Invisibility Guide

[antiweltteilchen]

Invisibility

This is a full guide to invisibility, its properties and behaviour
The DotA section of this guide is up to date with the 6.72f version.

• Introduction
• Types of Invisibility
• Ways to reveal invisible units
• Projectile dodging
• Auras X

Invisbility is a well known ability of units, it hides the affected unit from enemy units which helps in matters like positioning, escaping, ganking and scouting. now u might think that there is nothing much to say about it, but the wc3 engine provided quite some different base abilities, each with other properties and ways to detect.

• Permanent Invisibility
• Windwalk
• Invisibility
• Phase Shift
• Burrow
• Ghost
• Wards

Permanent invisibility [Apiv] was originally used in ladder like any other base spell. In this case it is the skill from a shadow wolf, a summon of Far Seer.
In DotA currently 10 units and 1 item have skills to acquire Permanent Invisibility.

• Rikimaru (his ultimate, Permanent Invisibility) [A00J]
• Mirana (her ultimate, Moonlight Shadow) [A0KT]
• Broodmother (spin web) [A021] for self, else [A29C]
• Psionic Trap (ultimate of Lanaya) [Apiv]
• (lvl 3+4 of Beastmaster's Call of the Wild) [A1WG]
• Remote Mine (ultimate of Goblin Techies) [Apiv]
• Stasis Trap (also Goblin Techies) [Apiv]
• Spirit wolves (lvl 4 of summon wolves of Lycanthrope) [A0ZD]
• Rooftrellen (Nature's guise when used on self) [A1GA]
• Slark (shadow dance) [A1HX] and [A1HW]
• Smoke of deceit [A20l]

The first important parameter of permanent invisibility is the auto acquiring of targets which can be switched on or off in the world editor.
if it is switched on, the invisible unit will try to attack enemy units automatically as long as they aren't asleep.
If it is switched off, the invisible unit won't try to attack enemy units as long as the unit itself or an allied units nearby isn't attacked.

The second characteristic parameter is the fade time. the values for the related skills are the following:

Rikimaru:

Permanent Invisibility:
fade time:3/2.25/1.5 sec
autoaquire: off

Mirana:

Moonlight Shadow:
fade time 2.5/2/1.5 sec
autoaquire: off

Broodmother:

Spin Web:
fadetime: 2 seconds on all levels. because the web buff is created by an aura (fade time 2-4 seconds) and the trigger's periode is 1.5 seconds the following values are correct:

• minimum time to become invisible: 2 seconds
• maximum time to become invisible: 3.5 seconds
• average time to become invisible: 2.75 seconds

Now if broodmother leaves her web and is invisible the following values are correct:

• minimum time to become visible again: 2 seconds
• maximum time to become visible again: 5.5 seconds
• average time to become visible again: 3.75 seconds
  autoaquire: off for brood herself, else on.

Lanaya:

Psionic Trap:
fadetime: 3 seconds on all levels
autoaquire: /

Lycanthrope:

Spirit Wolves lvl 4:
fade time: 3 seconds
autoaquire: on

Beastmaster:

Call of the Wild lvl 3+4 (Greater Hawk):
fade time: 5 seconds
autoaquire: /

Goblin Techies:

Remote Mines:
fade time: 2 seconds
autoaquire: /

Goblin Techies:

Stasis Trap:
fade time: 2 seconds
autoaquire: /

Rooftrellen:

Nature's guise:
Fade time: 0 sec
autoaquire: off

Slark:

Shadow dance:
fade time 0.01 sec fade time for both abilities
autoaquire: on for both

Smoke of deceit:

fade time: 0.01 sec
autoaquire: off

In addition to the common ways to detect invisible units (later) the following skills/things will also reveal permanent invisible units:

• any kind of silence except silence coming from cloud abilities. this only works vs permanent invisibility skills with multiple levels or affected units needs to have an active ability needing mana. Because of this Rikimaru and units affected by PotM ulti are the only ones silence works against.
• any kind of pausing the unit

Like the most other types of invisibility a unit with permanent invisibility is revealed directly at the begin of it's attack animation or when it uses a skill.

Permanent invisible units still have their normal collision size unless other abilities provides something else (that is done for example for lanaya's traps).

Small conclusion: hookshot can hit any invisible unit, but it also damages and stuns permanent invisible units and reveals them for a short time.
chronosphere and global silence are a good counter to riki and the invis of potm.

Windwalk [AOwk] was originally used in ladder like any other base spell. In this case it is the skill of the orc hero blademaster.
In DotA currently 11 units and 2 items use windwalk as skill.

