Falstad is a very hard hero to manage. This guide will tell you how to see a simple build and adjust it to get the real idea of how strong this hero can really be on the battlefield.

Abilities

Hammerang

Your Bread and Butter, Hammerang gets you in range for right clicks and Thunderstorm or slows your enemy down while they chase you. Good for harassing or tagging creeps for Bribe.

Thunderstorm

It does what it says, zaps your target to crisps, the only problem is your target has to be alone less it hits other targets in its range around you and can be the difference between a kill and the enemy walking away.

Barrel Roll

Escape mechanism/gap closer. Can also be used to roll through terrain/walls you otherwise would have to path around. You get a small shield for a very short time, and it blocks around one spell or so if you can time it well.

Shock and Awe

The only ult you ever need. High damage, long range, Line AoE. Good for sniping or hitting multiple targets comming out of Void Prison or Devouring Maw. It takes a bit to channel, so time it right.

Flight

Special mount ability, Falstad can use this to get back into or out of lanes or into/out of the action. Mix this with bribe to steal camps or get to objectives faster than flying.

Tailwind

This helps you kite as long as you don't get jumped. Be wary of ganking heroes when they are off the minimap and this will keep you quite at a safe distance against non mounted heroes.

Many of falstad's strengths are his abilities to both move around the fight and hurt people from a good distance with bursty spells. Boosting these and getting them back in a touch secures you on the top damage and kill pedestal.

Level 1

Bribe

Bribe does many things more than the other talents in its level in a few ways. First of all it allows you to take camps with less to no mana cost aside from killing creeps, which you will do as you push. It also reduces the damage you take from camps leaving you in the lanes or fights longer.

the other talents just cant keep up, farming for right click makes Falstad a bit stronger but you cant justify staying in lane for that bit of extra damage for Seasoned Veteran and it still takes long to take a camp solo.

Alternative

Level 4

Gathering Power

You should be staying alive anyway and this rewards you more for doing so and boost your damage, making you a monster of an assassin. I don't think, unless you go a right click build, there is a better choice than this, you feel it as you get your other abilities that you can kill anyone given you have mana and all your spells ready.

Level 7

BOOMerang

Many people may go Battle Momentum but that would be a mistake unless you have Conjurer's Pursuit as you'd run out of mana too quickly without it.
BOOMerang gives you the punch and also the ability to reach out and touch someone with an explosive hammer to their face and kill them with it.

Level 10

Shock And Awe

Just like this makes you a sniper. You get the reach and the damage and the boost from Gathering Power there is no reason for you to not kill or horridly maim one or many enemies with this ultimate. there are no alternatives, just raw synergy.

Level 13

Rewind

This is by far my newest favorite talent of the lot. While Giant Killer and Crippling Hammer are indeed useful.
Nothing hurts more than 2 BOOMerang to the face and 2 Thunderstorm. Not to mention this also allows you to get your Barrel Roll back faster for more mobility. All in one button press. There is no better synergy.

Level 16

Aferburner

now this is a tricky part for Falstad, while there was a ton of synergy earlier we sometimes need more mobility to live or get to important areas faster. This also lets you reposition and kite in a fight against sticky enemies. The longer you live the more damage you do.

Alternative

Level 20

Blast of Awe

This is the cherry on top of an amazing ability damage build with enough mobility to outrun and outgun many assassins before they even expected it. Increasing the range and damage might make a few people think you're compensating for something, but they will think twice once you hit this bad boy on your crispy targets.

Alternative