Dota 2 Hero Discussion : Puck the Faerie Dragon (2 July 2014)

Puck is one of the best heroes in the game at starting fights. Puck's skills are useful in any situation, giving it a lot of flexibility and making it a great hero in both support and offensive roles. Puck's signature skill, Illusory Orb , is an example of this. Although it functions like a regular line damage spell, at any time during its course Puck can use its  Ethereal Jaunt skill and instantly teleport to the position of the  Illusory Orb. This makes the spell useful in both attacking and escaping. It also works perfectly with its second offensive spell, Waning Rift. Waning Rift deals damage and silences in an area aroundPuck, making it the natural choice for use after an  Illusory Orb and  Ethereal Jaunt. Puck's final offensive spell, Dream Coil, can be used either before or after this combo with great effect. Dream Coil traps enemies in a small area, forcing them to remain near the target point or take damage and get stunned. To complement its need to get up into its target's face, Puck has Phase Shift to help in sticky situations. Phase Shift renders Puck invulnerable for several seconds, although it is unable to move in this state. Puck is a relatively easy hero to pick up, but a rewarding one to master.

Puck Lore

While Puck seems at first glance a mischievous, childish character, this quality masks an alien personality. The juvenile form of a Puck, a creature that lives for eons, Puck spends countless millennia in its childish form. So while it is technically true that Puck is juvenile, it will continue to be so when the cities of the present age have sloughed away into dust. Its motives are therefore inscrutable, and what appears to be play may in fact hide a darker purpose. Its endless fondness for mischief is the true indicator of Puck's true nature.

Puck Roles: Escape, Initiator, Nuker, Disabler

• Strength: 15 + 1.7
• Agility: 22 + 1.7
• Intelligence: 24 + 2.4
• Damage: 47-58
• Armour: 2.08
• Movement Speed: 295
• Attack Range: 550
• Missile Speed: 900
• Base Attack Time: 1.7
• Sight Range: 1800 (Day) / 800 (Night)
• Turn Rate: 0.4

Puck Abilities

Illusory Orb

Puck launches a magic orb that floats in a straight path, damaging enemy units along the way. At any point, Puck may teleport to the orb's location using  Ethereal Jaunt

Level	Manacost	Cooldown	Casting Range	Area	Duration	Effects
1	150	12	3000	225	N/A	Sends out an orb that deals 70 damage to enemies it touches, travelling 1800 distance
2	150	12	3000	225	N/A	Sends out an orb that deals 140 damage to enemies it touches, travelling 1800 distance
3	150	12	3000	225	N/A	Sends out an orb that deals 210 damage to enemies it touches, travelling 1800 distance
4	150	12	3000	225	N/A	Sends out an orb that deals 280 damage to enemies it touches, travelling 1800 distance

• Magical Damage
• Illusory Orb grants flying vision to the area around it while it travels
• The orb will travel 1800 units in 3 seconds, hitting all enemies in a 200 unit radius around the orb
• Puck gains a second ability,  Ethereal Jaunt, when this skill is cast. Using Ethereal Jaunt moves Puck instantly to wherever the Orb is, you can dodge projectiles this way

The playful Puck delights in confusing others, vanishing and reappearing where unexpected.

Waning Rift

Puck releases a burst of faerie dust that deals damage and silences enemy units nearby.

Level	Manacost	Cooldown	Casting Range	Area	Duration	Effects
1	100	16	N/A	400	0.75	Deals 70 damage and silences enemies in an area around Puck
2	110	16	N/A	400	1.5	Deals 140 damage and silences enemies in an area around Puck
3	120	16	N/A	400	2.25	Deals 210 damage and silences enemies in an area around Puck
4	130	16	N/A	400	3	Deals 280 damage and silences enemies in an area around Puck

• Magical Damage

With a mischievous grin, Puck spreads its enchanted powder which disrupts magical flow.

Phase Shift

Puck briefly shifts into another dimension where it is immune from harm.

Level	Manacost	Cooldown	Casting Range	Area	Duration	Effects
1	0	6	N/A	N/A	0.75	Puck becomes temporarily invulnerable and untargettable
2	0	6	N/A	N/A	1.5	Puck becomes temporarily invulnerable and untargettable
3	0	6	N/A	N/A	2.25	Puck becomes temporarily invulnerable and untargettable
4	0	6	N/A	N/A	3.25	Puck becomes temporarily invulnerable and untargettable

• Puck retains its collision size while phaseshifted
• Puck can cancel Phase Shift at any time with any action

With a quip and flash, Puck returns to the alien dimension from whence it came.

Dream Coil

Ultimate
Creates a coil of volatile magic that latches onto enemy Heroes, stunning them for .5 seconds and damaging them. If the enemy hero stretches the coil by moving too far away, it snaps, deals damage again and stuns.

