Sand King
From the depths of the Scintillant Waste emerges Crixalis, the Sand King. An ancient scorpion of immense power, he commands the very essence of the desert, turning sand into both weapon and refuge.
At a Glance
Core Principles
“The desert remembers. Every shift, every grain, every strike echoes through eternity. Master the sands, and mastery of the battlefield follows.”
Patience is Power
Epicenter demands perfect timing. A delayed but executed ultimate is better than a rushed, interrupted one. Wait for the right moment.
Flow Like Sand
Burrowstrike is your canvas. Use it to bypass obstacles, escape danger, and create opportunities where none existed. Think in three dimensions.
The Storm Within
Sand Storm is both shield and weapon. Learn to use its defensive invisibility offensive, creating chaos in the eye of the storm.
Finite Strike
Caustic Finale punishes the stunned. Every Burrowstrike should lead to explosive results. Position for maximum detonations.
Dance of Initiation
Your entry dictates the battle. A single perfect Burrowstrike-Epicenter can win wars before they begin. Make every entrance count.
Master of Terrain
No obstacle can contain you. Trees, cliffs, spells - all become meaningless. Turn the battlefield itself into your weapon.
Hero Overview
Sand King is a versatile initiator who excels at disrupting enemy formations and delivering massive area-of-effect damage. His unique mobility through Burrowstrike allows him to bypass terrain and obstacles, making surprise initiations his specialty. The combination of his abilities creates a deadly dance of disruption and destruction that can turn any teamfight in your favor.
Sand King's gameplay revolves around the devastating Burrowstrike into Epicenter combination. His Burrowstrike serves as both initiation and escape, while Sand Storm provides defensive positioning and damage over time. Caustic Finale adds a finishing touch to his abilities, dealing bonus damage to stunned enemies and providing excellent farming potential. The key is timing - a perfectly executed Epicenter can win fights single-handedly.
Pros
- Excellent initiator with Burrowstrike-Epicenter combo
- High mobility with Burrowstrike that ignores obstacles
- Strong area-of-effect damage with Epicenter
- Sand Storm provides escape and defensive options
- Caustic Finale synergizes perfectly with stuns
Cons
- Highly reliant on successful Epicenter channeling
- Vulnerable during long Epicenter cast animation
- Mana issues in early game without proper management
- Requires good positioning and timing
- Weak against silences and long-range disables
Ability Analysis
Burrowstrike
ActiveSand King burrows underground and surfaces, stunning and damaging enemies in a line.
Notes: Burrowstrike ignores Linken's Sphere and Lotus Orbs. It's a movement spell that doesn't destroy trees and bypasses all obstacles in its path, including spells like Dark Willow's Bramble Maze or Faceless Void's Chronosphere. Aim behind enemies when planning Epicenter follow-up.
Sand Storm
ActiveSand King creates a sandstorm that makes him invisible and damages nearby enemies.
Notes: You'll temporarily reveal yourself when attacking or casting items/spells within the AoE. Use basic dispels like Eul's or Lotus Orb to remove Dust detection. Sand Storm can be used during Epicenter channel to remain hidden.
Caustic Finale
PassiveSand King's attacks put enemies in stasis. When the stasis expires, the enemy explodes, dealing area damage.
Notes: The innate won't trigger if a unit is denied. Perfect synergy with Burrowstrike's stun. Excellent for farming - clear creep waves and let Caustic Finale do the rest. The damage applies instantly to stunned enemies.
Epicenter
ActiveSends a disturbance into the earth, causing consecutive tremors that damage nearby enemies.
Notes: Use a 'stop' command to cancel cast animation without cooldown. Shift-queue Blink Dagger after cast, but choose destination at the last second as positions may change. Aghanim's Shard extends range significantly and pulses trigger on invisible and fogged units.
Epicenter (Shard Upgrade)
ActiveEpicenter radius increased by 275 and pulses apply a 35% slow and 35% miss chance.
Notes: The increased radius makes it much harder for enemies to escape. The additional slow and miss chance significantly increases the control potential. If enemies have vision of any part of the Agh's Shard Epicenter AoE, the whole spell is shown through fog.
Stinger (Aghanim's Scepter)
ActiveBurrowstrike in a 900 radius around Sand King, stunning and damaging all enemies.
Notes: Damage is applied as instant attack with true strike that ignores disarms. Applies attack modifiers (except cleave) and can proc effects on each target. Will break Smoke if it damages a unit. Excellent for initiation when multiple enemies are grouped.
Developer's Notes
Developer Insights
Sand King is the master of desert warfare, combining mobility, control, and devastating area damage. His Burrowstrike-Epicenter combo is one of the most feared initiation sequences in Dota 2.
Key Insights:
- Burrowstrike bypasses obstacles and spell effects entirely
- Sand Storm provides both defense and offensive opportunities
- Epicenter demands perfect positioning and timing
Sand King rewards precise execution and game sense. Master his movement and you'll control the battlefield like shifting sands.
