E.T.C | Support/Utility Carry Tank | The truest way to play E.T.C by Ab5olution

E.T.C | Support/Utility Carry Tank | The truest way to play E.T.C

By: Ab5olution
Last Updated: Aug 4, 2015
1 Votes
Rating Pending
Build 1 of 1

E.T.C.

Build: Build

Level 1
Level 4
Level 7
Level 10
Level 13
Level 16
Level 20

Threats to E.T.C. with this build

Threat
Low
High
Show all
Threat Hero Notes
1
  No Threat
2
  No Threat
3
  No Threat
4
  No Threat
5
  No Threat
6
  No Threat
7
Brightwing Another hero that stays back and can easily stop your ultimate. Due to the recent nerfs, not as good or played as much as before.
8
Kael'thas Kael can stop you with his Tornado mid Powerslide. Can be annoying, but nothing too bad.
8
Muradin He is a very good hero in today's meta. Can easily stop your ulti, but not a huge threat simply because as a tank he is in the thick of things and is always in your Mosh Pit.
9
Tyrande Very easy for Tyrande to stop Mosh Pit. When you do decide to use Mosh Pit, you must be certain she is in it.
9
Johanna Johanna's W can stop Mosh Pit. Especially because her W is delayed ability, she can be very annoying. The only ability I can think of that can stop your ulti even if she is stunned.
10
  No Threat

Introduction Top

This simple guide teaches you the way ETC is suppose to be played: A Support/Utility Carry Tank.

A little background of me: Rank 1 in Hots. Diamond in League. Been playing mobas since Dota 1. My best role is support.


For me, there's only one reason why I love playing ETC; Mosh Pit. IMO, one of the best, game changing ultimates in the game if not the best. I can't think of another ultimate where it has as much impact in team fights as Mosh Pit. Think of it as Zagara's Devoring Maw, expect much bigger aoe, much easier to land and your team can attack the enemy while they are stunned. Simply, an OP ultimate. The downside to Mosh Pit is that you can be stunned mid ulti. And that's why patience and decision making is an important aspect to playing E.T.C. You cannot use Mosh Pit liberally because of the long cooldown and the ability to be stunned mid ulti. You must be smart with it.

Your job is not to tank like a Johanna or deal as much damage as Tyrael.

Your job is all about utility. Things that don't show up as stats when you press tab.

This build revolves around making those clutch 4-5 man Mosh Pits, while being fairly tanky, peeling for your team, disrupting the enemy backline and of course helping your team get those kills with your standard Q+W+body block combo.

Pros and Cons Top

Pros:
  • Ability to easily carry games
  • One of the best ultis in the game
  • One of the best peelers in the game
  • Play maker
  • Solid laner
  • No hard counter
  • Good ganker
  • Very difficult to gank ETC
  • Fun hero to play
Cons:
  • Not the most tanky
  • Deals low damage compared to other tanks
  • Team dependent
  • Poor wave clear
  • More importance on body blocking

Talent Breakdown Top

Level 1
Absolute must. Synergies nicely with your level 4 Powerslide talent. You need this to be able to land those mosh pits more easily. Block is a common choice I see in a lot of the ETC guides. IMO, it's absolutely unnecessary. In the long run, having a longer and faster Powerslide as an escape will save you more times than being able to block 2 basic attacks. Because the range is longer, you are more likely to make a mistake with it. Smart use of Powerslide is vital.

Level 4
Another absolute must, even more so than the level 1 ability because the faster and wider slide means less time for the enemy to react and a much easier to land those huge Mosh Pits.

Level 7
Makes your ability to peel much more effective. The other 3 abilities have minimal synergy with this utility playstyle.

Level 10
No brainer here.

