- The Guide To Troll - Contest Winner

- ChronoSphere Productions Wink

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v2.8.5c

The Troll Builder
(A simple guide for dummies)

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Introduction: Hiya! What you guys are about to read is a full-set complete guide to the Troll Builder, but this guide also includes many more... such as, how to wall, basic to advanced lumber strategies, how to not get nuked, etc. You wanna know why I started making this guide? For the contest of course! Well that too, but I want 'in-experienced players' to learn from this guide so they'll stop being so 'retarded' and play better. Even decent players can learn from this guide as well. So yeah, I hope you like this guide and not get bored!

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Table of Contents

   1. Builder Stats/Pros&Cons
   2. Basic Buildings/Hunter
   3. Starting off
   4. Early Game/Lumbering
   5. Mid Game
   6. Late Game... Gold Penalty!
   7. How to base/wall
   8. How to NOT DIE!
9. Killing the Opponent
   10. F.A.Q.
   11. Credits? Cry

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1. Builder Stats/Pros&Cons

Description: Good beginner builder requiring no gold to start making defenses. Fairly space efficient builder. Average walls all around. Strongest, most expensive towers in game costing 4x as much food.

Difficulty: Easy Cool

Selection Hotkey: (A)

Escape Abilities: Wind Walk (W) - Turns the builder invisible for 10 seconds. 80 second cooldown.

HP: 300
Mana: None

Armor: 0

Movement Speed: Average

Attack Damage: 125 - 125

Inventory Space: 1

Range: Melee

Pros
? Extremely strong towers Cool

? A very easy builder to use
? Titan Hunter is ranged
? Has an upgrade called "Spiked Structures" that make walls and towers deal damage to an enemy attacker
? Takes up very little space

Cons
? Very vulnerable (only has Wind Walk)
? Towers are expensive
? Towers require more food than others
? Only has one inventory slot
? Troll towers only have 700 range

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2. Basic Buildings/Hunter

Shelter
200hp, 5 armor. Costs 10 wood.

Fruit Tree
300hp, 4 armor, 700 range, 20-20 damage. Costs 20 wood.
Gives 25 food.

Wall
250hp, 5 armor. Costs 50 wood.
Upgraded Wall
500hp, 15 armor. Costs 250 wood.

Troll Lodge
300hp, 5 armor. Costs 150 wood.
Titan Hunter
876hp, 600 mana, 10 armor, 100-100 chaos damage, 600 range. Costs 400 wood.
Costs 12 food.
35 Agility, 40 Strength, 40 Intelligence.
Abilties: Blink, Ensnare (after Expert Hunter Training), Siphon Mana, Attribute Points, Avatar.

Spear Tower
250hp, 4 armor, 30-30 damage. Costs 90 wood.
Costs 4 food.
Enhanced Spear Tower
300hp, 4 armor, 60-60 damage. Costs 200 wood.
Super Spear Tower
350hp, 4 armor, 80-80 damage. Costs 500 wood.
Mega Spear Tower
400hp, 4 armor, 100-100 damage. Costs 750 wood.
+All towers have a constant 700 range.

Merchant
300hp, 5 armor. Costs 150 wood.
Costs 90 gold.

Advanced Research Center
300hp, 10 armor. Costs 1000 wood.
Costs 45 gold. (Only constructable when Merchant is built)

~Ultimate Towers~

Magic Tower
(Amazing damage and range. Burns 125 mana per hit and causes bonus damage equal to the mana destroyed. When being held, the holder drains mana when attacking an enemy.)
750hp, 20 armor, 1100 range, 100-100 damage. Costs 2000 wood.
Costs no food. Costs 90 gold.

Statis Totem
(A powerful tower with good damage. Has a 25% chance to stun for 2 seconds. When being held, the holder gets a 15% chance to stun.)
750hp, 20 armor, 1000 range, 120-120 damage. Costs 2500 wood.
Costs 1 food. Costs 90 gold.

Heavy Cannon Tower
(Massive damage with an aura that gives +15 armor to nearby units and structures. When being held, the holder gets an aura that gives +15 armor to nearby units and structures.)
750hp, 20 armor, 900 range, 200-200 damage. Costs 2000 wood.
Costs 1 food. Costs 90 gold.

