Strategy Guide for Kel'Thuzad the Lich

by Suizida (as of v6.59)

http://planetdota.blogspot.com
Table of Contents
• Introduction

Pros and Cons

The Lich's Role in the Team
Statistics

• All about Kel'Thuzad

Lich's Skills
Items Info

• How to play Kel'Thuzad

On to the build
Skill Build
Core Item Build
Other Items
In Build Items
Items to Avoid
Levels 1-7
Levels 8-12
Levels 12-16
Levels 17-25

• Important Strategies
 Mini Guide to Chain Frost
Knowing the creeps
Wards and Blink around the map
|-----------------------------------------------------|

• Allies and Enemies

Good Supporting Heroes

Tough Enemy Heroes

• Replays

• Frequently asked questions

• Updates

• Final Words

Introduction
Hey guys, I've decided to re-write basically my whole Lich guide for the HGC. Expect a lot of
changes since this guide is incredibly out-of-date. This is my 2nd guide and previously this guide
spoke about Lich's awesoem soloing skills. The fact of the matter is that Lich's solo skills don't
fit into the 'metagame' that is DotA. This new version will focus more on the dual laning skills of
Lich. I also used to have quite a long list for the item build. Lich doesn't really need all those
items, so I'm going to make the core items and you choose the rest, like in Tucker's or De_dust's
guides.

Pros and Cons

Pros
Not-item dependant
An endless supply of mana
Game breaking ultimate
Cons
Below average starting stats
Below average movement speed
No escape mechanism
Terrible strength gainKel'Thuzad's Role in the Team
Kel'Thuzad's role in the team now-days is to do all the damage he can, support and die. It's that
simple. Much like Venomancer he is in the majority of team-battles going to die. But him dieing
isn't what he goes into battles for, he goes into battles so he can create rip-shit riot with chain
frost. So what do you do with a hero that dies a ton? simple support your allies and spend your $
to gain total map-control

Statistics

Range: 500 | | Move Speed: 295 | Primary: Intelligence

Str: 18 + 1.55 | Agi: 15 + 2.00 | Int: 18 + 3.25
Damage: 37 - 49 | HP: 492 | Mana: 234 | Armor: 1
HP Regen: 0.79 | Mana Regen: 0.73 |Attack Speed: 1.48 (+ 15% IAS)

All about Kel'Thuzad

Skills Info
Frost Nova

Blasts enemy units around a target enemy unit with a wave of damaging frost
slows movement and attack rates for 4 seconds.
Level 1 50 target damage and 75 nova damage. (Costs 125 mana, 9.25sec cooldown)
Level 2 - 100 target damage and 100 nova damage. (Costs 150 mana, 9.25sec cooldown)
Level 3 - 125 target damage and 125 nova damage. (Costs 175 mana, 9.25sec cooldown)
Level 4 - 175 target damage and 150 nova damage. (Costs 190 mana, 9.25sec cooldown)

Your sole nuke. Quite straight forward. This nuke does 175 to the targeted enemy and 150 nova
damage to a 200 AOE. A common misconception is the Nova damage doesn't hit the main target
also, but that is incorrect. So technically, Frost Nova does 325 to one unit and 150 damage to the
rest (level 4, before spell resistance). Coupled with Dark Ritual, there is an unlimited amount of
times you can use it. This is the skill that gives you your lane dominance early game. Mid game
Frost Nova is used in team battles as it damages and slows everyone and to assist ganks. Late
game this is also used to assist ganks and farming. This skill will be maxed out first with Dark
Ritual

Frost Armour
Creates a shield of frost around a target friendly unit. The shield adds armour and slows attacking
melee units for 2 seconds.
Lasts 40 seconds. Cost: 50 mana. Cooldown: 6 seconds.
Level 1 - Adds 3 armour.
Level 2 - Adds 6 armour.
Level 3 - Adds 9 armour.
Level 4 - Adds 12 armour.

As of 6.45, this skill is pretty good, but still situational. The increase in Armour is amazing for
late game now. The slow is nice, but only works on melee heroes. It's nice to have on when
ganking, but sometimes you don't have the opportunity to use it. The armour is also nice, but the
fact it's casted armour it is usually overlooked. Between Frost Armour and stats I usually choose
stats. But now with the armour buff it can be taken instead of stats. With the buff recently
upgrading the armour per level, Frost Armour can be taken straight over stats. Obviously the way
the game is going and who your team is versing will make that decision.

Note: Frost armour won't slow Ursa warrior as he is considered a range hero. It will slow him if
he has Enrage on As of 6.44 Ursa is MELEE.

