Puck, the Faerie Dragon: Ultimate Skills and Item Build Guide — DotA 1

Puck, the Faerie Dragon, is one of the most elusive and high-impact Intelligence-based initiators in DotA 1. Celebrated for their unmatched ability to dart in and out of danger, Puck specializes in disrupting enemy formations, silencing key targets, and trapping foes with volatile magical coils. With excellent base stats and explosive scaling, this Faerie Dragon dominates the mid-lane, using a combination of high-mobility teleports and invulnerability windows to frustrate opponents and dictate the flow of chaotic teamfights.


2. Base Stats & Attributes

Hero Attributes

Attribute Base Value Growth (per level)
Strength 17 +2.2
Agility 22 +2.5
Intelligence 23 +3.5

Statistics & Mechanics

Statistic Value Mechanic Value
Damage 43-54 Base HP Regen 0.25/s
HP 540 HP Regen +1.95/s
MP 326 MP Regen +1.16/s
Armor 2.1 Turn Rate 0.8
Move Speed 290 Base Attack Time (BAT) 1.7
Attack Range 550 (missile: 900) Attack Animations 0.5 / 0.8

3. Hero Skills Breakdown

1. Illusory Orb

Puck sends a magical orb flying down a straight path, damaging all enemy units in its trajectory. At any moment while the orb is in motion, the Faerie Dragon may teleport to the orb's current location, instantly swapping positions with it.

  • Damage Type: Magical
  • Area of Effect (AoE): 200 radius
  • Cast Range: 1950 units
Level Magical Damage Cooldown Manacost
1 75 13 seconds 80
2 150 12 seconds 100
3 225 11 seconds 120
4 300 10 seconds 140

2. Waning Rift

Puck teleports to a target location and releases a burst of mystical faerie dust. Enemies caught in the immediate vicinity of the arrival point sustain magical damage and are silenced.

  • Damage Type: Magical
  • Area of Effect (AoE): 400 radius
  • Unique Behavior: Does not disjoint projectiles upon arrival
Level Magical Damage Silence Duration Cooldown Manacost
1 70 2.0 seconds 19 seconds 100
2 130 2.5 seconds 17 seconds 110
3 190 3.0 seconds 15 seconds 120
4 250 3.5 seconds 13 seconds 130

3. Phase Shift

Puck shifts their physical form out of existence for a brief period, becoming temporarily untargetable and avoiding any incoming damage.

  • Mechanic: Untargetable (Invulnerability state)
Level Max Duration Cooldown Manacost
1 0.75 seconds 8.0 seconds 0
2 1.5 seconds 7.5 seconds 0
3 2.25 seconds 7.0 seconds 0
4 3.25 seconds 6.5 seconds 0

4. Dream Coil

Puck's powerful imagination engulfs a target area, creating coils of volatile magic that latch onto all nearby enemy units. Affected enemies are unable to use mobility-based abilities. Stretching these coils beyond their maximum tether range causes the magic to snap, dealing additional damage and stunning the target.

  • Damage Type: Magical
  • Mechanic: Prevents movement abilities (e.g., Blink, Leap, Charge)
  • Break Mechanic: Snaps if units move beyond 600 distance
  • Aghanim's Scepter Upgrade: Increases field duration, break damage, and stun duration; allows the coils to pierce Spell Immunity
Level Initial Damage Break Damage Break Stun Duration Cooldown Manacost
1 125 200 1.8 seconds 80 seconds 100
2 200 300 2.4 seconds 80 seconds 150
3 275 400 3.0 seconds 80 seconds 200

4. Item Build Guide

Phase Recommended Items Strategic Purpose
Early Game Bottle, Magic Wand, Power Treads Bottle is critical for rune control and constant mana replenishment. Power Treads offer valuable stats and attack speed for early kills.
Core Items Blink Dagger, Eul's Scepter, Aghanim's Scepter Blink Dagger is the premier initiation tool for Puck. Eul’s Scepter provides a secondary disable and a defensive invulnerability window to cycle cooldowns.
Late Game Dagon, Scythe of Vyse, Linken's Sphere Dagon maximizes burst combo potential. Scythe of Vyse offers vital late-game hard crowd control. Linken's Sphere protects against high-priority single-target spells that would otherwise end your combo.

5. Quick Gameplay Tips

  • The Phase Shift Dodge: Phase Shift is your most valuable defensive tool. You can dodge almost any incoming projectile or ability if you time the shift precisely. Practice hitting the hotkey the instant you see an enemy projectile launch; by shifting out of existence for a split second, you negate abilities that would have certainly resulted in your death.
  • The Orb-Teleport Combo: Use Illusory Orb to harass and push lanes, but always keep an eye on the orb's movement. If an enemy engages you while the orb is traveling, you can teleport to its location instantly to escape or to pursue a low-health target. Combining this with a Waning Rift upon arrival allows for high-burst damage that can surprise opponents.
  • Dream Coil Tethering: When casting Dream Coil, try to place it in a location where the enemies are forced to move away (such as when they are retreating toward their base). If they run too far, the coil snaps, stunning them and allowing your team to easily clean up the fight.