Earth Spirit
Hero
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   21 + 4.4
17 + 1.5
18 + 2.1
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Kaolin the Earth Spirit is a melee strength hero with great utility, possessing a wide array of disables in all of his basic abilities.
Unlike most heroes, his abilities revolve around an innate ability, Stone Remnant, which allows him to place statues that can be used to augment his abilities. Using his abilities in tandem with these remnants, Earth Spirit can slow enemies with Boulder Smash, stun them and initiate with Rolling Boulder, and silence them with Geomagnetic Grip. His ultimate, Magnetize, inflicts nearby enemies with a damage over time debuff, and allows him to spread the slow and silence from his abilities to other nearby enemies while refreshing the debuff duration by using his Stone Remnants, stopping entire groups of enemies in their tracks. With good timing and skill he can initiate fights from a distance, and given the right circumstances can deal a surprising amount of damage to both single and multiple targets, all the while disrupting enemy positioning allowing for easy kills. A useful ally and a dangerous enemy, the Earth Spirit's versatility and flexibility make him an ideal hero in almost any lineup or lane.
Contents
Bio[edit]
Kaolin, the Earth Spirit▶️ "Through conflict, one's nature is revealed."
Lore:
Deep amid the Upland crags and cliffs there runs a seam of sacred jade long foresworn by highland miners. From this rare material, the likeness of the great general Kaolin was carved and buried at the head of a stone funerary army ten thousand strong--a force of soldiers and holy men, jesters and acrobats, carved by craftsmen and entombed for millennia in the dark embrace of the Earth.
What the craftsmen had not known was that within the strange seam of jade flowed the spirit of the Earth itself--an elemental force at one with the planet. When the force within the carved jade found itself cut off from the life's blood of the world, it gathered its strength over the course of a thousand years and dug itself free and into the light. Now the great Kaolin Earth Spirit strides the Upland roads, fighting for the spirit of the Earth; and in times of need calls forth remnants of his buried army still locked in the loving embrace of the soil.
Voice:
Abilities[edit]
Boulder Smash
Earth Spirit smashes the target enemy or ally, sending them in the direction he is facing. If Earth Spirit targets an area, he will smash the nearest Stone Remnant in a 200 radius. The travelling unit or Remnant damages all enemy units it hits. If an enemy is hit by a Stone Remnant, they are also slowed. Stone Remnants travel further than other units.
Cast Animation: 0.01+0
Unit Cast Range: 150
Stone Cast Range: 200
Damage & Slow Radius: 180
Damage: 105/170/235/300
Knockback Speed: 900
Unit Knockback Distance: 480/600/680/800
Stone Knockback Distance: 2000
Stone Move Speed Slow: 60%
Stone Slow Duration: 1.25/2.5/3.25/4
22/
100
Cannot target spell immune units. Does not attempt to damage or slow spell immune enemies. Can target spell immune units under the effect of Enchant Remnant.
Blocked fully only when primary target.Modifiers
Boulder Smash: Undispellable.
Boulder Smash Debuff: Dispellable with any dispel.It is with the power of a mountain that Earth Spirit strikes his enemies.
Notes:
- Boulder Smash has different targeting rules based on whether he wants to smash a distant remnant, nearby remnant or a unit.
- Smashing a distant remnant:
- To do this, the ground must be targeted. There must be a Stone Remnant within 200 radius around the targeted point.
- If a remnant is found, Earth Spirit walks towards the point until the remnant is within 200 range.
- Any remnant he meets on the way are ignored. Only the closest remnant to the targeted point is smashed.
- Upon reaching the remnant, Earth Spirit smashes it towards the direction he approached it from.
- Smashing a nearby remnant:
- To do this, the ground must be targeted. There must not be a Stone Remnant within 200 around the targeted point.
- There must be a Stone Remnant within 200 radius around Earth Spirit.
- Boulder Smash has a 2000 range default cast range. This range allows Earth Spirit to aim the Stone Remnant precisely.
