Hero
Zeus
    19 + 2.1
11 + 1.2
22 + 3.3
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Zeus, the Lord of Heaven, is a ranged intelligence hero who functions almost solely as a nuker. He is usually played as a semi-carry ganker type hero, who instead of utilizing disables, focuses solely on delivering tremendous amounts of magical damage to his foes. With the high cast range, and ease of use and low cooldown on his spells, he is able to deliver the most superb and consistent magical damage of any hero in the game. Arc Lightning is a highly spammable nuke that creates a stream of lightning that bounces between enemy foes (up to fifteen times at max level), dealing minor damage. Lightning Bolt is more focused, dealing heavy damage to a single target, also on a very low cooldown. It can also be targeted on the ground, providing vision and True Sight and potentially striking a nearby enemy, making him effective even against fogged and invisible enemies as well and allowing him to locate enemy wards. Static Field is a potent passive ability that allows Zeus's magical damage to scale into late game, dealing damage to all enemies equal to a certain percentage of their' health whenever he hits them with a spell. Finally, his ultimate Thundergod's Wrath allows him to strike all enemy heroes with a bolt of lightning, no matter their position, inflicting heavy damage. It can be used for multiple purposes: to finish off low-health enemy heroes limping away, to soften up the entire enemy team during a teamfight, or even to scout out the enemy's position. With the ability to strike down enemies both near and afar, the Lord of Heaven ensures that nobody can escape his wrath.
Contents
Bio[]
Zeus, the Lord of Heaven▶️ "Immortality was overrated. This is much more interesting."
Lore:
Lord of Heaven, father of gods, Zeus treats all the Heroes as if they are his rambunctious, rebellious children. After being caught unnumbered times in the midst of trysts with countless mortal women, his divine wife finally gave him an ultimatum: 'If you love mortals so much, go and become one. If you can prove yourself faithful, then return to me as my immortal husband. Otherwise, go and die among your creatures.' Zeus found her logic (and her magic) irrefutable, and agreed to her plan. He has been on his best behavior ever since, being somewhat fonder of immortality than he is of mortals. But to prove himself worthy of his eternal spouse, he must continue to pursue victory on the field of battle.
Voice:
Abilities[]
Hurls a bolt of lightning that leaps through nearby enemy units.
Cast Animation: 0.2+0.63
Cast Range: 850
Bounce Distance: 500
Number of Bounces: 5/7/9/15
Bounce Interval: 0.25
Damage: 75/100/125/150 (
175/200/225/250)
175/200/225/250)
1.6
80
Blocked fully only when primary target.Modifiers
modifier_zuus_arc_lightning: Undispellable. Persists death.Arc Lightning is Zeus' favorite spell to use against puny mortals.
Notes:
- The lightning bounces in 0.25-second intervals, so hitting all targets takes 1/1.5/2/3.5 seconds.
- Does not bounce on invisible units or units in the Fog of War.
- Can never hit the same unit twice per cast.
- All bounces together can deal up to 375/700/1125/2250 ( 875/1400/2025/3750) damage (before reductions).
- The hidden buff is required for the lightning to jump.
Lightning Bolt
Calls down a bolt of lightning to strike an enemy unit, causing damage and a mini-stun. When cast, Lightning Bolt briefly provides unobstructed vision and True Sight around the target in a 750 radius. Can be cast on the ground, affecting the closest enemy hero in 375 range.
Cast Animation: 0.4+0.43
Cast Range: 700/750/800/850
Hero Search Radius: 375
Vision & True Sight Radius: 750
Damage: 125/200/275/350
Stun Duration: 0.2 ( 0.6)
0.6)Vision & True Sight Duration: 4.5
True Sight Linger Duration: 0.5
6 125/
Spell immune units are still revealed by the True Sight. Mini-stun and damage are blocked when hit, no matter if directly targeted or not. Vision is only blocked when directly targeted.Bolts from the Nimbus are not blocked.
Modifiers
modifier_zuus_lightningbolt_vision_thinker: Undispellable. Persists death.
modifier_stunned: Dispellable with strong dispels. modifier_truesight: Undispellable. Persists death.A shocking punishment for rebellious heathen.
Notes:
- When cast on the ground with no heroes within 375 radius, it still provides the 750 range flying vision and True Sight.
- The lightning first applies the damage, then the debuff.
- When targeting a unit, vision and True Sight are provided at its position upon cast. The vision is stationary, it does not follow the unit.
- When targeting the ground, Lightning Bolt does not require any vision or true sight to hit invisible or fogged enemies.
- With the cast range and search radius, targeting the ground can hit an enemy hero up to 1075/1125/1175/1225 range away.
- Only searches for enemy heroes, including illusions clones, and creep-heroes. Whichever is the closest to the center gets hit.
