Hero
Medusa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Immobilizes her enemies with her stone gaze. | |
Constant attack is the key to Medusa's success. Encased in a Mana Shield, she survives against even the most unfavorable odds. Foes bitten by Mystic Snake charge it up with energy, a resource that returns to Medusa for her defensive use. She magically Split her Arrows to mow down waves of enemies. Heroes who lay eyes on her may find it hard to turn away. Petrified, none could hope to approach the Cold Blooded Medusa before the Gorgon's legendary Stone Gaze turns their bodies into statues. | |
Roles: | Carry Disabler Durable |
Complexity: | |
Adjectives: | Female, Green, Nose Legs ( 0 )
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Bio[]
▶️ "The only real beauty is power."
Lore:
Beauty is power. This thought comforted Medusa--the youngest and loveliest of three beautiful Gorgon sisters, born to a sea goddess--because she alone of the sisters was mortal. It comforted her, that is, until the day masked assailants invaded the Gorgon realm and tore the two immortal sisters from their home, unmoved by their beauty or by their tears. One of the invaders seized Medusa as well, but then cast her aside with a disgusted look: 'This one has the mortal stink upon her. We have no use for that which dies.' Humiliated, enraged, Medusa fled to the temple of her mother and cast herself before the goddess, crying, 'You denied me eternal life--therefore I beg you, give me power! Power, so I can dedicate what life I have to rescuing my sisters and avenging this injustice!' After long thought, the goddess granted her daughter's request, allowing Medusa to trade her legendary beauty for a face and form of terrifying strength. Never for a moment has Medusa regretted her choice. She understands that power is the only beauty worth possessing--for only power can change the world.
Alias:
Gorgon
Voice:
Abilities[]
Split Shot
Medusa magically splits her shot into several arrows. These arrows deal a lower percent of her normal damage.
The extra targets will not receive other attack effects (such as critical strike).
The extra targets will not receive other attack effects (such as critical strike).
Bonus Attack Targets: 4
Illusion Notes:
Illusions copy the current toggle state upon creation, and cannot change the toggle state.
All who encounter the cursed Gorgon will feel her rage.
- Does not interrupt Medusa's channeling abilities upon toggling On / Off.
- Reduces Medusa's main and bonus attack damage when toggled On. This can be defined as:
- expr
(MainAtk + BonusAtk) × 40%/55%/70%/85% ( 50%/65%/80%/95%)
- Does not reduce conditional attack damage bonuses (e.g. Pierce or Shadow Walk).
- Stacks additively with other total attack damage reduction sources.
- The reduction displayed in the HUD is inaccurate, as it is based on the main attack damage, instead of the main and bonus attack damage.
- Split Shot persists through Medusa's death. If Split Shot was active upon death, she respawns with it active.
- Causes Medusa to perform instant attacks on the closest 4 enemies whenever she launches an attack projectile.
- This means all projectiles are released at the same time together with the main attack. It does not matter whether the primary attack misses.
- The extra projectiles travel at the same speed as the leading attack's projectile.
- This means their speed can be further increased by other attack projectile speed bonuses.
- These instant attacks do not have True Strike and may not proc any attack modifiers or on-hit effects.
- TALENTThe Split Shot uses modifiers removes this restriction upon learning the talent, the instant attacks still do not have True Strike.
- However, certain sources still interact differently with Split Shot:
- Shadow Walk applies Break to only the primary target and the secondary target nearest to Medusa.
- Witch Blade-based damage per second is only applied to the nearest attacked target upon triggering its cooldown.
- Phantom Province do not automatically attack secondary ethereal units.
- The secondary arrows search radius can be further increased by other attack range bonuses.
- Does not target wards, buildings, invisible units, attack immune units, or units inside the Fog of War, but does target Couriers.
- However, attacking wards or buildings still causes secondary arrows to hit valid targets within the search radius.
- Secondary arrows are not released upon attacking allies.
