Ulfsaar, The Ursa Warrior - Probably the only hero that can take on Roshan at just level 4-6 with relative ease. This fuzzy-wuzzy hero, although from a peaceful wooded homeland, comes with skills that quite easily make him one of the fiercest 1v1 heroes in all of the land. Handled well, and every engagement will ensure you take out at least 1 or 2 MVPs or Support enemy heroes.
To achieve that level of dominance, there are many strategies and builds to follow depending on requirements right from the start, and although Ursa is a hero that requires vital support from his team-mates skills’ & inventory choices, this list will help you survive without them. So let’s get right to it!
Here are the top 5 builds for Ursa:
5. The ‘Fuzzy-Wuzzy’ Safe Build
Here's Ursa, eager to take on Roshan all on his own, early in-game.
It’s not rocket science to understand that on some days, you’re just not into it. Your playing slower, you’re exhausted, you can’t think of a counter mid-game, but you don’t want to give up! And that’s great. You can always bounce back, just as long as you don’t stray away for too long, don’t die often, keep farming, gaining levels & stick to the safest build you know will work & that’s this one
To ensure steady & powerful build-up of dominance, this build will require you to play safely while focussing on your items & abilities. What’s ‘key’ here is survivability, patience, item build-up, and team-play. Help as much as you can in-lane, but always remember to focus on yourself getting stronger, because if you can’t focus on what role to take on, just focus on gaining levels, take Roshan out, and tank team-fights.
Remember, Ursa can tank really well, even if it is for a few seconds, so keep that as your primary objective if you have no idea what else to do, just blink in, tank & survive.
What is this build good for:
- Well-balanced and can be effective in many situations.
- Forces you to play safer, stay alive for longer. Which honestly is great for you & your team.
- If played right you’re going to end up with a game-changing inventory and powerful survivability.
Build Details:
Starting Items
- Tango
- Healing Salve
- Iron Branch x2
Early Items
- Phase Boots
- Magic Wand
- Orb of Venom
- Morbid Mask
Core Items
- Blink Dagger
- Vladmir’s Offering
- Black King Bar
- Aghanim’s Scepter
- Abyssal Blade
Skill Build:
- (Q) Earthshock: 4,12,14,17
- (W) Overpower: 2,5,7,9
- (E) Fury Swipes: 1,3,8,13
- (R) Enrage: 6,11,16
- Talent Tree: 10,15,20,25. (All at 30)
Talent Tree:
- +8 Strength
- +14 Agility
- +1.5s Enrage Duration
- Enrage Gains 80% Status Resistance
4. The ‘We Fight As One’ Team Build
The greatest way to live in harmony is to peacefully live together.
A great way to play in any team-focused game, is of course, as a team, and with his wise words, Ursa knows exactly how important that is. His survivability depends even more upon the abilities and items that his teammates bring to the battlefield. However, the type of build that Ursa follows is also, either equally or more important.
Remember, Ursa isn’t a hero that needs to focus on damage-items, yeah, they sure do help, but he’s great without it & to use him as a core initiator for team fights is your best bet since it’s Ursa’s job to get in and disrupt enemy attacks or defenses by taking out the softest heroes out quickly.
What is this build good for:
- Benefits the entire team during team fights.
- Makes allied heroes and creeps stronger & more effective overall in battle.
- You’ll get a ton of love from your team. Give some, get some. Right?
Build Details:
Starting Items
- Tango
- Healing Salve
- Iron Branch x2
Early Items
- Phase Boots
- Magic Wand
- Vladmir’s Offering
Core Items
- Assault Cuirass
- Abyssal Blade
- Drum of Endurance
- Blink Dagger
- Scythe of Vyse
Skill Build:
- (Q) Earthshock: 3,9,14,17
- (W) Overpower: 2,5,8,12
- (E) Fury Swipes: 1,4,7,13
- (R) Enrage: 6,11,16
- Talent Tree: 10,15,20,25. (All at 30)
Talent Tree:
- +8 Strength
- +14 Agility
- +1.5s Enrage Duration
- Enrage Gains 80% Status Resistance
3. The ‘Set Upon Them!’ Ganking Build
Less than 15 seconds, that's all it takes to end a hero after hearing Ursa's battle roar.
My runner-up favorite, Ursa is a feared hero & what better way to play him other than by wreaking havoc and fear into enemy lanes (and minds too, rightfully.) from the very beginning of the battle.
