Techies
Three explosive-loving goblins who treat the battlefield as their personal playground, Techies bring chaos and destruction through calculated landmines and tactical explosions.
At a Glance
Core Principles
“The battlefield is our laboratory, and every explosion is an experiment. Some experiments fail, but the successful ones change the entire game.”
Think Like Your Enemy
Mine placement isn't about where you are - it's about where your enemies will be when they panic, chase, or retreat.
Pressure Over Damage
Sometimes an empty minefield is more valuable than a detonated one. The fear you create often accomplishes more than the explosion.
Sacrifice for Positioning
Dying to place a perfect mine network that wins the teamfight is always worth it. Your life is expendable, your mines are eternal.
Master the Counter
Reactive Tazer makes you surprisingly dangerous. Use it when dived, use it aggressively, and remember disarm is often better than damage.
Deny Everything
Don't just mine for kills - mine for area denial. Deny enemies access to camps, runes, shrines, and their own jungle.
Patience is a Mine
The best mine networks take time to build. Don't rush placement. Wait for the perfect moment and the perfect position before revealing your hand.
Hero Overview
Techies are the ultimate psychological warfare specialists in Dota 2, capable of shutting down entire areas of the map with strategically placed mines and explosive traps. Their unique playstyle forces enemies to constantly question their every step, creating space for your team and心理压力 that can break even the most experienced players.
Techies' gameplay revolves around three core elements: proactive mine placement, reactive defensive capabilities, and calculated aggression. **Proximity Mines** create deadly traps while **Sticky Bombs** provide mobile damage and scouting. **Reactive Tazer** offers surprising close-quarters defense, and **Blast Off** serves as both initiation and escape. A skilled Techies player controls the flow of battle through area denial and mental pressure.
Pros
- Excellent area denial with mine placement
- High burst damage potential
- Psychological warfare and map control
- Surprisingly defensive with Reactive Tazer
- Can damage buildings and Roshan
Cons
- Extremely mana-dependent early game
- Vulnerable to heroes with true sight or burst
- Requires exceptional game sense and prediction
- Weak in direct teamfights without preparation
- Takes time to establish mine networks
Ability Analysis
Proximity Mine
ActivePlaces a mine that detonates when an enemy unit comes within 400 range, dealing damage in an area.
Notes: Your primary zoning tool. Place mines in high-traffic areas, choke points, and predictable jungle paths. Remember that closer placement to enemies means more damage. Mines deal reduced building but can still threaten towers and barracks when clustered.
Sticky Bomb
ActiveThrows a bomb that attaches to the nearest enemy unit, exploding after 3 seconds for damage and slowing movement.
Notes: Excellent for both damage and scouting. Bombs automatically latch to nearest hero and provide ground vision. Use on cliffs to scout for wards or to chase escaping enemies. The slow helps set up additional bomb placement or team follow-up.
Reactive Tazer
ActiveTechies electrocutes themselves, gaining a buff that deals damage to attackers and disarms them for a short duration.
Notes: Your defensive trump card. Any enemy that attacks you while this is active takes damage and gets disarmed. Works on Roshan and provides a basic dispel. You can manually detonate early by recasting. Use it aggressively when dived, or defensively to protect your mine positions.
Blast Off
ActiveLaunches Techies into the air, landing in an area after 1.2 seconds and damaging enemies while slowing them.
Notes: Multifaceted ability for initiation, escape, and positioning. Can escape Kinetic Field and other disables. You don't take self-damage if banished during flight. Plant proximity mines directly beneath yourself after landing to trap enemies who try to kill the mine under your model.
Minefield Sign (Aghanim's Scepter)
ActivePlaces a sign that gains charges over time. When an enemy attacks the sign, it explodes for massive damage in an area.
Notes: Aghanim's transforms your defensive playstyle. Place these in your minefields as traps - they look harmless but deal devastating damage when triggered. Can hit enemy illusions, making it great against illusion heroes. The explosion radius and damage make it a game-changer for mine ambushes.
Developer's Notes
Developer Insights
Techies are the masters of area denial and psychological warfare. Their power comes not from direct combat, but from forcing enemies to play with constant fear and hesitation.
Key Insights:
- Mine placement is everything - think like your enemy
- Reactive Tazer makes you surprisingly dangerous in close combat
- Sticky Bombs provide both damage and vision control
Techies win by outthinking opponents. The mental pressure you create is often more valuable than the explosions themselves!
