Magnus
As a member of the Magnoceros, Magnus commands the power of the earth. He can pull enemies into a devastating vortex, impaling them with his horns.
At a Glance
Core Principles
“Control the battlefield, disrupt the enemy, and strike with the fury of the earth. Your horn is the law, and your will is the force that moves mountains.”
Perfect Positioning
Your spells work best when enemies are in front of you. Place yourself on the sidelines until enemies are in range, then strike from the center with Reverse Polarity.
Master Repositioning
Use Skewer not just for damage, but to control enemy positions. Pull enemies toward your tower, away from safety, or into your team's waiting AoE spells.
Control the Flow
Your abilities disrupt enemy positioning and control the battle's flow. Communicate with your team to ensure your repositioning benefits everyone.
Timing is Everything
The difference between a game-winning RP and a whiff is milliseconds. Keep your finger on the stop key, learn to fake casts, and strike when the moment is perfect.
Unmovable Force
Your Solid Core innate makes you resistant to knockbacks. Stand firm in the face of displacement effects and show enemies why you are the earthshaker.
Explosive Impact
When you commit, commit fully. A well-timed Reverse Polarity can win teamfights single-handedly. Make every cast count and leave enemies in awe of your power.
Hero Overview
Magnus is one of the most versatile heroes in Dota 2, capable of controlling the flow of battle even without farm. With his powerful toolkit, he can be played in any position and have excellent impact throughout the game. His base strength and strength gain make him naturally tankier than many other heroes.
The hero's biggest strength lies in his ability to reposition enemies with Skewer and group them up with Reverse Polarity, one of the most powerful teamfight ultimates in the game. When he gets key items, Magnus becomes the biggest threat to the enemy team during teamfights. His AoE stun pierces spell immunity and can turn the tide of battle instantly.
Pros
- Multiple AOE abilities that disrupt enemy positioning
- Flexible playstyle - can be played in any position
- Can farm fast with Empower and Shockwave
- AOE stun that goes through spell immunity
- Good at ganking
- High base damage
Cons
- Requires Blink Dagger for initiating
- Needs good mana management in early game
- Requires good positioning for effective spell use
- Long cooldowns on key abilities
- Can accidentally reposition enemies unfavorably
Ability Analysis
Shockwave
ActiveMagnus sends out a shockwave in the target direction, damaging enemy units in a straight line and pulling them slightly towards him. It also applies a movement speed slow for a short duration.
Notes: Ground targeting from fog won't reveal you, but direct unit targeting will. The pull is not a stun and doesn't cancel channels, but can interrupt spells that apply forced movement on casters.
Empower
Target UnitGives an allied unit bonus damage and cleave on attack. When cast on Magnus, the hero receives a 50% larger bonus. Ranged allies still benefit from the damage bonus but not the cleave.
Notes: Only amplifies base damage and damage from attribute items, not raw damage items. Cleave range benefits from AoE bonuses tied to Magnus, not the target.
Skewer
ActiveMagnus rushes towards the target direction, goring enemy heroes caught in his path. It causes a movement speed slow and deals additional damage when skewering enemies through trees or cliffs.
Notes: The grab AoE is a circle around Magnus, not just the front. Enemies can be behind Magnus and still be pulled if close enough. Cannot be cast while rooted/leashed.
Reverse Polarity
ActiveMagnus pulls in nearby enemies in front of him and stuns them for a duration. Reverse Polarity ignores debuff immunity and can stun heroes even under Black King Bar.
Notes: Keep your finger primed on 'stop' hotkey when initiating to cancel if you're about to whiff. Fake casts can bait out evasion abilities like Puck's Phase Shift.
Shockwave (Shard Upgrade)
ActiveShockwave now returns to the original cast location after reaching max distance. The second Shockwave deals less damage.
Notes: Great for wave clearing and dealing damage in teamfights. The returning shockwave can hit enemies that moved out of the initial path.
Horn Toss (Aghanim's Scepter)
ActiveMagnus tosses any enemies in front of him to his rear. Enemies are stunned when they are in the air. Excellent for extending stun duration and setting up Skewer.
Notes: Use near the end of Reverse Polarity's stun to extend disable time and reposition enemies for Skewer. Can interrupt channeling abilities without committing RP.
Developer's Notes
Developer Insights
Magnus is one of the most versatile heroes in Dota 2, capable of controlling the flow of battle even without farm. With his powerful toolkit, he can be played in any position and have excellent impact throughout the game. His base strength and strength gain make him naturally tankier than many other heroes.
Key Insights:
- Reverse Polarity is one of the most powerful teamfight ultimates in the game
- Skewer provides unmatched positional control
- Empower makes you an excellent farming enabler for cores
Magnus rewards perfect positioning and timing. A well-executed Reverse Polarity can single-handedly win teamfights!
