Hero Discussion of the Week: Shadow Demon (March 16, 2012)

Shadow Demon was last discussed on October 25.

Shadow Demon

Lore:

Among the sovereign Demons with explicit access to this world, Doom Bringer scarcely bothers with the affairs of Noninfernals and Lesser Spectral Consorts, while Shadow Fiend passes through almost exclusively on collecting expeditions. The Shadow Demon, however, has always taken a deep and abiding interest in the material plane, as if sensing that mastery of this gritty dimensional nexus might be the key to total domination of all realities. Summoned first by minor wizards, the Shadow Demon granted every wish and put on increasingly impressive displays of power until he had the full attention of the greatest demonologists, and through them the various lords, tyrants, autarchs and heirophants who depended on sorcery to buttress their mundane power. So great was his deception that all his summoners considered themselves the master and Shadow Demon the servant; meanwhile, he eroded their identities and made their minds his own. In the end, most members of the cult were hollow puppets, extensions of his evil will. What Shadow Demon's next step would have been remains open to speculation, for around this time, Nevermore the Shadow Fiend bit into a particularly nasty-tasting soul and discovered that it held nothing but a foul nougat of Shadow Demon's essence. Alerted that a coup was underway, and that the ancient equilibrium of the Umbral Pact was about to be destabilized, Doom Bringer and Shadow Fiend briefly joined forces to destroy the burgeoning cult. Combing spells of incredible force, they undid Shadow Demon's centuries of patient work, reducing his cult to smithereens--and all its members to a bloody splatter. Nothing remained except a tiny speck of demon shadow. Immortal and irreducible, this mote of evil was enough to seed the Shadow Demon's next scheme, and in fits and starts, over further centuries, he began to regroup. Whatever that speck of shadow touched, it tainted, and its influence gradually grew. A chaos of damaged parts pulled together, reknit, and combined to give Shadow Demon a form even stronger than his former. He is all but complete now, and his plan for infinite dominion lacks all of its former weaknesses. It would seem that such a being of pure malice and malevolence, a threat to all creation, would be forever out of place in our world...yet Shadow Demon does not lack for followers.

"This time it is the demon who will do the summoning!"

Strength	Agility	Intelligence
17 + 1.9	18 + 2.2	26 + 2.7
Damage	Armor	Movespeed
53 - 57	2.52	295
Attack Range	Base Attack Time	Missile Speed
500	1.7	1000
Soundset	Icon	Concept Art

Disruption

Banishes the targeted unit, removing it from play for the duration. Upon returning, two illusions of the unit are created under Shadow Demon's control.

Level	Mana Cost	Cooldown	Casting Range	Area	Duration	Effects
1	120	25	600	N/A	2.5 / 5 seconds *	Banishes target and creates 2 illusions that deal 30% damage.
2	120	22	600	N/A	2.5 / 5 seconds *	Banishes target and creates 2 illusions that deal 40% damage.
3	120	19	600	N/A	2.5 / 5 seconds *	Banishes target and creates 2 illusions that deal 50% damage.
4	120	16	600	N/A	2.5 / 5 seconds *	Banishes target and creates 2 illusions that deal 60% damage.

• (*) Banish duration/Illusion duration

Soul Catcher

Curses a random enemy in an area to take increased damage. The bonus damage is dealt as a separate instance of damage. Units under the effect of Disruption can still be affected by Soul Catcher.

Level	Mana Cost	Cooldown	Casting Range	Area	Duration	Effects
1	50	13	600	450	12 seconds	20% damage amplification
2	50	13	600	450	12 seconds	30% damage amplification
3	50	13	600	450	12 seconds	40% damage amplification
4	50	13	600	450	12 seconds	50% damage amplification

• Damage type: pure
• A unit affected by Disruption can be affected by Soul Catcher.

Shadow Poison

Deals damage in a wave-like area, and afflicts enemy units with a poison effect. The poison deals 1/2/4/8 times the stack damage based on the number of stacks on the target, up to 4 stacks. Additional stacks cause 50 damage each. This deferred damage is dealt when Shadow Poison's duration is expired, or the Release sub-ability is used.

Level	Mana Cost	Cooldown	Casting Range	Area	Duration	Effects
1	50	3	1500	150	10 seconds	20/40/80/160 dmg per stack + 50 each further stacks
2	50	3	1500	150	10 seconds	35/70/140/280 dmg per stack + 50 each further stacks
3	50	3	1500	150	10 seconds	50/100/200/400 dmg per stack + 50 each further stacks
4	50	3	1500	150	10 seconds	65/130/260/520 dmg per stack + 50 each further stacks

• Damage type: magical
• Each stack increases the damage it would deal exponentially, up to 4 stacks.
• This has a sub ability to let you release the poison at any time.
• The damage can affect a unit affected by Disruption.

Demonic Purge

Purges the target enemy unit, removing positive buffs, and slowing the target for the duration. The unit slowly regains its speed until the end of the duration, upon which damage is dealt. Units under the effect of Disruption can still be affected by Demonic Purge.

Level	Mana Cost	Cooldown	Casting Range	Area	Duration	Effects
1	200	50	800	N/A	5 seconds	200 damage, slow, buff removal, fast recovery rate
2	300	50	800	N/A	5 seconds	300 damage, slow, buff removal, medium recovery rate
3	400	50	800	N/A	5 seconds	400 damage, slow, buff removal, slow recovery rate

• Damage type: magical
• Buff removal.
• The damage can affect a unit affected by Disruption.

Puuchuking has posted a guide to Shadow Demon on Playdota.

Also check out DotaCinema's video overview of Shadow Demon.

The guys at Dota 2 wiki are looking for people to help fill out hero introductions, recommended items, and basic strategy for certain heroes. Shadow Demon's page is looking pretty thin - if you know this hero it would be a nice place to start helping out the community.

As always, check out yesterday's discussion of Skywrath Mage or the complete HDotD archives.