Sand King Dota 2: A Guide to Mastering the Hero

Sand King is a powerful hero in Dota 2, known for his ability to burrow into the ground and stun enemies with his spikes. He is a 6-cost hero and has a variety of abilities that make him a valuable asset to any team. Sand King is a melee hero and can be played as a disabler, initiator, roamer, and semi-carry.

Sand King’s bio, abilities, talents, equipment, and lore can be found on the official Dota 2 Wiki. The Wiki provides detailed information on how to play Sand King, including his strengths and weaknesses, and how to build him to maximize his potential. Additionally, there are several hero guides available on DOTAFire, which provide players with the best builds, stats, talents, lore, videos, and more for Sand King.

Overall, Sand King is a versatile and powerful hero that can be a valuable asset to any team in Dota 2. Whether you’re playing as a disabler, initiator, roamer, or semi-carry, Sand King has the abilities and talents to help you win the game. With the right strategy and build, Sand King can be a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.

Sand King Overview

Role in Dota 2

Sand King is a melee hero in Dota 2 who is known for his ability to initiate and disrupt team fights. He is also a strong pusher and can quickly clear creep waves with his Sand Storm ability. Sand King is typically played as a support or offlaner, but can also be played as a semi-carry if given enough farm.

Abilities

Sand King has four abilities that make him a formidable force on the battlefield. His first ability, Burrowstrike, allows him to dash forward and stun enemies in a line. His second ability, Sand Storm, creates a sandstorm that damages enemies and hides Sand King from view. His third ability, Caustic Finale, adds a debuff to his attacks that slows and damages enemies. Finally, his ultimate ability, Epicenter, creates a massive shockwave that damages and slows enemies in a large area around Sand King.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Sand King is a versatile hero who can fill many roles on a team. He is a strong initiator and can quickly disable enemies with his Burrowstrike ability. He is also a strong pusher and can quickly clear creep waves with his Sand Storm ability. However, Sand King is relatively weak in the early game and can be easily shut down by aggressive opponents. He also relies heavily on his ultimate ability, Epicenter, which has a long cooldown and can be easily interrupted. Overall, Sand King is a strong hero who can be a valuable asset to any team, but requires careful play and coordination to be effective.

Detailed Ability Analysis

Burrowstrike

Burrowstrike is Sand King’s signature ability and is what makes him such a potent initiator. This ability allows Sand King to burrow into the ground and tunnel forward, stunning and damaging any enemy units he passes through. Burrowstrike can be targeted at both units and points, making it a versatile tool in Sand King’s arsenal. Additionally, the ability adds Caustic Finale poison to any heroes hit, making it a great way to soften up enemy heroes before a fight.

Sand Storm

Sand Storm is Sand King’s primary source of damage in team fights. When activated, Sand King creates a sandstorm that damages all enemy units in the area while also hiding him from vision. This ability can be used to escape from enemy heroes or to deal damage while remaining hidden. Sand Storm can also be used to farm creeps or to push lanes quickly.

Caustic Finale

Caustic Finale is a passive ability that adds a poison effect to Sand King’s attacks. Whenever Sand King attacks an enemy unit, they will take additional damage over time. Additionally, when an enemy unit dies while under the effect of Caustic Finale, they will explode, dealing damage to all nearby enemy units. This ability is great for harassing enemy heroes in lane and for clearing out creeps quickly.

Epicenter

Epicenter is Sand King’s ultimate ability and is what makes him such a powerful team fighter. When activated, Sand King channels for a short period before unleashing a massive shockwave that damages and slows all enemy units in the area. The damage and slow increase the closer enemy units are to Sand King, making it a great way to disrupt enemy formations and deal massive damage in team fights.

Overall, Sand King is a versatile hero with a wide array of abilities that make him a great initiator, damage dealer, and team fighter. By using his abilities in combination with one another, Sand King can be a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.

Gameplay Strategy

Sand King is a versatile hero that can be played in a variety of roles, from support to initiator. His abilities make him a formidable ganker and teamfighter, and his lack of item dependence allows him to be effective even with a limited gold income.

Early Game

During the early game, Sand King should focus on supporting his team and securing farm for himself. He can use his Burrowstrike ability to stun enemies and set up kills for his allies, while his Sand Storm ability allows him to farm neutral creeps and stay hidden from enemy vision.

Sand King should also prioritize purchasing Observer Wards and Smoke of Deceit to provide vision and map control for his team. He can use his mobility to quickly move around the map and place wards in strategic locations.

Mid Game

As the game progresses into the mid game, Sand King should transition into an initiator-utility role. He can use his Burrowstrike and Epicenter abilities to initiate teamfights and deal significant damage to enemy heroes.

