Clockwerk

Rattletrap the Clockwerk is a melee strength hero commonly played as an initiator or ganker. As an initiator, his main purpose is crowd control. However, he also does secondary jobs such as chasing and map control. His abilities are centered around isolating and killing enemies one by one. He does not deal reliable area damage like most initiators, but still he is capable of a surprising and devastating entrance. Usually Clockwerk players should initiate onto low health support heroes or enemy heroes with strong team fight ability, such as Warlock, hampering their ability to land solid teamfight spells. Clockwerk can also initiate onto enemy carry heroes, in order to isolate them away from the team fight by forcing them to remain in cogs.

Gameplay
His first ability is Battery Assault, which shoots out shrapnel every 0.7 seconds for 10.5 seconds in total. This spell deals good damage and causes mini-stun on every hit. It has a very small area of effect and is not effective when multiple targets are near Clockwerk, so it is beneficial to isolate heroes or hunt lone heroes down. If you can consistently hit one enemy hero over the 10.5 seconds, it deals an incredibly high amount of damage. His second ability is Power Cogs, which sucks in units that are close to him and surrounds them with small structures. These structures don't allow anyone to escape and will push back heroes that try to get close to them, which makes it very useful to combo with his first ability. Can also be used to run away or create an artificial wall, but this requires skill on the player's part. His third ability is a global rocket which has a decent area of effect but a slow travel time, so it is difficult to hit from long range. It gives vision wherever it hits and deals some mediocre damage, making it effective to scout, harass, or kill a fleeing hero. Clockwerk's ultimate is a very long range hookshot which shoots out very quickly from him to a target position. If the hook collides with an enemy hero or creep, he will be pulled to it(the target is immobilized while he's being pulled unto it), stunning and damaging all enemies that are passed through, as well as those at the target location. It is very good for catching heroes that are running away or off guard, but takes positioning and skill to hit.

