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. There are two components: 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 generally do not. The backswing can be canceled with no consequences, so it is always preferable to do so. 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 when chasing.
Unlike cast animation, losing vision doesn't cancel attack animation.
Both attack point and attack backswing are reduced by the increased attack speed (IAS), where IAS is a percentage between -0.8 and 7.0 (as of 7.20).
The formula can be defined as
With A
being the index of Attack Point or Attack Backswing, b
being the Base Attack Point or Base Attack Backswing and i
being the index of the Increased Attack Speed (IAS). Arctic Burn, Witch Blade and Quicksilver Amulet are the only exceptions that increases attack projectile speed (by 500, 60, 300 and 30% respectively), the speed of ranged attack projectiles cannot be altered. They can neither be hastened up, nor slowed down. Currently attack animation can only be changed by Quicksilver Amulet with +40% Attack Animation Speed.
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.
In other words, canceling your animation does not allow you to attack faster.
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 | - | |
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 | Melee | 0.6 | 0.3 | - | |
Storm Spirit | 480 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 1100 | |
Sven | 150 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0 | |
Techies | 700 | 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 | 500 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 900 | |
Melee Creep, Treant | Melee | 0.467 | 0.533 | - | |
Siege Creep | 690 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 1100 | |
Tower | 700 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 750 | |
Fountain | 1200 | 0 | 0 | 1400 | |
Kobold, Kobold Soldier | Melee | 0.38 | 0.6 | - | |
Kobold Foreman | Melee | 0.38 | 0.6 | - | |
Centaur Courser, Mud Golem, Spiderling, Spiderite | Melee | 0.5 | 0.3 | - | |
Centaur Conqueror, Hellbear, Hellbear Smasher Ogre Bruiser, Ogre Frostmage, Satyr Mindstealer, Satyr Tormenter, Ancient Rock Golem | Melee | 0.3 | 0.3 | - | |
Fell Spirit | Melee | 0.4 | 0.3 | - | |
Ghost | 300 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 900 | |
Giant Wolf, Alpha Wolf, Lycan Wolf | Melee | 0.33 | 0.64 | - | |
Wildwing, Wildwing Ripper, Roshan, Earth, Fire, Undying Zombie | Melee | 0.3 | 0.3 | - | |
Satyr Banisher | 300 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1500 | |
Ancient Granite Golem | Melee | 0.3 | 0.5 | - | |
Ancient Thunderhide, Ancient Rumblehide | 300 | 0.5 | 0.56 | 1500 | |
Vhoul Assassin | 500 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 1500 | |
Hill Troll, Dark Troll Summoner, Hill Troll Berserker | 500 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1200 | |
Hill Troll Priest | 600 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 900 | |
Harpy Scout | 300 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1200 | |
Harpy Stormcrafter | 450 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1200 | |
Ancient Black Drake | 300 | 0.94 | 0.56 | 900 | |
Ancient Black Dragon | 300 | 0.94 | 0.56 | 1500 | |
Skeleton Warrior | Melee | 0.56 | 0.44 | - | |
Wraith King Skeleton | Melee | 0.56 | 0.64 | - | |
Necronomicon Warrior | Melee | 0.56 | 0.44 | - | |
Necronomicon Archer | 350/450/550 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 900 | |
Death Ward | 700 | 0 | 0 | 1000 | |
Serpent Ward | 600 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 900 | |
Plague Ward | 600 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 1900 | |
Eidolon | 450 | 0.4 | 0.77 | 900 | |
Forged Spirit | 300/365/430/495/560/625/690 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 1000 | |
Warlock Golem | Melee | 0.26 | 0.74 | - | |
Boar | 550 | 0.633 | 0.337 | 1500 | |
Storm | 600 | 0.4 | 0.77 | 1200 | |
Spirit Bear | Melee | 0.43 | 0.67 | - | |
Familiar | 160 | 0.33 | 0.2 | 900 |
See also