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This article is about in-game mechanics. For professional player, see Fear (player).
Terrorize icon
▶️ I'll show you something to be afraid of!
Dark Willow

Fear is a disable that forces units to either flee away from or towards the source of the fear, or towards their own fountain. Affected units cannot be controlled.

Definition[]

Fears cancel all of a unit's current orders, prevents any new orders being given or Shift-queue and temporarily restricts their movement, depending on the sub-type of fear that is being applied.

Sub-Types Definition Examples
Fountain Fear
  • Units are forced to flee towards their own fountain.
Terrorize icon Terrorize
Caster Fear
  • Units are forced to flee from the source of the fear debuff.
Requiem of Souls icon Requiem of Souls
Hypnotising Fear
  • Units are forced to slowly move towards the hypnotising unit at a given movement speed.
Sinister Gaze icon Sinister Gaze

Mechanics[]

Fear cancels all of a unit's current orders, such as attack commands or channeling, and prevents any new orders being given or Shift-queue up. Units are instead silenced, disarmed and forced to flee from or towards the source of the fear debuff, or towards their fountain (neutral creeps retreat towards their camps instead), depending on the fear source itself. Feared units either flee at their regular movement speed, and will not cast abilities to flee faster, or slowly move towards the hypnotising unit at a set movement speed. Once the fear expires the unit is ordered to stop, so that they either stand still until given a new command, or auto-attack if enemies are nearby, depending on the player's settings.

Units affected by fear can still be subjected to every other disables, including movement impairing effects. Movement speed increasing effects or hastes are not ignored either, except for hypnotising fears which take priority over them. However, commands from abilities, like the stop command of Shadow Amulet icon Shadow Amulet after its fade time, are completely ignored and do not interrupt fears at all.

Stacking[]

If the target(s) is affected multiple instances of fear, all instances try to apply their effect on the target equally. The unit tries to move in multiple directions at the same time. This can either result in the unit stuttering back and forth and effectively moving towards a middle ground between the multiple, or moving towards one of the sources. The outcome is random and cannot be predetermined. Regardless of the outcome, the unit moves at the speed determined by the hypnotising fear. If multiple sources of hypnotising fears are applied, the unit moves at the slowest source.

Taunts always take priority over Fear. When affected by both disables, units do not move, but instead try to attack the taunt source. Fear, however, disables their attacks, so they merely follow the taunt source. If a unit is still affected by fear after the taunt expires, they start fleeing. If a unit is still affected by taunt after the fear expired, they start attacking.

Sources[]

Fear Sources

Version History[]

Version
Description
  • Will-O-Wisp icon Will-O-Wisp no longer applies a hypnotising fear, now applies a stun instead. [?]
  • Upgradable by Aghanim's Scepter. Metamorphosis icon Metamorphosis no longer applies fear to affected units within radius upon transforming.
  • Added new Terror Wave icon Terror Wave ability that uses the Fear mechanic.
  • Upgradable by Aghanim's Scepter. Metamorphosis icon Metamorphosis now applies fear to affected units within radius upon transforming.
  • Added a new sub-type to the Fear mechanic.
  • The following abilities now use the hypnotising Fear mechanic:
  • Added the Fear mechanic.
  • Savage Roar icon Savage Roar now applies fear to affected units within radius.

Patch History[]

Patch
Description
  • Fixed the Fear mechanic:
    • Fixed not reliably forcing non-hero units to flee towards their fountain.
    • Fixed mechanic making units stand still if its last command is stop/halt.


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