Illusions

Default buff icon
Play Spawn sound
Play Death sound

“

Play A legion sprouts from one! — Phantom Lancer

”

Illusions (also commonly called illus) are imperfect, weaker copies of heroes, created by spells or items. They look like and are mostly treated like a hero, but are impaired, as they usually have incoming and outgoing damage penalties, dealing less damage and taking more damage than heroes. They are mostly incapable of casting spells or using active item abilities and also have some passive abilities disabled. They also may not drop or pick up items or runes. Illusions yield a little gold and experience based on the hero's level. They do not soak up any AoE experience and gold (they cannot level up, and the gold from last hits they make goes to their owners) and do not interfere with kill streaks or counters.

Illusions can be created from an allied, enemy, or the own hero, copying its appearance, level, attributes, attack values, defensive values like base armor and base magic resistance and their abilities on their current level. All items owned by the hero are copied as well, including all their stats (although some effects of abilities and items are disabled for illusions).

All illusions deal 60% less damage against buildings, making them weaker in pushing. This reduction stacks multiplicatively with the outgoing damage reduction which most illusions have, and also multiplicatively with the damage reduction hero damage does against structure armor type. However, due to the fact that illusions are based on heroes, their damage scales together with the heroes, making them still a significant pushing tool, especially in later phases of a match.

All illusions are invulnerable for one server tick (0.03 seconds) as they spawn. It does not matter which ability spawns them, this goes for all of them. Illusions also always play the same birth sound (which is only audible to allies) upon spawning, and the same death sound upon dying in any way, including upon expiring.

Visual appearance

Blue illusions as they appear to allies and enemies. Enemy illusions use a hero health bar and display the player names, while allied illusions have a creep health bar and a circle indicating their duration.

All illusions have an extra texture layer, which makes them distinguishable from the original hero. There are 5 different types of textures which can be seen below.

To allies, illusions always appear with the texture layer, making them always look different than the original hero. For enemies, illusions which use the blue or the yellow textures appear like the original hero, making it difficult to tell them apart from the real hero. Illusions with the second or third texture appear like illusions to the enemy, meaning enemies do see their illusion textures. However, despite this, the portrait of illusions always appears like the original hero to the enemy.

Illusions do not show damage numbers.

Appearance
Portrait
Abilities	Default	Phantasm, Mirror Image, Manta Style, Illusion Rune, Disruption, Haunt, Blink	Wall of Replica,Vengeance Aura	Conjure Image, Reflection	Doppelganger	Spirit Lance, Doppelganger, Juxtapose
Camouflaged	-	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes

Besides their skin and portrait, their health bar also differs based on whether the illusion is allied or not. Allied illusions have the same health bar as creeps. This also means their mana bar is not visible, as it is only visible when having a hero or creep-hero health bar. Besides this, illusions also have a circle on the left side of the health bar, which indicates their duration.

Enemy illusions use a hero health bar to not make it obvious that they are illusions. They also display the player's or hero's name above them like regular enemy heroes (if the player has the name display toggled on player name or hero name). The player name is based on the owner of the illusion, not of the hero the illusion is based on. This means when an enemy Shadow Demon creates illusions of allies, the illusions carry Shadow Demon's player name. When hero names are chosen, instead of player names, it shows the name of the hero the illusion is based on, and not the owner's hero.

Illusion creating abilities

These are all abilities which create illusions of heroes:

• Anti-Mage - Blink
  
  Number of Illusions: 0 ( 1)
  Illusion Damage Dealt: 0% ( 25%)
  Illusion Damage Taken: 0% ( 350%)
  Duration: 10
  Requires a Talent. Creates an uncontrollable illusion of the caster, which auto-attacks nearby enemies.
• Chaos Knight - Phantasm
  
  Number of Illusions: 1/2/3
  Illusion Damage Dealt: 100%
  Illusion Damage Taken: 260%
  Duration: 42
  Creates illusions of the caster ( or targeted ally). Has a 50% chance to spawn an extra illusion. Illusions' and caster's ( target's) positions are shuffled upon creation.
• Dark Seer - Wall of Replica
  
