Strategy Guide for Rigwarl the Bristleback

by totallnewbie (as of v6.59)

http://planetdota.blogspot.com
Changelog
v1.1 - Minor tweaks to Skill and Item Build, and other miscellaneous changes.
v1.2 - More tweaks to the builds, clarified why Sange is the better choice, and other changes.
v1.3 - New example, gameplay walkthrough additions, and optional item changes.
v1.4 - Rewritten for HGC
v1.5 - A lot of clarifications, and some updates to Q&A section
v1.6 - Updated for 6.49b, changes to item build, more minor changes, and a video
v1.7 - Item/Skill builds changed and clarified, shortened the guide
v1.8 - Final Edits for HGC

Table of Contents
1. Introduction

2. General Information

3. Skill Build

4. Item Build
4a. Core Items
4b. Other items’ discussion

5. Strategy - General/Advanced Tactics

5a. Animation canceling Viscous Nasal Goo and Quill Spray
5b. Last hitting with Quill Spray
5c. Using the Bottle
5d. How to run properly
5e. The right play style

6. Gameplay Walkthrough
6a. Early Game
6b. Mid Game – Late Game
7. Counters to Rigwarl

8. Replays / Videos

9. Conclusion

10. Credits

11. Q&A

1. Introduction
Rigwarl is by far the best tank in DotA. With skills that give you crazy damage reduction,
increased move speed, and the ability to slow your opponents, nobody, and I mean nobody,
comes close to be able to tank as much damage as Rigwarl.

This guide will be far more beneficial to experienced players than new players. If you’re a
newbie at this game, I recommend you do not try out these tactics until you have gotten a good
grasp of the game, and enough experience to know what you are doing.

*IMPORTANT*
Both the item/skill builds are very flexible, and should be changed at the players’ discretion in
the game. This guide is also very long, for a good reason too. It is quite unorthodox, and the
whole strategy section & play style is totally different. Therefore, I explain these tactics and my
justifications in greater detail. A common misconception is that Rigwarl is a very straightforward
and easy hero to use. This may be true for your everyday ordinary Bristleback, but not when
you’re playing with the style outlined in the guide.

2. General Information
Pros
• Insanely hard to kill
• Has a slow, and hence, great chasing potential
• Has a strong early, middle, and end game
• Has a decent mana pool for his skill set
• Is the king of Mindgames
Cons
• Nerfed STR gain to from 2.7 to 2.2 in 6.49 (quite a blow to his early game)
• Not an easy hero to learn and use
• It takes a lot of experience to do things mentioned in this guide successfully
 • You will get focused fired a lot when using the tactics mentioned in this guide

Strength: 22 + 2.2
Agility: 17 + 1.8
Intelligence: 14 + 2.2
Base Damage: 52-62
Base Armor: 3.4
Move Speed: 295

Skills set

- Viscous Nasal Goo [G]

Covers a target in snot, causing it to have reduced armor and movement speed. Casts on the same
target are cumulative. Can stack up to 4 times on a single target. Lasts 5 seconds.

Level 1 - -1 armor, -20% and 3% slow a cast.

Level 2 - -1 armor, -20% and 6% slow a cast.
Level 3 - -2 armor, -20% and 9% slow a cast.
Level 4 - -2 armor, -20% and 12% slow a cast.

Cooldown: 1.5 seconds.

Mana Cost: 30 at all levels

Author’s Remarks

A great all-in-one skill. It helps slow chasing heroes, helps slow fleeing heroes, and is good at
pissing your opponents off. Best of all, it’s spammable at a measly cost of 30 mana.

• The first cast will slow 20% + 3/6/9/12% for a total of 23/26/29/32%.
• Each successive cast will increase the the slow % by 3/6/9/12%.

- Quill Spray [R]

Sprays enemy units with quills dealing damage in a 650 AoE. Deals 30 extra damage every time
a unit is struck by a quill in the last 10 seconds. Damage type is physical.

