Welcome! Stop everything. Forget what you know about traditional carries. We’re talking about something fresh, bold, and absolutely meta-breaking. This isn’t your average Maelstrom-farming, split-pushing, get-rich-slow Nature’s Prophet. This is an aggressive, high-octane, spell-spamming, sprout-abusing monster who’s redefining the Position 1 role in Dota 2. Welcome to the new way of playing carry—welcome to the future of Nature’s Prophet.
This isn’t just theory—it’s based on an actual high-level performance from one of the best carry players in the game, Mikay, who demonstrated a way to make Prophet a proactive, tempo-setting carry that keeps the enemy constantly reacting.
Let’s dissect it all—starting from laning to late-game dominance—and break down why this version of carry NP might just be the most efficient, effective, and exciting way to play the role in 7.39c in this very best Dota 2 Boost Guide.
Why Carry Nature’s Prophet Works Right Now
Nature’s Prophet has always had potential as a carry, but with recent patches—and specifically 7.39c—he’s become an underrated powerhouse. The reworked Sprout mechanics, the introduction of healing trees, and the synergy with items like Maelstrom and Mjollnir give him a unique hybrid identity.
He’s not a glass cannon. He’s not a pure push bot. He’s a lane dominator, skirmish king, and objective punisher.
Key reasons this build works include:
- Low mana cost on Sprout (70) allowing frequent usage
- Healing tree synergy with Tango regeneration (including for teammates)
- Itemization path scaling both survivability and DPS
- Global presence used aggressively rather than passively
This NP doesn’t wait for the game to come to him—he brings the heat to every lane, every skirmish, and every objective.
Starting Items and Laning Philosophy
In this build, your starting items are crucial—not just for durability, but to enable one of NP’s most busted early tools: self-Sprout + Tango healing.
Start with:
- Circlet
- Magic Stick
- Tango
- Iron Branch (optional)
This gives you early stats and regen. The trick is using Sprout on yourself and eating one of your trees for double Tango efficiency. Not only does it give you more health over time, but you can also use this tactic to heal your allies. Coordinate with your support to sprout them and have them consume a tree for free regen. This “Giga Tango” technique is highly effective.
Remember: You’re maxing Q (Sprout) in this build, not Treants. This means you can afford to be aggressive early, zoning enemies, securing range creeps, and setting up barrier trades with teammates.
Sprout Spam and Lane Dominance
Why is maxing Sprout so valuable?
- It costs only 70 mana, which is laughably cheap for a universal hero.
- Your base INT is 22 with a solid 3.5 INT gain.
- It provides trapping, zoning, and healing.
- It allows you to secure range creeps and deny farm.
Every Sprout cast near a tree patch can heal you thanks to the healing tree mechanic. Plus, with Sprout’s interaction with Tango, your lane sustain is excellent even in difficult matchups.
You’re not going to out-farm an Anti-Mage or Juggernaut, but you will out-pressure, out-trade, and out-rotate.
Tip: Always carry extra Tangos. Midgame usage of self-Sprout plus Tango in teamfights might sound ridiculous—but it’s surprisingly effective. It’s cheap regen during fights and can bait enemy cooldowns.
Core Early Game Itemization
The core item build you’re aiming for includes:
- Power Treads: For mana efficiency and tread switching
- Wand and Null Talisman: Crucial for mana regen and burst spells
- Maelstrom: Enables jungle farming and wave clear
- Mjollnir: A huge power spike, primarily for the active ability
- Hurricane Pike: Provides attack range, positioning, and survivability
The Mjollnir active is absolutely game-breaking on this hero. NP’s teleport grants him a barrier upon arriving—combine that with the Mjollnir buff and you’re looking at enormous AoE damage in fights.
Tip: Don’t forget to activate Mjollnir before or during teamfights. Every bit of chip damage you take triggers lightning procs, especially when enemies dive or try to burst you.
How to Rotate and Fight as a Carry NP
This carry Prophet isn’t passive. He isn’t AFK jungling while your team dies. He’s proactive.
- Use your global teleport to arrive late into fights. TP on the edge of vision, find a flank angle, and immediately Mjollnir buff yourself.
- Prioritize fights where you can turn numbers in your favor. Don’t TP into 5v5s uninvited.
- Join skirmishes only when you can secure kills or objectives.
As early as level 6, start pressuring side lanes. NP’s Wrath of Nature is extremely efficient at sniping low-HP heroes and securing farm across the map.
Wrath of Nature usage:
- Always cast it opposite the fight’s location to ensure more bounces (and more damage).
