Necrophos
A master of death and decay, Necrophos harvests the souls of the fallen to sustain his dark powers. With abilities that drain life and amplify damage, he thrives in prolonged engagements where his relentless presence can turn the tide of battle.
At a Glance
Core Principles
“Harvest souls, sustain presence, and execute with precision - through death comes power for those who master the art of attrition warfare.”
Master Sustainability
Your strength lies in your ability to sustain through prolonged engagements. Use Death Pulse to both damage enemies and heal allies, maximizing its value in teamfights. Leverage your Sadist passive by actively farming and participating in kills to maintain mana and health. Remember that you get regeneration from any unit kill, including denies and buildings, making you incredibly sustainable throughout the game.
Execute with Precision
Reaper's Scythe is your most powerful tool, but it requires precise timing. Use it as an execute ability on low-health targets rather than as an initiation tool. The permanent damage stacks you gain from kills make you increasingly dangerous as the game progresses. Prioritize securing kills with Reaper's Scythe to build these stacks, but remember that Death Pulse alone won't finish off targets - always follow up with other abilities or attacks.
Utilize Ghost Shroud
Ghost Shroud is a versatile ability that offers both survivability and utility. Use it to survive burst damage, amplify healing from sources like Mekansm or Arcane Boots, and become immune to physical damage. However, remember that you take bonus magic damage while shrouded, so time it carefully to avoid enemy nukes. If you're struggling to right-click due to Ghost Shroud's ethereal state, consider purchasing a Nullifier.
Leverage Profane Potency
The Profane Potency facet makes your Death Pulse range dynamic based on your Sadist stacks. Enable the Dota Labs 'Persistent Range Indicators' feature to track the changing AoE. This facet adds another layer of complexity to your gameplay, requiring you to constantly adjust your positioning based on your current stacks. Use this to your advantage by building stacks before major engagements to maximize your impact.
Master Death Seeker
Death Seeker (Agh's Shard) is a powerful mobility and initiation tool. Use it to break Linken's Sphere before following up with Reaper's Scythe. The ability makes you untargetable and invulnerable during flight, allowing you to avoid dangerous spells like Disruptor's Glimpse or go through Kinetic Field. Remember that you can't cast Death Seeker while rooted or leashed, so plan your movements accordingly.
Control Teamfights
Your Heartstopper Aura provides consistent pressure in teamfights, especially against heroes with high health pools. Position yourself to maximize its effectiveness while staying safe from focus fire. Use Death Pulse to both damage enemies and heal allies, creating a sustained presence that can turn the tide of prolonged engagements. With Aghanim's Scepter, your Reaper's Scythe creates death zones that can control teamfight areas and zone out enemies.
Hero Overview
Necrophos is a versatile intelligence hero who excels as both a core and support. His unique combination of damage over time, healing, and percentage-based damage makes him particularly effective against tanky heroes and in prolonged engagements. With the ability to scale permanently through kills, he becomes increasingly dangerous as the game progresses.
The hero's strength lies in his sustainability and teamfight presence. His Heartstopper Aura provides consistent pressure in teamfights, while Death Pulse offers both damage and healing. Reaper's Scythe serves as a powerful execute ability that also provides permanent scaling. With the 'Profane Potency' facet, his Death Pulse range becomes dynamic, adding another layer of complexity to his gameplay.
Pros
- Powerful teamfight presence with Heartstopper Aura
- Strong sustainability with Death Pulse and Sadist
- Permanent scaling with Reaper's Scythe stacks
- Effective against tanky heroes
- Versatile with Profane Potency facet
- Excellent in prolonged engagements
Cons
- Vulnerable to magic immunity
- Limited mobility
- Dependent on mana management
- Ghost Shroud prevents attacking
- Weak against burst damage
- Requires good positioning for effectiveness
Ability Analysis
Sadist
InnateInnate ability that grants Necrophos health and mana regeneration for each unit kill. Stacks with multiple kills.
Notes: You get innate Sadist regen stacks off any unit you kill including buildings, wards, and creep denies. The only exceptions are illusions or Arc Warden's Tempest Double. This passive makes you incredibly sustainable throughout the game, especially when you're actively farming or participating in kills.
Death Pulse
ActiveReleases a wave of death energy that deals damage to enemies and heals allies. The AoE increases with each stack of Sadist.
Notes: Death Pulse can hit invis and fogged units. With the 'Profane Potency' facet, the AoE of your Death Pulse will constantly be changing based on your Sadist stacks. Enabling the Dota Labs 'Persistent Range Indicators' feature in settings can help you dynamically track the maximum distance. Remember that Death Pulse never quite finishes off enemies on its own - always follow up with other abilities or attacks.
Heartstopper Aura
PassiveAn aura that deals percentage-based magic damage to nearby enemies. The damage is calculated based on the enemy's current health.
Notes: Heartstopper Aura will deal damage to enemies in fog, but they won't see the Heartstopper debuff in their status bar if they don't have vision of you. Your team will always see the debuff in an enemy's status bar regardless of vision, so you can't use this to check if enemies have vision of you. The aura is particularly effective in teamfights and against heroes with high health pools.
