Some heroes win by farming for 40 minutes. Others — tempo heroes — win by taking the game before the enemy's cores are ready. Meepo, Batrider, Dragon Knight and many offlaners fall into this category. This guide covers the three biggest tempo tools on the map: runes, Roshan and the Tormentor.
Runes: the mid laner's first objective
Power runes spawn in the river every two minutes starting at minute 6. Bounty runes provide gold, and Wisdom runes provide experience. Controlling them gives the mid laner:
- Kill potential (Haste, Double Damage, Invisibility)
- Sustain (Regeneration, Arcane)
- Resources (Bounty and Wisdom runes)
How to control runes
- Push the wave before the rune spawns. A pushed wave gives you time to walk to the rune without losing experience.
- Ward the rune spot. A ward on the river tells you whether the enemy is contesting.
- Bring help. A support rotating with you makes rune fights one-sided.
- Use extra units. Meepo clones can take the second rune themselves; other summons can at least watch the spot and give you vision.
Roshan: converting leads into safety
Killing Roshan provides the Aegis of the Immortal — a second life — and later additional rewards. For a tempo hero, an early Aegis turns a lead into a safe push.
When to take Roshan
- Right after winning a fight. The enemy is dead or retreating.
- When the enemy is visible far away. Check the minimap: if three or more enemies are on the other side of the map, go.
- When you have the damage. Know your team's Roshan speed. A Meepo pack with a few items and a support can take early Roshan quickly.
Who should hold the Aegis?
The hero whose death costs the most. For Meepo, that is almost always the Prime: since one Meepo's death kills them all, the Aegis on the Prime protects the whole pack from a catastrophic pickoff.
The Tormentor: the underrated objective
The Tormentor grants Aghanim's Shard. In patch 7.41 it moved closer to the Lotus Pools on the low ground, making it easier to contest alongside other river objectives.
For heroes whose Shard upgrade is strong — Meepo's Dig is a prime example — an early Tormentor is a big power spike. Take it when the enemy team is visible elsewhere, and bring enough damage to finish it quickly.
Tempo is a mindset
The biggest mistake tempo heroes make is farming after they have a lead. If you are ahead at 15 minutes, the enemy's scaling heroes are catching up with every minute you spend in the jungle. Use the lead:
- Take a rune and gank.
- Push a tower.
- Take Roshan or the Tormentor.
- Push the next tower with the Aegis.
- Repeat until the game ends.
Meepo is the ultimate tempo hero — read how to execute this plan with five bodies in our complete Meepo guide.
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