Hero Mastery

Faceless Void

A teamfight carry: Chronosphere freezes time for your whole team, and Time Lock bashes let you shred a target trapped inside.

Mastery parameters

Your GPM, last hits and damage per game against other Faceless Void players — average vs Top 20%.

Members only

Learning journey

1 Know the kit
2 Win the lane
3 Timing & rotations
4 Win the fights
5 Master

5 stages, each with one target from your own games and one short quiz. Make Faceless Void your mastery hero to start — progress shows on Home and Arcana.

Phase by phase

Laning: last hits above everything

You 80%Team 20%

Skills in lane — Pro cores max Time Walk (Q) first — 53% of 391 games since patch 7.41, then Time Lock (E). Some max Time Lock (E) first instead (37%). First talent at level 11.
Level 6 — first Chronosphere — Your first Chrono is a kill. Catch 1–2 isolated enemies — don't waste it just to scare the whole team.

Skills 1–7

Starting items

Iron Branch34%
Quelling Blade16%
Tango14%
Magic Stick12%
Circlet of Nobility9%
Faerie Fire6%

Pros buy this phase

Power Treads78%
Perseverance17%
Mask of Madness4%
Helm of the Dominator1%

The Carry (Safe Lane)'s job this phase

Aim for 45–50 last hits by minute 10 — check that number every game, it's your main KPI.
Don't over-harass: trade HP only when it doesn't cost you last hits.
Minutes 2 & 4: ask your support to pull so the lane stays near your tower.

Counters & weaknesses

Slippery escape heroPassive-reliant heroRight-click carry (physical damage)

The items that shut Faceless Void down, 3 heroes that trouble it, and your answer when you play it.

Members only

Why this way? How OpenAI Five learned

One hero, one role first
OpenAI's first bot played only Shadow Fiend, only mid, until it mastered it. Stay on Faceless Void in one role before moving on.
Small, measurable rewards
OpenAI Five was rewarded for last hits and staying alive long before it understood winning. That's why each journey stage has one number to hit.
From yourself to the team
Its 'team spirit' rose over the game: early on, look after yourself; late, play for the team. Each phase's meter shows the split.
Use proven builds
OpenAI Five's builds were hand-written, not trial and error. Start from the pro build, then experiment.

Phase items: what pros buy on this hero (OpenDota). Parameters: percentiles of players on this hero (OpenDota). Item effects checked against Valve's own item data.