Dark Ritual

Sacrifices a target friendly unit to convert its hit points into mana.
Cost: 25 mana.
Level 1 - 15% of hit points to mana. Cooldown: 60 seconds
Level 2 - 30% of hit points to mana. Cooldown: 55 seconds
Level 3 - 45% of hit points to mana. Cooldown: 50 seconds
Level 4 - 60% of hit points to mana. Cooldown: 45 seconds

WOW. One of the best non-ultimate abilities in the game. This gives Kel'Thuzad his endless
supply of mana. It also denies experience from the enemy. This together with Frost Nova gives
Kel'Thuzad his awesome laning skills.

Note: Dark Ritual does not dispel Battle Hunger

Chain Frost

Releases a jumping breath of frost that jumps 6 times.

Level 1 - Deals 280 damage per hit. Cost: 200 mana. Cooldown: 145 seconds
Level 2 - Deals 370 damage per hit. Cost: 325 mana. Cooldown: 115 seconds
Level 3 - Deals 460 damage per hit. Cost: 500 mana. Cooldown: 60 seconds
Aghanims - Deals 550 damage per hit. Cost: 500 mana. Cooldown: 60 seconds, 7 bounces

One of the best team ultimate's in the game. The move that ensures that you can win a 1v2
situation. The projectile is a bit tricky as the Chain Frost jump will hit the enemy before it
actually touches them. The bounces from the Chain Frost have a bounce range of 600 to hit
another target. Coupled with an AOE stunner, it is a combo that promises some serious
destruction.

<---Click me
Here is a slideshow of how deceiving Chain Frost's projectile is.

Note: The casting range of Chain Frost is 750, with Aghanims it is 850

Core item build

- Mekansm = Optional

OR

Item Build Justifications

As you can see now, there are 2 choices for core item builds. The only difference is the choice
between Boots of Travel and Blink Dagger. Blink Dagger is used mostly for escaping, aiding
teamates and setting up perfect Chain-Frosts. Boots of Travel is used for total map control and
with the superior MS to help eenemies chase, support etc. So what do you choose? It comes
down to 2 things. No.1 Preference. Some people prefer BoT over Dagger and Vice-Versa. No.2
The way the game is going. If your versing a massive pushing team then you would take BoT but
if your versing a team that lusts on tema battles then you go
Dagger.

A chicken is optional early game and 95% of the time I buy one. Since Lich buys all his items in
little bits and he needs to by observer wards constantly, a chicken would seem mandatory on
him. The Tango of Essifation is also an optional item, but he helps Lich's lane control
tremendously. A Ring of Regeneration is next to give Kel'Thuzad survival in his lane. Turn RoR
into Headdress as soon as you can.

Kel'Thuzad is one of, if not the best choice to put down Observer Wards for the Scourge. Since
he doesn't need expensive items to be effective he can use his spare change to have sight around
the map. Ward-spots will be shown later in the guide.

Mekansm suits Kel'Thuzad very well (as oppose to my previous thoughts on it :P ). Since
Kel'Thuzad always has mana, he has no problem with holding it. It helps Kel'Thuzad and
everyone in the team with pushing also. In a team battle Kel'Thuzad uses Frost Nova then Chain
Frost, then DPS's the rest. With Mekansm, you can seek out heroes who are in need of aid.
Mekansm is now being deemed optional in the first build since Lich with a Blink Dagger early
can rape almost any hero early.

Blink Dagger is a great item on every hero, because it gives all heroes an escape mechanism. But
it is better used for the heroes who can assist the DPS'ers or do massive burst damage. Kel
Thuzad is a prime candidate for blink dagger. He has no escape mechanism, his Frost Nova
assists allies taking down heroes. It is also used to get close to enemy heroes so he can use his
Chain Frost. When Kel'Thuzad uses his ultimate, he will automatically be focused fire, using
Blink Dagger to escape will cause confusion for the opposition and your DPS'ers and stunners
can finish off what Chain Frost left. The amounts of uses for Blink Dagger are endless. The main
usage for Chain Frost (which I actually forgot :D) is to get into position to pull off a perfect
Chain Frost. Dagger helps out with this due to the slow movement speed of the first bounce in
Chain Frost. The bounce is incredibly slow, so by getting Blink Dagger you can blink right next
to the opponent thus eliminating the ugly process of waiting for the first bounce.

Boots of Travel. I shouldn't need to argue between Travel and Treads, but I will for pubbers sake.
Treads cost 1530. They give 65+MS and 30%attack speed. Travels cost 2700. They give 90+MS
and a 60 second teleport. Although Treads are considerably cheaper, Boots of Travel are still the
better choice. Why? Kel'Thuzad needs as much movement speed as he can get. With his below
average movement speed, he won't be able to catch any hero with treads when they have treads
and he won't be able to outrun any heroes when he has Treads and they have Travels. The 30%
attack speed from treads is a waste on Kel'Thuzad. He doesn't need any attack speed and his base
damage is nothging special as he is a spell casting hero. With proper animation cancelling, he can
last hit fine. The extra 30+ movement speed from Boots of Travel gives Kel' Thuzad the
opportunity to catch up to enemies and slow them with Frost Nova. BoT coupled with Blink
Dagger makes it very hard for enemies to catch you. These 2 items +Frost Armour will make it
near impossible for any melee hero to catch you. The free teleport ensures map control,
especially with Kel'Thuzad. Since he will be your lane solo'er, his level advantage + Travel will
make it very hard for any heroes to establish dominance in a lane.