Game Strategy
Early Game
Timeframe: 0-15 minutes Objective: Control lane and secure core items Key: Use Shockwave to safely last hit and harass opponents; In mid lane, push waves efficiently with auto-attacks and Shockwave; In offlane, use Skewer to pull enemies toward your tower; Farm efficiently with Empower to accelerate item progression Items: Blink Dagger (Priority #1); Magic Wand for burst healing; Arcane Boots for mana management Tips: Ground target Shockwave from fog to avoid revealing yourself; Use close range Shockwave to set up Skewer; Shockwave's pull can interrupt channeling spells; Avoid getting hit by Shockwaves not meant for you
Mid Game
Timeframe: 15-30 minutes Objective: Initiate teamfights and control positioning Key: Use Blink + Reverse Polarity for perfect initiation; Look for opportunities to catch multiple enemies with RP; Communicate with team before Skewering to avoid messing up spells; Use Shockwave and right-clicks to follow up initiation Items: Black King Bar (Essential for spell casting); Echo Sabre for damage and slow; Power Treads for stats and attack speed Tips: Right-click behind you during RP cast to control enemy positions; Use Horn Toss near the end of RP stun to extend disable time; Keep enemies at max Skewer distance when ganking; Consider sacrificing Skewer's positioning to help teammates land spells
Late Game
Timeframe: 30+ minutes Objective: Execute game-winning teamfight combinations Key: Initiate on key enemy cores with Blink + RP; Use Refresher Orb for double Reverse Polarity; Combine Horn Toss with Reverse Polarity for extended disables; Provide Empower to allied carries for massive damage output Items: Refresher Orb (Double ultimate power); Shiva's Guard (Armor and utility); Assault Cuirass (Team armor reduction); Aghanim's Scepter (Horn Toss) Tips: Positioning is crucial - strike from the center of teamfights; Time initiation carefully against enemies with BKB or purge; Use fake RP casts to bait out evasion abilities; Your positioning can single-handedly win or lose teamfights
Tips & Strategies
Laning & Positioning
- Ground target Shockwave from fog to avoid revealing yourself
- Use close range Shockwave to set up Skewer by pulling enemies behind you
- Shockwave's pull can interrupt spells like Pangolier's Shield Crash or Phoenix's Icarus Dive
- When mid, expect Magnus to push the lane quickly with auto-attacks and Shockwave
Teamfight Execution
- Full combo: Reverse Polarity → Shockwave → Skewer backwards
- Right-click behind you during RP cast to control where enemies end up
- Use Horn Toss near the end of RP stun to extend disable time
- Communicate with team before Skewering to avoid messing up their spells
Advanced Techniques
- Magnus cannot cast Skewer while rooted/leashed
- Solid Core innate makes knockback sources less effective on him
- Use Harpoon to always bring targets into Skewer's pull AoE
- Fake RP casts can bait out evasion abilities like Puck's Phase Shift
Item Guide
Starting Items
Standard starting items for securing last hits and sustaining in lane. Builds into Bracer for additional stats.
Tango, Iron Branch, Quelling Blade, Gauntlet of Strength, Circlet
Core Items
Blink Dagger for initiation. Echo Sabre/Harpoon for damage and hook setup. BKB to ensure spell casting. Shard for upgraded Shockwave.
Blink Dagger, Echo Sabre/Harpoon, Black King Bar, Aghanim's Shard
Situational
Counter Guide
Good With
Magnus excels when paired with heroes who can capitalize on his initiation and provide follow-up damage or control. Enigma creates devastating combos with Black Hole after Reverse Polarity, while Crystal Maiden can safely channel Freezing Field behind Magnus's positioning control. Earthshaker benefits from Magnus's ability to group enemies for perfect Echo Slam placement, and Jakiro can follow up with Macropyre and Dual Breath on stunned enemies. The key is heroes who need enemies to be stationary or grouped - Magnus delivers exactly that through his powerful crowd control and positioning disruption.
Bad Against
Magnus struggles against heroes who can neutralize his core strengths or exploit his weaknesses. Zeus and Sniper provide long-range disables that prevent Magnus from getting into optimal position for Reverse Polarity. Venomancer and Viper excel at kiting with slows and poison damage, making it difficult for Magnus to initiate effectively. Abaddon and Tidehunter provide strong dispels that can save allies from Reverse Polarity or remove Magnus's buffs. Nature's Prophet and Lycan can split push effectively, forcing Magnus to defend multiple lanes. Viper applies break effects that can disable key abilities. The pattern is clear: heroes with long-range damage, strong kiting abilities, powerful dispels, or effective split-pushing all pose serious threats to Magnus's game plan.
Good Against
Magnus dominates heroes who rely on positioning, channeling, or multiple units. Illusion heroes like Phantom Lancer, Naga Siren, and Chaos Knight suffer immensely - Shockwave and Reverse Polarity make quick work of illusions while the real hero is vulnerable to being repositioned. Channeling heroes such as Enigma (Black Hole), Crystal Maiden (Freezing Field), and Witch Doctor (Death Ward) become sitting ducks when hit by Reverse Polarity mid-channel. Heroes with forced movement like Pangolier and Phoenix are particularly vulnerable as Magnus can interrupt their mobility spells. Position-dependent heroes like Sniper and Crystal Maiden lose their safety when suddenly pulled into the middle of fights. Magnus's ability to pierce spell immunity with his ultimate, combined with his unmatched positional control, makes him a nightmare for these hero types.