How to Play Clockwerk Like a Pro: Complete Dota 2 Guide
Author: Hawk Live LLC
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Clockwerk is one of Dota 2's most unique initiators, excelling at isolating targets and creating chaos in team fights with his versatile toolkit. This melee hero can scout, initiate, and disrupt enemies, making him a valuable asset for any team.
Credit: Valve Corporation
Clockwerk is Strong Against
Hero | Clockwerk’s Advantage |
|---|---|
Spirit Breaker | Clockwerk can easily interrupt Spirit Breaker's charge with Power Cogs or Battery Assault, making it hard for him to initiate effectively. |
Lycan | Clockwerk’s ability to trap Lycan in Power Cogs negates his mobility, limiting his effectiveness in fights. |
Silencer | Clockwerk can lock down Silencer with Hookshot and Battery Assault, preventing him from using his abilities. |
Slark | Slark struggles to escape once trapped in Power Cogs, and Clockwerk’s Battery Assault can keep him stunned for extended periods. |
Sniper | Hookshot allows Clockwerk to jump on Sniper, negating his positioning advantage and disrupting his ability to deal damage from a distance. |
How to Counter Clockwerk
Hero | Clockwerk’s Weakness |
|---|---|
Chen | Chen’s army of creeps can overwhelm Clockwerk, and his ability to sustain his team with healing makes it hard for Clockwerk to secure kills. |
Batrider | Batrider can fly over Power Cogs and has the ability to outmaneuver Clockwerk with Flaming Lasso and Firefly. |
Meepo | Meepo’s clones can quickly burst down Clockwerk, and Poof allows him to reposition easily and avoid being trapped in Power Cogs. |
Huskar | Huskar’s Burning Spear can wear down Clockwerk’s health, and his lifesteal makes it difficult to trade effectively. |
Beastmaster | Beastmaster’s summons and Primal Roar can disable Clockwerk, while his summons can destroy Power Cogs quickly, nullifying Clockwerk’s initiation. |
Item Build for Clockwerk
Credit: DotaFire
Choosing the right items is critical to enhancing Clockwerk’s ability to engage and disrupt enemies. Below is a suggested item build for different stages of the game.
Starting Items
Tango
Tango
Blood Grenade
Faerie Fire
Wind Lace
Observer Ward
Sentry Ward
Early Game Items
Tranquil Boots: Offers movement speed and sustain for Clockwerk’s roaming and initiating capabilities.
Urn of Shadows: Provides regeneration and potential kill secure with Urn charges.
Magic Wand: Essential for survivability in tight skirmishes.
Wind Lace: Boosts mobility to help Clockwerk close in on targets.
Infused Raindrops: Helps mitigate magic damage from early-game nukes.
Mid Game Items
Pavise: Adds extra survivability and utility for Clockwerk or teammates.
Solar Crest: Increases Clockwerk’s utility by buffing allies or debuffing enemies, essential for taking down high-priority targets.
Blade Mail: Reflects damage, making Clockwerk a threat to fragile enemies.
Force Staff: Enhances mobility and offers a tool for repositioning in and out of fights.
Aghanim's Scepter: Increases the range and utility of Hookshot, allowing Clockwerk to initiate from farther away.
Late Game Items
Aghanim's Shard: Adds additional utility to Battery Assault, allowing Clockwerk to interrupt and harass more effectively.
Boots of Bearing: Improves Clockwerk’s team utility by offering bonus movement speed and health regeneration.
Shiva’s Guard: Provides armor and an area-of-effect slow, helping Clockwerk mitigate damage and control enemy movement.
Wind Waker: Adds a unique tool for saving allies or positioning aggressively during engagements.
Situational Items
Ring of Basilius: Useful for extra mana regeneration in the early game.
Spirit Vessel: Effective against heroes with high regeneration or healing capabilities.
Glimmer Cape: Adds invisibility and magic resistance, useful for initiating or escaping.
Pipe of Insight: Counters heavy magic damage lineups.
Drum of Endurance: Boosts attack and movement speed for the team.
Eul’s Scepter of Divinity: Provides a self-dispel or tool to disable enemies.
