Any item that allows you to keep up the aggression is a good choice.
More defensive players can build a Vanguard into a Crimson Guard to tank up. Adding a Mjollnir for even more damage is an option. Transitioning into the reworked Diffusal Blade allows Pangolier to scale his damage and adds onto the effectiveness of your “Q” even further. The complete removal of unique attack modifiers allows for Maelstrom to proc off of your Swashbuckle providing another nuker and a farming tool. After this my core items are a Vladimir’s Offering and a Maelstrom. You have enough base movement speed to get away with this before building a pair of Power Treads. Quickly building into a Magic Wand and Ring of Basilius. Starting off with a mango, sages mask, ironwood branch and a stack of tangos. I’ll share what I have been trying lately as it has felt strong. Right now it’s impossible to know what the “best” items are on this hero. Go ahead and right-click to your hearts’ content because you aren’t dying! Itemizing the ultimate fighter Doing a whopping 600 magic damage and reducing your damage taken by anywhere from 14%-70% of damage. Cast Shield Crash on top of enemy heroes right before you pop out. The channel time means you should cast it while out of range and then roll into the fight stunning the enemy. It is most effectively used as a counter initiation. Seems legit right? You can also cast your Shield Crash while rolling around the map like a Techies dream. With only a 40 second cooldown Rolling Thunder is a 6/7/8 second Black King Bar with a stun and a knockback that does 200/250/300 damage. Another ability that has a bushel of uses, especially in teamfights. His ultimate ability is aptly named Rolling Thunder. Until then it just does not feel as worth the skill points as his two active abilities. The saving grace for this ability is that it becomes very powerful once you get a couple items on Pangolier and are able to instigate fights. Comparatively Spirit Breaker’s Greater Bash has a 17% proc chance. Overall the skill is underwhelming as it only lasts for two seconds with a 15% proc chance. Which would have been extremely novel as “break” itself is a rare mechanic with immense impact.
The Dueling Fates preview led a lot to believe that Pangolier was going to have an ability that provided a “break” mechanic. They see me rollin’ they hatin’… (Dotabuff) (Dotabuff) I am able to sustain in lane much more with multiple points of Shield Crash.
Shield Crash‘s stacking damage reduction buff and increasing magic damage is too hard for me to pass up. While the latter provides great damage it’s much more useful for escape and harass in the early game. Only two points in Shield Crash will give you a 10% damage reduction buff per hero hit with this ability. Hitting two heroes with a “W” does 150 damage to each of them while Pangolier takes 20% less damage for the next ten seconds allowing you to be very tanky with minimal items. Which is why I prioritize this ability over Swashbuckle in lane. Many of the early builds for Pangolier max his nuke which I think is detrimental. This is going to be your bread and butter in the lane. Moving onto his second ability, Shield Crash. One skill point on Pangolier’s “Q” provides a 96 physical damage nuke over a huge range. Effective for last-hitting, escape, initiation and even harassing once you get used to aiming it. You can use his Swashbuckle to do anything you want. Let’s start with Donte’s first two skills as they are most important to success in the laning stage.