Invisibility
| “ | Play You can't fight what you can't see.
— Bounty Hunter
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” |
Invisibility is a status effect which makes units and heroes not appear on their opponent's screen or minimap, and makes them unable to be targeted directly by the enemy. Invisibility makes the unit's model appear transparent, but clearly visible still for allies. If it is an allied hero, its dot on the minimap also turns into a ring for the duration. A unit can gain (usually temporarily, but not always) invisibility through certain spells, items or the Rune of Invisibility. Some units, like most wards have permanent invisibility and do not need to acquire it through other sources. Generally, a unit keeps the gained invisibility until the duration runs out, or they perform an attack or a spell or item cast. True Sight and shared vision allows a unit to see invisible enemies without dispelling the invisibility. True Sight makes the units appear transparent, while shared vision only shows a silhouette. Both make the unit directly targetable again, without dispelling the invisibility.
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Fade time and fade delay[edit]
Most sources of invisibility require some time to turn the unit fully invisible. During this time, the unit is still visible and targetable.
The fade time is a short delay before the actual invisibility is applied, during which a unit's model appears transparent, but still visible to everyone. During it, the unit does not automatically attack nearby enemies, no matter if the auto attack option is turned on or not. It also stops attacking when an attack order was already ongoing. Unlike during the actual invisibility, during the fade time, the unit can cast spells or items and even attack without canceling the invisibility. During the fade time, the unit is not phased, even when the invisibility of the spell phases the unit.
The fade delay is also a short delay before the actual invisibility is applied, but has some significant differences. First off, during the fade delay, the unit's model does not appear transparent. Furthermore, the unit does not stop automatically attacking nearby enemies when the auto attack option is turned on, and the fade delay does not cause the unit to cancel an already ongoing attack order either. Unlike during the fade time, it is not possible to cast spells or items or attack during the fade delay without resetting it. During the fade delay, the unit is not phased, even when the invisibility of the spell phases the unit.
Unit behavior during invisibility[edit]
While invisible, a unit never automatically attacks any nearby enemy, not even when it is revealed by True Sight and being attacked. However, when issuing an attack ground order, the invisible unit attacks. Generally, the invisibility is lost upon reaching the attack point. For ranged heroes, this is upon projectile launch. Depending on the source, invisibility may or may not apply a phase effect on the unit.
As for spell casts, the invisibility is lost upon reaching the cast point of the spell. This means that spells with extended effects like Eclipse or Epicenter do not cancel the invisibility upon each beam or pulse. Channeling spells do not cancel it either when going invisible after the channeling started.
All ranged attacks and most projectiles of abilities are disjointed by invisibility. It is enough for a unit to turn fully invisible even just for a split second as a disjointable projectile flies to fully disjoint it. However, some projectile abilities still affect invisible units, and some have other effects entirely. Invisible units are still fully or partially affected by spells which affect an area.
Sources of invisibility[edit]
Fade Time: 1/0.75/0.5/0.25
Duration: 20/25/30/35
Phased: Yes
Affects self.
Fade Time: 0.6
Duration: 20/25/30/35
Phased: Yes
Affects self.
Fade Delay: 0.6
Duration: 5
Phased: Yes
Can be cast on self or allied heroes. The target stays invisible for the whole duration. When breaking invisibility, the unit turns invisible again after the fade delay.
Fade Time: 2
Duration: 45
Phased: No
Affects the hero activating the rune.
Fade Time: 0
Duration: 100
Phased: Yes
Affects self.
Fade Delay: 1.7
Phased: No
Affects self. Permanent. Available for level 4 wolves only.
Fade Delay: 2.5/2/1.5
Duration: 18
Phased: No
Affects all allied heroes. Affected heroes stay invisible for the whole duration. When breaking invisibility, the unit turns invisible again after the fade delay.
Fade Time: 0
Duration: 40/50/60
Phased: Yes
Affects self.
Fade Time: 0
Phased: Yes
Affects self. Stays invisible until unburrowing or death. Invisibility is not lost upon casting spells or items. Immobile and disarmed while burrowed.
Fade Time: 0
Phased: Yes
Permanent.
- Fade Time: 1.75
Phased: Yes
Permanent. - Fade Time: 2
Phased: Yes
Permanent. - Fade Time: 2
Phased: Yes
Permanent. 
Fade Delay: 7.5/6/4.5/3
Phased: No
Affects self. Permanent. Invisibility is not lost upon casting spells or items (
or attacking).
Fade Time: 0.7
Duration: 20/25/30/35
Phased: No
Affects self. The fade delay is not used upon cast. After breaking invisibility, Sand King turns invisible again after the fade delay. The effect ends if Sand King leaves the Sand Storm radius. Invisibility lingers for 0.5 seconds after the effect ends.- Fade Time: 0
Phased: Yes
Permanent. 
Fade Time: 1.25
Phased: Yes
Can be cast on self or allied heroes. Stays invisible until an attack is executed, a spell or item is cast, or when the hero moves.