- When the ground is targeted, the vision and True Sight is always centered on the targeted point, even if it found a target.
- The flying vision and True Sight last for 4.5 seconds. The True Sight is provided by an aura, and its debuff lingers for 0.5 seconds.
- In order to hit a non-hero unit, it must be directly targeted.
- The lightning particles and sound effect during the cast time are visible and audible to everyone.
Zeus shocks any enemy hit by his abilities, causing damage proportional to their current health.
Cast Animation: 0+0
Current Health as Damage: 4%/6%/8%/10% ( 5.2%/7.2%/9.2%/11.2%)
5.2%/7.2%/9.2%/11.2%) Shock Search Radius: 2000 Leap Distance: 450 Shock Move Speed Slow: 100% Shock Slow Duration: 2.5 Leap Duration: 0.5 11 100
Static Field can be cast to perform a Heavenly Jump, shocking the closest visible enemy (prioritizing heroes) within 2000 range, dealing Static Field damage to them and reducing their movement speed by 100% for 2.5 seconds. If Zeus is moving forward, he will jump towards that direction. Cooldown: 11. Manacost: 100.Modifiers
modifier_zuus_heavenly_jump: Dispellable with death only. modifier_zuus_static_field_slow: Dispellable with any dispel.The air crackles with static when the Thundergod walks the world.
Notes:
- The damage from Static Field is flagged as HP Removal, so it does not trigger any on-damage effects.
- Static Field only works with Zeus' abilities. It does not react on items, or on other units' abilities (e.g. in Ability Draft).
- Static Field always applies its damage before the triggering ability applies any of its effects.
- Arc Lightning applies Static Field's damage on each enemy it jumps on.
- Lightning Bolt (manually cast, and from Nimbus) applies Static Field's damage on whoever it hits, regardless of whether they were directly targeted or not.
- Thundergod's Wrath applies Static Field's damage on all hit enemies. If an enemy was not hit due to invisibility, they are not damaged.
- If Arc Lightning or Lightning Bolt get blocked by Spell Block, Static Field damage is not applied.
- Does not affect Roshan.
- With Aghanim's Shard, Static Field turns into an active ability. The passive aura is still present.
- Interrupts Zeus' channeling abilites upon cast.
- When cast, it immediately applies Static Field's damage, as well as a movement speed slow on the closest enemy within 2000 radius.
- Can target any unit, but prioritizes heroes. Treats creep-heroes as heroes.
- Can target Roshan as well, but only applies the slow debuff on him.
- First applies the damage, then the slow debuff.
- When cast while stationary, Zeus jumps 250 range upwards.
- When cast while moving or while being moved, he leaps in an arc towards his facing direction with a length of 450 and height of 250.
- Zeus is not disabled during the jump and can still turn, attack, and cast abilities and items during it.
| Nimbus | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Creates a storm cloud anywhere on the map that automatically casts Lightning Bolt on nearby enemies.
Cast Animation: 0.2+0.64
Cast Range: Global
Radius: 450
Melee Hero Attacks to Destroy: 4
Ranged Hero Attacks to Destroy: 8
Non-Hero Attacks to Destroy: 16
Lightning Bolt Interval: 2.25
Duration: 35
45 325
Spell immune units are still revealed by the True Sight.Modifiers
modifier_zuus_cloud: Dispellable with death only. modifier_kill: Dispellable with death only. modifier_zuus_lightningbolt_vision_thinker: Undispellable. Persists death. modifier_stunned: Dispellable with strong dispels. modifier_truesight: Undispellable. Persists death.Where the thunder god's ire grows, storm clouds quickly gather.
Notes:
- Requires Aghanim's Scepter to be unlocked.
- In Ability Draft, Nimbus can be unlocked by the player that drafted Thundergod's Wrath.
- Casts regular Lightning Bolt based on its current level on the closest valid enemy target.
- This means it also applies the mini-stun and provides vision and True Sight around the target.
- It also means that the Nimbus does nothing if Lightning Bolt is not learned.
- In Ability Draft, Lightning Bolt must be drafted as well for the Nimbus to strike enemies with it.
- The damage source is the Nimbus itself, meaning certain on-damage effects react on the Nimbus rather than on Zeus (e.g. Blade Mail).
- This also means that any outgoing damage amplification or damage reduction do not affect the Nimbus' bolt damage either.
- Despite this, the bolts still trigger Static Field on their targets, which is still sourced to Zeus, and thus affected by outgoing damage manipulation.
- Starts striking immediately upon cast if an enemy is within the area.
- Also strikes immediately when the last strike was longer than an interval ago and an enemy enters the area.
- Always strikes the closest valid target. There are no priorities. Cannot target wards or buildings.
