The frequency with which units attack is measured in attack speed. A unit's attack speed can be modified by items, agility, abilities, and auras.
Base attack time
Every unit has a base attack time (BAT), which refers to the default interval between attacks for an unbuffed unit with 0 agility and no attack speed bonus. For example, a melee lane creep has a BAT of 1.00 seconds, and thus attacks once every second by default. Similarly, if a hero with 1.7 BAT had 0 agility and no bonus attack speed, they would attack once every 1.70 seconds. While nearly every unit can have their attack speed modified, only a few heroes can actively change their BAT.
Every hero has a BAT of 1.7 except for the following:
Hero | Base Attack Time | Difference in Attacks/Sec | AS Range in 1.7 BAT Representation |
---|---|---|---|
Alchemist ( Chemical Rage LVL 3 + Talent) | 0.8 | (+112.5%) | 42.5~1487.5 |
Alchemist ( Chemical Rage LVL 2 + Talent) | 0.9 | (+88.9%) | 37.8~1322.2 |
Alchemist ( Chemical Rage LVL 3 or LVL 1 +Talent) | 1 | (+70%) | 34~1190 |
Alchemist ( Chemical Rage LVL 2) | 1.1 | (+54.5%) | 30.9~1081.8 |
Alchemist ( Chemical Rage LVL 1) | 1.2 | (+41.7%) | 28.3~991.7 |
Juggernaut | 1.4 | (+21.4%) | 24.3~850 |
Anti-Mage | 1.4 | (+21.4%) | 24.3~850 |
Troll Warlord ( Berserker's Rage) | 1.45 | (+17.2%) | 23.4~820.7 |
Dark Willow | 1.5 | (+13.3%) | 22.7~793.3 |
Lone Druid ( True Form) | 1.5 | (+13.3%) | 22.7~793.3 |
Morphling | 1.5 | (+13.3%) | 22.7~793.3 |
Queen of Pain | 1.5 | (+13.3%) | 22.7~793.3 |
Terrorblade | 1.5 | (+13.3%) | 22.7~793.3 |
Windranger | 1.5 | (+13.3%) | 22.7~793.3 |
Huskar | 1.6 | (+6.2%) | 21.3~743.8 |
Lina | 1.6 | (+6.2%) | 21.3~743.8 |
Bristleback | 1.8 | (-5.6%) | 18.9~661.1 |
Magnus | 1.8 | (-5.6%) | 18.9~661.1 |
Mars | 1.8 | (-5.6%) | 18.9~661.1 |
Sven | 1.8 | (-5.6%) | 18.9~661.1 |
Weaver | 1.8 | (-5.6%) | 18.9~661.1 |
Lifestealer | 1.85 | (-8.1%) | 18.4~643.2 |
Treant Protector | 1.9 | (-10.5%) | 17.9~626.3 |
Spirit Breaker | 1.9 | (-10.5%) | 17.9~626.3 |
Doom | 2 | (-15%) | 17~595 |
- Note: Rubick is also capable of lowering his BAT if he steals and uses any of the abilities listed in the above table.
Unit | Base Attack Time | Difference in Attacks/Sec | AS Range in 1.7 BAT Representation |
---|---|---|---|
Death Ward | 0.22 | (+672.7%) | 155~5049 |
Familiar | 0.4 | (+325.0%) | 85~2975 |
Necronomicon Warrior | 0.75 | (+126.7%) | 45.3~1586.7 |
Spirit Bear (level 4 + talent -0.5 BAT) | 0.85 | (+100.0%) | 40~1400 |
Lycan Wolf (level 4) | 0.9 | (+88.9%) | 37.8~1322.2 |
Greater Treant | 1 | (+70.0%) | 34~1190 |
Melee and Ranged Creeps | 1 | (+70.0%) | 34~1190 |
Necronomicon Archer | 1 | (+70.0%) | 34~1190 |
Lycan Wolf (level 3) | 1 | (+70.0%) | 34~1190 |
Lycan Wolf (level 2) | 1.1 | (+54.5%) | 30.9~1081.8 |
Warlock's Golem | 1.2 | (+41.7%) | 28.3~991.7 |
Lycan Wolf (level 1) | 1.2 | (+41.7%) | 28.3~991.7 |
Wraith King Skeleton | 1.2 | (+41.7%) | 28.3~991.7 |
Boar | 1.25 | (+36.0%) | 27.2~952 |
Earth | 1.35 | (+25.9%) | 25.2~881.5 |
Fire | 1.35 | (+25.9%) | 25.2~881.5 |
Spiderite | 1.35 | (+25.9%) | 25.2~881.5 |
Spiderling | 1.35 | (+25.9%) | 25.2~881.5 |
Spirit Bear (level 4) | 1.35 | (+25.9%) | 25.2~881.5 |
Spirit Bear (level 3) | 1.45 | (+17.2%) | 23.4~820.7 |
Eidolon | 1.5 | (+13.3%) | 22.7~793.3 |
Forged Spirit | 1.5 | (+13.3%) | 22.7~793.3 |
Plague Ward | 1.5 | (+13.3%) | 22.7~793.3 |