- Use it on cooldown, especially before fights, to soften enemies.
Fighting and Farming Synergy
Once you have Maelstrom and Boots, you hit your tempo timing. You can farm:
- Jungle camps efficiently
- Ancients (with Sprout for kiting)
- Waves with minimal downtime
Still, this is not a passive-farm hero. You rotate constantly. Every 1–2 minutes, look for:
- Pickoffs
- Tower pressure
- Baited team fights where your survivability shines
Farming efficiency is good with Maelstrom, but don’t rely on it like a Luna or Medusa. Instead, think like a Templar Assassin or Slark—farm to fight, not farm to scale infinitely.
Midgame Power Spike: Mjollnir + Pike
With Mjollnir and Pike, you become an absolute menace. You can:
- Survive initiations
- Reposition mid-fight
- Maximize Flak-like AoE from Mjollnir
The synergy is perfect:
- Sprout yourself for damage buff and healing
- Mjollnir buff to convert damage into AoE
- Pike to escape or re-engage
This kit is absurdly good in fights. You’re tanky, disruptive, and deadly.
Pro Tip: When ganked, Sprout yourself and TP bait. Most enemies will assume you’re trying to escape. They’ll blow cooldowns or misposition. Use that hesitation to either finish the TP or turn the fight with Pike and Mjollnir.
Defensive Decision Making and Survivability
NP in this build has surprisingly good sustain and defense:
- Teleport barrier
- Sprout healing
- Mjollnir lightning deterrent
- Pike escape
- Satanic (later) for regen and lifesteal
You’re not just playing for burst. You’re playing to live through fights, deal persistent damage, and clean up. If the enemy overcommits to you, they’ll get shredded by procs and positioning plays.
Tip: Sprout yourself in fights to:
- Get bonus damage from your passive
- Get healing from trees
- Zone melee heroes
Talents and Power Spikes
Here’s the talent breakdown recommended:
- Level 10: +20 Wrath of Nature base damage
- Level 15: +20% Sprout heal per second
- Level 20: Highly debatable, but Sprout Leash can counter mobility cores
- Level 25: Wrath of Nature cooldown (not Sprout damage)
Wrath of Nature cooldown lets you:
- Farm waves from anywhere
- Clear out enemy supports mid-fight
- Push lanes while taking objectives
Tip: At level 25, also consider maxing Treants if you take the +10 Treant count. It’s situational, but provides crazy map pressure and vision.
Shard and Aghanim’s: When and Why
The Shard is picked up as a vision tool and poke option. It’s not core, but it’s extremely useful when:
- You’re fighting into trees
- You need scouting around Roshan or high ground
- You’re poking at towers safely
It works best in organized teamfights or when defending high ground. Activate before Sprouting to maximize damage.
Rosh Timing and Objective Play
This build thrives on early Rosh timing:
- Maelstrom + Mjollnir clears creeps
- Your DPS is high enough to chunk Roshan with team help
- Post-Rosh, take control of enemy jungle and set up vision
Use Sprout aggressively in fights and while sieging. With Pike, you have the range to hit towers from the fog.
Final Itemization and Late Game Scaling
Your late-game build could look like:
- Power Treads
- Mjollnir
- Hurricane Pike
- Satanic or BKB (depending on magic burst)
- Nullifier or Silver Edge (against evasion or pesky items)
- Moon Shard or Daedalus (for DPS scaling)
Against heroes like Meepo or PA, BKB or Satanic becomes essential.
Late fights are won by:
- Staying alive
- Poking with Sprout and Wrath
- Triggering Mjollnir and Satanic at the right moment
Positioning wins fights. Never forget that your sprout, Pike, and barrier usage determine your survival and impact.
Summary – Why This Carry NP is the Future
Nature’s Prophet as Position 1 is not just viable—it’s deadly in the right hands. With his kit now focused around Sprout, healing mechanics, and spell-proc itemization, you’re not playing NP like before.
- You’re a lane bully.
- You’re a skirmisher.
- You’re a global pressure machine.
- You’re a damage-dealing, space-making, tower-shoving frontline menace.
The Dota 2 Boost Guide meta is evolving. Carry Prophet is a legitimate answer to chaotic teamfights, unpredictable pub movement, and the need for a self-sufficient, proactive carry. With just a few smart decisions, good Sprout placements, and timely rotations, you’ll not only win lanes—but win games.
The future is green. The future is now. The new way to carry is here. Time to Sprout, dominate, and TP into legend.