- The Nimbus can strike invisible units and units inside the Fog of War.
- Can strike up to 16 times over its full duration, considering the default 2.25 strike interval.
- The visual effects on the ground which mark the Nimbus' radius are visible to everyone.
Strikes all enemy heroes with a bolt of lightning, no matter where they may be. Thundergod's Wrath also provides True Sight around each hero struck. If an enemy hero is invisible, it takes no damage, but the True Sight is still created at that hero's location.
Cast Animation: 0.4+0.43
Effect Radius: Global
Vision Radius: 500
True Sight Radius: 900
Damage: 300/400/500 ( 400/500/600)
400/500/600)Vision & True Sight Duration: 3
True Sight Aura Linger Duration: 0.5
130/ 300/
Grants a new ability: Nimbus.
Provides vision and True Sight over spell immune enemies. Does not attempt to damage spell immune enemies. Spell immune units are still revealed by the True Sight.Modifiers
modifier_zuus_thundergodswrath_vision_thinker: Undispellable. Persists death. modifier_truesight: Dispellable with death only.The Lord of Heaven smites all who oppose him, near or far.
Notes:
- Only hits enemy heroes, including the Tempest Double, but excluding Meepo Clones, illusions and creep-heroes.
- Does not hit invulnerable or hidden enemies.
- The damage cannot target invisible enemies, but the ability itself can.
- Thundergod's Wrath first applies its damage, then provides its vision and True Sight.
- This means if an invisible enemy is not revealed beforehand, it only applies the vision and True Sight around them, but not the damage.
- Thundergod's Wrath provides 500 radius flying vision and 900 radius True Sight around each struck hero.
- The vision and True Sight last for 3 seconds.
- The True Sight is provided by an aura, its debuff lingers for 0.5 seconds.
- Hitting all 5 enemy heroes collectively deals 1500/2000/2500 ( 2000/2500/3000) damage (before reductions).
- The visuals and sound effects during the cast time are visible and audible to everyone.
- The sound upon cast is global. Enemies can hear it when they have vision over Zeus. Else they can only hear the local hit sound.
- Shifts the lighting of the whole map for a split second, which is also visible to everyone.
Talents[]
| Hero Talents | ||
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| +100 Arc Lightning Damage | 25 | 50% Spell Lifesteal |
| +0.4s Lightning Bolt Ministun | 20 | +100 Thundergod's Wrath Damage |
| +1.2% Static Field Damage | 15 | +350 Health |
| +20 Movement Speed | 10 | +1.25 Mana Regen |
Notes:
- The cast range talent does not affect the jump distance of Arc Lightning.
- The health talent increases maximum health capacity, and keeps the current health percentage.
- The spell lifesteal talent stacks additively with other sources of spell lifesteal.
- Heals for 10% from non-hero units. Treats creep-heroes as creeps and does not heal off of illusions.
Recent Changes[]
Main Article: Zeus/Changelogs
Version
Description
- Increased armor from 1 to 2.
- Aghanim's Shard upgrade:
- Reduced Static Field active cooldown from 14 to 11.
- Talents:
- Level 10 left talent changed: +200 health ➜ +20 movement speed.
- Level 15 right talent changed: +25 movement speed ➜ +350 health.
- Level 25 right talent changed: +275 cast range ➜ 50% spell lifesteal.
- Reduced Static Field current health as damage from 6%/8%/10%/12% to 4%/6%/8%/10%.
- Thundergod's Wrath
- Increased mana cost from 250/350/450 to 300/400/500.
- Increased cooldown from 120 on each level to 130/125/120.
- Added Aghanim's Shard upgrade for Zeus:
- Adds an active component to Static Field.
- Can be cast to perform a jump, shocking the closest enemy within a large radius (prioritizing heroes) with Static Field's damage and slowing their movement speed. If Zeus was moving during cast, he jumps forwards.
- Cast time: 0
- Search Radius: 2000
- Jump height: 250
- Jump distance: 450
- Jump duration: 0.5
- Movement speed slow: 100%
- Slow duration: 2.5
- Mana cost: 100
- Cooldown: 14
- Notes: If cast while stationary, only jumps upwards. If cast while moving, jumps forward in an arc.
- Can be cast to perform a jump, shocking the closest enemy within a large radius (prioritizing heroes) with Static Field's damage and slowing their movement speed. If Zeus was moving during cast, he jumps forwards.
- Talents:
- Level 10 right talent: +1.5 mana regen reduced to +1.25.
- Level 20 right talent changed: 12% cooldown reduction ➜ +100 Thundergod's Wrath damage.
- Level 25 left talent: +115 Arc Lightning damage reduced to +100.
Recommended Items[]
Starting items:
- Tango regenerates HP for Zeus to stay in lane.
- Healing Salve also restores health.
