Bristleback · Offlane (pos. 3)
Bristleback Aggressive Guide
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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 is about playing Bristleback aggressively. Aggressive offlane means pressuring the enemy carry from minute one and diving their tower once you out-level them. Your spikes are your core items: Aghanim's Shard and then Lotus Orb. This patch, Bristleback wins 49.1% of the 246,372 public matches we measured (C tier on our ladder).
Strengths
- Heavy magical burst: Valve lists it as a Nuker.
- Valve tags Bristleback as Durable: it stays in fights longer than most heroes.
- Clear job in the team: survive a hard lane, bother the enemy carry and start the fights.
Weaknesses
- No escape in the kit: without good positioning and vision, Bristleback is easy to catch.
- Low base armor (1): vulnerable to physical harass early on.
- Every death while playing aggressively hands the tempo back to the enemy.
Build cheat sheet
Pick the build that fits what you want to do this game.
- Damage buildOffensiveRecommendedMoves the popular items that add damage — Vladmir's Offering and Orchid Malevolence — to the front. Choose it when your lane went well and you can afford to be greedy. Built from what Bristleback players buy in the public matches we measured.
- Against magic damageDefensiveSituationalFor games where the enemy kills with spells: keep your first two core items and add magic resistance or spell immunity.
Builds
Damage build
When to use it
Moves the popular items that add damage — Vladmir's Offering and Orchid Malevolence — to the front. Choose it when your lane went well and you can afford to be greedy. Built from what Bristleback players buy in the public matches we measured.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
210%182%- OfflaneMain82% of matchesOff lane as the space-making core (pos. 3).
- MidPriority 210% of matchesMid lane, one against one (pos. 2).
Starting items
Core items
- 1Vladmir's Offering+1 Armor, +0.75 Mana Regeneration.
- 2Orchid Malevolence+35 Attack Speed, +20 Damage, +2.5 Mana Regeneration. Active: Soul Burn.
- 3Assault Cuirass+30 Attack Speed, +10 Armor.
- 4Radiance+55 Damage, +25% Evasion.
Boots
Late game
Skill order
Max order:Quill Spray›Bristleback›Viscous Nasal…
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 | · | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
 | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● |
 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | ● | · | · |
Talents by level
- +18 Warpath Damage Per Stack-30 Bristleback Damage Threshold25
- +25 Health Regen+20 Quill Stack Damage20
- +250 Goo Cast Range+8%/4% Bristleback Back/Side Damage Reduction15
- +1.5 Mana Regen+25 Attack Speed10
Against magic damage
When to use it
For games where the enemy kills with spells: keep your first two core items and add magic resistance or spell immunity.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
210%182%- OfflaneMain82% of matchesOff lane as the space-making core (pos. 3).
- MidPriority 210% of matchesMid lane, one against one (pos. 2).
Core items
- 1Aghanim's Shard
- 2Lotus Orb
Situational
Skill order
Max order:Quill Spray›Bristleback›Viscous Nasal…
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● |
| · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | ● | · | · |
Talents by level
- +18 Warpath Damage Per Stack-30 Bristleback Damage Threshold25
- +25 Health Regen+20 Quill Stack Damage20
- +250 Goo Cast Range+8%/4% Bristleback Back/Side Damage Reduction15
- +1.5 Mana Regen+25 Attack Speed10
Abilities
- Viscous Nasal Goo1.75s12 / 16 / 20 / 24 mpCovers a target in snot, causing it to have reduced armor and movement speed for 5 seconds. Multiple casts stack and refresh the duration.
- Base armor loss
- 1.5·2·2.5·3
- Armor loss per stack
- 2·2.5·3·3.5
- Base movement slow
- 12%
- Move slow per stack
- 3%·6%·9%·12%
- Stack limit
- 6
- Quill Spray3s35 mpSprays enemy units with quills dealing damage in an area of effect around Bristleback. Deals bonus damage for every time a unit was hit by Quill Spray in the last 14 seconds.
- Radius
- 700
- Quill base damage
- 25·45·65·85
- Quill stack damage
- 30
- Stack duration
- 14
- Max damage
- 500
- BristlebackPassiveBristleback takes less damage if hit on the sides or rear. If Bristleback takes enough damage from the rear, he releases a Quill Spray of the current level.
- Side damage reduction
- 8%·12%·16%·20%
- Back damage reduction
- 16%·24%·32%·40%
- Damage threshold
- 275·250·225·200
- Nasal goo radius
- 0
Hairball15s60 mpCoughs a quill-packed hairball towards the target location. Erupts at the location, hitting enemies with Viscous Nasal Goo stacks and Quill Spray.- Radius
- 700
- Quill stacks
- 1
- Goo stacks
- 2
- WarpathPassiveBristleback works himself up into a fury every time he casts a spell, increasing his movement speed and damage.
- Damage per stack
- 12·16·20
- Movement per stack
- 2%·2.5%·3%
- Stack duration
- 16·18·20
- Max stacks
- 8·10·12
PricklyPassiveBristleback has bonus damage and debuff duration amp against enemy heroes that are behind him.- Damage and debuff duration amp
- 4.5%
Most played skill order
The most played order in the last 73 professional matches with this hero. Highlighted levels are the points spent on talents.
Max order:Quill Spray›Bristleback›Viscous Nasal…
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● |
| · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | ● | · | · |
Strategy
1When to fight
Your spikes are your core items: Aghanim's Shard and then Lotus Orb. Aggressive offlane means pressuring the enemy carry from minute one and diving their tower once you out-level them.
2Picking your targets
You go in first: catch as many heroes as you can and soak the spells your carry fears. The best target is the one your team can reach and kill before the enemy answers, not always the most valuable one.
3Snowballing a lead
After a won fight, take towers and Roshan before anything else: that's what turns kills into a lead the enemy can't erase. Early, aim to reach level six without dying and to make the enemy carry miss last hits.
4When to back off
Safe offlane means soaking experience from a distance, pulling the wave's attention and never dying for a last hit. If your key abilities are on cooldown or the enemy is missing from the map, the aggressive play is to wait.
Tips
- Fight on your spikes: right after Aghanim's Shard, look for the next fight instead of farming.
- Track the enemy's key cooldowns and attack right after they use them.
- Turn every kill into towers and Roshan: a kill without an objective is a wasted lead.
- Push your lane before you roam so the aggression doesn't cost you resources.
Matchups
Strong against
- Dragon Knight55.4%win rate in the matchup
Bristleback wins 55.4% of the 121 games measured against Dragon Knight this patch.
121 matches
- Void Spirit54.2%win rate in the matchup
Bristleback wins 54.2% of the 118 games measured against Void Spirit this patch.
118 matches
- Underlord53.8%win rate in the matchup
Bristleback wins 53.8% of the 106 games measured against Underlord this patch.
106 matches
- Warlock53.1%win rate in the matchup
Bristleback wins 53.1% of the 143 games measured against Warlock this patch.
143 matches
- Tidehunter52.0%win rate in the matchup
Bristleback wins 52.0% of the 125 games measured against Tidehunter this patch.
125 matches
Changelog
- Guide created for patch 7.41.
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