With Mekansm in the build, it makes a lot of the items interchangeable. If you like to rush
Mekansm like I do, then I rush everything ASAP. If you like to have more HP early, then get the
Bracer after Headdress.

As I said I like to rush Mekansm, but I don't gank as frequently as others. If you are a constant
ganker, then
Blink Dagger takes priority over Mekansm. This is all a matter of preference.

After Core Items

Necrominicon:For people who like to grab a couple more kills with Lich, then the Necrominion
build is the one for you. Obviously to be able to use this build efficientelly your going to need
sufficient micro. This build focuses around having your enemies constantly slowed with Frost
Nova. The MS buff from your Range demon gives you a nice edge when chasing enemies. That
coupled with Boots of Travel makes it tough to catch Lich. Also if the other team is constantly
trying to gain Map-control with wards then you can use your minions, since the range one has
true sight. If you want to learn more about this truly sexy item then check this guide by
MightyDraenei.

Aghanims Scepter:
Quite a nice boost to Lich's MP and HP. Also the increase in damage and the extra bounce from
Chain Frost is also strong

Bloodstone:
The debated item. Before my update I said that this item was shit since you would need to spend
900 gold on nothing (Void Stone). After trying it out it is quite good. As I said earlier in the
guide, Lich tends to die, so why not take advantage of it? The benefits from dying are quite
strong, especially for your team (400 HP aoe heal.) So if your team tend to be getting into a lot of
team battles, this item will keep you and your team alive for that much longer.

Guinsoo:
Another item where the regeneration is a waste. But once again the benefits are to good to
dismiss, the Cyclones/Hex is a great asset for the team

Other Items

The Other Item build:

If you are getting sick of the general core builds and feel like going on constant killing sprees
then this is the build for you. This build is based mainly in pubs. If you manage to farm Dagon
quickly (With Lich I would say about by 18min) then you go around and do some serious burst
damage. Basically turn into a roaming hero and own lanes creating total map control, this can be
done well since everytime you pass a lane, Dark Ritual a creep so you are constantly replenished.
If you feel that you are lacking health in this build then throw in a Point Booster.

In Build Items
Hood of Defiance
Ever since this item was introduced to DotA, it has been a favourite for basically every hero.
Tanks who have enough HP use it, Agility and Intelligence heroes use it so they don't die from
nukes and for a very affordable price. Kel'Thuzad is no exception to this item. Like Mekansm if
you're being outnuked, skip the Bracers, stack branches and delay stat points. Just remember, that
nukes do become harmless in the later stages of the game, so if you think you can handle the
nukes early then just leave Hood. But if the majority of your enemies team are nukers, then by all
means, this is the item for you.

Items to Avoid
Attack speed items
Hyperstone, Midas, Treads etc. Kel'Thuzad is not a DPS hero. He is a spell caster and he
supposed to be played as a spell caster.

Skill Build

Solo Lane/Dual Lane

Frost Nova:1 or 2,4,5,7
Frost Armour:10,17-19
Dark Ritual:1 or 2,3,8-9
Chain Frost:6,11,16
Attribute Bonuses:12-15,20-25

Babysitter Lane
Frost Nova:1,4,7,8
Frost Armour:10,17-19
Dark Ritual:2,3,5,9
Chain Frost:6,11,16
Attribute Bonuses:12-15,20-25

Skill Build Justification

Dark Ritual is taken at level one so you can deny experience from the enemy. But if you are
versing a team that you know will go for a level 1 gank or your team is going for one then Frost
Nova is needed first. Frost Nova is your sole nuke so it needs to be maxed out ASAP. Chain
Frost is taken at 6,11,16 because it increases his killing abilities buy a huge amount. Dark Ritual
is maxed out at level 9 so you can have an endless supply of mana. One point of Frost Armour is
taken at level 10. The armour is low at that level but the -MS stays constant between levels.
From level 12 up (excl. 16) you have the choice between stats and Frost Armour. Depending on
your team facing melee, DPS monsters (Spectre with Radiance) or even range DPS monsters mid
game (for the armour buff) you will want to take Frost Armour then. If you're still playing
against the spell caster team (which the majority of the team will be) then get stats and level up
Frost armour after.

