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AgilityAgility · Ranged

Shadow Fiend

Unleashes the souls of fallen enemies for damage

CarryNukerModerate to play
Shadow Fiend portrait

Win rate

43.3%

D across all ranks

Pick rate

8.9%

of public matches

Public picks

299.9K

in the sample

Pro scene

6

1 bans · 0% win rate

Win rate by rank

  • Herald1Herald45.6%
  • Guardian2Guardian46.1%
  • Crusader3Crusader44.9%
  • Archon4Archon43.6%
  • Legend5Legend42.3%
  • Ancient6Ancient41.9%
  • Divine+7Divine+40.7%

Bars start at 50%. Sample sizes: Herald 9.4K · Guardian 27.7K · Crusader 49.7K · Archon 74.1K · Legend 76.6K · Ancient 40.3K · Divine+ 22.1K.

Last 6 days

43.7%

Popular item build

Starting items

Bought before the horn

  1. 1

    Faerie Fire

    65g
  2. 2

    Iron Branch

    55g
  3. 3

    Tango

    90g
  4. 4

    Magic Wand

    460g
  5. 5

    Circlet

    155g
  6. 6

    Magic Stick

    200g

Laning

The first minutes

  1. 1

    Boots of Speed

    500g
  2. 2

    Power Treads

    39%1,400g
  3. 3

    Falcon Blade

    1,125g
  4. 4

    Morbid Mask

    900g
  5. 5

    Broadsword

    1,000g
  6. 6

    Blade of Alacrity

    1,000g

Mid game

Core items

  1. 1

    Manta Style

    42%4,650g
  2. 2

    Mask of Madness

    40%1,900g
  3. 3

    Hurricane Pike

    50%4,550g

Late game

The full build

  1. 1

    Daedalus

    64%5,200g
  2. 2

    Satanic

    5,050g
  3. 3

    Black King Bar

    42%4,050g
  4. 4

    Eaglesong

    2,800g
  5. 5

    Silver Edge

    52%5,700g
  6. 6

    Monkey King Bar

    5,000g

Most-bought items for Shadow Fiend in OpenDota’s sample of parsed public matches (1,964 purchases counted). Bars compare each item with the most-bought one in its phase. The percentage is the win rate in games where Shadow Fiend bought the item by minute 30 (green or red when it is clearly above or below Shadow Fiend’s average). Teams that are ahead buy items sooner, so a high number shows the item goes with winning games, not that it causes the win. Items with fewer than 100 games show no percentage. Cheap components are hidden from the mid and late game.

Best win rate by purchase time

Bought ≤ 12 min

  1. Dragon Lance

    61 games

    49%
  2. Mask of Madness

    306 games

    49%
  3. Yasha

    191 games

    44%

Bought 12–15 min

  1. Yasha and Kaya

    132 games

    50%
  2. Dragon Lance

    157 games

    48%
  3. Kaya

    139 games

    47%

Bought 15–20 min

  1. Mithril Hammer

    77 games

    58%
  2. Crystalys

    66 games

    55%
  3. Shadow Blade

    91 games

    49%

Bought 20–30 min

  1. Daedalus

    98 games

    65%
  2. Eaglesong

    64 games

    64%
  3. Aghanim's Scepter

    90 games

    57%

Final items compared within the same purchase window (at least 60 games each), so they are not simply ranked by how late or expensive they are. Still a correlation: a team that is far ahead can buy anything sooner.

What these items do

  • Faerie Fire

    65

    • +2 Damage

    Use: Imbue: Instantly restores 85 health.

    Full description

    5s

    Use: Imbue. Instantly restores 85 health.

  • Iron Branch

    55

    • +1 All Attributes

    Use: Plant Tree: Targets the ground to plant a happy little tree that lasts for 20 seconds.

  • Tango

    90

    Use: Devour: Consumes a target tree to gain 7 health regeneration for 16 seconds. Consuming an Ironwood Tree doubles the heal duration. Comes with 3 charges.

  • Magic Wand

    460

    • +3 All Attributes

    Active: Energy Charge: Instantly restores 15 health and mana per charge stored. Max 20 charges. Gains a charge whenever a visible enemy within 1200 range uses an ability.

    Full description

    15s

    Active: Energy Charge. Instantly restores 15 health and mana per charge stored. Max 20 charges. Gains a charge whenever a visible enemy within 1200 range uses an ability.

