Lifestealer
Once a gladiator in the pits of hell, N'aix now roams the world seeking fresh blood to sustain his eternal hunger.
At a Glance
Core Principles
“The hunt never ends. Every wound is a meal, every fight a feast. These are the laws of the eternal hunter.”
Embrace the Sustain
Your strength grows as fights continue. Feast ensures you get stronger over time. Don't fear extended engagements - you thrive in them.
Rage is Wisdom
Magic immunity isn't just offense - it's survival. Time Rage perfectly to avoid disables, not just for attack speed. Knowledge of enemy spell timing is power.
The Perfect Hunt
Open Wounds makes escape impossible. Use it to isolate prey, secure kills, and turn chases into guaranteed feasts.
Bomb Strategy
Infest transforms you from predator to tactical weapon. Coordinate with mobile teammates to deliver death on impact. Surprise is your greatest weapon.
Sustain Management
Armlet toggling, Feast timing, and Rage usage - master the rhythm of self-damage and healing. Control your HP perfectly to out-sustain everyone.
Never Stop Eating
Every attack heals. Every creep is a meal. Your presence drains the enemy team's resources. Be the relentless hunter who never gives the fight time to breathe.
Hero Overview
Lifestealer is a terror in close combat, draining life from enemies with every strike while shrugging off magical assaults. His innate Feast ability ensures he gets stronger as fights drag on, while Rage provides crucial magic immunity and attack speed boost. The Infest ultimate transforms him from a straightforward brawler into a strategic weapon capable of surprise appearances and team coordination.
Lifestealer's gameplay revolves around sustained engagement and strategic positioning. Use Rage to disable magical threats while you relentlessly beat down targets. Open Wounds provides both slow and healing, making 1v1 scenarios heavily in your favor. The true potential emerges with Infest - hide inside allies for perfect positioning or use them as delivery systems to reach isolated enemies. In teamfights, you become an unkillable force that melts through enemy lines.
Pros
- Exceptional sustain with Feast
- Magic immunity on demand with Rage
- Powerful ganking tool with Open Wounds
- Strategic positioning with Infest
- Dueling champion in 1v1 situations
- High damage output with attack speed steroids
Cons
- Vulnerable to kiting without Rage
- No built-in mobility tools
- Susceptible to physical burst damage
- Can be isolated and killed easily
- Relies on getting close to be effective
Ability Analysis
Feast
PassiveLifestealer drains the life of enemy units he attacks, healing himself for a percentage of the target's current health. Also allows denying allied creeps at 75% HP.
Notes: Your core sustain ability. The lifesteal is percentage-based, making it more effective against high-health targets. Combined with attack speed items, this becomes an incredible healing source. Remember you can deny creeps earlier than normal.
Rage
ActiveLifestealer enters a mindless rage, gaining magic immunity and increased attack speed for a duration.
Notes: Your defensive and offensive steroid. Time it perfectly to avoid key disables and burst damage. The attack speed boost synergizes incredibly well with Feast lifesteal. Remember this prevents Tormentor damage reflection.
Open Wounds
Target UnitLifestealer rends an enemy, causing them to bleed and take damage over time while being slowed. Allies who attack the target are healed for a percentage of their damage dealt.
Notes: Excellent ganking and chasing ability. The heal applies to all attackers, including allies. Midas a creep under this effect for extra healing. Use it to stick to targets or escape difficult situations.
Infest
ActiveLifestealer infests a target unit, becoming hidden and dormant inside them. When emerging, he deals damage to nearby enemies and receives burst movement speed and health.
Notes: The ultimate versatility tool. Use it for positioning, escape, or as a delivery system. Does a rare dispel that removes both buffs and debuffs. Consider infesting dying allies for emergency healing. Watch out for illusions - they don't copy Feast stacks.
Open Wounds (Shard Upgrade)
ActiveOpen Wounds now creates two additional projectiles that bounce between nearby enemies.
Notes: Significantly improves teamfight presence. The bouncing wounds can slow multiple enemies and provide more healing opportunities. Essential for late-game where multiple targets need to be controlled.
Infest (Aghanim's Scepter)
ActiveInfest grants Lifestealer control over the host unit for the duration. Can also target enemy heroes to silence and damage them.
Notes: Transforms into a powerful control tool. Taking control of allies provides tactical flexibility. Targeting enemy heroes creates unusual silence and damage opportunities—changes how you approach teamfights and ganks.
Developer's Notes
Developer Insights
Lifestealer is one of the most resilient carries in Dota 2. His Feast innate ability provides exceptional sustain, making him incredibly dangerous in prolonged fights.
Key Insights:
- Rage gives you magic immunity and increased attack speed
- Infest allows for strategic positioning and surprise attacks
- You excel at surviving ganks and turning fights around
Lifestealer rewards aggressive playstyle backed by strong sustain. Don't be afraid to dive deep with Rage active - you can often out-sustain your opponents!