Catapult
(The best Troll tower. Has amazing damage and has insane range. Also has critical strike. When being held, the holder gets a 15% chance to do 3x damage.)
750hp, 20 armor, 2000 range, 135-135 chaos damage. Costs 3000 wood.
Costs 1 food. Costs 135 gold.

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3. Starting Off

[Part 1:] As soon as the game starts, select the easy tavern to the left. There, you should be able to see the Troll builder icon, and click on it to choose. You can also just press (A) and it will choose the Troll builder for you. But make sure you click on it once it is done the cool-down, because that is the only time the builder is selectable. Also, be sure to pick your builder fast... or else the game will automatically kick you out after about 40 seconds.
Here is a screen-shot of which Tavern to select:

[Part 2:] So you have chosen your desired Troll builder. Hotkey your builder as the number 1 (select your builder and hold down Ctrl+1). Now, whenever you press the number 1, you will automatically select your Troll builder. Now choose a lumber spot you'd like and ping it just to make sure nobody steals your spot. If you don't know how to ping, hold the ALT key down and click your desired spot on the mini-map. There should be a colored exclamation mark letting the other players know the spot you've selected. Remember, you never want to stand at the gold mound waiting for Titan to spawn, because you'll probably die.

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4. Early Game/Lumbering

[Part 1:] Never base early. If you do, most likely, you'll be screwed. It is much more efficient if you gather up mass lumber early-mid game and then start basing. The only times when you should base early is when everyone's dying, and you have no other choice. So what are you waiting for? Go ping your lumber base!

There are basically 3 ways to lumber.

The first one I'll be explaining to you is the basic "mass-shelter lumbering". This lumbering strategy is basically making a shelter for about 5 workers. You would have about 5-6 shelters in your lumber base. People may ask, why so many shelters? Well does it really matter? I mean, it's just a few more shelters for a faster lumber rate. If you really don't want to feed that many shelters, then just deny them with fruit trees (deny the fruit trees after wards too), your hunter, or even with your own builder as well. REMEMBER TO WALL THE ENTRANCE WITH A FRUIT TREE SO THE TITAN CAN'T WW UP TO YOU AND GET A FREE KILL!
Here is a screenshot of this strategy:

The second strategy is a bit more feed-reducing. It is basically just less shelters placed a bit more away from the trees, so more workers can share the same shelter. Some use 3 or 4, some even use only 1 to reduce feed to the maximum. If you want to reduce feed even more, you might want to deny those shelters as well.
Here is a screenshot of this strategy:

The final strategy is a teeny bit more difficult, and is used so there is more space in your base. This lumbering strategy is... lumbering in slots! People don't like having to make room for shelters in their base for lumber because they want more free space, so they build shelters in slots. There are downsides to this strategy though. If Titans are smart, they can use their Minion to summon smaller critters that fight for them and destroy your shelters. The Titan can also easily nuke your workers to gain free experience points. I don't prefer using this strategy, and I encourage you NOT to use this strategy, because it is just free feed.
Here is a screen-shot of this strategy:

...Wait! What's this!?!
It seems that there is indeed ANOTHER lumber strategy you can use! This strategy is pretty easy to use. Find a choke point, then wall it with 1-2 shelters. Then, all you need to do is make workers and use those shelters to lumber. You may wonder, "why should I use shelters to wall?". It's cheap, it's almost as strong as a wall, and you can use it to lumber with! If the Titan comes, just detonate your workers. This is a very useful technique when you already have a base and have barely any space. Most likely late game, the Titan won't walk half-way across the map just to kill a few shelters, but little does he know, you're using them to lumber.
Don't quite understand? Here's a screen-shot of this strategy:

[Part 2:] Okay, now that you know the lumber strategies, get lumbering! After you have around 500 wood, select your shelter and upgrade "Improved Lumber Harvesting", and then "Advanced Lumber Harvesting". This may sound like you're wasting your lumber on a stupid upgrade, but in the long run, it'll get you way more wood then you used on this. Also, once you have enough lumber, be sure to replace your fruit tree blocking the entrances with walls... and upgrade them (upgrading walls requires your Troll Lodge)!

