Treant Protector
Far to the west, in the mountains beyond the Vale of Augury, lie the remains of an ancient power. These ageless, titanic beings are charged with keeping the peace in dangerous lands, ensuring that none within encroach without reason, and none without poach with impunity.
At a Glance
Core Principles
“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. Stand guard, protect your allies, and let the forest guide your hand to victory.”
Be the Guardian
Your purpose is protection. Living Armor saves lives, Overgrowth prevents disaster. Time your protection perfectly, and your team will never fall.
Master the Forest
Trees are your weapon and shield. Control the battlefield through Nature's Grasp, use terrain to your advantage, become one with nature itself.
Patience is Power
Overgrowth is a game-changer, but timing is everything. Wait for the perfect moment, anticipate enemy movements, strike when victory is certain.
Protection Through Prediction
Cast Living Armor before damage arrives, not after. Anticipate ganks, predict tower dives, be the shield your team needs before they need it.
The Root of Victory
Overgrowth pierces immunity, cancels channels, provides true sight. Understand its power and you will control the flow of every teamfight.
Nature's Wisdom
Track invisibles with Leech Seed, protect globally with Living Armor, see everything with Eyes in Forest. Your insight will guide your team to triumph.
Hero Overview
Treant Protector is a versatile support hero who excels at protecting allies, controlling teamfights, and manipulating battlefield positioning through his unique synergy with trees. His high base armor and natural regeneration make him incredibly resilient, allowing him to sustain prolonged engagements and provide consistent protection to his team.
Treant's gameplay revolves around strategic positioning and timely use of his protective abilities. Nature's Grasp enables incredible mobility through forests, Leech Seed provides sustained healing and stealth tracking, Living Armor offers global protection, and Overgrowth serves as a game-changing ultimate that can single-handedly win teamfights by rooting multiple enemies through magic immunity.
Pros
- Excellent teamfight initiator with Overgrowth
- Global protection with Living Armor
- High mobility in forested areas with Nature's Grasp
- Sustained healing with Leech Seed
- Overgrowth pierces BKB and cancels channeling
Cons
- Limited mobility in open areas without trees
- Relies heavily on positioning and terrain
- Can struggle against teams with heavy tree-cutting
- Low damage output compared to other supports
- Telegraphed ultimate with predictable counterplay
Ability Analysis
Nature's Grasp
ActiveTreant launches vines in a target direction, slowing enemies. When cast near trees, the vines become empowered with additional effects.
Notes: Position near trees for maximum effectiveness. The empowered version provides greater slow duration and damage. Use this ability to control engagements and enable escapes through forested areas.
Leech Seed
Target UnitTreant plants a leech seed on an enemy, draining their health and healing nearby allies over time.
Notes: Works on invisible and fogged units, providing tracking through heal particles. Use on frontline creeps when pushing or key targets in teamfights. Healing continues even after target death.
Living Armor
ActiveTreant infuses allied units and buildings with protective energy, providing armor and health regeneration.
Notes: Global cast range - use minimap for quick targeting. Protect buildings during sieges and save allies from dives. Works on_creep-heroes and summons.
Overgrowth
ActiveTreant summons devastating roots that entangle enemies in a target area, preventing movement and attacks.
Notes: Pierces spell immunity and cancels channeling spells. Provides true sight on rooted targets. Perfect for catching key enemy heroes or interrupting crucial abilities.
Leech Seed (Shard Upgrade)
Target UnitLeech Seed plants a tree that provides vision and can be used with Nature's Grasp. Tree respawns 60 seconds after being cut.
Notes: The planted tree works with Nature's Grasp for mobility and provides useful vision. Strategic tree planting can enable unexpected flanking routes and escape paths.
Eyes in the Forest (Aghanim's Scepter)
ActiveTreant enchants a tree, creating an Eye that provides vision. Trees respawn 10 seconds after being cut.
Notes: Strategic vision control tool. Place Eyes in key locations for map awareness. The instant tree respawn on Agh pickup can be exploited by dropping and picking up the item repeatedly.
Developer's Notes
Developer Insights
Treant Protector is the ultimate guardian of nature, blending protection, healing, and control into one formidable package. His Nature's Grasp provides unmatched mobility and positioning when combined with trees, while Living Armor offers global protection for allies and structures.
Key Insights:
- Always position near trees for maximum effectiveness
- Use Leech Seed strategically for healing and stealth tracking
- Overgrowth pierces BKB and cancels channeling spells
Treant rewards patient, calculated play. Your strength lies in protecting allies and controlling the battlefield through nature itself!
