Timbersaw, also known as Rizzrack, is a durable and high-damage Nuker in Dota 2. His abilities revolve around cutting through trees to enhance mobility and dealing pure damage to enemies. Rizzrack’s lore is rooted in paranoia and trauma, as he witnessed his homeland of Augury Bay fall to monstrous trees. This fear drove him to construct a mechanized saw-suit, turning him into a relentless anti-forest warrior.

Timbersaw’s Abilities Explained

Whirling Death

Timbersaw spins his saw blades around him, dealing damage to enemies and cutting down nearby trees. If a hero is hit, they lose a portion of their primary attribute for a duration. The more trees destroyed, the more bonus damage is dealt.

Timber Chain

A vital tool for mobility and offense, Timber Chain allows Timbersaw to launch a chain that latches onto the first tree it contacts, pulling him towards it. Any enemies caught in his path take damage. This ability is crucial for engaging, escaping, and maneuvering through fights.

Reactive Armor

This passive ability grants armor and health regeneration each time Timbersaw is attacked. The more he is hit, the tankier he becomes. Reactive Armor enables Timbersaw to be aggressive in the laning phase, as he can shrug off harassment and sustain himself.

Chakram

Timbersaw throws a saw blade at a target location. The blade continuously damages enemies in its radius and slows them. While active, Timbersaw is disarmed, meaning he cannot attack. The Chakram also cuts through trees, giving him control over the battlefield.

Second Chakram (Aghanim’s Scepter Upgrade)

A second Chakram is unlocked when Timbersaw acquires an Aghanim’s Scepter. This significantly boosts his damage output, allowing him to dominate fights with two spinning saw blades.

Flamethrower (Aghanim’s Shard Upgrade)

This ability unleashes a stream of fire, burning enemies and slowing them. It also destroys trees after a short delay, further enhancing Timbersaw’s synergy with his own skillset.

How to Play Timbersaw Effectively

Laning Phase

Timbersaw thrives in the offlane due to his tankiness and harassment potential. His Reactive Armor allows him to absorb damage while trading blows with enemy heroes. Whirling Death should be used to secure last hits while harassing enemies, especially strength heroes who suffer from attribute loss. Timber Chain can be used both for offensive plays and quick escapes.

Mid Game

Once Timbersaw has core items like Soul Ring, Arcane Boots, and Hood of Defiance, he becomes an active presence on the map. His ability to cut through trees enables him to move unpredictably, making it difficult for enemies to pin him down. His primary goal is to initiate fights by jumping onto key enemy heroes with Timber Chain, dealing burst damage with Whirling Death and Chakram.

Late Game

Timbersaw scales well into the late game, especially with items like Bloodstone, Shiva’s Guard, and Aghanim’s Scepter. His goal in team fights is to disrupt enemy positioning using Chakram and deal consistent damage. Second Chakram provides additional area control, making it difficult for enemies to maneuver.

Best Items for Timbersaw

Early Game

Soul Ring provides Timbersaw with a reliable way to manage his mana while sustaining his early aggression. The extra strength helps him tank hits, making it easier to trade effectively in the lane. Arcane Boots are a necessity, ensuring he has enough mana to constantly pressure opponents. They can be disassembled later to contribute toward Bloodstone, an item crucial for his mid-game dominance. Magic Wand offers instant health and mana restoration, giving him the sustain needed to continue fighting in skirmishes.

Mid Game

Hood of Defiance is essential for mitigating incoming magical damage, making Timbersaw much harder to burst down. This item works well against spell-heavy opponents like Zeus or Lina. Bloodstone enhances his survivability and allows him to regain health and mana through spell lifesteal. The increased tankiness from this item means he can engage in fights without worrying about running out of resources. Eul’s Scepter of Divinity is an excellent tool for dispelling silences and roots that can hinder his movement. The added movement speed helps him chase down targets or reposition during fights.

Late Game

Shiva’s Guard increases Timbersaw’s armor, making him significantly harder to kill against physical damage dealers like Phantom Assassin and Juggernaut. The active ability slows enemies in a large radius, allowing him to land his spells more effectively. Aghanim’s Scepter gives him access to Second Chakram, increasing his area damage and making him a nightmare for grouped-up opponents. Lotus Orb is a versatile item that helps against single-target spells like Hex and Doom, allowing Timbersaw to reflect dangerous disables back at his opponents.

Situational Items

Eternal Shroud can be an alternative to Hood of Defiance, offering spell lifesteal and converting magical damage taken into mana. This makes it a valuable pick when facing teams with a high magic damage output. Octarine Core reduces the cooldowns of all his abilities, allowing Timbersaw to be more aggressive in fights while also benefiting from increased spell lifesteal. Scythe of Vyse provides a powerful hex effect, ensuring he can lock down elusive enemies like Anti-Mage or Queen of Pain before they escape.

Timbersaw Counters

Heroes Strong Against Timbersaw

Nyx Assassin – Mana Burn cripples Timbersaw’s ability to sustain fights. Shadow Demon – Can disrupt Timbersaw’s movement and waste his abilities. Lion – Hard disables and Mana Drain make life difficult for Timbersaw.

Heroes Timbersaw Excels Against

Strength Heroes (Sven, Tiny, Dragon Knight) – Whirling Death significantly reduces their effectiveness by removing primary attributes. Illusion-Based Heroes (Phantom Lancer, Naga Siren, Terrorblade) – Chakram and Whirling Death clear illusions efficiently.

Tips and Tricks for Timbersaw

• Cut down trees to create escape routes or deny enemy vision.
• Use Timber Chain aggressively when enemies are near trees for easy kills.
• Bait enemies into diving by leveraging Reactive Armor stacks.
• Keep an eye on mana usage, especially after acquiring Aghanim’s Scepter.
• Place Chakram strategically to block escape routes.

Timbersaw is a high-impact offlaner who thrives in chaotic fights. Mastering his mobility, resource management, and ability combos will make him a formidable presence in every game. With the right items and strategy, he can shred through enemy heroes and dominate the battlefield.