Ringmaster
Welcome to a stage-lit extravaganza for the ages! The Ringmaster directs the battlefield with showman's flare, taming beasts with fearsome cracks, performing impossible escapes, and mesmerizing crowds with wonders beyond imagination.
At a Glance
Core Principles
“The show must go on! Follow these principles and every battle becomes your stage, every enemy your audience.”
Control the Stage
Your battlefield is your theater. Use Wheel of Wonder to rearrange the set, Escape Act to save your performers, and Tame the Beasts to ensure the show goes on without interruption.
Souvenirs are Your Secret Weapons
Remember: souvenirs behave like items, not spells. Cast them while silenced, bypass Rubick's theft, and create chaos when enemies least expect it.
Vision is Everything
Your greatest strength can become your biggest weakness. Control vision to maximizes Wheel effectiveness, and respect enemy vision when planning your positioning.
Performance Under Pressure
The best saves come from anticipation, not reaction. Use Escape Act pre-emptively, not reactively. The best performances start before the applause.
Know Your Facet
Carny Classics for aggressive disruption, Sideshow Secrets for information and control. Choose your style and commit to it - half-measures kill the show.
The Grand Finale
Every fight builds to a crescendo. Your Wheel, timed perfectly with team follow-up, is the climax that decides the victor. Make it count.
Hero Overview
Ringmaster is a versatile support hero who excels at battlefield control through unique displacement mechanics and sustained damage. His toolkit combines protective abilities with aggressive zoning, making him equally effective at saving allies and setting up kills through clever positioning and timing.
Ringmaster's gameplay revolves around mastering the timing of his various Souvenirs and positioning his Wheel of Wonder for maximum impact. Escape Act serves as both an escape mechanism and an aggressive repositioning tool, while Tame the Beasts provides crucial debuff immunity. His sustained damage comes from Impalement Arts, which can wear down enemies through repeated applications. The true mastery lies in choosing the right Souvenir for each situation.
Pros
- Excellent displacement and save abilities with Escape Act
- Sustained damage through Impalement Arts stacking
- Unique utility through Souvenirs (castable while silenced)
- Debuff immunity from Tame the Beasts
- Wheel of Wonder can completely change teamfight positioning
- Can damage fogged and invisible units
Cons
- High skill floor due to complex Souvenir mechanics
- Wheel of Wonder requires careful vision management
- Escape Act can be disrupted by forced movement
- Relies on team follow-up for maximum effectiveness
- Souvenirs don't benefit from spell amplification
- Vulnerable to heroes who can dispel his key abilities
Ability Analysis
Tame the Beasts
ActiveRingmaster cracks his whip, granting debuff immunity to himself in a radius and damaging enemies along the path.
Notes: Provides debuff immunity without dispelling existing effects. Use preemptively before enemy disables land. The damaging path makes it excellent for harassment and zone control. Can damage fogged and invisible units, making it useful for scouting.
Escape Act
Target UnitPlaces an ally or self in a protective box for a duration, making them unable to be targeted by most abilities while still vulnerable to ground-targeted spells.
Notes: Think of it as placing Dark Willow's Shadow Realm on an ally. Units inside can still be damaged by ground-targeted abilities but are immune to unit-targeted spells and attacks. Use to save allies from targeted disables or escape dangerous situations. Can be cast on illusions and creep-heroes.
Impalement Arts
Target UnitHurls a dagger that damages and applies a damage-over-time effect to the target enemy.
Notes: Multiple casts don't stack the DoT but refresh the duration while dealing impact damage each time. The projectile provides vision as it travels. Excellent for sustained damage and applying pressure. Can damage fogged and invisible units - use it to scout suspicious areas.
Wheel of Wonder
ActiveRolls a giant wheel that travels in the targeted direction, taunting enemies who can see it when it stops.
Notes: Enemies must have vision of the wheel to be taunted. The wheel destroys trees as it travels and provides vision where it lands. Bumping enemies doesn't disable them - they need to be caught in the actual taunt. Positioning and vision management are crucial for success.
Spotlight (Shard Upgrade)
ActiveEscape Act now fires Impalement Arts daggers in all directions when ending, with increased duration.
Notes: Transforms Escape Act into an offensive tool. The daggers always fire in the same eight directions, making them predictable but devastating in teamfights. The expanded area and extra daggers make it much harder for enemies to escape unscathed.
Souvenirs
ActiveCasts a random souvenir based on the chosen facet, providing various utility effects.
Notes: Souvenirs behave as items, not spells - can be cast while silenced. Not stealable by Rubick. Carny Classics facet: Funhouse Mirror (dispel and projectiles), Whoopee Cushion (knockback), Strongman Tonic (stats). Sideshow Secrets facet: Crystal Ball (detection), Riding the Unicycle (mobility), Weighted Pie (creep kill).
Developer's Notes
Developer Insights
Ringmaster is a unique support who combines displacement, protection, and sustained damage in unexpected ways. His Escape Act is more than a save - it's a battlefield repositioning tool that creates opportunities for aggressive plays.
Key Insights:
- Souvenirs behave like items, not spells (can cast while silenced)
- Tame the Beasts provides debuff immunity without dispelling
- Impalement Arts can stack damage through repeated casts
- Wheel of Wonder requires vision to taunt - positioning is everything
Ringmaster rewards creative thinking and precise timing. Master the souvenirs and you'll control the flow of battle like a true showman!
