Hero Discussion of the Day: Lifestealer (February 13, 2012)
Lifestealer was last discussed on November 21.
N'aix the Lifestealer is a Melee Hero. It serves as an excellent counter to tanks. This vicious monster possess skills that revolves around health percentages, allowing him to engage in a fight with tanky heroes, while also being able to hide inside other units, and strike by surprise. Lifestealer is recommended for intermediate players.
Lore:
In the dungeons of Devarque, a vengeful wizard lay in shackles, plotting his escape. He shared his cell with a gibbering creature known as N'aix, a thief cursed by the Vile Council with longevity, so that its life-sentence for theft and cozening might be as punishing as possible. Over the years, its chains had corroded, along with its sanity; N'aix retained no memory of its former life and no longer dreamt of escape. Seeing a perfect vessel for his plans, the wizard wove a spell of Infestation and cast his life-force into N'aix's body, intending to compel N'aix to sacrifice itself in a frenzy of violence while the mage returned to his body and crept away unnoticed. Instead, the wizard found his mind caught in a vortex of madness so powerful that it swept away his plans and shattered his will. Jarred to consciousness by the sudden infusion of fresh life, N'aix woke from its nightmare of madness and obeyed the disembodied voice that filled its skull, which had only the one thought: To escape. In that moment Lifestealer was born. The creature cast its mind into dungeon guards and soldiers, compelling them to open locks and cut down their companions, opening an unobstructed path to freedom while feeding on their lives. Lifestealer still wears the broken shackles as a warning that none may hold him, but on the inside remains a prisoner. Two minds inhabit the single form--a nameless creature of malevolent cunning, and the Master whose voice he pretends to obey.
"Consumed from within!"
| Strength | Agility | Intelligence |
|---|---|---|
| 25 + 2.4 | 18 + 1.9 | 15 + 1.75 |
| Damage | Armor | Movespeed |
| 57-67 | 1.52 | 315 |
| Attack Range | Base Attack Time | Missile Speed |
| Melee | 1.7 | Instant |
| Soundset | Icon | Fan Art |
Rage
Launch into a maddened rage, becoming immune to magic spells and gaining increased attack speed.
| Level | Mana Cost | Cooldown | Casting range | Area of Effect | Duration | Allowed Targets | Effects |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 75 | 15 | N/A | N/A | 2.5 seconds | Self | 30% increased attack speed and magic immunity |
| 2 | 75 | 15 | N/A | N/A | 3.25 seconds | Self | 45% increased attack speed and magic immunity |
| 3 | 75 | 15 | N/A | N/A | 4 seconds | Self | 60% increased attack speed and magic immunity |
| 4 | 75 | 15 | N/A | N/A | 4.75 seconds | Self | 80% increased attack speed and magic immunity |
- Activating Rage will dispell many buffs.
- The bonus attack speed stacks with Mask of Madness.
Feast
Regenerates a portion of the attacked enemy's current HP and deals the same portion of damage per attack.
| Level | Mana Cost | Cooldown | Casting range | Area of Effect | Duration | Allowed Targets | Effects |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | Enemy Units | 4% Life Leech |
| 2 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | Enemy Units | 5% Life Leech |
| 3 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | Enemy Units | 6% Life Leech |
| 4 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | Enemy Units | 7% Life Leech |
- Damage type: Physical
- The regeneration does not work on Roshan.
- Ignores Magic Immunity.
- Heal works independent of damage.
Open Wounds
Lifestealer rends an enemy, slowing the victim's movement speed and allowing allies to lifesteal on that unit, while regenerating a portion of all damage dealt. The victim recovers movement speed over 8 seconds, one step per second. All damage dealt will steal life, including damage from spells.
| Level | Mana Cost | Cooldown | Casting range | Area of Effect | Duration | Allowed Targets | Effects |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 110 | 24 | 600 | N/A | 8 seconds | Enemy units | Slows enemy; marks target for Open Wounds effect of 15% heal-on-damage |
| 2 | 110 | 20 | 600 | N/A | 8 seconds | Enemy units | Slows enemy; marks target for Open Wounds effect of 20% heal-on-damage |
| 3 | 110 | 16 | 600 | N/A | 8 seconds | Enemy units | Slows enemy; marks target for Open Wounds effect of 25% heal-on-damage |
| 4 | 110 | 12 | 600 | N/A | 8 seconds | Enemy units | Slows enemy; marks target for Open Wounds effect of 30% heal-on-damage |
- Any damage dealt will activate lifesteal, including spell damage.
Infest
Lifestealer will infest the body of the target unit, lying dormant and undetectable inside. When he reveals himself, he deals damage to all nearby enemy units. The Lifestealer can gain experience from units that die while he is Infesting a unit. If the unit is a creep, he will devour it first, gaining health equal to the unit's current HP. Does not work on enemy Heroes.
| Level | Mana Cost | Cooldown | Casting range | Area of Effect | Duration | Allowed Targets | Effects |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 50 | 100 | 150 | 700 | N/A | Enemy non-hero units, allied units | 150 damage |
| 2 | 50 | 100 | 150 | 700 | N/A | Enemy non-hero units, allied units | 270 damage |
| 3 | 50 | 100 | 150 | 700 | N/A | Enemy non-hero units, allied units | 400 damage |
- Damage type: Magical
- Lifestealer will not be healed if the infected unit is killed or if it is an ally.
- Consume will not harm an ally that Lifestealer has infested.
- If the infested unit is killed, Lifestealer will emerge from it.
Kenshiro has posted a guide to N'aix on Playdota.
You might want to check out Dota Cinema's video overview of Lifestealer.
As always, check out yesterday's discussion of Huskar or the newly updated and now up-to-date complete HDotD archives.
Posted Feb 13, 2012, 3:51 PM UTC