I. Foreword
I have spent the last six months playing DotA, and while I am still refining my mechanics, I have reached a point where I can consistently secure high-impact performances. This ALT+TAB guide is a distillation of my personal experience with Ymir. It is not intended to be the definitive "end-all" guide, as the hero's versatility allows for creative adaptation. Instead, this is a battle-tested approach that has yielded consistent results in my own games.
NOTE: This guide focuses on core mechanics and tactical decision-making. True mastery of Ymir requires constant practice and the ability to adapt to the flow of the match. Some nuances of positioning and timing must be learned through hands-on experience.
II. The Hero
Hailing from the Borean Tundra, Ymir is one of the wisest Tuskarr warriors. Acquainted with years of warfare experience against raiding Ice Trolls and Nerubian Spiders that beset his village during his younger years, Ymir eagerly volunteered himself into the ranks of the Sentinel to help halt the notorious rise of the Lich King. A specialist in controlling the element of ice, Ymir's prowess lies in surprising enemies with frosty magics. His arsenal not only consists of propelling Snowballs and hurling shards of solidifying ice, but also conjuring massive Snowstorms that greatly impede his enemies' battle efficiency.
A. The Stats
STR: 23 + 2.3
- Ymir's primary attribute. The growth is solid, directly scaling your HP, base damage, and the impact of Walrus Punch.
AGI: 23 + 2.1
- Ymir's secondary stat, which scales surprisingly well, almost mirroring his strength growth.
INT: 18 + 1.7
- Ymir's weakest attribute. The low starting pool and growth necessitate early mana management items.
B. The Skills
Click on the Skill Icons to view the skill tables from the main hero page.
ICE SHARDS
Tuskarr compresses 5 shards of ice into a ball of frozen energy that damages all enemies in comes in contact with. If the ball comes in contact with an enemy hero or reaches its maximum range the shards are released, creating a barrier that lasts for 5 seconds.
- This is your primary nuke and zoning tool. Use it to trap enemies against terrain or to cut off escape routes.
SNOWBALL
Tuskarr and any nearby allied heroes roll in a quickly growing snowball towards the target enemy unit. Any victims caught in the snowball's path take damage and are briefly stunned; the final target takes 40 extra damage and 0.25 extra stun duration.
- Your essential initiation tool. It is highly effective for closing gaps during ganks or repositioning during team fights.
FROZEN SIGIL
Tuskarr summons a Frozen Sigil by calling upon the deepest cold of winter. The Sigil creates a snowstorm which slows all enemy units within 600 range.
- An exceptional utility spell for chasing and controlling team fights. Manage the cooldown carefully, as it is significant.
WALRUS PUNCH
Tuskarr prepares his mighty Walrus Punch; his next attack will do a critical strike and launch the victim into the air. The victim will be slowed upon landing and take damage.
- Your primary burst damage ability. The low mana cost and cooldown allow for multiple uses in extended engagements. It provides both damage and a crucial disable.
III. Skill Build
I have found two primary paths for Ymir: a high-kill-potential aggressive build and a utility-focused assist build.
A. Killer Skill Build
1-Ice Shards
2-Snowball
3-Ice Shards
4-Snowball
5-Ice shards
6-Walrus Punch
7-Ice Shards
8-Snowball
9-Frozen Sigil
10-Snowball
11-Walrus Punch
12-Frozen Sigil
13-Frozen Sigil
14-Frozen Sigil
15-Stats
16-Walrus Punch
17-25-Stats
Justification:
Maxing Ice Shards first provides significant burst damage and a reliable trap. Snowball follow-up ensures you can bridge the distance. Frozen Sigil is prioritized last as your base movement speed is sufficient for early-game aggression.
