Hero Mastery

Timbersaw

An unkillable magical bruiser: Reactive Armor stacks regen, Timber Chain for tree-to-tree mobility, Whirling Death for damage.

Mastery parameters

Your GPM, last hits and damage per game against other Timbersaw 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 Timbersaw your mastery hero to start — progress shows on Home and Arcana.

Phase by phase

Laning: pressure their carry, don't feed

You 50%Team 50%

Skills in lane — Pro cores max Whirling Death (Q) first — 92% of 397 games since patch 7.41, then Timber Chain (W). First talent at level 11.
Full Reactive Armor — laning — Hug the treeline for max armor stacks, then Timber Chain in–Whirling Death–out repeatedly. You out-regen their damage.

Skills 1–7

Starting items

Iron Branch35%
Gauntlets of Strength30%
Tango12%
Circlet of Nobility6%
Magic Stick4%
Quelling Blade4%

Pros buy this phase

Phase Boots84%
Power Treads6%
Tranquil Boots4%
Arcane Boots3%
Kaya3%

The Offlaner's job this phase

Your goal isn't perfect farm — it's making sure THEIR carry doesn't farm. Contest every last hit.
Secure range creeps with a spell if needed; XP matters more than gold for you.
If the 1v2 is rough, hug your tower and ask the soft support to help zone.

Counters & weaknesses

Tank (big HP & armor)

The items that shut Timbersaw 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 Timbersaw 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.