Level 1 - 20 direct damage. 30 stacking damage.

Level 2 - 40 direct damage. 30 stacking damage.
Level 3 - 60 direct damage. 30 stacking damage.
Level 4 - 80 direct damage. 30 stacking damage.

Cooldown: 3 seconds.

Mana Cost: 30/35/40/45

• Since the damage type is physical, it is reduced by armor, and it will do more damage
when the target has Nasal Goo already casted on him
• Hits invisible units.
• Hits units in fog of war.
• Has a damage cap of 180

Author’s Remarks

The damage stacks up incredibly fast when you’re continuously casting it, or if you’re taking a
lot of damage. It’s great for getting early game kills, and getting last hits on creeps. Again, this
skill is spammable as well.

Approximate range of Quill Spray

 - Bristleback - Passive

Rigwarl covers his back in spines, causing him to take reduced damage. Automatically releases a
quill spray whenever his rear receives 200 damage on his back. Does not reduce damage from
towers.

Level 1 - 10% reduced from rear, 5% from sides.

Level 2 - 20% reduced from rear, 10% from sides.
Level 3 - 30% reduced from rear, 15% from sides.
Level 4 - 40% reduced from rear, 20% from sides.

• Reduces everything (magical AND physical damage) except spells that are direct hp
removals (i.e., Sunder and Nightmare), and tower damage.
• It works when the attacker is facing bristle’s back. It does not matter whether it is and
AOE attack like epicenter, or a nuke like lightning bolt, as long as the attacker who
casted it is behind Bristleback, the damage will be reduced.
• The hero’s natural magic resistance or armor first reduces the incoming damage first, and
then Bristleback reduces it. If you have a vanguard or stout shield, it’ll first go through
the block of vanguard/stout shield first, then your armor/resistance, and then your skill.
 • The 200 damage quill spray will automatically trigger after 200 damage is taken on the
back and/or sides after the reduction from Bristleback is applied.

Here's a quote from Gradenko_2000:

QUOTE

Assume Bristleback's direct front (regardless of actual direction) is 0 degrees. Moving clockwise,
his rear would be 180 degrees. If the source of the damage is within 70 degrees of his rear;
falling between 145 to 215 degrees, a 10/20/30/40% mitigation is applied. If the source of the
damage is beyond 70 degrees of his rear, but within 105 degrees of his rear; falling between
127.5 degrees to 145 degrees, or between 215 degrees to 232.5 degrees, a 5/10/15/20%
mitigation is applied.

Here is a diagram illustrating it. The green area indicates where the "rear" is, and the purple area
indicates where the "sides" are.

Author’s Remarks

This is the ability that makes the piggy so fun to play. With this skill at your disposal, you will be
able to tank insane amounts of damage. Players who are chasing Rigwarl too often underestimate
this skill, and it will usually lead them to their own demise.

- Warpath - Passive

Every time Rigwarl casts a spell, he works himself into a fury. Movement and Attack speeds
increase on repeated spell casts. Lasts 10 seconds. Stacks up to 4 times.

Level 1 - 30% IAS/5% MS Base + 5% IAS/1% MS Stack.

Level 2 - 40% IAS/7% MS Base + 10% IAS/2% MS Stack.
Level 3 - 50% IAS/10% MS Base + 15% IAS/3% MS Stack.

Author’s Remarks

The IAS bonus helps with the killing capabilities of Rigwarl, and that is why there are guides
suggesting building a damage/carry pig instead of a tanker. However, what is really good about
this skill, is the increase you get in move speed, which helps with your chasing and escaping.
Fully stacked at level 3, this will give you a bonus of 22% increase in move speed, which is
66ms.

Justification for playing Rigwarl as a tank and not a battle pig.

He is the biggest tank, and the hardest hero to kill in the game, period. It only makes sense to
play him as a tank because that is his biggest strength.

When playing him as a killer, you will be facing the opponent most of the time, and will receive
no reduction from your strong back. If you get focused fired, you will die a lot faster and more
frequently too.

