Evasion

“

▶️ Having trouble seeing straight?

— Brewmaster

”

Evasion ( $e$ ) is mechanic that allows the unit to dodge an incoming attack. When evaded, the attack gets completely nullified. This means, anything that relies on attacks to hit their targets do not trigger, which includes most attack modifiers, and on-hit effects.

Mechanics[edit]

Evasion and blind trigger upon landing an attack, which is on projectile impact for ranged units. If it triggers, the attack does not affect the evading unit at all, so that no on-attack effects are triggered.

A similar mechanic to evasion is blind. While evasion makes a unit evade incoming attacks from other units, blind makes a unit miss upon attacking other units. Just like evasion, when an attack misses to blindness, it gets completely nullified.

True Strike and Accuracy are mechanics that nullifies Evasion.

Visual Feedback[edit]

"Miss" appearing upon missing an attack,
"Evade" appearing upon getting missed.

Upon missing an attack on an enemy, a red floating text appears, reading MISS, visible to the attacking player only. The enemy, who was just missed by an attack, also sees a floating text, but in white and reading EVADE instead. Furthermore, a missed attack does not play any of the attack impact sounds.

Uphill Miss Chance[edit]

The uphill miss chance is a conditional effect, that only affects ranged attack projectiles of non-flying units. It causes 25% of the ranged attacks to miss if the attacker is at a lower terrain level as the target. A unit is considered to be on higher elevated terrain when it is no longer visible to the player due to the terrain. This means when an enemy stands on a ramp, but is still visible to the player, there is no uphill miss chance, but as soon as they disappear in the fog by moving the ramp further up, uphill miss chance applies. It does not matter how many terrain levels difference is between them, the miss chance always stays 25%.

Melee units, and flying units cannot miss due to the terrain.

Uphill Miss Chance Multiplier ( $e_{up}$ ) is defined as

e_{up}={\begin{cases}0.75,\quad &{\text{if }}\quad {\text{uphill}}=\top \\1,&{\text{otherwise}}\end{cases}}

Just like evasion and blind, uphill miss chance triggers upon the attack landing (which is on projectile impact for ranged heroes), not upon finishing the attack (which would be upon projectile launch for ranged heroes). This means moving up onto an elevated area after an attack projectile has been launched may cause the projectile to miss on impact to uphill miss chance, even when both units were on the same ground level as the projectile was launched.

Total Evasion[edit]

There are two main components in evasion:

Evade Chance - also known as Miss Chance, the chance for attacks to miss and nullify the attack.
Accuracy - the hit chance for attacks to hit and damage the unit.

Calculating the total Evade Chance of a unit involves using Evasion Sources, Blind Debuff Multiplier and the Uphill Miss Chance.

Stacking[edit]

Main Article: Item passive stacking

Multiple sources of evasion stack multiplicatively with each other, while sources of blind effects stack additively with each other and multiplicatively with evasion. The uphill miss chance stacks multiplicatively with evasion and blind. While the actual chance to evade is diminishing, each source of evasion increases effective HP against physical attacks more than the last due to evasion's exponential nature. The chances of all sources of evasion and blind are determined by pseudo-random distribution.

Evade Chance ( $P(e)$ ) and Final Evasion Chance ( $\sum e$ ) is defined as

P(e)=1-\prod _{i=1}^{n}(1-e_{i})\times e_{bMu}\times e_{up}

\sum e=P(e)\times (1-\sum ac)

With e_i being the Evasion Sources, e_{b Mu} the Blind Debuff Multiplier and e_up the Uphill Miss Chance.

Accuracy ( $ac$ ) and Final Hit Chance ( $\sum ac$ ) is defined as

P(ac)=1-\prod _{i=1}^{n}(1-ac_{i})

\sum ac=1-\sum e\times {\big (}1-P(ac){\big )}

With ac_i being the Accuracy Sources.

A more concrete way of thinking about evasion stacking is that for an attack to bypass an evasion stack and hit, the attack should bypass each source of evasion in sequence. Only if all sources of evasion fail, is the attack able to deal damage.

There are currently a few abilities that directly sets a unit's evasion to 100%, e.g. Magnetic Field and Windrun.

Examples[edit]

Example 1

Incoming attacks to hit hero who has Butterfly wielded is 65%, because Butterfly provides 35% evasion.

Example 2

Phantom Assassin has level 4 Blur and a Butterfly. What's are the chances of attacks hitting her?

