Io

Io #83 17 + 2.7 14 + 1.6 23 + 1.7
	Grants the following bonuses per point of attribute:
	+22HP and +0.1HP regeneration
	+0.17 armor and 1 attack speed
	+12MP and +0.05MP regeneration; +0.1% base magic resistance
	+0.7 main attack damage per attribute
	Release Date: 2012-06-28
L0	Base Hero Values
L1	⤷ + Base Attributes
L15	⤷ + Attribute Gain
L25	⤷ + 6 levels of Attribute Bonus
L30	⤷ + 7 levels of Attribute Bonus
	All values shown are without talent bonuses.
Attack Animation	0.3 + 0.4
Gib Type	Ethereal
Internal	npc_dota_hero_wisp

Hero

Strategy

Equipment


Links to its allies to buff them.
The phenomenon that is Io manifests on the physical plane as a wisp of light, its purpose beyond mortal understanding. Accompanied by complementary Spirits that roam around the wisp at its will, it flits to and fro the battlefield, searching for an ally to Tether to. Those blessed with Io's bond feel their feet lighten as the Wisp channels its own regenerative powers into their body. Should its host falter, Io begins to Overcharge, augmenting that ally's speed while strengthening his resolve. As a force unbound by the laws of corporeal space, Io is able to temporarily Relocate itself and an ally to any point in the world, often saving a companion from certain death.

Roles:	Support Escape Nuker
Complexity:
Adjectives:	Blue, Flying Legs `( 0 )`

Bio[]

Io, the Wisp

▶️ *Beep Boop*

Lore:

Io is everywhere, and in all things. Denounced by enemies as the great unmaker, worshiped by scholars as the twinkling of a divine eye, this strange Wisp of life-force occupies all planes at once, the merest fraction of its being crossing into physical existence at any one moment.

Like the great twin riders Dark and Light, and yet another ancient traveler whose true history is lost to the ages, Io the Wisp is a Fundamental of the universe, a force older than time, a wanderer from realms far beyond mortal understanding. Io is nothing less than the sum of all attractive and repulsive forces within the material field, a sentient manifestation of the charge that bind existence together. It is only in the controlled warping of these electrical waylines that Io's presence can be experienced on the physical plane. A benevolent, cooperative force, Io bonds its strange magnetism to others so that the power of allies might be enhanced. Its motives inscrutable, its strength unimaginable, Io moves through the physical plane, the perfect expression of the mysteries of the universe.

Voice:

Itself (Responses)

Abilities[]

Tether

▶️

▶️QT

Ability
Target Unit
(

Passive)

Affects
Self / Allies / Enemies

Damage

Instant Attack

Tethers Io to an allied unit, granting bonus movement speed to both. When Io restores health or mana, the tethered unit gains a portion of that amount. The tether breaks when the allied unit moves too far away, or Io cancels the tether. Tether briefly slows enemies touching it.

Passive Component

Spell Lifesteal Bonus: 10%

Cast Animation: +

Cast Range:

1600

Tether Break Distance:

1000

Tether Pull Distance: 700

Tether Break Distance During Pull: 2150

Target Heal Multiplier: 0.6/0.8/1/1.2

Target Mana Restore Multiplier: 0.6/0.8/1/1.2

Target Move Speed Bonus: 6%/8%/10%/12% (

12%/14%/16%/18%)

Enemy Move Speed Slow: 15%/25%/35%/45% (

30%/40%/50%/60%)

Enemy Attack Speed Slow: 15/25/35/45 (

30/40/50/60)

Slow Duration: 0.2

Attack Damage Bonus: 15

Health Bonus: 400

12

40

Aghanim's Shard Upgrade:

Io gains Spell Lifesteal and can now share Spell Lifesteal with its tethered target.

Break Notes:

Does not disable the passive spell lifesteal.

Modifiers []

Any

The benevolent touch of Io brings strength from between the planes.

Tethering a unit that is 700 units or further away causes Io to latch on and pull itself to the target.
- Pulls Io at a speed of 1000, until coming within 300 range of the target.
- Can pull Io over impassable terrain and through trees. Destroys trees within 350 radius around Io once the pull ends.
- If Io breaks the tether while getting pulled to the tethered target, the pull immediately stops.
- The pull gets interrupted when Io gets stunned, hexed, hidden, feared, hypnotized, or rooted during the pull.
- Forced movement sources cancel the pull as well, but only after the movement ends, and not upon getting applied.
- Taunts, leashes, and silences do not interrupt the pulling.
- If the distance between Io and the target gets greater than 2150 during the pull, the pull ends, and the Tether breaks.