  Number of Illusions per Enemy: 1
  Illusion Damage Dealt: 70%/85%/100% ( 100%/120%/140%)
  Illusion Damage Taken: 200%
  Duration: 45
  Creates magical wall. If an enemy passes through it, an illusion of it is created. If the illusion gets killed, the wall may create a new one if the enemy walks through again.
• Manta Style - Mirror Image
  
  Number of Illusions: 2
  Melee/Ranged Illusion Damage Dealt: 33%/28%
  Melee/Ranged Illusion Damage Taken: 350%/400%
  Duration: 20
  Creates illusions of the caster. Illusions' and caster's positions are shuffled upon creation.
• Naga Siren - Mirror Image
  
  Number of Illusions: 3 ( 4)
  Illusion Damage Dealt: 25%/30%/35%/40%
  Illusion Damage Taken: 550%/500%/450%/400%
  Duration: 30
  Creates illusions of the caster. Illusions' and caster's positions are shuffled upon creation.
• Phantom Lancer - Doppelganger
  
  Number of Illusions: 2
  First/Second Illusion Damage Dealt: 0%/20%
  First/Second Illusion Damage Taken: 100%/600%
  Duration: 8
  Creates illusions of the caster. Illusions and caster appear at a random location within the targeted area.
• Phantom Lancer - Juxtapose
  
  Max Number of Illusions: 6/8/10
  Illusion Damage Dealt: 16%
  Illusion Damage Taken: 500%
  Duration (from Hero/Illusion): 8/4
  Has a 40%/45%/50% chance to create an illusion of the hero upon attacking. Illusions of the hero have an 8% chance.
• Phantom Lancer - Spirit Lance
  
  Number of Illusions: 1
  Illusion Damage Dealt: 20%
  Illusion Damage Taken: 400%
  Duration: 2/4/6/8
  Creates an illusion of the caster at the target, if the projectile successfully hits the target.
• Illusion Rune - Illusion
  
  Number of Illusions: 2
  Illusion Damage Dealt: 35%
  Melee/Ranged Illusion Damage Taken: 200%/300%
  Duration: 75
  Creates illusions of the user.
• Shadow Demon - Disruption
  
  Number of Illusions: 2
  Illusion Damage Dealt: 30%/45%/60%/75%
  Illusion Damage Taken: 300%
  Duration: 8/10/12/14
  Creates illusions of the targeted ally or enemy. Can target self. Illusions' and hero's positions are not shuffled.
• Shadow Demon - Soul Catcher
  
  Number of Illusions: 0 ( 1)
  Illusion Damage Dealt: 0% ( 30%/45%/60%/75%)
  Illusion Damage Taken: 0% ( 200%)
  Requires a Talent. Creates an illusion of the caught enemy when it dies with the debuff. The illusion lasts until the enemy respawns or until it is killed.
• Spectre - Haunt
  
  Number of Illusions per Enemy: 1
  Illusion Damage Dealt: 40%/50%/60% ( 80%/90%/100%)
  Illusion Damage Taken: 200%
  Duration: 5/6/7
  Creates illusions of the caster next to enemy heroes for each enemy hero on the map. Haunt illusions cannot be controlled and do nothing but attack their assigned hero.
• Terrorblade - Conjure Image
  
  Number of Illusions: 1
  Illusion Damage Dealt: 30%/40%/50%/60%
  Illusion Damage Taken: 400%
  Duration: 34
  Creates an illusion of the caster.
• Terrorblade - Reflection
  
  Number of Illusions per Enemy: 1
  Illusion Damage Dealt: 40%/60%/80%/100%
  Illusion Damage Taken: 0%
  Duration: 2.5/3.5/4.5/5.5
  Creates an illusion of each enemy hero within range on cast. Reflection illusions cannot be controlled and do nothing but attack their assigned target. Reflection illusions are invulnerable.
• Vengeful Spirit - Vengeance Aura
  