- When targeting beyond 2000 range, Earth spirit walks up until the point is within range. If there is a remnant nearby, he smashes it.
- Smashing a unit:
- To do this, the unit must be directly targeted.
- There must not be a remnant between Earth Spirit and the targeted unit.
- Earth Spirit walks up until the target is within 150 range and smashes it towards the direction he approached the target from.
- If Earth Spirit meets a remnant while walking up to the target, he smashes the remnant towards the targeted unit instead.
- The slow is applied to all enemy units within the radius of a smashed Stone Remnant. A smashed unit is not and does not slow.
- Damage is applied to all enemy units within the radius of a smashed Stone Remnant or smashed unit.
- The smashed enemy is damaged as well, instantly on cast. Smashed allies are not damaged.
- Smashed units are not disabled during the knockback, and are able to act freely during it. Does not interrupt channeling spells.
- Boulder Smash first applies the damage, then the knockback debuff. Smashed remnants first applies the damage, then the slow debuff.
- Cannot be cast on ancient creeps.
- Can move units and Stone Remnants over impassable terrain.
- Destroys trees which the targeted units or Stone Remnant collide with during the knockback.
Rolling Boulder
Earth Spirit gathers himself into a boulder and, after a 0.6s delay, rolls toward the target location, damaging and stunning enemy units. He will stop if he collides with an enemy hero or is stunned. If he rolls over a Stone Remnant, he will travel further and faster, and stun enemies for longer.
Cast Animation: 0.01+0
Cast Range: 3000
Effect & Collision Radius: 150
Effect Delay: 0.6
Default Roll Distance: 800
Stone Roll Distance: 1600
Damage: 70/80/90/100 (
220/230/240/250)
220/230/240/250)Stun Duration: 0.4/0.6/0.8/1 ( 1.15/1.35/1.55/1.75)
1.15/1.35/1.55/1.75)Stone Stun Duration Bonus: 0.4/0.6/0.8/1
16/ 50
Collides with, and attempts to damage spell immune enemies.
Getting rooted while already rolling does not cancel the rolling.Modifiers
Rolling Boulder Caster: Undispellable. Stunned: Dispellable with strong dispels.Calling upon his connection to the land, the Earth Spirit draws loose stone to him, which forms a protective ball that he can use to roll short distances.
Notes:
- Rolls at a speed of 800 and always rolls the full distance when not colliding with an enemy hero.
- When rolling over a Stone Remnant, the speed is doubled, and the total distance increased to 1600.
- The stun duration also gets increased to 0.8/1.2/1.6/2 ( 1.55/1.95/2.35/2.75)
- The stun duration also gets increased to 0.8/1.2/1.6/2 (
- The stun is applied to all enemy units (except for couriers) in the path, not just the hero it collides with.
- Rolling Boulder first applies the damage, then the debuff.
- While rolling, Earth Spirit is rooted and disarmed, so he cannot move, blink or attack during it.
- Other abilities and items can be used normally while rolling, except for Rolling Boulder, which cannot be re-cast while rolling.
- Upon colliding with an enemy hero, Earth Spirit is placed 80 range away from them, on the opposite side he collided into them from.
- Does not affect invulnerable units and heroes. Cannot collide with invulnerable heroes. Fully affects invisible units.
- Can move Earth Spirit over impassable terrain. Destroys trees Earth Spirit collides with while rolling.
- Rolling Boulder is canceled when Earth Spirit gets stunned, slept, cycloned or hexed at any time during it.
- Although Rolling Boulder is canceled, Earth Spirit is still placed behind the hero if there is an enemy hero in the path, at the time he would have reached it when not canceled.
- Forced movement only cancels Rolling Boulder when it is the hard-disabling kind.
- Non-disabling forced movement does not cancel it when applied while stationary, but does override it when applied while rolling.
Geomagnetic Grip
Earth Spirit pulls the target Stone Remnant. Enemies struck by the gripped target will be silenced and take damage.