If the distance between Io and the target gets greater than 1000, the Tether breaks.
- When the distance between Io and the tethered target gets greater than 700, the link's visual appearance changes.
- The link changes color at 700 distance and jiggles at 800 distance.

Tether has no set duration. It breaks only when exceeding the break distances, when Io or the target dies, when affected by an allied Dismember, or when using the Break Tether sub-ability.

The movement speed bonus is first applied to the tethered ally, then it sets Io's base movement speed equal to the target's current movement speed.
- If the target has its movement speed slowed, Tether copies the target's movement speed as if they are not slowed.
- However, it does not copy the target's movement speed while Io is hasted.
- Percentage-based movement speed changes on Io are now based on this set value during Tether.
- Fully overrides any flat movement speed sources on Io.
- While tethered, Io is prevented from and cannot bypass the maximum movement speed limit, even if the tethered ally does (e.g. Thirst).

The tethered unit benefits from Overcharge, Relocate, and from Io regenerating or replenishing health and mana.
- Io's health regeneration, healing, lifesteal and spell lifesteal are transferred to the ally as healing.
- Io's mana regeneration and mana restore are transferred to the ally as mana restore.
- Tethered units still benefit from the aforementioned effects even when turning invulnerable or hidden.
- The heal and mana restore transfer happens regardless of how much Io actually healed or restored, and is applied after all restoration manipulation sources on Io.
- Io's health and mana regeneration values are checked and transferred to the target in 0.1-second intervals, while the heal and mana restore values are checked and transferred on each server tick.

If Io or the tethered unit is invisible, enemies can only see a fake link leading to the invisible unit's last known location. If the tethered unit is visible to the enemy, enemies can still see the unit is tethered.

The movement speed slow gets applied to every enemy that comes within approximately 55 range of the tether link on each server tick.

Cannot be cast on Couriers.

SHARD
Tether now passively grants Io spell lifesteal and the 10% spell lifesteal is also shared with the Tethered target.
- Other spell lifesteal sources on Io are not shared.
- Stacks additively with other sources of spell lifesteal.
- Heals for 2% from creeps. Treats creep-heroes as creeps and does not heal off of illusions.
- The shared spell lifesteal is still sourced to Io, not to the tethered ally.

TALENT
Most of Tether's talents affects both the target and Io.
- The attack damage bonus talent immediately updates the Tether buff both on the target and Io.
  - Grants regular flat bonus attack damage.
- The ally movement speed bonus increasing talent immediately updates the Tether buff on the target and Io.
- The health bonus talent immediately updates the Tether buff on the target and Io.
  - The health talent increases max health capacity and keeps the current health percentage.
  - Treats illusions and creep-heroes as creeps.
- However, the enemy movement speed and attack speed slow talent does not update the current instance.

The attack tethered ally target talent causes Io performs instant attacks on every enemy the tethered ally attacks.
- These instant attacks can proc any attack modifiers and on-hit effects normally. They do not have True Strike.
- The attacks are performed as soon as the ally launches their attack (including instant attacks from the ally). It does not matter whether the attack actually hits or not.
- For melee units, if the enemy target is 350 range farther than the attacker's range, the attack will always miss.
- If Io is stunned or disarmed, no instant attack is performed.
- Does not perform attacks when the tethered target also has this talent (i.e. an illusion of Io).
SPELL STEAL
Immediately breaks upon losing ability.
MORPH NOTES
Immediately breaks upon losing ability and while Morphing back to original form.

Break Tether

QT

Ability
No Target

Break the link to the tethered unit.

Cast Animation: +

Initial Cooldown: 0.25

1

0

Replaces Tether until the sub-ability is used or the tether is broken.

Interrupts Io's channeling abilities upon cast.

Break Tether goes on a 0.25-second cooldown when Tether is cast, this is to prevent accidental double-casts and prematurely ending the ability.

Spirits

▶️

▶️WW

Ability
No Target
(

Passive)

Affects
Enemies

Damage
Physical

Summon five particle spirits that dance in a circle around Io. If a particle collides with an enemy hero, it explodes, damaging all enemy units in an area around it. Creeps take minor damage from touching a particle spirit, but do not cause them to explode. When its duration ends, any remaining Spirits explode.

Passive Component

Passive Spirit Spawn Interval: 1

Cast Animation:

+

Creep Collision Radius:

150

Hero Collision Radius: 110

Explosion Radius:

360

Number of Spirits: 5

Collision Damage: 10/15/20/25

Explosion Damage: 30/50/70/90 (

85/105/125/145)

Duration: 19 (

Infinite)

Explosion Move Speed Slow: 15%

Slow Duration: 0.3

26/24/22/20 (

13/12/11/10)

100/110/120/130

Aghanim's Scepter Upgrade:

Spirits now passively spawn around Io constantly every second up to the max. Spirits colliding with enemy Heroes slows them briefly. Can be activated to explode spirits.