Game Strategy
Early Game
Timeframe: 0-15 minutes Objective: Establish mine networks and survive the laning phase Key: Careful mine placement in jungle paths and rune spots; Use Soul Ring strategically for mana without dying; Place mines defensively near your lane to prevent dives; Utilize Sticky Bombs for vision and harass Items: Arcane Boots (Mana sustain); Soul Ring (Mining fuel); Tango and Clarities (Survival) Tips: Mine the area between enemy T1 and T2 towers for early kills; Use high ground advantages for mine placement; Be prepared to Tazer anyone who dives your mines; Coordinate with your lane partner for mine triggers
Mid Game
Timeframe: 15-30 minutes Objective: Control map objectives and set up teamfight opportunities Key: Deny entire areas of the map with extensive minefields; Force enemy rotations and waste their time; Set up kill zones around objectives like Roshan; Use Blast Off aggressively for initiation or escape Items: Aether Lens (Cast range); Force Staff (Positioning); Glimmer Cape (Survivability) Tips: Mine common Roshan approaches before attempts; Use Sticky Bomb to scout suspicious areas; Place bombs on high ground for vision advantage; Be prepared to sacrifice yourself for key mine placement
Late Game
Timeframe: 30+ minutes Objective: Win through area denial and psychological pressure Key: Create minefields that force enemy heroes to split up; Protect high ground with layered defenses; Use Scepter Minefield Signs as devastating traps; Maintain pressure even when behind Items: Aghanim's Scepter (Minefield Signs); Shiva's Guard (Team utility); Octarine Core (Cooldown reduction) Tips: Mine enemy jungle camps to restrict their farming; Use Reactive Tazer to protect your mine investments; Coordinate with team to force enemies into your traps; Remember mental pressure is your greatest weapon
Tips & Strategies
Mine Placement Psychology
- Place obvious mines to make enemies overconfident, then hide lethal ones nearby.
- Mine areas where enemies panic-run, not where they walk casually.
- Use Sticky Bombs to scout before placing expensive mine networks.
- Remember: sometimes the threat of mines is more valuable than the mines themselves.
Combat and Escape Tactics
- Always use Reactive Tazer when dived - the disarm is often more valuable than the damage.
- Blast Off can escape Disruptor's Kinetic Field - use this knowledge aggressively.
- Plant a mine directly under yourself after Blast Off to kill enemies trying to kill the mine.
- Don't underestimate the self-damage from Blast Off - time it carefully.
Advanced Mechanics
- Proximity Mines deal less damage at range - place them as close as possible to targets.
- Towers won't attack your mines, enabling tower aggression strategies.
- Use Sticky Bombs to clear vision when placing mines in enemy territory.
- Dropping mana items before using Soul Ring gains you more effective regeneration.
Item Guide
Starting Items
Mana management is critical. Soul Ring enables constant mine placement, while consumables sustain your early game presence.
Tango, Clarities, Soul Ring
Core Items
Mana sustain and cast range are your priorities. Arcane Boots fuels your mining addiction, while Aether Lens extends Sticky Bomb range.
Arcane Boots, Aether Lens, Kaya
Situational Items
Force Staff for positioning escapes, Glimmer for survival, Eul's for setup and survival, Scepter for Minefield Signs.
Force Staff, Glimmer Cape, Eul's Scepter, Aghanim's Scepter
Counter Guide
Good With
Techies excels with heroes who can force enemies into minefields or capitalize on the chaos. Earthshaker provides devastating follow-up with Echo Slam after enemies trigger mines. Tiny and Magnus can force-push enemies into your carefully laid traps. Crystal Maiden and Chen provide mana regeneration to fuel Techies' expensive abilities. Pudge works by hooking enemies into minefields or using Dismember to keep them in blast range. Dark Seer can Vacuum grouped enemies into mines, while Batrider can drag enemies to their doom. Heroes with crowd control or area-of-effect damage create perfect combinations with Techies' explosive traps. The key is forcing enemies where you want them to go - your team provides the direction, you provide the destination.
Bad Against
Techies struggles against heroes who can neutralize mines or bypass their defenses entirely. NyxAssassin with Vendetta and Spiked Carapace can destroy mines and reflect damage back. Slardar and Bounty Hunter provide true sight, rendering mines ineffective. Phantom Lancer and other illusion heroes can trigger mines with disposable illusions. Earthshaker and other heroes with AoE abilities can clear mines safely. Storm Spirit and Anti-Mage can bypass minefields completely with mobility. Huskar with Magic Immunity and lifesteal can tank through mine damage. Ursa can kill Techies before mines even arm. Heroes with true sight, high mobility, or burst damage that bypasses mine triggers are your worst nightmares. The pattern is obvious: enemies who control vision or can kill you before your plan executes will dismantle your strategy.
Good Against
Techies dominates heroes who must enter specific areas or have limited mobility. Pudge is notoriously vulnerable to mines around hooks and rot positioning. Sniper and Drow Ranger squishy ranged heroes become mine victims when forced to reposition. Crystal Maiden and Witch Doctor channeling supports are easy targets for mine disruption. Phantom Assassin and Riki melee assassins trigger mines when attempting kills. Juggernaut while spinning, can be trapped during Blade Fury cooldown. Terrorblade cannot safely announce illusions in mined areas. Heroes who require predictable movement patterns, rely on positioning, or need to enter specific zones are Techies' primary targets. Your ability to deny entire sections of the map makes these heroes irrelevant to teamfights, forcing them to play from extremely disadvantaged positions.