Spell Reflection is an offensive ability that causes the affect unit to cast most single target spells back on their casters, ranging from basic small abilities to the strongest single target ultimates.
Mechanics
Spell Reflection acts as a passive effect, activating automatically when a reflectable single target spell is targeted at the unit. It may also come in form of a buff, reflecting spells while the buff is active. Spell Reflection only reflects spells upon cast, it does not react on already ongoing casts when being applied while already affected by a single target spell. When a spell gets blocked by Spell Block, it still gets reflected. Multiple layers of Spell Reflection do no stack, so that spells can only be reflected once per cast. With a very few exceptions, Spell Reflection does not reflect area of effect spells. It also does not reflect single target spells when hit as a secondary target. The unit must be the primary targeting order to reflect the spell. Projectile-based spells are usually reflected upon impact, and not upon cast, with a few exceptions.
The reflected spells are treated as if the reflecting hero literally cast the spell back at the enemy, with an instant cast time and without getting interrupted. This means that scaling values of reflected abilities are based on the reflecting hero's stats, and not on the original caster's. This also means that reflected spells receive Aghanim's Scepter upgrades only if the reflecting hero has Aghanim's Scepter (or any Aghanim's Scepter buff), regardless of whether the original caster has it or not. If a spell applies an effect to the caster on cast, so will it apply those effects on the reflecting hero upon reflecting.
Reflected spells do not count as a cast event, meaning that they do not proc any on-cast effects, and do not interrupt or intercept with the reflecting hero actions in any way. However, reflected channeling spells do require the reflecting hero to stand still in order to keep them up, although the reflecting hero is not orderd to stop upon reflecting such spells. Reflected spells are also not limited to the original spell's actual cast range, and will get reflected, regardless of how far away the original caster is, though this does not mean that spells with specific limited distances can exceed their set distances.
The reflected spell's effects take place before the caster's spell cast. This ensures that the spell gets reflected even when the reflecting hero dies to the spell, or blocks it with Spell Block. This does not prevent the original caster's spell to get canceled, if they die to the damage of the reflected spell. Due to the order, this means, when the cast and reflected spell is lethal to both, the original caster and the reflecting hero, the origincal caster dies first, followed by the reflecting hero. For example, if Culling Blade gets reflected while Axe and his target are below the kill threshold, Axe dies first to the reflecting hero's Cull, and then the reflecting hero dies to Axe's Cull. However, if the damage is delayed via a modifier (e.g. Laguna Blade), the reflecting hero dies first.
A spell's interaction with Spell Reflection may change if the ability gets changed by other abilities, talents or by Aghanim's Scepter. For example, when a single target turns into a non-targeted spell, Spell Reflection may no longer reflect it.
Spell Reflection does not reflect any active attack modifier and does not reflect any abilities of allies. Reflected spells are not subject to other sources of Spell Reflection, so that no reflect loop can happen. Reflected spells are still subject to Spell Block.
Sources of Spell Reflection
- Cooldown: 15/11/7/3
- Duration: 6
Not reflected abilities
These abilities are not reflected by Spell Reflection.
Fully reflected abilities
These abilities are fully reflected by Spell Reflection.
- Abaddon – Mist Coil1
- Ancient Apparition – Cold Feet4
- Anti-Mage – Mana Void3
- Arc Warden – Flux
- Axe – Battle Hunger
- Axe – Culling Blade
- Bane – Enfeeble
- Bane – Brain Sap
- Bane – Fiend's Grip
- Batrider – Flaming Lasso3
- Beastmaster – Primal Roar3
- Bloodseeker – Bloodrage
- Bloodseeker – Rupture
- Bounty Hunter – Shuriken Toss1 3
- Bounty Hunter – Track
- Bristleback – Viscous Nasal Goo1 4
- Broodmother – Spawn Spiderlings1
- Centaur Warrunner – Double Edge3
- Chen – Penitence1
- Dark Willow – Cursed Crown
- Dazzle – Poison Touch3 5
- Death Prophet – Spirit Siphon
- Disruptor – Thunder Strike
- Disruptor – Glimpse
- Doom – Doom
- Dragon Knight – Dragon Tail1
- Earth Spirit – Boulder Smash3
- Earth Spirit – Enchant Remnant
- Enchantress – Enchant
- Enigma – Malefice
- Grimstroke – Phantom's Embrace5
- Gyrocopter – Homing Missile1
- Huskar – Life Break1
- Juggernaut – Omnislash3
- Kunkka – X Marks the Spot
- Legion Commander – Duel
- Leshrac – Lightning Storm3
- Lich – Frost Blast3
- Lich – Sinister Gaze
- Lich – Chain Frost1 3
- Lifestealer – Open Wounds
- Lina – Laguna Blade
- Lion – Earth Spike2
- Lion – Hex4
- Lion – Mana Drain3
- Lion – Finger of Death3
- Luna – Lucent Beam
- Medusa – Mystic Snake1 3
- Morphling – Adaptive Strike (Agility)1 2
- Morphling – Adaptive Strike (Strength)1 2
- Naga Siren – Ensnare1
- Necrophos – Reaper's Scythe
- Night Stalker – Void
- Lua error: Found no Cargo data for "Nyx Assassin - Mana Burn".
- Ogre Magi – Ignite1 3
- Oracle – Fortune's End1 3
- Oracle – Fate's Edict
- Oracle – Purifying Flames
- Lua error: Found no Cargo data for "Outworld Devourer - Astral Imprisonment".