Game Strategy
Early Game
Timeframe: 0-15 minutes Objective: Provide lane support and harass with Impalement Arts Key: Use Impalement Arts for consistent harassment; Save allies with well-timed Escape Acts; Harass with Carny Classics souvenirs; Position to maximize Tame the Beasts value Items: Arcane Boots (Mana sustain); Magic Wand (Burst survival); Wind Waker (Enhanced mobility) Tips: Choose facet based on lane matchup - Carny Classics for aggressive, Sideshow for control; Use Escape Act pre-emptively to save allies from targeted disables; Impalement Arts can stack damage through repeated casts; Tame the Beasts can scout bushes and reveal fogged units
Mid Game
Timeframe: 15-30 minutes Objective: Control teamfights with displacement and saves Key: Use Wheel of Wonderland for game-changing positioning; Chain souvenirs for maximum disruption; Protect carries with strategic Escape Acts; Coordinate Impalement spam for sustained damage Items: Aghanim's Shard (Spotlight upgrade); Force Staff (Additional mobility); Glimmer Cape (Enhanced protection) Tips: Wheel of Wonderland requires careful vision consideration; Use top bar portraits to target spells on chaotic allies; Spotlight upgrade transforms Escape Act into offensive tool; Souvenirs work while silenced - save them for crucial moments
Late Game
Timeframe: 30+ minutes Objective: Execute perfect teamfight coordination and saves Key: Use Wheel to isolate key enemy heroes; Protect cores with Escape Acts and souvenirs; Position for multi-hero Wheel disruptions; Maintain sustained pressure with Impalement stacking Items: Aghanim's Scepter (Enhanced Wheel); Black King Bar (Ensure crucial skills land); Refresher Orb (Dual Wheel potential) Tips: Late game Wheels can win or lose fights instantly; Escape Act can be used defensively even in late game; Consider buying survival items to stay alive for crucial skills; Coordinate with team around Wheel positioning and timing
Tips & Strategies
Escape Act Mastery
- Think of Escape Act like Shadow Realm - units inside can still be hit by ground-targeted abilities but are immune to unit-targeted spells.
- Use ally portraits in the top bar to target Escape Act during chaotic teamfights.
- The buff disjoints incoming projectiles - use it to dodge key disables.
- Can target illusions, clones, and creep-heroes for creative plays.
Impalement Arts Strategy
- Multiple casts refresh the DoT but deal impact damage each time - use it for burst damage.
- The projectile provides vision while traveling - great for scouting suspicious areas.
- Can damage fogged and invisible units, making it excellent anti-invisibility tool.
- Cast range is slightly longer than neutral creep aggro range - useful for stacking.
Wheel of Wonder Positioning
- Enemies must see the Wheel to be taunted - consider fog of war carefully.
- The collision doesn't disable enemies - only the final taunt matters.
- Wheel provides ground vision where it lands and flying vision over damage AoE.
- Destroys trees during travel and at landing - use to clear paths.
Item Guide
Starting Items
Essential laning sustain and emergency escape tools. Faerie Fires can save you or your carry from burst damage.
Tango, Faerie Fire, Iron Branch x2
Core Items
Arcane Boots solve mana issues, Magic Wand provides burst survival, Wind Waker enhances your displacement playstyle with additional mobility and control.
Arcane Boots, Magic Wand, Wind Waker
Situational Items
Force Staff for extra displacement, Glimmer for additional protection, Eul's for setup opportunities, Shard for the Spotlight upgrade.
Force Staff, Glimmer Cape, Eul's Scepter, Aghanim's Shard
Counter Guide
Good With
Ringmaster excels with heroes who can capitalize on his displacement and protection abilities. Earthshaker and Enigma benefit from enemies being grouped by Wheel of Wonder, allowing for devastating ultimates. Magnus creates incredible combos with Reverse Polarity following Wheel positioning. Crystal Maiden can safely channel Freezing Field behind Ringmaster's protective abilities. Phantom Assassin and Riki appreciate the setup opportunities from Wheel taunts and the protection from Escape Act. Omniknight provides excellent synergy with his Guardian Angel protecting Ringmaster during crucial moments. The common thread is heroes who need enemies grouped or positioned perfectly - Ringmaster delivers the stage for their performances.
Bad Against
Ringmaster struggles against heroes who can neutralize his unique mechanics or exploit his positioning requirements. Rubick cannot steal Souvenirs but can take his other crucial abilities, turning his own tools against him. Oracle can dispel Escape Act protection and provide False Promise to counter sustained damage. Abaddon's Borrowed Time and Aphotic Shield remove the pressure from Impalement stacking. Anti-Mage drains mana, preventing crucial casts. Vengeful Spirit can swap Ringmaster out of position or use Wave of Terror to provide vision for避开 Wheel positioning. Doom silences completely, preventing Souvenir usage. Silencer can steal intelligence crucia to his mana pool. Heroes with strong dispels, mana burn, or vision control pose the biggest threats to Ringmaster's game plan.
Good Against
Ringmaster dominates heroes who rely on positioning, targeted abilities, or prolonged fights. Illusion heroes like Phantom Lancer and Naga Sifold struggle against his sustaineddamage and Escape Act protection. Channeling heroes such as Enigma, Crystal Maiden, and Witch Doctor become completely nullified by well-timed Escape Acts. Position-reliant carries like Sniper and Drow Ranger lose their safety when suddenly displaced or forced to reposition. Single-target focused heroes like Lifestealer and Ursa find their carefully planned engages disrupted by Wheel positioning and Escape Act saves. Mana-dependent supports suffer from his sustained harassment through Impalement Arts. Heroes without mobility become easy targets for Wheel taunts and coordinated follow-up. Ringmaster's ability to reshape the battlefield makes him a nightmare for heroes who depend on precise positioning or uninterrupted performance.