- Enchanted Mango gives burst mana for Zeus to use abilities.
- Clarity gives constant supply of mana for Zeus to farm with Arc Lightning.
- Iron Branch gives attributes, and Zeus can combine it with Tango for more heal.
Early game:
- Boots of Speed will make you faster, allowing for easier escapes and a better time catching up to enemy heroes.
- Bottle allows for lane control and sustainability through runes and crowing. Getting it early helps you to maintain your mana to get last hits consistently.
- Null Talisman gives more intelligence, allowing for a larger mana pool and more damage, as well as bonus attributes to help with survivability.
Mid game:
- Arcane Boots sustain Zeus' high rate of spell casting and give him the mana pool necessary to remain relevant in longer engagements. It can also be later disassembled to use the energy booster in another item like Aether Lens, and eventually upgrades into Boots of Travel.
- Aether Lens makes you better at your job by dealing lots of magical damage from as far back as possible.
- Blink Dagger can also be picked up, as Zeus benefits a lot from mobility items.
- Eul's Scepter of Divinity gives mana regeneration, a bit more of speed and a good ability to incapacitate enemy heroes.
- Veil of Discord provides a useful amplification of your magical damage dealt to any enemy caught in its blast. In addition to this, the armor bonus helps mitigate the impact of Zeus' poor base armor, allowing him to survive longer against physical damage.
- Bloodstone grants more health and more mana, which are very needed for Zeus. The more kills you score, the more mana regeneration you get.
Late game:
- Aghanim's Scepter unlocks Nimbus, giving Zeus extra nuking power and global influence.
- Octarine Core increases Zeus's damage output with its cooldown reduction and gives Spell Lifesteal to counteract his squishiness.
Situational items:
- Soul Ring can help with early mana issues.
- Force Staff is a good choice for mobility and utility, very useful for evading carries and kiting spell immune targets.
- Ghost Scepter can be a great choice if you find yourself getting blown up by physical damage. It can also be upgraded into an Ethereal Blade, which can be used to disable the enemy carry, save allies and deal a massive amount of burst damage in combination with your spells.
- Kaya increases spell damage and decreases mana cost, making Zeus a better caster in the mid game as he can use more abilities and deal more damage.
- Refresher Orb allows Zeus to use Thundergod's Wrath and Nimbus twice in quick succession given sufficient mana, increasing his damage output in fights.
- Scythe of Vyse gives a much-needed boost to Zeus's mana and grants a hard disable to deal with troublesome enemies.
- Shiva's Guard increase your mana pool enough to cast your combo while offering good enemy control.
Gameplay[]
| Roles: | Nuker Carry |
|---|---|
| Complexity: | ★☆☆ |
| Playstyle: | Fond of mortal women, but even fonder of immortality, the Lord of Heaven descends from the clouds to prove himself a faithful spouse. Charged with godly might, Zeus calls down Lightning Bolts, smiting the wicked and revealing the hidden. Arc Lightning crackles between his fingers, jolts of electricity that leap from one puny mortal to the next. There is no running from heaven. Zeus points his arms skyward, bringing divine punishment down on each and every foe. Wherever they may be, none shall stand against the Thundergod's Wrath. |
Audio[]
History[]
Equipment[]
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Trivia[]
- Zeus was the first hero to be implemented in Dota 2.
- Zeus is based on the Greek mythological god of the same name.
- As suggested by the game's files, Zeus's name was, at one time, Zuus. The possible reason being that 'Zuus' is the correct pronunciation of his name 'Zeus'.
- Zeus' alternate/fun name in DotA was "Merlini", a tribute to a professional DotA player.
- Zeus' title in DotA was "Lord of Olympus".
- Static Field is most likely a reference to the Sorceress' skill of the same name in Diablo II. In Diablo II, the spell also reduced enemies' HP by a percentage within a short radius.
- Zeus' respawn line ▶️ "To err is human. To respawn, divine." is a reference to Alexander Pope, whose quote is "To err is human; to forgive, divine."
- Zeus' rival line towards Chen, ▶️ "Keep in mind, Chen, Godliness is next to deadliness." is a reference to an old and well-known saying "Cleanliness is next to godliness."
- Zeus' rare response line, ▶️ "In Me I Trust.", refers to the national motto of the United States – "In God We Trust".
- Zeus' rare response line, ▶️ "If I didn't exist, it would be necessary to invent me.", is a reference to a similar quote by french philosopher Voltaire: "If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him."
- Zeus' bottling line, ▶️ "Nature abhors an empty bottle.", is a reference to D.J. Griffiths' summary of Lenz's law – "Nature abhors a change in flux."
Gallery[]
Model and icons before December 16, 2015 Patch
Ability icon progress [?]
Hero icon progress