• Phantom Lancer (Doppelwalk) [A0D7]
• Mirana (Leap) [A0LN]
• Lanaya (Meld) [A0RV]
• Bounty Hunter (Wind Walk) [A07A]
• Nerubian Assassin (Vendetta) [A09U]
• Abaddon (Borrowed Time) [A0NS]
• Clinkz (Wind Walk) [A025]
• Nerubian Weaver (Shukuchi) [A0CA]
• Invoker (Ghost Walk) [A0XL]
• Storm from Pandaren Brewmaster Ultimate (windwalk) [ANwk]
• Lothar's edge. [A017]
• Phase Boots [A12W]
• Shadow Dance [A1IN]

Important Parameters for windwalk: fade time, duration,backstab (actually every windwalk has the backstab damage set to true, but the allowed targets decide whether you "use" that backstab on enemies {air,ground,enemy,neutral} or not. for a short answer i will use "backstab: yes" if they have these targets and "backstab:no" if they have none.) and movementspeed increase.

Phantom Lancer:

Doppelwalk: Backstab: no
fade time: 0.001 sec
duration: 8 seconds
backstab damage: 0
movementspeed increase: 10%

Mirana:

Leap: Backstab: yes
Fade time: 0.00 sec
Duration: 0.01 sec
Backstab damage: 0
Movementspeed increase: 0 (note that the ms after leap finished is done via triggers)

Lanaya:

Meld: Backstab: yes
Fade time: 0 on lvl 1 else 0.001 sec
Duration: 60 minutes
Backstab damage: 0
Move speed increase: 0

Bounty Hunter:

Windwalk Backstab: no
Fade Time: 1/0.75/0.5/0.25 sec
Duration: 15/20/25/30 sec
Backstab damage: 0
Movementspeed increase:0

Nerubian Assassin:

Vendetta: Backstab: yes
Fade Time: 0 sec
Duration: 20.01/35.01/50.01 sec
Backstab damage: 225/375/525
Movementspeed increase:10/15/20%

Abaddon:

Borrowed Time: Backstab: no (allowed targets "self" but you can't attack yourself :P)
Fade Time: 0.001 sec
Duration: 0.01 sec
Backstab damage: 0
Movementspeed increase: 0

Clinkz:

Wind Walk: Backstab: yes
Fade Time: 0.6 sec
Duration: 20/25/30/35 sec
Backstab damage: 0
Movementspeed increase: 10/20/30/40%

Nerubian Weaver:

Shukuchi: Backstab: yes
Fade Time: 0.25 sec
Duration: 4 seconds
Backstab damage: 0
Movementspeed increase: 1000%

Invoker:

Ghost Walk: Backstab: yes
Fade Time: 0.001 sec
Duration: 100 sec
Backstab damage: 0
Movementspeed increase: -30%/-25%/-20%/-15%/-10%/-5%/0%

Storm:

Wind Walk: Backstab: yes (backstab targets are all possible units, even buildings)
Fade Time: 0.6 sec
Duration: 20 sec
Backstab damage: 100
Movementspeed increase: 50%

Lothar's Edge:

Backstab: yes
Fade Time: 0.3 sec
Duration: 9 sec
Backstab damage: 150
Movementspeed increase: 20%

Phase Boots:

Backstab: no
Fade Time: -1 seconds (infinite)
Duration: 4 seconds
Backstab damage: 0
Movementspeed increase: 16%

Shadow Dance:

Backstab: no
Fade Time: 0.001 sec
duration: 0.1 sec
Backstab damage: 0
Movementspeed increase: 0 (the ms increase is granted via triggers again with an aura)

Windwalking units break invisibility after the casting time of a skill, directly at the beginning of the attack if backstab is set to no, or the backstab is set to yes and the target isn't an allowed target for the backstab damage. Windwalking units with backstab set to yes and attacking an allowed target for the backstab gets revealed once they reach their damage point.

Windwalking units will never autoattack

Windwalking units do not collide with any other units. an exception is using windwalk in combination with bladefury due to hardcoded issues.

Every kind of windwalk does not interrupt most channeling (does not work with Illuminate, Upheaval, Sandstorm or Charge of Darkness) spells except meld, leap and borrowed time (a trigger calls a hold position command)

When a ranged unit with Windwalk and Backstab set to true breaks out of invisibility with an attack it can't place any other buff on this attack.