  Number of Illusions per Ally: 1
  Illusion Damage Dealt: 100%
  Illusion Damage Taken: 0%
  Duration: 6
  When an allied hero dies (including clones, excluding illusions), an uncontrollable, untargetable illusion of it spawns, attacking whoever killed it.
• Vengeful Spirit - Nether Swap
  
  Number of Illusions: 0 ( 1)
  Illusion Damage Dealt: 0 ( 50%)
  Illusion Damage Taken: 0 ( 150%)
  Duration: Variable
  Requires Aghanim's Scepter. Spawns a Vengeance illusion of the hero upon death. The illusion lasts until respawning. Vengeance illusions may cast abilities, but not items.

Stats

All 3 attributes of illusions (strength, agility and intelligence) are based on the original hero. They copy their base attributes, the attributes gained from levels, and all item bonuses. They fully benefit from every trait of attributes, health, health regen, mana, mana regen, armor, attack speed, and attack damage. They also copy the hero's movement speed, main attack damage, attack animation (and projectile speed), base attack time, attack range, base magic resistance, main armor, base health and mana regen, vision, collision size and turn rate. An illusion's stats, level, ability levels and items are all set upon spawn and do not adapt to the original hero.

Besides copying all the base stats of heroes, these bonus stats (from items, talents or passive abilities) are also copied:

• Attack range
• Attack speed
• Attributes
• Base attack time
• Evasion
• Health
• Mana
• Health regeneration
• Mana regeneration
• Movement speed
• Spell damage amplification
• Vision

These bonus stats are not copied and thus do not work for illusions (although some of them are displayed in the HUD still):

• Attack damage
• Armor

And finally, these bonus stats are inconsistent; some sources work, some do not:

• Magic resistance

Magic resistance

Magic resistance reductions are inconsistent with illusions. They either do, or do not affect them. However, in the HUD, magic resistance is always displayed as if they were fully affected.

Magic resistance increasing effects do not affect illusions at all. Only reducing effects are inconsistent.

The 100% magic resistance granted by any source of spell immunity and from Fate's Edict fully works for illusions.

Magical damage barriers fully work for illusions.

These abilities do reduce the magic resistance of illusions:

Working magic resistance sources

• Elder Titan – Natural Order
• Ethereal Blade – Ether Blast
• Ghost Scepter – Ghost Form
• Necrophos – Ghost Shroud
• Pugna – Decrepify

These abilities do not reduce the magic resistance of illusions:

Not working magic resistance sources

• Ancient Apparition – Ice Vortex
• Skywrath Mage – Ancient Seal
• Veil of Discord – Magic Weakness

Bounties

Illusions have a gold and experience bounty equal to their level times 2. The gold bounty is granted to the player killing the illusion, while the experience is shared within the default experience area. However, the experience is only granted when the illusion is killed by a player. Expiring illusions, or illusions dying to lane creeps, towers, fountains or neutral creeps do not grant any experience.

The following table shows their bounties on each level:

Level	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25
Bounty	2	4	6	8	10	12	14	16	18	20	22	24	26	28	30	32	34	36	38	40	42	44	46	48	50

The following illusions grant 5 gold and experience, regardless of their level:

• Juxtapose (created by Phantom Lancer and from illusions)
• Spirit Lance
• Wall of Replica

The following illusions do not grant any bounty:

• Nether Swap

Copying buffs or debuffs

Usually when an illusion spawns, it does not copy the buffs and debuffs the original hero has. There are some exceptions with buffs though. However, they do copy toggle statuses of items and of some abilities.

The following buffs are copied by illusions:

Buffs copied by illusions

• Alchemist – Chemical Rage
• Alchemist – Aghanim's Scepter Synth¹
• Armlet of Mordiggian – Unholy Strength²
• Dragon Knight – Elder Dragon Form
• Lone Druid – True Form
• Lycan – Shapeshift³
• Moon Shard – Consume⁴
• Morphling – Attribute Shift
• Troll Warlord – Berserker's Rage
• Undying – Flesh Golem

¹ Although an infused Scepter's buff is copied, the attributes, health and mana bonuses are not. Only the upgrade effects are applied.

