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Necronomicon 2 icon
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Necronomicon
Necronomicon icon
Necronomicon 1 icon
Necronomicon 2 icon
Necronomicon 3 icon
Considered the ultimate in necromancy and demonology, a powerful malefic force is locked within its pages.
Cost 2050 Gold (1250)
Sell Value Full price refunded within 10s. 1025 Gold
Active Demonic Summoning
Bonus ? +6/12/18 Strength
+2/3/4 Mana Regeneration
Shareable No
Disassemble No
Usage Alert ? No
Recipe
Necronomicon 2 (3300)
UsedIn1
Necronomicon (2050)
Components4
Sage's Mask (175)
Sage's Mask (175)
Belt of Strength (450)
Recipe (1250)


The Necronomicon was an item purchasable at the Main Shop, under Magical. It can be upgraded by purchasing the recipe again.

Additional Information

  • Upgrading the item improves its stats and strengthens the summons from Demonic Summoning. Can be upgraded twice.
  • The total gold cost for each level is 2050/3300/4550.

Ability

Demonic Summoning
Ability
No Target
Summons a Warrior and an Archer to fight for you for 60 seconds.

Warrior:
Burns mana every hit, and deals magical damage to whoever kills it. Gains True Sight at level 3.

Archer:
Has a passive movement and attack speed aura. Gains Purge at level 3.
Number of Warriors: 1
Number of Archers: 1
Duration: 60
Cooldown symbol
 80
Mana symbol
 150
Buff/Debuff
Modifiers [?]
modifier_kill
Death

  • Interrupts the user's channeling spells upon cast.
  • The summons always spawn in front of the caster.
  • Recasting this with the same Necronomicon replaces the summons from the previous cast, no matter under whose control they are.
    • However, recasting it with a second Necronomicon (or the same with a different level) creates two new summons.
  • All 3 levels of Necronomicon share cooldown.


Summons

Necronomicon Warrior

Necronomicon Warrior
Necronomicon Warrior model
Summoned Creep
700/800/900
+5
This unit has no mana.
Level 5
Duration Ability Duration 60
Armor Armor 4
Magic Resistance 40%
Status Resistance 0
Attack Damage ▶️ Default
45/55/70 ‒ 50/70/85
Attack Range Melee 100
Acquisition Range 500
Attack Speed 1.4/1.43/1.45 attack(s) per second. 105/107/109 • 0.75s BAT
Attack Animation 0.56+0.44
Projectile Speed Instant
Move Speed ▶️ 370/375/380 (100)
Turn Rate Takes 0.209s to turn 180°. 0.5
Collision Size 36
Bound Radius 16
Vision Range (G) 1300/1400/1500800
Bounty Gold 50/100/150
Experience 50/100/150
Abilities

L3
Mana Break (Necronomicon Warrior) icon Mana Break
Last Will (Necronomicon Warrior) icon Last Will
True Sight (Necronomicon Warrior) icon True Sight

Mana Break
Can be used by illusions. Disabled by Break. Does not pierce debuff immunity.
Mana Break (Necronomicon Warrior) icon
Ability
Passive
Affects
Enemies
Damage
Physical
Mana burned per hit, a portion of which is dealt as damage.
Mana Burned per Hit: 30/40/50
Burned Mana as Damage: 50%
Does not pierce debuff immunity.
Does not affect debuff immune units at all.
Buff/Debuff
Modifiers [?]
modifier_necronomicon_warrior_mana_burn
Undispellable

  • Burned mana as damage is considered as a conditional attack damage bonus.
    • Although the attack damage bonus values are not displayed in the HUD, it is still considered and directly added to Anti-Mage's attack damage.
    • The attack damage bonus values are not considered by the following sources:
      • Critical strike sources.
      • Mana loss manipulation sources, despite burning less mana and the affected target losing less mana.
    • However, it is considered by lifesteal and cleave, and it can be reduced only by flat reductions (e.g. damage block).
    • Since it is considered bonus attack damage, it is not affected by percentage-based attack damage bonuses or reductions.
  • Effectively increases the warrior's attack damage by 15/20/25 against units which have enough mana to burn.
  • Applies the mana loss first, and then the damage.
  • Works against allied units when attacking them.


Last Will
Disabled by Break. Does not pierce debuff immunity.
Last Will (Necronomicon Warrior) icon
Ability
Passive
Affects
Enemies
Damage
Magical
Deals damage to the unit that kills the Necronomicon Warrior.
Damage: 600/700/800
Buff/Debuff
Modifiers [?]
modifier_necronomicon_warrior_last_will
Undispellable

  • Does not affect allied units, so it can be denied without taking damage.
  • The distance between the Necronomicon Warrrior and the killing unit does not matter.
  • The warrior’s gold and experience bounty is granted first, the damage is applied afterwards.