A mystic snake made of energy jumps from target to target dealing damage. Damage and speed increases with each jump. After it reaches its last target, it returns to Medusa to replenish her with mana. The snake deals more damage per jump and returns 14%/15%/16%/17% mana based on the targets' total mana.
Projectile Speed: 800
Projectile Speed Multiplier per Bounce: 1.15
Base Damage: 85/130/175/220
Damage Multiplier per Bounce: 1.35
Max Mana as Mana Restored: 14%/15%/16%/17%
Slow Duration: 3
Causes Mystic Snake to turn enemies hit into stone. Stone duration increases with each bounce of the Mystic Snake.
Grants the Cold Blooded ability.
Spell Block / Reflection Notes:
Blocked fully when primary or secondary target.
Blocked upon impact.
When blocked, stops bouncing and returns to Medusa to restore her mana.
Spell Reflection does not reflect ability on secondary targets.
Modifiers [?]
The Gorgon's curse is her greatest strength.
- Mystic Snake travels at a speed of 800 and its projectile speed increases by 15% per bounce.
- From the 1st target onwards, the projectile has a speed of 920/1058/1216.7/1399.21/1609.09/1850.45/2128.02 on subsequent bounces.
- Mystic Snake first applies the damage, the slow debuff, then the petrify debuff.
- The snake always bounces to the closest valid target around its current target. Cannot hit the same unit more than once per cast.
- The snake can bounce on units in the Fog of War, but not on invisible, invulnerable or hidden units.
- If the snake's current target turns invulnerable, hidden, or invisible, the bounce neither counts nor increases the damage.
- The snake continues bouncing to nearby valid targets in these cases.
- The snake provides 100 radius flying vision around itself. The vision does not last.
- Medusa's mana is restored when the snake returns to her. The restored amount is based on all hit enemies' max mana.
- Hit illusions are not counted towards the mana restore value.
- Mystic Snake needs to hit units with a combined total mana pool of 572/667/750/824 to fully reclaim its mana cost.
- Each successful hit on an enemy increases the damage of the next bounce by 35% of the ability's base damage.
- This means its damage grows linearly, not exponentially, dealing 29.75/45.5/61.25/77 damage more per bounce.
- For how much damage Mystic Snake deals (before reductions) and the petrify duration per bounce, please refer to the chart below.
- Mystic Snake applies the Stone Gaze debuff based on its current level on enemies it hits.
- If it is not leveled, or if the caster does not have Stone Gaze, the debuff is not applied. Stone Gaze petrify notes fully apply.
- Since it uses the same modifier as Stone Gaze, their effects do not stack. The debuff also always uses Stone Gaze's icon.
- Acquiring Aghanim's Scepter instantly updates the current Mystic Snake projectile.
- Fully works for the Mystic Snake of Cold Blooded as well.
- Stone Gaze applied is based on Medusa's current ability level when acquired.
Ability
Passive
Passive
Affects
Self
Self
Creates a shield that absorbs 98% of incoming damage in exchange for Medusa's mana. Illusions absorb less damage per point of mana. Provides bonus mana capacity.
Mana Bonus: 0/50/100/150/200
Damage Reduction: 98%
The drafting hero's mana bar is visible to everyone. Medusa begins the game with a level 1 Mana Shield if the ability is not drafted. However, Mana Shield has a max level of 4 when drafted by other heroes.
While Medusa was not gifted with eternal life upon birth, her curse bestowed her with impressive defensive powers.
- This is innate to Medusa and does not need to be learned. This ability can be upgraded up to level 5.
- Medusa's mana bar is visible to everyone.
- Mana Shield has the highest priority in the group of damage manipulation effects.
- Mana Shield first reduces incoming damage (before reductions), then the damage instance is applied while her current mana is drained.
- As long as Medusa has mana, Mana Shield precedes armor, magic resistance, damage block, damage barrier and damage negating sources (e.g. Aphotic Shield).
- This also affects everything which works directly with damage dealt after reductions (e.g. Soul Burn).