- Phantom Assassin – Stifling Dagger1 2
- Phantom Lancer – Spirit Lance1 2
- Pudge – Dismember
- Pugna – Decrepify
- Pugna – Life Drain
- Queen of Pain – Shadow Strike1 3
- Razor – Static Link
- Rubick – Telekinesis3
- Rubick – Fade Bolt3
- Shadow Demon – Disruption
- Shadow Demon – Demonic Purge
- Shadow Shaman – Ether Shock3
- Shadow Shaman – Hex
- Shadow Shaman – Shackles
- Silencer – Last Word
- Skywrath Mage – Arcane Bolt1 2
- Skywrath Mage – Ancient Seal3
- Slardar – Corrosive Haze
- Sniper – Assassinate1 4
- Storm Spirit – Electric Vortex4
- Sven – Storm Hammer1 3
- Terrorblade – Sunder
- Tidehunter – Gush1 4
- Tinker – Laser3
- Treant Protector – Leech Seed
- Tusk – Snowball1
- Tusk – Walrus Kick
- Undying – Soul Rip
- Vengeful Spirit – Magic Missile1
- Viper – Viper Strike1
- Visage – Grave Chill
- Warlock – Fatal Bonds3
- Warlock – Shadow Word4
- Windranger – Shackleshot1 3
- Windranger – Focus Fire
- Winter Wyvern – Splinter Blast1 3
- Winter Wyvern – Winter's Curse3
- Witch Doctor – Paralyzing Cask1 3
- Wraith King – Wraithfire Blast1 2
- Zeus – Arc Lightning3
- Abyssal Blade – Overwhelm
- Bloodthorn – Soul Rend
- Dagon – Energy Burst
- Diffusal Blade – Inhibit
- Ethereal Blade – Ether Blast1
- Eul's Scepter of Divinity – Cyclone
- Force Staff – Force
- Heaven's Halberd – Disarm
- Hurricane Pike – Hurricane Thrust
- Nullifier – Nullify1
- Orchid Malevolence – Soul Burn
- Rod of Atos – Cripple1
- Scythe of Vyse – Hex
- Lua error: Found no Cargo data for "Dark Troll Summoner - Ensnare".
- Earth – Hurl Boulder1
- Harpy Stormcrafter – Chain Lightning3
- Mud Golem – Hurl Boulder1
- Necronomicon Archer – Purge
- Satyr Banisher – Purge
- Satyr Mindstealer – Mana Burn
- Shard Golem – Hurl Boulder1
- Storm – Cyclone
1 Projectile-based abilities, these are reflected upon impact, not upon cast.
2 These abilities can hit multiple targets, and are reflected by everyone hit by them.
3 These abilities can hit multiple targets, but are only reflected when primary target.
4 These abilities can be upgraded by talents and/or Aghanim's Scepter so that they are no longer reflected by Spell Reflection.
5 Although projectile-based, these abilities are reflected on cast, not on impact.
Unique interactions
- Reflected by every source of Spell Reflection within the area. The damage and stun values depend on how long the original caster brewed the concoction.
- Reflected upon cast and upon attacking a unit affected by an enemy Nightmare.
- Reflected upon impact. Rerolls the damage and stun values, does not copy the values the original caster rolled.
- Sets a new random position between the original caster and the reflecting hero, overriding the location the original caster randomed.
- Reflected only when manually cast. Not reflected when applied by Freezing Field.
- Reflected fully only when directly targeted. Does not reflect when ground targeted.
- Reflected Cold Snap's level is based on Invoker's Quas level, plus one level if the reflecting hero has Aghanim's Scepter.
- Reflected fully only when directly targeted. Does not reflect when ground targeted. When the reflecting hero has Aghanim's Scepter, treants do not spawn for them.
- Reflects each instance multicast as they occur.
- Reflects each instance multicast as they occur.
- When reflected, the original caster ends up at the reflecting heroes position, and not the other way.
- When reflected, the original caster ends up at the reflecting heroes position, and not the other way.
- When reflected, the original caster and the reflecting hero effectively swap positions. When having Aghanim's Scepter, the reflecting hero cannot apply Caustic Finale on hit enemies with.
- Reflected upon cast, not impact. The reflecting hero does not apply Greater Bash.
- When reflected, the original caster ends up at the reflecting heroes position, and not the other way. The reflecting hero does not apply Greater Bash.
- Reflected only when the Toss target has Spell Reflection. Reflected upon impact.
- Basically completely nullifies the spell. The swap back happens so fast that not even distance-based effects (e.g. Dream Coil leash breaking) can react on it.
- The damage depends on how many charges the original caster had for their cast.
- Reflected when hit, no matter if directly targeted or not. Bolts from the Nimbus are not reflected.
Version history
- Added Spell Reflection to Spell Shield as an Aghanim's Scepter upgrade.
Patch history
- Fixed Spell Reflection reflecting Nimbus Lightning Bolt.
- Fixed reflecting Cold Snap causing the client to crash.
- Fixed Spell Reflection creating a charge counter on the reflecting hero with Spirit Siphon.
- Fixed Spell Reflection reflecting Viscous Nasal Goo with Aghanim's Scepter.
- Fixed a visual effects bug when Spell Reflection reflects Shackles.
- Fixed cases where Spell Reflection reflected spells would incorrectly apply their effects through spell immunity: Battle Hunger, Brain Sap, Nightmare, Reality Rift, Test of Faith, Glimpse, Dragon Tail, Boulder Smash, Enchant Remnant, Mana Leak, X Marks the Spot, Enchant, Open Wounds, Lua error in Module:Ability_ID at line 61: Could not find Cargo data for "Mana Burn"., Decrepify, Leech Seed, Shadow Word, Satyr Banisher Purge, Satyr Mindstealer Mana Burn, Necronomicon Archer Mana Burn, Cyclone.
- Spectral Dagger no longer procs Spell Reflection during secondary collisions.