    • Gains charges for spells cast by visible enemies in 1200 range.
    • Certain abilities and item abilities will not add charges.
  • Circlet

    155

    • +2 All Attributes
  • Magic Stick

    200

    Active: Energy Charge: Instantly restores 15 health and mana per charge stored. Max 10 charges. Gains a charge whenever a visible enemy within 1200 range uses an ability.

    Full description

    17s

    Active: Energy Charge. Instantly restores 15 health and mana per charge stored. Max 10 charges. Gains a charge whenever a visible enemy within 1200 range uses an ability.

    • Gains charges for spells cast by visible enemies in 1200 range.
    • Certain abilities and item abilities will not add charges.
  • Boots of Speed

    500

    • +45 Move Speed

    Movement speed bonuses from multiple pairs of boots do not stack.

  • Power Treads

    1,400

    • +25 Damage

    Active: Switch Attribute: Switches between +10 Strength, +10 Agility, or +10 Intelligence. Movement speed bonuses from multiple pairs of boots do not stack.

    Win rate when bought39.5% · 821 games

    • ≤ 12 min40%801
    • 12–15 min–13
    • 15–20 min–5
    • 20–30 min–2
    Full description

    Active: Switch Attribute. Switches between +10 Strength, +10 Agility, or +10 Intelligence. Movement speed bonuses from multiple pairs of boots do not stack.

    • Power Treads can be built using a Belt of Strength, Band of Elvenskin, or a Robe of the Magi.
  • Falcon Blade

    1,125

    • +200 Health
    • +1.8 Mana Regen
    • +14 Damage
  • Morbid Mask

    900

    • +18% Lifesteal

    Passive: Lifesteal: Heals the attacker for a percentage of physical damage dealt.

  • Broadsword

    1,000

    • +15 Damage
  • Blade of Alacrity

    1,000

    • +10 Agility
  • Manta Style

    4,650

    • +10 Strength
    • +26 Agility
    • +10 Intelligence
    • +15 Damage
    • +10% Move Speed

    Active: Mirror Image: Creates 2 images of your hero that last 18 seconds. Melee images deal 33% damage, while Ranged images deal 25%. Illusions take 300% damage.

    Win rate when bought42.0% · 231 games

    • ≤ 12 min–1
    • 12–15 min–14
    • 15–20 min49%113
    • 20–30 min31%103
    Full description

    34s125

    Active: Mirror Image. Creates 2 images of your hero that last 18 seconds. Melee images deal 33% damage, while Ranged images deal 25%. Illusions take 300% damage. Dispel Type: Basic Dispel

    • Has a 0.1 second cast time during which you are invulnerable.
    • Many effects are removed upon using Manta.
    • Yasha based movement speed bonuses from multiple items do not stack.
  • Mask of Madness

    1,900

    • +20 Damage
    • +22% Lifesteal

    Active: Berserk: Gives 100 attack speed, 6% / 12% movement speed (ranged/melee), and 15%/30% slow resistance (ranged/melee), but reduces your armor by 7 and silences…

    Win rate when bought39.9% · 471 games

    • ≤ 12 min49%306
    • 12–15 min22%133
    • 15–20 min–26
    • 20–30 min–6
    Full description

    16s25

    Active: Berserk. Gives 100 attack speed, 6% / 12% movement speed (ranged/melee), and 15%/30% slow resistance (ranged/melee), but reduces your armor by 7 and silences you. Lasts 6 seconds.

    Passive: Lifesteal. Heals the attacker for a percentage of physical damage dealt.

  • Hurricane Pike

    4,550

    • +15 Intelligence
    • +200 Health
    • +20 Agility
    • +15 Strength
    • +130 Attack Range

    Active: Hurricane Thrust: Pushes you and target enemy 425 units away from each other, and for 5 seconds, allows you to make 5 attacks against the target without range…

    Win rate when bought50.0% · 230 games

    • ≤ 12 min–1
    • 12–15 min–1
    • 15–20 min50%32
    • 20–30 min51%196
    Full description

    19s150

    Active: Hurricane Thrust. Pushes you and target enemy 425 units away from each other, and for 5 seconds, allows you to make 5 attacks against the target without range restrictions and with +100 attack speed. Can be cast on self or allies to push the target 600 units in the direction it is facing. Enemy Range: 425

    • Self-cast will use Hurricane Pike on yourself.
    • Hurricane Pike doesn't interrupt the target's actions.
    • Will not work on a unit inside Chronosphere, Duel, or Black Hole.
    • Attack Range bonuses from Monkey King Bar and Dragon Lance and its upgrades do not stack.
  • Daedalus

    5,200

    • +88 Damage

    Passive: Critical Strike: Grants each attack a 30% chance to deal 225% damage.

