Venomancer
In the Acid Jungles of Jidi Isle, poison runs in the veins and bubbles in the guts of every creature. Yet even in this toxic menagerie, Venomancer is acknowledged as the most venomous of all.
At a Glance
Core Principles
“Poison is not about the rush - it's about the certainty. Every second brings them closer to their inevitable end.”
Control the Creep Wave
Plague Wards are your tool for perfect creep equilibrium. Stop them when unnecessary, unleash them when needed. Master this, and you control the lane.
Stack Everything
Sepsis is cumulative. Venomous Gale, Poison Sting, Blood Grenade - stack them all. Then watch your right-clicks become lethal.
Vision is Victory
Plague Wards are eyes everywhere. Deny enemy rotations, spot ganks, control objectives. Information wins games.
Embrace the Slow Burn
You don't need burst. You need persistence. Let your poisons work their magic. Patience is your greatest weapon.
Deny Your Own
Never give enemies free gold. Deny your Plague Wards. Control every gold source. Every bit counts.
Master the Map
Block camps, control paths, secure objectives. Plague Wards are yours to command. Own the jungle, own the game.
Hero Overview
Venomancer is the embodiment of sustained damage and map control, capable of slowly but surely wearing down entire teams through relentless poison application. His Septic Shock innate ability makes him unique among supports - the more debuffs stack on an enemy, the more dangerous his auto-attacks become, allowing him to scale into a serious damage threat.
Venomancer's gameplay revolves around strategic Plague Ward placement and maximizing debuff stacks for Septic Shock. Whether denying enemy vision, controlling creep equilibrium, or providing sustained harassment in teamfights, every ability serves to make the battlefield increasingly toxic. His true strength emerges in prolonged engagements where his poison damage overwhelms enemies.
Pros
- Excellent map control with Plague Wards
- Sustained damage that ignores armor
- Strong laning presence with harassment
- Septic Shock makes auto-attacks scale with ability usage
- Great against multiple targets with poison spread
Cons
- Low burst damage for quick kills
- Vulnerable to dispels and debuff immunity
- Relatively squishy for sustained fights
- Plague Wards can push creep waves unintentionally
- Struggles against gap-closing assassins
Ability Analysis
Poison Sting
PassiveApplies a poison to targets that deals damage over time and slows their movement speed.
Notes: Your core harassment tool. The slow makes it difficult for enemies to escape or position. Damage is classified as HP removal, so it doesn't cancel consumables or Blink Daggers. Plague Wards apply half-damage but full-slow version when they attack.
Venomous Gale
ActiveReleases a wave of poison that damages and slows enemies in a line.
Notes: Primary initiation and escape tool. Use it to chase down enemies or create distance. Can be dispelled by enemies. Aghanim's Shard adds a stun effect that applies if enemies dispel the debuff.
Plague Ward
ActiveSummons a Plague Ward that attacks nearby units.
Notes: Your signature ability for vision, harassment, and creep control. Use for vision control, blocking camps, denying creep waves, and stacking poison on enemies. Remember to stop them manually when not needed to maintain creep equilibrium.
Poison Nova
ActiveCreates a ring of poison that deals massive damage over time to all enemies in a large area.
Notes: Game-changing ultimate for teamfights. The damage is enormous but requires setup. Use after enemy BKBs are burned or when enemies are committed to a fight. Secondary projectiles can hit invisible and fogged enemies.
Septic Shock
PassiveYour attacks deal bonus damage for each debuff affecting the target.
Notes: Doubles as both support and damage dealer. Stack multiple abilities on targets before right-clicking for massive damage. This makes you surprisingly deadly in prolonged fights where abilities are constantly reapplied.
Venomous Gale (Shard Upgrade)
ActiveVenomous Gale stuns enemies for 1.5 seconds if they dispel the poison.
Notes: Excellent catch-22 for enemies. They either take the full poison damage or risk stunning themselves by dispelling. Works especially well against heroes with frequent dispel abilities.
Developer's Notes
Developer Insights
Venomancer is a master of attrition and area control, excelling at wearing down enemies through constant poison damage. His Septic Shock innate makes his auto-attacks scale with the number of debuffs applied, transforming him from a support into a significant damage threat.
Key Insights:
- Plague Wards are not just for vision - they're tools for map control, creep equilibrium, and harassment
- Always layer your abilities to maximize Septic Shock damage output
- Poison Sting damage is HP removal, meaning it doesn't cancel consumables or Blink Daggers
Venomancer rewards patient, strategic play. Your strength lies in making every inch of the map hazardous for enemies.
