by JR Cook - 9 years ago     show comments

Tychus is one of those characters that have fallen out of favor in the current meta but I assure you that he is still an amazing pick. Tychus is very versatile in the damage roles he can play while also having access to some great self sustain tools. If you would like to read up on the basics of Tychus you can check out his hero page here.

Tychus’s passive trait is the Minigun which increases his attack speed the longer Tychus attacks. Once Tychus has reached four auto attacks the Minigun is fully wound and will no longer gain attack speed. This is an interesting trait that has it’s uses when it comes to siege damage, mercenary camps, and wave clear. I find myself not auto attacking much as Tychus during the lane phase due the fact that you need to stand still which will open you up to ganks and harass. This of course does not mean he should never auto attack but you will need to pick your spots. When it comes to having a chance to put some siege damage down though the Minigun is a great tool to have.

Tychus’s bread and butter for hero damage is the amazing AOE bullet storm Overkill(Q).  Use Overkill to keep strong harass numbers on your opponent, clear waves of minions, secure kills, and harass a front liner during team fights. When using Overkill you can also use the Q button to change the main target of the damage. During most team fights the safest harass target often changes so it’s a good tool to have. Using Overkill to chase your first target into their team is often a mistake that will get you killed.

Frag Grenade(W) is the most versatile tool Tychus has in his arsenal. It has decent damage, can interrupt channeled abilities, and has a useful knock-back mechanic. The knock-back mechanic pushes out from the center of the grenade so you can actually use it to push fleeing heroes towards Tychus once you master aiming it. Frag Grenade is also one of Tychus’s main siege tools after level 4. Don’t forget to use it when your team is stuck in an ETC mosh pit, someone is about to eat a Triple Tap, or the team is feeling the pressure from a Ravenous Spirit.

Run and Gun(E) is sort of a niche tool that I like to mainly use as a escape mechanic and chase down tool. Tychus can also use Run and Gun while Overkill is active so it can really help him get the positioning that he needs.

Commandeer Odin(R) is the wonderful giant robot that Tychus will be spending most of his time team fighting in after level 10. While in Odin Tychus will enjoy a massive increase in damage and range, new abilities, use of some of his passive and activate talents, and some great AOE damage that can be applied from a safe distance. Q will become Annihilate which fires Odin’s cannons in a fairly wide and long straight line for some great damage. This is Odin’s best harass and kill secure tool due to its great range. Odin’s W is Ragnarok Missles which, after a short delay, fires a giant AOE payload of missiles to a targeted area that do damage and slow targets hit. The radius on this thing is huge and is great for punishing teams that clump together. Odin’s E Thrusters is a simple dash that can be used to create space when the enemy team starts to close in on Odin. Remember when using Odin you are still as vulnerable as before, health wise, so don’t get cocky just because you’re in a giant robot. Positioning is still very important and remembering to auto attack safe targets is also a necessity. The talents that can be used for buffing Auto Attacks in Odin form is Sizzlin’ Attacks and Nexus Frenzy. What will not trigger is Vampiric Assault, Focused Attack, Problem Solver, and Executioner. Odin will also have access to First Aid and Stoneform for some giant robot sustain.

Drakken Laser(R) is a decent choice on certain maps especially if you really need to prioritize one target. In maps like Sky Temple, Blackheart’s Bay, and Cursed Hollow the laser can really help with team fighting on map objectives. Consider this a choice when the enemy team composition or map calls for it.

The Build

Level 1

Armor Piercing Rounds – This is always the choice because Tychus really needs the damage this provides mid and late game when he’s not in Odin. Take this talent and move on because the other choices at this level are cute at best.

Level 4

Melting Point – I am in love with this talent. Late game this provides some serious help when it’s time to split push or take mercenary camps. You can ruin towers, walls and wells with one grenade late game and really open up a good push on a lane for your team. Spray ‘n’ Pray is an option here, if you don’t plan on doing any siege damage, but most of the time it’s a disservice to your team to play that way. The other two choices, Vampiric Assault and Focused Attack, would be good if they were active during Odin but they are not so, nope.

Level 7

First Aid – I find that most of the time Tychus will need First Aid to stay alive. This talent is great for him because he has the highest health pool of any assassin in the game. Late game the 35% heal can be huge for out sustaining the enemy assassins. Sizzlin’ Attacks is a strong choice here if you feel that Tychus can get by without the sustain. It will provide a massive damage buff to Odin’s auto attacks during team fights.

Level 10

Commandeer Odin – For the reasons outlined above I take Odin most of the time. Drakken Laser is an option on certain maps against certain heroes such as Illidan, Jaina, and Zagara.

Level 13

Lead Rain – I like to use this talent for its kill secure potential. It’s also great for kiting off heroes who like to dive on Tychus. Relentless is not to be overlooked as a choice on 13. If the enemy team is focusing it’s CC effects on Tychus or Odin then you may need Relentless to increase your effectiveness or survive. Read the situations Tychus is in along with the enemy team composition and pick the appropriate talent.

Level 16

Stoneskin – This is a strong talent for Tychus for the same exact reasons that First Aid is. The shield Stoneskin provides can really mitigate the damage Tychus takes when he becomes the focused target. The other choices at this level are sub-par at best so always take Stoneskin.

Level 20

Nexus Frenzy – I love this talent on Tychus simply because late game it makes Odin a beast at killing targets and destroying buildings. Take this most of the time because Bolt of the Storm will only really help you if you’re bad at positioning Tychus or your team is losing engages. If you took Drakken Laser then Focusing Diodes is the choice because of the massive spike in single target damage it provides.

The Strategy

Early game using Overkill to clear waves and harass the enemy laners is the main focus. An over extension of your lane really opens you up to ganks so stay map aware. Tychus is really squishy early as he doesn’t yet have access to any of his tools that keep him alive. Play accordingly and don’t feed the enemy team easy kills. If it’s possible I prefer to put Tychus in a lane with a front line engage that can peel for him. If you get a good push going and harass the enemy into backing for health then you can really do some siege damage and open up the lane. Making use of everything Tychus has and taking advantage of opportunities to do siege damage will really maximize Tychus’s early game.

Once you move to mid game the team fights start happening and Odin will be you best friend. Seconds before the team fight starts hop into Odin and stay in the back for the opportunity to do some great damage to the entire enemy team. Do not forget about auto attacking while in Odin because that’s where most of his damage will come from especially late. If you harass the enemy team out and still have time in Odin start laying waste to their structures. Once Odin ends you can start to look for enemy heroes to pick or structures to burn. It also may be the time to disengage the team fight for health, objectives, or mercenary camps.

Overall Tychus is a great hero that can have a huge effect on the game with his massive damage during team fights as Odin. Making sure to split push with Tychus when the opportunity presents itself is also a great idea because often times people wont expect the burst of siege damage he can do. When split pushing the goal is to get in and get out. If the enemy team comes to gank the lane you’re pushing get what you can and be happy that you drew focus from what your allies are doing elsewhere on the map. Dying and feeding the enemy experience for that little bit of extra siege or because you weren’t paying attention to the map is a mistake that ruins what you accomplished. It is never “worth” to die for siege damage if it didn’t win you the game so be sure to keep that in mind when split pushing.

I hope you enjoyed this guide and it makes you a better Tychus player. Thank you for reading and look for more builds from me in the future.