The baby sitter skill build is to be used when laning with heroes like Spectre or Faceless Lloyd.
Level 1 Frost Nova is taken to ensure safety for your late-game-carry hero from ganks at level 1.
3 levels of Dark Ritual are taken early to keep your enemy harassed and away from your ally.
The difference between Dark Ritual 2 and 3 compared to Frost Nova 2 and 3 is quite vast. With 3
levels of Dark Ritual you can have constant mana at the expense of a bit less damage. Since
you're are baby-sitting you and your ally will not be going much for hero-kills so the damage
from Nova is negligent, but ensuring the safety of your ally is your top priority

General Walkthrough
Note:The strat is mainly based around buying Blink Dagger, so if you go the BoT route just
disregard any tips about Dagger

Levels 1-7

Skill order
Level 01 | Dark Ritual
Level 02 | Frost Nova
Level 03 | Frost Nova
Level 04 | Dark Ritual
Level 05 | Frost Nova
Level 06 | Chain Frost
Level 07 | Frost Nova
 Item order
Ironwood Branch (57)
Ironwood Branch (57)
Bracer (510)
Headress of Rejuvination (657)
Boots of Speed (500)
Observer Wards (215)
Total Cost:1996
Gameplay
The game has begun and you have picked/randomed Kel'Thuzad. Either go top or bottom for
either Scourge and Sentinel. Lich is incredibly strong early game since his unlimited supply of
mana and Frost Nova. So Lich's role early is to either a. Dominate a lane with another early-
game ownage hero (Pugna) or to be the babysitter for the carry hero (spectre, faceless Lloyd[it's
lloyd since void rhymes with my name]). Once you have bought all your starting items wait in-
front of your 1st tower. When the timer hits 1.29 (assuming it's not RD) use Dark Ritual on the
first melee creep. Since melee creeps give off the most exp and do less damage then the range
creep, you won't be tower hugging all the time. Once you have denied the creep start to creep
block the rest. This is done by standing in front of your creeps and constantly pressing 'H'. If
done correctly you will have your tower hitting the first wave of Sentinel creeps and you
would've denied experience from your enemy. Between levels 1-2, your objective is to last hit
and deny as much as you can. Don't auto-attack your enemy’s creeps, hold ALT and wait until
your enemies creeps are under the threshold Hp for a last hit. It may take a few games to learn
Kel'Thuzad's projectile but once learnt it's quite a simple task. You can also animation-cancel Kel
Thuzad's attack. When you see the projectile flying out, don't just wait around until it hits the
creep, issue another command cancelling the rest of the animation. Remeber kids, Lich's attack
damage is absolute shiza, so remeber when you attack creeps they have to have a tiny bit of HP,
Lich is no-orb walker with nice damage. Try to gain lane-control so you can stand closer to the
dieing creeps, effectively minimising the casting time.

Between 3-5, you can start harassing your enemies more with your Frost-Nova and keep your
mana regenerated with Dark Ritual. Whenever Dark Ritual is on cooldown, use it on a ful HP
melee creep (unless you need to wait to use for a kill), this will keep the creeps closer in your
territory and keep the XP and the money lower for the enemy. Keep last hitting and denying but
if an enemy hero gets to close, make sure they pay with a Frost Nova. Make sure that when your
mana is full you cast your Frost Nova on your opponent then use Dark Ritual. There is no point
keeping your mana full when you can harass your enemy.

Level 6 you gain a new weapon in your arsenal, Chain Frost. At level 6 you can kill an enemy
hero, but it takes timing and precision. If you are versing 2 heroes, wait until there are no creeps
around and use Chain Frost on the one with less HP. Hopefully, they will stay close and it will
bounce until one of them dies. When the other one is trying to run, attack him until the slow from
Chain Frost wheres off. At that stage you Frost Nova him, this is to ensure the maximum amount
of slow possible. If done correctly you have a double kill and a lot more money to spend. If there
is only one enemy hero in your lane, wait until they have one more creep left (if it is a range hero
you are versing, then wait till their spell caster creep is the last one left. If it a Melee hero you are
versing, wait until they only have one Treant left.) Cast Chain Frost on the enemy hero.
Hopefully the enemy creep will be able to stay alive for 2 bounces so the enemy hero gets hit by
3 which should be enough to kill him. If it doesn't kill the enemy do like in the other situation,
wait for the slow to where off and Frost Nova guaranteeing a kill. Anywhere Between Levels 1-7
you can put down Observer Wards. Put 2 wards at either side of the river for now. Also put one
Observer Ward on the top of the hill so you can see where there is usually fog. Later game when
heroes are moving around more Observer Wards will be put in more places.

