Creeps

Creeps are a type of unit within Dota 2 that heroes can interact with, but do not have direct control over by default (see Chen, Enchantress, Lifestealer and Helm of the Dominator for exceptions). There are two types of creeps: lane creeps and neutral creeps. Both types of creeps can be killed by players for gold and experience. Allied creeps at low health can be denied to reduce the bounty given to enemies.

Lane Creeps
Lane creeps are aligned to either the radiant or the dire and spawn in groups called creep waves near their faction's base, and then constantly push toward their enemy's base. On the way they will attack any enemy creeps, neutral creeps or player-controlled units on sight.

There are three types of lane creeps: melee, ranged and siege. Melee creeps have more health and appear in larger numbers, but deal less damage. Ranged creeps deal more damage to other creeps, but less to heroes, and have mana. Siege creeps deal more damage to buildings, have more health and spawn every seventh wave. Unlike the other lane creeps, siege creeps have 80% magic resistance. All lane creeps disable backdoor protection on enemy buildings when close. In addition, each creep wave slowly becomes more powerful throughout the game.

Destroying either of the enemy team's melee or ranged barracks will cause the destroying team's respective lane to begin spawning super creeps instead of normal creeps. Super creeps are stronger versions of regular lane creeps that give about half gold and experience to the enemy when killed. When all enemy barracks are destroyed, mega creeps begin to spawn from all lanes and siege creeps gain an additional 16 damage.

Mechanics
Lane creeps spawn behind their team's barracks if they're still standing, or from the top of the ramps leading into their team's base if they have been destroyed (except for offlane [Dire's bottom lane and Radiant's top lane]), every 30 seconds. The first wave of creeps has 3 melee creeps and 1 ranged creep, and every seventh wave will have a siege creep (starting at 3:00.).

At 15:00 and 30:00, an extra melee creep is added. At 45:00, an extra melee and ranged creep is added, and an extra extra siege creep is added to every seventh wave.

Prior to 7:30, the safe-lane creeps have 406 movement speed for 15 seconds after they spawn while the corresponding hard-lane creeps have 243 movement speed for 15 seconds after they spawn.

Every 7 minutes 30 seconds, melee and ranged creeps will receive permanent damage and health bonuses. The maximum number of bonuses is 30, which will happen at 3:45:00, or alternatively after all enemy barracks are destroyed. Creep bounty increases by 1 gold per normal upgrade cycle.

Lane creeps target first enemy lane creeps, secondly enemy heroes, and lastly enemy siege creeps. Nearby creeps (500 range) will report their aggro on you if you attack an enemy hero (or attack click an enemy hero), allowing you to bring them behind your own creeps in order to farm more safely. Lane creeps can also follow you very far, inside the jungle and even as far as another lane. They stop chasing you if they lose sight of you for a long time. Lane creeps will return to the lane where the spawned unless aggroed by some valid target.

When a siege creep gets within the range of an enemy tower it starts to attack the tower despite some creeps or hero being present.

Neutral Creeps
Neutral Creeps are tougher, more dangerous creeps that appear in the forest. They are aligned to neither of the teams, and offer an alternative source of Gold and Experience. Heroes can focus on killing Neutral creeps in order to farm, by Jungling. Some Neutral creeps also have special abilities. Heroes such as Doom can make use of these abilities, and turn them against their enemies. Roshan is also considered a Neutral creep.

Mechanics


Neutral creeps will spawn every minute-mark after the first creep spawn, first spawn at 00:30. Aggravated creeps will follow units out of their camp for 7 seconds, at which point they will return to the camp area. This delay in the return can be used for Creep Pulling, which pulls Neutral creeps into contact with Lane creeps, and Creep Stacking, which causes multiple camps of creeps to spawn in one area.

Neutral creeps will not spawn if there is a unit (excluding lane creeps) within their camp. This includes Heroes, player-controlled units, neutral creeps, certain projectiles such as Homing missile, Rocket Flare and wards. Neutral camps will not spawn the same set of creeps twice in a row. Lane creeps do not block spawning.

Each team's jungle includes one Small creep camp, two Medium creep camps, and three Large creep camps. On average, a run through the jungle (not including ancients) will yield 533 gold and 893 experience.

On average, completing both ancient camps will yield 528 gold and 710 experience.

Small Creeps
Small creeps are the weakest of the Neutral creeps. They give very little gold, and act more as a starting point for Jungling Heroes. They give anywhere between 61-91 gold, and between 123-144 experience.

An average Small creep camp yields 76 gold and 133 experience.

Medium Creeps
Medium creeps are slightly tougher enemies. They deal more damage, have more health, and have access to abilities, but shouldn't be too much of a problem for most Heroes. They give anywhere between 81-155 gold and 144-212 experience.

An average Medium creep camp yields 100 gold and 180 experience.

Large Creeps
Large creeps are very difficult enemies. They all have access to some abilities that can be dangerous if they're not approached with caution. They give anywhere between 86-161 gold and 160-243 experience.

An average Large creep camp yields 117 gold and 200 experience without the Dark Troll camp's Skeletons, and 121 gold and 205 experience with the skeletons.

Ancient Creeps
Ancient creeps are very powerful creeps, often with high HP and spell immunity. The only exception to this are the lesser Black Drakes, which are not spell immune. If a Hero can survive long enough to defeat them, ancient creeps grant enormous rewards and give anywhere from 215-346 gold to 279-393 experience.

On average, one Ancient creep camp yields 234 gold and 355 experience.

Roshan
Roshan is a unique creep that spawns near the middle of the map. In addition to providing a large experience and gold bounty when killed, Roshan also drops the Aegis of the Immortal. The third time he is killed in a single game (and every time thereafter), a Cheese will also drop from Roshan. Roshan's HP increases every 4 minutes as the game timer progresses.

Roshan yields an average of 475 gold and 1789 experience.