Evasion Sources:

Blur: 45%,

Butterfly: 35%

{\begin{aligned}P(e)&=1-\prod _{i=1}^{n}(1-e_{i})\times e_{bMu}\times e_{up}\\&=1-\underbrace {(1-0.45)\times (1-0.35)} _{\text{Evasion Sources}}\times (1-0)\times 1\\&=1-0.3575\\&=0.6425\end{aligned}}

Phantom Assassin in this example has 35.75% chance of getting hit by attacks. Because her evasion in this example is 64.25%.

Evasion Granting Abilities[edit]

Arc Warden - Magnetic Field
Evasion: 100%
Duration: 3.5/4.5/5.5/6.5
Grants allied heroes and buildings within the field evasion against attacks coming from outside the field.
Brewmaster - Drunken Brawler
Evasion: 10%/15%/20%/25%
Active Evasion & Crit Chance Multiplier: 3
Duration: 40%
Passive. Ability is 3 times more potent while active.
Butterfly
Evasion: 35%
Passively grants the item owner evasion.
Clinkz - Strafe
Ranged Evasion: 100%
Duration: 3/4/5/6
The evasion works against ranged attacks only.
Heaven's Halberd
Evasion: 20%
Passively grants the item owner evasion.
Hoodwink - Scurry
Passive Evasion: 8%/16%/24%/32%
Passive, grants Hoodwink evasion bonus as long as they stay within proximity of trees.
Phantom Assassin - Blur
Passive Evasion: 15%/25%/35%/45% ( 50%/60%/70%/80%)
Passive.
Talisman of Evasion
Evasion: 15%
Passively grants the item owner evasion.
Windranger - Windrun
Evasion: 100%
Duration: 3/4/5/6
Grants the caster evasion for the duration.

Blind[edit]

Blind is a debuff that makes a unit miss upon attacking other units and sources of blind effects stack additively with each other.

Blind Debuff Multiplier is defined as

e_{bMu}=1-\sum {\text{min}}(e_{b})

With e_b being the sources of Blind.

The following abilities are the sources of blind:

Broodmother - Silken Bola
Miss Chance: 25%/35%/45%/55%
Duration: 6
Blinds the units hit by the abilty.
Drow Ranger - Gust
Miss Chance: 50%
Debuff Duration: 3/4/5/6
Requires a talent, blinds every unit affected by the ability.
Keeper of the Light - Blinding Light
Miss Chance: 40% ( 70%)
Duration: 4
Only available during Spirit Form, blinds every unit affected by the ability.
Radiance - Burn
Radius: 700
Miss Chance: 17%
The effects is provided by an aura, passively blinds every unit within range. The debuff lingers for 0.5 seconds.
Riki - Smoke Screen
Radius: 300/325/350/375 ( 475/500/525/550)
Enemy Miss Chance: 20%/35%/50%/65%
Duration: 6
The effects is provided by an aura, blinds every affected unit within the target radius. The debuff lingers for 6 seconds.
Sand King - Sand Storm
Enemy Miss Chance: 40%
Duration: 20/25/30/35
Requires a talent, the effects is provided by an aura, blinds every affected unit within radius. The debuff lingers for 0.5 seconds.
Tinker - Laser
Miss Chance: 100%
Hero Duration: 3/3.5/4/4.5
Creep Duration: 6
Hero Search Radius: 700
Number of Bounces: 1
Blinds every unit affected by the ability.
Troll Warlord - Whirling Axes (Melee)
Miss Chance: 60%
Blind Duration: 5
Blinds every unit affected by the ability.

Talents[edit]

The following heroes have a talent that grants them evasion.

Bonus	Level 10		Level 15		Level 20		Level 25
Bonus	Left	Right	Left	Right	Left	Right	Left	Right
Evasion	15% 16%			15% 15% 16%		16% 20%		40%

True Strike[edit]

True Strike prevents the unit's attacks from missing, negating evasion, blindness and the 25% uphill miss chance for ranged units. It also prevents melee attacks from missing when the target moves more than 350 range away before the attack. Although unable to miss, attack projectiles of a ranged units with True Strike can still be disjointed. True Strike does not work when attacking buildings. However, it works against any other unit, including wards and allied units.