    Win rate when bought63.6% · 107 games

    • ≤ 12 min–1
    • 12–15 min–1
    • 15–20 min–7
    • 20–30 min65%98
    Full description

    Passive: Critical Strike. Grants each attack a 30% chance to deal 225% damage.

    • Critical Strike does not work against buildings.
  • Satanic

    5,050

    • +25 Strength
    • +25 Damage
    • +25% Lifesteal

    Active: Unholy Rage: Increases Lifesteal percentage to 175% for 6 seconds. Dispel Type: Basic Dispel

    Full description

    40s

    Active: Unholy Rage. Increases Lifesteal percentage to 175% for 6 seconds. Dispel Type: Basic Dispel

    Passive: Lifesteal. Heals the attacker for a percentage of physical damage dealt.

  • Black King Bar

    4,050

    • +10 Strength
    • +24 Damage

    Active: Avatar: Applies a basic dispel. Grants 60% magic resistance and immunity to reflected and pure damage.

    Win rate when bought41.6% · 339 games

    • ≤ 12 min–4
    • 12–15 min–6
    • 15–20 min–20
    • 20–30 min41%309
    Full description

    95s50

    Active: Avatar. Applies a basic dispel. Grants 60% magic resistance and immunity to reflected and pure damage. For the duration of the effect, any negative effect from enemy spells has no effect. Duration: 9 / 8 / 7s Dispel Type: Basic Dispel

    • Purchasing another Black King Bar will not reset its immunity duration.
    • Avatar duration is not affected by increases to buff duration.
  • Eaglesong

    2,800

    • +25 Agility
  • Silver Edge

    5,700

    • +70 Damage
    • +35 Damage

    Active: Shadow Walk: Makes you invisible for 17 seconds, or until you attack or cast a spell. While invisible, you move 20% faster and can move through units.

    Win rate when bought51.9% · 135 games

    • ≤ 12 min–0
    • 12–15 min–2
    • 15–20 min–10
    • 20–30 min50%123
    Full description

    23s75

    Active: Shadow Walk. Makes you invisible for 17 seconds, or until you attack or cast a spell. While invisible, you move 20% faster and can move through units. Attacking to end the invisibility will deal 300 bonus physical damage, disable their passive abilities for 5 seconds, and cap their movement speed to 200.

  • Monkey King Bar

    5,000

    • +50 Damage
    • +50 Damage

    Passive: Pierce: Grants each attack a 80% chance to pierce through evasion and deal 70 bonus magical damage.

Abilities

Shadowraze

9s75

Shadow Fiend razes the ground directly in front of him, dealing damage to enemy units in the area, dealing bonus damage based on his current Necromastery Soul amount. Adds a stacking damage amplifier on the target that causes the enemy to take bonus Shadowraze damage per stack.

BASE DAMAGE
85 / 150 / 215 / 280
RANGE
200
BONUS PER STACK
35 / 50 / 65 / 80
STACK DURATION
6
BONUS DAMAGE PER SOUL
2
  • Stack duration refreshes on stack gain.

Aghanim’s ShardCooldown reduced by 2s per enemy hero hit. Applies a stacking 12% movement speed debuff on enemies hit.

Feast of Souls

21s60 / 65 / 70 / 75

Shadow Fiend gains Bonus Movement and Attack Speed for 8 seconds. For the duration of the effect, every 0.5s he collects souls from 2 enemies in a 600 radius. After the effect is over, he loses the souls whose owners are still alive, retaining the rest for 8s, after which souls that are over the Necromastery max stack count are also lost. Can only collect souls once from each individual enemy.

BONUS ATTACK SPEED
35 / 50 / 65 / 80
BONUS MOVE SPEED
4 / 6 / 8 / 10%
MAX COLLECTION TARGETS
4 / 6 / 8 / 10
SOULS PER HERO
3
SOULS PER CREEP
1

Presence of the Dark Lord

Shadow Fiend's presence reduces the armor of nearby enemies.

ARMOR REDUCTION
-2.5 / -4 / -5.5 / -7
RADIUS
1200
  • Stacks fully with other armor reduction abilities and aura.

