
Attack damage ( main attack damage (white) and bonus attack damage (green). Attack damage is and can be modified by many different effects in the game, and ends up going through a number of steps in order to determine how much damage an attack actually deals as its overall or total attack damage.
) is the amount of damage a unit is shown to deal with a regular attack. A unit's total attack damage is the sum of itsContents
Total Attack Damage[]

Properties of a level 1 Sniper with Blades of Attack: Sniper's base attack damage varies by 6; main attack damage is white, bonus attack damage green.
Calculating the total damage of an attack involves using many different multipliers and values. Total attack damage is synonymous with how much health a target immediately loses as a direct result of the attack. Some on-hit effects that are not affected by critical strike are still considered part of attack damage, and some are not.
- Total Attack Damage can be defined as
- Base and Main Value
- ± Base Attack Damage Values/× Multiplier
- × % Bonus Attack Damage Multiplier
- ± Flat Bonus Attack Damage Values
- × Critical Strike Multiplier
- ± Instant Attack Damage Bonus/× Multiplier
- ± × Conditional Bonuses
- − Damage Block
- × Attack Class Multiplier
- × Damage Manipulation
- Base and Main Value
Total Attack Damage Sources[]
The following abilities reduces the affected unit's damage before damage block is applied.
- 1 Requires
talent.
- 2a Requires Aghanim's Scepter.
- 2b Requires Aghanim's Shard.
- 3 Main attack damage is only reduced for the instant attack, so that only the ability can use it.
- 4 Total attack damage is only reduced for the Tempest Double if the penalty distance is exceeded or Arc Warden is dead.
Main Attack Damage[]
Main attack damage is the damage value shown in white numbers on a hero's statistics consisting of the base attack damage with the damage granted by a hero's primary attribute on top. A hero's main attack damage can only be increased by raising its primary attribute, or by very few specific abilities.
Attribute points can be acquired by leveling up, or by using specific items, abilities, or talents that grants bonus attributes.
Primary Attribute | Main Attack Damage/Point |
---|---|
Strength | +1 |
Agility | +1 |
Intelligence | +1 |
Main Attack Damage is defined as
Main Attack Damage = (Base Attack Damage + Σ Primary Attribute) × (1 - Modifiers i)
For a detailed table of all 123 heroes' main attack damage, please refer to this page.
Main Attack Damage Sources[]
Increasing Sources[]
The following items and abilities manipulates the primary attribute of the hero, and therefore increasing its main attack damage.
- All Attribute Bonus: 2/4/6/8/10/12/14
If all ability points are spend on their respective levels, Attribute Bonus levels up automatically on the levels 17/19/21/22/23/24/26. - Primary Attribute Bonus: 70
- Primary Attribute Bonus: 7
- Main Attack Damage Bonus: 20%
- Selected Attribute Bonus: 10
Passively grants the owner of the item a bonus to the current selected attribute. Can be cast to switch the bonus from Strength ➜ Intelligence, Intelligence ➜ Agility and Agility ➜ Strength. - Selected Attribute Bonus: 10
Passively grants the owner of the item a bonus to the current selected attribute. Can be cast to switch the bonus from Strength ➜ Intelligence, Intelligence ➜ Agility and Agility ➜ Strength.
Strength[]
Item | Value | Item Cost | Cost/Value Point |
---|---|---|---|
Abyssal Blade | 35 | 6250 ![]() |
178.57 ![]() |
Black King Bar | 34 | 4050 ![]() |
119.12 ![]() |
Echo Sabre | 28 | 2500 ![]() |
89.29 ![]() |
Gleipnir | 44 | 6150 ![]() |
139.77 ![]() |
Ring of Aquila | 6 | N/A | N/A |
Satanic | 63 | 5050 ![]() |
80.16 ![]() |
Skull Basher | 35 | 2875 ![]() |
82.14 ![]() |
Values may include portions from actives or auras. |
- 1 Requires
talent.
- 2a Requires Aghanim's Scepter.
- 2b Requires Aghanim's Shard.