True Strike Sources

Drow Ranger - Marksmanship
Proc Chance: 20%/30%/40% ( 32%/42%/52%)
Proccing attacks have True Strike.
Enchanted Quiver - Certain Strike
Damage: 300
Empowers your next attack with bonus magic damage and True Strike.
Luna - Moon Glaives
Attacks from Moon Glaives ignore evasion.
Mars - God's Rebuke
The ability performs an instant attack with True Strike on enemies in a circular sector.
Monkey King - Boundless Strike
The ability performs an instant attack with True Strike on enemies within a certain length and width.
Pangolier - Swashbuckle
The ability performs an instant attack with True Strike on enemies within a certain length and width.
Pangolier - Shield Crash
Swashbuckle Angle: 90°
Requires Aghanim's Scepter, causes Shield Crash to cast a 2-attack Swashbuckle based on current level in every 90° around your Pangolier.
Phantom Assassin - Stifling Dagger
Number of Targets: 65 ( )
The ability performs instant attacks on the target unit ( enemies) which cannot miss.
Nyx Assassin - Vendetta
The attack to break the invisibility cannot miss.
Silver Edge - Shadow Walk
The attack to break the invisibility cannot miss.
Sniper - Take Aim
The active part of the ability grants True Strike for its duration.
Tidehunter - Anchor Smash
The ability performs an instant attack with True Strike on enemies in a radius.
Tiny - Tree Throw
The ability performs an instant attack with True Strike on enemies in a radius. However, when the tree is avoided, no attack is performed.
Tiny - Tree Volley
Requires Aghanim's Scepter, the ability performs an instant attack with True Strike on enemies within the radius.
Void Spirit - Astral Step
The ability performs an instant attack with True Strike on enemies along the path.
Tusk - Walrus PUNCH!
The attack from Walrus Punch cannot miss.
Witch Blade - Witch Blade
The attack triggering Poison Attack cannot miss.
Witch Doctor - Death Ward
The ward's attacks (and bounces) can not miss.
Witch Doctor - Voodoo Switcheroo
Requires Aghanim's Shard.
Same values and notes from Death Ward applies.

Accuracy[edit]

Average DPS increase of Accuracy against Evasion up to 35%

Accuracy is a mechanic similar to True Strike. Accuracy is applied as a debuff on the target.

There are two definitions of Accuracy in the game:

First Definition:

True Strike's counterpart — While True Strike prevents the unit to miss any of its attacks, Accuracy prevents the units from being missed by any attack.

Second Definition:

Chance-based True Strike — Just like proc chances for abilities, in this definition, attacks gain a chance to ignore evasion and blind effects.

Accuracy ( $ac$ ) and Final Hit Chance ( $\sum ac$ ) is defined as

P(ac)=1-\prod _{i=1}^{n}(1-ac_{i})

\sum ac=1-\sum e\times {\big (}1-P(ac){\big )}

With ac_i being the Accuracy Sources.

First Definition[edit]

Accuracy by First Definition

Bloodthorn - Soul Rend
Accuracy: 100%
Duration: 5
Units attacking a target with the Soul Rend debuff cannot miss.
Fountain - Fountain Damage
Accuracy: 25%
Observer and Sentry Wards
Accuracy: 100%
Units attacking these wards cannot miss.

Second Definition[edit]

Accuracy by Second Definition

Ancient Rumblehide - War Drums Aura
Radius: 1200
Accuracy: 40%
The effects are provided by an aura, grants allies a chance to not miss on attacks.
Drow Ranger - Marksmanship
Proc Chance: 20%/30%/40% ( 32%/42%/52%)
Attacks proccing Marksmanship can not miss.
Javelin - Pierce
Proc Chance: 30%
Attacks proccing Pierce can not miss.
Maelstrom - Chain Lightning
Proc Chance: 30%
Attacks proccing Chain Lightning can not miss.
Mjollnir - Chain Lightning
Proc Chance: 30%
Attacks proccing Chain Lightning cannot miss.
Monkey King Bar - Pierce
Proc Chance: 80%
Attacks proccing Pierce cannot miss.

Cleave[edit]

Sven cleaving through a creep wave.

Main Article: Cleave

If a unit has cleave, its attacks deal damage in an area shaped like a trapezoid in front of the attacking unit upon successfully hitting the target. Cleave does not affect the primary target and it cannot miss when hitting secondary targets.

Main Article: Splash

Splash is in some ways the ranged version of cleave. It works in a similar way as cleave does, with the main difference being that the damage is typically dealt in a circle around the attacked unit, not in a trapezoid in front of the attacking unit. When attacking with splash, the primary target of an attack does not receive the splash effect, secondary units around the target are hit by splash and it cannot miss. If an attack misses, no splash damage is applied in the area. Splash works with attack modifiers the same way as cleave does.