True Sight
Not disabled by Break. Pierces debuff immunity.
True Sight (Necronomicon Warrior) icon
Ability
Aura
Affects
Enemies
Reveals invisible units.
Radius: 1000
Aura Linger Duration: 0.5
Buff/Debuff
Modifiers [?]
modifier_necronomicon_warrior_sight
Undispellable
modifier_truesight
Undispellable

  • Available for level 3 Necronomicon Warriors only.
  • The True Sight is provided within the whole area, regardless of the warrior's actual vision. It is fully unobstructed.
  • The True Sight is provided by an aura which affects enemies. Its debuff lingers for 0.5 seconds.


Necronomicon Archer

Necronomicon Archer
Necronomicon Archer model
Summoned Creep
700/800/900
+5
This unit has no mana.
Level 5
Duration Ability Duration 60
Armor Armor 4
Magic Resistance 40%
Status Resistance 0
Attack Damage ▶️ Default
35/55/70 ‒ 40/60/80
Attack Range Ranged 450/500/550
Acquisition Range 600
Attack Speed 1.05/1.07/1.09 attack(s) per second. 105/107/109 • 1s BAT
Attack Animation 0.7+0.3
Projectile Speed 900
Move Speed ▶️ 350/385/425 (100)
Turn Rate Takes 0.209s to turn 180°. 0.5
Collision Size 18
Bound Radius 8
Vision Range (G) 1300/1400/1500800
Bounty Gold 50/100/150
Experience 50/100/150
Abilities L3
Mana Burn (Necronomicon Archer) icon Purge
Archer Aura (Necronomicon Archer) icon Archer Aura
Notes Immune Against:
Helm of the Dominator icon Dominate
Hand of Midas icon Transmute

Purge
Mana Burn (Necronomicon Archer) icon
Affects
Enemies
Removes positive buffs from enemies and slow their movement speed.
Cast Animation: 0.3+0.47
Cast Range: 600
Move Speed Slow: 100%
Slow Duration: 4
Cooldown symbol
 15
Buff/Debuff
Modifiers [?]
modifier_necronomicon_archer_purge

  • Available for level 3 Necronomicon Archers only.
  • Purge first applies the dispel, then the slow.
  • The slow decreases in 0.8 second intervals, so it slows for 100%/80%/60%/40%/20%, going one step down every 0.8 seconds.


Archer Aura
Can be used by illusions. Disabled by Break.
Archer Aura (Necronomicon Archer) icon
Ability
Aura
Affects
Allies
Increases movement of nearby units.
Radius: 1200
Move Speed Bonus: 5%/7%/9%
Aura Linger Duration: 0.5
Buff/Debuff
Modifiers [?]
modifier_necronomicon_archer_aoe
Undispellable
modifier_necronomicon_archer_aura
Undispellable

  • Multiple instances of Archer Aura do not stack.
  • The aura's buff lingers for 0.5 seconds.


Recommended Heroes

In general, Necronomicon is best bought by strength or intelligence heroes who have abilities that synergize with the Necronomicon summons.

