The Hand of Midas is a popular item in Dota 2, widely recognized for its ability to provide heroes with increased gold and experience over time. This item plays a crucial role in farming efficiency and long-term scaling, making it a staple choice for certain heroes and strategies. However, it also comes with trade-offs, as the gold spent on acquiring it could be used for other stat-boosting items. In this guide, we’ll explore the mechanics, benefits, and strategic uses of Hand of Midas to help you understand whether it’s the right item for your hero and playstyle.
Hand of Midas – Cost and Components
Hand of Midas is crafted from a combination of a Gloves of Haste and a recipe, with the total cost amounting to 2050 gold.
- Gloves of Haste (500 gold) – Provides a passive attack speed bonus.
- Hand of Midas Recipe (1550 gold) – Required to complete the item.
Despite its hefty price tag, the investment can pay off significantly if used optimally throughout the game.
Hand of Midas – Passive Effects
Hand of Midas provides a passive attack speed bonus, which can range between +30 and +35 depending on the patch. While not the main reason for purchasing the item, this bonus is still useful, particularly for attack-dependent heroes.
Hand of Midas – Active Ability (Transmute)
The key feature of Hand of Midas is its active ability, Transmute, which allows the user to instantly kill a non-hero unit and gain additional gold and experience.
- Cooldown: 100 seconds
- Gold Gain: 190 (Reliable Gold)
- Experience Boost: 2.5 times the standard XP of the target
Since the gold from Transmute is “reliable gold,” it is not lost upon death, making it an excellent way to sustain income even in tough games.
Gold and Experience Gain Strategy
Understanding the optimal usage of Transmute can significantly enhance a hero’s farming efficiency. Here’s how to maximize the benefits of Hand of Midas:
Gold Maximization
- Using Hand of Midas on small creeps ensures high gold efficiency, as it provides a fixed 190 gold regardless of their natural bounty.
- Consistently using the item as soon as it is off cooldown speeds up the return on investment and helps transition into mid-to-late-game items.
Experience Maximization
- It is more beneficial to use Midas on large creeps early in the game due to their higher base XP values.
- For heroes needing a level advantage, prioritizing Transmute on the highest XP-yielding creep is the best approach.
Strategic Considerations for Buying Hand of Midas
Investment and Payback Time
Hand of Midas takes approximately 18 minutes of optimal use to break even in terms of gold investment. Once this period is reached, every subsequent use translates into a Net economic advantage.
Early Game Setbacks
While Midas provides long-term benefits, purchasing it delays power spikes from other combat-oriented items. This can leave heroes vulnerable during early and mid-game fights.
Best Heroes for Hand of Midas
Hand of Midas is particularly effective on heroes who benefit from accelerated farm and level gain. Here are some ideal candidates:
- Carry Heroes: Spectre, Lifestealer, Ursa – Need steady gold to scale into the late game.
- Intelligence Heroes: Invoker, Arc Warden – Require high experience gain to unlock important spells faster.
- Offlane Heroes: Doom, Beastmaster – Benefit from economy-based builds and level-intensive skills.
Countering Enemy Abilities with Hand of Midas
Hand of Midas can be an effective counter to certain enemy abilities that rely on capturing or buffing creeps:
- Chen’s Holy Persuasion – Converts creeps to his faction, but Midas instantly removes them.
- Enchantress’s Enchant – Similar interaction, preventing her from using dominated creeps.
- Axe’s Battle Hunger – Quickly killing a creep cancels Battle Hunger’s negative effects.
- Dark Seer’s Ion Shell – Neutralizing Ion Shelled creeps reduces harassment potential.
Using Hand of Midas on Neutral Creeps
Transmute guarantees a neutral item drop if used on a neutral creep and if the team’s inventory pool is not yet full. This can be highly beneficial during the early stages of the game to secure valuable item drops.
How to Use Hand of Midas Efficiently
To maximize the returns from Hand of Midas, follow these steps:
- Purchase the item early: The sooner it is acquired, the greater the long-term benefits.
- Use Transmute on cooldown: Avoid letting it sit unused for more than a few seconds.
- Prioritize high-XP creeps early: Boost experience gain for faster level progress.
- Target low gold-value creeps: Ensures 190 reliable gold advantage.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hand of Midas in Dota 2
Is Hand of Midas worth buying in every game?
No, it depends on the hero, game state, and whether the investment will pay off before the game is decided.
Which heroes benefit the most from Hand of Midas?
Heroes like Spectre, Lifestealer, Invoker, and Arc Warden benefit due to their reliance on gold, levels, or late-game power spikes.
Does Hand of Midas work on Ancients?
No, Hand of Midas only works on regular lane and neutral creeps.
Why should I buy Hand of Midas instead of fighting items?
If your hero scales well into the late game, Midas helps ensure you reach that stage with a gold and level advantage.
How fast should I get Hand of Midas?
Ideally, aim to purchase Hand of Midas within the first 8–12 minutes to maximize its return.
Does Hand of Midas stack if I buy multiple?
Yes, but it is generally inefficient as there are better scaling items.
How can I counter an enemy Hand of Midas?
Pressure the hero early and force fights before they recoup their investment.
Does Hand of Midas work on illusions?
No, it can only be used by the hero who owns it.
Can I use Hand of Midas on Roshan?
No, Roshan is immune to Transmute.
What happens if a creep with an active ability is hit by Midas?
The creep is killed instantly, and no ability effects are triggered.
Conclusion
The Hand of Midas is a powerful farming tool in Dota 2 that helps players build an economic lead by generating reliable gold and extra experience. Though it requires precise timing and strategic foresight to use effectively, it is an excellent choice for heroes with strong late-game potential. Understanding when and how to buy and use Hand of Midas can greatly enhance a team’s performance and help secure victory.
Source : DotaCinema
Stay updated with reliable Dota 2 news sources. Visit dota2gamers.gg and for more insights about Dota 2.
