Illusions
| “ | Play A legion sprouts from one!
— Phantom Lancer
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” |
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.
Contents
Visual appearance[edit]
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 | 
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| 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[edit]
These are all abilities which create illusions of heroes:
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.
Number of Illusions: 3
Illusion Damage Dealt: 50%/75%/100%
Illusion Damage Taken: 260%
Duration: 30
Creates illusions of the caster (
or targeted ally). Illusions' and caster's ( target's) positions are shuffled upon creation.
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.
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.
Number of Illusions: 3 ( 4)
Illusion Damage Dealt: 25%/30%/35%/40% ( 35%/40%/45%/50%)
Illusion Damage Taken: 550%/500%/450%/400%
Duration: 30
Creates illusions of the caster. Illusions' and caster's positions are shuffled upon creation.
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.
Max Number of Illusions: 6/8/10 ( 11/13/15)
Illusion Damage Dealt: 16%
Illusion Damage Taken: 650%
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.
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.
Number of Illusions: 2
Illusion Damage Dealt: 35%
Melee/Ranged Illusion Damage Taken: 200%/300%
Duration: 75
Creates illusions of the user.
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.
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.
Number of Illusions per Enemy: 1
Illusion Damage Dealt: 40%/50%/60% ( 80%/100%/120%)
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.
Number of Illusions: 1
Illusion Damage Dealt: 30%/40%/50%/60%
Illusion Damage Taken: 400%
Duration: 34
Creates an illusion of the caster.
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.
Number of Illusions: 1
Illusion Damage Dealt: 100%
Illusion Damage Taken: 150%
Duration: Variable
Spawns a Vengeance illusion of the hero upon death. The illusion lasts until respawning. Vengeance illusion may cast abilities, but not items.
Stats[edit]
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):
And finally, these bonus stats are inconsistent; some sources work, some do not:
Magic resistance[edit]
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:
These abilities do not reduce the magic resistance of illusions:
Bounties[edit]
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:
- Aghanim's Scepter-upgraded Vengeance Aura
Copying buffs or debuffs[edit]
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:
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[edit]
These attack modifiers fully work for illusions:
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
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:
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
Javelin – Pierce
Kunkka – Tidebringer2 3
Lich – Freezing Slow2
Lifestealer – Feast
Maelstrom – Chain Lightning
Magnus – Empower
Mask of Madness – Lifesteal2
Meepo – Ransack
Mjollnir – Chain Lightning
Monkey King – Jingu Mastery
Morbid Mask – Lifesteal2
Quelling Blade – Quell
Riki – Cloak and Dagger Backstab
Sand King – Caustic Finale
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[edit]
These passive abilities fully work for illusions:
- Abyssal Blade – Damage Block
Aether Lens – Aethereal Focus
Axe – Counter Helix
Bristleback – Warpath1
Crimson Guard – Damage Block
Earthshaker – Aftershock
Enchantress – Untouchable
Faceless Void – Innate Chronosphere Immunity
Lina – Fiery Soul- Medusa – Split Shot
Night Stalker – Hunter in the Night
Octarine Core – Cooldown Reduction- Octarine Core – Spell Lifesteal
Ogre Magi – Multicast
Pangolier – Lucky Shot
Phantom Assassin – Blur
Phantom Lancer – Phantom Rush
Shadow Fiend – Necromastery
Storm Spirit – Overload
Stout Shield – Damage Block
Vanguard – Damage Block
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:
Abaddon – Borrowed Time1
Alchemist – Greevil's Greed
Anti-Mage – Counterspell1
Bloodstone – Mana Battery
Centaur Warrunner – Retaliate
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:
Only removes the 550 movement speed limit for illusions.
Illusions gain the damage reduction, but not the passive Quill Spray procs.
Illusions benefit from the health regeneration, but not from the armor.
The movement speed bonus works for illusions, but the area effect does not.
The Damage Block works for illusions, but the dispel effect does not.
Illusions gain stacks and benefit from the health regeneration, but not from the armor.
The invisibility and True Strike work for illusions. The root does not.
The damage and slow work for illusions, but they do not gain magic resistance.
