Hero Mastery

Medusa

A durable late-game carry: Mana Shield absorbs damage through mana, Split Shot fires at many targets, and Stone Gaze stuns a team that looks at her.

Mastery parameters

Your GPM, last hits and damage per game against other Medusa 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 Medusa 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 Mystic Snake (W) first — 67% of 194 games since patch 7.41, then Split Shot (Q). Some max Split Shot (Q) first instead (33%). First talent at level 11.
Mask / Manta online — Attack speed + Split Shot speed up your farm hugely. Shove waves and bank mana for Mana Shield.

Skills 1–7

Starting items

Iron Branch45%
Magic Stick13%
Circlet of Nobility12%
Enchanted Mango11%
Magic Wand8%
Quelling Blade4%

Pros buy this phase

Power Treads87%
Yasha9%
Falcon Blade4%

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

Right-click carry (physical damage)

The items that shut Medusa 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 Medusa 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.