Dota 2 Alchemist Guide – Items, Counters and Tips

Valve released Patch 7.37e a few weeks ago. Although the patch brought only minor adjustments, it has had a significant impact on the meta.

While many dominant heroes from the previous patch remain viable, players have been actively exploring new strategies and discovering fresh counters to keep the game dynamic.

One of the standout heroes this patch is Alchemist. Previously considered a niche or situational pick, Alchemist has now emerged as a consistent choice and a major presence in the current meta.

Once a forgotten hero, Alchemist has risen to become a top pick among safelaners in the current meta.. What has driven this resurgence? Keep reading to uncover the factors behind Alchemist's revival.

In this article, we’ll share strategies for playing Alchemist effectively. Additionally, we’ll provide tips on how to counter an overpowered Alchemist to give you the upper hand.

The crucial factor of Alchemist

Alchemist may seem easy to play at first glance. However, there's one critical factor many players fail to realize: Alchemist is only strong when the player has a solid understanding of the fundamental mechanics of Dota 2, such as last hitting, item timings, and overall game sense.

As a hero, Alchemist's toolkit heavily rewards players who take these fundamentals seriously.

The Big 'Un Skin of Alchemist.

His innate ability, Greevil's Greed, grants additional bonus gold for every successful last hit, making precise farming an essential skill for maximizing his potential.

Because of this, players with strong farming patterns can greatly enhance their efficiency, allowing them to secure items faster and gain an edge in the game.

However, this strength is a double-edged sword. For players unfamiliar with effective farming patterns, Alchemist can feel underwhelming.

His power spike is heavily reliant on hitting key item timings; failing to do so leaves him extremely vulnerable and fragile as the game progresses.

What makes Alchemist Strong?

Now that we’ve identified the key factor in Alchemist’s toolkit, let’s explore what makes him stand out in this patch.

Alchemist has one of the most impactful facets in this patch — Seed Money, which provides him with an additional 250 starting gold — an incredible advantage for a safelaner.

With this bonus gold, Alchemist can purchase extra starting items, significantly strengthening his laning stage.

Thanks to his innate, Alche can farm a lot faster than most cores.

When this advantage is paired with his second ability, Unstable Concoction, a stun, and his first ability, Acid Spray, which reduces the armour of opponents in a specific area of effect (AoE), Alchemist becomes a major kill threat as early as level 3.

If Alchemist secures a kill during the laning phase, he gains bonus gold thanks to his Seed Money facet, further accelerating his farm.

His ultimate ability, Chemical Rage, provides bonus health regeneration, movement speed, and attack speed when activated.

In the early game, this ability is primarily used to farm stacks and remain active on the map for extended periods.

As the game progresses, Chemical Rage transitions into a powerful tool for initiating skirmishes.

When combined with his third ability, Corrosive Weaponry, a passive that slows opponents, Alchemist can chase down and finish off enemies with ease.

Itemisation

When it comes to itemization for Alchemist (Alche), there is one crucial aspect to keep in mind: he tends to struggle with mana issues in the early game.

To address this, players often use the additional bonus gold to purchase components of a Soul Ring, along with Ironwood Branches and a Quelling Blade as starting items.

Once the Soul Ring is complete, players have two choices for boots, depending on Alchemist’s needs during the game.

If he requires more damage and armour, Phase Boots are the ideal option. On the other hand, if he needs additional sustain during the laning stage, Power Treads are a better choice.

After acquiring both the Soul Ring and their preferred boots, players typically prioritize Alchemist's signature item, Radiance.

This item significantly accelerates his farming speed while also providing him with evasion to enhance his survivability.

Early Game Itemisation for Alchemist.

After acquiring Radiance, Alchemist (Alche) can follow one of two routes depending on the game's situation. If his team is ahead and looking to capitalize on their advantage, Blink Dagger is a great choice to help him join and initiate skirmishes.

However, if his team is behind and he needs to stay on the map longer to farm and recover, Sange and Yasha is the more suitable option.

That said, players will typically build both items on Alchemist, with the order determined by the in-game circumstances.

Following these items, the next decision depends on the type of damage being dealt by the opposing team.

If the enemy has a high magic damage output, a Black King Bar (BKB) is essential for survivability. Conversely, if the threat comes from physical damage, Assault Cuirass is the better pick to boost Alchemist's armour and team utility.

To round off Alchemist's (Alche) itemization, players often opt for Satanic. This item significantly enhances his survivability by providing lifesteal and a reliable way to sustain himself during fights.

Alchemist Late Game Itemisation.

In addition, situational items such as Eye of Skadi, Silver Edge, and Abyssal Blade are excellent choices, depending on the needs of the game.

These items can add utility, damage, or control to Alchemist's kit, making him even more versatile. One unique aspect of Alchemist is his ability to gift Aghanim’s Scepter to his allies.

This not only empowers his teammates with their respective upgrades but also grants Alchemist additional bonus damage for each Scepter he donates, enhancing his own effectiveness in the late game.

Alchemist Counters

Even though Alchemist may seem like the ideal hero for safelaners, there are several ways to counter him effectively. Below are some heroes that can serve as excellent counters to Alchemist:

Ancient Apparition

Ancient Apparition’s ultimate ability, Ice Blast, disables Alchemist's health regeneration, making him vulnerable and easier to kill at any stage of the game.

This ability is particularly effective against Alchemist’s reliance on Chemical Rage for survivability.

Slark

With proper itemization, Slark can go toe-to-toe with Alchemist. His third ability, Essence Shift, steals Alchemist’s stats during prolonged skirmishes, reducing his effectiveness.

Slark’s mobility and ability to regenerate quickly when he’s away from vision allow him to kite Alchemist when the latter is low on health, providing a significant edge in extended fights.

Ursa

Ursa’s Fury Swipes enable him to shred through Alchemist’s health at any stage of the game. Furthermore, his ultimate ability, Enrage, provides him with damage reduction and status resistance, allowing him to hold his ground even within Alchemist’s Acid Spray.

Necrophos

Necrophos is a major threat to Alchemist due to his passive ability, Heartstopper Aura, which deals percentage-based health damage over time. This is particularly punishing for a strength hero like Alchemist.

Moreover, Necrophos’s ultimate, Reaper’s Scythe, can finish off Alchemist instantly, bypassing the regeneration provided by Chemical Rage.

You can also counter Alchemist effectively through itemization. During the early stages of the game, Spirit Vessel is an excellent choice, as it significantly reduces Alchemist’s health regeneration, making him easier to kill despite his reliance on Chemical Rage.

In the late game, Eye of Skadi is a perfect item for core heroes. Its passive ability reduces Alchemist’s health regeneration and healing, ensuring he cannot sustain himself as effectively during prolonged skirmishes.

It also gives bonus stats which makes it hard for Alche to burst them down.

Currently, Alchemist has a 54% win rate in 8587 matches as a safelaner.