Auras[edit]
These auras are bestowed by illusions:
Assault Cuirass – Assault Aura
Beastmaster – Inner Beast- Centaur Warrunner – Retaliate Aura
Crystal Maiden – Arcane Aura
Drow Ranger – Precision 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
Pipe of Insight – Insight Aura
Radiance – Burn2 3
Ring of Basilius – Basilius Aura2
Shadow Fiend – Presence of the Dark Lord
Shiva's Guard – Freezing Aura
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:
Active abilities[edit]
Most illusions cannot use active abilities and items. The only exception are Aghanim's Scepter-upgraded Vengeance illusions, which are allowed to cast Vengeful Spirit's abilities.
Almost all active abilities work normally for illusions, although there is currently no way for illusions to regularly use them. Only very few have a different effect when the caster is an illusion.
Even when the illusion is allowed to cast spells, Borrowed Time still does not auto-activate when below 400 health.
The ability does not place the buff on illusions. However, it does place it on the caster, even if it is an illusion.
When the casting illusion dies, the fire trail immediately disappears, instead of staying for its remaining duration.
All persuaded units die instantly when the illusion dies.
Cannot be used by illusions at all. Attempting to cast this makes the illusion perform a regular attack.
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.
Illusions cannot cast this spell.
When the illusion dies while having the Astral Spirit out, the Astral Spirit dies as well. It does not return.
When the illusion dies, Nature's Attendants ends immediately, instead of continuing to heal nearby allies for the remaining duration.
When the illusion dies, Diabolic Edict ends immediately, instead of continuing to damage nearby enemies for the remaining duration.
When the illusion dies, Lightning Storm immediately stops bouncing.
Illusions cannot cast this spell.
Although it can be toggled, Mana Shield does not work for illusions at all.
Since the spell does not affect illusions, the casting illusion is not turned invisible.
Illusions cannot cast this spell.
Illusions cannot cast this spell.
Only attack modifiers which work for the illusion can proc. This means Stifling Dagger cast by illusions can, for example, never bash.
When the illusion dies or expires during Supernova, the Supernova does not end, continuing to damage and then stun enemies at the end.
When the illusion dies, Fade Bolt immediately stops bouncing.
When the illusion dies, Epicenter ends immediately, instead of continuing to release its pulses.
Even though Greater Bash does not work for illusions, Charge of Darkness still applies the AoE bash.
Even though Greater Bash does not work for illusions, Nether Strike still applies the bash.
Illusions cannot cast the blue Chakram.
Illusions cannot cast this spell.
The ability does not place the buff on illusions. However, it does place it on the caster, even if it is an illusion.
Illusions cannot cast this spell.
Illusions do not have the charge meter above them.
When the illusion dies, Arc Lightning immediately stops bouncing.
Ability interactions[edit]
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:
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:
- 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
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:
- 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
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.
Illusions do not provide any bounty when dying while tracked.
Warpath places its buff/grants a stack to the caster and all illusions under the caster's control.
Illusions deal 75% less damage against protected buildings, instead of 25% like any other unit. They also deal 60% less damage against unprotected buildings.- Damages illusions, but does not count them for the damage and speed buff.
Deals additional damage based on current health to illusions. Illusions are treated as creeps.
Does not grant victory damage when defeating an illusion in a Duel.
Does not drain mana from illusions.
Does not steal intelligence from illusions.
Grants 80% damage resistance against attacks from illusions.
Deals damage against illusions on top of dispelling.
Allied illusions cannot enter a Snowball. Only Tusk's own illusions can. Added illusions do not increase the damage.
Version history[edit]
- Illusions incoming damage amplification is now calculated as very last, after all other damage-based calculations are done.
- Illusions now deal 80% less damage to Roshan rather than dying instantly when attacking him.
- Illusions now benefit from Health and Mana regeneration.
- Changed illusion gold and experience bounty from 5+level to 2*level. [?]
- Increased illusion damage reduction to buildings from 50% to 60%.
- 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. [?]
- Increased illusion damage reduction to buildings from 25% to 30%.
- Damage Block now works for illusions.
- All illusions now deal 25% less damage to buildings.
Patch history[edit]
- 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.
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