When breaking out of windwalk with backstab set to "yes" the attack will never miss unless the opponent has a distance that exceeds the attackers range+motion buffer range (most units in DotA have 250 MBR except anubseran (400), sacred warrior (500) and QoP (700)) when the attacker reaches his damage point

Small conclusion: Sniper and Shadow Fiend can cast their ultimate during Windwalk of Lothar's Edge and get revealed when they finished their casting time.
a nerubian assassin in range of an allied creeping ordering to attack it will instantly break his invis.

Invisibility [Aivs] was originally used in ladder like any other base spell. In this case it is the skill of the human sorceress.
In DotA currently there are 3 ways to provide the hardcoded invisibility ability.

• The dummy unit created by the skill sandstorm from Sandking.
• invisibility provided by nature's guise
• invisibility rune

Important parameters for this guide: fade time, duration

Sandking: Sandstorm: Fade time: 0 sec
Duration: 20/40/60/80 sec

Rooftrellen: Nature's guise: Fade time: 0 sec
Duration: 15/30/45/60 sec

Invisibility rune: Fade time: 2 secs
Duration: 45 sec

Invisible units will never autoattack.

Invisible units use their normal collision size.

Small conclusion: it is the only kind of invisibility you can target on other units than yourself (rune excluded). That doesn't matter for Sandstorm because the dummy unit is told to only use it on Sandking.
Because Sandstorm is channeling you can interrupt it with silence, or an AoE stun and SK is revealed when paused.

Phase Shift [Apsh] was originally used in ladder like any other base spell. In this case it is the skill of the elven Faerie Dragon.
In DotA currently 1 unit uses Phase Shift.

• Puck (Phase Shift) [A0SB]

Important parameters for this guide: Duration, Cooldown

Puck: Phase Shift: Duration: 0.75/1.5/2.25/3 sec
Cooldown: 6 sec

Phaseshift doesn't have a Fade Time, the invisibility is instant.

Phaseshifted units will never autoattack

Phaseshift can be used automatically. In this case the order to phaseshift is given when the unit receives damage. to prevent the damage the unit is given invulnerability and marker when the order is issued.

Phaseshifted units still have their full collision size.

Phaseshift on autocast will not trigger if you use a channeling spell like boots of travel.

Shiva's Guard will remove the invulnerability and Marker ability of Phase Shift from Puck, but not the Invisibility.

Phaseshift can only activate if the damage comes before any disable. f.e. Manavoid is evaded but magic missile isn't.

Pause and silence will instantly reveal phaseshifted units. (does not work vs. Puck because he has marker and invul)

When using Lothars on puck you are able to walk around invisible but you still have the phaseshift animation.

Small conclusion: phase shift is the only ability able to dodge fatal damage which would be dealt by Ice Blast or Culling Blade.
Stormbolts and other disable skills with a projectile can't be evaded with autocast=on Phaseshift but with a manual cast.

Burrow [Abur]is the base ability used for several units in melee for example crypt fiends.

In DotA actually 1 unit uses this ability, scarab.

The basic setup of the ability is a reversable transformation of units, which includes making it invisible and immobile

Sightrange while burrowed: 400/400

Burrow is unsilencable except with doom.

Scarabs collide with other units but other units won't collide with scarabs.

ghost is the ability the undead shades got in melee. units with ghost don't collide with other units unless they also have ghost.
ghost has the same revealing behaviour like permanent invisibility.
units with ghost won't reveal themselves when they attack.

used in DotA only for the primary iceblast dummy

• Goblin Landmines
• Observer wards and
• Sentry wards

Yet another type of invisibility but there isn't a big difference to the rest.
The fade time is 2 seconds for Land Mines and 0 seconds for Observer and Sentry Wards.
They don't collide with any other unit and can only be revealed by True Sight.

• True Sight
• Ensnare
• Entangle
• Faerie Fire
• Shared sight
• Hex

Name	Range	Duration
Dust of Appearance	1050	12
Lightning bolt	900	3
Thundergod's wrath	900	3
Sentry wards	950	3 mins
World tree/frozen throne	900	permanent
Towers	900	permanent
Fountain	900	permanent
Gem of truesight	1100	permanent
Necronomicon warrior 3	1100	permanent/until death
Chronosphere	400	for the duration

These skills/items except dust of appearance have a fade time. once they are used/aquired every 0.5 seconds the AoE is checked for invisible units and in this case they are revealed. so there is a delay between 0 and 0.5 seconds the unit is revealed/sight is lost once it enters/leaves the AoE. Also note that Dust won't reveal any wards.

Invisible units don't get hit by ensnare [ANen] but once a unit is ensnared it remains visible until the ensnare effect wears off.