  • Heroes who have creep-compatible auras.
    • Beastmaster minimap icon Beastmaster's Inner Beast icon Inner Beast aura boosts the attack speed of all his summons, and he commonly builds more items to improve his Beastmaster Boar icon Boars.
    • Lycan minimap icon Lycan gives Lycan Wolf icon Lycan Wolves a long-duration haste, as well as providing a critical strike aura.
  • Heroes who control a lot of units.
    • Enchantress minimap icon Enchantress has no innate auras, but she can collect more Neutral creeps than any other single hero to gain many auras, and in the late game can control even Ancient Creeps, which work well with the Necronomicon units.
    • Enigma minimap icon Enigma have massed Enigma Eidolon icon Eidolons to gain a better push force and benefit from summon auras.
    • Nature's Prophet minimap icon Nature's Prophet is able to effectively increase the number of melee creeps in a lane to push it, and the summons can help speed up that push by clearing the wave and improving the move and attack speed of all the units.
    • Broodmother minimap icon Broodmother can at times have dozens of Broodmother Spiderling icon Spiderlings and Broodmother Spiderling icon Spiderites under her control, and the necronomicon units are an effective way of speeding up her pushing power, or to burn mana with Mana Break (Necronomicon Warrior) icon Mana Break from her targets to protect her fragile summons from radius-based spells.
  • Heroes with a castable attack speed buff. The Necronomicon Warrior icon Necronomicon Warrior has a very low base attack time, only 0.75. There are few ways to grant it bonus attack speed, but they are very effective in increasing his mana burn potential.
    • Ogre Magi minimap icon Ogre Magi can cast Bloodlust icon Bloodlust on the warrior, and slow a target to provide lots of time for the summons to Mana Break (Necronomicon Warrior) icon Mana Break all of a target's mana.
    • Abaddon minimap icon Abaddon's passive Curse of Avernus icon Curse of Avernus ability allows him to chase targets, and increases the attack speed and move speed of allied units attacking the same target. It also provides him with a second reliable carrier of Aphotic Shield icon Aphotic Shield.
  • Heroes who have channeled disables, or otherwise have spells that disable the caster.
    • Bane minimap icon Bane can increase the damage output of his Fiend's Grip icon Fiend's Grip with Necronomicon units. While he grips a target enemy, the Necronomicon Warrior icon Necronomicon Warrior's Mana Break (Necronomicon Warrior) icon Mana Break will further drain mana and deal more damage along with the Necronomicon Archer icon Necronomicon Archer.
    • Shadow Shaman minimap icon Shadow Shaman and Warlock minimap icon Warlock both specialize in summoning powerful units with their ultimates, then channeling a disable to allow their summon to deal damage. Necronomicon provides another summon to use when their ultimate is on cooldown, or synergizes with their ultimate.
    • Phoenix minimap icon Phoenix can control summons while casting Supernova icon Supernova, increasing the danger to enemies who try to attack the Phoenix Sun.
  • Heroes who have damage amplification spells, but lack damage themselves.
    • Shadow Demon minimap icon Shadow Demon has a powerful damage amplification and multiple disables. He has the rare ability to create illusions of enemy heroes, which may in turn provide auras for necro units, as well as taking advantage of Archer Aura (Necronomicon Archer) icon Archer Aura.
      • With the 2 summons and the 2 illusions spawned by Disruption icon Disruption, it's possible to bodyblock a trapped enemy in all four cardinal directions, effectively trapping most heroes until one of the units is killed.
  • Heroes with powerful Damage Over Time or slowing spells
    • Ancient Apparition minimap icon Ancient Apparition and Venomancer minimap icon Venomancer gain from Necronomicon units the ability to ensure that a fleeing enemy won't have enough mana to Town Portal Scroll icon Teleport back to the fountain before their ultimate kills them, and their slowing spells greatly increase the amount of damage and mana burn that the summons can perform.
    • Tusk minimap icon Tusk's Tag Team icon Tag Team triggers from attacks made by the Necronomicon units.
  • Heroes who can take advantage of multiple synergies.
    • Chen minimap icon Chen can collect ancient creeps to buff Necronomicon, and can use Penitence icon Penitence on enemy heroes to significantly amplify the attack speed of Necronomicon units.
    • Doom minimap icon Doom provides a hasting aura to his own summons when Scorched Earth icon Scorched Earth is active, stacking well with Archer Aura (Necronomicon Archer) icon Archer Aura. Using Devour icon Devour, he can gain an aura to improve the summons further, and In the late game, he can Devour Ancient Thunderhide icon Ancient Thunderhide, allowing him to cast Frenzy (Ancient Thunderhide) icon Frenzy and provide War Drums Aura (Ancient Thunderhide) icon War Drums Aura to the summons.
    • Io minimap icon Io is able to summon the units after Relocate icon Relocate, increasing the power of a relocate gank. Additionally, if no ally needs the Tether icon Tether, Io can Overcharge icon Overcharge the Necronomicon Warrior icon Necronomicon Warrior for bonus attack speed.
    • Invoker minimap icon Invoker has potentially strong kit for Necronomicon. Alacrity icon Alacrity provides Necronomicon Warrior icon Necronomicon Warrior with bonus damage and attack speed, Invoker Forged Spirit icon Forged Spirit can reduce the armor of enemies, increasing the damage of both Necronomicon units, and he has multiple strong slows and disable to provide more time to kill off targets.
  • Some heroes have unique synergies with Necronomicon.
    • Arc Warden minimap icon Arc Warden is unique in that he can summon two sets of units with a single book by using his Tempest Double minimap icon Tempest Double. Additionally, it extends the effective time of the double, as the summons live twice as long as the double.
      • Additionally, his other spells provide exceptionally strong slows to prevent escapes.
    • Keeper of the Light minimap icon Keeper of the Light has a kit that synergizes in many ways with Necronomicon.
      • Chakra Magic icon Chakra Magic can be cast upon the Necronomicon Archer icon Necronomicon Archer to reduce its ability's cooldown.
      • Blinding Light icon Blinding Light can be aimed to push a target next to the summons, and provide a debuff making it harder for the target to kill the summoned units.
    • Night Stalker minimap icon Night Stalker's flying vision synergizes well with Necronomicon for dewarding purposes, and provides him a way to burn through a target's mana during his lengthy silence and slow.
    • Dark Seer minimap icon Dark Seer's spells amplify the Necronomicon Warrior. With Surge icon Surge and Ion Shell icon Ion Shell, Necronomicon Warrior icon Necronomicon Warrior becomes an exceptionally dangerous summon.
    • Dazzle minimap icon Dazzle's Bad Juju icon Bad Juju reduces the cooldown of Necronomicon, making the item more efficient on him as it has lesser downtime compared to other heros.
  • Because a lot of Necronomicon's value is in its summons, many of the above heroes gain synergy with the item even if it was purchased by another hero. In addition, some heroes are poor carriers of the item, but benefit a lot from having the item on their team.