Game Strategy
Early Game
Timeframe: 0-15 minutes Objective: Protect allies and establish lane presence Key: Use Living Armor to prevent early aggression; Harass with Leech Seed for healing and tracking; Maintain tree access for Nature's Grasp mobility; Position to protect carries from ganks Items: Tranquil Boots (Mobility & sustain); Magic Wand (Counter spam); Wind Lace (Positioning enhancement) Tips: Cast Living Armor on allies taking poke damage; Use Leech Seed on enemies in fog for tracking; Stay near treelines for escape potential; Stack camps with extra attack range when possible
Mid Game
Timeframe: 15-30 minutes Objective: Enable teamfights and protect objective Key: Use Overgrowth to catch key enemy heroes; Protect buildings with Living Armor during sieges; Enable team disengagement with Nature's Grasp; Position to support team initiations Items: Blink Dagger (Initiation tool); Blade Mail (Protection during Overgrowth); Aghanim's Scepter (Vision control) Tips: Wait for enemy positioning before committing Overgrowth; Use minimap to quickly cast Living Armor; Create escape paths with Nature's Grasp; Protect key objectives with timely armor casts
Late Game
Timeframe: 30+ minutes Objective: Win crucial teamfights through protection and control Key: Save Overgrowth for critical moment or enemy BKB; Provide global protection with Living Armor; Use Eyes in Forest for vision control; Enable high-ground fights with proper positioning Items: Shiva's Guard (Team utility); Heart of Tarrasque (Tankiness); Refresher Orb (Double Overgrowth); Guardian Greaves (Team sustain) Tips: Coordinate with team for Overgrowth timing; Use Agh tree respawn mechanics strategically; Protect high-ground pushes with Living Armor; Position to counter enemy initiation patterns
Tips & Strategies
Nature's Grasp Mastery
- Always position near trees for empowered Grasp - the bonus effects are crucial
- The vines themselves count as trees for Nature's Guise synergy
- Use Leech Seed trees first, then cast Grasp into them for bonus effects
- Practice movement patterns through forests to maximize mobility
Living Armor Strategy
- Use minimap or ALT-HP portraits for quick armor casting on allies
- Protect buildings during sieges - it forces full commitment from enemies
- Works on creep-heroes like Spirit Bear and Familiars
- Stack armor on key targets during teamfights for maximum protection
Overgrowth Execution
- Play chicken with enemy carries - many will waste BKB prematurely
- Overgrowth cancels channels through BKB - use it on Black Hole, Freezing Field
- Provides true sight on rooted targets for detection
- Consider saving for key enemy abilities rather than immediate use
Leech Seed Tactics
- Use on frontline creeps when pushing to heal your wave
- Track invisible enemies through heal particle effects
- Healing continues even after target death - use on dying enemies
- Cast on fogged enemies to confirm their position and movement
Agh's Scepter Techniques
- Instant tree respawn when picked up - abuse by dropping/picking up
- Place Eyes on Iron Branch trees for high-ground vision
- Trees won't respawn if units block their spawn location
- Vision disables without Agh in inventory but Eyes don't disappear
Item Guide
Starting Items
Basic sustain and mana regeneration for early lane presence. Iron Branches provide stats and can be planted for additional trees.
Tangos, Iron Branch, Clarity
Core Items
Tranquil Boots provide mobility and regeneration, Magic Wand counters spammy heroes, Wind Lace enhances positioning for Nature's Grasp.
Tranquil Boots, Magic Wand, Wind Lace
Situational Items
Blink for initiation, Blade Mail for protection, Force Staff for repositioning, Agh for vision control and tree management.
Blink Dagger, Blade Mail, Force Staff, Aghanim's Scepter
Counter Guide
Good With
Treant Protector excels alongside heroes who benefit from his protection and can capitalize on his initiation. Enigma creates devastating combos as Treant can set up perfect Black Hole positioning with Overgrowth. Earthshaker can follow up Treant's initiation with devastating Echo Slams on grouped enemies. Crystal Maiden can safely channel Freezing Field behind Treant's tanky presence. Nature's Prophet synergizes perfectly - both heroes manipulate forests and can create tactical advantages through tree control. Shadow Shaman and Witch Doctor can chain their disables after Overgrowth, ensuring enemies remain controlled. Heroes who need protection to be effective, channel spells, or benefit from grouped enemies all work exceptionally well with Treant's guardian playstyle and battlefield control.
Bad Against
Treant struggles against heroes who can neutralize his strengths or exploit his tree dependency. Timbersaw is his worst nightmare, constantly cutting down trees and dealing bonus damage against Treant's high armor. Broodmother can spread her webs everywhere and overwhelm Treant with spiderlings that his abilities can't efficiently control. Brewmaster can dispel Living Armor with Primal Split and burst through Treant's protection. Axe can call Treant and destroy his utility while being immune to much of Treant's toolkit. Heroes with strong tree-cutting abilities like Windranger (Windrun + Shackleshot) or Tusk (Walrus Punch) can limit his mobility. Anti-Mage burns his limited mana pool while Phantom Assassin's evasion makes her difficult to deal with. The pattern is clear: heroes who can destroy trees, dispel buffs, or burst through protection pose serious threats to Treant's effectiveness.
Good Against
Treant dominates heroes who rely on positioning, channeling, or sustained damage output. Channeling heroes like Enigma (Black Hole), Crystal Maiden (Freezing Field), Witch Doctor (Death Ward), and Sand King (Epicenter) become completely neutralized by Overgrowth's BKB-piercing root. Illusion heroes suffer as Treant can plant Leech Seed on the real hero and track them through heal particles, while Living Armor protects allies from illusion damage. Squishy supports without mobility like Sniper, Drow Ranger, and Ancient Apparition are easy prey when caught out of position. Heroes reliant on trees like Nature's Prophet and Mirana lose their escape options when Treant controls the forest. Melee carries who need to get close like Ursa and Lifestealer find themselves kited and controlled while Treant's team can safely attack. His ability to protect allies, cancel channels through immunity, and control battlefield positioning makes him a nightmare for heroes who need channeling time, specific positioning, or sustained damage to be effective.