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DH Standard

The standard Night Elf build. Demon Hunter first for Manaburn harassment, fast tech to T3 for Druid of the Claw (bears). Bears in Bear Form have massive HP and Roar aura.

How it plays

  • DH first — Manaburn drains enemy hero mana, shutting down their abilities
  • Immolation provides passive AoE damage — good for fast creeping
  • Fast tech through T2 to T3 — the goal is Bears as fast as possible
  • Druids of the Claw in Bear Form have 960 HP and Roar gives 25% damage aura
  • KotG second hero for Entangle + Treants — lockdown and free reinforcements
  • Dryads provide Abolish Magic to remove debuffs and Slow Poison for kiting
  • Wins against: most standard openers across all matchups
  • Loses to: fast timing pushes that hit during the vulnerable T2 transition

Tier progression

Tier 1

Buildings
Altar of Elders, Ancient of War, Moon Well, Hunter's Hall
Units
Archer
Goal
DH + 3-4 Archers, creep aggressively with Immolation

Tier 2

Buildings
Tree of Ages, Ancient of Lore
Units
Dryad
Goal
Tree of Ages, Ancient of Lore x2, Dryads while teching to T3

Tier 3

Buildings
Tree of Eternity
Units
Druid of the Claw, Dryad
Goal
Master Bears — Bear Form with Roar and Rejuvenation
Notes
Bears are arguably the best T3 unit in the game — the entire build leads here

Hero skill order

Demon Hunter

  • Mana Burn — level 3
  • Immolation — level 2
  • Evasion — level 1
  • Metamorphosis — level 1

Keeper of the Grove

  • Entangling Roots — level 2
  • Force of Nature — level 2
  • Thorns Aura — level 1

Core upgrades

  • Druid of the Claw Training
  • Mark of the Claw
  • nightelf backpack

Pro replays running this build

42 tournament games. Each opens in the 3D simulator on this player's side.

PlayerOpponentMapStage
LawLiet FoCuS Tidehunters v1.2 Group Stage Game 3
Life Eer0 Autumn Leaves v2.0 Semifinals Game 3
Life Fortitude Turtle Rock v1.6 Quarterfinals Game 4
Kaho Happy Hammerfall Quarterfinals Game 1
ColorFul LabyRinth Springtime v1.3 Grand Final Game 5
Life Eer0 Turtle Rock v1.6 Semifinals Game 1
Kaho Happy Last Refuge v1.5 Quarterfinals Game 4
Life Happy Shattered Exile v2.4 Final Game 3
Kaho Moon Springtime v1.3 Group Stage Game 4
Moon Kaho Springtime v1.3 Group Stage Game 4
LawLiet FoCuS Springtime v1.3 Group Stage Game 2
ColorFul LabyRinth Last Refuge v1.5 Group Stage Game 4
Life Happy Springtime v1.3 Final Game 5
Life Fortitude Tidehunters v1.2 Quarterfinals Game 2
Life Happy Echo Isles v2.2 w3c 1051
Kaho Moon Hammerfall Group Stage Game 3
Moon Kaho Hammerfall Group Stage Game 3
Kaho Happy Springtime v1.3 Quarterfinals Game 2
Life Fortitude Twisted Meadows v1.9 Quarterfinals Game 1
Life Happy Turtle Rock v1.6 Final Game 1
Life Fortitude Autumn Leaves v2.0 Quarterfinals Game 5
Kaho Happy Echo Isles v2.2 w3c 1051
Moon Kaho Autumn Leaves v2.0 Group Stage Game 1
Kaho Moon Autumn Leaves v2.0 Group Stage Game 1
ColorFul LabyRinth Autumn Leaves v2.0 Group Stage Game 1
Life Fortitude Springtime v1.3 Quarterfinals Game 3
ColorFul LabyRinth Echo Isles v2.2 w3c 1051
Life Happy Last Refuge v1.5 Final Game 2
Life Eer0 Shattered Exile v2.4 Semifinals Game 2
Kaho Moon Turtle Rock v1.6 Group Stage Game 2
Moon Kaho Turtle Rock v1.6 Group Stage Game 2
Kaho Happy Turtle Rock v1.6 Quarterfinals Game 5
Sini Leon Springtime_v1.3
EleGaNt Pcg123 AutumnLeaves_v2.0
Dise Leqi 1v1_EchoIsles_v2.2_w3c_260125_1357_1051
Jens HawK Hammerfall
Jens HawK TurtleRock_v2.0
Kaho Sok Springtime_v1.3
Kaho FoCuS Hammerfall
Kaho Lyn 1v1_EchoIsles_v2.2_w3c_260125_1357_1051
Moon Soin 1v1_EchoIsles_v2.2_w3c_260125_1357_1051
Kaho Lyn AutumnLeaves_v2.0

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