Strategy

  • The Necronomicon units have a very large xp and gold bounty and a long summon cooldown, avoid getting them killed unnecessarily.
  • Necronomicon is a great alternative to Diffusal Blade icon Diffusal Blade for heroes with low attack speed who desire a source of mana burn.
  • In an exceptionally long game, one way to effectively use built up gold is to have a Necronomicon to carried in their backpack.
  • When using Necronomicon units to push, it can be worthwhile to move one behind the tower to intercept the incoming creep wave to make sure allied creeps continue attacking the tower.
  • Against certain heroes, Necronomicon can be an exceptionally strong counter.
    • Templar Assassin minimap icon Templar Assassin relies on her Refraction icon Refraction to survive fights, which can be quickly destroyed with the fast attack speed of the two Necronomicon units.
    • Wraith King minimap icon Wraith King has a naturally small mana pool, and can only attack a single target at a time. Necronomicon units make it harder for him to fight the summoner, and reduce the chances that he'll have the mana be able to trigger Reincarnation icon Reincarnation.
    • Heroes with a small health pool, and strong but indiscriminate nukes, like Lich minimap icon Lich, Lina minimap icon Lina, Leshrac minimap icon Leshrac or Luna minimap icon Luna, are especially vulnerable to being killed by Last Will (Necronomicon Warrior) icon Last Will.
    • Heroes that can enter ghost form (immune to physical attacks) e.g. Necrophos minimap icon Necrophos, Pugna minimap icon Pugna, or heroes that purchase Ghost Scepter icon Ghost Scepter and Ethereal Blade icon Ethereal Blade can be purged off by Necronomicon Archer's debuff.
  • Necronomicon is a good long-term investment against an team with invisibility, because when upgraded to maximum level, it gives your team a mobile source of True Sight without the risk of a losing a Gem of True Sight icon Gem of True Sight in a fight.
    • With a freely-targetable spell that provides vision, a support can easily check cliffs for wards with a Level 3 Necronomicon Warrior, saving on the need for Sentry Ward icon Sentry Wards.
  • Necronomicon is a good purchase to help counter an enemy with a Blade Mail icon Blade Mail or a similar ability which retaliates directly, because damage is reflected back to the summoned units, and it can force the target to kill the Necronomicon Warrior, taking up to 800 magical damage.
  • The Necronomicon Archer icon Necronomicon Archer's Mana Burn (Necronomicon Archer) icon Purge ability is a valid spell to pop Linken's Sphere icon Linken's Sphere.
  • Some heroes are exceptionally strong against summoned units, and are able to deal with Necronomicon units easily. A user should avoid fighting those heroes with the summons.
    • Heroes who have strong Cleaves such as Sven minimap icon Sven and Kunkka minimap icon Kunkka are able to clear out both summons, tank Last Will (Necronomicon Warrior) icon Last Will, and continue fighting.
    • While Necronomicon units are immune to Helm of the Dominator icon Helm of the Dominator and Hand of Midas icon Hand of Midas, they are vulnerable to all other forms of instantly killing or conversion spells, allowing the caster to turn back the threat of Mana Break (Necronomicon Warrior) icon Mana Break and Last Will (Necronomicon Warrior) icon Last Will against the original owner.
      • Of particular note is Lifestealer minimap icon Lifestealer who can Rage icon Rage to avoid Mana Break (Necronomicon Warrior) icon Mana Break, and Infest icon Infest can be used on the summon to either instantly kill, or to take control of the unit.
      • Heroes who have spells which gain more effectiveness the more enemy units around, eg. Axe minimap icon Axe or Undying minimap icon Undying.
    • Heroes who can deal damage while spell immune or invulnerable in order to kill off the warrior safely, such as Storm Spirit minimap icon Storm Spirit, Morphling minimap icon Morphling or Juggernaut minimap icon Juggernaut.
    • Heroes who have their own summons or illusions are able to easily avoid taking the Last Will (Necronomicon Warrior) icon Last Will damage.

