Dazzle · Hard Support (pos. 5)
Dazzle 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
Dazzle is a ranged Universal hero that Valve tags as Support, Nuker and Disabler. It is played mainly as Hard Support (pos. 5): 70% of the public matches we measured, by starting lane and starting items. In this guide you play it as Hard Support (pos. 5): your job is to keep your carry safe in the safe lane, buy the wards and give up farm so the cores can have it. The kit brings crowd control (hex) with Nothl Projection and sustain with Shallow Grave. Its ultimate is Nothl Projection. This patch, Dazzle wins 51.1% of the 173,900 public matches we measured (A tier on our ladder).
Strengths
- Reliable hex: Nothl Projection sets up kills.
- Keeps allies alive with Shallow Grave.
- Heavy magical burst: Valve lists it as a Nuker.
Weaknesses
- No escape in the kit: without good positioning and vision, Dazzle is easy to catch.
- Low base armor (0): vulnerable to physical harass early on.
- Plays on little gold: expensive items arrive late.
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 Dazzle players buy in the public matches we measured.
- Damage buildOffensiveAdvancedMoves the popular items that add damage — Hand of Midas and Vladmir's Offering — to the front. Choose it when your lane went well and you can afford to be greedy. Built from what Dazzle players buy in the public matches we measured.
- Survival buildDefensiveSituationalPrioritises the popular items that keep you alive — Mekansm and Glimmer Cape. Choose it against heavy disables or burst, or when you are the enemy's focus. Built from what Dazzle 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 Dazzle players buy in the public matches we measured.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
219%175%- Safe laneMain75% of matchesSafe lane next to your carry, as Hard Support (pos. 5).
- OfflanePriority 219% of matchesOff lane next to your offlaner, as Soft Support (pos. 4).
Starting items
Early game
Core items
- 1Holy Locket
- 2Mekansm
- 3Glimmer Cape
- 4Blink Dagger
Boots
Late game
Skill order
Max order:Shadow Wave›Shallow Grave›Poison Touch
| 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
- +1 Weave Armor Reduction/Increase+40% Poison Touch Slow25
- -3s Shallow Grave Cooldown+75 Poison Touch DPS20
- +45 Shadow Wave Heal / Damage+5s Nothl Projection Duration15
- +200 Poison Touch Attack Range+1.75 Mana Regen10
Damage build
When to use it
Moves the popular items that add damage — Hand of Midas and Vladmir's Offering — to the front. Choose it when your lane went well and you can afford to be greedy. Built from what Dazzle players buy in the public matches we measured.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
219%175%- Safe laneMain75% of matchesSafe lane next to your carry, as Hard Support (pos. 5).
- OfflanePriority 219% of matchesOff lane next to your offlaner, as Soft Support (pos. 4).
Starting items
Core items
- 1Hand of Midas+40 Attack Speed. Active: Transmute.
- 2Vladmir's Offering+1 Armor, +0.75 Mana Regeneration.
- 3Holy Locket+7 All Attributes, 13 Cooldown. Active: Energy Charge.
- 4Mekansm+5 Armor. Active: Restore.
Boots
Late game
Skill order
Max order:Shadow Wave›Shallow Grave›Poison Touch
| 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
- +1 Weave Armor Reduction/Increase+40% Poison Touch Slow25
- -3s Shallow Grave Cooldown+75 Poison Touch DPS20
- +45 Shadow Wave Heal / Damage+5s Nothl Projection Duration15
- +200 Poison Touch Attack Range+1.75 Mana Regen10
Survival build
When to use it
Prioritises the popular items that keep you alive — Mekansm and Glimmer Cape. Choose it against heavy disables or burst, or when you are the enemy's focus. Built from what Dazzle players buy in the public matches we measured.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
219%175%- Safe laneMain75% of matchesSafe lane next to your carry, as Hard Support (pos. 5).
- OfflanePriority 219% of matchesOff lane next to your offlaner, as Soft Support (pos. 4).
Starting items
Core items
- 1Mekansm+5 Armor. Active: Restore.
- 2Glimmer Cape+20% Magic Resistance. Active: Glimmer.
- 3Pavise+3 Armor, +175 Mana, +175 Health. Active: Protect.
- 4Force Staff+10 Intelligence, +175 Health. Active: Force.
Boots
Late game
Skill order
Max order:Shadow Wave›Shallow Grave›Poison Touch
| 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
- +1 Weave Armor Reduction/Increase+40% Poison Touch Slow25
- -3s Shallow Grave Cooldown+75 Poison Touch DPS20
- +45 Shadow Wave Heal / Damage+5s Nothl Projection Duration15
- +200 Poison Touch Attack Range+1.75 Mana Regen10
Abilities
- Poison Touch24 / 21 / 18 / 15s125 / 130 / 135 / 140 mpReleases a cone of poison that strikes multiple enemy units. Deals damage over time and slows the targets. Anytime the targets get attacked by Dazzle, the debuff duration is refreshed and slow is increased.