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5. Mid Game

[Part 1:] Well, there's not much to do mid game except loot for gold, or construct a base. You might be able to gold, and you might not. It all depends if there is a Minion camping the Gold Mine. If you cannot get any gold, then that means you just have to be extra cautious, since you don't have a Staff of Teleportation. Undecided

Remember not to hide in a one-exit base at all times if you only have Wind Walk. If it is safe to go golding, right-click the coin icon to auto-cast it (if you don't, you won't be able to gold) then do so. But remember, your only escape ability is Wind Walk! An easy counter to Wind Walk is a pearl, or a reveal ability. This means the first 6 gold you get, you should use it to buy a Staff of Teleportation in case you get trapped or something. Titans can be really devious. While you're looting you MUST make sure you know where the Titan is at ALL times. You have to also beware of the Teleport the Titan is able to use. One tiny mistake, and POW! You're a goner.
Here is what a Staff of Teleportation looks like:

Also, here is a screen-shot of how you should wall up Gold Mound:

By the way, in that picture, the coral blocks the Titan from getting inside.
AND UPGRADE YOUR WALLS!

[Part 2:] The other thing you can do is base. Before you go basing, you have to make sure you know where the Titan is, because you just might bump into him. I will explain more in Section 7 (How to base/wall).

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6. Late Game... Gold Penalty!

[Part 1:] OMGOMGOMG! It's finally Gold Penalty time! This means you finally get Mega towers! But that's not it, you also get to build your Advanced Research Center for Haste (increases tower attack speed by 20%), Spiked Structures (makes walls and towers deal damage to enemy attackers), Hunter/Gatherer Survival Training (increases hunter and worker hp by 300), and upgrade your lumbering to the fullest.
An awesome full-proof technique you can use is called "Worker Blocking". This technique is most effective when the Worker Upgrade is complete and your workers have 400hp. It's simple. Just build two shelters as walls at the back (hotkey them) and spam them when the Titan comes. Why? To trap the Titan of course. You can even use the workers to act as human walls and annoy the crap out of the Titan. If he starts nuking your workers, just detonate them and start spamming them again! Grin

Note: You can also easily use this strategy without the Worker Upgrade on Granitacles or Sypherious (det when syph is about to use wave).
Here is how you should place your shelters:

Also, remember to always have a Gnoll Tracker bought and ready, to suddenly screw the Titan over when he Wind Walks.

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7. How to base/wall

[Part 1:] OK, now that you're ready to start raping, select your base! Don't know which one to pick? Here are some choices for you.
Red = Good | Yellow = Average

Some of you may be wondering, why did I make some of the usual bases 'average'? It's simply because it doesn't have enough concentration on all sides, and you can get nuked easier. The ones that I circled red are the bases that have mass tower concentration, harder to nuke, etc.

[Part 2:] If you don't have enough towers, you're screwed. If you don't have enough walls, you're screwed too. In order to make a good base, you must know how to wall! The best and easiest way to wall is the "Reverse Arrow". It basically increases concentration to the maximum, and harder for the Titan to break in.
Here is a screen-shot of "Reverse Arrow" walling:

Be sure you don't make it too deep, or else the Titan can just siege through one side while the other side is useless.
+By the way, ALWAYS wall yourself and NEVER trust anyone, unless you know them. I'm warning you!!

[Part 3:] Wait... there's another way to "Reverse Arrow" Huh?

Yes, there is. It is basically just a half a space difference. Some people prefer using this style, while some others use the normal way. This style however, allows you to have more towering space.
Here is a screen-shot of "Reverse Arrow 2" walling:

[Part 4:] Now that you've learned how to wall, let's start towering! Remember, Troll towers each cost 4 food, so you shouldn't make THAT many... unless you have enough wood. It is best if you make both sides symmetrical, so both sides have even firepower. Done towering? Upgrade them so the Titan can't break through! Once you're done that, select your Troll Lodge, and start making your Hunter for a cost of 400 wood. After your Titan Hunter is complete, destroy a wall inside and blink your Titan Hunter in. It is very useful because unlike some other Hunters, yours is ranged, therefore it is able to destroy "Healing Wards" and also act as a tower, dealing damage to the Titan.
Here is a screen-shot of where you should blink your Hunter:

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8. How to NOT DIE!