Cast Animation: 0.01+0
Cast Range: 1100
Effect Radius: 180
Stone Damage: 50/100/150/200
Stone Pull Speed: 1000
Unit Pull Speed: 600
Silence Duration: 2/2.5/3/3.5
13 100
Cannot target spell immune units. Does not attempt to damage or silence spell immune enemies. Can target spell immune units under the effect of Enchant Remnant. Silence persists if debuff was placed before spell immunity and when not dispelled.
Not blocked when cast on an enemy hero affected by Enchant Remnant.Modifiers
Geomagnetic Grip: Dispellable with strong dispels. Geomagnetic Grip debuff: Dispellable with any dispel.Like calls to like. Even the minerals found in the blood and bones of living beings are not immune to the call of the Earth Spirit.
Notes:
- When targeting ground, a Stone Remnant within 180 radius of the targeted point is pulled.
- When no remnants are within the range, nothing happens. The spell is not cast.
- In order to pull a unit, it has to be targeted directly. Cannot target allied heroes, unless the required talent is chosen. Treats creep-heroes as creeps.
- Silence is applied to all enemy units within the radius of a pulled unit or remnant.
- Damage is applied to all enemy units within the radius of a pulled Stone Remnant. A pulled unit is not damaged and does no damage.
- Targeted units are not disabled during the pull. They are able to turn, attack, cast spells and use items.
- This means that it cannot be used to interrupt the target's channeling spells.
- Geomagnetic Grip does not pull the target if it is affected by Black Hole, Chronosphere, Duel, or Flaming Lasso.
- In the last two cases, it does not even pull the target if it is affected by Enchant Remnant.
- The pulled remnant first applies the debuff, then the damage.
- When cast on allies or Stone Remnants affected by Boulder Smash, the smash gets canceled out by the grip.
- Can move allies and Stone Remnants over impassable terrain.
- Destroys trees within 200 radius around the targeted unit during the pull.
Stone Remnant
Ability
Target Point
Target Point
Call a Stone Remnant to the target location. Stone Remnants have no vision and are invulnerable, and can be used with Earth Spirit's abilities. Calling a Stone Remnant consumes a charge, which recharge over time.
Cast Animation: 0+0
Cast Range: 1100
Remnant Duration: 120
Number of Charges: 7
Charge Replenish Time: 30
0Earth Spirit calls forth a remnant of his stone army, long buried with him in the dark embrace of the Earth.
Notes:
- This is an innate ability and does not need to be skilled.
- Earth Spirit begins the game with all 7 charges.
- Double-clicking the ability places a Stone Remnant 100 range in front of Earth Spirit.
- It is possible to have up to 10 remnants when placing all 7 remnants at once, and then every time after the 30 seconds recharge.
- Remnants cannot be attacked or destroyed by anyone. They may only be destroyed by Rolling Boulder, Magnetize, or by expiring.
- When used by Magnetize, the remnant remains for 8 seconds before crumbling down. Rolling Boulder destroys them instantly.
- An enemy Rubick can make use of the same remnants when stealing and using one of Earth Spirit's spells.
- Stone Remnants can be seen through the Fog of War by all players.
- Enemies can also see and hear the following effects through the Fog of War:
- Stone Remnants being smashed by Boulder Smash.
- Stone Remnants being consumed by Rolling Boulder to roll farther.
- Stone Remnants being pulled by Geomagnetic Grip.
Magnetize
Magnetizes units in a small nearby area, causing them to take damage for a short duration. Magnetized heroes cause nearby Stone Remnants to explode, destroying the remnant and refreshing Magnetize's duration on all nearby enemies. This process can repeat multiple times. If an enemy hero is affected by silence or slows as a result of Geomagnetic Grip or Rolling Boulder, all magnetized heroes share the effects.
Cast Animation: 0.01+0
Radius: 350
Stone Search Radius: 400
Stone Refresh Radius: 600
Damage per Second: 50/75/100
Duration: 6
100/ 100
Grants the Enchant Remnant ability. Places debuff on and attempts to damage spell immune enemies. Can spread to and refresh debuff on spell immune enemies. Does not silence or slow spell immune enemies when another magnetized enemy is hit by Rolling Boulder or Geomagnetic Grip.Modifiers
Magnetize: Dispellable with any dispel.At the Earth Spirit’s call, the minerals in the blood and bones of his enemies rebel against the bodies they find themselves in.
