold) - Bought at 5 minutes. It provides AM with a +6.5 health regeneration, allowing him to sustain well in the early game. It is further upgraded into Battlefury.
- Battlefury (4100 Gold) - Purchased at 13 minutes. It allows melee heroes like Anti-Mage to deal 70% of their damage as cleave damage. As the Prominent focus of this build is to split push and farm quickly as a carry Anti-age, which pays off in the late game, Battlefury is quite essential as it is the gateway to acquiring other items quickly.
- Power Treads (1400 Gold) - Bought at 14 minutes. It provides 45 movement speed and 25 attack speed along with toggleable attributes, which offer everything from increased mana pool to armor and even strength, helping Anti-Mage stay durable and sufficient in all game stages.
- Manta Style (4600 Gold) - Bought at 23 minutes. Creates two illusions of Anti-Mage on usage, also allowing him to dispel certain spells or dodge if he times it right. It can also be used to split push lanes and farm efficiently. It also provides him with increased stats, agility, and attack damage.
- Aghanim’s Scepter (4200 Gold) - Purchased at 27 minutes. Grants Blink Fragment ability, which blinks an illusion at the target enemy or unit for a brief duration. Counter Spell is replicated on the Blink Fragment illusion. It can be used to deal high damage in lanes or to enemies without the risk of the real AM being caught.
- Butterfly (4975 Gold) - Bought at 31 minutes. It increases AM’s evasion by 35%, making it hard for enemies to deal with physical attacks on him.
- Linken’s Sphere (4600 Gold) - Purchased at 35 minutes. Blocks one single targeted spell every 14 seconds, and also provides increased stats and mana regen for Anti-Mage. This build has enough offensive items, and having a balance of offensive and defensive items can be extremely useful in the late game, helping Anti-Mage stay alive in the high-pressure teamfights.
- Skull Basher (2875 Gold) - Purchased at 39 minutes. These grants Anti-Mage a high chance of bashing enemies upon physical attacks. It also increases his attack damage and allows him to deal bonus physical damage.
- Abyssal Blade (6250 Gold) - Purchased at 45 minutes. Skull Basher is upgraded into Abyssal Blade, which stuns the targetted unit, it pierces spell immunity. Hence, it can be a useful item to temporarily disable any heroes under the effect of Black King Bar.
- Moon Shard - (4000 Gold) - Purchased at 48 minutes. It grants 140 Attack Speeds and 200 Bonus Night Vision. Upon consumption, the bonuses are halved. Anti-Mage benefits greatly from increased attack speed bonuses as he lacks majorly in that department.
Neutral Items
- Possessed Mask - It provides +7 of the primary attribute to AM while also providing him with lifesteal. It is an exceptional item in the early game for a carry hero.
- Ring of Aquila - Grants 1.25 mana regen and 2 armor to nearby allies and allied units. This is an exceptional teamfight item for Anti-Mage.
- Mind Breaker - Provides Anti-Mage with increased attack damage and attack speed while also causing his attack to silence the enemy for 1.75 seconds. Has 12 seconds cooldown.
- Trickster Cloak - Provides Anti-Mage with increased evasion and magic resistance. Its active allows him to turn invisible for 6 seconds, making it easy for him to escape.
2. Ana Build
We finally have a two-time Ti champion on this list. Ana’s pro career is a story to be remembered. He gained notoriety as a pub star, playing a wide range of heroes as a carry. His Anti-Mage is said to be extremely lethal. Ana is known to be quite the aggressive laner, often picking Anti-Mage to synergize with other heroes on his team. Ana’s Anti-Mage is quite different from everyone else’s on this list, this is because it’s one of his most-played heroes. He quite well knows everything the hero can do, this helps him induce fear in the mind of his enemies.
Ana has been praised widely for his intense and nail-biting performance on this hero. Everything from Manta dodging to farming with illusions, he knows it all. Ana loves Aghanim’s Scepter combined with Battlefury on this hero, this essentially secures his farm and deals immense damage to his foes. Ana prefers fast-paced games and is seen ending pub games in just under 30 mins. This build is guaranteed to land you kills and win you games if you follow it thoroughly.
