Dragon Knight · Mid (pos. 2)
Dragon Knight Items: What to Buy and When
More Dragon Knight 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 Dragon Knight's builds and when to buy it. Your spikes are your core items: Blink Dagger and then Aghanim's Shard.
Strengths
- Reliable stun: Dragon Tail sets up kills and interrupts enemy channels.
- Sustain from Dragon Blood to stay in lane and in fights.
- Valve tags Dragon Knight as Durable: it stays in fights longer than most heroes.
Weaknesses
- No escape in the kit: without good positioning and vision, Dragon Knight is easy to catch.
- Low base armor (0): vulnerable to physical harass early on.
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 Dragon Knight players buy in the public matches we measured.
- Damage buildOffensiveAdvancedMoves the popular items that add damage — Armlet of Mordiggian and Mask of Madness — to the front. Choose it when your lane went well and you can afford to be greedy. Built from what Dragon Knight players buy in the public matches we measured.
- Survival buildDefensiveSituationalPrioritises the popular items that keep you alive — Black King Bar and Armlet of Mordiggian. Choose it against heavy disables or burst, or when you are the enemy's focus. Built from what Dragon Knight 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 Dragon Knight players buy in the public matches we measured.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
233%159%- MidMain59% of matchesMid lane, one against one (pos. 2).
- OfflanePriority 233% of matchesOff lane as the space-making core (pos. 3).
Starting items
Early game
Core items
- 1Blink DaggerActive: Blink.
- 2Aghanim's Shard
- 3Black King Bar+10 Strength, +24 Damage. Active: Avatar.
- 4Armlet of Mordiggian+15 Damage, +25 Attack Speed, +6 Armor.
Boots
Late game
Skill order
Max order:Breathe Fire›Wyrm's Wrath›Dragon Tail
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
 | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | ● | ● | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
 | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | ● | ● | · | · |
 | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● |
Talents by level
- +50% Wyrm's Wrath Bonuses+12 Dragon Blood HP Regen/Armor25
- +150 Elder Dragon Form Attack Range+220 Breathe Fire Damage20
- +0.4s Dragon Tail Stun+300 Health15
- +15 Damage-2s Breathe Fire Cooldown10
Damage build
When to use it
Moves the popular items that add damage — Armlet of Mordiggian and Mask of Madness — to the front. Choose it when your lane went well and you can afford to be greedy. Built from what Dragon Knight players buy in the public matches we measured.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
233%159%- MidMain59% of matchesMid lane, one against one (pos. 2).
- OfflanePriority 233% of matchesOff lane as the space-making core (pos. 3).
Starting items
Core items
- 1Armlet of Mordiggian+15 Damage, +25 Attack Speed, +6 Armor.
- 2Mask of Madness+20 Damage, +22% Lifesteal. Active: Berserk.
- 3Crystalys+32 Damage.
- 4Orchid Malevolence+35 Attack Speed, +20 Damage, +2.5 Mana Regeneration. Active: Soul Burn.
Boots
Late game
Skill order
Max order:Breathe Fire›Wyrm's Wrath›Dragon Tail
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | ● | ● | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | ● | ● | · | · |
| · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● |
Talents by level
- +50% Wyrm's Wrath Bonuses+12 Dragon Blood HP Regen/Armor25
- +150 Elder Dragon Form Attack Range+220 Breathe Fire Damage20
- +0.4s Dragon Tail Stun+300 Health15
- +15 Damage-2s Breathe Fire Cooldown10
Survival build
When to use it
Prioritises the popular items that keep you alive — Black King Bar and Armlet of Mordiggian. Choose it against heavy disables or burst, or when you are the enemy's focus. Built from what Dragon Knight players buy in the public matches we measured.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
233%159%- MidMain59% of matchesMid lane, one against one (pos. 2).
- OfflanePriority 233% of matchesOff lane as the space-making core (pos. 3).
Starting items
Core items
- 1Black King Bar+10 Strength, +24 Damage. Active: Avatar.
