Attack animation

Movement speed advantage required for a given attack efficiency when chasing, which is dependent on attack animation

Every unit in Dota 2 has an attack animation. This is a period of time required to perform an attack. During this time the unit generally cannot perform any other actions simultaneously, including moving.

Definition

There are two components in attack animations — a foreswing (or attack point), which takes place before an attack lands, and a backswing, which takes place after.

The animations can be manually canceled by players, but AI units (i.e. lane creeps) generally do not. The backswing can be canceled with no consequences. However, canceling the foreswing will cancel the attack. Different heroes have different animation times, which affect their abilities to last-hit, deny, and attack enemy units while chasing their target.

Unlike cast animation, losing vision doesn't cancel attack animation.

Both the effective attack point and attack backswing are affected by the total attack speed.

The effective attack point Ap and effective attack backswing Ab can be defined as

$A_p = B_p \times \frac{100}{\sum_{AS} } \times (1+AP_{Manip})$

$A_b = B_b \times \frac{100}{\sum_{AS} }$

With Bp and Bb being the base attack point and base backswing respectively, APManip is the value of an attack point manipulation effect. Only the highest value is counted for attack point manipulation effects.

However, a unit's attack speed is completely independent of its attack animation.

The attack animation strictly refers to the delay between when an attack order is issued and when the attack is launched. For example, if a unit has an attack time of 1 second, an attack point of 0.3 seconds, and an attack backswing of 0.5 seconds, they will be idle for 0.2 seconds during every attack cycle.

Even if the attack backswing is canceled after 0.2 seconds, the idle period is extended to 0.5 seconds. However, during that idle period, other commands can be issued such as moving or casting spells.

$0.5 = \overbrace{ \underbrace{0.2}_\text{Original Idle Time} + \underbrace{0.5}_\text{Backswing} - \underbrace{0.2}_\text{Cancelled Completed Backswing Time} }^\text{Extended Idle Period}$

In other words, canceling your animation does not allow you to attack faster.

Attack Animation Manipulation

The following abilities can change the attack animation speed.

Attack Animation Manipulation Sources

• Nyx Assassin - Vendetta
  
  Bonus Attack Animation Speed: 70%
  
• Riki - Blink Strike
  
  Bonus Attack Animation Speed: 50%
  
• Tusk - Walrus PUNCH!
  
  Bonus Attack Animation Speed: 40%
  

Orb Walking

Main Article: Stutter Stepping (Trivia)

Because of how manually casting active attack modifiers behaves, as compared to regular attacks. During the cast time of a manually cast active attack modifier, the player can spam the move command, which does not cancel the ongoing cast, but the first move command after the cast point is reached cancels the backswing, so the hero moves almost immediately after the attack launched.

However, doing that during a regular attack does cancel the regular attack, causing the unit to move immediately, so the player must time the move command after the attack launched. This means stutter stepping was much easier to do with casting active attack modifiers, as timing for the move command was not required, allowing for much more effective stutter stepping.

A later usage of the term Orb Walking refers to using attacks or active attack modifiers to achieve Stutter Stepping, which is the act of cancelling the backswing animation of an attack, allowing the unit to move between attacks, following the target, instead of standing and waiting for the backswing to finish.