² The Armlet buff gets copied and applies all its effects (as according to the stats section details), except for the health loss.

³ The wolf form is copied, but the aura is not, so once Lycan returns to his default form, the Shapeshifted illusions no longer move at max speed and no longer crit.

⁴ Although a consumed Moon Shard's buff is copied, illusions are not granted the attack speed bonus. Only the bonus night vision is applied.

Attack modifiers

These attack modifiers fully work for illusions:

Working attack modifiers

• Anti-Mage – Mana Break
• Brewmaster – Drunken Brawler Critical Strike
• Broodmother – Incapacitating Bite
• Broodmother – Insatiable Hunger
• Chaos Knight – Chaos Strike
• Crystalys – Critical Strike
• Daedalus – Critical Strike
• Diffusal Blade – Manabreak²
• Dragon Knight – Elder Dragon Form³
• Drow Ranger – Marksmanship¹
• Juggernaut – Blade Dance
• Legion Commander – Moment of Courage
• Luna – Moon Glaives
• Lycan – Shapeshift Critical Strike
• Medusa – Split Shot¹
• Meepo – Geostrike
• Monkey King Bar – Pierce⁴
• Orb of Venom – Poison Attack
• Phantom Assassin – Coup de Grace
• Phantom Lancer – Juxtapose
• Sniper – Take Aim
• Spectre – Desolate
• Templar Assassin – Psi Blades
• Venomancer – Poison Sting
• Wraith King – Mortal Strike

¹ The reductions of Split Shot and Marksmanship are the only reductions which affect illusions.

² Diffusal Blade burns less mana for illusions than for real heroes.

³ All 3 modifiers of Elder Dragon Form work for illusions, however, the poison debuff placed by illusions deals no damage, the slow debuff doesn't actually slow target (though the speed on the HUD is decreased).

⁴ Only the accuracy works for illusions.

These attack modifiers do not work for illusions:

Not working attack modifiers

• Abaddon – Curse of Avernus¹
• Abyssal Blade – Bash
• Battle Fury – Cleave²
• Battle Fury – Quell
• Blight Stone – Lesser Corruption
• Bounty Hunter – Jinada
• Desolator – Corruption²
• Echo Sabre – Echo Strike
• Eye of Skadi – Cold Attack²
• Faceless Void – Time Lock
• Heaven's Halberd – Maim
• Javelin – Pierce
• Kunkka – Tidebringer^{2 3}
• Lich – Freezing Slow²
• Lifestealer – Feast
• Maelstrom – Chain Lightning
• Magnus – Empower
• Mask of Madness – Lifesteal²
• Mjollnir – Chain Lightning
• Monkey King – Jingu Mastery
• Morbid Mask – Lifesteal²
• Quelling Blade – Quell
• Riki – Cloak and Dagger Backstab
• Sand King – Caustic Finale
• Sange – Maim
• Sange and Yasha – Maim
• Satanic – Lifesteal²
• Skull Basher – Bash
• Slardar – Bash of the Deep
• Slark – Essence Shift
• Sniper – Headshot
• Spirit Breaker – Greater Bash
• Sven – Great Cleave
• Tiny – Grow
• Troll Warlord – Berserker's Rage Bash
• Troll Warlord – Fervor
• Ursa – Fury Swipes
• Vladmir's Offering – Vladmir's Aura Lifesteal²
• Weaver – Geminate Attack
• Wraith King – Vampiric Aura Lifesteal²

¹ Places buff on the illusions on each attack, but does not apply the debuff on attack targets.

² The particle effects of these attack modifiers appear and their sounds play, but their effects are not applied.

³ Tidebringer is always on autocast for illusions, so they proc whenever off cooldown, but none of its effects are applied.