- Targets
- 2·4·6·8
- Damage per second
- 16·28·40·52
- Slow
- -13%·-16%·-19%·-22%
- Duration
- 3.5·5·6.5·8
- Bonus slow per hit
- -2.5%·-3%·-3.5%·-4%
- Split damage
- 0
- Shallow Grave30 / 26 / 22 / 18s90 / 100 / 110 / 120 mpAn ally blessed with Shallow Grave, no matter how close to death, cannot die while under its protection. Healing on that ally is also amplified for the duration based on the hero's HP.
- Duration
- 4·4.5·5·5.5
- Heal amplification per 10% missing
- 3%·5%·7%·9%
- Shadow Wave10 / 9 / 8 / 7s90 mpSends out a bolt of power that arcs between allies, healing them while damaging any enemy units standing nearby. Dazzle is always healed by Shadow Wave.
- Heal arc radius
- 475
- Damage radius
- 185
- Max heal targets
- 4·5·6·7
- Damage
- 85·105·125·145
WeavePassiveDazzle's abilities apply Weave to both allies and enemies they affect, increasing allied armor and reducing enemy armor. Multiple instances of this effect stack.- Armor change per stack
- 1
- Duration
- 6.9
- Nothl Projection70 / 60 / 50s100 / 150 / 200 mpDazzle departs his body, traveling through the Nothl Realm as an invulnerable spirit that can cast spells, attack, and use items, leaving his body behind in the world with a visible tether. While active, Dazzle's basic abilities are empowered: Poison Touch hexes enemies, Shallow Grave heals upon expiration, and Shadow Wave has a shorter cooldown. The effect can be ended early, and Dazzle returns t
- Min duration
- 5
- Max duration
- 12
- Hex duration
- 1.4·1.6·1.8
- Shallow grave heal
- 225·300·375
- Shadow wave cooldown reduction
- 30%·40%·50%
End ProjectionEnds Dazzle's sojourn in the Nothl Realm and returns his spirit to his body.
Most played skill order
The most played order in the last 62 professional matches with this hero. Highlighted levels are the points spent on talents.
Max order:Shadow Wave›Shallow Grave›Poison Touch
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ● | · | · | · | ● | · | ● | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | ● | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | ● | · | · |
| · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | ● | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● |
Strategy
1Early game
Position 5 starts in the safe lane with your carry: their last hits come first, so harass the enemy offlaner, pull the small camp when the wave needs resetting and buy the wards nobody else will. Harass when the enemy core walks up to last hit: every hit you land is gold your carry keeps.
- Early items: Soul Ring and Bracer.
2Mid game
Rotate to the lanes where you can get kills, keep vision around the next objective and leave the farm to your cores. Your spikes are level 6, when Nothl Projection comes online, and your core items: Holy Locket and then Mekansm.
- Core items: Holy Locket, Mekansm and Glimmer Cape.
3Late game
Late, your death costs little gold but your spells are worth a lot: stay behind the team, keep your save items ready and ward before the fight, not during it.
- Late items: Aether Lens and Solar Crest.
4Team fights
Stay behind your cores, use Nothl Projection on whoever jumps on your carry and keep Shallow Grave for the moment the enemy commits.
Tips
- Land Nothl Projection on the enemy core first: a disabled carry doesn't hit back.
- Keep Shallow Grave for the moment the enemy commits, not to top up health.
- Buy and place wards every time they are available: vision is your first job.
- Your key purchases are Holy Locket and Mekansm: they give your team the saves it needs.
- Plan fights around Nothl Projection: without it, Dazzle is far less threatening.
Matchups
Strong against
- Jakiro57.4%win rate in the matchup
Dazzle wins 57.4% of the 141 games measured against Jakiro this patch.
141 matches
- Mars56.1%win rate in the matchup
Dazzle wins 56.1% of the 114 games measured against Mars this patch.
114 matches
- Snapfire53.8%win rate in the matchup
Dazzle wins 53.8% of the 117 games measured against Snapfire this patch.
117 matches
- Shadow Fiend53.8%win rate in the matchup
Dazzle wins 53.8% of the 104 games measured against Shadow Fiend this patch.
104 matches
- Axe51.7%win rate in the matchup
Dazzle wins 51.7% of the 116 games measured against Axe this patch.
116 matches
Weak against
- Shadow Demon39.6%win rate in the matchup
Dazzle only wins 39.6% of the 91 games measured against Shadow Demon this patch.
91 matches
- Abaddon40.4%win rate in the matchup
Dazzle only wins 40.4% of the 57 games measured against Abaddon this patch.
57 matches
- Slardar41.0%win rate in the matchup
Dazzle only wins 41.0% of the 61 games measured against Slardar this patch.
61 matches
- Lion41.4%win rate in the matchup
Dazzle only wins 41.4% of the 70 games measured against Lion this patch.
70 matches
- Nature's Prophet41.5%win rate in the matchup
Dazzle only wins 41.5% of the 53 games measured against Nature's Prophet this patch.
53 matches
Works well with
Shallow Grave from Dazzle keeps Vengeful Spirit alive, and Vengeful Spirit is the damage the team needs to protect.
Shallow Grave from Dazzle keeps Juggernaut alive, and Juggernaut is the damage the team needs to protect.
Shallow Grave from Dazzle keeps Medusa alive, and Medusa is the damage the team needs to protect.
Changelog
- Guide created for patch 7.41.
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