Dispel

A dispel is the term used for a forced removal of status effects. Dispels usually come together with other mechanics and are rarely seen as a primary mechanic of a spell or item.

Mechanics


Dispels remove status effects based on whether the casting unit is an ally or an enemy, and whether the status effect is positive or negative. Applying a dispel on an allied unit only removes negative effects (also known as debuffs). Positive effects (known as buffs) are never removed. Vice versa, applying a dispel on an enemy unit only removes buffs off of it, debuffs are not removed. The only exception to this rule are the buffs from the Haste Rune and the Double Damage Rune.

There are 4 different variations of Dispel: basic dispel, spell immunity, strong dispel and death.

Basic dispels are able to remove most basic stats altering effects like speed or damage bonuses or slows and silences. However, they are unable to remove most hard disables like stuns or Forced Movement.

Spell immunity may also apply dispel, although not all of them do. Their dispel can remove everything a basic dispel can and can also remove a few additional effects a basic dispel cannot remove, like disarms. A few other spells also periodically check for spell immunity on a unit, and as such also get removed if it is detected. These abilities ignore the source of the spell immunity, so they always get removed, no matter if they were positive or negative.

Strong dispels are capable of removing everything a basic dispel and spell immunity can remove. On top of that, these can also remove many more status effects, including hard disables. Whether or not strong dispels can remove positive effects is unknown, since there is no source of strong dispel which can be applied on enemy units.

Death applies the ultimate dispel on units. It removes almost absolutely everything. Only a very few effects are not dispelled by death.

Dispelling summoned units

Although many dispels which can target enemies deal damage to summons, this mechanic is not directly related to the dispel mechanic. and deal damage to targeted enemy units, but other dispels which can target enemies (,, , etc) do not deal extra damage to summons. The extra damage of some dispelling abilities are rather a trait of the ability itself, instead of the dispel mechanic they use.

Auras and permanent effects

Generally, all buffs and debuffs placed by auras are not removable with dispels. Their effects only disappear when getting out of range, their source disappears or when no longer meeting their requirements. However, almost every aura's buff/debuff linger for a short time (0.5 seconds in average). Only very few aura effects end immediately when their source dies or disappears.

Other permanent effects have inconsistent behaviors with dispels. Some of them cannot be removed, while others can. However, since they are permanent effects, they almost immediately re-apply their buffs/debuffs when it gets dispelled.

Sources of dispel
Basic dispels

Dispel form spell immunity

Strong dispels

Death

When a unit dies, most buffs and debuffs on it are removed. However, in case of heroes, when the death timer is 0, no dispel is applied.

also applies this dispel on the target when it kills it, allowing it to kill units under the effect of e.g..

Removable buffs
As mentioned before, it is only possible to remove buffs off of opposing units. Buffs cannot be removed off of allies, regardless of the type of dispel, except by death. Due to this rule, and the fact that there are no strong dispels that can be cast on enemies, there is no way to determine which positive buffs are removable by strong dispels and as such are marked with N/A.

A list of buffs which can or cannot be dispelled can be found here.

Removable debuffs
These are all debuffs placeable by units and items. Same rule applies here, debuffs can only be removed by allies of the affected units.

A list of debuffs which can or cannot be dispelled can be found here.