Name	Duration
Spirit bear entangle lvl 3/4	3 sec on heros and creeps above lvl 5, 9 sec on creeps below lvl 6
Slithice - ensnare	2/3/4/5 sec
Meepo - Earthbind	2 sec
Dark Troll Warlord	1.5 sec
Pit of Malice	1/1.5/2/2.5

Name	duration
Overgrowth	3/4/5 sec
Frostbite	1.5/2/2.5/3 sec on heros and creeps above lvl 5, 10 sec on creeps below lvl 6

Name	Duration
Track	30s
Amplify damage	30s on heroes, 120s on creeps

Invisible enemy units which share sight with an allied unit are shown on the minimap. you can attack them but it's not possible to cast targeted spells on them.
Since you can't click them to attack them you need to do it before they get invisible or move next to them (Minimap) and trust autoattack.

Skills that grant shared sight:

• Strygwyr's Thirst
• Assassinate
• Infest
• Nether Strike
• Homing missile (4 secs after creation)

Hexed permanent invisible units can't get invisible as long they are hexed. Units with windwalk can get invisible while they are hexed. A part of the animation is still played when the unit is changed back even if it is invisible at this time.

Name	duration
Voodoo (Rhasta+Lion)	1.25/2/2.75/3.5s
Hex (Guinsoo)	3.5s

Hardcoded projectiles can be dodged by getting invisible at least an instant while the projectile is on its way to you and lets u dodge any primary effect of it. Aoe effects still apply (for example ignite).
Now that the Wc3 engine got some major problems and bugs, DotA uses many triggered spells with triggered projectiles to guarantee stability. Those projectiles behave differently, always dependant on the ability and coding itself. To check if the ability hits invisible units or not, check the hero pages, normally special interactions should be listed there.

If an invisible unit is providing an aura it will only affect himself and no other units.
Exception: Tornado building damage aura (Radiance)

[SoletLuna]

Nice to see that here, too. This place must be filled with high quality guides, too!

and your thread title has "si" missing for "Invisibility"

[zylick]

you missed inviSIbility in head

[antiweltteilchen]

that's the unique touch i gave this guide...
....
editing >_<

[teamgary]

riki getting vladimir,the aura will not be on creeps?

[antiweltteilchen]

If an invisible unit is providing an aura it will only affect himself and no other units.

5chars

[Robzor]

^ With Radiance being the exception.

Originally Posted by SoletLuna

and your thread title has "si" missing for "Invisibility"

Duh, it wouldn't be an invisibility guide unless some of the letters were invisible.

[zylick]

Originally Posted by Robzor

^ With Radiance being the exception.

but radience isnt aura:d

[antiweltteilchen]

based on building damage AURA.

[Nonok]

Great guide. Good read, learned a couple things.

[Murli[AT]]

good guide! ty man!

but have found a mistake: lothars edge gives a backstab dmg of 125 (new in 6.60)!

[antiweltteilchen]

oh nice antiweltteilchen that bastard forgot to update this. i'll do it for him here.

[Lime]

Nice guide learned some stuff which I did not know before.

[Meur]

So who's anti sharing the account with? Either that or he has become alot grouchier than usual.

[NieBla]

Originally Posted by awt

stolen from antiweltteilchen from da. i don't give credits to him. if he wants some i'll beat him up.

Look behind you! IN THAT MIRROR! It's antiweltteilchen!!!1!14

[XaTrIxX]

There are some little cosmetic mistakes: The first thing i found out is that you are starting some paragraphs with capital letters and some not. Make it consitently.

Another mistake i found is:

In Dota currently 1 unit use Phase Shift.
=>
In Dota currently 1 unit uses Phase Shift.


Another thing is:

"backstab: yes" and
"backstab:no"
Where is the Space?
----------------------

This just shows there are several cosmetic mistakes, correct them and the Guide is very good.

[Kevor24]

Really nice read, and imo you should put this guide in the "Advanced Mechanics Guide" section.

[antiweltteilchen]

Originally Posted by XaTrIxX

There are some little cosmetic mistakes: The first thing i found out is that you are starting some paragraphs with capital letters and some not. Make it consitently.

Another mistake i found is:

In Dota currently 1 unit use Phase Shift.
=>
In Dota currently 1 unit uses Phase Shift.


Another thing is:

"backstab: yes" and
"backstab:no"
Where is the Space?
----------------------

This just shows there are several cosmetic mistakes, correct them and the Guide is very good.

thanks i hope i got all the stuff fixed

[ImmolatusBurn]

Moving to Advanced Mechanics Guides.

[Trysaeder]

Stolen from antiweltteilchen from da. i don't give credits to him. if he wants some i'll beat him up.

har har.
I knew your avatar was very familiar...