Break Notes:

Does not disable the passive spirits spawning.

Modifiers []

Any

Ability Draft Notes:

Spirits are replaced by their sub-abilities upon cast. Right Click toggles between

Spirits In and

Spirits Out.
These 3 abilities share a single ability slot.

Io twists the particles of the universe with his unimaginable capabilities.

Interrupts Io's channeling abilities upon cast.

Summons a spirit in 1-second intervals, starting immediately upon cast, taking 5 seconds to summon all 5 spirits.
- The first spirit is always spawned to the north of Io, with the next spirit spawning behind the previous spirit.
- The spirits expand automatically to its 650 maximum distance upon cast.
- The spirits always rotate clockwise and are centered around Io's location, following it wherever it goes.
- Moving the Spirits In or Out do not break their formation. They always rotate in a circle and keep an equal distance from each other.

The spirits complete a revolution every 2.7 seconds regardless of distance from Io.
- Their angular velocity is constant, meaning their speed increases the further away they are from the caster.
- This means the first created spirit can rotate at most 7 times around Io.

When a creep, illusion, or a creep-hero comes within 150 radius of the spirits, it takes the collision damage.
- Heroes and the Spirit Bear do not take this collision damage.
- Fully ignores Couriers.

When a hero, or a creep-hero comes within 110 radius, the spirit explodes, dealing the explosion damage and slowing enemies within a 360 radius.
- The explosion damage and slow affect all enemies within the area, not only heroes.
- SCEPTER
  The explosions first apply the damage, then the slow.

Spirits do not collide with or explode on invulnerable or hidden units.

Remaining spirits explode simultaneously at the end of the duration, dealing the explosion damage around them.
- Successive casts instantly cause the current active spirits to explode as well.

Spirits provide 3-second 150 radius flying vision at the location where they collided with a hero.
- They do not provide vision when exploding caused by expiring or recasting.

The spirits are invisible to the enemy if Io is invisible.

Can deal up to 150/250/350/450 ( 425/525/625/725) damage to a single unit when all spirits explode on a target (before reductions).

SCEPTER
Adds a passive component to Spirits, constantly and passively spawning spirits around Io with the same intervals, with the active component and effects still present.
- Now instantly cause the current active spirits to explode upon cast.
- The Spirits In and Spirits Out sub-abilities become permanently available as well.
- The Spirits' now has an Infinite duration and they do not explode unless colliding with heroes.
- If the spirits did not collide with a hero for more than 6 seconds, the next explosion will deal twice the damage.
- This is because when the colliding spirit exploded, the newly spawned spirit now takes its place and collides with the enemy hero again.

When acquiring Aghanim's Scepter while a cast is already active, the spirits from that cast disappear without exploding while creating new spirits.
- When losing Aghanim's Scepter, the spirits from it disappear immediately, without exploding.
SPELL STEAL
Spirits immediately explode upon losing the ability.
MORPH NOTES
Spirits immediately explode upon losing the ability and while Morphing back to original form.

Overcharge

▶️EV

Ability
No Target

Affects
Self / Allies

Io gains bonus attack speed, spell amplification, and HP Regen based on max health. If Io is tethered to an ally, that unit also gains the bonuses.

Cast Animation:

+

Attack Speed Bonus: 35/60/85/110

Max Health as Health Regen Bonus: 0.5%/0.6%/0.7%/0.8% (

0.7%/0.8%/0.9%/1%)

Spell Damage Amp: 8%/10%/12%/14%

Duration: 8

Slow Resistance Bonus: 30%

25/22/19/16

40/60/80/100

Aghanim's Shard Upgrade:

Grants Overcharge Slow Resistance.

Modifiers []

Drawing on the energy of matter from all worlds, Io begins the unravelling of time.

Interrupts Io's channeling abilities upon cast.

Applies generic outgoing damage amplification on both Io and the Tethered ally. Stacks additively with other sources of generic outgoing damage manipulation.
- Affects spell damage on both Io and the Tethered target deal. Does not amplify damage flagged as HP removal.

Io does not need to be already tethered to the target transfer Overcharge. Tethering afterward transfers it as well.
- The Overcharge on allies does not show a duration and always appears like a permanent buff.

