Anti-Mage · Carry (pos. 1)
Anti-Mage Items: What to Buy and When
More Anti-Mage guides
This guide is assembled by the site from match data and the game's own information — nobody wrote it by hand. Official and community guides appear alongside it when they exist.
Overview
This guide explains every item in Anti-Mage's builds and when to buy it. Your spikes are level 6, when Mana Void comes online, and your core items: Battle Fury and then Manta Style.
Strengths
- Reliable stun: Mana Void sets up kills and interrupts enemy channels.
- Mobility: Blink gets Anti-Mage in and out of fights.
- Heavy magical burst: Valve lists it as a Nuker.
Weaknesses
- Item-dependent: weak until Battle Fury is done.
- Melee: has to walk up to its target, which makes the lane harder against ranged heroes.
Build cheat sheet
Pick the build that fits what you want to do this game.
- Most-played buildBalancedRecommendedThe items most bought with this hero, phase by phase. Pick it when you don't have a clear reason to deviate. Built from what Anti-Mage players buy in the public matches we measured.
- Damage buildOffensiveAdvancedMoves the popular items that add damage — Battle Fury and Skull Basher — to the front. Choose it when your lane went well and you can afford to be greedy. Built from what Anti-Mage players buy in the public matches we measured.
- Survival buildDefensiveSituationalPrioritises the popular items that keep you alive — Battle Fury and Manta Style. Choose it against heavy disables or burst, or when you are the enemy's focus. Built from what Anti-Mage players buy in the public matches we measured.
Builds
Most-played build
When to use it
The items most bought with this hero, phase by phase. Pick it when you don't have a clear reason to deviate. Built from what Anti-Mage players buy in the public matches we measured.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
191%- Safe laneMain91% of matchesSafe lane as the farming core (pos. 1).
Starting items
Early game
Core items
- 1Battle Fury+50 Damage, +7.5 Health Regeneration, +2.75 Mana Regeneration. Active: Chop Tree.
- 2Manta Style+10 Strength, +26 Agility, +10 Intelligence. Active: Mirror Image.
- 3Skull Basher+30 Damage, +10 Strength.
- 4Butterfly+30 Agility, +35% Evasion, +20% Base Attack Speed Percentage.
Boots
Late game
Skill order
Max order:Blink›Mana Break›Counterspell
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
 | · | ● | · | · | · | · | ● | ● | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
 | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | ● | ● | · | · |
 | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● |
Talents by level
- -1s Blink Cooldown-50s Mana Void Cooldown25
- +125 Blink Cast Range+0.8s Mana Void Stun20
- +9%/18% Persecutor Min/Max Movement Slow+0.2 Mana Void Damage Multiplier15
- +200 Mana Void Radius+3 Health Regen10
Damage build
When to use it
Moves the popular items that add damage — Battle Fury and Skull Basher — to the front. Choose it when your lane went well and you can afford to be greedy. Built from what Anti-Mage players buy in the public matches we measured.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
191%- Safe laneMain91% of matchesSafe lane as the farming core (pos. 1).
Starting items
Core items
- 1Battle Fury+50 Damage, +7.5 Health Regeneration, +2.75 Mana Regeneration. Active: Chop Tree.
- 2Skull Basher+30 Damage, +10 Strength.
- 3Butterfly+30 Agility, +35% Evasion, +20% Base Attack Speed Percentage.
- 4Orchid Malevolence+35 Attack Speed, +20 Damage, +2.5 Mana Regeneration. Active: Soul Burn.
Boots
Late game
Skill order
Max order:Blink›Mana Break›Counterspell
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | ● | · | · | · | · | ● | ● | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | ● | ● | · | · |
| · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● |
Talents by level
- -1s Blink Cooldown-50s Mana Void Cooldown25
- +125 Blink Cast Range+0.8s Mana Void Stun20
- +9%/18% Persecutor Min/Max Movement Slow+0.2 Mana Void Damage Multiplier15
- +200 Mana Void Radius+3 Health Regen10
Survival build
When to use it
Prioritises the popular items that keep you alive — Battle Fury and Manta Style. Choose it against heavy disables or burst, or when you are the enemy's focus. Built from what Anti-Mage players buy in the public matches we measured.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
191%- Safe laneMain91% of matchesSafe lane as the farming core (pos. 1).
