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Hero Mastery
Kez
A dual-stance carry: Kazurai Katana stacks damage over time on every hit, Falcon Rush sticks to a target with echoing attacks, Raptor Dance makes you briefly invulnerable before it answers back, and Echo Slash detonates a clumped enemy team.
Mastery parameters
Your GPM, last hits and damage per game against other Kez players — average vs Top 20%.
Members onlyLearning 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 Kez your mastery hero to start — progress shows on Home and Arcana.
Sign in through SteamPhase by phase
Laning: last hits above everything
You 80%Team 20%
Skills in lane — Pro cores max Kazurai Katana (E) first — 95% of 399 games since patch 7.41, then Echo Slash (Q). First talent at level 11.
Level 6 — Raptor Dance — Raptor Dance makes you briefly invulnerable, then hits every enemy around you again and again — get in with Grappling Claw, then press it in the middle of them.
Skills 1–7
1
2
3- 4
- 5
6- 7
Starting items
Iron Branch29%
Faerie Fire19%
Circlet of Nobility18%
Tango13%
Quelling Blade9%
Magic Stick7%
Pros buy this phase
Power Treads64%
Perseverance33%
Mage Slayer3%
Falcon Blade1%
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.
Kez
Counters & weaknesses
Right-click carry (physical damage)
The items that shut Kez down, 3 heroes that trouble it, and your answer when you play it.
Members onlyWhy 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 Kez 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.