Ghost Shroud
ActiveNecrophos transforms into a ghost form, gaining magic resistance and amplifying HP/mana regeneration from all sources. Unable to attack in this form.
Notes: Ghost Shroud boosts HP/mana regen from all sources, including teammates. Shroud yourself before a Keeper of the Light Chakra Magic or Omniknight Purification or Mekansm/Greaves or Arcane Boots. Also, shroud before using a Magic Wand or Healing Lotus for the regen amp. Ghost Shroud makes you immune to physical damage even from spells like Juggernaut's Omnislash or Bristleback's Quill Spray. However, you take bonus magic damage while shrouded.
Reaper's Scythe
ActiveStuns and deals damage to a target enemy based on their missing health. If the target dies, Necrophos gains permanent damage bonus. Can be upgraded with Aghanim's Scepter.
Notes: You get permanent Reaper's Scythe stacks off Aegis kills or Wraith King Reincarnation kills. You can even get permanent stacks by killing enemy illusions. The damage is based on missing health, making it a powerful execute ability against low-health targets. With Aghanim's Scepter, the target leaves a death zone that damages enemies in the area, adding additional teamfight control.
Death Seeker (Agh's Shard)
ActiveNecrophos launches a death projectile that damages enemies along its path and teleports him to the target location upon impact.
Notes: Death Seeker can be a useful spell to break Linken's Sphere so you can follow up with Reaper's Scythe. Mechanically, the ability hides your hero at the casting location and then moves you to the targeted location once the projectile lands. You're untargetable and invulnerable throughout the movement. This can be used to avoid spells like Disruptor's Glimpse or go through Kinetic Field. Note that you can't cast Death Seeker while rooted or leashed.
Developer's Notes
Developer Insights
Necrophos is a unique intelligence hero who combines sustainability with permanent scaling. His Sadist passive makes him incredibly sustainable through farming and kills, while Reaper's Scythe provides permanent damage growth.
Key Insights:
- Heartstopper Aura provides constant pressure in teamfights, especially against tanky heroes
- Death Pulse is your primary tool for both damage and healing
- Ghost Shroud makes you immune to physical damage but vulnerable to magic damage
Necrophos rewards players who can balance aggression with sustainability. Master the art of attrition warfare and you'll become an unstoppable force of death on the battlefield!
Game Strategy
Early Game
Timeframe: 0-15 minutes Objective: Farm and harass with Death Pulse sustainability Key: Focus on farming and harassing enemies with Death Pulse; Use Sadist passive to sustain mana and health by last hitting creeps; Heartstopper Aura can slowly chip away at enemy health in lane; If playing support, prioritize securing kills for your carry; Remember that you get Sadist stacks from any unit kill, including denies Items: Power Treads for stats and mobility; Magic Wand for burst regeneration; Bottle for rune control (mid lane) Tips: Last hit creeps to activate Sadist regeneration; Use Death Pulse to both harass enemies and sustain yourself; Heartstopper Aura works even when enemies are in fog; Build Sadist stacks before major engagements; Position carefully to maximize Death Pulse effectiveness
Mid Game
Timeframe: 15-30 minutes Objective: Secure kills and build Reaper's Scythe stacks Key: Look for pickoffs with Reaper's Scythe on isolated targets; Position to maximize Heartstopper Aura effectiveness; Use Death Pulse to both damage enemies and heal allies; Use Ghost Shroud to survive burst damage; Begin building permanent Reaper's Scythe stacks by securing kills Items: Aghanim's Shard for Death Seeker mobility; Aghanim's Scepter for enhanced Reaper's Scythe; Shiva's Guard for armor and control Tips: Use Death Seeker to break Linken's Sphere before Reaper's Scythe; Ghost Shroud before using healing items for amplified regeneration; Heartstopper Aura is particularly effective in teamfights; Target low-health enemies with Reaper's Scythe for execution; Build permanent stacks by securing kills with your ultimate
Late Game
Timeframe: 30+ minutes Objective: Execute key targets and control teamfights Key: Execute key targets with Reaper's Scythe; Position safely while maximizing Heartstopper Aura; Use Ghost Shroud to survive focus fire; Create death zones with Aghanim's Scepter; Leverage permanent damage stacks for increased threat Items: Refresher Orb for double Reaper's Scythe; Scythe of Vyse for additional control; Radiance for increased damage output Tips: Wait for the right moment to use Reaper's Scythe on key targets; Death zones from Aghanim's Scepter can control teamfight areas; Use Ghost Shroud to avoid physical damage bursts; Your permanent stacks make you increasingly dangerous; Coordinate with team to maximize Heartstopper Aura impact
Tips & Strategies
Profane Potency Facet
- If you use the 'Profane Potency' facet, enable Dota Labs 'Persistent Range Indicators' to track Death Pulse's changing AoE
- You get Sadist regen stacks from any unit kill including buildings, wards, and creep denies
- Only illusions and Arc Warden's Tempest Double don't give Sadist stacks
