r/DotA2•12 yr. ago

Hero Discussion of this Day: Viper (18 February 2014)

Discussion

Viper, the Netherdrake

I am no sorcerer's familiar. Rather, I'll take a sorcerer as my pet.

Viper specializes in pinning down single targets from a distance, while dealing moderate damage. His Poison Attack allows him to consistently slow someone down, and he can fire a heavily concentrated Viper Strike toxin to nearly stop someone in their tracks, and deal good damage over time. This allows him to be more aggressive as he can go in and keep targets from escaping. To aid with leading a charge, he's developed Corrosive Skin that offers resistances, returns minor poison and slows the attacker. While most of Viper's damage is dealt over time with poisons, he has a passive Nethertoxin which allows him to deal additional damage to weaker units.

Lore

The malevolent familiar of a sadistic wizard who captured and hoped to tame him, Viper was curiously glad to have been sprung from the sealed and unchanging subterranean Nether Reaches where his race had lived for millions of years, after tectonic slippage had sealed off the Netherdrakes in luminous caverns. Viper spent some time appearing to submit to the wizard's enchainments, hoping to learn what he could of the dark magics the mage practiced. But he soon realized that few spells were as deadly as the toxins that were his birthright. Exuding an acid that swiftly ate away the bars of his cage, the Netherdrake slipped free of his confines, spit poison in the old spellcaster's eyes, and soared out to let the world know that it had a new master.

Roles: Carry, Durable

Strength: 20 + 1.9

Agility: 21 + 2.5

Intelligence: 15 + 1.8

Damage: 44-46

Armour: 1.94

Movement Speed: 285

Attack Range: 575

Missile Speed: 1200

Base Attack Time: 1.7

Sight Range: 1800 (Day) / 800 (Night)

Turn Rate: 0.4

Spells

Poison Attack

Intensifies Viper's venom, adding an effect to his normal attack that slows attack and movement speed while dealing damage over time.

Level	Manacost	Casting Range	Area	Duration	Effects
1	20	600	N/A	2	Puts a Unique Attack Modifer (Orb effect) onto Viper's normal attack which slows the target's attack and move speed by 10% and deals 10 damage per second
2	20	600	N/A	2	Puts a Unique Attack Modifer (Orb effect) onto Viper's normal attack which slows the target's attack and move speed by 20% and deals 16 damage per second
3	20	600	N/A	2	Puts a Unique Attack Modifer (Orb effect) onto Viper's normal attack which slows the target's attack and move speed by 30% and deals 22 damage per second
4	20	600	N/A	2	Puts a Unique Attack Modifer (Orb effect) onto Viper's normal attack which slows the target's attack and move speed by 40% and deals 28 damage per second

Magical damage
The slow and damage will not be increased by successive casts; the duration of the spell will be refreshed instead
Becoming magic immune does not remove the slow debuff
Cannot be purged

The Netherdrake's inborn toxic breath quickly drains the vitality of its afflicted.

Nethertoxin

Passive

Nethertoxin causes Viper's normal attack to deal bonus damage to units based on how much health they are missing. The bonus damage doubles for each 20% of health missing from the target. Nethertoxin deals half damage to creeps and buildings.

Level	Manacost	Cooldown	Casting Range	Area	Duration	Effects
1	-	-	-	-	-	Causes Viper's attacks to deal bonus damage based on how much health is missing from the target, 2.5 base bonus damage, 40 max
2	-	-	-	-	-	Causes Viper's attacks to deal bonus damage based on how much health is missing from the target, 5 base bonus damage, 80 max
3	-	-	-	-	-	Causes Viper's attacks to deal bonus damage based on how much health is missing from the target, 7.5 base bonus damage, 120 max
4	-	-	-	-	-	Causes Viper's attacks to deal bonus damage based on how much health is missing from the target, 10 base bonus damage, 160 max

The bonus damage doubles for each 20% of health missing from the target
Nethertoxin deals half damage to creeps and buildings

Poison from the Nether Reaches turns wounds into fatalities, and fatigue into death.

Corrosive Skin

Passive

Viper exudes an infectious toxin that damages and slows any enemy that attacks it. The acid exudate also increases Viper's resistance to spells.

Level	Manacost	Cooldown	Casting Range	Area	Duration	Effects
1	-	-	-	-	4	Any enemy who attacks Viper is slowed (attack and movespeed) by 10% and is dealt 10 damage per second. Also gives Viper an extra 10% magic resistance
2	-	-	-	-	4	Any enemy who attacks Viper is slowed (attack and movespeed) by 15% and is dealt 15 damage per second. Also gives Viper an extra 15% magic resistance
3	-	-	-	-	4	Any enemy who attacks Viper is slowed (attack and movespeed) by 20% and is dealt 20 damage per second. Also gives Viper an extra 20% magic resistance
4	-	-	-	-	4	Any enemy who attacks Viper is slowed (attack and movespeed) by 25% and is dealt 25 damage per second. Also gives Viper an extra 25% magic resistance

Magical Damage
Magic resistance stacks with magic resistance from items
Affects the attacking unit before the attack is actually released

It is not unusual for sword and shield alike to corrode in the very hands of those who attack the Netherdrake.

Viper Strike

Ultimate

Viper slows the targeted enemy unit's movement and attack speed while also dealing poison damage over time. The slowing effect reduces over the duration of the poison.

Level	Mana Cost	Cooldown	Casting Range	Area	Duration	Effects
1	125	80 (12*)	500 (900*)	N/A	5.1	Slows the enemy target by 40% and deals 60 damage per second
2	175 (125*)	50 (12*)	500 (900*)	N/A	5.1	Slows the enemy target by 60% and deals 100 damage per second
3	250 (125*)	30 (12*)	500 (900*)	N/A	5.1	Slows the enemy target by 80% and deals 145 damage per second

Magical Damage
Can be cast on magic immune units: damage is blocked, however the slow debuff remains
Units affected by Viper Strike can be denied by their allies when their HP drops below 25% of their maximum health
The slow is applied before the projectile connects
Cannot be purged

Once used to slay his sadistic summoner, the most powerful of Netherdrake infections spreads through the veins of those foolish enough to cross Viper.

Recent Changes from 6.80

None

Recent Changes from 6.79

Poison Attack cooldown reduced from 4/3/0/0 to 0
Corrosive Skin no longer works while doomed

Tips:

Viper Strike is useful to cast on a powerful melee hero to give yourself the ability to kite them.

fiat_lux_ discusses Orb Walking on Viper

A thread here discusses Viper's viability in competitive matches (thread by NDN_Shadow)

Koikon talks about Vanguard vs Mek and why Mek is better, fisherrr also does the same

There are two good PlayDota guides on Viper: Dodge Viper 2.0/Reptile Aircraft and Viperidae

The previous Viper discussion.

If you want a specific hero to be discussed next, feel free to post or message me. Request list

Posts are every two or four days.

Important Night Stalker tip of last thread by Tainic:

"Please, check enemy team's abilities and items before ganking : If the enemy has a tp scroll, save your void to cancel it, if you gank a weaver, a bounty hunter or a prophet, save your silence. It might sound obvious but far too much people just mindlessly throw all their 3 abilities without taking into account the heroes they are facing, resulting in a 1/5/1 NS at first night.

Be surprising when ganking, they expect you to gank from their jungle ? Go in their lane and get them by behind, so they can't back, that's an example among others, a good NS is a NS that inspires fear and makes the enemy hugging his tower."

Posted Feb 18, 2014, 6:00 PM UTC · edited

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