Passive abilities

These passive abilities fully work for illusions:

Working passive abilities

• Abyssal Blade – Damage Block
• Aether Lens – Aethereal Focus
• Axe – Counter Helix
• Brewmaster – Drunken Brawler
• Bristleback – Warpath¹
• Crimson Guard – Damage Block
• Earthshaker – Aftershock
• Enchantress – Untouchable
• Faceless Void – Innate Chronosphere Immunity
• Lina – Fiery Soul
• Medusa – Split Shot
• Necrophos – Death Pulse's passive component
• Night Stalker – Hunter in the Night
• Octarine Core – Cooldown Reduction
• Octarine Core – Spell Lifesteal
• Ogre Magi – Multicast
• Pangolier – Heartpiercer
• Phantom Assassin – Blur
• Phantom Lancer – Phantom Rush
• Razor – Unstable Current
• Shadow Fiend – Necromastery
• Storm Spirit – Overload
• Stout Shield – Damage Block
• Timbersaw – Reactive Armor
• Vanguard – Damage Block
• Viper – Corrosive Skin
• Visage – Gravekeeper's Cloak

¹ Warpath does proc when illusions cast spells. Also, since Warpath always applies a stack on all owned illusions by default, illusions casting spells get 2 stacks per cast.

These passive abilities do not work for illusions:

Not working passive abilities

• Abaddon – Borrowed Time¹
• Alchemist – Greevil's Greed
• Anti-Mage – Spell Shield
• Bloodstone – Mana Battery
• Centaur Warrunner – Return
• Dragon Knight – Dragon Blood
• Gyrocopter – Side Gunner
• Heart of Tarrasque – Health Regeneration
• Infused Raindrop – Magical Damage Block
• Linken's Sphere – Spellblock
• Meepo – Divided We Stand
• Pudge – Flesh Heap
• Shadow Fiend – Requiem of Souls¹
• Silencer – Intelligence Steal
• Slark – Shadow Dance¹
• Spectre – Dispersion
• Wraith King – Reincarnation

¹ The passive components of these active abilities do not work for illusions.

And finally, these passive abilities work partially for illusions:

Partially working passive abilities

• Bloodseeker - Thirst
  
  Only removes the 550 movement speed limit for illusions.
• Bristleback - Bristleback
  
  Illusions gain the damage reduction, but not the passive Quill Spray procs.
• Tidehunter - Kraken Shell
  
  The Damage Block works for illusions, but the dispel effect does not.
• Treant Protector - Nature's Guise
  
  The invisibility and True Strike work for illusions. The root does not.

Auras

These auras are bestowed by illusions:

Bestowed auras

• Assault Cuirass – Assault Aura
• Beastmaster – Inner Beast
• Centaur Warrunner – Return Aura
• Crystal Maiden – Arcane Aura
• Drow Ranger – Precision Aura
• Drum of Endurance – Swiftness Aura
• Elder Titan – Natural Order¹
• Guardian Greaves – Guardian Aura
• Headdress – Regeneration Aura
• Luna – Lunar Blessing
• Lycan – Feral Impulse
• Mekansm – Mekansm Aura
• Necrophos – Heartstopper Aura
• Omniknight – Degen Aura
• Outworld Devourer – Essence Aura
• Pipe of Insight – Insight Aura
• Radiance – Burn^{2 3}
• Ring of Basilius – Basilius Aura²
• Rubick – Null Field²
• Shadow Fiend – Presence of the Dark Lord
• Shiva's Guard – Freezing Aura
• Spirit Breaker – Empowering Haste
• Underlord – Atrophy Aura⁴
• Undying – Plague Aura
• Vengeful Spirit – Vengeance Aura⁵
• Vladmir's Offering – Vladmir's Aura
• Wraith King – Vampiric Aura⁶

¹ Despite the illusions not having an Astral Spirit, their Natural Order always bestows the armor reduction and the magic resistance reduction.

² Illusions copy the toggle status of these auras.