- Death Pulse never quite finishes off enemies - always follow up with other abilities
- Death Pulse can hit invisible and fogged units
Ability Mechanics
- Ghost Shroud amplifies HP/mana regen from all sources, including teammates
- Shroud before receiving healing from Keeper's Chakra, Omni's Purification, or Arcane Boots
- Shroud before using Magic Wand or Healing Lotus for amplified regeneration
- Ghost Shroud makes you immune to physical damage even from spells like Omnislash
- You take bonus magic damage while in Ghost Shroud - time it carefully
Reaper's Scythe Stacking
- Get permanent Reaper's Scythe stacks from Aegis kills or Wraith King Reincarnations
- You can get permanent stacks by killing enemy illusions
- The damage is based on missing health, making it a powerful execute
- With Aghanim's Scepter, targets leave death zones that damage enemies
- Prioritize securing kills to build permanent damage stacks
Advanced Techniques
- Death Seeker (Agh's Shard) can break Linken's Sphere for Reaper's Scythe follow-up
- Death Seeker hides you during flight - you're untargetable and invulnerable
- Use Death Seeker to avoid spells like Glimpse or go through Kinetic Field
- You can't cast Death Seeker while rooted or leashed
- If struggling to right-click due to Ghost Shroud, get Nullifier to dispel ethereal state
Item Guide
Starting Items
Standard starting items for a core Necrophos. Circlet and Mantle provide early stats. Faerie Fire offers burst healing for trades. Tangos and Clarities help with sustainability in lane.
Tango, Faerie Fire, Circlet, Mantle of Intelligence, Clarity
Core Items
Aghanim's Scepter enhances Reaper's Scythe with death zones. Aghanim's Shard provides Death Seeker for mobility and initiation. Shiva's Guard offers armor and attack speed slow. Scythe of Vyse provides additional disable. Radiance increases your damage output and works well with Heartstopper Aura.
Aghanim's Scepter, Aghanim's Shard, Shiva's Guard, Scythe of Vyse, Radiance
Luxury & Situational
Refresher Orb allows double Reaper's Scythe for massive burst. Octarine Core reduces cooldowns and provides spell lifesteal. Bloodstone offers mana sustainability and respawn reduction. Linken's Sphere protects against disables. Nullifier allows you to attack while in Ghost Shroud and dispels enemy buffs.
Refresher Orb, Octarine Core, Bloodstone, Linken's Sphere, Nullifier
Counter Guide
Good With
Necrophos excels when paired with heroes who can amplify his healing and control capabilities. Keeper of the Light provides Chakra Magic that works perfectly with Ghost Shroud's amplification, giving Necrophos massive mana regeneration. Omniknight offers Purification that can be amplified by Ghost Shroud, providing massive burst healing. Dazzle provides Shadow Wave that can be amplified and Grave to save Necrophos from dangerous situations. Oracle can provide False Promise to protect Necrophos while he deals damage, and his healing can be amplified by Ghost Shroud. Crystal Maiden provides mana regeneration aura that works well with Necrophos's sustainability. The key is heroes who provide healing or mana that synergizes with Ghost Shroud's amplification, or heroes who can protect Necrophos while he does his work.
Bad Against
Necrophos struggles against heroes who can neutralize his core strengths or exploit his weaknesses. Juggernaut and Lifestealer with magic immunity can completely ignore Necrophos's damage output. Lina and Lion provide massive burst damage that can eliminate Necrophos before he can sustain himself. Ancient Apparition with Ice Blast prevents healing, completely countering Necrophos's sustainability. Doom applies an aura that blocks healing, making Necrophos's Death Pulse and Sadist ineffective. Anti-Mage burns Necrophos's mana pool, preventing him from casting crucial spells. Silencer provides global silence and intelligence steal that can shut down Necrophos completely. Nyx Assassin with Mana Burn and Vendetta can burst down Necrophos quickly. The pattern is clear: heroes with magic immunity, burst damage, healing reduction, mana burn, or silence all pose serious threats to Necrophos's game plan.
Good Against
Necrophos dominates heroes who rely on high health pools, healing, or lack mobility. Tanky heroes like Pudge, Tidehunter, Centaur, and Dragon Knight suffer immensely from Heartstopper Aura's percentage-based damage and Reaper's Scythe's execute mechanic. Heroes reliant on healing like Dazzle, Oracle, and Warlock find their healing efforts negated by Necrophos's consistent damage output. Heroes with limited mobility like Sniper, Crystal Maiden, and Drow Ranger are easy targets for Death Pulse and Reaper's Scythe. Heroes that give frequent Stick charges like Zeus, Lina, and Batrider essentially feed Necrophos's sustainability through Magic Wand procs. Illusion heroes like Phantom Lancer and Naga Siren provide additional targets for Sadist stacks. Heroes that need to get close like Ursa and Sven trigger Heartstopper Aura more consistently. Necrophos's combination of percentage-based damage, execute capability, and sustainability makes him a nightmare for these hero types who either have high health pools or rely on healing to survive.