Game Strategy
Early Game
Timeframe: 0-15 minutes Objective: Survive laning and secure Blink Dagger Key: Use Sand Storm for harassment and escape; Farm jungle camps when lane is unsafe; Coordinate Burrowstrike kills with supports; Stack camps for efficient farming Items: Arcane Boots (Mana sustain); Blink Dagger (Priority #1); Magic Wand (Burst healing) Tips: Use Sand Storm to heal and harass simultaneously; Position for multi-hero Burrowstrikes; Use Caustic Finale to farm efficiently; Watch for gank opportunities but prioritize safety
Mid Game
Timeframe: 15-30 minutes Objective: Perfect initiation and team fight control Key: Master Blink-Dagger-Epicenter combos; Use Burrowstrike for both initiation and escape; Control team fights with well-timed ultimates; Farm between fights using Sand Storm Items: Blink Dagger (Essential); Black King Bar (Channel protection); Aghanim's Shard (Ultimate enhancement) Tips: Aim Burrowstrike behind enemies before Epicenter; Use Sand Storm during Epicenter to stay hidden; Bait enemies into bad positions with Sand Storm; Coordinate with team for follow-up damage
Late Game
Timeframe: 30+ minutes Objective: Game-changing initiation and sustained damage Key: Critical team fight initiation direction; Position to maximize Epicenter damage; Use Aghanim's Scepter for massive AoE; Survive to provide consistent disruption Items: Aghanim's Scepter (Game-changing); Black King Bar (Essential survival); Shiva's Guard (Armor and utility) Tips: Save Burrowstrike for repositioning during fights; Use Sand Storm to bait enemy spells; Perfect timing is more important than aggression; Coordinate with team for multi-hero initiations
Tips & Strategies
Burrowstrike Mastery
- Burrowstrike ignores Linken's Sphere and Lotus Orbs completely.
- You'll bypass any spells in your path, including Chronosphere or Ice Path.
- Aim behind enemies when planning Epicenter follow-up for maximum effectiveness.
- The projectile nature means you're completely safe during travel.
Epicenter Execution
- Use 'stop' command to cancel cast animation without cooldown.
- Shift-queue Blink after Epicenter but choose destination at last second.
- Sand Storm during channel to remain hidden and protected.
- Aghanim's Shard extends range significantly with additional crowd control.
Sand Storm Strategy
- You'll briefly reveal when attacking or casting - plan accordingly.
- Use basic dispels to remove Dust detection after leaving AoE.
- Excellent for both escape and offensive positioning.
- Can be used to bait enemies into unfavorable positions.
Item Guide
Starting Items
Early sustain and mana management. The Mantle helps with early spell casting and can build into Null Talisman.
Tangos, Flask, Mantle of Intelligence
Core Items
Blink Dagger is essential for Epicenter positioning. Shard enhances your ultimate, and BKB ensures your Epicenter channels complete.
Blink Dagger, Aghanim's Shard, Black King Bar
Situational Items
Khanda for damage amplification, Force Staff for mobility, Shiva's Guard for armor and slow, Agh's for massive AoE Burrowstrike.
Khanda, Force Staff, Shiva's Guard, Aghanim's Scepter
Counter Guide
Good With
Sand King excels with heroes who can capitalize on his initiation and provide follow-up control or damage. Magnus creates devastating combos with Reverse Polarity after Epicenter, while Enigma benefits from Sand King's ability to group enemies for Black Hole. Dark Seer sets up perfect Echo Slams after Burrowstrike, and Earthshaker can combo his own massive AoE with Sand King's initiation. Tidehunter provides follow-up lockdown with Ravage, while Winter Wyvern can protect Sand King during Epicenter channel. The key is heroes who can either hold enemies in place for Epicenter or capitalize on the grouped enemies Sand King creates.
Bad Against
Sand King struggles against heroes who can interrupt his crucial Epicenter channel or nullify his initiation. Silencer and Doom prevent spell casting entirely, making Sand King nearly useless. Bloodseeker prevents escape during failed initiations with Thirst. Riki and Slardar provide vision that negates Sand Storm's defensive value. Bounty Hunter and Slardar reveal Sand King's position with Track and Sprint respectively. Legion Commander can duel during the long cast animation. Storm Spirit and Queen of Pain can easily escape and interrupt from range. Heroes with silences, vision, or burst mobility pose the greatest threat to Sand King's game plan.
Good Against
Sand King dominates heroes who rely on positioning, multiple units, or lack mobility. Illusion heroes like Phantom Lancer and Chaos Knight suffer from Epicenter's massive AoE damage while Caustic Finale punishes grouped illusions. Summon heroes such as Broodmother, Chen, and Enchantress are vulnerable to Sand Storm damage and Epicenter's effectiveness against multiple units. Immobile heroes like Sniper, Drow Ranger, and Crystal Maiden cannot escape Burrowstrike-Epicenter combos. Channeling heroes like Shadow Shaman, Witch Doctor, and Enigma are perfect targets for Burrowstrike interruption. Sand King's ability to bypass obstacles with Burrowstrike and deliver devastating AoE damage makes him a nightmare for heroes who lack mobility or rely on positioning safety.