³ Radiance Aura is weaker on illusions, dealing 35 damage, instead of 60.

⁴ Illusions bestow the Atrophy Aura. When an enemy dies within aura range of an illusion, the owner of the illusion gets the damage bonus, not the illusion.

⁵ Illusions carry the positive Vengeance Aura, but cannot make use of the bonus damage.

⁶ Vampiric Aura is always toggled off on illusions.

These auras are not bestowed by illusions:

Not bestowed auras

• Gem of True Sight – True Sight
• Lycan – Shapeshift Speed and Crit Aura
• Terrorblade – Metamorphosis Aura
• Wraith King – Wraith Delay Aura

Active abilities

Most illusions cannot use active abilities and items. The only exception are Vengeance illusions, which are allowed to cast regular and ultimate abilities, but not Scepter-granted abilities. Passive abilities work for all illusions, although many of them are disabled for them, and some have altered effects.

Almost all active abilities work normally for illusions. Only very few have a different effect when the caster is an illusion.

Notable differences

• Abaddon - Borrowed Time
  
  Even when the illusion is allowed to cast spells, Borrowed Time still does not auto-activate when below 400 health.
• Ancient Apparition - Chilling Touch
  
  The ability does not place the buff on illusions. However, it does place it on the caster, even if it is an illusion.
• Batrider - Firefly
  
  When the casting illusion dies, the fire trail immediately disappears, instead of staying for its remaining duration.
• Chen - Holy Persuasion
  
  All persuaded units die instantly when the illusion dies.
• Doom - Infernal Blade
  
  Cannot be used by illusions at all. Attempting to cast this makes the illusion perform a regular attack.
• Drow Ranger - Precision Aura
  
  Although the illusion does not passively bestow this aura, the active component fully works, causing the illusion to bestow the aura for non-hero units when used.
• Earth Spirit - Enchant Remnant
  
  Illusions cannot cast this spell.
• Elder Titan - Astral Spirit
  
  When the illusion dies while having the Astral Spirit out, the Astral Spirit dies as well. It does not return.
• Enchantress - Nature's Attendants
  
  When the illusion dies, Nature's Attendants ends immediately, instead of continuing to heal nearby allies for the remaining duration.
• Keeper of the Light - Spirit Form
  
  Illusions do not get the unobstructed vision when having Aghanim's Scepter.
• Leshrac - Diabolic Edict
  
  When the illusion dies, Diabolic Edict ends immediately, instead of continuing to damage nearby enemies for the remaining duration.
• Leshrac - Lightning Storm
  
  When the illusion dies, Lightning Storm immediately stops bouncing.
• Lifestealer - Assimilate
  
  Illusions cannot cast this spell.
• Medusa - Mana Shield
  
  Although it can be toggled, Mana Shield does not work for illusions at all.
• Mirana - Moonlight Shadow
  
  Since the spell does not affect illusions, the casting illusion is not turned invisible.
• Nyx Assassin - Burrow
  
  Illusions cannot cast this spell.
• Ogre Magi - Unrefined Fireblast
  
  Illusions cannot cast this spell.
• Phantom Assassin - Stifling Dagger
  
  Only attack modifiers which work for the illusion can proc. This means Stifling Dagger cast by illusions can, for example, never bash.
• Phoenix - Supernova
  
  When the illusion dies or expires during Supernova, the Supernova does not end, continuing to damage and then stun enemies at the end.
• Rubick - Fade Bolt
  
  When the illusion dies, Fade Bolt immediately stops bouncing.
• Sand King - Epicenter
  
  When the illusion dies, Epicenter ends immediately, instead of continuing to release its pulses.
• Spirit Breaker - Charge of Darkness
  
  Even though Greater Bash does not work for illusions, Charge of Darkness still applies the AoE bash.
• Spirit Breaker - Nether Strike
  
  Even though Greater Bash does not work for illusions, Nether Strike still applies the bash.
• Timbersaw - Chakram
  
  Illusions cannot cast the blue Chakram.
• Treant Protector - Eyes In The Forest
  
  Illusions cannot cast this spell.
• Troll Warlord - Battle Trance
  
  The ability does not place the buff on illusions. However, it does place it on the caster, even if it is an illusion.
• Tusk - Walrus Kick
  
  Illusions cannot cast this spell.
• Visage - Soul Assumption
  
  Illusions do not have the charge meter above them.
• Zeus - Arc Lightning
  
  When the illusion dies, Arc Lightning immediately stops bouncing.

