Abaddon
Abaddon, the Lord of Avernus, is a mysterious warrior who rides into battle on a spectral steed, bringing both salvation and damnation to those who cross his path.
At a Glance
Core Principles
“Death is not the end. It is merely the beginning of my borrowed time. Follow these commandments, and protection becomes absolute.”
Shield First, Think Later
Your Aphotic Shield is your greatest asset. Cast it before damage arrives, not after. Prevention beats reaction every time.
Master the Timing
Long cast animations demand prediction. Anticipate damage and CC before they happen. A split-second early is better than a second too late.
Borrowed Death
Borrowed Time makes you immortal. Use it aggressively. Walk into certain death knowing it becomes your greatest healing moment.
Be the Wall
You are not the damage dealer. You are the reason your damage dealers can deal damage. Position yourself between threats and your allies.
Dispel Everything
Aphotic Shield and Borrowed Time are your dispel tools. Use them to free your carry, save your team, and turn disabling effects into advantages.
The Unbreakable Guardian
Your job is to make enemies quit trying. When they see their efforts wasted on your borrowed time, they lose hope. That is your true victory.
Hero Overview
Abaddon is the ultimate protector, capable of turning certain death into triumphant survival. His unique combination of damage prevention, burst healing, and the most powerful defensive ultimate in the game makes him an invaluable asset to any team composition. Whether played as a position 4 support or offlane tank, Abaddon's presence ensures that allies stay alive and enemies find their efforts frustrated.
Abaddon's gameplay revolves around perfect timing of his protective abilities. Aphotic Shield serves as both a defensive barrier and offensive burst, while Mist Coil provides clutch healing or damage. His true power shines with Borrowed Time - an ability that can turn the tide of battle by making him temporarily immortal and converting all damage into healing. The Withering Mist innate adds consistent pressure throughout fights.
Pros
- Excellent defensive support with Aphotic Shield
- Borrowed Time provides unmatched survivability
- Strong dispel capabilities
- Versatile - can be played as support or offlane
- Great at protecting high-value allies
Cons
- Long cast animations can be punishing
- Limited damage output compared to other supports
- Vulnerable to break effects
- Short cast range on Aphotic Shield
- Relies on allies to capitalize on protection
Ability Analysis
Mist Coil
Target UnitAbaddon releases a coil of death that can damage an enemy unit or heal a friendly unit at the cost of some of Abaddon's own health.
Notes: Self-damage can be absorbed by Aphotic Shield. Use on enemies for damage, allies for healing. Remember that the self-damage will heal you during Borrowed Time.
Aphotic Shield
Target UnitSummons dark energies around an ally unit, creating a shield that absorbs a set amount of damage before removing certain negative effects and bursting.
Notes: Strong dispel that removes most disables and debuffs. Shield always bursts for full damage regardless of absorbed damage. Can be cast on creeps for split pushing.
Curse of Avernus
PassiveAbaddon strikes an enemy with a chilling curse, causing them to be slowed and take damage. The curse spreads to nearby enemies when the target is attacked. Allies who attack the cursed target gain increased movement and attack speed.
Notes: Attack speed buff works on buildings. Illusions can apply the curse. Excellent for teamfight momentum and pushing.
Borrowed Time
ActiveWhen activated, all damage dealt to Abaddon heals him instead. When Abaddon takes damage from an enemy, he automatically activates this ability if it's off cooldown.
Notes: Provides strong dispel on activation. Can be manually activated even while stunned. All damage becomes healing - perfect for surviving burst damage and using items like Blink Dagger.
Withering Mist
InnateAny damage you deal to enemies, from attacks, spells, or items, will apply Withering Mist that reduces health restoration.
Notes: Behaves similarly to Spirit Vessel against low HP targets. Applies through all damage sources including item actives and illusions.
Developer's Notes
Developer Insights
Abaddon is one of the most versatile support heroes in Dota 2. His Aphotic Shield provides both protection and burst damage, while Borrowed Time makes him nearly unkillable in teamfights.
Key Insights:
- Use Aphotic Shield proactively to prevent damage
- Mist Coil can be absorbed by your own shield for healing
- Borrowed Time can be manually activated for strong dispel
Abaddon excels at protecting allies and surviving impossible situations. Master the timing of his abilities to become an unbreakable guardian for your team!
