Magic immunity



Magic immunity is a buff that prevents a unit from being affected in any way whatsoever by most hero abilities. It is is largely used to completely mitigate incoming magical and pure damage (the damage types dealt by nearly all hero spells), and prevent harmful spell effects, although it also prevents and dispels most positive buffs as well.

It is an aspect of some hero abilities as well as the ever-popular Black King Bar. Many ultimates and certain specific skills (including all skills that deal physical damage) have the bonus of penetrating magic immunity.

Effects of magic immunity
A unit under the magic immunity buff will take no damage that is considered magical damage or pure damage. This includes any magical damage caused by an enemy Hero's ultimate ability. Note that this is not the same as having 100% magic resistance: certain damage types that are reduced by magic resistance will still affect the hero, mixed damage in particular. Exceptions: Doom, Midnight Pulse, and March of the Machines will damage units which are magic immune despite dealing magical damage, as they deal a special type of magical damage called universal damage.

A magic immune unit cannot be targeted by most abilities. They can still be affected by area-of-effect non-targeted abilities that heal, deal physical damage, or deal mixed damage, such as Dazzle's Shadow Wave or Beastmaster's Wild Axes. However, they cannot be directly targeted, even if the ability does physical damage. Dazzle's physically-damaging Poison Touch, for example, cannot target or affect magic immune units.

Regular right-click attacks are unaffected by magic immunity, as are most attack modifiers such as critical strike. Bash from a ranged unit is considered a magical effect and will not work, but the bonus damage from the bash will. Bash from a melee hero, on the other hand, will stun but not deal its bonus damage. The chain lightning effect from Mjollnir or Maelstrom will work, but will not damage any Heroes that are magic immune. Similarly, the mana burning effect from Diffusal Blade or Anti-Mage will also not work, nor will Incapacitating Bite from Broodmother.

Magic immunity can be used to dodge incoming projectile-based abilities such as Magic Missile, effectively wasting their usage.

Gaining magic immunity
Heroes can gain temporary magic immunity from several sources. In addition, certain higher level neutral creeps are permanently magic immune. Roshan is not magic immune, but will block some abilities in a manner similar to Linken's Sphere.

Creeps with magic immunity








Ultimate Disables That Will Not Go Through Magic Immunity
In general, the disabling components of most ultimates will penetrate magic immunity, even if the damage doesn't. Exceptions to this rule can be seen below.

Note that magical damage will not damage through magic immunity. This means that damage-dealing ultimates with no disabling component, such as Finger of Death, will have no effect on magic immune units. * Additionally, Undying will not be healed if a magic immune unit dies.

Trivia

 * The negative Aura of Tusk's Frozen Sigil is blocked by magic immunity in Dota 2, but goes through magic immunity in DotA.
 * Despite dealing physical damage, Searing Arrows cannot be targeted on magic immune units.