The EarlyGame Dota 2 Item Guide series continues and today, we’re taking a look at one of the newest items in the game – Orb of Corrosion. Here’s everything you need to know about it.
We've already covered various Dota 2 items like Blade Mail, Eul's Scepter of Divinity, Abyssal Blade, Manta Style, Spirit Vessel, Hand of Midas, and Witch Blade. Today we move onward with one of the cheapest items you can get – Orb of Corrosion.
Orb of Corrosion – What Is It?
As usual, let's take a brief look at the item:
- Patch created: Patch 7.28
- Total cost: 825 gold
- Grants: +150 health
- Passive: Corrosion – Poisons the target, dealing 3 magical damage per second, reducing armor by 3, and slowing movement by 13% if the equipped hero is melee, or by 4% if they are ranged. Lasts for 3 seconds.
Much like Witch Blade, OoC was added with the Mistwoods Update. So far, it hasn't suffered any changes with the 7.28a patch but that might change soon. The item is not that impressive at first glance but Orb of Corrosion is one of the best choices in the early game: having an additional +150 health will save your life in many cases.
Then there's the passive which makes it a must-buy on almost any melee hero (even some supports like Ogre will often get it). Orb of Corrosion improves on the effects provided by the components. Instead of dealing 2 damage and slowing for 2 seconds, it deals 3 and slows for 3. The armor reduction grows from the 2 provided by Blight Stone to 3.
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To top it all off, there's the gold cost of 825. It's just the price of each individual component, namely – Orb of Venom (275), Blight Stone (300) and the newly-added Fluffy Hat (250).
What's even better is that the armor reduction of OoC stacks fully with Desolator, Orb of Destruction, and Stygian Desolator. The slow also stacks with Orb of Destruction.
Heroes It's Good For
As we've already mentioned, Orb of Corrosion is a really nice pick on almost any melee hero. Melee cores that rely on physical damage or synergy with an additional slow or minions will find it the most useful. Here are some suggestions:
- Slark
- Phantom Assassin
- Juggernaut
- Lifestealer
- Sven
- Anti-Mage
- Monkey King
- Spectre
- Ursa
- Troll Warlord
- Tusk
- Pangolier
- Lycan
- Beastmaster
- Abbadon
- Bounty Hunter
- Slardar
- Legion Commander
Orb of Corrosion is a great early-game item that's easy to buy and can both save your life thanks to the extra health or secure a kill with the passive. Since it fully stacks with Desolator and Orb of Destruction you won't be in a hurry to sell it.
Is it better than a Wraith Band/Bracer/Null Talisman? That really depends. Any of the three will also increase your damage slightly but so will OoC. If you just want health but you're not a strength hero, Orb of Corrosion is usually the better choice.
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