Notes:
- Checks for nearby Stone Remnants in 0.5 second intervals, starting 0.5 seconds after cast.
- If a remnant is found near an affected unit, Magnetize gets spread to enemies within a 600 radius around the remnant.
- If an enemy within range already was affected by Magnetize, it gets the debuff refreshed instead.
- Deals 25/37.5/50 damage in 0.5 second intervals, starting 0.5 seconds after cast.
- Earth Spirit can still utilize a Stone Remnant for 8 seconds after it has spread Magnetize, before it is destroyed.
- Without refreshing the duration once, Magnetize can deal up to 300/450/600 damage per affected unit (before reductions).
- The Magnetize debuff can be placed on and spread from invisible and invulnerable units, but not on or from hidden units and couriers.
- A number is visible above all magnetized enemies, counting down the duration. This is visible to allies only.
- Refreshing the duration with a remnant also resets the timer.
Enchant Remnant
Earth Spirit temporarily enchants a hero, granting them the properties of a Stone Remnant. After 3 seconds the remnant shatters, releasing the hero and damaging nearby enemies.
Cast Animation: 0.2+0.57
Cast Range: 125
Damage Radius: 300
Damage: 300
Duration: 3
45 150
Can be cast on spell immune allies.Cannot be cast on spell immune enemies.
Does not attempt to damage spell immune enemies.
Modifiers
Petrify: Undispellable.Kaolin uses the elemental power of the Earth to temporarily petrify living beings, so that they might be conscripted into his stone funerary army.
Notes:
- Requires Aghanim's Scepter to be unlocked.
- Can only be cast on allied and enemy heroes, including their illusions. Can be cast on Earth Spirit's illusions but not on self. Treats creep-heroes as creeps.
- Provides True Sight over the target for the full duration.
- An enchanted hero is fully disabled, invulnerable and reacts on Earth Spirit's spells just like a Stone Remnant.
- Boulder Smash: Enchanted heroes are knocked back for 2000 distance and slow and damage enemies they collide with.
- Rolling Boulder: Enchanted heroes boost the rolling, ending the enchantment early. Earth Spirit does not collide with them.
- Geomagnetic Grip: Enchanted heroes are pulled at a speed of 1000 and apply the damage. Can pull enchanted enemies.
- Magnetize: Enchanted heroes receive, refresh and spread Magnetize when within its stone search radius.
- If the enchantment expires during Boulder Smash, the unit still moves the full distance, but stops applying the slow.
- If the enchantment expires while an enemy is being smashed back, they take the boulder smash damage, but are not slowed.
- If the enchantment expires during Geomagnetic Grip, it still is pulled at the higher speed, but stops applying the damage.
- The area damage at the end hits all enemies, not just heroes.
Talents[edit]
| Hero Talents | ||
|---|---|---|
| +0.75s Rolling Boulder Stun Duration | 25 | Geomagnetic Grip Targets Allies |
| +150 Gold/Min | 20 | +15% Spell Amplification |
| +150 Rolling Boulder Damage | 15 | +7 Armor |
| +40 Damage | 10 | +10 Intelligence |
Notes:
- This attack damage talent is added as raw attack damage, so it does not benefit illusions, and is not affected by most percentage-based damage increasing or reducing effects.
- The intelligence talent effectively grants Earth Spirit 120 mana, 0.5 mana regen and 0.7% spell damage.
- Gold granted from the talent is unreliable gold.
Recommended items[edit]
Starting items:
- Tango provides some health regeneration to stay in lane.
- Clarity helps Earth Spirit to cast his spells more often to make a bigger impact in the early game, as he is limited more by his mana pool than by the number of Stone Remnant he has.