Game Strategy
Early Game
Timeframe: 0-15 minutes Objective: Secure farm and build towards core items Key: Focus on safe farming with Quelling Blade; Use Feast sustain for aggressive trading; Consider jungle farming if lane is difficult; Build towards Armlet components Items: Armlet of Mordiggian (Priority #1); Power Treads for mobility; Echo Sabre for damage boost Tips: Toggle Armlet carefully during fights; Use your strong lifesteal to survive ganks; Don't overextend without Rage available; Consider stacking camps for later farming
Mid Game
Timeframe: 15-30 minutes Objective: Dominate 1v1s and participate in teamfights Key: Use Open Wounds to isolate targets; Initiate fights when Rage is available; Farm jungle efficiently between fights; Coordinate Infest bomb plays Items: Basher for lockdown; Desolator for damage; Aghanim's Scepter for utility Tips: Perfect timing for Rage is crucial; Use Infest for surprise positioning; Focus squishy supports in teamfights; Don't waste Open Wounds on tanks
Late Game
Timeframe: 30+ minutes Objective: Be the unkillable frontline force Key: Maximize armor and HP; Use Aghs for tactical advantages; Coordinate with initiators for perfect bombs; Be frontline for team Items: Satanic for massive sustain; Heart of Tarrasque (Survivability); Abyssal Blade for lockdown Tips: Manage Armlet toggling carefully; Use Infest to escape rough situations; Focus on key targets in fights; Don't underestimate your tankiness
Tips & Strategies
Sustain & Farming
- Feast allows denying allied creeps at 75% HP instead of 50% - use this strategically.
- Toggle Armlet while TPing to activate without losing HP.
- Turn on Armlet before picking up Shield or Illusion runes for immediate benefit.
- Midas creeps with Open Wounds for extra healing.
Combat Execution
- Rage prevents Tormentor damage reflection - crucial for Roshan attempts.
- Use Rage to avoid key disables, not just for attack speed.
- Open Wounds ensures you can stick to kiting opponents.
- Learn the Illusion counter - real Lifestealer always shows Feast stack numbers.
Infest Mastery
- Infest applies a rare dispel - removes both buffs AND debuffs.
- Consider Infesting dying allies for emergency HP burst and speed.
- You lose rune buffs when you Infest allies - be strategic about timing.
- Aghs upgrade gives control over host units - game-changing tactical option.
Item Guide
Starting Items
Basic farming tools and early sustain. Quelling Blade helps with last hits, Tangos provide healing.
Quelling Blade, Tangos, Iron Branch
Core Items
Armlet provides insane damage and sustain with Feast. Treads offer attribute switching and speed. Echo Sabre gives burst damage and mana management.
Armlet of Mordiggian, Power Treads, Echo Sabre
Situational Items
Basher for lockdown, Abyssal for initiation through BKB, Desolator for armor reduction, Silver Edge for break effect.
Basher, Abyssal Blade, Desolator, Silver Edge
Counter Guide
Good With
Lifestealer excels with heroes who can deliver him into combat or provide setup lockdown. Clockwerk and Spirit Breaker are perfect 'bomb' carriers - they initiate and you Infest for surprise appearances. Storm Spirit and Io can transport you across the map instantly, creating unpredictable ganks. Tusk provides initiation and Snowball delivery combos. Nature's Prophet offers global presence via Teleportation while you're Infested. Earthshaker and Tidehunter setup perfect situations where you can clean up after their initiation. The key is heroes with strong initiation, mobility, or setup abilities that can get your right-click threat exactly where it needs to be.
Bad Against
Lifestealer struggles against heroes who can exploit his lack of mobility or kite him effectively. Ghost Scepter builders like supports make your attacks useless while their team runs away. Force Staff and Blink Dagger carriers easily escape your Open Wounds. Break effects from heroes like Viper completely neuter your survival. Kiting specialists such as Sniper, Drow Ranger, and Windranger can damage you from safe range. Illusion heroes like Phantom Lancer make it difficult to find and kill the real hero. Bristleback takes minimal damage from your attacks while stacking quill damage. The pattern is heroes who can stay at range, make you irrelevant with Ghost Scepter, or apply break will shut down your effectiveness.
Good Against
Lifestealer dominates heroes who need to fight at close range or lack mobility options. Squishy supports like Crystal Maiden, Shadow Shaman, and Witch Doctor melt instantly to your burst damage with Open Wounds active. Channeling heroes such as Enigma and Sand King can't complete their ultimates when you're Rage-immune and beating them down. Low mobility carries without escape tools become easy prey once you close the distance. Magic-reliant heroes who need their spells to contribute become irrelevant when you trigger Rage at the right time. Melee carries who need sustained combat like Slardar or Sven find themselves out-sustained due to your Feast healing. Any hero who needs to be close to be effective or relies on magical damage will find themselves outmatched by your combination of magic immunity and percentage lifesteal.