- 2Armlet of Mordiggian+15 Damage, +25 Attack Speed, +6 Armor.
- 3Force Staff+10 Intelligence, +175 Health. Active: Force.
- 4Radiance+55 Damage, +25% Evasion.
Boots
Late game
Skill order
Max order:Breathe Fire›Wyrm's Wrath›Dragon Tail
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | ● | ● | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | ● | ● | · | · |
| · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● |
Talents by level
- +50% Wyrm's Wrath Bonuses+12 Dragon Blood HP Regen/Armor25
- +150 Elder Dragon Form Attack Range+220 Breathe Fire Damage20
- +0.4s Dragon Tail Stun+300 Health15
- +15 Damage-2s Breathe Fire Cooldown10
Abilities
- Breathe Fire14 / 13 / 12 / 11s90 / 95 / 100 / 105 mpUnleashes a breath of fire in front of Dragon Knight that burns enemies and reduces the damage their attacks deal.
- Start radius
- 150
- End radius
- 250
- Damage
- 80·160·240·320
- Damage reduction
- 20%·24%·28%·32%
- Reduction duration
- 11
- Dragon Tail16 / 14 / 12 / 10s70 / 80 / 90 / 100 mpDragon Knight smites an enemy unit with his shield, stunning and damaging it and units close to it.
- Stun duration
- 1.8·2·2.2·2.4
- Damage
- 60·90·120·150
- Aoe
- 50
- Wyrm's WrathPassiveThe life blood of the Dragon improves Dragon Knight's abilities and items to have increased AoE and causes his attacks to deal additional magic damage to enemy units.
- Magic damage
- 10·20·30·40
- Aoe bonus
- 30·60·90·120
Fireball20s80 mpIgnites an area, dealing damage over time that lingers on enemies in it. Has reduced cast range when melee.- Radius
- 275
- Damage per second
- 85
- Duration
- 6
- Linger duration
- 2
Dragon BloodPassiveThe life blood of the Dragon improves Dragon Knight's health regeneration and armor.
Regen and armor are increased by 50% during Elder Dragon Form.- Bonus hp regen
- 2
- Bonus armor
- 2
- Elder Dragon Form100s50 mpDragon Knight assumes the form of the Elder Dragon, increasing the range of his abilities, gaining bonus movement speed, and a ranged attack with various properties. The Dragon evolves per level. The bonuses are cumulative.
Level 1 Green: Grants a corrosive damage over time that can also damage buildings.
Level 2 Red: Grants splash damage to the dragon's attacks.
Level 3 Blue: Grants a debuff
- Duration
- 60
- Bonus move speed
- 25·30·35·40
- Bonus attack range
- 350
- Corrosive duration
- 3
- Corrosive damage
- 25·25·25·35
- Splash damage
- 0%·75%·75%·100%
Most played skill order
The most played order in the last 100 professional matches with this hero. Highlighted levels are the points spent on talents.
Max order:Breathe Fire›Wyrm's Wrath›Dragon Tail
| 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.
- Gauntlets of Strength — +3 Strength.
- Circlet — +2 All Attributes.
- Tango
- Quelling Blade — Active: Chop Tree.
- Magic Stick — Active: Energy Charge.
2Core items
Your spikes are your core items: Blink Dagger and then Aghanim's Shard. 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.
- Blink Dagger — Active: Blink.
- Aghanim's Shard
- Black King Bar — +10 Strength, +24 Damage. Active: Avatar.
- Armlet of Mordiggian — +15 Damage, +25 Attack Speed, +6 Armor.
3Late-game items
What players finish with once the core is done:
- Octarine Core — +25% Cooldown Reduction, +450 Health, +450 Mana.
- Aghanim's Scepter — +10 All Attributes, +175 Health, +175 Mana.
- Force Staff — +10 Intelligence, +175 Health. Active: Force.
- Shiva's Guard — +17 Armor, +75 Area of Effect. Active: Arctic Blast.
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 Blink Dagger 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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