Spectre · Carry (pos. 1)
Spectre 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
Spectre is a melee Agility hero that Valve tags as Carry, Durable and Escape. It is played mainly as Carry (pos. 1): 90% of the public matches we measured, by starting lane and starting items. In this guide you play it as Carry (pos. 1): your job is to farm efficiently, hit your item timings and win the late game. The kit brings mobility with Shadow Step. Its ultimate is Haunt. This patch, Spectre wins 52.9% of the 378,629 public matches we measured (S tier on our ladder).
Strengths
- Haunt can swing team fights: it hits several enemies at once.
- Mobility: Shadow Step gets Spectre in and out of fights.
- Valve tags Spectre as Durable: it stays in fights longer than most heroes.
- Scales into a late-game threat as the items come in.
Weaknesses
- Melee: has to walk up to its target, which makes the lane harder against ranged heroes.
- Low base armor (0): vulnerable to physical harass early on.
- Item-dependent: weak until Radiance is done.
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 Spectre players buy in the public matches we measured.
- Damage buildOffensiveAdvancedMoves the popular items that add damage — Radiance and Hand of Midas — to the front. Choose it when your lane went well and you can afford to be greedy. Built from what Spectre players buy in the public matches we measured.
- Team utility buildUtilitySituationalBuilt around the popular items that help your allies — Orchid Malevolence and Mage Slayer. Choose it when your team needs saves and auras more than your damage. Built from what Spectre 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 Spectre players buy in the public matches we measured.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
196%- Safe laneMain96% of matchesSafe lane as the farming core (pos. 1).
Starting items
Early game
Core items
- 1Radiance
- 2Manta Style
- 3Hand of Midas
- 4Blade Mail
Boots
Late game
Skill order
Max order:Spectral Dagg…›Dispersion›Shadow Step
| 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
- +4% Dispersion+12% All Spectre Illusion Damage25
- +300 Health+15% Spectral Dagger Slow/Bonus20
- +1.0s Shadow Step Duration+80 Spectral Dagger Damage15
- -3s Spectral Dagger Cooldown+12 Desolate Damage10
Damage build
When to use it
Moves the popular items that add damage — Radiance and Hand of Midas — to the front. Choose it when your lane went well and you can afford to be greedy. Built from what Spectre players buy in the public matches we measured.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
196%- Safe laneMain96% of matchesSafe lane as the farming core (pos. 1).
Starting items
Core items
- 1Radiance+55 Damage, +25% Evasion.
- 2Hand of Midas+40 Attack Speed. Active: Transmute.
- 3Orchid Malevolence+35 Attack Speed, +20 Damage, +2.5 Mana Regeneration. Active: Soul Burn.
- 4Diffusal Blade+15 Agility, +10 Intelligence. Active: Inhibit.
Boots
Late game
Skill order
Max order:Spectral Dagg…›Dispersion›Shadow Step
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | ● | ● | · | · |
| · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | ● | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● |
Talents by level
- +4% Dispersion+12% All Spectre Illusion Damage25
- +300 Health+15% Spectral Dagger Slow/Bonus20
- +1.0s Shadow Step Duration+80 Spectral Dagger Damage15
- -3s Spectral Dagger Cooldown+12 Desolate Damage10
Team utility build
When to use it
Built around the popular items that help your allies — Orchid Malevolence and Mage Slayer. Choose it when your team needs saves and auras more than your damage. Built from what Spectre players buy in the public matches we measured.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
196%- Safe laneMain96% of matchesSafe lane as the farming core (pos. 1).
Starting items
Core items
- 1Orchid Malevolence+35 Attack Speed, +20 Damage, +2.5 Mana Regeneration. Active: Soul Burn.
- 2Mage Slayer+18% Magic Resistance, +5.5 Health Regeneration, +2.5 Mana Regeneration.
- 3Phylactery+6 All Attributes, +5.5 Health Regeneration, +2.25 Mana Regeneration.
- 4Bloodthorn+25 Intelligence, +70 Attack Speed, +4 Mana Regeneration. Active: Soul Rend.