Use This Build If:
- You want a physical damage-oriented carry Anti-Mage build
- You want a hard-hitting build that is relevant through the late game
- You are facing low heroes with low HP and armor
- You want an Anti-Mage build that prioritizes teamfight
Skill Points:
Level 1: Mana Break - Burns enemy mana upon physical attacks. It also deals damage in the percentage of the mana burnt. This is the primary damage-dealing spell for AM, which shoves enemies out of the lane due to their lacking mana. It can be combined with other heroes to synergize well and deal higher damage in a fight.
Level 2: Blink - Allows Anti-Mage to teleport a short distance. It is a helpful spell that has to be skilled from the early game as it allows him to both initate or escape a fight. It also increases his farming speed.
Level 3: Mana Break
Level 4: Counterspell - Upon usage, it reflects a single targetted spell, sending it back to the caster. It also grants passive magic resistance which increases with each point in the skill. This spell is the reason why AM is highly durable in a fight, not only does he have high magic resistance, but he also has ways to reflect spells and shield him from massive damage.
Level 5: Mana Break
Level 6: Mana Void - For each mana point missing in enemies, it deals damage to them, reducing their mana pool while also causing similar effects to their allies surrounding them. It is an exceptional spell if you are facing high mana-reliant spellcasting heroes, as it reduces their impact and allows you to beat them down within no time.
Level 7: Mana Break
Level 8: Blink
Level 9: Blink
Level 10: Blink
Level 11: -1s Blink Cooldown
Level 12: Mana Void
Level 13: Counterspell
Level 14: Counterspell
Level 15: +0.6% Max Mana Burn
Level 16: Counterspell
Level 17: Stats
Level 18: Mana Void
Level 19: Stats
Level 20: +250 Blink Cast Range
Level 25: -50s Mana Void Cooldown
Items to buy for this build (Early to Late Game)
- Tango (90 Gold) - Provides health regen if used on a tree. It's the cheapest yet the most convenient way of healing up in the early stages of the game when you are playing in the side lanes. Regardless of the hero you play, Tangoes are a core item.
- Quelling Blade (100 Gold) - Increases the physical attack damage on non-hero units, and can also be used to cut trees. It is a must-have item on melee carry heroes.
- Iron Branch (50 Gold) - Grants +1 of all attributes per branch. It provides decent sustain in the early game. The branch can be also planted to block paths for enemies or to deceive them under the fog.
- 2x Slippers of Agility (140 Gold) - Grants +3 Agility. It is a usual early item on Anti-Mage, as he lacks the early game attack speed and stats which is hence fulfilled by this item. Two slippers are purchased by Ana as they provide a total of 6 agility right from the beginning of the game, providing him with increased stats and movement speed.
- Ring of Health (825 Gold) - Bought at 2 minutes. It provides AM with a +6.5 health regeneration, allowing him to sustain well in the early game. It is further upgraded into Battlefury.
- Orb of Venom (275 Gold) - Purchased at 3 minutes. Poisons the target, dealing 2.0 magical damage per second and slowing movement by -13%. Exceptional in the early game.
- Battlefury (4100 Gold) - Purchased at 9 minutes. It allows melee heroes like Anti-Mage to deal 70% of their damage as cleave damage. As the Prominent focus of this build is to split push and farm quickly as a carry Anti-age, which pays off in the late game, Battlefury is quite essential as it is the gateway to acquiring other items quickly.
- Power Treads (1400 Gold) - Bought at 10 minutes. It provides 45 movement speed and 25 attack speed along with toggleable attributes, which offer everything from increased mana pool to armor and even strength, helping Anti-Mage stay durable and sufficient in all game stages.
- Manta Style (4600 Gold) - Bought at 16 minutes. Creates two illusions of Anti-Mage on usage, also allowing him to dispel certain spells or dodge if he times it right. It can also be used to split push lanes and farm efficiently. It also provides him with increased stats, agility, and attack damage.