Fade Time: 0.3
Duration: 14
Phased: Yes
Affects self.
Fade Time: 0.3
Duration: 14
Phased: Yes
Affects self. Attacking during the fade time breaks the invisibility.
Radius: 0 (
325)
Fade Time: 0
Duration: 4/4.25/4.5 ( 5/5.25/5.5)
Phased: No
Affects self ( and nearby allies). Invisibility is not lost upon casting spells or items or attacking. Immune to True Sight. A smoke cloud is visible at Slark's location. When upgraded, the effect is aura-based, lingering for 0.5 seconds.
Radius: 1200
Fade Time: 0
Duration: 35
Phased: No
Affects allied player controlled units in the area. Invisibility is not lost upon casting spells or items. Invisibility is lost when getting within range of enemy heroes and towers. Immune to True Sight.- Fade Time: 2
Phased: Yes
Permanent. 
Fade Time: 0.6
Duration: 20
Phased: Yes
Affects self.
Radius: 0 ( 125)
Fade Time: 0
Duration: 0.5
Phased: Yes
Requires Aghanim's Scepter. Affects all Proximity Mines, Stasis Traps and Remote Mines within the radius. Also turns the mines immune to True Sight. The effect is aura-based, lingering for 0.5 seconds.
Fade Time: 0
Phased: Yes
Affects self. Stays invisible until an attack is executed, a spell or item is cast, or when Templar Assassin moves.
Fade Delay: 4/3.5/3/2.5
Phased: Yes
Affects self. Requires a tree within close range to work. Invisibility is not lost upon casting spells or items.
Fade Time: 0.25
Duration: 4
Phased: Yes
Affects self. Turns the caster phased immediately on cast, instead of after the fade time.
True Sight[edit]
True Sight allows a unit to see invisible enemies that are in range. Some of the listed spells provide True Sight only during certain situations. Spells which provide shared vision are not listed here, since it is not actual True Sight. A list for that can be found here.
Some abilities provide True Sight immunity, which prevents True Sight from revealing the units.
Sources of True Sight[edit]
Radius: 900
Based on an aura. Its effect lingers for 0.5 seconds.
Max Channel Time: 6 ( 13)
Provides True Sight over the target while channeling.
Radius: Global
Visibility Health Threshold: 25%
Provides True Sight over enemies below the health threshold.
Duration: 30
Hero Duration: 1.5/2/2.5/3 ( 3/3.5/4/4.5)
Non-Hero Duration: 10 ( 11.5)
Duration: 1.75
Provides True Sight only when the target was not invisible or within a fade time upon hit.
Duration: 12
Duration: 3
Duration: 1.5/2/2.5/3 ( 2.5/3/3.5/4)
Provides True Sight only when the targets were not invisible or within a fade time upon cast.
- Radius: 1200
Based on an aura. Its effect lingers for 0.5 seconds. 
Radius: 900
Based on an aura. Its effect lingers for 0.5 seconds.
Duration: 4/4.75/5.5 ( 6/7/8)
Provides True Sight over the target for allies, and over the caster for enemies.
Duration: 2
Places a revealing debuff on enemies upon hit.
Duration: 2/3/4/5
Radius: 1000
Available for level 3 Necronomicon Warriors only. Based on an aura. Its effect lingers for 0.5 seconds.
Min Duration: 0.5
Max Duration: 2.5 ( 3.5)
Provides True Sight only when the targets were not invisible or within a fade time upon hit.
Hero Max Channel Time: 3 ( 6)
Non-Hero Max Channel Time: 6 ( 9)
Provides True Sight over the target while channeling, but only when the target was not invisible or within a fade time upon cast.
Max Channel Time: 10
Provides True Sight over the target while channeling.
Duration: 2
Provides True Sight only when the target was not invisible or within a fade time upon hit.
Radius: 1000
Based on an aura. Its effect lingers for 0.5 seconds.
Max Channel Time: 2.75/3.5/4.25/5 ( 5.25/6/6.75/7.5)
Provides True Sight over the target while channeling, but only when the target was not invisible or within a fade time upon cast.
Duration: 18
Max Duration: 4
Places a revealing debuff upon cast begin, which either lasts until the cast gets canceled, until the projectile hits or until it expires, whichever happens first.
Hero Duration: 3
Non-Hero Duration: 9- Radius: 700
Based on an aura. Its effect lingers for 0.5 seconds. - Duration: 0.4/1/1.6/2.2 ( 2.4/3/3.6/4.2)
Duration: 3/3.75/4.5
Both the regular Overgrowth and the one applied from Eyes In The Forest provide True Sight.
Duration: 0.9/1.2/1.5/1.8 ( 1.7/2/2.3/2.6)
Sources of True Sight immunity[edit]
- Turns the caster ( and all allies within the radius) invisible and immune to True Sight.
- Turns all buffed units invisible and immune to True Sight.
- Requires Aghanim's Scepter. Turns all of the owner's mines within the radius invisible and immune to True Sight.
Proximity Mines are immune to True Sight.