Since chasing with Rigwarl takes some bit of time, you might be chasing too far behind their
towers, or far enough for one of their allies to come and help them, which may result in getting
you killed.

By tanking and getting opponents to go after you, it will most likely be the case that you will
cause more damage to your opponents as opposed to just hitting them. Why? If they indeed
choose to hit you (they probably will if you follow the things in I mention in the strategy section
later on), your allies will just come over and kill them. Most people underestimate the power of
Bristleback and will keep hitting hoping to get the kill. In most cases, they just end up dying.

The pig that never dies!. Nuff said

3. Skill Build
1. Viscous Nasal Goo
2. Quill Spray
3. Quill Spray
4. Bristleback
5. Bristleback / Quill Spray
6. Bristleback / Quill Spray
7. Bristleback / Quill Spray
8. Bristleback / Quill Spray
9. Bristleback / Quill Spray
10. Warpath
11. Warpath
12. Viscous Nasal Goo
13. Viscous Nasal Goo
14. Viscous Nasal Goo
15. Stats
 16. Warpath
17-25. Stats

What’s going on during levels 5-9?

At this point in the game, the skill build is very flexible. The player must use their own
discretion in game, and see whether Quill Spray or Bristleback is more beneficial.

Leveling Quill Spray will be more beneficial when:

- You are dominating your lane
- There are lots of ganks happening
- You are not getting harassed that much
- Your move speed is high enough to keep up with the opponents
- You have mana to spare
- The opponents are a bit careless and you can capitalize on the opportunities
- You are up against passive players

Leveling Bristleback will be more beneficial when:

- You are being dominated in your lane
- You are facing heroes who have nukes/disables
- You’re low on mana
- The opponents have a lot of regen/healing items
- If you find yourself at low amounts of HP
- You cannot catch up to your opponents if they run
- You are up against aggressive players

Consider these factors (and perhaps even others that aren’t listed), see which side it favors, and
level up the according skill. In my personal experiences, Bristleback is handier to have early on
than Quill Spray. In higher-level games, Quill Spray will probably get chosen instead.

Why only 1 point in Goo early?

It is only gotten for emergency purposes early on. Only use it when it would make a difference in
getting a kill or being killed. Do not use it on the enemy for other reasons until mid-game when
you will have more mana to do so. You will most likely not be chasing the opponents that far
past their towers early on anyway, so it isn’t as beneficial as leveling up Quill Spray or
Bristleback.

Why do you level up Goo?

Due to the mechanics of goo, a single cast of level 4 goo is just as effective as 4 casts of level 1
goo. Here is a mathematical explanation.
This chart speaks for itself. Why wouldn't you level up goo? 68% vs. 32% slow fully stacked.
The choice is easy... Stacking the goo also enables your allies to catch up faster, and it also
allows you to gain distance on the opponent faster as well.

Why get Warpath at level 10?

All in all, it doesn't make much of a difference early on when Warpath is learned. If you don’t
need Bristleback and are leveling Quills, learn Warpath earlier. If you need Bristleback, delay it
until level 10. The damage reduction will be more beneficial than extra move speed if you’re
getting harassed a lot.

4. Item Build
4a. Core Items
IMO, there are 4 “legit” ways to building Rigwarl when you’re not getting a Hood of Defiance.
The main point I’m trying to make here is that Vanguard and Bracers are a waste of money, and
Sange and Stout shields are the way to go. Refer to the chart below, as I compare and analyze
each of the alternatives. BTW, THIS IS NOT MATHCRAFT. THERE IS NO MATH
INVOLVED IN REACHING A CONCLUSION. It is just simply picking the best alternative out
of the presented data set.
The reason why I have 2 stout shields in Options 1 and 4 is that it is almost just as effective as a
Vanguard in terms of damage block, and the difference is quite negligible. It is there to even out
the options, so they can compare with one another.