Can regenerate up to 4%/4.8%/5.6%/6.4% of Io's max health over the duration.
- Can restore up to 4%/4.8%/5.6%/6.4% ( 5.6%/6.4%/7.2%/8%) of the target's max health + 2.4%/3.84%/5.6%/7.68% ( 3.36%/5.12%/7.2%/9.6%) of Io's max health on the Tethered ally.
- TALENT
  The max health regeneration increasing talent does not update the current Tether instance.

SHARD
Stacks multiplicatively with other slow resistance sources.
- The Tethered target can also gain slow resistance.

Spirits In

DD

Ability
Toggle

Calls the spirits closer to you. Can be toggled on and off.

Cast Animation:

+

Min Distance: 200

0

This ability is hidden if Io does not have the spirits buff.

Does not interrupt Io's channeling abilities upon cast.

Moves the spirits towards Io at a speed of 250. It takes 1.8 seconds from moving the spirits from maximum to minimum distance.

SCEPTER
This sub-ability becomes permanently available.

Spirits Out

FE

Ability
Toggle

Sends the spirits farther away from you. Can be toggled on and off.

Cast Animation:

+

Max Distance:

650

0

This ability is hidden if Io does not have the spirits buff.

Does not interrupt Io's channeling abilities upon cast.

Moves the spirits away from Io at a speed of 250. It takes 1.8 seconds from moving the spirits from minimum to maximum distance.

SCEPTER
This sub-ability becomes permanently available.

Relocate

▶️

▶️RR

Ability
Target Point

Affects
Self / Allied Heroes

Teleports Io and any tethered ally to any location. After the spell expires Io and any tethered ally will return to their original location. Double-click to teleport to your team's base fountain.

Cast Animation: +

Cast Range: Global

Effect Delay: 3.5/3.25/3

Duration: 12

100/90/80 (

75/65/55)

175

Root Notes:

Can be cast while rooted.

Does not teleport Io or the tethered ally while Io is still rooted as the delay finishes.

Modifiers []

Io is the embodiment of the mystery of the universe.

↓↓ Double-tapping automatically targets the team's fountain.
- ☐ Disabled Help prevents Io from relocating the tethered ally.

If Io is rooted, stunned, slept, cycloned, or hexed during the effect delay, Relocate gets canceled.
- If Io is silenced as the delay finishes, the teleport does not happen.
- Disabling the tethered ally of Io does not prevent the ally from getting teleported if Io successfully does so.
- The returning teleportation cannot be prevented.

Enemies get a ‼ Ping on their minimap during the teleport delay, showing them where Relocate was targeted.
- Creates a visual effect at the targeted point during the teleport delay, which is visible to everyone.
- Creates a visual effect at Io's position before the teleport happens, which also is visible to everyone.

Provides a 3.5/3.25/3-second 300 radius flying vision at the targeted point.

Relocate interrupts channeling abilities and every current order of Io and the tethered ally both on initial teleport, and when teleporting back.

Disjoints projectiles for Io upon teleporting to the targeted point, but does not disjoint upon teleporting back.
- Does not disjoint projectiles for the teleported ally in any way.

Io may Break Tether at any time to prevent bringing an ally back.

Can only teleport heroes, clones, illusions and creep-heroes.
- This includes invulnerable and hidden targets.

Destroys trees within 350 radius around Io upon both teleports.

Successive casts teleports Io and the affected ally to the newly selected location upon each cast, but it Relocates them back to the first point when the ability was cast.
- Does not refresh the duration. Io and the affected ally are Relocated back after 12 seconds.

Innate[]

Io Innate

Ability
Innate

Affects
Self

There is no description for this ability.

Effect Range: 256

Modifiers []

Notes

Io's facing direction is marked by an arc-like effect.

A hidden modifier causes Io to have several "tentacles" that randomly palpate any visible unit within 256 range of it, enemies and allies alike, randomly switching between units every few seconds.
- This is purely for aesthetic purposes.

Talents[]

Hero Talents
Attack Tethered Ally's Target	25	+400 Health to Tethered Units
-25s Relocate Cooldown	20	+0.2% Overcharge Max HP Regen Bonus
+55 Spirits Hero Damage	15	+6% Tether Movement Speed
+15 Attack Damage to Tethered Units	10	+15% Tether Enemy Move/Attack Slow

Recent Changes[]

Main Articles: Changelogs, Old Abilities and Hero Lore

<div> <div class="updatetablehead"> <div id="version">Version</div><div id="description">Description</div> </div> <div class="updatetablebody">

7.35

Tether
- Now deals 10/20/30/40 damage per second coming within its slow range.
- Has a 0.5-second damage interval.

7.34

Aghanim's Shard upgrade:
- Overcharge
  - No longer grants 10% spell amplification bonus.
  - Now grants 30% slow resistance bonus.

