
Crypt Swarm
Sends a swarm of winged beasts to savage enemy units in front of Death Prophet.
Abilities, roles and builds with an explanation for every purchase.

HERO GAME PLANI pressure an objective and a prolonged fight during Exorcism, keeping Spirit Siphon connected.
When she unleashes her army of ghosts, Death Prophet excels at demolishing enemies and their defenses alike. Leading her team's forces toward the enemy base with wave after damaging wave from her swarm, her onslaught can seem unstoppable.
My recommendation is a starting point. We choose another position together with the team and for its needs.
Levels, lane control and joining the team at the right moment matter.
My resource is the team's space: I hold the lane and build for initiation or team protection.
This is an editorial starting plan based on hero mechanics. It is not presented as a match I have already tested or a popularity ranking.
Here is my initial plan: I do my role's job first, then choose the items the team needs. I adapt the order and expensive purchases to the opponent.

Provide mana for laning and regular ability use.

Strengthens a magic damage build and adds survivability for longer engagements.

Provides a window for my actions against eligible magical damage and disables. I check effects that pierce the protection.

Adds armor and pressure in an area, helping limit the enemy’s health restoration.

Unlocks or upgrades Exorcism. The exact effects are shown below in the abilities section.

I do not assign one ‘correct’ minute to every purchase. I look at my gold, the next fight and the problem: am I missing mana, target access, control or protection? If an expensive slot will arrive too late, I get a useful answer earlier.
Original Valve icons and descriptions. Cooldowns and mana are shown by level from the data snapshot; talents and upgrades can change the values.

Sends a swarm of winged beasts to savage enemy units in front of Death Prophet.

Fires a projectile that prevents enemy units in a target area from casting spells.

Creates a spirit link between Death Prophet and an enemy unit, draining health from the enemy.
Creates a spirit link between Death Prophet and an enemy unit, draining health from the enemy.
Increases the maximum charges by 1 and fears enemies for 1 sec. if the ability affects them for 3 consecutive sec.

The hero releases evil spirits that drain health from nearby enemy units and buildings. After each attack, a spirit must return to its owner before attacking again. After 40 sec.
Unleashes evil spirits to drain the life of nearby enemy units and structures. Spirits need to return back to Death Prophet in order to attack again. At the end of the spell's duration, Death Prophet is healed in proportion to the damage dealt. Deals 50% damage to buildings. Lasts 40 seconds.
Whenever an enemy is affected by Death Prophet's spells or when she attacks an enemy, a ghost will fly out and hit the enemy for an increased bonus of its usual damage then return to her with life.
These abilities are not necessarily available at the same time. I check the condition beside the name: innate ability, another form or an Aghanim purchase.

Death Prophet's occult knowledge deepens with experience, gaining movement speed and spell cooldown reduction.
Death Prophet's occult knowledge deepens with experience, gaining movement speed and spell cooldown reduction.
These are fields from the official source. The hero's final values in the client account for attributes and other active mechanics.
Items, slang and real episodes help connect abilities with what happens in a match.