Hero descriptionMighty Lich is one of the best heroes at controlling a lane, thanks to his Frost Nova and Sacrifice spells. Frost Blast is a strong nuke that slows its target, giving Lich a good harassment tool. Repeatedly casting Frost Blast and harassing with physical attacks is a surefire way to quickly bring an enemy hero to his knees. However, Frost Blast becomes even more dangerous when coupled with Sacrifice. This spell allows Lich to destroy an allied creep and gain mana based on its life. Using this spell helps Lich by giving him limitless mana for Frost Blast, and hinders his enemies by denying them the experience or gold they would have gained from the destroyed creep. By using Frost Blast and Sacrifice liberally, the Lich can quickly force any opponent to retreat from his lane. Later in the game Lich tends to slide into a support role, using his Ice Armor spell to buff the survivability of his allies, and deploying his devastating Chain Frost to damage his foes in team battles.
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Hero descriptionMirana is known for her deadly Arrow, whose stunning impact is greater the farther it has flown. With Starstorm, she can call a deadly rain of stars upon enemies. Her agile mount's Leap carries her swiftly out of ambushes, or lets her swiftly close the distance to a fleeing prey, while gracing her allies with the shared gift of speed. Her ultimate, Moonlight Shadow, enables her to briefly render her entire team invisible, useful for surprise attacks as well as for retreat. Always hard to trap, Mirana is most feared when she is the one doing the hunting. Hide description
Hero descriptionThe Sand King emphasizes area of effect damage more than most. All four of his abilities can damage multiple foes at once. Burrowstrike, his mainstay, damages and stuns targets in a line. In addition, when using this ability, the Sand King burrows to the target location which sets him up for additional attacks or spells. This can get him into trouble though, and to help evade counter attacks he uses Sand Storm. While active, this ability makes the Sand King invisible in the middle of a swirling storm of dust. Although he is unable to move while remaining invisible, nearby enemies will take damage as long as they remain in the storm. The Sand King can finish off groups off units with his Caustic Finale passive skill, which causes a deadly explosion every time he kills a unit with his physical attack. Epicenter, arguably Sand King's most deadly ability, creates a pulsing earthquake centered on his location. When combined with Burrowstrike, this ability is often fatal to fragile heroes, and leaves tougher enemies wounded and limping for safety. Hide description
Hero descriptionBeastmaster is a well-rounded fighter, with many tactical options available for all types of combat. Although his physical attacks are melee, he can throw his axes at long range to slice through enemies, dealing lethal damage. His Primal Roar can turn the most organized defense into chaos, allowing Beastmaster and his allies to move in for the kill. His summoning skills serve as effective support for his blitz-style combat. Beastmaster's agile Hawk flies above the battlefield scouting for enemies, and the powerful slowing abilities of his Boar's spines give him time to finish off fleeing foes. A skilled Beastmaster is a deadly foe, capable of fighting any enemy on any terms and crushing them to a pulp. Hide description
Hero descriptionFaceless Void is a master of time and space, often bending it to his will. He can Time Walk short distances, effectively jumping forward to a new location while slowing the movement speed of enemies near his destination point. This allows him to both surprise attack more effectively and escape situations where other heroes would be doomed. He is also able to passively revert quickly to a past moment to avoid damage, and to stun enemies by locking time on them so he can bash them without missing a beat. For his ultimate weapon, Faceless Void can create a Chronosphere in space time that halts all units inside it, except for himself. This can sometimes trap allied heroes as well, but deals no damage. Once his enemies are immobilized, he can then wreak havoc as he pleases. While he is initially weak, you should never underestimate a hero with great damage potential that also has the ability to stop time. Never. Hide description
Hero descriptionSven's skills allow him to deal Area of Effect damage to several enemies at once. Storm Hammer, a powerful damage spell, stuns the target and surrounding units for several seconds, allowing Sven to catch up and strike them with his sword. Warcry gives Sven and nearby allies a temporary movement speed and armor bonus so they can charge quickly and fearlessly. Sven's foes must be wary of his powerful physical attacks, for God's Strength pumps his damage up to very high levels, while Cleave turns every attack into an Area of Effect strike. Although his strengths are straightforward, they are not to be underestimated. The best course of action when faced with a fully pumped Sven is to run. Hide description
Hero descriptionAlthough the Earthshaker is a strength hero, his real power lies in his spells. With a well-placed Echo Slam, he can single-handedly level an entire team if his enemies are foolish enough to bunch together. His Fissure spell is very versatile. While it stuns and causes damage, it also creates an impassible wall of stone, trapping hapless foes between a rock and a hard place. Enchant Totem gives Earthshaker a significant damage boost for one attack, while his passive Aftershock ability causes a minor stun and damage effect every time he casts one of his spells. Although he is one of the more difficult heroes to use to his full capacity, he can be one of the most deadly in skilled hands. Hide description
Hero descriptionYou had better take advantage of the daylight while you can, since come nightfall you will be up against a powerful and adept hunter. Night Stalker's passive Hunter in the Night increases his movement and attack speed at night, making him a feared ganker and chaser whenever the sun is down. His Void spell damages a target and slows them to a crawl, allowing Night Stalker and his allies to deal great amounts of damage. Crippling Fear is a powerful weapon against spellcasters and fighters alike, as it both silences enemies and increases the chance that their physical attacks will miss the target. It is said that you have little to fear from Night Stalker when the sun is high--however, his ultimate ability, Darkness, allows him to instantly turn day into night (or prolong the night that has already fallen), giving his other spells their fullest effect. Hide description
Hero descriptionAncient Apparition is a versatile spellcaster with the unusual ability to strike enemies at long distances. With practice, his Ice Blast can strike any point on the battlefield, and deals damage in a wide diameter. It's perfect for laying waste to enemies clumped together in a fight and allows Ancient Apparition to be an integral part of team fights even when he's on the other side of the map. Cold Feet is useful to slow the movement speed of targets, and if afflicted enemies can't get safely out of range within four seconds, they'll be frozen in their tracks. This is particularly beneficial in team fights because an enemy that is frozen is an enemy that can't fight back. Ice Vortex is another of Ancient Apparition's abilities that focuses on immobilizing his enemies. Ice Vortex condenses Ancient Apparition's frost power into a single spinning vortex of ice that slows enemies while they are standing inside it and increases all magic damage taken. But Ancient Apparition's spells aren't limited just to increasing his own effectiveness in battle. Chilling Touch enchants allied heroes and gives bonus magical attack damage to your teammates. Hide description
Hero descriptionThe mighty Doom Bringer is a versatile and dangerous foe. His offensive spells are very damaging. LVL? Death allows him to pick off heroes at range, dealing extra damage against heroes of certain levels. The dreaded Doom is one of the most feared spells in the game, and with good reason. Not only does it deal massive Damage Over Time to its target, it also silences them completely for the duration. Although Doom Bringer is no pushover in physical combat, he lacks any dedicated fighting abilities. Instead, he uses Devour to take on the abilities of the creeps he ingests, and buffs his movement and attack speed with Scorched Earth. With his good income, strong damage spells, and the ability to effectively knock a single enemy hero out of a fight, Doom Bringer is a formidable opponent in any matchup. Hide description