Sand King should also focus on building items that increase his survivability and mobility, such as Blink Dagger and Black King Bar. These items allow him to quickly move in and out of fights and avoid being disabled by enemy abilities.

Late Game

In the late game, Sand King should continue to prioritize his role as an initiator-utility. He can use his abilities to initiate teamfights and create space for his carries to deal damage.

Sand King should also consider building items that increase his damage output, such as Aghanim’s Scepter and Veil of Discord. These items allow him to deal more damage to enemy heroes and increase the effectiveness of his abilities.

Overall, Sand King is a versatile hero that can be played in a variety of roles. By focusing on his abilities and building the right items, he can be a valuable asset to any team.

Itemization

Sand King is a versatile hero that can be played in different roles, including support, offlaner, and even as a carry. The itemization for Sand King varies depending on the role and the team’s needs. In this section, we will discuss the different items that Sand King can purchase to enhance his abilities and contribute to the team’s success.

Starting Items

At the beginning of the game, Sand King needs items that can help him survive the laning stage and provide some utility. Tango, Healing Salve, and Clarity are good starting items for Sand King. Tango provides health regeneration, Healing Salve restores health, and Clarity restores mana. Stout Shield can also be purchased to reduce the damage taken from creeps and enemy heroes.

Core Items

The core items for Sand King are items that enhance his abilities and provide him with the necessary stats to be effective in team fights. Arcane Boots are a must-have item for Sand King as they provide him with the necessary mana to cast his spells. Blink Dagger is another core item for Sand King as it allows him to initiate team fights and escape dangerous situations. Magic Wand is also a good item as it provides him with some much-needed stats and burst mana and health regeneration.

Situational Items

Situational items for Sand King are items that can be purchased depending on the game’s situation. Vanguard, Hood of Defiance, and Crimson Guard are good items to purchase when playing Sand King as an offlaner or a tanky support. Eul’s Scepter of Divinity and Force Staff are good items to purchase when playing Sand King as a utility support. Aghanim’s Scepter is a good item to purchase when playing Sand King as a carry as it enhances his ultimate ability and provides him with the necessary stats to deal damage.

In conclusion, Sand King’s itemization varies depending on the role and the team’s needs. Tango, Healing Salve, and Clarity are good starting items for Sand King, while Arcane Boots, Blink Dagger, and Magic Wand are core items. Vanguard, Hood of Defiance, and Crimson Guard are good situational items for Sand King as an offlaner or a tanky support, while Eul’s Scepter of Divinity, Force Staff, and Aghanim’s Scepter are good situational items for Sand King as a utility support or a carry.

Hero Synergies and Counters

Synergistic Heroes

Sand King is a versatile hero that can fit into many different team compositions. However, he works particularly well with heroes that can set up his stun or provide him with additional mobility. Heroes like Earthshaker, Dark Willow, and Shadow Demon can all set up Sand King’s stun with their own crowd control abilities, allowing him to follow up with a Burrowstrike for a devastating combo.

In addition, heroes like Puck and Storm Spirit can provide Sand King with additional mobility, allowing him to quickly move around the map and initiate fights from unexpected angles. These heroes can also help Sand King escape from dangerous situations, making him a much more effective initiator.

Counter Heroes

While Sand King is a powerful hero, he does have some weaknesses that can be exploited by certain heroes. Heroes with silences and stuns can interrupt Sand King’s channeling abilities, preventing him from using his ultimate or Burrowstrike. Heroes like Skywrath Mage, Lion, and Shadow Shaman can all make life difficult for Sand King in team fights.

In addition, heroes with high burst damage can quickly take down Sand King before he has a chance to use his abilities. Heroes like Lina, Queen of Pain, and Tinker can all deal massive damage in a short amount of time, making them effective counters to Sand King.

Finally, heroes with long-range abilities can make it difficult for Sand King to initiate fights. Heroes like Sniper, Drow Ranger, and Zeus can all deal damage from a safe distance, making it hard for Sand King to get close enough to use his abilities.

Overall, while Sand King is a powerful hero, he does have some weaknesses that can be exploited by certain heroes. Players should keep these counters in mind when drafting and playing Sand King, and be prepared to adjust their strategy accordingly.

Tips and Tricks

Skill Usage

Sand King is a versatile hero with a range of skills that can be used to great effect in a variety of situations. His Burrowstrike is a powerful initiation tool that can be used to stun multiple enemies at once, making it an effective way to start team fights. It can also be used to escape from danger, as it allows Sand King to quickly move across the map.

