Carry guide

His spectral army and heavy weapon sell a simple threat: walk forward, claim space, and dare enemies to answer.

604 HP267 manaLevel 1

Wraith KingDota 2 hero

Wraith King is a durable carry who farms with skeletons and commits confidently to fights.

StrengthMelee

#27of 127 heroes
by pick rate

Pick rate: 12.0%
Hero win rate: 54.5%

Our game-phase read Editorial · impact 1–5

Source & our read · Sep 12, 2026

OpenDota · retrieved Sep 12, 2026. 455,231 Wraith King picks and 248,285 wins in approximately 3,780,175 rank-classified public matches. Excludes Turbo and pro stats. This is a sample, not all players.

Pick rate = hero picks ÷ estimated matches; win rate = hero wins ÷ hero picks. Estimated matches = all hero picks ÷ 10, following OpenDota’s calculation. Tied pick counts share a rank. The API does not provide observation timestamps.

Our impact scores · 1 low, 5 high
Early · 3/5	Secure lane farm with sustain, a stun threat, and Bone Guard charges.
Mid · 4/5	Use a farming item and skeletons to take lanes, camps, and outer objectives.
Late · 4/5	Lead fights after key defensive items, forcing enemies to address two lives.

The Dota2Freaks take Editorial

Why pick Wraith King?

Pick him when your team needs a durable frontliner who can convert safe farm into straightforward objectives.

When to think twice

Avoid him when enemies can repeatedly burn his mana, break his passives, or kite him through long fights.

The usual mistake

At early ultimate levels, keep enough mana for Reincarnation. Its highest level has no mana cost in this snapshot.

Our picks · Carry

Wraith King item builds

Choose for the game in front of you.

Standard

Use this route when you have room to farm and need reliable wave clear before joining major fights.

01Starting
Empty inventory slot
Secure last hits and sustain.
02Lane
Empty inventory slot
Finish boots and collect charges.
03First core
Empty inventory slotEmpty inventory slot
Accelerate farming with burn damage.
04Mid game
Empty inventory slot
Enter fights from a better angle.
05Late game
Ignore dangerous disables.
06Luxury
Become the physical front line.

RadianceBurn damage adds farming pressure while Wraith King stays near the wave.

How to use these builds

These are our editorial build paths. Labels describe their purpose, not measured popularity or win rate. Click an item for its use. Each stage is an inventory snapshot: keep earlier items, use consumables, upgrade components, and replace small items as space runs out. Boots, defenses, and late slots can change with the draft.

More match and build examples: Dota 2 Pro Tracker. Item names and images: Valve.

The draft check

Friends & counters

Our picks, based on how the spells work together.

5 friends to play with

Crystal Maiden

Arcane Aura eases mana pressure, helping Wraith King keep Reincarnation available after farming spells.

Vengeful Spirit

Her aura strengthens physical attacks, while Nether Swap can place a target near Wraith King.

Slardar

Corrosive Haze reduces armor and reveals targets, making Wraith King's physical follow-up more dangerous.

Warlock

Fatal Bonds punishes clustered enemies while Wraith King and his skeletons add damage across the link.

Earthshaker

His area stuns hold grouped enemies in place for skeletons and repeated Wraith King attacks.

5 counter picks to watch

Anti-Mage

Mana Break can leave Wraith King unable to pay for Reincarnation, and Blink helps Anti-Mage escape pursuit.

Viper

Viper Strike disables passive components while slowing attacks and movement, weakening Wraith King's sustained fighting.

Ursa

Fury Swipes and Overpower can overwhelm Wraith King in a direct duel, while Enrage removes his slow.

Pudge

Meat Hook can isolate Wraith King, and Dismember holds him still while Pudge heals from the damage.

Axe

Berserker's Call forces attacks into Axe's armor, and Culling Blade can finish a weakened Wraith King.

About these picks

These are useful ability interactions, not a statistical ranking or guaranteed matchups. Positioning, items, and cooldowns change the result. Hero links open a full guide when available, otherwise the directory.

Ability references from Valve: Crystal Maiden · Vengeful Spirit · Slardar · Warlock · Earthshaker · Anti-Mage · Viper · Ursa · Pudge · Axe. Checked 2026-09-21.

The buttons

QWER · open for spell values

Wraithfire BlastUnit targetStuns and damages a target, then applies damage over time and a slow.

Mana: 95 / 110 / 125 / 140
Cooldown: 14 / 12 / 10 / 8s
Stun duration: 1 / 1.2 / 1.4 / 1.6s

Bone GuardNo targetKills build charges that can be spent to summon skeletons. The skeletons benefit from his lifesteal and revive once.

Mana: 70 / 80 / 90 / 100
Cooldown: 42s
Maximum charges: 2 / 4 / 6 / 8

Mortal StrikePassivePeriodically empowers an attack with critical damage. The bonus has a cooldown.

