Hero Mastery
An ice mage: Frost Blast (Nova) nukes + slows, Frost Shield protects + slows attackers, Sinister Gaze pulls a target, and Chain Frost bounces for repeated slows.
Your XP and damage per game against other Lich players — average vs Top 20%. Supports are not graded on GPM.
Members only5 stages, each with one target from your own games and one short quiz. Make Lich your mastery hero to start — progress shows on Home and Arcana.
Sign in through SteamSkills in lane — Pro supports max Frost Blast (Q) first — 93% of 392 games since patch 7.41, then Sinister Gaze (E). First talent at level 11.
Level 6 — Chain Frost — Chain Frost bounces between grouped enemies — in tight space it slows repeatedly and melts the team.
Frost Blast lane bully — Frost Blast is cheap and hits hard — spam it to push enemies out of lane and secure early kills.
Skills 1–7
Starting items
Pros buy this phase
Lich
The items that shut Lich down, 5 heroes that trouble it, and your answer when you play it.
Members onlyOne hero, one role first
OpenAI's first bot played only Shadow Fiend, only mid, until it mastered it. Stay on Lich 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.