B. Assist Skill Build
1-Snowball
2-Frozen Sigil
3-Snowball
4-Frozen Sigil
5-Ice Shards
6-Walrus Punch
7-Snowball
8-Ice Shards
9-Snowball
10-Ice Shards
11-Walrus Punch
12-Ice Shards
13-Frozen Sigil
14-Frozen Sigil
15-Stats
16-Walrus Punch
17-25-Stats
Justification:
This build emphasizes early team utility. By prioritizing Snowball and Frozen Sigil, you become a facilitator for your lane partners, focusing on crowd control rather than personal kills.
IV. Item Build
A. Starting Items
Set A
Gauntlets of Strength, Sobi Mask, and Tango. This setup addresses your early mana limitations immediately, which I find more effective than building toward a Magic Wand.
Set B
Ironwood Branches, Sobi Mask, and Tango/Healing Salve. This is a viable alternative if you intend to transition into a Magic Wand.
B. Core Items
Urn of Shadows: Essential for HP and mana sustain.
Power Treads (Strength): Provides necessary attack speed and stats.
Sange & Yasha: The Maim effect synergizes perfectly with your kit, and the movement speed bonus is invaluable.
Bracer: Cost-effective survivability.
Scroll of Town Portal: Mandatory for map presence.
C. Extension & Situational Items
Battlefury: Excellent for sustain and farming efficiency.
Bloodstone: A high-tier luxury item if you are snowballing.
Black King Bar: Essential against heavy disables to ensure you can execute your combo.
Monkey King Bar: Necessary to counter evasion-heavy heroes.
V. Combat Tactics
Ymir’s strength lies in his initiation. A common effective combo is: Frozen Sigil -> Charge Walrus Punch -> Snowball in -> Walrus Punch -> Ice Shards upon landing. Always prioritize hitting the maximum number of enemy heroes with your area-of-effect spells. Be cautious when initiating with teammates who lack survivability; you are the tank, and you must manage the engagement accordingly.
VI. Natural Allies & Enemies
Ymir pairs well with most heroes, particularly those with reliable crowd control. Conversely, be wary of disablers and mana-burners who can prevent you from executing your combo. Doom is a particularly difficult matchup, as his ultimate effectively removes you from the fight.
I have spent the last six months playing DotA, and while I am still refining my mechanics, I have reached a point where I can consistently secure high-impact performances. This ALT+TAB guide is a distillation of my personal experience with Ymir. It is not intended to be the definitive "end-all" guide, as the hero's versatility allows for creative adaptation. Instead, this is a battle-tested approach that has yielded consistent results in my own games.
NOTE: This guide focuses on core mechanics and tactical decision-making. True mastery of Ymir requires constant practice and the ability to adapt to the flow of the match. Some nuances of positioning and timing must be learned through hands-on experience.
II. The Hero
Hailing from the Borean Tundra, Ymir is one of the wisest Tuskarr warriors. Acquainted with years of warfare experience against raiding Ice Trolls and Nerubian Spiders that beset his village during his younger years, Ymir eagerly volunteered himself into the ranks of the Sentinel to help halt the notorious rise of the Lich King. A specialist in controlling the element of ice, Ymir's prowess lies in surprising enemies with frosty magics. His arsenal not only consists of propelling Snowballs and hurling shards of solidifying ice, but also conjuring massive Snowstorms that greatly impede his enemies' battle efficiency.
A. The Stats
STR: 23 + 2.3
- Ymir's primary attribute. The growth is solid, directly scaling your HP, base damage, and the impact of Walrus Punch.
AGI: 23 + 2.1
- Ymir's secondary stat, which scales surprisingly well, almost mirroring his strength growth.
INT: 18 + 1.7
- Ymir's weakest attribute. The low starting pool and growth necessitate early mana management items.
B. The Skills
Click on the Skill Icons to view the skill tables from the main hero page.
ICE SHARDS
Tuskarr compresses 5 shards of ice into a ball of frozen energy that damages all enemies in comes in contact with. If the ball comes in contact with an enemy hero or reaches its maximum range the shards are released, creating a barrier that lasts for 5 seconds.
- This is your primary nuke and zoning tool. Use it to trap enemies against terrain or to cut off escape routes.