Attack Animations of Heroes

Hero		Attack Range	Attack Point	Attack Backswing	Projectile Speed
	Abaddon	Melee	0.56	0.41	-
	Alchemist	Melee	0.35	0.65	-
	Ancient Apparition	675	0.45	0.3	1250
	Anti-Mage	150	0.3	0.3	0
	Arc Warden	625	0.3	0.7	900
	Axe	Melee	0.4	0.5	-
	Bane	400	0.3	0.7	900
	Batrider	400	0.3	0.54	900
	Beastmaster	150	0.3	0.7	0
	Bloodseeker	Melee	0.43	0.74	-
	Bounty Hunter	Melee	0.59	0.59	-
	Brewmaster	Melee	0.35	0.65	-
	Bristleback	Melee	0.3	0.3	-
	Broodmother	Melee	0.4	0.5	-
	Centaur Warrunner	Melee	0.3	0.3	-
	Chaos Knight	Melee	0.5	0.5	-
	Chen	650	0.5	0.5	1100
	Clinkz	600	0.4	0.3	900
	Clockwerk	Melee	0.33	0.64	-
	Crystal Maiden	600	0.45	0	900
	Dark Seer	Melee	0.59	0.58	-
	Dark Willow	475	0.3	1	1200
	Dawnbreaker	Melee	0.46	1.02	-
	Dazzle	575	0.3	0.3	1200
	Death Prophet	600	0.5	0.51	1000
	Disruptor	625	0.4	0.5	1200
	Doom	Melee	0.5	0.7	-
	Dragon Knight	Melee	0.5	0.5	-
	Drow Ranger	625	0.5	0.3	1250
	Earth Spirit	Melee	0.35	0.65	-
	Earthshaker	150	0.467	0.863	0
	Elder Titan	Melee	0.35	0.97	-
	Ember Spirit	Melee	0.4	0.3	-
	Enchantress	575	0.3	0.7	900
	Enigma	500	0.4	0.77	900
	Faceless Void	Melee	0.5	0.56	-
	Grimstroke	600	0.35	0.85	900
	Gyrocopter	365	0.2	0.1	3000
	Hoodwink	575	0.4	1.5	1800
	Huskar	400	0.3	0.5	1400
	Invoker	600	0.4	0.7	900
	Io	500	0.3	0.4	1200
	Jakiro	400	0.4	0.3	1100
	Juggernaut	Melee	0.33	0.84	-
	Keeper of the Light	600	0.3	0.85	900
	Kunkka	Melee	0.4	0.3	-
	Legion Commander	Melee	0.46	0.64	-
	Leshrac	575	0.4	0.6	900
	Lich	550	0.46	0.54	900
	Lifestealer	Melee	0.39	0.44	-
	Lina	670	0.65	0.6	1000
	Lion	600	0.43	0.74	900
	Lone Druid	550	0.33	0.53	900
	Luna	330	0.35	0.54	900
	Lycan	Melee	0.55	0.25	-
	Magnus	Melee	0.5	0.84	-
	Marci	150	0.3	0.5	0
	Mars	Melee	0.4	1.38	-
	Medusa	600	0.5	0.6	1200
	Meepo	Melee	0.38	0.6	-
	Mirana	630	0.35	0.7	900
	Monkey King	Melee	0.45	0.2	-
	Morphling	350	0.5	0.5	1300
	Muerta	575	0.35	1.1	3000
	Naga Siren	Melee	0.5	0.5	-
	Nature's Prophet	620	0.4	0.6	1125
	Necrophos	500	0.3	0.47	1200
	Night Stalker	Melee	0.55	0.55	-
	Nyx Assassin	Melee	0.46	0.54	-
	Ogre Magi	Melee	0.3	0.3	-
	Omniknight	Melee	0.433	0.567	-
	Oracle	620	0.3	0.7	900
	Outworld Destroyer	450	0.46	0.54	900
	Pangolier	Melee	0.33	0.77	-
	Phantom Assassin	Melee	0.3	0.7	-
	Phantom Lancer	Melee	0.5	0.5	-
	Phoenix	525	0.35	0.633	1100
	Primal Beast	Melee	0.6	0.7	-
	Puck	550	0.5	0.8	900
	Pudge	Melee	0.5	1.17	-
	Pugna	630	0.5	0.5	900
	Queen of Pain	550	0.56	0.41	1500
	Razor	475	0.3	0.4	2000
	Riki	Melee	0.3	0.3	-
	Ringmaster	Melee	0.5	0.93	-
	Rubick	550	0.4	0.77	1125
	Sand King	Melee	0.53	0.47	-
	Shadow Demon	500	0.35	0.5	900
	Shadow Fiend	525	0.5	0.54	1200
	Shadow Shaman	400	0.3	0.5	900
	Silencer	600	0.5	0.5	900
	Skywrath Mage	625	0.4	0.78	1000
	Slardar	150	0.36	0.64	0
	Slark	150	0.5	0.3	0
	Snapfire	500	0.35	1.23	1800
	Sniper	550	0.17	0.7	3000
	Spectre	Melee	0.3	0.7	-
	Spirit Breaker	170	0.6	0.3	900
	Storm Spirit	480	0.5	0.3	1100
	Sven	150	0.4	0.3	0
	Techies	600	0.5	0.5	900
	Templar Assassin	200	0.3	0.5	900
	Terrorblade	Melee	0.3	0.8	-
	Tidehunter	Melee	0.6	0.56	-
	Timbersaw	Melee	0.36	0.64	-
	Tinker	500	0.35	0.65	900
	Tiny	Melee	0.4	0.7	-
	Treant Protector	Melee	0.6	0.4	-
	Troll Warlord	500	0.3	0.3	1200
	Tusk	Melee	0.36	0.64	-
	Underlord	Melee	0.45	0.7	-
	Undying	Melee	0.3	0.3	-
	Ursa	Melee	0.3	0.3	-
	Vengeful Spirit	400	0.33	0.64	1500
	Venomancer	450	0.3	0.7	900
	Viper	575	0.33	1	1200
	Visage	600	0.4	0.54	1400
	Void Spirit	Melee	0.35	0.78	-
	Warlock	600	0.3	0.3	1200
	Weaver	425	0.55	0.36	900
	Windranger	600	0.4	0.3	1250
	Winter Wyvern	425	0.25	0.8	700
	Witch Doctor	550	0.4	0.5	1200
	Wraith King	150	0.56	0.44	0
	Zeus	380	0.35	0.55	1100

