Phoenix
In the eternal darkness, the first light of the Keeper's sun flickered with a faint glow. This self-aware beam of light was destined to shine and burn in the void. Over eons, this dazzling light gradually gathered infinite energy, erupting into a brilliant supernova. From this blazing fire, light like its origin scattered in all directions, crossing the dark oceans to reach every constellation. Soon these lights would also become supernovas, passing on light and heat in the same form. This miracle of life and rebirth continued until all heavens carved by the Titans were fully illuminated. From this eternal furnace, the star mortals call Phoenix collapsed into form. Like its predecessors, Phoenix plunged into the endless cosmos, spreading light energy to neighboring galaxies. But it longed to understand why its ancestors were content to lose their light in darkness. After countless cycles of constant inquiry, it learned of a place where constant battle raged due to the universe's upheavals—a plane that needed far more than the faint light of dying stars. Thus the youngest child of the stars took biological form, eager to shine its light and heat where most needed, perhaps even grasping its destiny as sunlight itself.
At a Glance
Core Principles
“The sun does not rise to be seen, yet all the world beholds it. Burn bright, burn brief, burn anew.”
Health is a Resource
Your abilities cost health, not mana. Every cast is a calculated risk. Learn to hover at the edge of danger without falling over it.
The Perfect Dive
Icarus Dive is initiation, escape, and positioning in one. Master its clockwise arc. Know when to commit and when to retreat mid-flight.
Supernova is Everything
Your egg is the ultimate high-risk, high-reward play. Positioning separates game-winning plays from feeding. Cliff high ground is your friend.
Space Your Spirits
Fire Spirits don't stack - they refresh. A Phoenix with one Spirit remaining is more dangerous than one who fired them all. Zone with potential.
Ray of Hope
Sun Ray both damages and heals. Position to hit enemies and allies simultaneously. The beam is life for your team, death for theirs.
Blinding Light
Your innate stacks miss chance over time. The longer the fight, the more enemies miss. Sustain fights to maximize this advantage.
Hero Overview
Phoenix is a universal support who sacrifices health to unleash devastating solar magic. With Icarus Dive for mobility, Fire Spirits for debuffing, Sun Ray for healing and damage, and the game-changing Supernova, Phoenix controls teamfight tempo like no other hero.
Phoenix's gameplay revolves around aggressive positioning and health management. Icarus Dive initiates fights while Fire Spirits cripple enemy attack speed. Sun Ray provides both sustain and damage during clashes. Supernova is the ultimate risk-reward ability - a well-timed egg can win teamfights, but poor positioning means certain death.
Pros
- Excellent teamfight presence with AoE abilities
- Supernova can completely turn fights
- Fire Spirits heavily reduce enemy attack speed
- Icarus Dive provides mobility and escape
- Sun Ray heals allies while damaging enemies
- Blinding Sun innate reduces enemy accuracy
Cons
- Abilities cost health instead of mana
- Extremely vulnerable during Supernova
- Requires precise positioning
- Can be countered by attack speed items
- Weak against strong single-target damage
- Icarus Dive can be canceled by stuns
Ability Analysis
Icarus Dive
Active - Vector TargetPhoenix dives forward in an arc, slowing and damaging enemies upon contact.
Notes: Always flies clockwise. Can be canceled by stuns, hexes, sleeps, fears, and forced movement. You can pick up runes, channel TP/Outpost, and cast spells/items mid-Dive. Provides excellent repositioning and initiation.
Fire Spirits
Active - Area TargetSummons 4 fire spirits that can be launched at enemies, applying a slow and reducing attack speed.
Notes: Damage does not stack - multiple spirits refresh the debuff. Briefly provides ground vision where they land. Space out launches rather than rapid-firing. Great for scouting cliffs and Roshan pit.
Sun Ray
Channeled - DirectionalPhoenix releases a beam of light that damages enemies and heals allies based on their health.
Notes: Provides vision over the projectile. Does not affect Roshan. Can cast all spells and items while channeling. If you TP while moving in Sun Ray, you continue moving during channel. Stunning or silencing Phoenix cancels Sun Ray.