Level	Mana Cost	Cooldown	Casting Range	Area	Duration	Effects
1	100	85	750	375	6 (8)	Plants a coil in the targetted area which attaches itself to all enemy heroes in the area, when cast it deals 100 initial damage and stuns for 0.5 seconds, if an enemy breaks the coil by walking 750 range from the centre, they get dealt 100 (200) damage and are stunned for 1.5 seconds
2	150	85	750	375	6 (8)	Plants a coil in the targetted area which attaches itself to all enemy heroes in the area, when cast it deals 150 initial damage and stuns for 0.5 seconds, if an enemy breaks the coil by walking 750 range from the centre, they get dealt 150 (250) damage and are stunned for 2.25 seconds
3	200	85	750	375	6 (8)	Plants a coil in the targetted area which attaches itself to all enemy heroes in the area, when cast it deals 200 initial damage and stuns for 0.5 seconds, if an enemy breaks the coil by walking 750 range from the centre, they get dealt 200 (300) damage and are stunned for 3 seconds

• Magical Damage
• This ultimate can be upgraded via Aghanim's Scepter, (*) shows the upgraded effects
• Any movement ability used to escape Dream Coil will trigger the damage and stun, however the hero will still continue to their destination. Certain abilities, such as Storm Spirit's  Ball Lightning and Morphling's Waveform, grant invulnerability during cast and will break Dream Coil with no effect
• If a hero becomes magic immune after being linked by Dream Coil, the visual effect will still be present but the ability will not do anything if the immunity is active upon breaking the link
• The initial stun and damage can be blocked by Linken's Sphere, but the target will still be affected by the coils themselves

Puck sows confusion by forcing its enemies to vividly dream about their own mortality.

Top Comments

Naxela: Considering he's a snowball-y playmaking teamfighter like that of many other heroes with cool aghs effects

Puck 's Aghanim's Scepter needs a rework into one of those situationally awesome varieties we've been seeing added to many other heroes. As it stands now the effect is really lackluster and almost always a terrible choice considering the other item possibilities for Puck . Considering he's a snowball-y playmaking teamfighter like that of many other heroes with cool aghs effects, I really want to see him given the same opportunity.

Takesis_1: Since it's a Dream Coil, why not lower all coiled units' vision while coiled. Like they're getting drowsy or something.

SynChroma : That way it makes people choose, do they want to be grouped up for a wombo combo, or risk taking the damage and stun.

I think that one cool thing for Puck Aghanim's Scepter to do would be sort of a black hole effect.

Any heroes that are caught in Dream Coil are slowly moved towards the center of 
the coil, as the radius for the tether-break stun shrinks as well.  

Notsomebeans : you need to run like 180-520 degrees from starting position

I liked the idea of the coil "spinning", so in order for it not to snap you need to run like 180-520 degrees from starting position in clockwise/counterclockwiseOR to be completely differentanyone coiled gets more or less "corpse lady" or whatever her name is from hon and they lose vision of everything except the other people that are coiled

Sorlin : Dream Coil break radius is reduced over time

Yeah, it is one of the most ineffective  Aghanim's Scepter, because there are always better choices. How about adding something : "Dream Coil break radius is reduced over time" so enemy need to walk closer to the center to not break it?

TheTVDB : Especially good against melee carries that can be kited.

Aghanim's Scepter Dream Coil should just go through magic immunity. Especially good against melee carries that can be kited. Or you could have Puck (and teammates?) become invisible to anyone still attached to a coil. Kind of like you're in a dream state ?

BoushBoushBoush : reduces the cooldown to an absurdly low value

One of my ideas was to make  Aghanim's Scepter's similar to Vengeful Spirit or Clockwerk's upgrades, in that it simply reduces the cooldown to an absurdly low value. Not quite as low as those upgrades since it has a longer cooldown to begin with, but something in the range of 20-30 seconds could allow Puck to use it twice in drawn-out fights, helping the team chase down fleeing enemies. Normally you don't need more than one good Dream Coil to ensure a good teamfight, so you don't need to get the upgrade every game, but it reduces the downtime between pickoffs and may be used twice during a teamfight, so in the situations where you need those the price may be justified.

WhitePepsi24 : units will take more time if they want to break free from the tether

How about adding a slow that goes through magic immunity, which is only removed if they break the tether?that way, units will take more time if they want to break free from the tether, while if they continue to fight while coiled, their MS /AS /Turnrate (AOE turnrate reduction that goes through Black King Bar might be too gamebreaking, idk?) will be lowered so it's harder for them to continue fighting.since it's a tether of sorts, there should be an element of something holding them back, whereas the stun from breaking the tether can be when the tether snaps etc

Ghost_Jor : Ensuring a kill helps start the snowball and is worth a solo ult a lot of the time.

Like any other hero with a big teamfight ult, don't be afraid to use it on one person in the early game. If you gank and don't kill anyone that's a delayed Blink Dagger and wasted time

jensenj2 : Don't be afraid to offlane Puck if your lineup calls for it. It's perfectly legit and many opposing lane setups will have trouble killing you.