Agility[]
Item | Value | Item Cost | Cost/Value Point |
---|---|---|---|
Butterfly | 55 | 4975 ![]() |
90.45 ![]() |
Gleipnir | 44 | 6150 ![]() |
139.77 ![]() |
Ring of Aquila | 12 | N/A | N/A |
Values may include portions from actives or auras. |
- 1 Requires
talent.
- 2a Requires Aghanim's Scepter.
- 2b Requires Aghanim's Shard.
Intelligence[]
Item | Value | Item Cost | Cost/Value Point |
---|---|---|---|
Bloodthorn | 70 | 6800 ![]() |
97.14 ![]() |
Echo Sabre | 25 | 2500 ![]() |
100 ![]() |
Gleipnir | 54 | 6150 ![]() |
113.89 ![]() |
Mage Slayer | 30 | 2400 ![]() |
80 ![]() |
Oblivion Staff | 25 | 1500 ![]() |
60 ![]() |
Ring of Aquila | 6 | N/A | N/A |
Values may include portions from actives or auras. |
- 1 Requires
talent.
- 2a Requires Aghanim's Scepter.
- 2b Requires Aghanim's Shard.
Talents[]
Reducing Sources[]
Some abilities reduces main attack damage based on percentages, and some abilities manipulates the primary attribute of the hero, and therefore reducing its main attack damage.
- 1 Requires
talent.
- 2a Requires Aghanim's Scepter.
- 2b Requires Aghanim's Shard.
Base Attack Damage[]
Base attack damage is the part of the main attack damage that stays the same throughout a game. It consists of two values, a minimum and maximum amount. Every time an attack is issued, a random value between the minimum and maximum is chosen to help decide the damage output.
The most extreme hero example of this is Chaos Knight, with his base attack damage ranging between 29 – 59, causing his damage output to be somewhat unpredictable. This range of 30 is always part of his attack calculations, no matter how many attributes or how much bonus attack damage he acquires.
Abilities[]
Talents[]
The following heroes have a talent that grants them base attack damage.
Bonus | Level 10 | Level 15 | Level 20 | Level 25 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Left | Right | Left | Right | Left | Right | Left | Right | |
Base Damage |
Heroes | ![]() |
Σ Base Attack Damage |
---|---|---|
![]() |
+30 | 57 – 67 |
![]() |
+50 | 81 – 91 |
Bonus Attack Damage[]
Bonus attack damage is the attack damage value shown in green numbers with a plus on the left, right after the white attack damage number on a unit's statistics. Whenever a bonus attack damage granting item or ability shows a +Attack Damage
, e.g. Blades of Attack +9 Damage
, it increases the bonus attack damage of the affected unit.
Probably the most important difference between main and bonus attack damage is that illusions only benefit from main attack damage, although their HUD still shows the bonus armor just like on other heroes, to make them less obvious to the enemy.
There are two types of bonus attack damage:
- Flat Bonuses: Adds a flat number of damage to the unit's damage total (e.g. Phase Boots etc.).
- Main Attack Damage Percentage Bonuses: Adds an amount of bonus attack damage equal to a percentage of the affected unit's main attack damage (e.g. Vladmir's Offering, Packleader's Aura etc.). While bonus attack damage is usually positive values, it can also use a negative value to reduce a unit's net attack damage (e.g. Static Link etc.).
Bonus Attack Damage is defined as
Bonus Attack Damage = (Main Attack Damage × (1 + Bonus Value Modifiers i) + Flat Bonus Values
Bonus Attack Damage Sources[]
Increasing Sources[]
Percentage Bonuses[]
Alpha Wolf – Packleader's Aura
Clinkz – Death Pact
Double Damage Rune – Double Damage
Earthshaker – Enchant Totem
Hellbear Smasher – Death Throe: Power
Lycan – Feral Impulse
Magnus – Empower
Sven – God's Strength
Vengeful Spirit – Vengeance Aura
Visage – Silent as the Grave
Vladmir's Offering – Vladmir's Aura
Helm of the Overlord – Vladmir's Aura
Wraith Pact – Vladmir's Aura
Flat Bonuses[]
Armlet of Mordiggian – Unholy Strength
Alchemist – Aghanim's Scepter Synth
Bristleback – Warpath
Bounty Hunter – Jinada
Broodmother – Insatiable Hunger
Chen – Holy Persuasion4a
Dawnbreaker – Starbreaker3
Elder Titan – Astral Spirit
Enchantress – Enchant
Hoodwink – Acorn Shot3
Helm of the Dominator – Dominate
Helm of the Overlord – Dominate
Io – Tether1
Invoker – Exort
Invoker – Alacrity
Kunkka – Tidebringer
Legion Commander – Duel
Marci – Sidekick
Luna – Lunar Blessing
Monkey King – Jingu Mastery
Nature's Prophet – Wrath of Nature
Night Stalker – Dark Ascension
Phantom Assassin – Stifling Dagger3
Primal Beast – Uproar
Razor – Static Link
Shadow Fiend – Necromastery
Skeleton Warrior – Rally
Templar Assassin – Refraction
Underlord – Atrophy Aura
- 1 Requires
talent.