Supernova
Active - No TargetPhoenix transforms into a burning sun that damages and disarms enemies. If not destroyed, Phoenix is reborn with full health and mana.
Notes: Refreshes ability cooldowns on cast, not when it ends. Destroys trees in a huge radius. Allies can deny the egg below 50% health. Lasts 6 seconds. Forces daytime globally. Requires 2 heroes to kill level 1, 3 heroes for level 2 when Fire Spirited.
Blinding Sun (Innate)
Passive - InnateEnemies debuffed by Phoenix's spells gain stacking miss chance over time.
Notes: Applies stacking miss chance the longer enemies are affected by any of Phoenix's spells. This innate makes prolonged engagements increasingly favorable for Phoenix's team.
Dying Light (Facet)
Passive - FacetPhoenix deals magic damage to all enemies within 400 range based on missing health.
Notes: Deals 4.5% of Phoenix's missing health as magic damage per second to nearby enemies. Serves as both deterrent and constant damage during teamfights.
Supernova (Shard Upgrade)
Active - No TargetSupernova can be cast on allied heroes, turning them into an egg that hatches them with full health.
Notes: The Shard upgrade allows Phoenix to cast Supernova on allies, providing a powerful save. When the egg hatches, the ally emerges with full health.
Developer's Notes
Developer Insights
Phoenix is a unique support who risks their own life to save allies and devastate enemies. Icarus Dive is more than mobility - it's a repositioning tool that applies slow and damage.
Key Insights:
- Icarus Dive flies clockwise and can be canceled by stuns
- Supernova refreshes ability cooldowns on cast, not when it ends
- Blinding Sun innate stacks miss chance the longer enemies are debuffed
Phoenix rewards aggressive positioning and perfect timing. Your Supernova can turn fights, but leaves you incredibly vulnerable!
Game Strategy
Early Game
Timeframe: 0-15 minutes Objective: Secure laning advantage and sustain allies Key: Use Fire Spirits to reduce enemy carry attack speed; Icarus Dive for ganks and escapes; Manage health carefully - abilities cost HP; Provide vision with Fire Spirits landing Items: Tranquil Boots (Priority #1 for sustain); Urn of Shadows for additional healing/damage Tips: Don't rapid-fire Fire Spirits - space them out to maintain debuff pressure; Use Icarus Dive to pick up runes at X:00 mark; Fire Spirits provide brief ground vision for scouting cliffs; Harass enemies with Icarus Dive slow before retreating
Mid Game
Timeframe: 15-30 minutes Objective: Control teamfights with Supernova Key: Position for game-changing Supernovas; Use Sun Ray to heal allies during pushes; Icarus Dive initiation on grouped enemies; Combo Fire Spirits with allied AoE Items: Spirit Vessel against healers; Aghanim's Shard for clutch saves Tips: Hit enemies with Fire Spirits before Supernova to reduce attack speed; Find cliffs for Supernova to force uphill miss chance; Sun Ray provides vision - use it to scout Roshan; You can channel TP while in Sun Ray and continue moving
Late Game
Timeframe: 30+ minutes Objective: Execute perfect Supernovas and provide utility Key: Supernova timing is critical - wait for enemy cooldowns; Save key allies with Aghanim's Shard Supernova; Maintain Fire Spirit debuffs on enemy cores; Use Sun Ray positioning to maximum effect Items: Aghanim's Scepter for teamfight impact; Shiva's Guard for armor and slow; Lotus Orb for dispels Tips: Supernova refreshes cooldowns on cast - cast Sun Ray before Supernova; Allies can fog your Egg with vision blockers; Supernova forces daytime globally, overriding Night Stalker; The Egg doesn't take damage from towers or fountain
Tips & Strategies
Icarus Dive Mastery
- Phoenix always dives clockwise - plan your escape routes accordingly.
- You can pick up runes mid-Dive by casting at X:00 mark and positioning over the rune spawn.
- Begin channeling TPs, Outposts, or Meteor Hammer mid-Dive, but canceling Dive cancels the channel.
