This is another edition of Pro Focus, which features three competitive DotA players sharing their thoughts about a particular hero. This time, we have Whisper from Team EG, Loda from SK Gaming and zenition from Plus46 (formerly Met). The hero in focus is Anub'Arak, the Nerubian Assassin.

 

 
1. What's the first thing that goes through your head about Anub'Arak?

Whisper: Annoying. The hero is very annoying. His mana burn makes it very frustrating to lane against him. Also, you always have to watch your back or he'll backstab you with Vendetta. He forces the other team to alter their play.

Loda: Gang-er.

zenition: Excellent ganker, lethal but fragile.

2. How different is playing Anub'Arak in competitive and friendly games?

Whisper: In friendly games people tend to purchase less observer and sentry wards. This allows NA to run amok uninhibited, and kill any people wandering off alone. In competitive play, his effect can be limited through smart playing, map awareness, and good ward vision.

Loda: Well, when it comes to NA it's a lot easier to dominate friendly games than competitive games. In friendly games people are much worse at getting wards and sentries etc., but when it comes to competitive games he can often be made useless if you just plant enough sentries.

zenition: Although Nerubian Assassin plays the same role (ganker) in both types of games, the usage of the hero is very different. In competitive games, NA is a very difficult hero to play, because the opposing team will focus alot on countering him, using sentry wards, necrobook etc.

3. What are Anub'Ark's strengths and weaknesses?

Whisper: His strengths include his high instant damage output and effectiveness in lane. He's often able to kill most heroes by himself in the early stages of the game after he obtains Vendetta. He's weak against good ward vision. If the opponents can stay alive and farm some hit points up, then he won't be nearly as effective. Also, he's not the greatest in 5v5 team fights, especially because enemies tend to carry sentries into those.

Loda: His strengths are that he can nullify one hero totally in a battle with vendetta, impale, manaburn + dagon (if u have it). He's a really good lane-partner and can often control a lane with just the help of his manaburn. His weaknesses are that without any farm he's pretty much useless. He needs fast levels early on and if he's nerfed a lot in the beginning it can often be fatal for the whole game.

zenition: As I mentioned before, the strength of NA is his amazing burst-damage output, he is one of the few hero's in the game that can kill another hero almost instantly, and with a dagon(1-5) he stays useful throughtout the entire game. His strength is however also his weakness, as any team will, because of how dangerous he is, try to counter him with warding and truesight, leaving NA almost useless.

4. What makes Anub'Arak stand out/different from other heroes?

Whisper: It's probably the most annoying hero in the game.

Loda: Hm partly cause of the things I said before. He's a melee lane-controler and one of the best gangers, a bit like Lina, Lion, etc. I don't think there is any other melee hero that can control a lane, it's always the ranged one doing this imo.

zenition: Well, unlike most other heroes, NA can use almost any item, basically all he needs is boots of speed and a bottle. He can become an even deadlier killer with a dagon, a great support hero with an Eul's, or used as a counter to for example warlock and omniknight, with a diffusal blade.