<--Click me

Levels 8-12

Skill order
Level 08 | Dark Ritual
Level 09 | Dark Ritual
Level 10 | Frost Armour
Level 11 | Chain Frost
Level 12 | Attribute Bonuses

Item order
Bracer (500)
Chainmail (600)
Netherezims Buckler Recipe (200)
Mekansm Recipe (900)
Observer Wards (215)
Total Cost:2415
Gameplay
From levels 8-12 your main priority is to finish off Mekansm and to ward the map. Kel'Thuzad
needs to constantly suppply wards so your team can assume total-map control. Mekansm is
essential in team battles so you can keep you and the rest of your team fighting. At this stage you
can go around ganking and try keep everyone on the map underleveled while warding the map or
stay in your lane and try and keep your enemy/s underleveled until a team battle emerges or a
gank is being initiated. Both of them are viable strats.

Your role in team battles is to do as much damage as possible to the whole collective group while
focusing on one main target, This hero is usually a disabler/spell caster as they will have little HP
and will be easy target for Kel'Thuzad. When a battle starts use Frost Nova on the hero you want
to kill, then use Chain Frost on the same hero. Hopefully the bounces will continuously hit your
main target and kill him and there will be more bounces left to damage the rest of the team. One
thing that is taken for granted is the huge range on Chain Frost. When using it in a team battle
use the range fully and/or over terain, so if/when you're focused fired, you have a nice head start
when you go into a Juking position.

Make sure you always have a TP scroll on you, so if you push to far and see a free lane you can
teleport there immediately. Since everyone is moving more freely around the map, more
Observer Wards will need to be purchased so you can see around the map.

(Thanks to ResetX for letting me use his ward picture)

The last place I would recommend putting a ward down is at Roshan. With the new changes to
how Roshan works, teams will try to take him out when they have the chance, so a ward there
would seem mandatory. Also in a team battle near Roshan would be one of the best places for
Lich to fight, as there are no creeps for the Chain Frost to bounce to.

Between the later levels here and going into the level 13 it is your duty to farm up Blink
Dagger/BoT.

Levels 13-16

Skill order
 Level 13 | Attribute Bonus
Level 14 | Attribute Bonus
Level 15 | Attribute Bonus
Level 16 | Chain Frost

Item order
Observer Wards (215)
Blink Dagger (2150)
Point Booster (1200)
TOTAL COST: 3565
Gameplay
Level 13 to 16 are very important to Kel'Thuzad. Team battles and pushes are as rampant as ever.
Like levels 8-12 your main objective is to put down wards and help out in team battles. Since
there will be a lot of team pushes, make sure you walk around with a TP scroll. It is imperative
that you have one, so you can lane jump and assume map control. If there are a lot of towers
down and you need to lane jump constantly due to the enemy.

In the early stages of 13-16, you should have Blink Dagger. You finally have a full-proof escape
mechanism. Now you don't have to rely on Juking spots to sneak up on your enemy, you can use
a blink dagger to blink in or out of battles to keep yourself safe. Make sure you Blink effectively
by:
• Blinking into the correct positions for battles
• Blinking 1000 yards and not over, so you use the full distance of the Blink
• Blinking over Terrain to outrun your enemy
• Blinking directly ontop of the enemy, stopping him from moving so you can get extra
shots in

Level 16 is a great time for you. The damage from Chain Frost has increased while the cooldown
has reduced massively. Make sure you use this effectively, you don't even need to wait for team
battles, just use Chain Frost whenever you think it is appropriate.

Levels 17-25
 Skill order
Level 17 | Frost Armour
Level 18 | Frost Armour
Level 19 | Frost Armour
Level 20 | Attribute Bonus
Level 21 | Attribute Bonus
Level 22 | Attribute Bonus
Level 23 | Attribute Bonus
Level 24 | Attribute Bonus
Level 25 | Attribute Bonus

Item order
Boots of Travel (2200)
Vitality Booster (1100)
Energy Booster (1000)
TOTAL COST (4300)
Gameplay

UUUH...any intelligence heroes worst nightmare, late game. Kel'Thuzad is no exception to the
rule. To be honest, at this point of the game you are quite a liability. You fight, you Chain and
you die...that's why it is impreitive that you keep buying wards and pop them down all around
the map.

This is where Frost Armour finally becomes effective, when the DPS'ers start to run the game.
Cast it on as many of your allies as you can, focusing on your tank or your main DPS'er unless
someone is specifically being focused fired. When heroes are pushing and push to far either TP
into the lane and counter the push or assist in ganking the enemy. If the game is going long then
decide between the late-game items (explanations of which ones later). This is where you
become more of a support hero, as your spells are becoming less and less effective. Still keep
using your Chain Frost in team battles, even though it doesn't seem to do much damage, it
actually does a net damage of 2300. Also remember to use your Mekansm late game, as that has
a net heal of 1250. While your chances of getting late game kills are slim, supporting your allies
should be satisfying enough. Try and get your team to do mass-pushes so the game doesn't end
with everyone being level 25, thus making you ineffective.
Important Strategies

Mini-guide to Chain Frost

I've decided to dedicate a mini-guide to Chain Frost as I've seen countless players using Chain
Frost to recklessly or they are to cautious to cast it, in fear of it being wasted. So I hope to show
how Chain Frost is meant to be used different situations.