Game Strategy
Early Game
Timeframe: 0-15 minutes Objective: Dominate lane through poison harassment and strategic ward placement Key: Use Plague Wards to control creep equilibrium; Harass with Poison Sting and Venomous Gale combos; Stack debuffs for Septic Shock damage spikes; Maintain vision control with ward placement Items: Arcane Boots (Mana sustain); Blood Grenades (Debuff stacking); Wind Lace (Positioning) Tips: Stop Plague Wards manually when not needed to maintain creep equilibrium; Use CTRL + unified orders for efficient ward control; Place wards outside spawn boxes when jungling to avoid blocking camps; Deny your own Plague Wards to prevent enemy gold
Mid Game
Timeframe: 15-30 minutes Objective: Control teamfights with map denial and sustained damage Key: Use Plague Wards to block enemy camps and paths; Maximize Septic Shock by layering all abilities; Position safely while providing constant attrition; Create chokepoints with strategic ward placement Items: Ghoul's Gift (Team sustain); Force Staff (Positioning/escape); Magic Wand (Spell counter) Tips: Use wards to block jungle camps and starve enemies; Poison Nova secondary projectiles can hit invisible enemies; Stack multiple debuffs before right-clicking for maximum damage; Save Poison Nova for committed teamfights
Late Game
Timeframe: 30+ minutes Objective: Win prolonged fights through overwhelming poison damage Key: Survive initial burst to let poisons work; Use Agh's Scepter for devastating dual Nova potential; Maintain constant pressure with massive ward deployment; Position to maximize AoE poison coverage Items: Aghanim's Scepter (Dual Nova); Shiva's Guard (Survivability/Utility); Blade Mail (When focused) Tips: Dual Poison Nova can turn impossible fights; Stack as many debuffs as possible before committing to fights; Use Plague Wards as body blockers to protect your position; Dispels are your biggest weakness - time abilities accordingly
Tips & Strategies
Plague Ward Mastery
- Stop your Plague Wards manually (S key) when not attacking to maintain creep equilibrium
- Use CTRL + right click for unified ward orders when chasing or farming
- Place wards on high ground for vision without revealing your position
- Deny your own wards to prevent enemy gold gain
Septic Shock Optimization
- Always apply Venomous Gale + Poison Sting before right-clicking for maximum damage
- Blood Grenades are cheap and easy ways to add an extra debuff stack
- In teamfights, focus lightly debuffed enemies first for big damage spikes
- Multiple It doesn't matter how strong each debuff is - quantity over quality
Positioning & Vision
- Plague Wards have 800 vision range - use them liberally for map control
- Wards can block narrow paths and jungle camps
- Place wards outside spawn boxes to avoid blocking neutral camps
- Use wards to scout Roshan and important objectives
Item Guide
Starting Items
Essential support setup with vision and early harass capability through Blood Grenades for Septic Shock stacks.
Tangos, Courier, Observer Ward, Blood Grenade
Core Items
Arcane Boots sustain your spell spam, Magic Wand provides survival against spell-heavy lanes, Wind Lace enhances positioning.
Arcane Boots, Magic Wand, Wind Lace
Situational Items
Ghoul's Gift sustain, Blade Mail when focused, Force Staff for positioning, Witch Blade for extra damage and slow.
Ghoul's Gift, Blade Mail, Force Staff, Witch Blade
Counter Guide
Good With
Venomancer excels with heroes who need enemies to stay still or who benefit from prolonged engagements. Enigma synergizes perfectly - Venomancer's poisons keep enemies in place while Black Hole channels, and Plague Wards provide vision for perfect Black Hole setups. Crystal Maiden works brilliantly as both heroes excel at attrition - CM's aura helps Venomancer's mana issues while Freezing Field benefits from poisoned, slowed enemies. Shadow Shaman provides additional lockdown that pairs well with Venomancer's damage over time. Witch Doctor creates devastating poison + Maledict combos that ensure kills. Jakiro and Leshrac provide AoE damage that synergizes with grouped enemies. Heroes with sustained damage benefit from Venomancer's ability to make every fight a war of attrition.
Bad Against
Venomancer struggles against heroes with strong dispels, burst damage, or gap-closing abilities. Templar Assassin and Phantom Assassin can quickly burst through Venomancer's low base armor and HP. Antimage burns mana and can escape with Blink, making it difficult to maintain poison stacks. Nyx Assassin with Vendetta and Spiked Carapace can burst Venomancer before poisons take effect. Oracle's Fate's Edict completely negates Venomancer's magic damage, while Purifying Flame provides healing bursts. Abaddon with Aphotic Shield and Borrowed Time makes killing him nearly impossible. Heroes with frequent dispels like Juggernaut and Lifestealer can consistently remove Venomancer's debuffs. Gap-closing assassins like Riki and Bounty Hunter can isolate and burst Venomancer before he can react.
Good Against
Venomancer dominates heroes who lack mobility, rely on healing, or summon multiple units. Illusion heroes like Phantom Lancer and Naga Siren suffer immensely - Plague Wards and Poison Nova cleave through illusions while poisons wear down the real hero. Healing-dependent heroes like Alchemist, Wraith King, and Huskar find their sustain overwhelmed by Poison Sting's HP removal damage. Position-dependent heroes like Sniper, Crystal Maiden, and Enchanter are vulnerable to Venomous Gale and constant ward harassment. Summon-based heroes like Broodmother and Nature's Prophet see their units demolished by Plague Wards. Tanky heroes without mobility like Centaur and Tide Watcher slowly but surely fall to sustained poison damage. Heroes without dispels can't escape the relentless attrition. Venomancer's strength lies in making every second of contact increasingly painful, eventually overwhelming opponents through sheer damage accumulation.