Stout Shields

Stout shields deceive the opponent. A hero that has stout shields and has 200 HP is much harder
to kill than you think, even more so if it’s a Rigwarl. When the enemy decides to come at you
thinking he can kill you, he will find himself doing much less damage than he had anticipated,
and will end up chasing for a longer time. With enough experience in the game, you can use this
to your advantage and know about how many extra hits you can tank before you die.

It is an early-mid game item. The effect is more noticeable early game, as you will see heroes
doing 10-15 damage to you. This item is a must have in every single game. As the game drags
on, its effectiveness becomes less and less noticeable. Reducing 30 damage from a 300 Critical
for example, isn’t going to do much in most cases. You pay for its effectiveness early game, and
receive some gold back for it when it becomes less useful. You are able to free up your item slots
for other items.
Bracers

They give you HP, and additional bonuses to Agility and Intelligence. I don’t see a need for the
bonuses to Agility, since 1ish armor and 6-9% attack speed is basically negligible. I also don’t
see any use for additional mana, since bottle practically solves your mana problems. The
Strength bonus is the only thing that is of use to you.

It is an early game item, and is gotten to give you a slight stat advantage over opponents who are
just saving up money for better items. When the game goes on, you will be forced to sell it for
better items. As you can see, you will incur massive losses, both in gold, and stats. This is the
main reason why I do not advocate bracers.

Decision time…

Option number 2 is how everyone plays the pig, vanguard and bracers. It seems wonderful at
first, but lets take a closer look. For starters, I believe that Vanguard is better suited for non-STR
heroes who need the HP, block damage, and some early game HP regen. Rigwarl is unable to
reap the full benefits of Vanguard, as stacking additional HP regen on top of Bottle, tangoes, and
a Heart afterwards, will be overdoing it. It’s not really bad to stack up regen, per say; it’s just that
there are better ways to spend your gold and optimize your gold spending and inventory slots.
Also, with massive regen, it’s harder to stay at low HP to bait your opponents, which is
something that Rigwarl excels in. It also discourages opponents from using their spells on you
(knowing that you’ll just recover the damage within 30 seconds), and also coming after you.
They will then be more aggressive towards your ally who is laning with you, which defeats
Rigwarl’s purpose to serve as a tank for the team. Thus, getting Vanguard is waste of 875 gold,
and also because as the game progresses, both the HP regen and block damage become
negligible. One of your inventory slots will basically be a vitality booster, and thus, again, you
aren’t optimizing the use of your item slots.

Option number 4 is cheap, and gives the most HP, but the major drawback is that it takes up a
hell of a lot of inventory slots. Stacking up on HP via vitality boosters is like stacking up strength
by massing Ogre Axes. Sure, it’s effective for its price, but again, there are just better ways to
optimize your inventory. You will be forced to sell one of the stout shields early-mid game for
your other core items. Thus, you will not be reaping the full benefits of your stout shields. Also,
by going all these items, you are basically committing yourself to spend an additional 875 for a
RoH to complete a Vanguard. As I said in the previous paragraph, I don’t believe Vanguard is the
way to go.

Option number 3 is very effective for its cost, but you lose everything you paid for after you sell
it off. Also, it doesn’t have any block damage. Referring back to the comparison of stout shields
and bracers, I clearly believe that stout shields are a much better overall item to get.

Option number 1 is quite unorthodox. Getting Sange…wtf? Anyway, if you look at all the
choices overall, this option is the best. It’s pretty cheap, you get a bit of everything: HP, damage
block, 21 damage, maim effect, and you lose very little relative to options 2 and 3 when selling
off the items. Think of it this way: The Sange + 2 Stouts are acting as a replacement for
Vanguard. It gives just as much tanking ability, and more bonuses on top of that as well.
Therefore, there will be no need to complete S&Y later on (it is a bad idea to spend basically
3000 on agility and some move speed anyway).