2 Running heroes

The best situation you will ever receive as Lich. 2 heroes running away, with no other enemies in
sight. If you notice in the clip, the fleeing heroes are Meepo and Skeleton King while Pandaren
Brewmaster and a bunch of creeps are chasing me. I could've shot my Chain Frost earlier, but I
wanted to ensure my kill by isolating both heroes.

Using Creeps

This strategy of Chain-Frost is primarily used early game. Since the enemy creeps can tank 1-2
of Chain Frost early make sure they are used effectively. Even though there was a Nevermore in
this GIF, my intention was not to kill him (which I ended up doing :lol: ) but to kill the
Bloodseeker. Make sure when using this strategy there is only 1 creep around for the Chain Frost
to bounce off. If The Bloodseeker was next to the Necromancer at the start of the confrontation, I
most likely would've not got any kills. Since most players tend to run when they see a Chain
Frost being launched at them, the range that the Chain Frost jumps isn't enough, resulting in less
bounces. It is essential that the hero is a little bit in front so when he runs, he runs into another
bounce.

Chain Frost on a lone hero

A technique that I use rarely to ensure kills, but it is effective. I suggest this technique only early
game. This technique only works with harassing the enemy (which you should always be doing).
If you establish lane control it makes this technique tons easier. Constantly nuke an opponent,
keeping at 2/3rds health. At level 6-7 Frost Nova your target and hit him a few times, at this stage
he will already be running backwards. When the slow from Frost Nova has warn off and the
enemy is under 280 hp (before spell resistance) launch Chain Frost. While some may think this is
an unneccesary technique, the fact of the matter is it does bag kills. What is the difference
between using a creep to bounce off or one direct enemy if they both grab the kill.

Chain Frost from Fog of War positions/Juking positions

A technique that needs practice to make perfect, like all moves. Basically using the range of
Chain Frost (750) and the Fog of War to your advantage. Get into a position where you can see
the enemy but where they can't see you and Chain Frost. obviously this technique is better used
on 2 enemy heroes but if there is a creeps there, then use him as a reflector. I only suggest using
this technique when you have your blink dagger. In the case where your Chain Frost doesn't go
as you planned, you will need to blink out ASAP and it's better to be safe then sorry. For the
people who don't think that the 750 range on Chain Frost is enough, then I strongly suggest you
play Dwarven Sniper and use his range to his full potential. Chain Frost is only 20 yards less
then level 4 Take Aim.

Juking has the same principle as the fog of war. When the enemy is chasing (preferably 2), use
the trees or hills so you enter a position can't see you and you can see them. When they start
running around frantically looking for you, Chain Frost. Once again like Fog of War, only do this
with a dagger in your inventory for precautions.

Ganking with allies

In this GIF, you see Magnus and Darchrow get ready to gank. They blink in with Magnus
stunning both heroes. Lich blinks in and gets a double kill since the bounce is recurring between
them.

Lich is a great ganker, that's obvious. He manages to get a bunch of nice kills in 2v1 situations.
But 2 or 3 heroes is always better then one. Lich's Chain Frost when it comes to ganking is best
used with an AOE stunner to clear everyone up. AOE stunners most of the time have blink
dagger and in that case so should you.

Chain Frost in team battles

If you have realised, all the situations that I have used are meant for killing, In team battles
though, Chain Frost can kill enemies but in most cases it is used to do as much damage to a team
as possible. Chain Frost is a quick move that can affect a whole team in seconds.
When using Chain Frost think about who you should aim at, this obviously depends on what
section of the game it is. AOE disablers are always a primary target, the main DPS'ers are main
targets are mid to late game. If there are neither (99.9999999999% not going to happen) pick the
hero in the middle, so the maximum amount of bounces can be used.

Nova, Chain, Nova vs. Chain, Nova, Nova

2 separate ways fro Kel'Thuzad to use his attack. While they both do the same amount of damage
(assuming Chain Frost bounces the same amount of times) they are 2 separate tacticts that are
implemented for 2 separate situations.

So when to use which?

Nova, Chain, Nova (N/C/N) is the more commonly used technique. It allows to do some nice
burst damage, Chain Frost and wait for the cool down on Frost Nova to cooldown, finishing
them off. A very commonly used tactic for obvious reasons. This startegy is commonly used in
team battles and taking out single heroes.