Serpent Ward | 1.5 | (+13.3%) | 22.7~793.3 |
Storm | 1.5 | (+13.3%) | 22.7~793.3 |
Spirit Bear (level 2) | 1.55 | (+9.7%) | 21.9~767.7 |
Undying Zombie | 1.6 | (+6.2%) | 21.3~743.8 |
Spirit Bear (level 1) | 1.65 | (+3.0%) | 20.6~721.2 |
Treant | 1.75 | (-2.9%) | 19.4~680 |
Roshan | 2 | (-15.0%) | 17~595 |
Siege Creeps | 2.7 | (-37.0%) | 12.6~440.7 |
Neutral Unit | Base Attack Time |
---|---|
Ghost | 1 |
Centaur Courser | 1.3 |
Ancient Granite Golem | 1.35 |
Ancient Rock Golem | 1.35 |
Alpha Wolf | 1.35 |
Dark Troll Summoner | 1.35 |
Hill Troll | 1.35 |
Kobold | 1.35 |
Kobold Foreman | 1.35 |
Kobold Soldier | 1.35 |
Mud Golem | 1.35 |
Ogre Bruiser | 1.35 |
Ogre Frostmage | 1.35 |
Satyr Mindstealer | 1.35 |
Satyr Tormenter | 1.35 |
Shard Golem | 1.35 |
Wildwing | 1.35 |
Wildwing Ripper | 1.35 |
Ancient Black Dragon | 1.5 |
Ancient Prowler Acolyte | 1.5 |
Ancient Prowler Shaman | 1.5 |
Centaur Conqueror | 1.5 |
Fell Spirit | 1.5 |
Hellbear | 1.5 |
Giant Wolf | 1.55 |
Hellbear Smasher | 1.55 |
Harpy Scout | 1.6 |
Harpy Stormcrafter | 1.6 |
Hill Troll Berserker | 1.6 |
Vhoul Assassin | 1.6 |
Satyr Banisher | 1.7 |
Ancient Black Drake | 1.8 |
Ancient Rumblehide | 1.8 |
Ancient Thunderhide | 1.8 |
Hill Troll Priest | 1.8 |
Initial Attack Speed
Heroes | Attack speed |
---|---|
90 | |
95 | |
100 | |
110 | |
115 | |
120 | |
125 |
Attack speed representation
Many hands make light work.
The reciprocal of base attack time is base attack speed. For most heroes, this is 1 / 1.7 = 0.588 attacks per second. Attack speed is expressed in percent of base attack speed. The base is therefore expressed as 100. Each point of increased attack speed (IAS) adds 1 to that, giving 1% of base attack speed. Each point of agility increases IAS by 1. IAS is also modifiable by items, abilities, talents, buffs, and debuffs. Attack speed works together with BAT to determine how often a unit can attack. Attack speed has a minimum cap of 20 and a maximum cap of 700.
- Note: When mousing over attack damage in the HUD, the first field shows the attack speed and the time per attack in parenthesis. The attack speed field is defaulted to 100 and adds the IAS afterward, leading to a lower boundary of 20 and an upper boundary of 700. Even though the display may show a unit to "exceed" these boundaries, the actual attack speed used for calculations will still obey the caps of 20 and 700. This can be easily verified by observing that the "time between attacks" display does not change even when pushing well past "700 attack speed".
- Note2: Units that do not have 1.7 BAT will display their attack speed in the in-game HUD as if they had 1.7 BAT. For example, a unit with 0.85 BAT and no bonus attack speed (100 attack speed) will display itself as having 200 attack speed, because 0.85 seconds is how long a unit with 1.70 BAT and 200 attack speed would take in between attacks. This strange quirk makes it harder to figure out if a hero without 1.7 BAT is nearing the attack speed cap, but it does allow players to compare this uniform "attack speed metric" across all heroes more easily (only their base attack time though, as any bonuses are not expressed in this "attack speed metric", but just added on top).
Attack speed formula
The formulas below denote the relationship between BAT, IAS, attacks per second, and time between attacks.
