You can use this to secure range creeps, catapults and even big neutral creeps as it instantly kills them.
Flesh Heap reduces EVERY instance of damage taken by a flat amount. Consider an early point in it if you`re facing heroes with a lot of damage over time abilities. Example: Jakiro
Take the other level 25 talent over this suggested one if you took the Rotten Core facet at the start of the game, and are looking to be as tanky as possible to get more value out of Rot.
Starting
A consumable for sustained HP regen in the laning stage. Helps you trade your HP with enemy heroes and heal back up without having to go to fountain. Provides double HP regen when eating a tree planted using an Iron Branch.
The most cost efficient stats item in Dota 2. Useful in the laning stage to have an HP, mana, and damage advantage against enemy heroes. Can be used together with a Tango for double HP regen.
Early Game
An early game pick up that helps you get through the laning stage with more stats. The HP regen is particularly useful to stay relatively healthy in the lane while you tank heroes and creeps.
A core Boots of Speed upgrade to boost damage and tankiness while allowing you to close the gap on enemy heroes and stay on top of them with Rot using the Phase active.
Start with Magic Stick if you expect high frequency of spells from enemy heroes on the lane.
Mid Game
A core item that makes use of your high HP pool with Flesh Heap stacks to reflect damage back to enemy heroes. Particularly useful against heroes who cannot stop doing damage around them with their abilities once they cast them, such as Leshrac. Also works well against squishy heroes who do high right click damage, such as Sniper.
A core mobility item to quickly close the gap on enemy heroes and lock them down with Dismember. Gives you much more reliable initiation and have versatility with Meat Hook usage. Also lets you find better angles to save allies with Meat Hook when they are in trouble.
A core item to significantly improve your AoE damage output with Rot and have more impact in teamfights. Also lowers the HP regen of enemy heroes affected by Rot to lower their tankiness. Has great synergy with the Rotten Core facet.
A core defensive item to make yourself or an ally invisible to get in and out of fights. Also provides magic resistance and a damage barrier on cast to make you more tanky against heavy magic damage lineups.
A core item that amplifies your spell damage on enemy heroes and creeps in an AoE around you. Also provides some much needed armor and HP sustain. Builds into Shiva`s Guard later in the game.
Late Game
An upgrade for Veil of Discord to become tanky with armor and reduce healing in an AoE around you. Works well against illusions and summons along with your AoE damage from Rot. Has great synergy with aghs to slow enemy heroes from range with the Arctic Blast active and do even more damage with Rot after getting in range.
A core item that lets you avoid most disables and silences on the enemy team to maintain your Dismember channel and not get kited when running at enemy heroes with Rot. Also improves your right click damage and tankiness through HP pool and magic resistance.
A core item to significantly improve your tankiness and HP regen to keep Rot on without losing much of your current HP. Lets you play fearlessly in fights and use your high HP pool to do damage with Rot.
A core upgrade for Blink Dagger to have more AoE damage and control in teamfights while becoming even more tanky with HP pool.
Situational
A situational item that helps with mana sustain to spam Meat Shield while farming with Rot as well as have mana for your Meat Hook into Dismember combo. Also makes you tanky with armor and HP pool.
An alternative to Blade Mail that makes you significantly more tanky against physical damage. Allows you to dive towers and farm much faster with Rot as the HP regen and damage block keeps you healthy. Gets upgraded to Heaven`s Halberd or Crimson Guard later in the game.
An aura item that improves your impact in teamfights by buffing your whole team with magic resistance.
An aura item that improves your impact in teamfights by buffing your whole team and buildings against physical damage. Particularly useful against high attack speed heroes and summons.
An alternative to Glimmer Cape to become significantly more tanky against magic damage while gaining more damage and HP pool through stats. Also improves your mana sustain based on the damage you take to return more damage with Meat Hook and Dismember.
An upgrade for Vanguard to prevent enemy cores from right clicking you to fight back while you run them down with your massive right click damage during Rot with the Rotten Core facet.
A powerful defensive tool to reflect single target spells. Also provides a dispel on cast to remove Spirit Vessel and makes you tanky with armor.
A mobility item to push yourself or one of your allies away from trouble, or close the gap on enemies. Also lets you push yourself over cliffs and impassable terrain.
A situational item to setup your Meat Hook on enemy heroes. Also lets you dispel yourself and buy time when in trouble.
A mid to late game pick up to do even more damage with your Meat Hook on enemy heroes. Has great synergy with Aether Lens and cast range increasing Neutral Items to increase the length of the Hook, effectively doing more damage.
A powerful defensive tool to block single target disables and debuffs. Also provides effective damage through stats for universal heroes.
A late game pick up to amplify your magic damage toolkit on an enemy hero to burst them down. Also works as a save for your cores against physical damage.