Starting items
Core items
- 1Battle Fury+50 Damage, +7.5 Health Regeneration, +2.75 Mana Regeneration. Active: Chop Tree.
- 2Manta Style+10 Strength, +26 Agility, +10 Intelligence. Active: Mirror Image.
- 3Aghanim's Scepter+10 All Attributes, +175 Health, +175 Mana.
- 4Black King Bar+10 Strength, +24 Damage. Active: Avatar.
Boots
Late game
Skill order
Max order:Blink›Mana Break›Counterspell
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | ● | · | · | · | · | ● | ● | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | ● | ● | · | · |
| · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● |
Talents by level
- -1s Blink Cooldown-50s Mana Void Cooldown25
- +125 Blink Cast Range+0.8s Mana Void Stun20
- +9%/18% Persecutor Min/Max Movement Slow+0.2 Mana Void Damage Multiplier15
- +200 Mana Void Radius+3 Health Regen10
Abilities
- Mana BreakPassiveBurns an opponent's mana on each attack and deals damage equal to a percentage of the mana burnt.
- Mana burned as damage
- 65
- Mana burned per hit
- 25·30·35·40
- Max mana burned per hit
- 1.8·2.7·3.6·4.5
- Blink10.5 / 9 / 7.5 / 6s60 / 55 / 50 / 45 mpShort distance teleportation that allows Anti-Mage to move in and out of combat.
- Debuff duration
- 0
- Counterspell15 / 11 / 7 / 3s50 mpPassively grants magic resistance. Counterspell may be activated to create an anti-magic shell around Anti-Mage that blocks and reflects any targeted spells.
- Magic resistance
- 14·21·28·35
- Duration
- 1.3
- Reflected spell amp
- 0
PersecutorPassiveAttacks slow enemies based on how much mana they are missing. Min slow at 60% mana, up to max slow at 0% mana. No effect if enemy is above 60% mana.- Min movement slow
- 12%
- Max movement slow
- 24%
- Slow duration
- 0.75
- Mana Void100 / 85 / 70s100 / 150 / 200 mpFor each point of mana missing by the target unit, damage is dealt to it and surrounding enemies. The main target is also mini-stunned.
- Damage per 1 mana missing
- 1
- Stun duration
- 0.3
- Radius
- 400·450·500
- Mana thirst max attack damage
- 0
Most played skill order
The most played order in the last 37 professional matches with this hero. Highlighted levels are the points spent on talents.
Max order:Blink›Mana Break›Counterspell
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | ● | · | · | · | · | ● | ● | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | ● | ● | · | · |
| · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● |
Strategy
1Starting items
What to buy before leaving the base, and what each item gives:
- Iron Branch — +1 All Attributes.
- Quelling Blade — Active: Chop Tree.
- Tango
- Circlet — +2 All Attributes.
- Magic Stick — Active: Energy Charge.
- Faerie Fire — +2 Damage.
2Core items
Your spikes are level 6, when Mana Void comes online, and your core items: Battle Fury and then Manta Style. Buy them in this order; each one is a power spike:
- Power Treads — +45 Move Speed, +10 Selected Attribute, +25 Attack Speed. Active: Switch Attribute.
- Battle Fury — +50 Damage, +7.5 Health Regeneration, +2.75 Mana Regeneration. Active: Chop Tree.
- Manta Style — +10 Strength, +26 Agility, +10 Intelligence. Active: Mirror Image.
- Skull Basher — +30 Damage, +10 Strength.
- Butterfly — +30 Agility, +35% Evasion, +20% Base Attack Speed Percentage.
3Late-game items
What players finish with once the core is done:
- Abyssal Blade — +35 Damage, +30 Strength, +30% Slow Resistance. Active: Overwhelm.
- Eye of Skadi — +35 All Attributes.
- Black King Bar — +10 Strength, +24 Damage. Active: Avatar.
- Aghanim's Scepter — +10 All Attributes, +175 Health, +175 Mana.
4Adapting to the game
The damage build moves the offensive items forward when you're ahead; the defensive one adds survival when the enemy focuses you. The situational builds in the matchups guide answer specific threats.
Tips
- Buy Battle Fury as early as you can: it's your first real spike.
- Complete one item before starting the next: half-built items give less than one finished one.
- Look at the enemy team at every back and adjust the situational items.
- Don't sit on gold: spend it when you go back.
Changelog
- Guide created for patch 7.41.
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