Tips

 * Clockwerk is a formidable initiator and ganker with who can be effective even with very few items in the early and mid game. He is most often played as an off-laner or mid, as he can be an effective initiator with a few early levels and his ultimate, and does not absolutely require farm but can increase greatly in effectiveness with items.
 * Clockwerk has very strong initiation abilities, but his damage nukes scale off greatly the longer a game goes due to enemies' mana and HP pools getting larger. As such, he is most effective in the early- and mid-game where he can get ganks off and secure map control for his team to gain an early advantage.
 * works as a periodic mini-stun that can deal tremendous damage to single targets, and is effective for interrupting channeled spells or long cast animations.
 * Battery Assault works best if Clockwerk can single out a lone enemy. As the shrapnel hits random targets within a certain radius of Clockwerk, removing random targets from the equation allows Clockwerk to inflict all of the damage on a single enemy, often resulting in a kill.
 * Battery Assault is a very strong chasing spell that works best if Clockwerk has more movement speed than his target. The mini-stun from the shrapnel will force enemies to stop each time they are hit, drastically impeding their attempts to flee. This allows Clockwerk to guaranteed slow an enemy down for the full duration of the spell after getting within range to land one mini-stun, and gives any nearby allies time to catch up.
 * Never underestimate the amount of damage that Battery Assault can deal to a lone target in the early game. With just two levels in the ability, it is possible to run down and kill enemies by yourself in the laning stage if you can catch them away from other units.
 * Power Cogs can be a powerful lockdown spell to use in combination with Battery Assault. As Power Cogs locks down all nearby enemies within a certain radius of Clockwerk, it can trap single enemies next to Clockwerk and force them to absorb the shrapnel for some time.
 * Remember that Battery Assault will not hit invisible units. Therefore, it is highly recommended to carry Dust of Appearance or Sentry Wards if you are ganking a hero with invisibility spells or items.
 * is a powerful crowd-control and nuke that costs little mana to use. The cogs can greatly impede enemy movement, allowing Clockwerk's team to cast area-of-effect spells to great effect.
 * Power Cogs is a powerful harass and escape spell in the laning stage. Against melee carries, Clockwerk can easily get within range to shock them with the cogs when they approach the creeps to get a last-hit, destroying their HP and mana at little cost to himself. As well, deploying the cogs while running from an enemy gank will prevent them from easily pursuing.
 * Used as an initiating tool, Power Cogs can greatly impede enemies' movements whether they are outside or within the barrier. Placing the cogs in a certain area can inflict several of the enemy with the shock and prevent them from moving in that direction, which can be used to cut off escapes or deter advance; as well, remember that shocked enemies will be knocked back, which can be used to displace them over impassable terrain if needed. Locking down targets within the barrier allows your team to hit them with powerful but unreliably-targeted spells like, , , , and so on.
 * Remember that Power Cogs will stun any enemies that touch them from outside the barrier, and as such can be useful as a way to interrupt channeling spells or items if Battery Assault and Hookshot are on cooldown.
 * Be very careful about when and where you use Power Cogs, as they will impede allied movement as well as that of enemies. Deploying Power Cogs at the wrong moment or place can trap teammates or hinder pursuit against enemies.
 * is a global range damage nuke that has powerful utility at all points of the game.
 * Early game, your skill points are better spent on your other spells, so one level of Rocket Flare is enough. It can be used to secure last-hits, and to break Clarity and Healing Salve on enemy heroes from long range.
 * Always be sure to use the flare's global range to your advantage. If you have advance notice that your team intends to gank in another lane, try to send a rocket at the enemy to add your own nuke damage as well.
 * Never underestimate Rocket Flare's damage at high levels. Against fleeing opponents, its global range can be enough to finish them off with precise aiming. It also has utility in pushing or counter-pushing lanes globally by using the flare to damage enemy creeps.
 * The vision granted by a rocket should be utilized to its utmost. Never hesitate to use your rocket to check behind treelines where you suspect the enemy may be, and be sure to occasionally check Roshan's pit if the entire enemy team is missing. As well, besides the lingering flying vision given over its destination, it also provides vision as it travels, so overshooting can allow you to scout out more area.
 * is one of the most powerful initiating abilities in the game, allowing Clockwerk to almost instantly stun and close the gap with any target that he has a clear line of engagement towards.
 * Always take advantage of Hookshot's long cast range if possible. It can latch onto targets from extremely far away, so you can initiate on an enemy who doesn't even know that you're in the same part of the map as them.
 * Power Cogs has extremely strong synergy with Hookshot, as you can lock an enemy down in place after latching to them, preventing them from moving for a long duration. You can even move a short distance away before dropping the Power Cogs to block off their escape route while inflicting them with the shock.
 * Don't forget that you can Hookshot to allied units (both heros and creeps) as well as neutrals, not just as enemies. This can be useful for escaping from a bad situation, as you can quickly put a large amount of distance between yourself and any pursuers.
