Dota 2 Atlas Guide Mastering Landslide And Rumbled Synergies
Atlas, the Stone Colossus, has crashed into the world of Dota 2, bringing with him a unique blend of crowd control, damage, and survivability. This hero is poised to become a formidable force on the battlefield, especially when utilizing his signature abilities, Landslide and Rumbled. This comprehensive guide will delve into the intricacies of building Atlas, focusing on maximizing the synergies between these two powerful spells and exploring various item and skill builds to dominate your games.
Understanding Atlas's Abilities
Before diving into the builds, it's crucial to understand what makes Atlas tick. His abilities offer a versatile toolkit for initiating fights, disrupting enemy formations, and providing sustained damage output.
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Landslide: This is Atlas's signature initiation tool. Atlas summons a cascading wave of stone shards in a target direction, damaging and stunning enemies caught in its path. The range and width of Landslide make it ideal for catching enemies off guard or disrupting their positioning in team fights. It's crucial to master the range and angle of this ability to maximize its impact. Proper execution of Landslide can set up kills for your team or provide a crucial opening for a counter-attack.
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Rumbled: Atlas turns into a rolling boulder, gaining increased movement speed and armor. While in Rumbled form, he can barrel through enemies, damaging and knocking them back. The synergy between Landslide and Rumbled is key to Atlas's playstyle. You can use Rumbled to close the distance on enemies, knock them into the path of your Landslide, or escape from dangerous situations. The increased armor provided by Rumbled also makes Atlas surprisingly tanky, allowing him to survive in the thick of battle.
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Stone Gaze: This ability forces enemies facing Atlas to turn to stone, stunning them and making them invulnerable for a short duration. Stone Gaze is a powerful tool for isolating key targets, disrupting enemy combos, and creating openings for your team to capitalize on. However, the long cooldown and cast time require careful timing and positioning. Using Stone Gaze effectively can turn the tide of a team fight, but misusing it can leave you vulnerable.
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Colossus Smash: Atlas's ultimate ability is a devastating area-of-effect attack. Atlas leaps into the air and slams down on a target area, dealing massive damage and stunning enemies. Colossus Smash is perfect for initiating team fights, finishing off weakened enemies, or disrupting enemy formations. The ability's long range allows Atlas to initiate from a safe distance, and the large area of effect makes it difficult for enemies to avoid. Coordinating Colossus Smash with your team's abilities can lead to devastating combos and swift victories.
Skill Build Strategies
There are several viable skill builds for Atlas, each catering to a different playstyle and role within the team. Here are two common approaches:
Maximizing Landslide and Rumbled
This build focuses on maximizing the synergy between Atlas's two core abilities. By prioritizing Landslide and Rumbled, you'll be able to initiate fights more frequently, control the flow of battle, and disrupt enemy formations. This build is ideal for players who want to be aggressive and constantly pressure the enemy team.
The typical skill progression for this build is as follows:
- Landslide
- Rumbled
- Landslide
- Rumbled
- Landslide
- Colossus Smash
- Landslide
- Rumbled
- Rumbled
- Stone Gaze
- Colossus Smash
- Stone Gaze
- Stone Gaze
- Stats
- Colossus Smash
- Stats 17-25. Stats
This build prioritizes Landslide early on for its damage and stun potential, followed by Rumbled for mobility and initiation. Maxing both abilities before Stone Gaze allows you to exert maximum control over the battlefield in the early and mid-game. Stone Gaze is taken later for its utility in team fights and for isolating key targets. The remaining skill points are allocated to stats to increase Atlas's survivability and mana pool.
Balancing Damage and Utility
This build provides a more balanced approach, offering a mix of damage, crowd control, and utility. By investing points in Stone Gaze earlier, you'll have more opportunities to disrupt enemy combos and protect your allies. This build is suitable for players who prefer a more supportive role or need to adapt to different game situations.
The skill progression for this build is as follows:
- Landslide
- Rumbled
- Landslide
- Stone Gaze
- Landslide
- Colossus Smash
- Landslide
- Rumbled
- Rumbled
- Rumbled
- Colossus Smash
- Stone Gaze
- Stone Gaze
- Stone Gaze
- Colossus Smash
- Stats 17-25. Stats
This build takes Stone Gaze at level 4 to provide early utility and disruption. Maxing Landslide remains a priority for its damage and stun, but Rumbled is maxed later to provide more consistent mobility and initiation. Stone Gaze is maxed after Rumbled to increase its duration and impact in team fights. The remaining skill points are allocated to stats for added survivability and mana.
Item Build Choices
Atlas's item build is flexible and can be adapted to suit the game's needs and your team's composition. However, certain items synergize particularly well with his abilities and playstyle. Here are some key item choices:
Core Items
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Arcane Boots: These boots provide much-needed mana regeneration, allowing you to cast your spells more frequently. Mana sustain is crucial for Atlas, as his abilities are mana-intensive. Arcane Boots can also be upgraded into Guardian Greaves later in the game, providing additional utility and survivability for your team.