This build will not just help you score ‘first blood’ at the bounty runes, but it will also help you punish those who are set against you in your lane. The ‘Shock & Awe’ effect from this build will create early pressure on all lanes, and help your team push aggressively. Remember though, for this to work, you need vision, quick hands & some good judgment. For eg. If you have two ranged heroes in your lane, you’ll have to wait a little longer till you can be aggressive.
What is this build good for:
- Massively destroy anyone’s plan of a 13-minute core item.
- Force opponents to abandon their lane-phase much earlier to survive against you, causing them to lose more gold and XP.
- More enemy gold will be spent on vision.
- You will be feared.
Build Details:
Starting Items
- Tango
- Wind Lace
- Magic Stick
- Iron branch x1
Early Items
- Orb of Venom
- Phase Boots
- Blight Stone
Core Items
- Silver Edge
- Desolator
- Blink Dagger
- Abyssal Blade
- Black King Bar
Skill Build:
- (Q) Earthshock: 1,4,7,9
- (W) Overpower: 2,8,12,14
- (E) Fury Swipes: 3,5,13,17
- (R) Enrage: 6,11,16
- Talent Tree: 10,15,20,25. (All at 30)
Talent Tree:
- +8 Strength
- +14 Agility
- +1.5s Enrage Duration
- Enrage Gains 80% Status Resistance
2. The ‘Keeper of the Jungle’ Tank Build
An imaginary thought of Ulfsaar's Ancestors. The ancient guardians of the realm.
It may be his spirit that keeps him safe, and not mere armor. However, boil that down to reality, and ‘mere’ armor is what will keep him alive, for longer. Being an important initiator, Ursa often faces the same mortal danger faced by almost every other initiator. Surviving.
With this build, our aim is not just to get Ursa into the fray like a massive tank, but it will also be to help him get out of it, alive. Because, if every initiation equals the initiator’s death, that will turn into a strategic-prediction which can be used against your team. And that’s not great. So here’s what we think is going to help Ursa stay alive for longer.
What is this build good for:
- It makes you a hell lot more difficult to take down.
- Enemies focus on you, leaving your teammates safer, who will, in turn, take down the enemy.
- Great K/D ratio.
Build Details:
Starting Items
- Tango
- Iron branch x2
- Magic Stick
- Mango
- Ring of Protection (Will fall short of 10 gold, buy after the match begins.)
Early Items
- Urn of Shadows (Yea, I thought it looked like Um too, instead of U r n)
- Blade Mail
- Vladmir’s Offering
- Phase Boots
Core Items
- Blink Dagger
- Heart of Tarrasque Or Vladmir’s Offering
- Assault Cuirass
- Aeon Disk
- Black King Bar
Skill Build:
- (Q) Earthshock: 4,12,14,17
- (W) Overpower: 2,5,7,9
- (E) Fury Swipes: 1,3,8,13
- (R) Enrage: 6,11,16
- Talent Tree: 10,15,20,25. (All at 30)
Talent Tree:
- +8 Strength
- +14 Agility
- +1.5s Enrage Duration
- Enrage Gains 80% Status Resistance
1. ‘Ulfsaar, The Legendary’ Solo Build
At full-power, nobody wants to take on this furry beast alone.
This here is my personal go-to build ever since the blink on the Abyssal Blade. I know right? What were they thinking putting a blink on that monster of an item?! Regardless, if you’re an Ursa-main like I am, you’re going to love what I’m about to tell you.
This build will focus on you rushing from Boots of Speed to an immediate Abyssal Blade. From there on end, you can begin terrorizing your opponents’ lane from the early-mid stages and make yourself even more potent in 1v1 fights with a Desolator, Aghanims, Shiva’s Guard & a BKB (Black King Bar).
What is this build good for:
- Keeping your opponents under constant pressure.
- Forcing your opponents to opt for an unorthodox build or breaking their current build, to counter you.
- It helps your team get the upper-hand from a very early stage.
Build Details:
Starting Items
- Tango
- Magic Stick
Early Items
- Belt of Strength
- Skull Basher
- Vanguard
Core Items
- Abyssal Blade
- Shiva’s Guard
- Eye of Skadi
- Black King Bar
- Desolator
Skill Build:
- (Q) Earthshock: 4,12,14,17
- (W) Overpower: 2,5,7,9
- (E) Fury Swipes: 1,3,8,13
- (R) Enrage: 6,11,16
- Talent Tree: 10,15,20,25. (All at 30)
Talent Tree:
- +8 Strength
- +14 Agility
- +16 Fury Swipe Damage
- +600 AoE Earthshock
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