“ | ▶️ Thanks for standing still, ganker!
— Sniper
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” |
Root (formerly known as Ensnare) is a status effect that prevents affected units from moving, and from casting most mobility abilities. However, it does not prevent the affected units from turning, casting other abilities or using most items. Some root sources also disarm the affected units (and disarming roots were formerly known as Entangle).
Definition[]
Root Types | Disabled Aspect / Definition | Examples |
---|---|---|
Conditional True Sight |
|
Fortune's End |
Regular Root |
|
Bramble Maze |
Ally-Root |
|
Rolling Boulder |
There are two types of roots in the game, with each using a different modifier to root the target(s). Roots from the same group use the same modifier and follow the regular rule of disables — the longer root value overrides the shorter one.
modifier_root
- Other unique root modifiers (e.g. Omnislash).
Mechanics[]
Root does not prevent a unit from moving by setting its movement speed to 0. It instead impairs movement in the same way as stuns do. They do not interrupt the move order either, so that the unit resumes moving towards its destination as soon as the root expires.
Root does not interrupt a unit's attack or spell cast orders either. If a unit is attacking or midst a cast animation, getting rooted neither stops it from attacking, nor cancels the cast of the spell. The unit continues executing those orders normally. If the unit's attack target or spell target gets out of range while the unit is rooted, it starts moving towards the target to attack it or cast the spell on it as soon as the root expires, similar to how the unit resumes its move command.
Some sources of root prevent a unit from attacking while rooted. However, this is not a mechanic of root. In these cases, the source abilities also apply a disarm along with the root.
Roots immediately interrupt the channeling of Town Portal Scroll and Boots of Travel, but do not cancel any other channeling effect. However, some sources of root may still interrupt all channeling abilities as a separate effect, independent from the root mechanic itself.
Some roots may apply true sight over the affected units, while others do not. This mechanic is independent from the root mechanic as well.
A major trait of roots is their ability to disable numerous mobility spells. Since a root is not a hard disable, several blink, pseudo-blink and teleport spells are disabled while rooted, to prevent an easy escape. However, although it prevents casting those spells, it does not cancel them when getting rooted while the spell is already cast. In such cases, the unit remains rooted at its new location. A list of disabled spells can be found below.
Sources[]
- These roots with "Conditional True Sight" only provide True Sight over the target for the duration of the root as long as, at the time the root is applied, the target is not fading into invisibility, and the target is not already completely invisible. Examples:
- An invisible enemy hero can be seen due to Reveal. The root will not apply True Sight.
- Bounty Hunter casts Shadow Walk and is in the process of fading into invisibility when he gets rooted. The root will not apply true sight.
- Bounty Hunter gets rooted first and then casts Shadow Walk. The root WILL provide true sight.
- An enemy hero affected by Moonlight Shadow is soon to be invisible. The root WILL provide true sight, because Moonlight Shadow uses a fade delay instead of a fade time.
- Crystal Maiden – Frostbite3
- Crystal Maiden – Freezing Field2a 3
- Broodmother – Spinner's Snare
- Ember Spirit – Searing Chains
- Gleipnir – Eternal Chains
- Hill Troll – Ensnare
- Meepo – Earthbind4
- Naga Siren – Ensnare
- Nature's Prophet – Wrath of Nature2a 3
- Oracle – Fortune's End
- Rod of Atos – Cripple
- Lone Druid – Entangling Claws
- Spirit Bear – Entangling Claws
- Treant Protector – Nature's Guise2b 3
- Treant Protector – Eyes in the Forest3
- Treant Protector – Overgrowth3
- Troll Warlord – Berserker's Rage
- Underlord – Pit of Malice4
- Underlord – Fiend's Gate2a 4
- 1 Requires talent.
- 2a Requires Aghanim's Scepter.
- 2b Requires Aghanim's Shard.
- 3 Applies disarm as well.
- 4 Can affect unrevealed invisible units.
Without Conditional True Sight[]
- 1 Requires talent.
- 2a Requires Aghanim's Scepter.
- 2b Requires Aghanim's Shard.
- 3 Can affect unrevealed invisible units.
Ally-Rooting Abilities[]
Some abilities root the caster or ally target to prevent them while the ability is active from performing certain orders like moving or attacking. Some of them also disarms the caster.
- 1 Requires talent.
- 2a Requires Aghanim's Scepter.
- 2b Requires Aghanim's Shard.
- 3 Only roots allies.
Disabled by Root[]
- Anti-Mage – Blink
- Arcane Blink – Arcane Blink
- Blink Dagger – Blink
- Chaos Knight – Reality Rift
- Dawnbreaker – Converge
- Dawnbreaker – Starbreaker
- Earth Spirit – Rolling Boulder
- Earthshaker – Enchant Totem
- Ember Spirit – Activate Fire Remnant
- Ember Spirit – Sleight of Fist
- Faceless Void – Reverse Time Walk
- Faceless Void – Time Walk
- Fallen Sky – Fallen Sky
- Fiend's Gate – Warp
- Io – Relocate
- Magnus – Skewer
- Marci – Rebound
- Meepo – Dig
- Meepo – Poof
- Mirana – Leap
- Monkey King – Boundless Strike
- Monkey King – Primal Spring
- Monkey King – Tree Dance
- Morphling – Waveform
- Nature's Prophet – Teleportation
- Ogre Seal Totem – Ogre Seal Flop
- Overwhelming Blink – Overwhelming Blink
- Pangolier – Rolling Thunder
- Pangolier – Shield Crash
- Pangolier – Swashbuckle
- Phantom Assassin – Phantom Strike
- Phantom Lancer – Doppelganger
- Phoenix – Icarus Dive
- Phoenix – Toggle Movement
- Primal Beast – Onslaught
- Puck – Ethereal Jaunt
- Puck – Waning Rift
- Queen of Pain – Blink
- Riki – Blink Strike
- Riki – Tricks of the Trade
- Rubick – Telekinesis
- Sand King – Burrowstrike
- Slark – Pounce
- Sniper – Concussive Grenade
- Spirit Bear – Return
- Spirit Breaker – Charge of Darkness
- Spirit Breaker – Nether Strike
- Storm Spirit – Ball Lightning
- Swift Blink – Swift Blink
- Techies – Blast Off!
- Templar Assassin – Psionic Projection
- Timbersaw – Timber Chain
- Tinker – Keen Conveyance
- Town Portal Scroll – Teleport
- Tumbler's Toy – Vault
- Tusk – Snowball
- Twin Gate – Warp
- Ursa – Earthshock
- Viper – Nosedive
- Void Spirit – Astral Step
- Void Spirit – Dissimilate
- Wildwing Ripper – Hurricane
- Zeus – Heavenly Jump
Recent Changes[]
- Ethereal Jaunt can no longer be cast while rooted.
- Phase Shift can now be cast while rooted.
- Sleight of Fist can no longer be cast while rooted.