KotG Mountain Giant

How it plays

• KotG Entangling Roots roots Human heroes — removes Divine Shield timing windows
• Mountain Giants have the highest HP of any unit in the game at Tier 3
• Giant Taunt forces Human Sorceresses to polymorph their own units if poorly positioned
• Force of Nature summons free Treants from enemy trees — punishes Human passive play
• DH second hero for Manaburn — drains AM/MK mana, shuts down their abilities
• Wins against: Human AM Rifle builds that rely on kiting, not tanking hits
• Loses to: Archmage Blizzard with Mass Teleport that kills Giants before Taunt activates

Tier progression

Hero skill order

Keeper of the Grove

• Entangling Roots — level 3
• Force of Nature — level 3
• Thorns Aura — level 1

Demon Hunter

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

Core upgrades

• Druid of the Claw Training
• Hardened Skin
• nightelf backpack

If you are new to this build

• Keeper of the Grove opens -- Force of Nature spawns a wave of Treants (extra bodies for fights and creeping), Entangling Roots locks a target down. Creep with the KotG; Treant waves help you take camps fast.
• Mountain Giants are your tanks -- Hardened Skin shrugs off small hits, and Taunt forces enemies to attack the Giant. Put them at the front, Taunt the enemy army, and let everything else (Dryads, hero, Treants) shoot from behind.
• Build the Hunter's Hall and get the upgrades for your support -- Dryads with Abolish Magic dispel buffs and summons (and they're immune to magic). Don't rush a 3rd or 4th hero or exotic units; Giant + Dryad + Treants is a forgiving army.
• Wisps are consumed (regular building) or destroyed forever (Ancient) when they build -- plan your buildings so you're not bleeding workers. Mostly you want Moon Wells for food, an Ancient of War, an Ancient of Lore, and the Hunter's Hall.

Common mistakes

Not using Taunt on the Mountain Giant.

Taunt is the Giant's job -- pop it at the start of a fight so the enemy attacks the (very tanky) Giant instead of your Dryads and hero. A Giant that never Taunts is just a slow expensive unit.

Over-building Ancients and running out of wisps/food.

Every Ancient permanently eats a wisp. Decide your build up front -- wisps are workers; don't waste them on Ancients you don't need.

Letting Dryads or the Keeper get caught at the front.

Giants tank; everything else stands behind them. If a Dryad or your hero is taking focus, pull it back -- Treant waves are expendable, your hero isn't.

Skipping Abolish Magic and the Hunter's Hall upgrades.

Abolish Magic (Dryad dispel) is huge vs buff- and summon-heavy enemies, and the attack/armor upgrades scale your whole army. Don't neglect them.

Before you try it

• Comfortable using Taunt on your Mountain Giant and Force of Nature / Entangling Roots on the Keeper.
• Understand that wisps are consumed or destroyed when they build (every building costs a worker).

Pro replays running this build

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