- 2a Requires Aghanim's Scepter.
- 2b Requires Aghanim's Shard.
- 3 Damage is granted for the ability and is immediately removed afterward, so that only the ability can use it.
- 4a Grants flat attack damage bonus to Persuaded units only.
Talents[]
The following heroes have a talent that grants them flat bonus attack damage.
Bonus | Level 10 | Level 15 | Level 20 | Level 25 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Left | Right | Left | Right | Left | Right | Left | Right | |
Damage |
The majority of attack damage increasing talents grants bonus attack damage. Therefore, it does not benefit illusions and is not affected by most percentage-based damage increasing or reducing effects.
Items[]
Item | Value | Item Cost | Cost/Value Point |
---|---|---|---|
Abyssal Blade | 25 | 6250 ![]() |
250 ![]() |
Armlet of Mordiggian | 15 | 2500 ![]() |
166.67 ![]() |
Battle Fury | 60 | 4100 ![]() |
68.33 ![]() |
Black King Bar | 24 | 4050 ![]() |
168.75 ![]() |
Blade Mail | 28 | 2100 ![]() |
75 ![]() |
Blades of Attack | 9 | N/A | N/A |
Blades of Attack | 9 | 450 ![]() |
50 ![]() |
Bloodthorn | 50 | 6800 ![]() |
136 ![]() |
Brigand's Blade | 10 | N/A | N/A |
Broadsword | 15 | 1000 ![]() |
66.67 ![]() |
Broom Handle | 8 | N/A | N/A |
Butterfly | 25 | 4975 ![]() |
199 ![]() |
Claymore | 20 | 1350 ![]() |
67.5 ![]() |
Crystalys | 32 | 1950 ![]() |
60.94 ![]() |
Daedalus | 88 | 5150 ![]() |
58.52 ![]() |
Demon Edge | 40 | 2200 ![]() |
55 ![]() |
Desolator | 50 | 3500 ![]() |
70 ![]() |
Divine Rapier | 350 | 5950 ![]() |
17 ![]() |
Echo Sabre | 15 | 2500 ![]() |
166.67 ![]() |
Faerie Fire | 2 | 70 ![]() |
35 ![]() |
Falcon Blade | 12 | 1125 ![]() |
93.75 ![]() |
Gleipnir | 30 | 6150 ![]() |
205 ![]() |
Maelstrom | 24 | 2700 ![]() |
112.5 ![]() |
Mage Slayer | 20 | 2400 ![]() |
120 ![]() |
Mask of Madness | 10 | 1775 ![]() |
177.5 ![]() |
Mind Breaker | 25 | N/A | N/A |
Mithril Hammer | 24 | 1600 ![]() |
66.67 ![]() |
Mjollnir | 24 | 5600 ![]() |
233.33 ![]() |
Monkey King Bar | 40 | 4975 ![]() |
124.38 ![]() |
Nullifier | 80 | 4725 ![]() |
59.06 ![]() |
Oblivion Staff | 15 | 1500 ![]() |
100 ![]() |
Orchid Malevolence | 30 | 3475 ![]() |
115.83 ![]() |
Paladin Sword | 16 | N/A | N/A |
Penta-Edged Sword | 45 | N/A | N/A |
Quarterstaff | 10 | 875 ![]() |
87.5 ![]() |
Radiance | 60 | 5050 ![]() |
84.17 ![]() |
Ring of Aquila | 3 | N/A | N/A |
Sacred Relic | 60 | 3750 ![]() |
62.5 ![]() |
Satanic | 38 | 5050 ![]() |
132.89 ![]() |
Shadow Blade | 20 | 3000 ![]() |
150 ![]() |
Silver Edge | 52 | 5450 ![]() |
104.81 ![]() |
Skull Basher | 25 | 2875 ![]() |
115 ![]() |
Stygian Desolator | 60 | N/A | N/A |
Values may include portions from actives or auras. |
Reducing Sources[]
Critical Strike Multiplier[]

Wraith King performing a critical strike.