- Applies 98% ( 100%) unique incoming damage reduction on Medusa.
- Stacks multiplicatively with all other sources of incoming damage manipulation.
- Affects all damage types Medusa receive, including damage flagged as HP removal.
- The health cost of casting abilities such as Soul Ring is also reduced. However, it does not reduce inflicted health cost (e.g. Armlet of Mordiggian, Soul Rip).
Max Trigger Distance: 2000
Number of Bounces: 1
Modifiers [?]
Requires drafting Mystic Snake to be unlocked. Does not take any ability slot and is hidden. A permanent status buff appears instead.
Sub-ability of Mystic Snake.
- Requires Aghanim's Shard to be unlocked.
- Follows the same rules as Spell Block. Abilities that do not trigger Spell Block, do not trigger Cold Blooded.
- Does not trigger on abilities that have been cast from a distance greater than 2000. The effective area for the max trigger distance is half of a sphere and not a flat circle.
- The single target Mystic Snake projectile is based on the current level of the ability, and its notes fully apply.
- This includes the fact that the snake does not count bounces on targets that died, turned spell immune, invulnerable, or hidden before impact.
- This means the snake may bounce onto another target in these cases.
- The Aghanim's Scepter upgrade notes fully apply as well.
- TALENTThe Mystic Snake bounce increasing talent does not upgrade Cold Blooded.
- The snake is sent out even if the triggering enemy is invulnerable or hidden.
Ability
No Target
No Target
Affects
Enemies / Self
Enemies / Self
Any enemy units looking at Medusa will have their movement and attack speed slowed. If 2 seconds of total time is accumulated looking at Medusa while Stone Gaze is active, that unit will turn to stone. Petrified units are stunned, and take bonus physical damage.
Facing Angle: 85°
Self Move Speed Bonus: 50%
Enemy Move Speed Slow: 35%
Enemy Attack Speed Slow: 35
Enemy Turn Rate Slow: 35%
Petrify Duration: 2/2.2/2.4
Modifiers [?]
modifier_medusa_stone_gaze
Death
modifier_medusa_stone_gaze_tracker
Death
modifier_medusa_stone_gaze_facing
Death
modifier_medusa_stone_gaze_slow
Death
modifier_medusa_stone_gaze_stone
The beauty of Medusa is legendary.
- The enemy team must have vision over Medusa, while she is using Stone Gaze, for at least 1 server tick before the ability starts affecting any enemies.
- Stone Gaze will affect no enemies at all until this is achieved.
- Once this is achieved, enemies that break the vision of Medusa can still be affected by Stone Gaze, even through the Fog of War.
- Every enemy unit that faces Medusa within 85° in front of them within a 1200 radius around Medusa gets the facing and the slow debuff applied.
- The facing debuff counts for how long the unit faces Medusa. If it accumulates 2 seconds of facing time, it petrifies the unit.
- The facing debuff lasts for either as long as Stone Gaze does (or ending whenever Stone Gaze ends in any way), or until getting petrified.
- Looking away from Medusa does not reset the 2-second facing counter.
- Facing Medusa while invulnerable or hidden still counts towards the 2-second counter.
- This means that petrification can be avoided by being invulnerable as the ability attempts to petrify.
- The slow debuff only slows affected enemies while facing Medusa. Units that turn away are not slowed but keep the debuff.
- The slow debuff lasts for either as long as Stone Gaze does (ending whenever Stone Gaze ends in any way), or until getting petrified.
- Once the petrify debuff expires, the unit can be affected by Stone Gaze again, repeating until Stone Gaze ends, so long the unit faces Medusa.
- The petrify debuff is a stun that also freezes animations.
- The same debuff applies a unique incoming damage amplification on affected enemies. Stacks multiplicatively with all other sources of incoming damage manipulation.
- Amplifies all physical damage, including spell damage (e.g. Quill Spray}), the affected enemy targets receive.
- Does not amplify the magical or pure damage sources of any kind.