Item Synergy

  • Drum of Endurance icon Drum of Endurance: gives the highest DPS per gold for the necronomicon when active, the bonus movement speed stacks with the archer's movement aura.
  • Assault Cuirass icon Assault Cuirass: for the attack speed aura, as the Necronomicons have one of the lowest base attack times in the game so they benefit from it a lot. In addition, the armor aura doubles their physical damage resistance and it reduces the armor of enemies around. Greatly improves your pushing potential.
  • Solar Crest icon Solar Crest's active reduces the armor of your enemy by 8 and applies 35% Accuracy. You can also get a Desolator icon Desolator to apply a similar effect.
  • Maelstrom icon Maelstrom: allows you to clear creep waves faster, synergizing with the typical push style that this item encourages.
  • Shiva's Guard icon Shiva's Guard: make your necronomicons tankier with the aura attack slow and gives a powerful area movement slow to catch your enemies.
  • Guardian Greaves icon Guardian Greaves and Mekansm icon Mekansm: grants sustainability to your summons, preventing the enemy from gaining the gold bounty.
  • Bloodthorn icon Bloodthorn: amplifies the damage the summons deal to the target, while rendering them unable to use spells to kill the summons typically allowing them to live longer to cause more impact. It is useful against damage block.
  • Nullifier icon Nullifier applies a mute so the enemy won't be able to use his items. It removes every positive buffs and each hits applies a slow synergizing well with the fast attack speed of the summons and the Purge movement slow of the Archer.
  • Blink Dagger icon Blink Dagger: is used to surprise and summon the necronomicons directly on your enemy.
  • Boots of Travel icon Boots of Travel: enables teleportation to the Necronomicon summons.
  • Vladmir's Offering icon Vladmir's Offering: grants the summons lifesteal, 4 bonus armor and 15% bonus damage.
  • Pipe of Insight icon Pipe of Insight: protects you and your summoned units from magic damage, though the Necronomicon level 3 grants 400 health and the Necronomicon Units have 40% magic resistance.
  • Octarine Core icon Octarine Core: allows casting the Necronomicon more often, enabling greater uptime on the summons to deward and split push while there is no team fight.

Counter items

  • Crimson Guard icon Crimson Guard: almost fully blocks the damage of the Necronomicons if they don't do critical strikes.
  • Shiva's Guard icon Shiva's Guard: because their base attack time is low, the aura attack slow of 45 reduces a lot their damage.

Trivia

  • This item is based on the Necronomicon, a fictional grimoire created by horror author H. P. Lovecraft. The summoning ability of the item is similar to the original book's role in summoning the ancient cosmic Old Ones in Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos.
  • The coloration of the two units may be a reference to the Japanese tradition of Oni being either Red or Blue, with the Red Oni traditionally more aggressive, emotional, and extroverted, while Blue Oni are traditionally more serene, intellectual, and introverted.

Gallery

Recent Changes

Version
Description
  • REMOVED
Increases the movement speed of nearby allies.
Radius: 1200
Movement speed bonus: 5%/7%/9%
Aura linger duration: 0.5
  • Reduced mana regeneration bonus from 3/3.5/4 to 2/3/4.
  • Necronomicon Archer icon Necronomicon Archer
    • REMOVED
      Archer Aura (Necronomicon Archer) icon Archer Aura.
    • CHANGED
      attack class from Pierce to Hero.
    • Reduced attack damage from 55-65/85-95/115-125 to 35-40/55-60/70-80.
    • Increased attack speed from 100 on each level to 105/107/109.
    • Increased movement speed from 350 on each level to 370/375/380.
  • Necronomicon Warrior icon Necronomicon Warrior
    • CHANGED
      attack class from Pierce to Hero.
    • Reduced attack damage from 70-80/90-110/115-135 to 45-50/55-70/70-85.
    • Increased attack speed from 100 on each level to 105/107/109.
    • Increased movement speed from 330/360/390 to 350/385/425.
    • Last Will (Necronomicon Warrior) icon Last Will no longer pierces spell immunity.
  • Reduced Sage's Mask icon Sage's Mask cost from 225 Gold to 175 Gold (total cost decreases from 2150/3400/4650 Gold to 2050/3300/4550 Gold).



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