- Aghanim’s Scepter (4200 Gold) - Purchased at 21 minutes. Grants Blink Fragment ability, which blinks an illusion at the target enemy or unit for a brief duration. Counter Spell is replicated on the Blink Fragment illusion. It can be used to deal high damage in lanes or to enemies without the risk of the real AM being caught.
- Eye of Skadi (5300 Gold) - Bought at 27 minutes. This causes Anti-Mage’s attacks to lower enemy attack and movement speed while reducing their health regeneration and lifesteal by 40%. It is an exceptional item if you are facing tanky heroes that regen or lifesteal fast. It also provides immense bonuses such as increased stats, HP, and Mana. It works well in tandem with Mana Break due to the attack modifier buff.
- Satanic - (5050 Gold) Bought at around 30 minutes. Can lifesteal on physical attacks upon activation, and also provides basic dispel from the latter. Great to sustain in the ultra-late game as you can be surrounded by multiple enemies at once.
Neutral Items
- Broom Handle - Provides increased armor, attack speed, and attack damage. Anti-Mage with increased armor which helps him fare well in a teamfight.
- Ring of Aquila - Grants 1.25 mana regen and 2 armor to nearby allies and allied units. This is an exceptional teamfight item for Anti-Mage.
- Paladin Sword - Increases lifesteal, spell lifesteal, regen, and healing by 14%. This allows Anti-Mage to sustain his teamfights.
1. Topson Build
Topson is one of the best Anti-Mage players in the game. He is known for his unorthodox builds and playstyles. His sheer skill and game sense ensures he triumphs even with the strangest builds. AM is not your go-to hero in this patch, but Topson makes it look easy. His exceptional farming style and aggressive demeanor ensure there is no stone left unturned when it comes to winning the lane. Topson prioritizes farming in the early game which allows him to join the fights with enough damage and sustain.
Topson rotates as early as he can with this build. He ensures that all his lanes are secured and no one is lagging in terms of levels or farm. He goes for an off-meta build, as the items you see aren’t built often on AM anymore, but as it is Topson who is playing the devastating mage hunter, he makes it look like a cakewalk. He prioritizes farming and damage items, which allow him to beat multiple enemies down at once and carry the team quite effortlessly.
Use This Build If:
- You want a self-sustainable Anti-Mage build that deals terrific damage in teamfights
- You want to be involved in more skirmishes from the early game
- You want an extremely reliable Anti-Mage build that is focused on the late-game
Skill Points
Level 1: Mana Break - Burns enemy mana upon physical attacks. It also deals damage in the percentage of the mana burnt. This is the primary damage-dealing spell for AM, which shoves enemies out of the lane due to their lacking mana. It can be combined with other heroes to synergize well and deal higher damage in a fight.
Level 2: Blink - Allows Anti-Mage to teleport a short distance. It is a helpful spell that has to be skilled from the early game as it allows him to both initate or escape a fight. It also increases his farming speed.
Level 3: Mana Break
Level 4: Counterspell - Upon usage, it reflects a single targetted spell, sending it back to the caster. It also grants passive magic resistance which increases with each point in the skill. This spell is the reason why AM is highly durable in a fight, not only does he have high magic resistance, but he also has ways to reflect spells and shield him from massive damage.
Level 5: Mana Break
Level 6: Mana Void - For each mana point missing in enemies, it deals damage to them, reducing their mana pool while also causing similar effects to their allies surrounding them. It is an exceptional spell if you are facing high mana-reliant spellcasting heroes, as it reduces their impact and allows you to beat them down within no time.
Level 7: Blink
Level 8: Blink
Level 9: Blink
Level 10: -1s Blink Cooldown
Level 11: Counterspell
Level 12: Counterspell
Level 13: Mana Void
Level 14: Counterspell
Level 15: Mana Break
Level 16: +0.6% Max Mana Burn
Level 17: Stats
Level 18: Mana Void
Level 19: Stats
Level 20: +250 Blink Cast Range
Level 25: -50s Mana Void Cooldown
Items to buy for this build (Early to Late Game)
- Tango (90 Gold) - Provides health regen if used on a tree. It's the cheapest yet the most convenient way of healing up in the early stages of the game when you are playing in the side lanes. Regardless of the hero you play, Tangoes are a core item.