Boots
Late game
Skill order
Max order:Spectral Dagg…›Dispersion›Shadow Step
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | ● | ● | · | · |
| · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | ● | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● |
Talents by level
- +4% Dispersion+12% All Spectre Illusion Damage25
- +300 Health+15% Spectral Dagger Slow/Bonus20
- +1.0s Shadow Step Duration+80 Spectral Dagger Damage15
- -3s Spectral Dagger Cooldown+12 Desolate Damage10
Abilities
- Spectral Dagger22 / 20 / 18 / 16s100 / 110 / 120 / 130 mpSpectre flings a dagger to draw a Shadow Path, dealing damage and slowing the movement speed of any enemies along the trail. Units hit by the dagger also trail a Shadow Path. While treading the path, Spectre moves faster and phases through otherwise impassable terrain.
- Damage
- 80·120·160·200
- Movement speed change
- 14%·16%·18%·20%
- Duration
- 7
- Shadow Step24 / 21 / 18 / 15s60 / 65 / 70 / 75 mpSends an uncontrollable illusion at a target that follows and attacks the target.
The Reality sub-ability may be used to teleport to the illusion, destroying it.
- Duration
- 3.5·4·4.5·5
- Illusion damage taken
- 175%
- Illusion damage
- 35%·40%·45%·50%
- DispersionPassiveSpectre disperses part of the damage dealt to her, reflecting it to all nearby enemies. The effect lessens with distance.
- Damage reflected
- 9%·12%·15%·18%
- Min radius
- 350
- Max radius
- 700
Reality1.5s25 mpSpectre assumes the target Shadow Step or Haunt illusion, destroying it.
DesolatePassiveSpectre and her illusions deal bonus Pure damage if attacking an enemy that does not have any allied units within a 350 radius around them.- Damage
- 23.5
- Haunt160 / 150 / 140s125 / 175 / 225 mpCreates a spectral nemesis to haunt all enemy Heroes.
Haunt illusions are uncontrollable, take extra damage, and deal less damage than Spectre herself. They ignore terrain.
The Reality sub-ability may be used to teleport to the illusion, destroying it.
- Haunt duration
- 6
- Haunt damage
- 35%·50%·65%
- Haunt damage taken
- 200%
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:Spectral Dagg…›Dispersion›Shadow Step
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | ● | ● | · | · |
| · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | ● | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● |
Strategy
1Early game
The first ten minutes are about last hits. Stay close to your supports, deny when you can and only trade when the enemy offlaner overextends: a death now costs more than any kill is worth. Trade right-clicks only when the enemy walks up to last hit, and step back as soon as their support shows up.
- Early items: Urn of Shadows and Wraith Band.
2Mid game
With Radiance done, farm the lanes the map lets you farm safely and join the fights that happen near you. Your team is making space; your job is to turn that space into items like Manta Style. Your spikes are level 6, when Haunt comes online, and your core items: Radiance and then Manta Style.
- Core items: Radiance, Manta Style and Hand of Midas.
3Late game
Late, you are the win condition. Farm dangerous areas only with vision, group for Roshan and high ground, and keep gold for buyback: dying before the fight loses the game.
- Late items: Eye of Skadi and Skull Basher.
4Team fights
Walk in after the enemy has used their key disables, hit whatever you can reach safely and keep Shadow Step for getting out. Use Haunt where it hits the most enemies or catches the key target.
Tips
- Last-hit every creep you can in the first ten minutes: Spectre needs Radiance before taking real fights.
- If you can't see the enemy supports on the map, assume they are coming for you and farm closer to your towers.
- Once Manta Style is done, stop farming alone: move with your team to take towers and Roshan.
- From the mid game on, keep enough gold for buyback before buying your next big item.
- Plan fights around Haunt: without it, Spectre is far less threatening.
- Keep Shadow Step for getting out, not for chasing.
Matchups
Strong against
Puck looks for fragile targets to jump on; Spectre is built to take hits and makes that dive costly.
Ember Spirit looks for fragile targets to jump on; Spectre is built to take hits and makes that dive costly.
Riki looks for fragile targets to jump on; Spectre is built to take hits and makes that dive costly.
Weak against
Spectre has to walk up to start a fight, and Light Strike Array (stun) stops that engage before it lands.
Spectre has to walk up to start a fight, and Blast Off! (stun) stops that engage before it lands.
Spectre has to walk up to start a fight, and Paralyzing Cask (stun) stops that engage before it lands.
Works well with
Divine Favor from Chen keeps Spectre alive, and Spectre is the damage the team needs to protect.
Cold Embrace from Winter Wyvern keeps Spectre alive, and Spectre is the damage the team needs to protect.
Nightmare from Bane holds enemies in place for Haunt from Spectre.
Changelog
- Guide created for patch 7.41.
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