Comparing Sange + 2 stouts to only a Vanguard and no bracers, for 375 more gold, you get a
claymore’s worth a damage, 50 more HP, and the maim effect. Comparing it to only a vitality
booster, for only 950 more gold, you receive the HP, damage, and maim. Keep in mind that all
these benefits only take up one item slot. Either way you look at it, you’re getting a huge bargain.
You get more bang for your buck, and thus is the recommended choice.

”Wait…why do you need damage again? Aren’t you playing a tank and not a hero killer?”

Well, the main focus is getting more HP, but it just so happens that I have the opportunity to get
21 damage for only 375 more gold. Damage can only help you, not hurt you, and at a cheap price
like that, who can pass it up?

If you really want to forgo damage items, why not throw radiance and heart out the window as
well? As you can see, “you don’t need damage” isn’t a good reason to not get any damage at all.

“But Sange doesn’t synergize with Rigwarl as well as Vanguard does”

Sure it does, it synergizes with practically everything except rupture. An extra slow doesn’t hurt,
extra damage doesn’t hurt, more HP doesn’t hurt. Everything it gives will only benefit you, not
hurt you. Maim doesn’t make your slow any less effective than it already is. If it does proc, you
get the benefit of easing up on your goo’s a bit and it will ease the strain on your mana pool.

As for Vanguard synergizing with Bristleback… You get block damage, HP, and 4HP/s regen.
This is everything Sange + 2 stouts give except the 4HP/s regen. What do you want more? 4
HP/s regen or 21 damage, 50 more HP, and a maim effect? The choice is quite clear.

“But what about item slots? You won’t have enough room for everything”

Actually, it works out perfectly.

- Start off with 1 stout and tangoes (2 slots used)

- Buy 1 more stout and bottle at shop (3 slots being used since your tangoes are probably gone)
- Boots without/with TP (4/5 slots)
- Ogre Axe or Helm (5/6 slots)
- Complete Sange/Hood after having 1050/1400 gold for belt+recipe/2 ror+cloak (5/6 slots)
- *optional booster* (sell off one stout if you want to carry a TP, and at this point, it is normally
25-30 into game, which is about time to sell it off)

And so on.... You won't have any trouble with item slots. If needed, you can always borrow a
chicken.

Final Verdict: Sange and 2 Stout Shields win

Now that I’ve given sufficient evidence that 2 Stouts and a Sange can basically act as a Vanguard
(giving additional bonuses on top of that too as well), the following item acquisition flowchart
can be constructed. If you would like more explanation on the Sange vs. Vanguard issue, please
refer to the Q&A section on post #3.
Empty Bottle
Rigwarl is a ganking hero, but not your typical one like Vengeful Spirit. In addition to a
devastating slow, you can run around the map with very little HP (and get away with it). This
itself is a much more effective way to kill heroes; by letting the opponent make the mistake and
kill himself. Greed is definitely the greatest weakness in among all DotA players, even pros.
More players will be more inclined to turn around and try to kill you rather than try and abuse
the fog of war. With proper spacing, paying close attention, and anticipation, you will not die.

Early game, it solves all the regen problems you may have. Save up the charges, use them at the
right time when you’re being chased, and it’ll easily turn the tide of battle. This will be explained
in more detail later on in the guide.

Hood of Defiance + Vitality Booster*

Whether you get Sange or Hood + Vitality Booster* will depend on the match-up. Use your own
judgment and decide whether or not you need the hood, and also whether or not you need the
vitality booster. The booster is there to complement Hood of Defiance to give you a slight boost
in HP for survivability (and will become Heart later on), but if you feel like you don’t need it,
ignore it and move onto radiance. As of 6.49b, Rigwarl’s early-mid game HP really sucks, so I do
recommend you get the booster, unless you’re planning to rice farm or something…

Heart of Tarrasque and Radiance

In most cases, getting Radiance first will be a better idea than getting Heart of Tarrasque. The
immolation damage over time is great for Rigwarl, as it give him some damage output for
staying in battles forever. It also helps you farm up your other items faster as well. If you need
more HP cause the opposing team consists of DPSers and disablers, or if your team has a
radiance carrier already, then go for Heart. In this case, its best to just skip the radiance because
the immolation damage isn’t going to be as useful that late into the game. Proceed onto Assault
Curiass.