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Blink Dagger: This item is essential for initiating fights and positioning yourself effectively. Blink Dagger allows you to quickly close the distance on enemies, set up Landslides, and escape from dangerous situations. It's a core item for most Atlas builds, especially those focused on aggression and playmaking.
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Aghanim's Shard: This upgrade enhances Atlas's Stone Gaze ability, making it more versatile and impactful. The Shard reduces the cooldown of Stone Gaze, allowing you to use it more frequently. Additionally, it causes Stone Gaze to affect an area around the target, making it more effective in team fights and for disrupting enemy formations. It's a strong pickup for enhancing your utility and control.
Situational Items
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Veil of Discord: This item amplifies magic damage dealt to enemies in an area, making it a great choice for increasing your team's overall damage output. Veil of Discord synergizes well with Atlas's Landslide and Colossus Smash, as well as other magic-damage-dealing heroes on your team. It's particularly effective against tanky heroes with high magic resistance.
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Force Staff: This item provides additional mobility and utility. Force Staff can be used to reposition yourself, save allies, or push enemies into favorable positions for your spells. It's a versatile item that can be used both offensively and defensively.
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Eul's Scepter of Divinity: This item allows you to disable a target for a short duration, setting up kills for your team or escaping from ganks. Eul's Scepter can be used to disrupt enemy combos, isolate key targets, or create opportunities for your team to initiate fights. It also provides mana regeneration, which is always beneficial for Atlas.
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Scythe of Vyse: This item provides a powerful disable, turning a target into a harmless animal for a short duration. Scythe of Vyse is a great choice for locking down key enemy heroes, such as carries or supports, in team fights. It also provides mana regeneration and stats, making it a valuable addition to your inventory.
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Black King Bar (BKB): This item provides temporary immunity to magic damage and disables, allowing you to cast your spells without interruption. BKB is essential in games where the enemy team has a lot of crowd control or magic damage. It allows you to initiate fights, cast your ultimate, and deal damage without being disabled.
Gameplay Strategies
Atlas is a versatile hero who can be played in a variety of roles, but he typically excels as an initiator and playmaker. Here are some general gameplay strategies to keep in mind:
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Early Game: Focus on farming and securing experience in the early game. Use Landslide to harass enemies in lane and secure last hits. Coordinate with your support to ward key areas and avoid ganks. Your goal in the early game is to reach level 6 and acquire key items like Arcane Boots and Blink Dagger.
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Mid Game: The mid-game is where Atlas shines. Use Blink Dagger and Landslide to initiate fights and disrupt enemy formations. Coordinate with your team to take objectives, such as towers and Roshan. Be mindful of your positioning and avoid overextending. Your goal in the mid-game is to create space for your carry to farm and secure a lead for your team.
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Late Game: In the late game, Atlas becomes a powerful team fight hero. Use Colossus Smash to initiate fights and deal massive damage. Coordinate with your team to focus down key enemy targets. Be mindful of your cooldowns and avoid wasting your spells. Your goal in the late game is to secure team fight victories and push for the enemy base.
Maximizing the Landslide-Rumbled Synergy
The synergy between Landslide and Rumbled is the cornerstone of Atlas's gameplay. Here's how to effectively utilize this combo:
- Positioning: Before initiating, position yourself in a way that allows you to use Rumbled to knock enemies into the path of your Landslide. Flanking the enemy team or using terrain to your advantage can help you achieve this.
- Timing: The timing of your Rumbled and Landslide is crucial. Activate Rumbled to gain speed and armor, then barrel towards your target. As you approach, aim your Landslide in the direction you're moving, anticipating where the enemy will be knocked back.
- Follow-up: After landing the Landslide-Rumbled combo, follow up with Stone Gaze or Colossus Smash to further disrupt the enemy team and secure kills. Coordinate with your teammates to maximize the impact of your initiation.
Effective Stone Gaze Usage
Stone Gaze is a powerful tool for isolating targets and disrupting enemy combos. Here are some tips for using it effectively:
- Target Selection: Choose your target carefully. Stone Gaze is most effective against key enemy heroes, such as carries or supports, who can be easily isolated and eliminated. Avoid using it on targets who are already disabled or invulnerable.
- Positioning: Position yourself in a way that allows you to cast Stone Gaze on your target without being interrupted. Use terrain or Blink Dagger to get into position quickly and surprise your enemy.
- Timing: The timing of Stone Gaze is crucial. Use it to interrupt enemy spells, prevent escapes, or set up kills for your team. Avoid using it prematurely, as the long cooldown can leave you vulnerable.
Conclusion
Atlas is a formidable hero in Dota 2, offering a unique blend of crowd control, damage, and survivability. By mastering his abilities and understanding the synergies between Landslide and Rumbled, you can become a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. Experiment with different skill and item builds to find what works best for your playstyle and team composition. With practice and dedication, you can unlock Atlas's full potential and dominate your games.