- Does not affect neutral creeps.
- Stone Gaze ends when Medusa dies, but already petrified enemies stay petrified for the duration.
Mystic Snake Calculations[]
Level | Mystic Snake Damage (with Petrified Duration) at nth Affected Target | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | |
Level 1 () |
85 (1s) |
114.75 (1.2s) |
144.5 (Σ 344.25) (1.4s) |
174.25 (1.6s) |
204 (1.8s) |
233.75 (Σ 956.25) (2s) | |||
Level 2 () |
130 (1s) |
175.5 (1.2s) |
221 (1.4s) |
266.5 (Σ 793) (1.6s) |
312 (1.8s) |
357.5 (2s) |
403 (Σ 1865.5) (2.2s) | ||
Level 3 () |
175 (1s) |
236.25 (1.2s) |
297.5 (1.4s) |
358.75 (1.6s) |
420 (Σ 1487.5) (1.8s) |
481.25 (2s) |
542.5 (2.2s) |
603.75 (Σ 3115) (2.4s) | |
Level 4 () |
220 (1s) |
297 (1.2s) |
374 (1.4s) |
451 (1.6s) |
528 (1.8s) |
605 (Σ 2475) (2s) |
682 (2.2s) |
759 (2.4s) |
836 (Σ 4752) (2.6s) |
Talents[]
Hero Talents | ||
---|---|---|
Split Shot Uses Modifiers | 25 | +1.7 Mana Shield Damage per Mana |
+1.5s Stone Gaze Duration | 20 | +3 Mystic Snake Bounces |
-3s Mystic Snake Cooldown | 15 | -10% Split Shot Damage Penalty |
+8% Stone Gaze Bonus Physical Damage | 10 | +15% Mystic Snake Turn and Movement Speed Slow |
Recent Changes[]
Version
Description
- Increased agility gain from 3.4 to 3.6.
- Increased Split Shot self attack damage from 35%/50%/65%/80% to 40%/55%/70%/85%.
- Talents:
- LVL 10+5% Stone Gaze physical attack damage amplification increased to +8%.LVL 20+2 Mystic Snake bounces increased to +3.
- Talents:
- LVL 25
- Reduced base intelligence and gain from 27 + 3.7 to 25 + 3.4.
- Reduced Split Shot self attack damage from 55%/65%/75%/85% to 35%/50%/65%/80%.
- Reduced Mystic Snake max mana as mana restored from 14%/16%/18%/20% to 14%/15%/16%/17%.
Recommended Items[]
Starting items:
- Tango for a bit of regeneration in lane.
- Healing Salve's flat heal will go a long way to keep Medusa healthy, considering her abysmal starting health.
- Iron Branches provides early attributes needed for last-hitting creeps and a small boost in your hit points and mana. On top of that, planted Iron Branches increase the total healing from Tango.
- Enchanted Mango gives passive health regeneration and burst mana.
Early game:
- Power Treads give Medusa additional movement speed to compensate for her low mobility and a boost to attributes.
- Wraith Band gives a cheap boost to Medusa's attributes, and can be picked up in multiples to pad out her inventory slots early on.
- Magic Wand is one of the most cost-effective survivability items on Medusa early on. The instantly restored health and mana you get from charges is doubly effective on her thanks to Mana Shield.
Mid game:
- Hurricane Pike gives cheap attributes, attack range and a useful active ability - a very cost-effective item for Medusa.
- Mask of Madness is good for increasing your farming speed and being slightly active in the mid game. Her Mana Shield pretty much negates the increase in damage taken from it, it gives her the movement speed and attack speed she needs for both farming and team fights, and it lets her be active early on. However, be careful with the active ability as the silence will prevent you from toggling Mana Shield.
Late game:
- Manta Style bolsters Medusa's attributes all around and can dispel troublesome debuffs. The illusions also benefit from Split Shot.
- Eye of Skadi gives both killing power via slowing enemies and survivability because of attributes and mana for Mana Shield.
