[Berzerker]

"When news of the war in Newerth reached the Berzerker, he hastily left his frozen homeland in the North. Though he holds no allegiance to the Legion, the chance to face hell's demons is one the Berzerker could not pass up. An incredible warrior with an indomitable will, the Berzerker's reckless disregard for his own life gives him strength and power seemingly beyond measure, albeit at a risk. Once he has steeled himself, only death will stop him from killing his foes."

Berzerker is a physical damage carry with insane amount of damage dealing potential.

1. Pros and Cons
Pros:
-Hard to escape from
-Good laning phase
-Good Mobility
-Slow and Immobilize in one skill
-Counters Invisibility Heroes
-Strength Sap makes him hard to kill
-Doesn't require a Shrunken Head because of his ultimate


Cons:
-No escape mechanism
-Item Dependant
-No Farming Mechanism (well a bad one)
-Mana problems early game
-Takes +15% damage taken with ultimate active and +30% with ultimate and Elder Parasite
-Weak without his ultimate active
-Countered by Armor and Void Talisman

2. Abilities


Q - Chain Spike - Target an enemy to attach a chain to them for 5 seconds. Deals 45 / 80 / 115 / 150 Physical Damage and applies a Tapering Movement Speed Slow. Activate again to deal another 45 / 80 / 115 / 150 Physical Damage and immobilize the target for 1.3 / 1.7 / 2.1 / 2.5 Seconds. Chain breaks at 850 distance or automatically activates for a second time after 5 seconds.

Mana Cost - 90/95/100/105

Cooldown - 14s

Range - 550

Don't waste this ability early game if you aren't sure you are gonna get the kill. Berzerker's only form(s) of CC, a Slow and Immobilize in one skill, that does decent damage aswell. Sadly, Immobilize =/= Stun so it doesn't cancel TP's.


W - Strength Sap - Activate to steal one strength and heal 10 health every 0.5 Seconds for 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 Seconds from all enemy heroes in a 600 unit radius. Buff lasts 6 seconds after sapping is finished. Deals 20 Magic Damage per 0.5 seconds to creeps in radius, up to 80 / 120 / 160 / 200 Magic Damage to creeps around you.

His "Farming Mechanism", this will keep you alive in teamfights and small skirmishes early game.


E - Mark for Death - Target an enemy hero to apply Marked for Death for 8 seconds, granting you vision of the target for the duration. When facing or moving towards the target you gain bonus 15 / 20 / 25 / 30% Movement Speed and 10 / 20 / 30 / 40 Attack Speed as well as Unitwalking with a 1.5 second linger time. Kills or assists reset the cooldown of this ability.

Gives True Vision, which means reveals Invisibilty and sights the target for 8 seconds while giving you Speed Bonuses, not much else to say.


R - Carnage - Activate to gain 40 / 60 / 80% Debuff and Stun Duration Reduction as well as grant your attacks bonus Physical Damage based on 6 / 7 / 8% of your maximum health for 12 Seconds. While under this effect, you take 15% bonus damage.

This is where all of the damage comes from, stuns don't bother you but strong nukes do.

4. Stats
Strength
24 (+2.7)
Agility
19 (+1.8)

Intelligence
16 (+1.5)


Damage
55-57

Health
606

Mana
208

Armor
3.16

Magic Armor
5.5

Move speed
300

Attack type
Melee (128)

5. Matchups
The only lane Berzerker should be sent to is short lane farming, with a support. Or in a Trilane long lane. But these matchups are vs Suicides

Easy:
Scout - Q + E on lvl 2 with the assistance of your support = dead scout
Madman- Pretty much the same as scout
Swiftblade - If you see him spin and your support is in danger, Q him and after the spin ended should result in an easy kill.
Keeper of the Forest - Even though I haven't played agnaist KotF suicide as Berz before, should be the same as Scout but keep in mind Keeper is much tankier and might need lvl 3 or 4 for a kill
Grniex - Same as scout with the exception that he can remove your Chain(both unactivated and activated) by using Q on someone, shouldn't stop you from getting a kill.

Medium:
Kraken - If your support leaves you alone vs Kraken it's gonna be hard, and he is really hard to kill.
Wretched Hag - Should be an easy kill after you get your (Steam)Boots, again if your support leaves you alone Hag will harrass you big time.
Rally - Same as Kraken except much worse harassment.

Hard:
Bubbles - Take Cover, just like Grinex's Q removes your Chain, but on top of that he can escape at will with Shell Surf.


5. Skill Build

1. Q
2. E
3. Q
4. W
5. Q
6. R
7. Q
8. W
9. W
10. W
11. R
12-14. E
15. Stats
16. R
17-25. Stats

Pretty obvious why maxing out Q, E is % based so its for last and W is a really good ability that will help you stay alive. Obviously Ultimate whenever possible.

6. Item Build
Items bought in the order they are put into, with the exception of the situational Lifetube/HotBL

Start - (or something of the sort

Laning - Into a Helm of the Black Legion as first item if you are agnaist 2 enemies, or just having trouble staying in lane. If agnaist a Suicide skip Lifetube and HotBL buy from the Sideshop and finish 4-5 mins in.

Core - - EP and Insanitarius work extremely well with Carnage, while Staff of the Master is core because it increases damage, decreases damage taken from ultimate, allows you to activate ultimate while initiated on with a stun/taunt etc. and fixes mana problems (kind of)

Luxury - If the game is still going on at this point go for and sell for

Other good items - (might be needed in a case of a Wingbow)(if you are gonna buy it sell)