SNOWBALL
Tuskarr and any nearby allied heroes roll in a quickly growing snowball towards the target enemy unit. Any victims caught in the snowball's path take damage and are briefly stunned; the final target takes 40 extra damage and 0.25 extra stun duration.
- Your essential initiation tool. It is highly effective for closing gaps during ganks or repositioning during team fights.
FROZEN SIGIL
Tuskarr summons a Frozen Sigil by calling upon the deepest cold of winter. The Sigil creates a snowstorm which slows all enemy units within 600 range.
- An exceptional utility spell for chasing and controlling team fights. Manage the cooldown carefully, as it is significant.
WALRUS PUNCH
Tuskarr prepares his mighty Walrus Punch; his next attack will do a critical strike and launch the victim into the air. The victim will be slowed upon landing and take damage.
- Your primary burst damage ability. The low mana cost and cooldown allow for multiple uses in extended engagements. It provides both damage and a crucial disable.
III. Skill Build
I have found two primary paths for Ymir: a high-kill-potential aggressive build and a utility-focused assist build.
A. Killer Skill Build
1-Ice Shards
2-Snowball
3-Ice Shards
4-Snowball
5-Ice shards
6-Walrus Punch
7-Ice Shards
8-Snowball
9-Frozen Sigil
10-Snowball
11-Walrus Punch
12-Frozen Sigil
13-Frozen Sigil
14-Frozen Sigil
15-Stats
16-Walrus Punch
17-25-Stats
Justification:
Maxing Ice Shards first provides significant burst damage and a reliable trap. Snowball follow-up ensures you can bridge the distance. Frozen Sigil is prioritized last as your base movement speed is sufficient for early-game aggression.
B. Assist Skill Build
1-Snowball
2-Frozen Sigil
3-Snowball
4-Frozen Sigil
5-Ice Shards
6-Walrus Punch
7-Snowball
8-Ice Shards
9-Snowball
10-Ice Shards
11-Walrus Punch
12-Ice Shards
13-Frozen Sigil
14-Frozen Sigil
15-Stats
16-Walrus Punch
17-25-Stats
Justification:
This build emphasizes early team utility. By prioritizing Snowball and Frozen Sigil, you become a facilitator for your lane partners, focusing on crowd control rather than personal kills.
IV. Item Build
A. Starting Items
Set A
Gauntlets of Strength, Sobi Mask, and Tango. This setup addresses your early mana limitations immediately, which I find more effective than building toward a Magic Wand.
Set B
Ironwood Branches, Sobi Mask, and Tango/Healing Salve. This is a viable alternative if you intend to transition into a Magic Wand.
B. Core Items
Urn of Shadows: Essential for HP and mana sustain.
Power Treads (Strength): Provides necessary attack speed and stats.
Sange & Yasha: The Maim effect synergizes perfectly with your kit, and the movement speed bonus is invaluable.
Bracer: Cost-effective survivability.
Scroll of Town Portal: Mandatory for map presence.
C. Extension & Situational Items
Battlefury: Excellent for sustain and farming efficiency.
Bloodstone: A high-tier luxury item if you are snowballing.
Black King Bar: Essential against heavy disables to ensure you can execute your combo.
Monkey King Bar: Necessary to counter evasion-heavy heroes.
V. Combat Tactics
Ymir’s strength lies in his initiation. A common effective combo is: Frozen Sigil -> Charge Walrus Punch -> Snowball in -> Walrus Punch -> Ice Shards upon landing. Always prioritize hitting the maximum number of enemy heroes with your area-of-effect spells. Be cautious when initiating with teammates who lack survivability; you are the tank, and you must manage the engagement accordingly.
VI. Natural Allies & Enemies
Ymir pairs well with most heroes, particularly those with reliable crowd control. Conversely, be wary of disablers and mana-burners who can prevent you from executing your combo. Doom is a particularly difficult matchup, as his ultimate effectively removes you from the fight.