Ability interactions

Most abilities treat illusions like regular heroes. However, some abilities have a different effect or interact in a different way with illusions. A few abilities do not affect illusions at all.

These abilities instantly destroy illusions when used on or against them:

Instantly killing illusions

• Dagon – Energy Burst
• Disruptor – Glimpse
• Lion – Hex
• Lion – Mana Drain¹
• Medusa – Mystic Snake (Aghanim's Scepter)²
• Medusa – Stone Gaze²
• Pugna – Life Drain¹
• Scythe of Vyse – Hex
• Shadow Shaman – Hex

¹ Kills illusions on the first tick, not upon cast.

² Illusions are destroyed, instead of getting petrified.

These abilities treat illusions as creeps, instead of heroes:

Treating illusions as creeps

• Abaddon – Borrowed Time aura
• Ancient Apparition – Chilling Touch
• Ancient Apparition – Ice Blast
• Bloodseeker – Thirst
• Bloodstone – Mana Battery
• Chen – Hand of God
• Dark Seer – Wall of Replica
• Drow Ranger – Marksmanship
• Earth Spirit – Rolling Boulder
• Enchantress – Enchant
• Guardian Greaves – Guardian Aura
• Invoker – EMP
• Io – Spirits
• Keeper of the Light – Recall
• Kunkka – Ghostship
• Mirana – Moonlight Shadow
• Nature's Prophet – Wrath of Nature
• Phoenix – Supernova¹
• Pudge – Flesh Heap
• Pugna – Nether Ward¹
• Riki – Tricks of the Trade
• Silencer – Intelligence Steal
• Skywrath Mage – Concussive Shot
• Skywrath Mage – Mystic Flare
• Slark – Essence Shift
• Slark – Pounce
• Smoke of Deceit – Disguise
• Spectre – Haunt
• Troll Warlord – Battle Trance
• Undying – Decay
• Undying – Tombstone¹
• Urn of Shadows – Soul Release
• Visage – Soul Assumption
• Witch Doctor – Paralyzing Cask

¹ Illusions require the creep amount of attacks to destroy these, instead of the hero amount.

These abilities do not affect, cannot target, or do not work against illusions:

Not affecting or working against illusions

• Alchemist – Greevil's Greed¹
• Alchemist – Aghanim's Scepter Synth²
• Broodmother – Spin Web²
• Broodmother – Insatiable Hunger³
• Legion Commander – Moment of Courage³
• Lifestealer – Assimilate²
• Mask of Madness – Lifesteal³
• Morbid Mask – Lifesteal³
• Necrophos – Heartstopper Aura
• Necrophos – Death Pulse¹
• Observer and Sentry Wards – Share Wards²
• Octarine Core – Spell Lifesteal³
• Rubick – Spell Steal
• Satanic – Lifesteal³
• Shadow Fiend – Necromastery¹
• Tango – Devour²
• Templar Assassin – Psi Blades⁴
• Underlord – Atrophy Aura¹
• Viper – Nethertoxin

¹ These abilities ignore the death of illusions, so killing them does not make these abilities apply their effects (Attack damage from Atrophy Aura applies on illusions).

² These abilities cannot target, or do not place their buffs or debuffs on illusions.

³ These lifesteal abilities do not work against illusions.

⁴ Psi Blades do not damage units behind an attacked illusion, although its visual effects still appear.

Finally, these abilities have different interactions with illusions. They either do not treat them as heroes, or apply different effects on them.

