Dota 2: How to play Phantom Assassin and best build

Phantom Assassin (PA) is one of Dota 2's most iconic hard-carry heroes, known for her incredible burst damage, mobility, and critical strike potential. As of Patch 7.34, PA is a top-tier pick for players who want to dominate the late game with a hero capable of swiftly eliminating enemies.

This guide will cover how to play Phantom Assassin effectively, focusing on her best builds, positioning, talents, and item choices, along with strategies to maximize her impact throughout the game.

Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinions.

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Understanding Phantom Assassin's role in Dota 2

Phantom Assassin as seen in the game (Image via Valve)

Phantom Assassin is primarily played as a Position 1 carry, where her role is to farm efficiently, build up her core items, and then take over the game with her immense physical damage output.

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How to effectively play Phantom Assassin in Dota 2

Phantom Assassin's Toll of the Fearful Aria set (Image via Valve)

Playing Phantom Assassin effectively revolves around farming efficiently in the early game and then transitioning into a high-damage carry that can assassinate key targets.

She has huge damage output potential that only comes into the spotlight if she is farmed well. During the laning phase, focus on last-hitting creeps and avoid unnecessary engagements until you have your core items.

Immaterial is her Innate ability that gives her evasion to make enemy attacks miss. The evasion scales as Phantom Assassin levels up.

Stifling Dagger is Phantom Assassin’s primary harassment and last-hitting tool during the laning phase. It applies a slow and deals physical damage, with a chance to critically strike. Use it to secure last hits from a safe distance, harass enemies, or initiate ganks.

Phantom Strike allows PA to quickly close the gap on an enemy, granting her bonus attack speed for a short duration. This ability is crucial for both engaging in fights and escaping dangerous situations as you can blink to an ally as well. Use it to jump on isolated targets or to reposition yourself during fights.

Blur provides her with temporary invisibility when no enemy heroes are nearby, allowing PA to sneak up on enemies or disengage from fights when outnumbered.

Coup de Grace (Passive) is Phantom Assassin’s Ultimate, giving her a chance to deal critical damage on her attacks. This ability is what makes PA such a fearsome late-game carry, as a single critical strike can turn the tide of a fight. For her builds, focus on items that enhance her attack damage and attack speed to maximize Coup de Grace’s effectiveness.

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Best Dota 2 Phantom Assassin builds

Phantom Assassin's position 1 Carry builds (Image via Valve)

Position 1 Carry build:

• Starting Items: Quelling Blade, Tango, Slippers of Agility, Iron Branch, Faerie Fire.
• Early Game: Power Treads, Magic Wand, Wraith Band.
• Core Items: Battle Fury, Black King Bar, Desolator.
• Late Game: Satanic, Abyssal Blade, Butterfly.

As a Position 1 carry, your goal is to farm efficiently and build the necessary items to become a late-game powerhouse. Battle Fury accelerates your farming speed, allowing you to clear waves and jungle camps quickly. Black King Bar (BKB) provides spell immunity, crucial for surviving in fights against heroes with crowd control.

Desolator enhances your physical damage output while temporarily reducing your opponent's armor, making your attacks more lethal, especially with Coup de Grace. In the late game, Satanic gives you lifesteal and survivability, Abyssal Blade adds a reliable stun, and Butterfly increases your evasion and attack speed.

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Tips & tactics for Phantom Assassin in Dota 2

Phantom Assassin's Dragonterror set (Image via Valve)

• Farm efficiently: Focus on farming during the early game to secure your core items. Use Stifling Dagger to last-hit safely and clear waves when necessary.
• Engage carefully: Use Phantom Strike to jump on vulnerable targets, but be cautious of overcommitting in team fights. Blur and BKB are your lifelines; use them to survive and reposition if needed.
• Critical Strike timing: Watch for opportunities to capitalize on Coup de Grace. Timing your attacks when an enemy is low can result in a quick and decisive kill.
• Roshan: Phantom Assassin can take Roshan effectively, especially with items like Desolator and Satanic. Coordinate with your team to secure the Aegis of the Immortal, which will give you more freedom to play aggressively.

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Pros and cons of Phantom Assassin in Dota 2

Pros:

• High burst damage with Coup de Grace critical strikes.
• Excellent mobility with Phantom Strike.
• Strong survivability with Blur and BKB.
• Capable of quickly taking down key enemy heroes.

Cons:

• Relatively weak in the early game before core items are acquired.
• Vulnerable to magic damage and disabled if BKB is not active.
• Can be countered by heroes with high evasion or armor.
• Reliant on farming to reach her full potential.

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Which Phantom Assassin Talents to pick in Dota 2

Phantom Assassin's Dame de Carreau set (Image via Valve)

• Level 10: -2s Stifling Dagger Cooldown
• Level 15: +15% Immaterial Evasion
• Level 20: +60 Phantom Strike Attack Speed
• Level 25: +10% Coup de Grace chance

These talents enhance Phantom Assassin’s ability to deal damage and survive in fights. The Level 10 talent lets you have your daggers ready quicker to execute fights or last hits more often, and the Level 15 talent increases your survivability. Levels 20 and 25 are purely to amplify your carry role in a more menacing manner.

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Best Phantom Assassin Items in Dota 2

• Battle Fury: Increases farming speed and cleave damage.
• Black King Bar: Provides spell immunity, allowing you to fight without being disabled.
• Desolator: Amplifies physical damage, especially effective with Coup de Grâce.
• Satanic: Adds lifesteal and makes you harder to kill in fights.
• Abyssal Blade: Offers a reliable stun and additional health.
• Butterfly: Increases evasion, attack speed, and damage, making you a formidable late-game carry.

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FAQs about Phantom Assassin in Dota 2

Phantom Assassin's Creeping Shadow set (Image via Valve)

1) How to play Phantom Assassin effectively?

Farm efficiently in the early game to secure core items. Use Phantom Strike to engage vulnerable targets, and rely on Coup de Grâce for high burst damage. Manage your positioning with Blur and BKB to survive and maximize your impact in fights.

2) What is Phantom Assassin's role in Dota 2?

Phantom Assassin's role is a Position 1 carry, focusing on farming, scaling into the late game, and eliminating key enemy heroes with her high burst damage and mobility.

3) Who can counter Phantom Assassin?

Heroes with high evasion, armor, or reliable crowd control can counter Phantom Assassin. So, characters like Tinker, Axe, and Troll Warlord can pose significant challenges to PA.

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