- Cast spells and items while flying to apply damage or debuffs before safely retreating.
- Dive applies a slow - bathe enemies in the fire debuff before canceling the dive.
Fire Spirits Technique
- Don't rapid-fire Fire Spirits on single targets - the debuff doesn't stack, only refreshes.
- Space out launches to maintain constant pressure and zone enemies.
- Fire Spirits briefly provide ground vision wherever they land - use for scouting Rosh or cliffs.
- Enemies are more wary when you still have Spirits circling, so hold them for zoning.
Sun Ray Positioning
- Sun Ray provides vision over the projectile - check Rosh pit or scout trees.
- Sun Ray does not work on Roshan, so don't waste it there.
- You can cast all spells and items while in Sun Ray without turning your hero.
- If you begin channeling TP while moving in Sun Ray, you continue moving during channel.
Supernova Execution
- Supernova refreshes cooldowns on cast, not when it ends - cast Sun Ray before Supernova.
- Try to hit enemies with Fire Spirits before Supernova to slow their attack speed.
- Find cliffs for Supernova to give vision and force uphill miss chance on attackers.
- Allies can fog your Egg with vision blockers like Drow's Glacier or Nature's Prophet Sprout.
Advanced Interactions
- Supernova forces global daytime, overriding Night Stalker's Dark Ascension and Luna's Eclipse.
- The Egg doesn't take damage from towers or enemy fountain, unlike most ward units.
- Allies can deny the Supernova Egg once it's under 50% health.
- If an ally dies in Agh's Scepter Supernova, it counts as a deny by Phoenix.
Item Guide
Starting Items
Basic sustain and stats to offset health costs of abilities and survive laning phase.
Tango, Healing Salve, Iron Branch
Core Items
Tranquil Boots offset health costs, Urn provides healing for allies and damage for enemies, Magic Wand gives burst health/mana.
Tranquil Boots, Urn of Shadows, Magic Wand
Situational Items
Spirit Vessel against healers, Aghanim's for teamfight impact, Shiva's for armor and slow, Lotus Orb for dispel and reflect.
Spirit Vessel, Aghanim's Scepter, Shiva's Guard, Lotus Orb
Counter Guide
Good With
Phoenix excels with heroes who can capitalize on long disables and benefit from heals. Faceless Void creates perfect Supernova setups with Chronosphere. Tidehunter and Enigma 's massive AoE disables give Phoenix free reign to Sun Ray and Supernova. Ancient Apparition combos perfectly - enemies frozen by Ice Blast can't escape Supernova. Dark Seer vacuums enemies into Fire Spirits and Supernova range. Magnus's Reverse Polarity sets up devastating Supernovas. The pattern is clear: heroes with large AoE disables that group enemies or lock them in place synergize perfectly with Phoenix's kit.
Bad Against
Phoenix struggles against high single-target damage and attack speed. Phantom Assassin, Clinkz, Ursa, and Troll Warlord can kill Supernova eggs extremely quickly with their burst damage and attack speed. Slark can purge Fire Spirit debuff and attack the egg rapidly. Nyx Assassin can walk into Sun Ray with Carapace and stun Phoenix easily. Ancient Apparition's Ice Blast prevents healing from Sun Ray. Shadow Demon can disrupt Supernova timing. Silencer and Doom 's silence prevents Icarus Dive escape. Heroes that can quickly focus down the egg or prevent Phoenix's mobility are the biggest threats.
Good Against
Phoenix dominates heroes reliant on attack speed and summons. Lycan, Beastmaster, and Visage have their summons devastated by Fire Spirits' attack speed reduction. Broodmother's spiderlings melt to Fire Spirits, and she can't kill the egg alone. Enchantress relies on attack speed and Impetus, both countered by Fire Spirits. Huskar takes massive damage from Sun Ray's percentage-based health drain. Meepo struggles against Phoenix's AoE and can't kill the egg without clones. Any hero that needs to right-click to be effective suffers heavily from Fire Spirits and Blinding Sun miss chance.