Other interactions

• Bounty Hunter - Track
  
  Illusions do not provide any bounty when dying while tracked.
• Bristleback - Warpath
  
  Warpath places its buff/grants a stack to the caster and all illusions under the caster's control.
• Buildings - Backdoor Protection
  
  Illusions deal 75% less damage against protected buildings, instead of 25% like any other unit. They also deal 50% less damage against unprotected buildings.
• Elder Titan - Astral Spirit
  
  Damages illusions, but does not count them for the damage and speed buff.
• Legion Commander - Overwhelming Odds
  
  Deals additional damage based on current health to illusions. Illusions are treated as creeps.
• Legion Commander - Duel
  
  Does not grant victory damage when defeating an illusion in a Duel.
• Medusa - Mystic Snake
  
  Does not drain mana from illusions.
• Outworld Devourer - Arcane Orb
  
  Deals extra damage against illusions. Does not steal intelligence from illusions.
• Roshan - Strength of the Immortal
  
  Grants 80% damage resistance against attacks from illusions.
• Storm - Dispel Magic
  
  Deals damage against illusions on top of dispelling.
• Tusk - Snowball
  
  Allied illusions cannot enter a Snowball. Only Tusk's own illusions can. Added illusions do not increase the damage.

Version history

Version

Description

7.20

• Illusions incoming damage amplification is now calculated as very last, after all other damage-based calculations are done.

7.07

• Illusions now deal 80% less damage to Roshan rather than dying instantly when attacking him.
• Illusions now benefit from Health and Mana regeneration.

7.06

• Changed illusion gold and experience bounty from 5+level to 2*level. [?]
• Increased illusion damage reduction to buildings from 50% to 60%.

7.00

• Illusions now have a gold and experience bounty of 5 + 1 per level.
• The following illusions have a constant bounty value of 5, rather than the formula above:
  • Juxtapose illusions
  • Wall of Replica illusions
• Increased illusion damage reduction to buildings from 30% to 50%.
• Attack speed bonuses now work on illusions. [?]
• Magic resistance bonuses no longer work on illusions. [?]
• The following auras are now bestowed by illusions: Heartstopper Aura, Precision Aura, and Essence Aura.
• Illusions no longer benefit from Dragon Blood armor bonus. [?]

6.88e

• Increased illusion damage reduction to buildings from 25% to 30%.

6.87

• Damage Block now works for illusions.

6.83

• All illusions now deal 25% less damage to buildings.

Patch history

Patch

Description

31 Jul 2018

• Fixed a bug that allowed players to ping the real version of a hero if they had them selected before using illusion-creating abilities such as Manta Style and Doppelganger, which randomize the position of the hero.

06 Mar 2017

• Fixed a bug with illusions gaining benefit from items not owned by the original hero.

Mechanics Stats Armor Attributes (Strength / Agility / Intelligence) Collision size Health (Health regeneration) Magic resistance Mana (Mana regeneration) Movement speed Status resistance Turn rate Vision Attack Attack animation Attack damage Attack modifier (Bash / Cleave & Splash / Critical strike / Lifesteal / Mana break) Attack range Attack speed Cast animation Cast range Damage types Motion buffer range Projectile speed Spell damage Spell lifesteal Abilities Abilities Aura Channeling Damage block Damage manipulation Damage over time Evasion Talents Teleport Status effects Attack immunity Break Cyclone Disable Disarm Ethereal Fear Forced movement Hex Hide Hypnosis Invisibility Invulnerability Leash Root Silence Sleep Slow Spell immunity Stun Taunt World Experience Gold Glyph of Fortification Map (Minimap) River Scan Runes Time of day Trees Gameplay Creep control techniques Denying Disjoint Dispel Ganking Harassment Hero complexity Initiating Item passive stacking Item sharing Jungling Lane Pushing Random distribution Roles Trap Units Ancient creeps Buildings Couriers Creep-heroes Heroes Illusions Lane creeps Neutral creeps Roshan Summons & Wards