Boots of Travel
BoT is gotten over treads because there is no need for any extra attack speed for playing a tank.
The teleport ability will become very useful late game, but the BoT Recipe won’t be gotten until
you can’t sacrifice a free item slot for your Scroll of TP. Warpath and boots will be more than
enough to run away.

Assault Curiass
Assault Curiass is gotten later because the components of it aren’t as beneficial to you as the
others are, and the fact that it takes up a lot of item slots. Armor is gotten to further increase your
tanking ability, and the auras benefit your team and hurt the opposing team.

***Kelen’s Dagger of Escape***

There has been a lot of debate about my idea of Blink Dagger on Rigwarl, so instead of keeping
it mandatory in the core build, I will just mention it and leave it here as an option to be
considered in every game. It is a great item, and personally, I really love getting it on Rigwarl. It
helps a lot with mindgames, baiting, chasing, support, escaping, team battles… Well, basically
everything. This is just the way I play, and if you want to give it a shot, the option is there.

It is up to you to decide whether or not you need a Dagger, and when you should get it. A lot of
in-game judgment is needed before deciding to spend 2150 on this. Consider the following:
- Does the enemy have a lot of stuns/slows that makes escape unlikely?
- Is the opposing team massing Dagger’s themselves or has built in blinks/leaps?
- Does my team have trouble chasing and catching up to the opponents?
- Will it currently be more beneficial than a Reaver or a Relic?
- Are there AOE ultimates on the opposing team that you just need to get away from fast?
(Epicenter, Freezing Field, etc…)

- Are the enemies very greedy?

If the answer is yes to at least 2 or 3 of the above, consider getting it. Otherwise, it may be better
to get other items instead.

4b. Other items’ discussion

Other Viable Items

Power Treads
In pubs, this item will probably be very well worth it. It is much better now that you get a +10
attribute of your choice along with it (which basically nullifies the recent STR nerf). However, in
most games, I would recommend BoT instead because of the teleport ability and faster move
speed.

Satanic
An OK option, but I would only get this after I’ve gotten Radiance and/or Heart. This item
shouldn’t be rushed because I don’t believe Bristleback should be played as a fighter, and I don’t
like the idea of not turning your strong back against the opponents until you have enough HP to
take it. It is only after getting everything else, that Satanic becomes more viable.

Butterfly
Wanna tank it up even more? After Heart and AC, 30% evasion late game is much better than
additional armor or HP, especially if the opposing team does more damage physically, rather than
magically. It also gives around 4 armor.

Buriza Do-Kyanon
If your team needs more damage output from you, get it. Otherwise, I would much rather prefer
support items or items that enhance his tanking ability.

Items that aren’t recommended

Cranium Basher
You are building a tank…bashers do not help your tanking ability whatsoever.

Blademails
This item costs 1770, gives 5 armor, and a 20% return. In addition, the return damage magical
(which is reduced by hero resistance), and only works on melee heroes. If there are any ranged
heroes on the opposing team (which there most likely will be), some effectiveness of this item is
lost. In 99% of the cases, there are just better alternatives to it.

Black King Bar

Since you are acting as a tank, you want all the spells to be casted on you. By getting BKB, you
are basically telling your opponents to target your allies with their stuns and nukes, and not
yourself. This will screw your team over so don't even consider it.

Shiva’s Guard
There are better ways to increase the pig’s tanking potential. Spending 2700 for a mystic staff is
a waste of money. You already have goo for slowing, and Quill Spray for AOE damage. No need
to get a further AOE slow and damage at all.

Armlet of Mordiggian
Great for mindgames, but you need some permanent HP with Rigwarl rather than an instant
450HP refill that decays at 30HP/s. It is better suited for STR heroes that do more damage (I.e.,
Sven, Huskar, etc…)

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