- Quelling Blade (100 Gold) - Increases the physical attack damage on non-hero units, and can also be used to cut trees. It is a must-have item on melee carry heroes.
- 4x Iron Branch (50 Gold) - Grants +1 of all attributes per branch. It provides decent sustain in the early game. The branch can be also planted to block paths for enemies or to deceive them under the fog.
- Orb of Venom (275 Gold) - Purchased at 2 minutes. Poisons the target, dealing 2.0 magical damage per second and slowing movement by -13%. AM benefits from Orb as it allows him to deal extra damage while slowing enemies, granting him the much required control in the laning phase.
- Ring of Health (825 Gold) - Bought at 3 minutes. It provides AM with a +6.5 health regeneration, allowing him to sustain well in the early game. It is further upgraded into Battlefury.
- Power Treads (1400 Gold) - Bought at 6 minutes. It provides 45 movement speed and 25 attack speed along with toggleable attributes, which offer everything from increased mana pool to armor and even strength, helping Anti-Mage stay durable and sufficient in all game stages.
- Magic Wand (450 Gold) - Bought at 9 minutes. Gains a charge every time an enemy uses a spell in an AoE. It can store up to 20 charges, with each charge healing you up to 15 HP and mana. It is an ideal starting item as it allows AM to sustain himself in the lane if he is facing spellcasting heroes.
- Battlefury (4100 Gold) - Purchased at 15 minutes. It allows melee heroes like Anti-Mage to deal 70% of their damage as cleave damage. As the Prominent focus of this build is to split push and farm quickly as a carry Anti-age, which pays off in the late game, Battlefury is quite essential as it is the gateway to acquiring other items quickly.
- Manta Style (4600 Gold) - Bought at 20 minutes. Creates two illusions of Anti-Mage on usage, also allowing him to dispel certain spells or dodge if he times it right. It can also be used to split push lanes and farm efficiently. It also provides him with increased stats, agility, and attack damage.
- Scythe of Vyse (5675 Gold) - Purchased at 26 minutes. Scythe of Vyse - Scythe offers immense disable potential as it turns the targeted enemy into a pig, making them unable to use any spells or items while also reducing their movement speed. This disabler item is of high value to AM as it allows him to dominate the late game with it as it helps him to lock down his foes and decimate them with the follow-up from his team.
- Moon Shard - (4000 Gold) - Purchased at 30 minutes. It grants 140 Attack Speeds and 200 Bonus Night Vision. Upon consumption, the bonuses are halved. Anti-Mage benefits greatly from increased attack speed bonuses as he lacks majorly in that department.
- Black King Bar (4050 Gold) - Purchased at 34 minutes. Provides magic immunity upon usage, making Anti-Mage invulnerable during team fights. It is essential in most matchups as he has low magical resistance.
- Skull Basher (2875 Gold) - Purchased at 37 minutes. These grants Anti-Mage a high chance of bashing enemies upon physical attacks. It also increases his attack damage and allows him to deal bonus physical damage.
- Abyssal Blade (6250 Gold) - Purchased at 40 minutes. Skull Basher is upgraded into Abyssal Blade, which stuns the targetted unit, it pierces spell immunity. Hence, it can be a useful item to temporarily disable any heroes under the effect of Black King Bar.
Neutral Items
- Broom Handle - Provides increased armor, attack speed, and attack damage. Anti-Mage with increased armor which helps him fare well in a teamfight.
- Ring of Aquila - Grants 1.25 mana regen and 2 armor to nearby allies and allied units. This is an exceptional teamfight item for AM.
- Elven Tunic - Provides Anti-Mage with increased attack and movement speed along with increased evasion. The bonus perks help Anti-Mage deal high damage in a teamfight and are elusive at the same time.
- Penta-Edged Sword - Increases Anti-Mage’s attack damage by 45 and provides him with 100 increased attack range. It also has a chance to reduce enemy movement and attack speed for a brief duration. Anti-Mage benefits briefly from this slow.
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