7.33c

Reduced base attack damage from 7‒13 to 4‒10.

</div> </div>

Recommended Items[]

Starting items:

Tango provides health regeneration to Io and a lane partner through Tether.

Healing Salve keeps Io and ally up in health during the early game.

Clarity sustains Io and ally with mana to use abilities.

Enchanted Mango gives some health regeneration, as well as mana restoration.

Early game:

Bottle, available at the Secret Shop, restores both ally's health and mana with Tether.

Urn of Shadows heals Io while Tether passes that healing to an allied target.

Regular Stick instantly restores nothing.

Soul Ring grants strength and health regeneration. More importantly, Io can pass the created mana to the tethered ally so both parties can use their respective abilities. Consider items like Tranquil Boots or Helm of the Dominator that boost health regeneration to sustain the health cost of Soul Ring.

Mid game:

Magic Wand gives attributes and a bit more amount of heal compared to Magic Stick.

Spirit Vessel, upgraded from Urn of Shadows, increases regeneration and healing for Io to keep allies healthy, while providing bonus health.

Arcane Boots restore a large amount of mana to Io and allies with Tether.

Mekansm heals Io's tethered partner for much more. It also provides a health regeneration aura to boost survivability.

Late game:

Guardian Greaves, built from Mekansm and Arcane Boots to save an item slot, restore huge amount of health and mana to Io and its team, especially with Tether.

Glimmer Cape allows Io or allied target to escape from enemies with invisibility and magic resistance.

Ghost Scepter shields Io from physical attacks, so it stays alive longer to help allies.

Heart of Tarrasque gives a huge amount of health and health regeneration, increasing the tethered allies' health regeneration and survivability.

Situational items:

Tranquil Boots heals Io and tethered allies more if they do not need the mana from Arcane Boots.

Drum of Endurance gives cost efficient attribute bonuses and further boosts Io's and its partner's attack and movement speed.

Pipe of Insight grants aura of health regeneration and magic resistance, a great item to absorb magical damage.

Vladmir's Offering has useful aura with many perks, including bonus attack damage and lifesteal, enabling allied physical attackers.

Solar Crest further buffs allied targets with attack speed, movement speed, and armor. Moreover, Io can use it on the enemies to slow and removes their armor.

Force Staff provides useful ability to position different heroes, including Io.

Holy Locket enhances Io's healing power, as well as strengthening its defense with bonus health and magic resistance.

Heaven's Halberd gives strength, evasion, status resistance, and the ability to disarm an enemy carry.

Scythe of Vyse provides a valuable disable, some useful attribute bonuses, as well as mana regeneration which can pass on to tethered ally.

Desolator adds damage and applies armor reduction on enemies; works better in the late game after taking talent that lets Io attack tethered ally's target.

Dota Plus Progress[]

Main Article: Hero Challenges

Relics track a hero's actions and statistics, and display in-game notifications when a milestone is reached. They are only available to Dota Plus subscribers.

Relics	Voice Lines
Tether Slows Spirits Damage Overcharge Allies Duration Damage During Relocate Damage During Tether Total Healing Urn of Shadows Charges Used Allies Glimmer Cape Duration Dominating Kill Streaks Dusts Leading To Kills Enemy Ward Kills Wards Placed Kill Assists Kills	Bronze	▶️ Laughing Beeps ▶️ Thankful Beeps
	Silver	▶️ Denying Beeps ▶️ Friendly Beeps
	Gold	▶️ Triumphant Beeps ▶️ Sorrowful Beeps
	Platinum	▶️ Angry Beeps
	Master	▶️ Meditative Beeps
	Grandmaster	▶️ Ominous Beeps

Equipment[]

Trivia[]

Io is the name of a priestess of Hera in Greek Mythology. She was seduced by Zeus and subsequently incurred Hera's wrath.
- Io is also the name of one of four Galilean moons of Jupiter, which was named after the same character in Greek Mythology.

Io's fun names in DotA were Weird Ball and Santelmo. Santelmo may refer to" St. Elmo's Fire"", a weather phenomenon that creates sparks of bright energy similar to that of lightning, mostly occurring from sharply pointed structures. Santelmo may also refer to the Philippine's folklore creature which is a head of fire, or a ball of fire which Io resembles.

Enigma, Chaos Knight, Keeper of the Light, and Io together represent the four fundamental forces of the universe with Io representing the electromagnetic force, as alluded to in its lore as the attractive and repulsive force, the charge that binds existence together, its powers over magnetism, as well as its abilities which requires Io to pull itself towards allies.