- Iron Branch improves Earth Spirit's attributes for cheap, particularly his strength and intelligence, which he lacks in the early game.
- Orb of Venom enhances Earth Spirit's attacks to slow enemies' movement speed, greatly improving his ability to set up kills for his team.
Early game:
- Boots of Speed grants movement speed that will allow Earth Spirit to position himself more quickly for casting his spells.
- Magic Stick is a useful pickup when in a lane against heroes who are harassing you by spamming low mana cost spells. In particular, your low early mana pool means that you will greatly benefit from having an extra source of mana regeneration for casting your spells in a pinch.
- Urn of Shadows is a good pickup on very active Earth Spirit players since he is very powerful in teamfights and ganks, and is a strength hero who can benefit from additional mana regeneration. The active ability can be used to heal teammates after ganks or teamfights, or can add an additional damage to an enemy during a gank. Remember to check with teammates to see if any of them are purchasing one as well, as only one Urn will receive charges when a nearby enemy hero dies.
Mid game:
- Tranquil Boots provides health regeneration and movement speed to get Earth Spirit to desired position.
- Magic Wand provides more burst health and mana than Magic Stick.
- Blink Dagger allows Earth Spirit to position himself easily for casting his spells; it has a short cooldown and cost no mana to use.
- Force Staff quickly re-position Earth Spirit in order to more easily use his abilities, as well as escape from failed fights or ganks. Furthermore, the active can be used to save nearby allies, or disposition enemies for your spells. It also improves his mana pool to cast more, and the health regeneration helps keep him at full health as needed.
- Spirit Vessel, upgraded from Urn of Shadows, grants Earth Spirit more health and movement speed; the active ability greatly counters healing from the enemies so Earth Spirit and his team can bring them down in ganks.
Late game:
- Veil of Discord is helpful if your team has multiple spell casters. It provides a large amount of intelligence to improve Earth Spirit's mana pool, and the extra armor is very useful as he often gets right in the middle of battles when initiating. The magic resistance reduction on enemies works well with all of Earth Spirit's spells, but synergizes best with his ultimate, Magnetize, as Magic Weakness' long debuff duration can stay in place throughout refreshing Magnetize on enemies.
- Aghanim's Scepter unlocks a new ability, Enchant Remnant, which greatly increases Earth Spirit's ability to disable enemies, save teammates, and initiate during teamfights and ganks.
Situational items:
- Observer Ward provides vision so gankers like Earth Spirit can set up kills for team.
- Arcane Boots are almost essential on Earth Spirit if no other mana regenerating items are built. As a strength caster, he benefits greatly from the larger mana pool, as well as the mana replenishment given upon activation. Arcane Boots also greatly benefit your team, especially if your allies are having mana issues.
- Eul's Scepter of Divinity can be useful to build in situations where farming a more expensive item is prohibitive. It improves Earth Spirit's mana pool and regeneration, ensuring that he will always have the mana to cast his spells, and the extra movement speed allows him to move into position for his spells more easily without resorting to using a Blink Dagger or Force Staff. Furthermore, the active cyclone can be used to make yourself temporarily invulnerable while also dispelling debuffs such as silences, or instantly disable an enemy to set up your other spells.
- Glimmer Cape is a cheap utility item can make Earth Spirit highly elusive and give him additional initiation power that augments his already strong mobility. The active can allow him to initiate invisibly, cloak himself for escapes when combined with Rolling Boulder, or give him strong magic resistance when jumping in during teamfights. It also allows him to do the same for allies, and synergizes with his ability to save teammates by pulling them from harm using Geomagnetic Grip.
- Ghost Scepter's active makes Earth Spirit immune to physical attacks, useful to escape from enemy carries.
- Solar Crest gives Earth Spirit strong resistance against physical damage with bonus armor, and the passive mana regeneration keeps his mana pool topped up. The active can be used on allies or enemies, giving Earth Spirit even more utility beyond his already potent disables.