Invisibility interactions with other spells[edit]
Targeting invisible units[edit]
Most spells which affect an area usually affect invisible units as well, with some exceptions. Single target spells cannot target invisible units without the help of True Sight. Although shared vision renders the unit's model visible even during invisibility, it is not enough to allow single target spells to target them.
Spells which choose specific or random targets on cast behave inconsistently with invisibility. This includes all bouncing spells (e.g. Arc Lightning) and multi-target spells like Poison Touch and Heat-Seeking Missile. The following such spells do not target invisible units:
Abaddon – Aphotic Shield
Batrider – Flaming Lasso1
Bristleback – Viscous Nasal Goo1
Clinkz – Searing Arrows2
Clockwerk – Battery Assault
Dark Willow – Bedlam
Dazzle – Poison Touch
Death Prophet – Exorcism
Drow Ranger – Marksmanship1
Ember Spirit – Searing Chains
Ember Spirit – Sleight of Fist
Grimstroke – Soulbind
Gyrocopter – Rocket Barrage
Gyrocopter – Homing Missile3
Gyrocopter – Flak Cannon
Gyrocopter – Side Gunner1
Harpy Stormcrafter – Chain Lightning
Juggernaut – Omnislash
Leshrac – Lightning Storm4
Lich – Chain Frost
Lion – Mana Drain2
Luna – Moon Glaives
Luna – Eclipse
Maelstrom – Chain Lightning
Medusa – Split Shot
Medusa – Mystic Snake
Mirana – Starstorm
Mjollnir – Chain Lightning
Morphling – Adaptive Strike2
Nature's Prophet – Wrath of Nature
Ogre Magi – Multicast Ignite
Phantom Assassin – Stifling Dagger1
Phantom Lancer – Spirit Lance2
Razor – Unstable Current
Razor – Eye of the Storm
Riki – Tricks of the Trade
Rubick – Fade Bolt
Shadow Shaman – Ether Shock
Shadow Shaman – Mass Serpent Ward1
Skywrath Mage – Arcane Bolt1 2
Skywrath Mage – Concussive Shot5
Skywrath Mage – Ancient Seal1
Skywrath Mage – Mystic Flare6
Sniper – Assassinate1
Spirit Breaker – Charge of Darkness3
Storm Spirit – Electric Vortex1
Terrorblade – Reflection
Tinker – Laser1
Tinker – Heat-Seeking Missile
Tiny – Toss7
Treant Protector – Overgrowth
Undying – Soul Rip
Undying – Tombstone
Visage – Soul Assumption2
Warlock – Fatal Bonds
Weaver – The Swarm
Witch Doctor – Paralyzing Cask
Witch Doctor – Death Ward1
Zeus – Arc Lightning
1 Requires Aghanim's Scepter. When upgraded, these spells can target secondary units, but ignore invisible ones.
2 Requires a talent. When upgraded, these spells can target secondary units, but ignore invisible ones.
3 These spells choose a new target if their current target dies. They do not choose invisible targets.
4 Soulbind does not bind the target to their invisible allies, but keeps the link up if an already bound unit turns invisible.
5 Lightning Storm also includes the single strikes from Aghanim's Scepter upgraded Pulse Nova.
6 Concussive Shot does not seek for invisible units. The area effect does hit nearby invisible units.
7 The secondary Mystic Flare is not created on invisible enemies. The area damage does affect invisible units.
8 Toss does not select nearby invisible enemy units to toss. The area damage does hit invisible enemies.
The following spells have mixed interactions:
Always hits the triggering unit, even when invisible. Does not hit other nearby invisible enemies.
When choosing the area talent, Shadow Strike does target invisible enemies within the area, but the projectiles get instantly disjointed.
Does not trigger on invisible enemies. If triggered by other units, does root invisible enemies within its area.- Does target invisible enemies, but the damage and lightning require vision. Therefore, only the vision and true sight is applied around invisible enemies.
Turning invisible after cast[edit]
For most spells, it does not matter if the target turns invisible after the spell's effect already have begun. Their effects continue normally, regardless of the invisibility. There are exceptions to this.
All sources of invisibility disjoint projectiles. Even a split-second of vision loss caused by invisibility is enough to disjoint projectiles, even when regaining vision of the unit before the projectile reaches it. This disjoint does not happen when having True Sight over the unit.
Besides disjointed projectiles, the following spells behave differently when their targets turn invisible while they are active.
When the caster turns invisible, taunted enemies can be given one order until the effect expires. After finishing that order, the unit freezes in place until the effect expires.
When an already marked unit turns invisible before it gets slashed, it gets completely skipped if it still is invisible on its turn.
When a phantom's target turns invisible, the phantom instantly dies.
If the snake's current target is invisible on impact, the snake does not affect it, and does not count the jump.
When the zombies' target turns invisible, the zombies instantly die.
When a beetle's target turns invisible, the beetle instantly dies.
Version history[edit]
- Broodmother no longer gains invisibility in her Spin Web.
See also[edit]
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