 * Hookshot can stun enemies through spell immunity. As such, it can be used as a last resort if an enemy has activated spell immunity and is trying to teleport away.
 * Due to his nature as an initiator, Clockwerk can build many different types of powerful items that can greatly benefit his team or himself.
 * As a utility hero, be sure to purchase s for your team whenever possible. Given Clockwerk's mobility, being able to monitor the enemy's position and movement can give you numerous opportunities for Hookshot initiations.
 * In general, carrying a at all times can be highly beneficial for Clockwerk. Being able to reveal enemies that have invisibility spells or items allows him to hit them with Battery Assault, drastically reducing their chances of successful escape.
 * can be a useful item to purchase on Clockwerk during the laning stage, as his low base intelligence means that its flat mana regen benefits him disproportionately. The extra armor also gives him more survivability, and the extra damage helps with last-hitting.
 * is a very useful utility item on a roaming Clockwerk in place of a Bracer. The strength gives him more HP and base damage, while the mana regen helps with his casting. The active can be used to deal more damage to an enemy during a gank, or heal yourself or allies afterward.
 * can be useful to purchase on a utility Clockwerk who is dependent on casting spells and using item abilities. Clockwerk's main weakness is his small mana pool, so alleviating that allows him to cast his spells more often.
 * can be useful to pick up on Clockwerk depending on your build. Being able to treads switch can allow Clockwerk to take better advantage of Bottle, and reduces the mana cost of his spells while also allowing him to give himself more HP after successful initiations. As well, the increased attack speed and base damage helps with his right-click damage output in teamfights or while farming.
 * is a very good item to get on Clockwerk as it increases his survivability during initiations. As Clockwerk is already very resistant against magic nukes, the damage block makes him quite tough against physical attacks as well, and the HP regen allows him to maintain his HP pool in the field, meaning less returns to base.
 * gives Clockwerk an extra tool for more mobility on top of the highly beneficial intelligence, allowing him to quickly close the gap to cast Power Cogs or Battery Assault, or escape from unpleasant situations. Its most powerful use is to allow Clockwerk to escape from inside his own Power Cogs without having to destroy them, allowing him to trap dangerous melee enemies inside that could otherwise tear him apart with right-clicks.
 * drastically increases Clockwerk's mobility and gives him yet more initiating power. Clockwerk can blink on top of enemies to initiate rather than using Hookshot, or use the blink to quickly re-position himself for a clear line of fire for Hookshot.
 * gives Clockwerk stats across the board, additional armor, and a way to heal himself and his team, especially after using Hookshot to initiate. However, its high mana cost means that you should increase the size of your mana pool if you want to build this item.
 * is a useful durability item that is a good complement if your team has a melee carry. The armor aura increases Clockwerk's survivability, and the mana regen and lifesteal can allow him to roam over extended periods of time without returning to base for HP or mana.
 * gives Clockwerk a powerful amount of utility for a cheap support item. The extra movement speed helps Clockwerk to chase down enemies with Battery Assault, and the intelligence and mana regen allow him to cast his spells much more often. The active adds yet another disable to Clockwerk's repertoire, allowing him to disable another enemy after a Hookshot initiation or stopping someone in their tracks so that you can walk over and surround them with Power Cogs.
 * is a good utility upgrade from Vanguard, as it gives Clockwerk additional armor for a modest buildup. The active can greatly help your team in fights, and drastically increases Clockwerk's survivability against physical damage during initiations.
 * is a good utility item that increases Clockwerk's initiating power. Besides the stats and armor, Clockwerk is uniquely qualified to use the item's active ability as he will often find himself right in the middle of the enemy after Hookshotting in, allowing him to apply the magic resistance debuff to the enemy team and making his team's magic nukes hit for more, as well as those of Clockwerk himself.
 * has strong synergy with Clockwerk. Using the item after initiating on an enemy with Hookshot and Power Cogs can trap them inside the barrier with you and two summons that help to deal additional damage, on top of providing True Sight within the area once it is upgraded. It also provides strength and intelligence to Clockwerk, giving him more HP and mana.

Trivia

 * One of Clockwerk's death animations is a reference to the movie Terminator 2: Judgment Day.
 * An old competitive strategy that was used in DotA was sending a rocket flare over to the enemy fountain, and having teleport to the enemy base and snipe the courier. This tactic has long been discontinued due to triggers being implemented to stop it.
 * The line " Ratt_death_05.mp3 I'm lost... like gears in the rain." (death line) is a reference to the movie Blade Runner.
 * The line " Ratt_spawn_02.mp3 Some assembly required" (spawn line) is a reference to a song of the same name composed by Mike Morasky, for the game Portal 2, another game made by Valve.
 * The line " Ratt_respawn_16.mp3 I'm the six million gold piece man!" (respawn line) is a reference to the American television series The Six Million Dollar Man.
 * The line " Ratt_move_24.mp3 The turtle wins the race" (move line) is a reference to one of Zeno's Paradoxes named Achilles and the tortoise.
 * According to some of his responses and  are his cousins.