Chain, Nova, Nova (C/N/N) is a less commonly known tactic. Why would anyone use this
tactic? N/C/N lets you do something while Frost Nova is on CD. The problem is, if you are
ganking 2 enemies, you are only going to damage one significatly enough while the other one
will escape with a scratch. If you use the C/N/N it has an element of surprise, giving little to no
time for your enemy/s to react. This technique is used more for ganking enemies. If you are
having problems with catching fleeing enemies while your 2nd Frost Nova is on CD, you are
either:
• Using the first Frost Nova to early, not letting the Slow from CF take full effect.
• Waiting for the full animation when you can animation-cancel
• Letting your enemies go out of range
The best way to counter these problems is to learn Kel'Thuzad's animation and looking at your
enemies status bar, to see if the cold attack is still in effect. Also, a lot of people tend to forget
they have a Blink Dagger in their inventory. Dagger is a very critical part of chasing, always use
it to your advantage.

Knowing the creeps

Admittedly, this part was taking Fat404's guide to Juggernaut but the same principles apply to
Kel'Thuzad's Chain Frost. Creeps spawn every thirty seconds at either 1.29(AP,AR etc) or at
3(RD,LM etc) it is imperitive that you learn the motions of the creeps. Have you ever seen
heroes go into the jungle and pull the creeps with them? this is due to the fact that have
memorised the movements of the creeps and found a way to manipulate it. If you want to learn
about manipulating the creeps then go to my Rexxar guide. But more importantly, creeps can
fuck up a perfect Chain Frost. If they manage to walk and creeps are there, then you've just
wasted you ultimate.
Until there are pushes and manipulations of creeps (this could include just creep killing) the
DotA map when it comes to Sent/Scourge creeps is symetrical diagonally. For Eg. When the
creeps hit the 3rd tower for Sent another spawn will occur, this principle will work for the top
scourge. Try to remember the times of when creeps spawn and make sure you don't interfere with
it.

Wards and Blink around the map

Dota is a game where you must be aware of the terrain. Like most games you need to be aware
of the map, who your are friendly with, enemies with etc. In DotA it is imperitive to have sight
around the map so you can control it. It is also important to understand the terrain to take
advantage of it. So here is a blown-up map of DotA with some handy ward places and blink
areas.

Blue: Nice areas to blink

Red: Areas to put observer wards
Allies and Enemies
Good Supporting Heroes

AOE Disablers
These guys make Chain Frosting 1000x easier. A simple technique that needs little to no effort,
with a maximum effect. All of these heroes can also buy a Blink Dagger (except Faceless Void of
course) so a blinking gank is the most effective in this case. Just make sure that your ally does
the disable first so the enemies can't run away.

Chain Frost works normally in the Chronosphere.

Late game DPS'ers
These are 2 main candidates who work well with Kel'Thuzad late game. Why? Simple, while
your moves are becoming less effective, there's are getting stronger. While the damage from your
moves are ineffective now, the slow is as powerful as it ever was. A 4 second slow from Frost
Nova gives enough time for these heroes to use their steroid spell and take down a hero with
ease.

Creep Clearers
These 2 are heroes that can basically take down every enemy creep with one nuke. Although I'm
recommending a solo Lich, he is also a great lane partner. The trick with one of these two is to
get them to use their AOE's and clear out a lane while hitting the enemy heroes. Straight after
Kel'Thuzad unleashes Chain Frost. With 2 heroes completely unprotected by creeps this is a
great way to grab kills.

Vol'Jin
Vol'Jin is the only other hero that prefers 2 v 1 battle. With Paralysing Cask, he can have 2 heroes
stunned for 4 seconds respectively. With Kel'Thuzad also preferred against 2 enemies because of
Chain Frost, this team can wreck up any team together.

Enigma

One of the sexiest teams in DotA. These two can adapt to virtually any lane. The Lich Enigma
combo has awesome lane denying abilities due to Conversion and Dark Ritual. This team can be
put in mid together to shut down the late game carry (thanks to Ger- for that one). The Midnight
Pulse+Black Hole combo is that much sweeter when you have a Chain Frost shot out.

Tough Enemy Heroes

Heavy Tanks
These heroes specifically harder to fight because of their extreme amounts of defence and HP.
They also gain the HP incredibly quickly making your Chain Frost ineffective in an earlier stage
of the game. If they have 3 or more tanks on their team, then Kel'Thuzad isn't the choice for the
game.

Omniknight, Storm Spirit

Magic Counters
These 2 heroes are your 2 major enemies. Repel completely makes Chain Frost and Frost Nova
useless. While Barrier wastes Frost Nova and absorbs bounces from Chain Frost. Storm Spirit is
going to be the next big solo'er IMO, so if he's picked asked for a dual lane and get Viper or
Visage to solo.

Anti-Mage
His name says it all. With his Mana Break - Mana Void combo it completely obliterate a hero
that focuses on having mana, your not in a good position. Since he also has a blink with a longer
range and a shorter cooldown, he makes your makes your Blink Dagger completely redundant.
The only advice i can give to you when you fight him is to turn on your Frost Armour. Hopefully
it will slow his IAS so your allies can come and help you.