[Part 2:] One wrong move, and you can say bye-bye to your builder. There are many, many ways to die: Nuking, Wind Walk, Teleport, etc. But the one I'll be explaining to you right now is "Nuking". Smart Titans will siege a few walls, wait for you to re-wall, and when you do, the Titan and his Minions will nuke you to death. In case you didn't know, "nukes" are skills that both Titans and Minions have (Tainted Blood, Crushing Wave, etc.) that deal damage to units at a range.

Wanna know how to counter this? There is no way to counter nuking, but there are ways to avoid it. First of all, if it is just one useless wall that is destroyed, then don't bother re-walling. Another way is to have workers act as walls (after worker upgrade) so you don't have to go out and re-wall. Remember, always stay at the back where you cannot get nuked, and don't get near another unit, because it may bounce the nuke to you. Only go out to rewall when you know the Titan and Minions are at a safe distance.

[Part 3:] Another way to not die is by "Juking". This technique is basically placing a building at a choke-point, forcing the enemy to stop in its tracks. This technique allows a space for you to walk through, but not for the enemy. Juking is also going where the enemy does not think you'll go.
Okay, pretend the Titan has landed a blow on you. You activate Wind Walk, and run BACKWARDS. Since most players run forward, the Titan will think you've did the same, but little does he know, you've predicted his movements! Shocked

Here are a few screen-shots of how you juke at a choke-point:

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Notice how I didn't complete the Fruit Tree and Troll Lodge. That is because you cannot waste ANY time when juking. If the Titan/Minion tries to destroy your building, then just simply cancel it to deny the feed. So when juking, do not waste your time completing your building.

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Killing the Opponent

[Part 1:] There are several easy ways to get a free +45gold and some bones with Troll. This builder may not be a Minion-Killer like Nature, but there are still techniques you can use. The first technique I already explained about, "Worker Blocking". The second one I'll be explaining to you is the "OMGKAMAKAZIESUMMONEVERYTHING!" technique. It goes a little something like this:
After you have built a merchant, buy all the summoning items onto your hunter (Spearlocs only if you have enough gold). When the Titan/Minion attacks, and is at less than half hp, blink your hunter out and summon EVERYTHING. It's a 90% guaranteed kill. But be careful not to blink your Titan Hunter out too early, as the Titan may kill it.

[Part 2:] Onto the next technique! This one is called the "Turtle Block"! Sounds exciting huh!?! Cheesy

So at your Troll Lodge, there should be a purchasable item called "Turtle Scales". Buy it on both your builder AND Titan Hunter. When the enemy starts sieging your base, summon the Speed Turtle on both builder and Hunter. Then, when the opponent gets to half hp or less, blink BOTH Speed Turtles out... and BLOCK BLOCK BLOCK!!! This doesn't work often, but if it does, it'll give you the chance to call the Titan a "noob" or some other wacky insults.

[Part 3:] Another way of killing is by simply walling the Titan/Minion in. Again, when they are at half hp or less, Wind Walk your builder outside, and construct a wall to trap the Titan... and UPGRADE IT! This is a risky technique, as the Titan may pearl you, and kill you. A counter to this is Teleport too.

[Part 4:] (This technique only works if you have an extra 45g) LAST TECHNIQUE! Once you have built your Advanced Research Center, research "Expert Hunter Training". This upgrade will give you the skill "Ensnare", which traps the enemy in a net for a few seconds, giving you time to kill. Just wait until the enemy is half hp or less, and use it! POW.

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10. F.A.Q.

Q. "WTF I WAS WIND WALK'D, HOW DID U ATK ME??"
A. Obvious answer. The Titan either used an ability to reveal you, or he used Pearl of Vision. Remember, even if the Titan maphacks, he cannot attack you unless he has sight of you.

Q. "Why'd they make the Tower's food cost more than others?" Huh?

A. Troll towers are way stronger than other towers, therefore they have to increase the food cost.

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11. Credits?

Thanks to...

Single Player Mode

Those who failed me with joy.

Single Player Mode... again.

Photobucket and DotA-Allstars.com.

Kama informing me about another lumber strategy.

Murs for teaching me everything I know about ID!

And Kama's contest for encouraging me to make this guide.

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The End
Thanks for reading!

	Author	Topic: - The Guide To Troll - Contest Winner (Read 3609 times)
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