He has seen a drastic change since his old reincarnation. Then he had 3 passives with a 20 second Avatar and an abysmal strength growth. Now having undergone this remake from IceFrog (in 6.49 if i'm not mistaken), N'aix has since been a powerhouse in competitive play. Despite the fall of AGI heroes and the rise of spell carries in 6.59d, N'aix remained one of the only physical damage based heroes to remain in the top tier.
In the current metagame, N'aix is still as powerful as ever. Items such as Quelling Blade have been added that aided the farming prowess of N'aix. The future of this scourge creep looking thing looks brighter than ever.
Basic Skill Use
Rage75 mana cost, 15 seconds cooldown, duration of 2.50/3.25/4.00/4.75 seconds, gives 30%/45%/60%/80% increased attack speed and grants magic immunity. Dispels many buffs on activation and stacks with Frenzy-based spells.
Usage: This is your mini-BKB and is a potent attack speed increased. Definitely one of your key skills. Use it in conjunction with Open Wounds offensively to deal the maximum amount of damage during the slow period. Defensively, this skill is incredibly useful. Use it to evade AoE spells such as Epicenter, Tauren's Ultimate, etc. Use it to dispel buffs such as Venomancer's Poison Nova. Another common use is to activate it before tp-ing
FeastA passive which lifesteals 4%/5%/6%/7% based off the targets HP, the heal is independent of the damage. It deals physical damage. It works on magic-immune units but not on Roshan.
Usage: attack, lol. This is the skill that makes you the bane of tanks as it deals percentage based damage and is the reason why N'aix is called the Lifestealer.
Open Wounds110 mana cost, 30/25/20/15 seconds cooldown, 600 casting rage, duration of 8 seconds, marks target for Open Wounds effect of 10%/15%/20%/25% heal-on-attack and slows by 80%/70%/60%/50%/30%/10%/10%/10%, the slow decreasing one step per second. All damage dealt will steal life, including damage from spells. Linken's Sphere does not block the slow.
Usage: Great laning spell as it is a potent slow even at its first level. Also an amazing ganking tool for focusing on a target opponent. Another addition to his arsenal of lifesteal.
Infest50 mana cost, 100/60/30 seconds cooldown, 150 casting range and can be used on allied, neutral and enemy creeps. Replenishes hitpoints based on targets. N'aix gains experience from kills made nearby the Infested target while he is traveling with it. If the Infested unit is killed before N'aix uses Consume, he will not be healed.
Usage: An incredibly useful, versatile spell. Use it to hide in allied creeps to surprise an opponent (technique explained in detail later on). Also great to hide in any of Chen/Enchantress creeps. Defensively can be used to hide in opponent creeps (which is better as will not be killed by allies) and in jungling to kill a high level creep faster.
Skill Build
1. Open Wounds
2. Feast/Rage
3. Feast/Rage
4. Rage/Feast
5. Feast/Rage
6. Infest
7. Feast/Rage
8. Rage/Feast
9. Rage/Feast
10. Rage/Feast
11. Infest
12. Open Wounds
13. Open Wounds
14. Open Wounds
15. Attribute Bonuses
16. Infest
This skill build is generally one that is followed universally. One level of Open Wounds is taken first as the slow is consistent and taken after his other spells because only the lifesteal percentage increases. Feast is then maxed out as it not only gives you a way to harass but also an easier method of last hitting. Rage is maxed next because it is one of the most useful spells in his arsenal and attack speed and duration increase per level. The alternative skill build is getting Rage instead of Feast at the stated levels in case of harder lanes, this is akin to Omniknight getting more levels of Repel. Infest is taken whenever giving N'aix lane stayability and general utility.
Core Items
3.1 Core Items
[STR Treads][Armlet][TP Scroll]
3.2 Items Choices Afterward
[Desolator]
(common luxury fitting any level of play)
[Heart][Cuirass][BKB]
(tank-DPS build)
[Buriza][MKB]
(pure DPS build)
[S&Y][Phase]
(alternative build based on speed)
[HotD]
(The Houdini Build)
3.3 Details & Justifications
N'aix is one of the least item dependent carry heroes. Quelling Blade to start helps in farming Strength Treads and Armlet as a cheap source of damage that boosts your killing potential massively. Armlet is by far the best item for Strength DPSers and the degenerate is countered by the constant lifesteal. At least one Scroll should be on your person at all times due to its utility.
Desolator is a common luxury for N'aix in leagues as it helps you kill much faster and kills soft casters amazingly fast. The orb is useful for the team as well. The Corruption just helps the Feast damage so much since it is physical. Great for shutting down certain heroes quickly
Heart is amazing as it not only provides you with damage but also gives great bonuses such as HP and regen. Get this when spells are present on the other team. Cuirass is more DPS oriented due to its armor reduction and is balances your naturally high HP with armor. Get this when constant physical damage is a nuisance.
Buriza is even better now with the decrease in cost of Demon Edge and buffed Crit. A great item for simply boosting DPS. MKB is also great and the mini stun helps in cancelling channeling spells (something Open Wounds did till a recent nerf)
3.4 Alternative/Situational Items
S&Y and Phase - an alternative build focusing on chasing. S&Y has an even cheaper buildup and gives stats in both Strength and Agility while Phase grants great mobility and a bit of armor. Overall a balanced alternative build.
BKB - You already have a mini-BKB, get this to increase your tankishness. At the very least, it grants you 5 seconds extra of immunity to spells.
Blink Dagger - Not a bad idea as demonstrated in the replay below. Great for catching up and initiating on lone heroes. Grants N'aix more mobility that he lacks after Open Wounds wears off. This however is not quite as useful as other items in certain situations where a tank/more damage/etc. is needed and so is a late game luxury
Orchid Malevolence - The attack speed it provides is great and the silence is great against those Houdini-type heroes or casters. This is the primary reason this is taken. The int is a bit wasted so it is a bit situational.
Gauntlets/Bracers - Gauntlets are often taken as starting items so these are a good choice. They provide health along with more damage which is always good. However, the choice to upgrade it into Bracers is situational. You may not need it most of the time since you are a strength hero with numerous escape options. I myself like to focus on getting my Treads/Armlet first. Not to say that it isn't totally unneeded
Helm of the Dominator - Now, I digress to add anymore forms of lifesteal to N'aix's build, with the lifestealer namesake, he has 2 skills that provide this. Among all 3 items that provide lifesteal (HotD, MoM, Vlad's) this is the best option for N'aix. It provides N'aix with a creep to hide in to increase his escape options along with providing a disable of sorts or any skill that the creeps possess. This would be a fun, more pub-oriented item.