The red number displays the resulting physical damage before reductions.
An attack that triggers Critical Strike has its total damage value multiplied by the given multiplier of the source of the Critical Strike. This means a critical strike is basically an attack damage amplifier, as it does not add extra damage on top of the attack damage, but directly increases the damage of the attack by multiplying it.
It can be defined as
- Critical Strike Multiplier = 1 + MAX Ci
The multiplier is applied before any reductions or amplifications on the target or on the attacking unit. It only counts the unit's main attack damage, plus any bonus attack damage (percentage and flat bonuses) it has, meaning any damage instances (i.e. conditional attack damage bonuses) added to the attack damage which is separate from the attack damage itself is not considered by critical strikes.
Therefore, in short, if an ability adds its damage directly to the attack damage, then it may be considered by Critical Strike, though there are exceptions to this. See total attack damage for the complete calculation.
All chance-based sources of Critical Strike use pseudo-random distribution. If an attack procs more than one source of critical strike, only the highest multiplier is applied.
Damage Block[]

Axe blocking damage with Vanguard.
The ocre number displays the total amount of damage blocked.
Damage block reduces any physical damage a unit takes from attacks or from cleave, with the exception of damage dealt by attacks from ward-type units. Does not trigger against magical or pure attack damage. Damage block does not trigger against physical spell damage, with the exception of the abilities listed here. Unlike armor, damage block reduces a fixed amount of damage, instead of a percentage.
When damage block triggers, it blocks damage before other damage reducing effects do. This means that the higher the unit's armor is, the less effective damage block gets. See total attack damage for the complete calculation.
All chance-based sources of damage block use pseudo-random distribution. If an attack activates more than one damage block ability, only the highest block value is applied.
All Melee heroes have an innate Damage Block ability, which has a 50% chance to block 16 damage.
Damage Manipulation[]
Damage manipulation is a mechanic that alters damage values, either increasing or reducing it. Damage can be manipulated on both ends, from the dealing unit (outgoing damage) and the receiving unit (incoming damage). Armor and magic resistance are the most common damage manipulators, affecting incoming physical and magical damage respectively. Besides armor and magic resistance, a general damage manipulator exists, which is used by almost all other sources of damage manipulation. This manipulator is more flexible, and can amplify or reduce any kind of damage and may affect attack damage, spell damage, or both at the same time.
The damage multiplier limits are 0 and 2, for infinitely positive and negative armor, respectively.
Attack Classes[]
There are several different classes of attack damage (also known as Attack types or attack damage types), which determine how much damage a unit's attack deals against certain unit types. Each of the 3 different attack classes deals either reduced, increased, or unchanged damage against heroes, non-hero units, and structures, on top of it being also manipulated by the armor value of the target.
The attack classes are represented by 3 abilities visible in the unit's HUD. If a unit does not have any of these 3 abilities, their attacks deal 100% damage and is only altered by the target's armor and other damage manipulators.
These abilities are not acquirable via Devour.
Passive
Notes:
- Treats creep-heroes as creeps, except for the Spirit Bear, which is treated as a hero.
- Treats Roshan as a creep.
- Reinforced units include all units with the
Reinforced ability (i.e. Siege Creep and all buildings).
Passive
Notes:
- Treats creep-heroes as creeps, except for the Spirit Bear, which is treated as a hero.
- Treats Roshan as a creep.