Level 13
The best option out of the 4. I know I put a lot of emphasis of utility/support but at the end of the day you are still a tank/warrior hero. If you are playing Hero League, you are most likely the only tank hero on your team. Getting Spell Shield will help you tank significantly better. Groupies has no synergy with this build. Face Smelt is a really good ability, however the level 7 ability is more than enough to peel. Could be a substitute if the enemy team has no ability damage. Show Stopper also not necessary, nobody is going to be attacking you if you lands those 4-5 man mosh pits.

Level 16
The exact same reason as Spell Shield. Makes you significantly more tanky. Easily the best option out of the 4 most of the time.

Level 20
Makes your ability to land those 4-5 Mosh pits almost too easy. Also 2 seconds of additional stun period could make all the difference. Death Metal is absolutely useless. Late game you shouldn't be open to dying. Storm Shield could be useful, but that's the real supports job. Bolt of the storm is another good ability, but unnecessary. The problem with trying to engage with blink+R is that Mosh Pit has a brief activation time window, making it way too easy for the enemy to escape last second. You need the brief stun from Powerslide to make sure they are locked down in the aoe of your ultimate. Your longer and faster Powerslide should be more than enough to engage and escape without the need for blink.

How to play E.T.C Top

Do not use your abilities liberally. Use them intelligently.

How to use Powerslide (Q)
Use it to get behind an enemy and then use Face Melt(W) to knock them back. Can also be used to peel for your team, however it can get you killed. Try to use it as a peel as a last second way to save a teammate(s) and try to wait for a group of enemies to line up in a vertical position that way you don't have to sacrifice your position as much as going horizontally behind the enemy. It's important to use Powerslide only when you are certain you can escape because this is your main way of escaping/engaging. Never Powerslide into a team fight without Mosh Pit. Instead use Face Melt more often to give your team more breathing room. Save that Powerslide to help peel your squishys. As soon as that Zeratuel jumps on your Kael, immediately powerslide and help Kael.

How to use Face Melt (W)
This is your main peeling and disrupting tool. If you see an ally getting chased, 8/10 times all it takes is one W and you saved their life. The only downside to Face Melt is that you can help the enemy escape if you push them back. That's why you can't be stupid with this skill and only use it in the right time and position. In team fights, go into the enemy backline and just keep kiting and using Face Melt. I like to position my self between the enemy team, obviously without making them all focus me and getting blown up. This is basically the same job any tank would do, which is distracting the backline. Except instead of tanking for days you kite and press W for days and keep separating the enemy team. Keep doing this and wait for your golden opportunity when they are clumped up and then you know what to do. Don't use Face Melt every chance you get. At the end of a fight, save it as an offensive or defensive option in a chase.

How to use Guitar Solo (E)
This is the only ability that you can use liberally. Mainly used as a heal, but 2nd function is to give you and your team the attack speed buff you get from your passive ability(Rockstar). I use it even if I have full hp just so my team can push a little bit faster. I also use it when I'm trying to soak as fast as possible. Don't over do it though. Balance out your hp and mana so that when you drink from the fountain you get maximum gain on both hp and mana.

How to use Mosh Pit (R)
Your bread and butter. The cooldown for this is quite long. You need to be patient when using this. Can be used to save your team mate and destroy the enemy team. When saving your team with Mosh Pit, always use it in the last possible second if Q and W doesn't work. Always look out for the enemy grouping in small spaces. A move I like to do is, when losing a team fight and it seems hopeless; fall back into a narrow place, then ping to your team a few times that you're on your way, when they clump up; Q+R into of atleast 4 enemies when they don't expect it. I turned around many games this way. The key to Mosh Pit is being smart with it. Look at your enemies position often and pick your moment wisely. Don't use it on a single enemy unless you need it to get a kill. 9/10 times Q+W+Body blocking is enough.

Best maps for E.T.C Top

Maps where they group up often and with lots of narrow passages are the best maps for ETC.


Best maps:
Cursed Hollow
Haunted Mines
Battlefield of Eternity

Good maps:
Garden of Terror
Blackheart's Bay
Tomb of the Spider Queen


Ok maps:
Dragon Shire
Sky Temple

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