Sand King’s Sand Storm ability is another useful tool, as it allows him to become invisible and deal damage to enemies in an area around him. This can be used to escape from enemies or to deal damage in team fights. It is important to note that Sand Storm can be cancelled if Sand King takes damage, so it is best used when Sand King is not being targeted by enemies.

Caustic Finale is Sand King’s passive ability, which adds a debuff to Sand King’s attacks that slows and damages enemies. This can be used to harass enemies in lane and to deal damage in team fights. It is important to note that the debuff is only applied when Sand King’s attack hits an enemy, so it is important to time attacks carefully.

Epicenter is Sand King’s ultimate ability, which causes a massive shockwave that deals damage to enemies in a large area around Sand King. This ability can be used to deal massive damage in team fights, but it is important to note that it has a long channel time and can be interrupted by stuns or silences.

Positioning

Sand King’s positioning is key to his success in team fights. He is a melee hero, so it is important to position him carefully to avoid taking unnecessary damage. Sand King’s Burrowstrike can be used to quickly move across the map and get into position, so it is important to use it wisely.

Sand King’s Sand Storm ability allows him to become invisible, which can be used to surprise enemies and get into position for a team fight. It is important to note that Sand Storm can be cancelled if Sand King takes damage, so it is best used when Sand King is not being targeted by enemies.

Map Awareness

Sand King’s map awareness is important for his success in Dota 2. He is a hero that can move quickly across the map, so it is important to keep an eye on the minimap and be ready to respond to enemy movements.

Sand King’s Burrowstrike can be used to quickly move across the map and get into position, so it is important to use it wisely. It is also important to keep an eye on Sand King’s mana, as his abilities can be mana-intensive.

In conclusion, Sand King is a versatile hero with a range of skills that can be used to great effect in a variety of situations. By using his skills wisely and positioning himself carefully, Sand King can be a powerful force in team fights and a valuable asset to any team.

Recent Changes and Meta

Patch Updates

Since its release, Sand King has undergone several changes and updates. In Patch 7.34c, his base armor was increased from 0 to 1, and his Burrowstrike cast range was increased from 500/550/600/650 to 525/600/675/750. In Patch 7.34d, his Burrowstrike cooldown was reduced from 15/14/13/12 to 14/13/12/11, and his Level 15 talent was increased from +25 Sand Storm movement speed to +50.

Current Meta

In the current meta, Sand King is a versatile hero that can be played in multiple roles, including offlane, support, and even mid. He is known for his ability to initiate team fights with his Burrowstrike, which can stun and damage multiple enemies at once. His Sand Storm ability allows him to deal damage over time while remaining invisible, making him an effective tool for both offense and defense.

In terms of item builds, a Blink Dagger is a must-have for Sand King as it allows him to quickly close the distance and initiate fights. Aghanim’s Scepter is also a popular choice as it upgrades his ultimate ability, Epicenter, and allows him to deal massive damage in team fights.

Overall, Sand King remains a popular pick in the current meta due to his versatility and ability to initiate fights. With the right item build and strategy, he can be a valuable asset to any team.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the role of Sand King in DotA 2?

Sand King is a melee strength hero who is typically played as a support or initiator. His abilities allow him to stun and disrupt enemy heroes, making him a valuable addition to any team.

What hero can counter Sand King?

Heroes with abilities that can silence or disable Sand King can be effective counters. For example, heroes like Silencer, Skywrath Mage, and Lion can all be effective against Sand King.

How do you beat Sand King in DotA?

One effective way to beat Sand King is to focus on interrupting his abilities. This can be done by stunning or silencing him, or by using items like Eul’s Scepter or Scythe of Vyse. Additionally, heroes with high mobility can be effective against Sand King, as they can quickly move out of the way of his abilities.

What animal is Sand King?

Sand King is not based on any specific animal. He is a fictional character created by Valve Corporation for the game DotA 2.

What are Sand King’s skills?

Sand King has four abilities: Burrowstrike, Sand Storm, Caustic Finale, and Epicenter. Burrowstrike allows him to stun and damage enemies, while Sand Storm creates a sandstorm that damages enemies and hides Sand King from view. Caustic Finale adds a debuff to Sand King’s attacks that slows and damages enemies, while Epicenter causes Sand King to create a powerful shockwave that damages and slows enemies in a large area around him.

What is Sand King’s item build in DotA 2?

Sand King’s item build can vary depending on the situation, but there are a few items that are commonly used on him. Arcane Boots are a popular choice, as they help to solve his mana problems. Blink Dagger can be effective for initiating fights, while Veil of Discord can increase the damage of his abilities. Other items like Aghanim’s Scepter, Force Staff, and Black King Bar can also be effective on Sand King depending on the situation.