Tinker
One of the only heroes that can hold up in a lane against Kel'Thuzad. With his powerful nukes it
makes it very hard for Lich to lane him. I suggest either an extra Bracer, 2 Rings of Regeneration
and putting a sentry ward in the top of your hill. Smart Tinkers put an observer ward so he can
see over the hill so they can use their heat-seeking missiles. By taking that away from them, you
have taken away his most powerful nuke.

Replays
 Me_as_lich.w3g ( 741.85k ) Number of downloads: 639

Jakiro, Omni | Sven | Lich, Faceless Lloyd

Centaur, Treant | Huskar | PotM, Dark Seer

This is a GGC-pub of me playing. I decide to go the BoT build since we are pushing quite early.
This game shows a lot of nice Chain Frosts and a ton of Observer Ward spots. The game
would've ended a lot quicker but Sven kept pushing lanes by himself. Centaur was lagging so he

left at 20 min .I think I end up 16-3

x6_1_.Stryker_Lich_IHCS2.w3g ( 928.94k ) Number of downloads: 759

Rhasta, Sven | Pugna | PotM, Chen (Jungle)

Morphling | Lich, Rexxar (Jungle), Veno (roaming) | Skel King
I found this replay when z0n put his replay in the replay center. x6.Stryker smashes early thanks
to Veno's roaming. Stryker does some of the best Chain Frost I have ever seen. He follows the
old build where he goes Blink straight away. A must see!

MYM_vs_aD.w3g ( 897.38k ) Number of downloads: 585

Dark Seer, Lich | Magnus | Meepo, Darchrow

N.A , Tormented | PotM | Lina, SK
Your eyes do not deceive you. 5 of the best heroes right now in DotA is versing one of the most
pathetic heroes of DotA, Meepo. This build was based around AOE ultimates, with meepo
initiating. If you don't want to watch the whole replay, check out 30 min and 38 min with some
sick ganks.

A replay of the original build, but a good replay anyway

Lich_by_Kleech_1.21_6.43b.w3g ( 585.37k ) Number of downloads: 605

Bane, Treant | Lich | Omniknight, Sladar

Night Stalker | Vengeful, Medusa | QoP, Earthshaker

Lich lanes against 2 very good nukers. He gets nuked quite heavily early. Kleech uses Chain
Frost quite loosely, which gets him a kill at level 7 and almost a dounle kill. This replay shows a
lot of nice ward places and how to properly use Chain Frost in team battles. It also shows how
Kel'Thuzad can constantly spam Frost Armour on allies. The Sentinel end up winning with
Kleech ending 9-8.

Frequently Asked Questions

Latest Updates
• Guide finished! 23/05/2007
• Guide actually finished, added in 2nd part of guide, added in skill build Justification
24/05/2007
• Added in a replay, fixed up hyperlinks in Chain Frost pictures, fixed some spelling errors
27/05/2007
• Various Changes, added Mekansm into core build, took out Syllabear and image-heroes
in easy to counter heroes. Added Pugna and Death Prophet to allies(Thanks to Chillin'
Ice. Fixed up Early game strategy section. 1/06/2007
• Fixed a ton of spelling mistakes, added in a description of Replay, further pointed out
Travel>Treads 2/06/2007
• Added in 6.44 heroes to allies/enemies. Added in a mini section to methods of Chain
Frost and Frost Nova. Added Bottle to In-game items 08/06/2007
• Massive Update. 6.45 ready. Changed item build around. Added in 2 new builds (Necro
and Aghanims). Fixed up skills for the new map, same with aghanims. 29/06/2007
• Took out hyperlinks out of pictures that aren't needed 30/06/2007
• Revamped whole guide, added in tons of new things, removed a few things too. 3 new
replays. HGC ready 30/9/07
Final Words

Well, that's the end of my Lich guide. I hope I have showed you what I have intended to do, to
show how Lich is not powerless and doesn't need expensive items to be a threat. Lich still has
great soloing capabilities regardless of what others think. I would just like as much feedback as
possible, so please your thoughts/criticism would be much appreciated and noted.
Credit goes to:
• Beast_Pete for answering all my PM's, for all his suggestions and for letting me use his
template
• ThisisBob for making the best guide ever (Axe)
• MasterJoe for making his guide on Tormented Solo, after trying it out it inspired me to
play Intel heroes again
• To all my mates that I play with. Scribe, Davo, Inferno, Nekid and everyone in CB
• ResetX for letting me use his picture of wards spots
• Genosis for making a long-awaited Juking guide
• IronFisto for making a GIF guide per my request
• MadCat for making a kickass banner
Visit http://planetdota.blogspot.com for your Dota
needs!