Absolutely my favourite hero in the game. Main points for newer Puck players to remember:

1. Using Dream Coil on a single target in the early game is completely fine. If it nets you a kill, it's entirely worth it to get that fast Blink Dagger
2. Blink Dagger is absolutely core. There is no excuse to not get it.
3. Standard combo (post-blink) is: Blink, Waning Rift, Dream Coil,  Illusory Orb, Phase Shift, Ethereal Jaunt (unless the Ethereal Jaunt will put you in a bad spot.)
4. Other than Bottle/Magic Stick/Boots of Speed, you should not be buying lots of small early game items. It only delays your core (blink!!)
5. Dagon is a legitimate choice if you're balling out of control. Against a squishy lineup, you can instil fear into every enemy hero on the map when you're missing, akin to a Pudge or a Queen of Pain.
6. In an even game, work towards the hex rather than a Dagon. It synergizes brilliantly with your blink and will allow for easier pickoffs.
7. As a Puck, you'll have a rough time against single target non-projectile disables/silences (Skywrath Mage, Bane, Lion/Shadow Shaman etc.).
8. Don't be afraid to offlane Puck if your lineup calls for it. It's perfectly legit and many opposing lane setups will have trouble killing you.
9. Templar Assassin is probably the biggest mid-counter to Puck. If you lane against a competent Templar Assassin you will likely have a rough time.
10. Phase Shift at level 4 allows enough time for the damage-cooldown on Blink Dagger to run down. Shift-queue is your best friend. However, take into account that Puck has a bad turn rate, and you must first turn to the direction that you choose to blink in. Factor this into your decision making when you use Phase Shift.

Probably forgot a ton of things.

Position5hero : Puck is an early game hero, so buying early game items is reasonable

Honestly I think Dagon is underated on Puck. It has a stigma as a "noob item" but it's the perfect item to start snowballing with. If you're playing against a team with split pushers or that isn't 5 man, and you can get it early, Dagon1 is a good investment

Problem is people go Dagon 5 Ethereal Blade, which throws games.
Everything in moderation.Get a Blink Dagger, then maybe a Dagon 1 if youre doing really well.then get that Eul's Scepter of Divinity, sheep, that Refresher Orb, real items instead of Dagon 5
I also really like shivas and refresher on Puck
2 times silence+ 2 times Dream Coil+ 2 times sheep stick + 2 times Dagon+ 2 times Shiva's Guard+ 2 times Orb is so crippling the fight is basically over if you can land it on 3-4 people

ffffdddddssss : Combined with the fast levels and amazing ult in addition to another mid with level advantage, that's a very good early game.

While I mainly play Puck mid and it's great fun, I've come to like Puck as a solo offlaner even more.
Puck can get very good last hits in the offlane due to its elusive nature. Squishy safe lane farmers like Faceless Void /Juggernaut/Anti-Mage and their supports really have to be careful or you might even get a kill out of the offlane due to level advantage and the massive damage your Illusory Orb deals. Getting your level6 fast means usually a kill mid or the safe lane.

All in all definitely my favourite offlane hero at the moment. I start off with Null Talisman and Tango. The Null gives you hard right clicks right from the start which is excellent for showing dominance early on.

SteveWoods : The thing to consider is your build-up and whether or not it will let you continue dominating.

One of the biggest issues that Queen of Pain, Storm Spirit and Puck that hear "Scythe of Vyse is good always buy it" face is the fact that since they don't get a new item for a long time during the build-up, they often run out of the steam they need to dominate when the enemy starts finishing their smaller items that make them not-so-easy to kill. Then, they never recover because the snowball's over, and they just get stuck mid-Scythe of Vyse build-up until the game's over. If you can get Scythe of Vyse at the 20 minute mark, go for it but that's only a 1 in 100 sort of situation.

You need to start smaller with something like an Orchid Malevolence, Eul's Scepter of Divinity's, or Dagon. I recommend Orchid Malevolence for the Queen of Pain and SSes out there, but for Puck I prefer Eul's Scepter of Divinity's or Dagon.Eul's Scepter of Divinity 's gives you some excellent synergy with Phase Shift which only enhances your annoying-as-shit factor for the enemy team, and gives you a TP interrupt so you don't have to save your coil for it. It also gives you a way out of say, the aforementioned Storm Spirit Orchid Malevolence without having to spend twice as much gold on aLinken's Sphere's. It also is useful regardless of whether or not you're snowballing, unlike Dagon.

Personally though, I prefer Dagon. Obviously it's a bit more situational--if they've got an offensive threat with silence that can pick you off, Eul's is a lot more important for you to get. And if they only have one squishy hero and it's a support, you better go for more utility with Eul's. But if you have some targets, Dagon is a great choice, even if you get shit over it. Dagon is also a lot cheaper than it looks in many instances, since depending on the mid match-up you may just be starting with a Null Tali in the first place. Dagon extends solo-kill potential massively, letting either you continue snowballing, or for tons of space to be made for your carry as they're forced to 5 man/supports can't roam. And I think it's worth making it into a Dagon 5. Not just for more damage, but getting down to 100 mana cost and 15 second cooldown is huge since it means you get off multiple nukes during the fight. It also gets great build-up--sure, it's the most expensive item in the game, but it's always just one 1250g recipe more which means you never have a huge dry spell of never getting more powerful while building it up. Just.... don't only killsteal with it.

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