- Attacks per second = [(100 + IAS) × 0.01] / BAT
- Attack time = BAT / [(100 + IAS) × 0.01] = 1 / (attacks per second)
For example, a level 1 Axe with no items has 1.7 BAT and 20 agility, which is converted to (0.20).
- Attacks per second = [(100 + IAS) × 0.01] / BAT
- Attacks per second = [(100 + 20) × 0.01] / 1.7
- Attacks per second = 1.2 / 1.7
- Attacks per second = ~0.706
>> Axe attacks about 0.706 times per second.
- Attack time = 1 / 0.706
- Attack time = ~1.417
>> Axe takes about 1.417 seconds between attacks.
Here are some attack speed benchmarks and their effect on attacks per second:
- -80 attack speed, a unit with 20 AS will take 5 times their BAT to attack (1/5x normal speed) (lower cap)
- -75 attack speed, a unit with 25 AS will take 4 times their BAT to attack (1/4x normal speed)
- -66 attack speed, a unit with 33 AS will take 3 times their BAT to attack (1/3x normal speed)
- -50 attack speed, a unit with 50 AS will take 2 times their BAT to attack (1/2x normal speed)
- +00 attack speed, a unit with 100 AS will take 1 time their BAT to attack (1x normal speed)
- +100 attack speed, a unit with 200 AS will take 1/2 times their BAT to attack (2x normal speed)
- +200 attack speed, a unit with 300 AS will take 1/3 times their BAT to attack (3x normal speed)
- +300 attack speed, a unit with 400 AS will take 1/4 times their BAT to attack (4x normal speed)
- +400 attack speed, a unit with 500 AS will take 1/5 times their BAT to attack (5x normal speed)
- +500 attack speed, a unit with 600 AS will take 1/6 times their BAT to attack (6x normal speed)
- +600 attack speed, a unit with 700 AS will take 1/7 times their BAT to attack (7x normal speed) (upper cap)
Attack speed granting talents
The following heroes have a talent that grants them bonus attack speed.
Bonus | Level 10 | Level 15 | Level 20 | Level 25 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Left | Right | Left | Right | Left | Right | Left | Right | |
Attack speed |
Attack speed granting items
Attack speed granting abilities
- Attack Speed Bonus: 40/60/80/100
Duration: 4
Affects every unit attacking a debuffed unit. - Attack Speed Bonus: 75
Duration: 8
Affects targeted ally. - Ancient Thunderhide - [[Ancient Thunderhide#|]]
- Attack Speed Bonus: 50/60/70/80
Duration: 3.5/4.5/5.5/6.5
Radius: 275
Affects all allied heroes and buildings within the field. - Attack Speed Bonus: 35
Duration: 6
Affects allies within a 900 radius upon cast. - Hellbear Smasher - [[Hellbear Smasher#|]]
- Attack Speed Bonus: 100
Duration: 5
When it is cast on an enemy. Affects self. Only grants attack speed against the targeted enemy. Bonus is lost after 4 attacks or within 5 seconds, whichever is shorter. - Max Attack Speed Bonus: 220/260/300/340
Affects self. Grants attack speed for point of health missing, reaching the cap at 10% health. - Attack Speed Bonus: 10/25/40/55/70/85/100 ( /115)
Duration: 9
Affects targeted ally. Based on level of Wex. - Attack Speed Bonus per Wex Instance: 2/4/6/8/10/12/14
Max instances: 3
Affects self. 3 instances grant 6/12/18/24/30/36/42 attack speed. - Io - OverchargeAttack Speed Bonus: 40/50/60/70
Affects self and the Tethered ally. Lasts until toggled off. - Attack Speed Bonus: 65/90/115/140
Duration: 5
Affects targeted ally. - Attack Speed Bonus: 40/50/60/70
Duration: 3/4/5/6
Affects self. - Attack Speed Bonus: 45/60/75/90
Affects self. Grants bonuses only during the night. - Attack Speed Bonus: 100/125/150/175
Duration: 2
Affects self. - Attack Speed Bonus: 80
Duration: 7
Affects targeted ally only. - Attack Speed Bonus: 140/170/200
Duration: 6.5
Affects self. - Ursa - [[Ursa#|]]Attack Speed Bonus: 400
Duration: 15
Affects self. Bonus is lost after 4/5/6/7 attacks or within 15 seconds, whichever is shorter. - Attack Speed Bonus: 450
Duration: 20
Affects self. Only grants attack speed against the targeted enemy. The buff is not lost upon switching target, so it continues to give attack speed upon switching back to it. - Attack Speed Bonus: 55
Duration: 4/4.75/5.5
Affects all enemy units within 500 radius around the target.
Attack speed slowing abilities
Attack speed/slows
Version history
See also