Mana: —
Trigger cooldown: 5s
Critical damage: 160 / 200 / 240 / 280%

ReincarnationUltimateResurrects Wraith King after death when ready and affordable, slowing nearby enemies and spawning skeletons. Can also be self-cast.

Mana: 220 / 110 / 0
Cooldown: 180 / 150 / 120s
Resurrection delay: 3s

Base stats & innate Level 1 · no items

Strength22+2.8 / lvl

Agility16+1.7 / lvl

Intelligence16+1.4 / lvl

Attack damage: 62–64
Armor: 2.7
Move speed: 310
Magic resist: 25%
Attack range: 150
Base attack time: 1.8s
Health regen: +2.7/s
Mana regen: +0.8/s

Vampiric SpiritInnate · passive

Grants lifesteal. On a final death Wraith King briefly becomes a free-moving Wraith with bonus movement and attack speed. He cannot reincarnate after that Wraith period.

DOTA2FREAKS GUIDE · REVIEWED Sep 21, 2026

Dota 2 Wraith King guide: carry builds, abilities and tips

Wraith King is a durable carry who farms with skeletons and commits confidently to fights.

What role does Wraith King play in Dota 2?

Wraith King is a melee Strength hero. Our recommended role is carry.

Wraith King turns safe lane farm into a durable frontline presence. Wraithfire Blast starts a chase, while Bone Guard converts kills into skeleton pressure. Before committing, check Reincarnation’s cooldown and mana requirement: early ultimate levels cost mana, while its highest level is free in the supplied snapshot.

How to play Wraith King in Dota 2

Wraith King laning and early decisions
Start with efficient attributes, regeneration, and Quelling Blade, then prioritize dependable last hits over reckless trades. Use Wraithfire Blast when an ally can follow or an enemy cannot retreat. Bank Bone Guard charges through normal farming, then summon skeletons to shove a wave or threaten a tower.
Wraith King positioning and teamfights
Enter after allies reveal dangerous disables, then stun the target your team can actually reach. Send skeletons toward that target by casting Wraithfire Blast, and keep attacking instead of chasing through unknown ground. Reincarnation rewards commitment, provided the ultimate is ready and its current mana requirement is met.
Dota 2 Wraith King item build decisions
Radiance is the standard farming choice because it clears crowded lanes and camps while skeletons occupy space. Buy Blink Dagger when initiation matters, then Black King Bar against disabling spells. Armlet suits earlier brawls, while Silver Edge is a targeted answer to troublesome passives.

Dota 2 Wraith King tips and ability interactions

D2F ADVICE

Wraith King: Point the skeletons at priority prey

Cast Wraithfire Blast on the enemy your skeletons should attack. This turns a stun into coordinated pressure and is especially useful when a support stands behind a tougher frontliner.

Wraith King: Save charges for a meaningful wave

Build Bone Guard charges during ordinary farming, then spend them before an objective or when a lane needs immediate pressure. Summoning into an empty, safe area wastes their strongest timing.

Wraith King: Treat delayed death as time to act

When Vampiric Spirit turns you into a Wraith, use the temporary movement and attack benefits to finish a target or reposition. Do not expect Reincarnation afterward, because Wraith King cannot revive after becoming a Wraith.

Dota 2 Wraith King ability mechanics

Key Wraith King mechanics · Valve snapshot Sep 21, 2026
Detail	What it means in your game
Wraithfire Blast	Stuns and damages a target, then applies damage over time and a slow.
Bone Guard	Kills build charges that can be spent to summon skeletons. The skeletons benefit from his lifesteal and revive once.
Mortal Strike	Periodically empowers an attack with critical damage. The bonus has a cooldown.

Dota 2 Wraith King FAQ

Which role should Wraith King play in Dota 2?

Wraith King usually plays carry because his attack damage, lifesteal, skeleton farming, and durable ultimate scale well with items. He can start fights, but should still protect his farm priority until he has the tools to survive focus.

Which items should Wraith King buy in Dota 2?

Radiance is the usual farming centerpiece when the game allows space. Choose Armlet for earlier fighting, Black King Bar against disruptive spells, and Blink Dagger when your team needs direct initiation onto an exposed target.

Is Wraith King suitable for Dota 2 beginners?

At early ultimate levels, keep enough mana for Reincarnation before showing on a dangerous wave or starting a fight. Farm Bone Guard charges naturally, use Wraithfire Blast to begin coordinated attacks, and avoid chasing far beyond allied vision after the stun ends.

How should you use Wraith King's ultimate in Dota 2?

Reincarnation revives Wraith King with full health and mana, slows nearby enemies and summons skeletons around enemy heroes. Early levels require available mana, while its highest level costs none in this snapshot. Its self-cast death should serve a deliberate tactical purpose.

Next pick?