- Reinforced units include all units with the
Reinforced ability (i.e. Siege Creep and all buildings).
Passive
Notes:
- Treats creep-heroes as creeps, except for the Spirit Bear, which is treated as a hero.
- Treats Roshan as a creep.
- Reinforced units include all units with the
Reinforced ability (i.e. Siege Creep and all buildings).
- If a non-hero unit has piercing attack, it is only affected by the attack damage reduction against piercing attacks, and not by the reduction against non-hero units.
Attack damage dealt against defense class is defined as
Attack Damage Dealt = Total Attack Damage × Attack Class × Damage Manipulation
This table shows how much damage each attack class deals against each defense class, and which units use which attack class:
Attack Class | Used by | D amage Against Unit Type | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hero | Non-Hero | Reinforced | ||||
Default | Heroes, Clones, Illusions, Creep-Heroes and every single non-hero unit that is not explicitly listed in another attack class | 100% | 100% | 50% / 70% | ||
Runty | Mega Melee Creep, Melee Creep, Super Melee Creep | 75% | 100% | 70% | ||
Piercing | Ghost, Harpy Scout, Harpy Stormcrafter, Hill Troll Berserker, Hill Troll Priest, Hill Troll, Mega Ranged Creep, Plague Ward, Ranged Creep, Serpent Ward, Super Ranged Creep, Vhoul Assassin | 50% | 150% | 35% | ||
Reinforced | Fountain, Melee Barracks, Ranged Barracks, Siege Creep, Super Siege Creep, Tower (Tier 1), Tower (Tier 2), Tower (Tier 3), Tower (Tier 4) | 100% | 100% | 150% |
Examples[]
Instant Attacks[]
Instant Attacks are abilities that uses the hero's regular attack damage values as ability damage to the target unit(s) or area. Instant Attacks do not use the hero's attack animation, are independent from attack speed, and ignores the regular downtime between attacks. Certain abilities that deal instant attack damage are not affected by evasion. If an instant attack is performed by a Ranged hero, it still uses their regular attack projectile for the attack, unless it is set not to.
If an instant attack occurs while already attacking an enemy normally, it does not interfere with the regular attacks. Instant Attacks do not interfere with any other actions of the hero either, meaning they neither interrupt movement, nor cancel ability casts nor stop channeling abilities.
Since instant attacks do not use attack animations and jump straight to the attack point, they cannot proc effects which react on the start of an attack (e.g. Untouchable or Moment of Courage). However, they can proc effects which react on attack hit (e.g. Counter Helix or Retaliate), although there are some exceptions to this.
Instant attacks may proc on-hit effects only when they are allowed to. An instant attack which is not allowed to proc attack modifiers is not allowed to proc on-hit effects either. Evasion and blind fully work against instant attacks. Just like regular attacks, instant attacks also cause the attacking hero to get revealed if attacking from the Fog of War.
Abaddon – Mist Coil2b
Clinkz – Burning Barrage
Clinkz – Searing Arrows1
Drow Ranger – Splinter Shot2a
Dawnbreaker – Starbreaker
Ember Spirit – Sleight of Fist
Enchantress – Sproink
Faceless Void – Time Lock
Buildings – Glyph of Fortification3
Gyrocopter – Side Gunner2a
Hoodwink – Acorn Shot
Io – Tether1
Juggernaut – Blade Fury2b
Juggernaut – Omnislash
Juggernaut – Swiftslash
Legion Commander – Moment of Courage
Lifestealer – Infest2a
Luna – Lucent Beam2b
Mars – God's Rebuke
Mars – Bulwark2a
Monkey King – Boundless Strike
Morphling – Waveform1
Pangolier – Swashbuckle
Pangolier – Shield Crash2a
Phantom Assassin – Stifling Dagger
Puck – Phase Shift1
Puck – Dream Coil1
Riki – Tricks of the Trade
Snapfire – Lil' Shredder1
Tidehunter – Anchor Smash
Tiny – Tree Throw
Tiny – Tree Volley
Void Spirit – Astral Step
Weaver – Geminate Attack
The following Instant Attack sources cannot trigger attack modifiers.
- 1 Requires
talent.
