Highlighted Hero Discussion of this Week: Magnus (8 January 2015)

Magnus, the Magnoceros

Whosoever brought the fires of Mt. Joerlak down upon my kin, know this: You are craven. I shall track you down, and once I do, you shall die upon my horn. Slowly.

Magnus' primary role is using his powerful Reverse Polarity ability to ensure his team's victory in battle. With proper placement, a single Reverse Polarity can change the outcome of a team battle and potentially win the game. If combined with other area of effect spells, Reverse Polarity can destroy an entire enemy team. However, Magnus himself is no pushover in combat. Using Empower gives him a very strong physical attack capable of damaging multiple bunched up units, perfect when used after Reverse Polarity. In addition, Magnus has an area of effect spell of his own: Shockwave. Due to its relatively low mana cost and cooldown coupled with its high damage, Shockwave is an effective tool for harassing enemies in a lane and finishing off damaged foes. Although the power of Reverse Polarity tends to overshadow his other skills, Magnus is far from a one-skill hero. Even his newer, skewer helps him push a bunch of heroes together to allow him to Reverse Polarity, or, if used defensively, can escape from an area.

Lore

The master-smiths of Mt. Joerlak agree on only a single point: that the horn of a magnoceros is more precious than any alloy. And of all such horns, the largest and sharpest belongs to the beast they call Magnus. For half a generation, Magnus took easy sport goring hunters come to claim the treasures of his kin. Each time he would return to his cave with hooves and horns stained red, until his Matriarch urged him and all their kin to seek refuge to the north beyond the shadow of the mountain. But Magnus scoffed, having never failed to defend his people. The magnoceri would stay, he decided, for a magnoceros does not believe in chance... nor does it ever change its mind. But when Mt. Joerlak erupted without warning, and half his kin perished in the fire and ash, Magnus changed his mind after all. The survivors pushed north, until they reached a blockade watched over by a hundred hunters armed with bow and steel. Magnus expected no less. He led his fiercest brothers and sisters in a charge against their enemies, and fought with a ferocity matched only by the fire-spewing mountain at his back. Meanwhile the magnoceros elders, mothers, and calves vanished into the drifts. The master-smiths are divided about what happened next. Some say Magnus reunited with his kin, while others claim he suffered mortal injuries and expired alongside the body of his Matriarch. Neither theory is correct. Magnus did vow to rejoin his kin...but only after seeking out those responsible for the eruption of Mt. Joerlak and watching them die upon his horn, for a magnoceros does not believe in chance.

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Roles: Initiator, Disabler, Nuker, Semi-carry, Durable

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Strength: 21 + 2.75

Agility: 15 + 2.5

Intelligence: 19 + 1.65

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Damage: 49-61

Armour: 4.1

Movement Speed: 315

Attack Range: 128 (Melee)

Missile Speed: N/A

Base Attack Time: 1.7

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

Turn Rate: 0.8

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Spells

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Shockwave

Magnus sends out a wave of force, damaging enemy units in a line.

Level	Manacost	Cooldown	Casting Range	Area	Duration	Effects
1	90	10	500	1150	150	Deals 75 Magical Damage
2	90	9	500	1150	150	Deals 150 Magical Damage
3	90	8	500	1150	150	Deals 225 Magical Damage
4	90	7	500	1150	150	Deals 300 Magical Damage

• 150 (Starting radius) / 700 (Distance) / 150 (Final radius)

• If a unit exits and enters the area of effect it will be damaged two times

• This ability only affects ground units

Mt. Joerlak was a somewhat unstable mass, and Magnus has learnt to channel its reverbations.

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Empower

Gives an allied unit bonus damage and cleave on attack.

Level	Manacost	Cooldown	Casting Range	Area	Duration	Effects
1	30	12	800	N/A	40	Gives yourself or an allies unit a 20% attack damage bonus and a 20% cleave
2	40	12	800	N/A	40	Gives yourself or an allies unit a 30% attack damage bonus and a 30% cleave
3	50	12	800	N/A	40	Gives yourself or an allies unit a 40% attack damage bonus and a 40% cleave
4	60	12	800	N/A	40	Gives yourself or an allies unit a 50% attack damage bonus and a 50% cleave

• Only increases base damage and that given by the primary attribute of the units, raw bonus damage is not increased

• The cleave ability has a radius of 200

• The cleave part of the ability only affects melee units

• Cleave damage is reduced by armour type but not by armour value

With a deep bellow, Magnus displays his true power.

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Skewer

Magnus rushes forward, goring enemy units on his massive tusk. Heroes hit on the way will be dragged to the destination, then damaged and slowed.

Level	Manacost	Cooldown	Casting Range	Area	Duration	Effects
1	80	30	Global	125	2.5	Magnus skewers units with his horn, pushing them in the targeted direction by a maximum of 750 distance and dealing 70 damage while also maiming them, slowing their attack and move speeds by 40%
2	80	30	Global	125	2.5	Magnus skewers units with his horn, pushing them in the targeted direction by a maximum of 900 distance and dealing 140 damage while also maiming them, slowing their attack and move speeds by 40%
3	80	30	Global	125	2.5	Magnus skewers units with his horn, pushing them in the targeted direction by a maximum of 1050 distance and dealing 210 damage while also maiming them, slowing their attack and move speeds by 40%
4	80	30	Global	125	2.5	Magnus skewers units with his horn, pushing them in the targeted direction by a maximum of 1200 distance and dealing 280 damage while also maiming them, slowing their attack and move speeds by 40%

• Magical Damage

• Magnus charges to the target location at a speed of 950

• Goes through trees and over terrain; trees are destroyed in the process

• Dragged heroes are fully disabled during the drag

• Dragged heroes land 200 range away in front of Magnus at the end of the charge

• Can charge through and drag enemies over impassable terrain

Magnoceros horns are valuable in direct proportion to their danger to prospective merchants.

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Reverse Polarity

Ultimate

Magnus changes properties of matter, sucking all nearby enemies in front of him and stunning them with a powerful slam and dealing damage.

Level	Mana Cost	Cooldown	Casting Range	Area	Duration	Effects
1	200	120	N/A	410	2.25 seconds on heroes, 3 on creeps	Pulls units infront of magnus, dealing 50 damage and stunning
2	250	110	N/A	410	3 seconds on heroes, 4 on creeps	Pulls units infront of magnus, dealing 125 damage and stunning
3	300	100	N/A	410	3.75 seconds on heroes, 5 on creeps	Pulls units infront of magnus, dealing 200 damage and stunning

• Magical damage

• Disable works on magic immune units

• Pulls affected units to a random location 120-170 units in front of Magnus

• Able to pull as many enemy units in range

Magnus fights with the fury of the erupting Mt. Joerlak.

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Recent Changes from 6.83

• Empower can now be cast on spell immune allies

Recent Changes from 6.82/6.82b/6.82c

• Empower is no longer removed by Spell Immunity

• Empower mana cost increased from 40 to 30/40/50/60

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Tips:

Don't forget to cast Empower whenever you can, especially on your team's main physical damage outputs.

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Previous Magnus discussion

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Good Lich tip from last thread by Giacobe:

"When using Sacrifice, use it on your creeps when your enemies aren't in exp range. That way you get the full exp for the creep and the enemy gets none."