Attack Animation of Other Units

	Unit	Attack Range	Attack Point	Attack Backswing	Projectile Speed
	Ranged Creep	b4500	0.5	0.3	900
	Melee Creep, Treant	a1Melee	0.467	0.533	-
	Siege Creep	b7690	0.7	1.3	1100
	Tower	b8700	0.6	0.4	750
	Fountain	b91200	0	0	1400
	Kobold, Kobold Soldier	a1Melee	0.38	0.6	-
	Kobold Foreman	a2Melee	0.38	0.6	-
	Centaur Courser, Mud Golem, Spiderling, Spiderite	a1Melee	0.5	0.3	-
	Centaur Conqueror, Hellbear, Hellbear Smasher Ogre Bruiser, Ogre Frostmage, Satyr Mindstealer, Satyr Tormenter, Ancient Rock Golem	a1Melee	0.3	0.3	-
	Fell Spirit	a1Melee	0.4	0.3	-
	Ghost	b1300	0.3	0.3	900
	Giant Wolf, Alpha Wolf, Lycan Wolf	a0Melee	0.33	0.64	-
	Wildwing, Wildwing Ripper, Roshan, Earth, Fire, Undying Zombie	a3Melee	0.3	0.3	-
	Satyr Banisher	b1300	0.3	0.3	1500
	Ancient Granite Golem	a3Melee	0.3	0.5	-
	Ancient Thunderhide, Ancient Rumblehide	b1300	0.5	0.56	1500
	Vhoul Assassin	b4500	0.4	0.3	1500
	Hill Troll, Dark Troll Summoner, Hill Troll Berserker	b4500	0.3	0.3	1200
	Hill Troll Priest	b6600	0.3	0.3	900
	Harpy Scout	b1300	0.3	0.3	1200
	Harpy Stormcrafter	b3450	0.3	0.3	1200
	Ancient Black Drake	b1300	0.94	0.56	900
	Ancient Black Dragon	b1300	0.94	0.56	1500
	Skeleton Warrior	a0Melee	0.56	0.44	-
	Wraith King Skeleton	a0Melee	0.56	0.64	-
	Necronomicon Warrior	a1Melee	0.56	0.44	-
	Necronomicon Archer	b2350/450/550	0.7	0.3	900
	Death Ward	b8700	0	0	1000
	Serpent Ward	b6600	0.3	0.4	900
	Plague Ward	b6600	0.3	0.7	1900
	Eidolon	b3450	0.4	0.77	900
	Forged Spirit	b1300/365/430/495/560/625/690	0.2	0.4	1000
	Warlock Golem	a4Melee	0.26	0.74	-
	Boar	b5550	0.633	0.337	1500
	Storm	b6600	0.4	0.77	1200
	Spirit Bear	a3Melee	0.43	0.67	-
	Familiar	b0160	0.33	0.2	900

Version History

Version

Description

7.28

• The following abilities now increases the hero's attack animation speed:
  • Vendetta
  • Blink Strike
  • Walrus PUNCH!

7.28

• Created
  Quicksilver Amulet.

6.00

• Updated all of the attack animations so they more fully match the hero models.

Patch History

Patch

Description

24 Mar 2016

• Fixed various attack animation prediction exploits (i.e. Coup de Grace).

Mechanics Main Heroes Unit Type (Heroes / Clones / Illusions) Complexity Attributes Table Buyback Level Roles Gold Experience Animations Stats Armor Attributes ( Strength / Agility / Intelligence) / Universal) Health & Mana (HP Regen & MP Regen) Magic Resistance Movement Speed / Slow Resistance Status Resistance Turn Rate Misc Creep Controling Death / Denying Vision Unit Size (Collision Size / Bound Radius / Selection Box / Model Size) Gib Type / Shades Adjectives Buildings Towers / Barracks / Ancient / Fountain Effigy Neutral Buildings (Outposts / Watchers / Twin Gates / Lotus Pools) Abilities Type Active / Passive / Autocast Aura Accuracy / Evasion Channeling Damage Barrier Damage Block Damage Manipulation Damage Over Time Talents Teleport Targeting Area No Target Point Unit Vector Combinations Casting Cast Range / Motion Buffer Cast Animation (Cast Point + Backswing) Cooldown Reduction (Flat / Current Flat / Percentage) Reset Charge-based Runes Bounty Rune Water Rune Wisdom Rune Power Runes ( Amplify Damage Rune / Arcane Rune / Haste Rune / Illusion Rune / Invisibility Rune / Regeneration Rune / Shield Rune) Misc Random Distribution Transformation Attack Damage Attack Damage Instant Attack Heroes Attack Classes Attack Range (Acquisition Range) Attack Speed (BAT / Interval) Damage Types (Physical / Magical / Pure / Instant Kill) Flags (HP Removal / No-reflection / No-Spell-Lifesteal / No-Spell-Amplification) Projectile Speed Spell Damage (Outgoing / Incoming) Modifiers Bash Cleave / Splash Corruption Critical Strike Lifesteal / Spell Lifesteal Mana Break On-hit Effects Misc Damage Instance Animation / Orb Walking Status Effects Disables Cyclone Disabling Orders Forced Movement (Knockback) / Upward Movement Fear (Hypnosis) Hide Hex Root Leash Stun Sleep Taunt Movement Move Speed Slow Flying Movement Phased / Tree Walk / Unobstructed Movement Other Attack Immune / Non-targetable Attack Speed Slow Debuff Immunity Spell Immunity Invulnerability Invisibility Blind Break Disarm Ethereal Silence Mute Trap Dispels Basic Strong Death Items Mechanics Courier Sharing / Selling Disassemble Recipes Neutral Item Drop