- 2a Requires Aghanim's Scepter.
- 2b Requires Aghanim's Shard.
- 3 Grants instant attacks to tier 2, 3, and 4 towers.
- 4 May not proc any attack modifiers or on-hit effects, unless the required
talent is chosen.
Attack-based Projectiles[]
Some abilities generate projectiles that are based on an attack, but are technically not an attack. These abilities' projectiles use the source's attack projectile, and deal damage based on the attacking unit's attack damage, and have their damage flagged as attack damage as well, but are not counted as attacks otherwise. Instead, they are treated like regular ability projectiles (like e.g. Magic Missile), and therefore cannot trigger attack modifier or on-hit effects, ignore evasion and blind, and do not reveal the attacking units through the Fog of War. This also means that these abilities continue to use projectiles even when their source is a melee hero.
- 1 Requires
talent.
- 2a Requires Aghanim's Scepter.
- 2b Requires Aghanim's Shard.
Attack Immunity[]
Instant attacks may target attack immune units if they are ranged instant attacks, but will have no effect when the unit is still attack immune on impact. Instant
melee attacks cannot target attack immune units.
Conditional Attack Damage Bonus[]
These abilities give direct attack damage bonuses under certain circumstances, the bonuses are not displayed in the HUD and its damage type is not limited to physical damage; nonetheless, they are considered as attack damage since it is dealt in one instance together with a unit's attack damage.
They are affected by attack classes (even when dealing magical damage). It is also not affected by percentage-based attack damage bonuses or reductions, but can be reduced with flat reductions (i.e. Damage Block).
Increasing Sources[]
Anti-Mage – Mana Break
Diffusal Blade – Manabreak
Mirana – Mana Break1
Weaver – Mana Break1
Necronomicon Warrior – Mana Break
- Attack Damage Bonus Against Target: 6/7/8/9
Duration: 6
Applies bonus magical damage. Triggers on allied hero attacks (including illusions and clones, excluding creep-heroes), and on any attacks done by units owned by Broodmother. - Proc Chance: 20%/30%/40% (
32%/42%/52%)
Proc Damage: 40/60/80
Applies bonus physical damage to the proccing attack. - Building Attack Damage Bonus: 90/180/270
- Instant Attack Damage Bonus: 50/75/100/125
Damage is granted as the projectile hits the target and immediately removed afterward, so that only the ability can use it. - Attack Damage Bonus: 30/60/90/120
Cooldown: 13/10/7/4
Damage applies whenever it is off cooldown and on autocast, or upon manually using. - Building Attack Damage Bonus: 25%
- Enemy Max Health as Damage: 0.6%/0.8%/1%/1.2%
- Enemy Max Health as Damage: 500
- Instant Attack Damage Bonus: 75
Damage is granted as the soldiers hits the target and immediately removed afterward. - Applies physical damage amplification upon attacking units which are petrified.
- Applies physical damage amplification upon attacking units which are petrified.
- Physical Attack Damage Amplification: 40%/45%/50%
Applies physical damage amplification upon attacking units which are petrified. - Damage: 175
Applies bonus damage on the first attack out of the invisibility. - Damage: 175
Applies bonus damage on the first attack out of the invisibility. - Required Hits: 4
Damage: 50/100/150/200 (110/160/210/260)
Creep Damage Percentage: 200%
Applies physical damage applies on the proccing attack. - Building Attack Damage Bonus: 33%
- Damage: 140/200/260
Applies bonus damage on the first attack out of the invisibility. - Attack Damage Bonus: 20/45/70/95 (
45/70/95/120)
Applies bonus physical damage. Triggers on allied hero attacks (including illusions and clones, excluding creep-heroes), and on any attacks done by units owned by the caster. - Attack Damage Bonus: 30%
Grants main attack damage bonus whenever the invisibility buff is lost in any way to Visage and his Familiars. Does not increase bonus attack damage. - Max Mana as Attack Damage Bonus: 4%
Applies bonus magical damage.
Reducing Sources[]
- During Blade Fury, Juggernaut's attacks deal 0 damage, except against wards and buildings.
This restriction is removed when Aghanim's Shard is acquired.
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