- Butterfly offers bonus damage, attack speed, and armor, and its evasion gives you even more survivability.
Situational items:
- Drum of Endurance is a great cost-effective attributes item on Medusa. It gives her both intelligence and strength which is needed on her, and the slight movement and attack speed it gives are great for farming or pushing.
- Linken's Sphere gives decent attributes and protection against disables, and can be prioritized if your farm is being disrupted or you are being locked down in fights.
- Mjollnir can be bought to deal with summons or illusions.
- Monkey King Bar can be needed if the enemies have evasion items or heroes.
- Black King Bar is considered if the enemies are keeping you locked down before you can get Stone Gaze off.
- Bloodthorn gives intelligence and mana regeneration to make you even tankier, and it effectively gives you a Crystalys and Monkey King Bar in one slot.
- Swift Blink allows Medusa to chase faster especially during Stone Gaze while effectively granting her bonus attack damage and attack speed.
- Moon Shard boosts her attack speed further, a handy item in the late game as you can consume it to save a slot for reduced bonuses.
- Scythe of Vyse for an extra disable, attributes, and mana regeneration which may help Mana Shield.
- Aghanim's Scepter allows Mystic Snake to petrify any enemies it hits, giving the ability a hard-disable utility that allows for more strategic employment. It also provides attributes in all departments, as well as adding a respectable amount of health and mana to Medusa.
- Aghanim's Shard gives Medusa access to Cold Blooded ability, which allows her to passively launch a single Mystic Snake at any enemy hero who tries to damage Medusa using a single-targeted ability. When combined with Aghanim's Scepter upgraded Mystic Snake, it will almost completely discourage enemies from trying to use powerful single-targeted abilites that can hurt Medusa even if she is spell immune.
- Divine Rapier is the best damage item on Medusa. She's tanky enough that, even with Mask of Madness, the odds of her dropping this are extremely slim, and it'll help you take on the enemy team with Split Shot. That being said, if you are against heroes that can burn through your Mana Shield, it may be too risky.
- Satanic should be picked up when building Divine Rapier. Due to the extremely high damage provided by Divine Rapier, Satanic's passive lifesteal and its active skill become effective in terms of healing yourself, decreasing the chances of dropping the Rapier.
Dota Plus Progress[]
Main Article: Hero Challenges
Relics track a hero's actions and statistics, and display in-game notifications when a milestone is reached. They are only available to Dota Plus subscribers.
Relics | Voice Lines | |
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Bronze |
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Silver |
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Gold |
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Platinum |
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Master |
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Grandmaster |
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Equipment[]
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Trivia[]
- Medusa (ruler or queen) is one of three member of Gorgon's sisters، including Stheno (strength), Euryale (wide-leaping).
- While the lore of Medusa is heavily inspired by its ancient Greek counterpart it should be noted that in the early versions of the myth, Medusa was born hideous to primordial sea deities Phorcys and Ceto who are described as cthonic monsters from an archaic world.
- The mythology that describes Medusa as having incomprehensible beauty was introduced later by the Roman poet Ovid and in that version Medusa did not exchange her beauty for power. Rather after being attacked by Poseidon in the temple of Athena the enraged goddess twisted Medusa's beautiful visage to the point that merely looking at her would turn the onlookers to stone.
- Upon killing Gyrocopter ▶️ "Snakes on a plane", refers to the movie of the same name.
- Mars' Immortal Off-hand item, God's Mercy, references elements from the Greek Myth as well, namely Perseus and Medusa. Perseus (who is another one of the Greek god Zeus' sons) uses a polished shield to act as a mirror to approach and behead the sleeping Medusa without looking directly at her eyes, thereby avoiding her infamous stone gaze. Perseus also used Medusa's head as a weapon to turn King Atlas into stone.
- Mystic Snake's slow debuff does not have its own particle system and uses the particle effects of Thunder Clap's slow debuff instead.
Gallery[]
Early minimap icon