The Synergy
The Priest of the Eternal Sun has 4 abilities, all of which are binding with each other really well.
Let's have a glance at the abilities:
Mantra of Anubis is a summoning spell, that pauses Pharaoh_, but enhances his armor (the greater the level, the greater the defence bonus). Since he is paused, he cannot be issued any order. He also produces a regenerating aura, up to the damage his summons deal. In practice, the maximum the regeneration aura should get is about 55 life per second. The aura doesn't heal the summons.
Clockgate of Amun Ra is actually a ritual-looking ability, which will prevent enemy units from getting closer to the target location. The Area of Effect is 400. The spell also prevents mana of nearby allies from being used. This may sound really nice, since spells actually cost no mana, but for balance issues, the regeneration of the allies is also paused and they can receive no mana from any source, even from a fountain.
Signet of Aten (Light and Darkness) is an immolation-based ability, which has different effects, up to the time of the day. Whether it's day or night though, this skill grants Pharaoh_ the ability to ignore damage from behind. The ability costs mana per second. If it's day, there is no actual bonus effect, but, if it's a night, the Priest will summon an orb full of dark magic, that will damage nearby enemies.
The Best Alliance
Orcs & Undead.
Pharaoh_'s main ability is his summoning one, so he really has that summoner aspect. Undead, on the other hand, have Necromancers the number 1 summoning unit of the Warcraft III environment. So, the mummies and the skeletons will be a powerful force to destroy whole bases. Obsidian Statues are also a help for health healing, so, within the AoE of Clockgate of Amun Ra, they will heal for no mana cost. Apparently though, their mana heal will not be effective.
Orcs have additional helpful effects that will boost the effectiveness of the hero. Shadow Hunter's ultimate, Big Bad Voodoo grants invulnerability to units around. Τhe mummies will be given invulnerability too, creating a very powerful regenerating aura, through the Mantra of Anubis ability.
Spirit walkers on the other hand will be some exceptional assistance, since their Spirit Link will be a real pain, after the mummies have spawned.
Finally, Shamans, with their Bloodlust abilities, will grant extra attack speed to the mummies, which will result a healing aura with faster potential.
Tactics
How to play the hero properly? Here is a mini-guide:
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Early game
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Your main spell for early game (sorry for the DotA tongue, but early game is also defined in the melee maps) is your summoning spell, Mantra of Anubis. Although level is really weak, you still need it, since it also regenerates health for nearby allies.
Your second main spell for early game would be the Clockgate of Amun Ra. This spell helps you survive, since it prevents enemy units from entering the area of effect, while keeping your mana frozen.So, your first synergy would be casting the Clockgate of Amun Ra to stay untouched by melee foes and right after a cast of Mantra of Anubis, which will summon the mummies, while the Clockgate of Amun Ra will prevent the mana from being reduced.
Mana-wise, this hero has potential. It reminds us of the Lich, who is able of converting ally units for regaining mana, although this one has the advantage of not sacrificing a unit and remain untouched by melee units.
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Early - Mid game (Part 1)
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When the night comes, you may learn your second, in the list, skill: Signet of Aten. Signet of Aten is a skill that varies from day to night, as, in the night, it produces an additional effect. In both day and night, every damage the hero takes from the back will be ignored (both physical and magical). In the night though, he will summon an orb, that will damage nearby enemies.
NOTICE: The damage of the orb is low, because if we think that basic Immolation abilities cause 10 damage per second and this one is already enhanced with the additional backfacing damage prevention, the damage should be lowered for balancing issues.
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Early-Mid game (Part 2)
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You are now level 6; you must not lose your most powerful weapon: your ultimate (Sacred Disvision of Hathor). Your ultimate is an essential tool, since it brings much of power to the hero. The concept in every ultimate of the melee maps is always powerful.
Examples:
• Animate dead -> Summons a bunch of dead units for the owner of the hero that are invulnerable.
• Resurrection -> Brings back to life the nearby dead ally units, but have no expiration timer, as Animate Dead has.
• Bug Bad Voodoo - > Grants invulnerability to nearby units for a long time.
• Voodoo Spirits -> Summons many units that damage nearby enemies, which will heal the hero, once they return to him with an amount almost equal to the damage they dealt.
My points is that all of the ultimates in Melee heroes are powerful, I won't mention all of them.
So, the ultimate has a 50% chance to provide the hero with infinite mana or health. Another considerable point is the fact that the hero is moving periodically, so he has a higher speed. Finally, it grants the owner of the hero visibility all over the map. Its duration is set to 17 seconds.
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Mid - Late game
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At this point, you have all of your skillset learned. Let's collect the effects again and talk them out:
• Armor bonus (Mantra of Anubis)
• Healing effect (Mantra of Anubis)
• Inability of melee units to reach you (Clockgate of Amun Ra)
• Damage prevention from the back (Signet of Aten)
• Damage to nearby enemies in the night (Signet of Aten)
• Infinite mana or health (Sacred Disvision of Hathor)
As you can see all of the effects are related to surviveability.
Possibilities
• When you cast Clockgate of Amun Ra, you may have melee attacks disabled, since they cannot reach you, but range units can still attack you. To prevent much of damage in this ocassion, you can either cast Sacred Division of Hathor (your ultimate) to boost your health with an infinite amount or Signet of Aten (to prevent damage from the back) or Mantra of Anubis to boost your armor or all of them. This possibility actually explains how to combine all of the skills together.
• The hero surviveability-wise might seem powerful, but the Strength income per level balances this concept. The abilities might sound overpowered, but when it comes into action, the hero receives the balance he should have.
• Low health can be prevented with your ultimate. Even if you don't get the chance of being boosted with infinite health, you are able of travelling in high speeds, which equals easy escape.
• Prevention of mana being spent: Use Sacred Division of Hathor or Clockgate of Amun Ra.
• Need extra damage? Buy yourself some Moonstone and turn on your Signet of Aten or cast Mantra of Anubis.
• Additional escaping tactic: Summon the clockgate of Amun Ra and let the enemies trying to make their way towards the center of the clock or even forget their order!
Have fun playing
