How to play Windranger – A beginner friendly guide

In the vast pool of heroes available in Dota 2, few stand out as particularly annoying. Nevertheless, most of these annoying heroes have a defined role either as a support or a core, despite how infuriating they are to go up against. However, among these irritating heroes in Dota 2, one stood tall above the rest: meet Windranger.

She's a universal, redheaded ranged hero that many Dota 2 players love to hate. Elusive and slippery, Windranger's toolkit has a stun, a slow and a high burst damage. Thanks to these abilities, she can be a flex pick, either as a core or a support.

She received a new facet in the latest Dota 2 Patch 7.39, making her more troublesome. This facet allows her to instantly kill her opponents with a high burst damage ability when their HP is below a certain threshold. In the right hands, Windranger is not only annoying but also a lethal threat as she can easily lead her team to victory despite her role.

Read everything about Patch 7.39 here

In this guide, we'll break down everything you need to know about Windranger, from her abilities and item builds to gameplay tips and situational decisions. Whether you're a beginner or a returning player, this guide will help you master Windranger and climb the MMR ladder.

Understanding Windranger's abilities

Windranger is a beginner-friendly hero in Dota 2, but mastering her requires a good understanding of her abilities. Fortunately, her abilities are straightforward to understand, making it easy for players to unlock her full potential. When used effectively, her abilities provide excellent control and enable her to initiate and dominate skirmishes.

• Shackleshot is Windranger’s first ability – a stun. It fires a projectile that can stun one or two enemy units. The stun duration increases significantly if it latches to a tree or another enemy. However, if the projectile fails to latch onto a unit, then it has a reduced stun duration.
• Windranger's second ability, Powershot, is a channelled point-targeted spell. The longer the channel duration, the higher the damage output. With the Killshot facet, this ability can instantly kill opponents under a certain health threshold, making it an extremely reliable tool throughout the match.
• Windranger's third ability is Windrun. When this ability is activated, Windranger gains an increased movement speed for a particular duration and evasion from all physical attacks. Nothing can be a better flex pick hero than her to climb the MMR ladder because she runs like the wind… You got it?
• Focus Fire is Windranger's ultimate ability. It's a single-target ability that allows Windranger to attack her opponent repeatedly with an increased attack speed but reduced attack damage.

Windranger using her power shot.

Upon buying an Aghanim's Shard, Windranger will gain a new ability, Gale Force. It's a vector target ability that can reposition the opponents caught in it towards a targeted direction.

Because of all the above, Windranger is one of the highest burst damage heroes in Dota 2, and this Dota 2 guide is an excellent way for beginners to climb the MMR ladder.

Windranger Itemisation Build Guide

Windranger is a Universal hero in Dota 2, which means she significantly benefits from items that give stats, making her a flex hero pick in any role. There are several item builds that consistently work well on her.

But how can you master Windranger with proper itemisation? Well, this Windranger’s Dota 2 beginner-friendly guide is here to explain exactly that.

As a core, Windranger's choice of boots is Power Treads, because of the stats it provides. However, support players usually build Arcane Boots as their item on Windranger because of her low mana pool. In the early game, beginners can face mana issues playing Windranger, making it difficult for them to master Windranger, and Arcane Boots is the best item to solve mana problems.

Maelstrom is the most common first core item that Windranger picks up. However, there are also some alternatives that players opt for. Items like Rod of Atos and Orchid Malevolence are also strong choices for Windranger as her first major item, especially when they're ahead or playing a tempo game. It helps her build momentum, and that’s one of the best ways to win and climb the MMR ladder with the hero.

Maelstrom may boost her farming efficiency, but Rod of Atos and Orchid significantly increase her kill potential, enabling her to close off the map, secure pickoffs and play more aggressively.

Black King Bar (BKB) is a must-have item on Windranger. Building a BKB is crucial for any beginner in Dota 2, and she is no exception, despite her elusiveness. She can be locked down because of her fragility. To avoid this, BKB is the best choice regardless of her role. For those who play Windranger as a support, they can also purchase the Glimmer Cape.

Orchid can also be upgraded to Bloodthorn to give her true strike when used on the opponent. This item is great for Windranger against heroes with evasion like Phantom Assassin.

Support Windrangers are more likely to upgrade Rod of Atos to Gleipnir to provide their team with an AOE lockdown. Arcane Boots can also be upgraded to Guardian Greaves to provide healing and mana for the team. Daedalus is a good choice for a core Windranger because it pairs well with her ultimate ability (Focus Fire) and kills heroes more rapidly in skirmishes.

Players often opt for a Blink Dagger on the hero. It enables her to dive into the backlines and quickly reposition herself to land a well-placed Shackleshot, making it an excellent item for setting up team fights.

Aghanim's Scepter is another key item for Windranger regardless of her role. Core players tend to pick this item up early, but for support players, it takes time to build this item.

Purchasing an Aghanim allows her to be invisible when using her third ability. Moreover, the invisibility doesn’t break even when she attacks or casts her abilities. It also reduces the incoming physical damage.

Situational items for Windranger include Eye of Skadi, Scythe of Vyse, Nullifier, Disperser, Monkey King Bar and Hurricane Pike.

Building these items on the hero can help a beginner master playing Windranger in Dota 2.

How to play Windranger in Dota 2 Patch 7.39

This beginner-friendly Dota 2 guide delivers the best way to play Windranger, especially in Patch 7.39.

Mastering Windranger and climbing the MMR ladder takes time and patience. Despite being a universal hero and a flex hero pick, beginners will find it difficult to play Windranger, let alone master her, if the basics are not properly understood.

If you weren't so damned dead, I'd shoot you again.

Her abilities require precision and awareness, and those starting to play Windranger might find her abilities hard to pull off at first.

Shackleshot will only mini-stun unless the target is perfectly aligned with a nearby unit. Powershot can easily be dodged, and Windrun can be dispelled. Even her ultimate ability, Focus Fire, can be easily countered with a purchase of Blademail.

Nevertheless, beginners can easily overcome these challenges while playing Windranger with some practice. Players will recognise her power spikes and item timings as they have a few games under their belts.

The same logic applies to other heroes.

In the current meta (Patch 7.39), Windranger is considered a relatively strong hero. Her ability to instantly kill opponents below a certain HP threshold, even when playing from behind, makes her a valuable asset in any match. Thanks to this burst potential and her toolkit, Windranger has maintained a solid win rate.

We hope you liked reading our beginner-friendly Dota 2 guide on Windranger. It’s easy to climb the MMR ladder playing the hero, only if you execute her potential properly.