Ghost Scepter: Counters physical damage burst.
Lotus Orb: Reflects spells and provides protection against disables.
Aeon Disk: Prevents Clockwerk from being burst down in crucial fights.
Heaven’s Halberd: Useful against right-click-dependent heroes.
Octarine Core: Reduces cooldowns on Clockwerk's abilities, enhancing uptime.
Boots of Travel: Provides global presence and split-push potential.
Facets for Clockwerk
When selecting facets for Clockwerk, it's important to focus on his initiation capabilities and crowd control. Facets in Dota 2 allow heroes to adapt to different strategies, and the right combination can enhance Clockwerk’s ability to isolate enemies.
Key Facets for Clockwerk:
Expanded Armature This facet expands the radius of Power Cogs, allowing Clockwerk to trap more enemies and create larger areas of disruption.
Hookup Hookshot has a larger impact radius when hitting allies, granting them bonus armor and reducing its cooldown and mana cost. This facet increases Clockwerk’s utility in team fights and makes him a stronger initiator.
Facet | Hero | Tier | Win Rate | Pick Rate | Ban Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Expanded Armature | Clockwerk | A | 53.14% | 78.73% | 0.20% |
Hookup | Clockwerk | B | 47.88% | 21.27% | 0.15% |
Clockwerk's Skills
Credit: Valve Corporation
Clockwerk is equipped with a set of abilities designed for initiating, disrupting, and controlling enemies in chaotic fights. Mastering these skills will allow you to be a constant threat on the battlefield.
Battery Assault: Discharges high-powered shrapnel at nearby enemies, dealing minor magical damage and applying a ministun. This ability is ideal for harassing and interrupting enemy spellcasters.
Radius: 275
Damage: 20 / 45 / 70 / 95
Duration: 10.5 seconds
Power Cogs: Traps enemies in a ring of energized cogs, knocking them back and burning their mana. This ability is essential for isolating and disabling key targets.
Mana Burn: 35 / 70 / 105 / 140
Damage: 50 / 125 / 200 / 275
Duration: 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 seconds
Rocket Flare: Fires a global flare that reveals a target area and damages enemies upon impact. It also provides vision for 6 seconds, making it a powerful scouting tool.
Radius: 600
Damage: 80 / 120 / 160 / 200
Cooldown: 20 / 18 / 16 / 14 seconds
Hookshot: Launches Clockwerk toward a target, stunning and damaging enemies upon collision. This ability is key for initiating and controlling the flow of battles.
Stun Duration: 1.2 / 1.4 / 1.6 seconds
Damage: 75 / 175 / 275
Skill Build for Clockwerk
Credit: DotaFire
To maximize Clockwerk’s disruptive potential, it’s important to focus on his ability to control the battlefield. Start by leveling Power Cogs for early isolation, followed by Battery Assault to harass enemies. Rocket Flare should be prioritized for vision and poke damage, and Hookshot upgraded whenever possible to maximize initiation potential.
Talent Build for Clockwerk
Credit: DotaFire
Level 10: -2s Rocket Flare Cooldown or -2s Power Cogs Cooldown. Choose based on your need for vision or controlling enemies.
Level 15: +24 Battery Assault Damage or +2 Power Cogs Hits to Kill. Battery Assault talent enhances Clockwerk’s harassing potential.
Level 20: Rocket Flare True Sight or +75 Rocket Flare Damage. True Sight is useful for countering invisible heroes.
Level 25: -0.25s Battery Assault Interval or Debuff Immunity with 50% Magic Resistance. The interval reduction drastically improves Clockwerk's ability to stun-lock enemies.
Conclusion
Clockwerk is an exceptional initiator and disabler in Dota 2, capable of isolating and shutting down key targets with his versatile skill set. By mastering his abilities, selecting the right items, and understanding matchups, Clockwerk can dominate the battlefield and lead his team to victory. With proper positioning and execution, Clockwerk becomes a relentless force, ensuring that no enemy escapes his grasp.
Looking to expand your hero pool? Take a look at our in-depth Dota 2 hero guides. From core strategies to nuanced tricks, you’ll find everything you need to dominate your matches.