- Heaven's Halberd is useful against the enemies which rely on their attacks. The disarm will render the targeted hero unable to attack, making most hard carries useless until the effect wears off. Heaven's Halberd will also give Earth Spirit extra health, status resistance, and evasion, all helpful for staying alive in fights.
- Rod of Atos grants attributes to give health and mana, as well as a root so Earth Spirit can better aim his abilities at immobile targets.
- Blade Mail is a useful mid-game item that gives Earth Spirit many positive benefits. The intelligence shores up his small mana pool, the armor gives him survivability against physical damage, and the attack damage gives him more physical damage output which helps him farm late-game items more easily as needed. But most importantly, using the item's active ability while initiating can discourage the enemy from attacking you, giving you more time to cast your spells as needed.
- Mekansm improves Earth Spirit's already good armor and health regeneration, and is a good utility pickup for your team. Keep in mind though, it has an extremely high mana cost, more than any of your other spells, so it is necessary to increase the size of your mana pool first. If you don't, you may render yourself unable to cast your other spells after healing your team, or healing your team after pulling off your spell combo. Remember to check whether a teammate is going to purchase Mekansm, as a team only needs one.
- Pipe of Insight is useful in most situations, but especially against a team of casters. The extra magic resistance helps keep Earth Spirit alive during initiations, and the active protects all allies from magical damage for a short period of time. Furthermore, the additional health regeneration allows Earth Spirit to remain out in the field for longer without having to return to base to heal.
- Lotus Orb protects Earth Spirit from targeted spells, or allows him to share that protection with allies. The item provides health and mana regeneration, as well as armor and additional bonus damage.
- Shiva's Guard greatly increases Earth Spirit's physical survivability as well as the size of his mana pool. The active ability can be used in conjunction with initiating a teamfight with Rolling Boulder, as you can apply the blast to the entire enemy team almost instantly, slowing them down enough to catch them all with Magnetize.
- Scythe of Vyse improves Earth Spirit's mana regeneration and attributes. Furthermore, it gives him hex, an instant disable to control a key target.
- Guardian Greaves can drastically improve Earth Spirit's survivability when initiating teamfights. When upgraded from Arcane Boots and Mekansm, it removes Mekansm's mana cost while providing Earth Spirit with a strong teamfight aura and a self-dispel to remove debuffs from himself.
Gameplay[edit]
| Roles: | Nuker Escape Disabler Initiator Durable |
|---|---|
| Complexity: | ★★★ |
| Playstyle: | Reborn of stone and jade, Kaolin fights with strength gathered from a thousand years of entombment. The great general places, like pieces on a grand board, silent Stone Remnants for use in strategies known only to himself. A master of positioning, Kaolin knocks back foes with Boulder Smash, pulls close allies with Geomagnetic Grip, and freely manipulates his Remnants at will. Never one to lead from behind, Kaolin crashes into the fray as a Rolling Boulder. Foes are left stumbling away from battle, their health slipping as they try in vain to escape from the general's maze of Magnetized stone. |
Audio[edit]
History[edit]
Equipment[edit]
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Trivia[edit]
- Like Brewmaster, Storm Spirit and Ember Spirit, Earth Spirit was a Pandaren in DotA. However, he was re-skinned to avoid copyright issues with Blizzard Entertainment, since Pandaren are a race of creatures in the Warcraft Universe.
- Stone Remnant is called Stone Caller in DotA, and it summons an actual Rock rather than a Remnant. Its function and mechanics are the same.
- Stone Remnant is still named Stone Caller in Dota 2's NPC files.
- Earth Spirit's original design included a hat, but this was scrapped before release. It is still visible on his Stone Remnants.
- Earth Spirit's name, Kaolin, is a reference to a type of fine white clay of the same name.
- Earth Spirit's lore draws inspiration from the Terracotta Army, a collection of statues depicting Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huang Di's armies.
- Earth Spirit's quote "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak" may be a reference from Matthew 26:41 in the Bible (KJV).
Gallery[edit]
Concept art
Concept art
Concept art
All seven Stone Remnant poses
Ability icon progress [?]
Hero icon progress
