Clinkz Is Breaking the Dota 2 Meta in Patch 7.40b – Best Build, Talents & Counters

Clinkz has emerged as one of the strongest carries in Dota 2 Patch 7.40b, dominating pubs and pro games thanks to major hero reworks and Infernal Shred. In this Clinkz Dota 2 guide, we break down his best build, skills, talents, and matchups.

Dota 2 Clinkz Guide – Current Stats & 7.40b Changes

Clinkz has always been a niche pick in Dota 2, but it seems like this meta is different. At the time of writing, Clinkz is one of the strongest carries in Dota 2 and a hero that can fit into almost any game. But don’t take our word for it, the table below showcases his current stats compared to some of the other popular carries in the meta.

But why is Clinkz so good in the Dota 2 Patch 7.40? Well, there have been a couple of important changes that you should know:

• Clinkz was simplified, removing several abilities and adding Infernal Shred as a new passive armor-piercing debuff for him and his skeletons.
• Skeleton mechanics were reworked: Death Pact no longer spawns archers, Skeleton Walk now defines their stats, and Burning Army was buffed.
• Searing Arrows is back as a base ability with skeleton synergy, while Strafe slightly nerfs skeleton attack speed.
• Burning Barrage lost its slow, shifting Clinkz toward sustained skeleton damage over utility.

We think that Infernal Shred is the single biggest reason Clinkz became a top-tier carry in patch 7.40. Every attack from Clinkz and his skeletons applies stacking armor pierce, reaching up to 20% effective armor reduction. This works extremely well with Desolator.

Best Clinkz Build in Dota 2 Patch 7.40b – Core & Situational Items

A part of the reason why Clinkz is so strong in the current Dota 2 meta is because of his item build. We have played tons of games with the hero and have analyzed even more, so here are some of the items that people usually go for and why they pick them:

• Falcon Blade – It’s a solid, all-around early game item that provides the needed mana regen and damage.
• Power Treads – The best option for movement speed, attack speed and stats.
• Desolator – This is usually the first big item that Clinkz players go for. It gives the needed damage to pick off squishy heroes.
• Diffusal Blade into Orchid (optional) – While it has its advantages, it tends to fall behind after the mid-game, and Desolator feels like the better option.
• Aghanim’s Shard – Almost every top-tier Clinkz player goes for a shard as soon as possible. It allows the hero to clear waves and farm much faster thanks to Burning Barrage.
• Hurricane Pike – A great all-around item that can also function as a strong escape tool.
• Black King Bar – A must-have for all carries, especially squishier heroes like Clinkz.
• Deadalus – Clinkz is among the few carries that can get away with this item early, making it extremely effective.

In terms of Aghanim’s Scepter, it is one of the items that you can live without. It’s a situational item, mostly bought in the ultra-late game.

Clinkz Skill Order & Talent Build for Patch 7.40b Meta

After taking a look at some of the hottest items for Clinkz, it’s time to see the best skill and talent builds you can get. Starting with the hero’s abilities, we usually have the following approach:

• Get Searing Arrows on levels 1 and 3
• Death Pact on levels 2, 4, and 5 for faster farming and survivability
• Strafe on level 4 or level 7, depending on the situation

We personally believe it’s not worth maxing Death Pact, so it’s better to focus on Strafe and Searing Arrows first.

As for talents, most players usually opt for the following ones:

• Level 10 talent – -4s Skeleton Walk Cooldown
• Level 15 talent – +60 Attack Range
• Level 20 talent – +350 Death Pact Bonus Health
• Level 25 talent – Searing Arrows Multishot

Dota 2 Clinkz Tips – How to Make the Most of Him in the Current Meta

Clinkz is one of the more niche Dota 2 heroes, so here are a few tips that can help you succeed:

• Be careful if the enemy lane has high kill potential. Clinkz is strong but can die fast.
• Be as aggressive as possible early on. Searing Arrows is one of the most annoying abilities in the game.
• Use Death Pact on the large creep camp whenever possible.
• Start taking fights once you get Desolator, ideally around minute 15.
• Focus on pickoffs, but stay away from the frontlines if enemies are grouped. Think of yourself as Medusa or Terrorblade.
• In the late game, play around Strafe’s cooldown, as it can decide fights.

Your goal in the early game is to abuse Searing Arrows and dominate your lane. In the mid-game, the Desolator + Shard combo lets you take fights and force objectives. In the late game, positioning and Strafe uptime matter the most.

Clinkz Matchups Guide – Best and Worst Heroes in Patch 7.40b

Clinkz can work in almost any situation, but some heroes are problematic:

• Phantom Lancer – Once Strafe is down, PL can overwhelm Clinkz.
• Bounty Hunter – Track makes Clinkz’s invisibility harder to use.
• Meepo – A strong Meepo player can easily counter Clinkz.
• Naga Siren – A powerful illusion carry that can outscale Clinkz.

Fortunately, Clinkz is very effective against most traditional offlaners like Beastmaster, Doom, Earthshaker and Dark Seer, as well as squishy supports such as Lich, Rubick and Elder Titan.

How to Draft Clinkz

Clinkz is not an ideal first pick in every game. He works best with heroes that provide reliable lockdown, vision, or armor reduction, allowing him to maximize his damage output.

He struggles against illusion-heavy lineups and gap-closing cores that punish poor positioning.

Final Thoughts – Is Clinkz Worth Picking in Dota 2 Patch 7.40?

All in all, this Clinkz Dota 2 guide covers everything you need to know in the current patch. When picked correctly, Clinkz is an extremely strong carry and an excellent way to gain MMR. Just be careful not to underestimate his counters and follow the tips above to maximize your results.