Game Strategy
Early Game
Timeframe: 0-15 minutes Objective: Protect carry and establish lane dominance Key: Use Aphotic Shield to prevent harass on carry; Trade with Mist Coil when you have shield available; Harass with Curse of Avernus auto-attacks; Stack and pull to control lane equilibrium Items: Tranquil Boots (mobility and armor); Magic Wand (burst sustain); Arcane Boots (mana management) Tips: Cast Aphotic Shield preemptively, not reactively; Use Mist Coil to secure last hits when needed; Position to apply Curse of Avernus to multiple enemies; Save Borrowed Time for emergencies in early fights
Mid Game
Timeframe: 15-30 minutes Objective: Teamfight protection and objective control Key: Maintain shields on high-value allies; Use Borrowed Time aggressively to initiate; Apply pressure with Curse of Avernus in fights; Rotate to save endangered teammates Items: Force Staff (positioning and saves); Vladmir's Offering (team utility); Glimmer Cape (additional protection) Tips: Keep shields on cooldown priority targets; Use manual Borrowed Time to dispel stuns on yourself; Position near carries but not in the front line; Coordinate shield bursts with team initiation
Late Game
Timeframe: 30+ minutes Objective: Unbreakable frontline and team sustain Key: Tank important abilities with Borrowed Time; Provide constant protection to carries; Use Withering Mist to reduce enemy healing; Initiate with manual Borrowed Time activation Items: Shiva's Guard (armor and utility); Heart of Tarrasque (massive HP); Aghanim's Scepter (enhanced ultimate); Pipe of Insight (magic protection) Tips: Become the frontline for your carries; Use Borrowed Time to absorb ultimates and high-impact spells; Keep aura items active during fights; Save Aphotic Shield for crucial dispels
Tips & Strategies
Aphotic Shield Mastery
- Cast Aphotic Shield on yourself at fountain before TPing for free protection
- You can replace a Shield to burst it on demand for damage
- Shield burst won't damage units in fog or invisible units
- Use Shield on creeps for effective split pushing
Borrowed Time Techniques
- Manually activate Borrowed Time for strong dispel even when stunned
- All damage becomes healing during Borrowed Time, so you can use Blink Dagger
- Aphotic Shield doesn't absorb damage during Borrowed Time
- Break prevents auto-trigger, so watch for Silver Edge carriers
Mist Coil & Positioning
- Self-damage from Mist Coil can be absorbed by Aphotic Shield
- Withering Mist applies through all damage sources including item actives
- Long cast animations mean you need to predict damage
- Stay near high-value targets but maintain safe positioning
Item Guide
Starting Items
Basic sustain and stats for early laning. The healing items help offset Mist Coil self-damage.
Tango, Clarity, Circlet
Core Items
Arcane Boots solve mana issues, Magic Wand provides burst healing and stats, Tranquil Boots give excellent mobility for positioning.
Arcane Boots, Magic Wand, Tranquil Boots
Situational Items
Force Staff for positioning saves, Vladmir for aura stacking, Glimmer for additional protection, Pipe against magic damage.
Force Staff, Vladmir's Offering, Glimmer Cape, Pipe of Insight
Counter Guide
Good With
Abaddon excels when paired with heroes who benefit from his protection and can capitalize on the safety he provides. Phantom Assassin and Juggernaut become nearly unstoppable with constant Aphotic Shield protection, allowing them to dive deep without fear. Sniper and Drow Ranger benefit immensely from Abaddon's ability to keep enemies at bay while they deal damage from range. Crystal Maiden can safely channel her ultimate behind Abaddon's tanky presence. Carry heroes who struggle with survivability like Morphling or Sven reach their full potential with Abaddon as their guardian. The combination of Aphotic Shield's dispel and Borrowed Time's immunity makes Abaddon the perfect partner for heroes who need time to scale up or position optimally in teamfights.
Bad Against
Abaddon struggles against heroes who can bypass his defenses or nullify his abilities. Ancient Apparition is his worst nightmare - Ice Blast prevents healing and can kill through Borrowed Time. Axe forces Abaddon to attack during Berserker's Call, potentially wasting valuable positioning. Viper applies Break through Viper Strike, preventing Borrowed Time from auto-triggering. Nyx Assassin can burst Abaddon with Vendetta before he can react, and Mana Burn limits his spell usage. Silver Edge carriers from heroes like Riki or Phantom Assassin can Break Abaddon, making him vulnerable. Doom prevents Abaddon from using any of his abilities, including his ultimate. Heroes with high burst damage like Lina or Lion can kill Abaddon before Borrowed Time triggers if they deal over 400 damage in one combo.
Good Against
Abaddon dominates heroes who rely on damage over time, disables, or sustained damage. Crystal Maiden and Lich find their damage completely negated by Aphotic Shield, while their squishy nature makes them easy targets. Witch Doctor and Enigma have their crucial channeling abilities interrupted by Aphotic Shield's dispel. Bane finds his disables ineffective against Abaddon's multiple dispel options. Heroes with DoT abilities like Venomancer or Necrophos see their damage negated by Borrowed Time. Zeus and other magic burst heroes struggle against Abaddon's ability to survive and heal through their damage. Carries who depend on sustained right-click damage like Anti-Mage or Phantom Lancer find their momentum broken by Curse of Avernus slows and Aphotic Shield protection. Abaddon essentially nullifies heroes who cannot burst him down quickly or who rely on crowd control to be effective.