Requiem of Souls

Ultimate120 / 110 / 100s150 / 175 / 200

Shadow Fiend gathers up to 20 of his captured souls to release them as lines of demonic energy. Units near Shadow Fiend when the souls are released can be damaged by several lines of energy. Any unit damaged by Requiem of Souls will be feared and have its movement speed and magic resistance reduced for 0.6 seconds for each line hit up to a maximum of 2.15. Lines of energy are created for every soul captured through Necromastery. Requiem of Souls is automatically cast whenever Shadow Fiend dies, regardless of its cooldown.

MOVEMENT REDUCTION
-20 / -25 / -30%
MAGIC RESIST REDUCTION
-5 / -10 / -15%
FEAR DURATION PER SOUL HIT
0.6
FEAR DURATION MAX
2.15
HEAL ON RETURN
0%
CAST DELAY
1.67
COOLDOWN
120 / 110 / 100
  • One line is generated from Shadow Fiend for every 1 soul in his possession.
  • Fear and movement slow do not apply if the Requiem was released on death.

Aghanim’s ScepterReduces cooldown and causes Requiem of Souls to return back to Shadow Fiend. The wave back to Shadow Fiend heals him for all the damage it dealt.

Necromastery

Innate

Shadow Fiend steals the soul from units he kills, gaining 1 bonus damage per soul. Hero kills grant 4 souls. On death, he releases 30% of them from bondage.

DAMAGE PER SOUL
1
BASE MAX SOULS
20
CURRENT MAX SOULS
0
  • Denies and neutral creeps also provide bonus damage through Necromastery.
  • Break disables the gaining of new stacks.
  • Break does not disable the bonuses from existing stacks.

Aghanim’s ScepterIncreases max souls.

Talents

Feast of Souls Grants +30% Cast Speed

25

Shadowraze Applies Attack Damage

+5 Necromastery Max Souls

20

+0.2s Requiem Fear per line

+1.5 Presence Armor Reduction

15

+2 Feast of Souls Souls Collected Per Hero

+30 Shadowraze Stack Damage

10

+30 Feast of Souls Attack Speed

Base stats

Attributes

  • StrengthStrength19+2.7/lvl
  • AgilityAgility25+3.6/lvl
  • IntelligenceIntelligence16+2.2/lvl

At level 1

Damage
41–47
Attack time
1.6s
Attack range
525
Move speed
305
Armor
4.2
Magic resistance
25%
Health
538 (+2.2/s)
Mana
267 (+1.1/s)
Vision day / night
1800 / 800

Recent changes

latest 12 patches
  1. 7.41f
    • Necromastery:Damage per soul changed from 1.35 + 0.15 damage per level to 1 + 0.8 damage per 6 levels
    • Shadowraze:Bonus Damage Per Soul decreased from 3 to 2
    • Talents:Level 15 Talent Presence Armor Reduction decreased from +2 to +1.5
  2. 7.41e
    • Base Intelligence decreased from 18 to 16
    • Shadowraze:Stack duration decreased from 7s to 6s
    • Talents:Level 25 Talent Shadowraze Applies Attack Damage no longer applies attack modifiers or procs
  3. 7.41c
    • Shadowraze:Mana Cost decreased from 80 to 75
    • Presence of the Dark Lord:Armor Reduction rescaled from 3/4/5/6 to 2.5/4/5.5/7
  4. 7.41
    • Necromastery:No longer levels with Requiem of Souls
    • Damage per soul rescaled from 1/2/3/4 to 1.35 + 0.15 damage per level
    • Base Max Souls decreased from 20/22/24/26 to 20
    • Shadowraze:Damage decreased from 90/160/230/300 to 85/150/215/280
    • Now damage is increased by 3 per Necromastery soul
    • Aghanim's Shard now also applies a stacking 12% slow debuff to enemies hit
    • Feast of Souls:No longer requires 5 souls to cast
    • Instead, Shadow Fiend gains souls from surrounding enemies
    • Shadow Fiend gains souls from 2 enemies in a 600 radius every 0.5s, prioritizing heroes. Each individual enemy can provide souls once, with creeps giving 1 soul and heroes providing 3. Can collect souls from up to 4/6/8/10 enemies. After the effect is over, Shadow Fiend loses the souls whose owners are still alive, retaining the rest for 8s
    • Bonus Attack Speed decreased from 40/55/70/85 to 35/50/65/80
    • Bonus Move Speed decreased from 5/7/9/11% to 4/6/8/10%
    • Requiem of Souls:Now can't use more than 20 souls per cast
    • Aghanim's Scepter no longer has a damage penalty on the returning Requiem of Souls
    • Talents:Level 15 Talent +120 Shadowraze Damage replaced with +2 Feast of Souls Souls Collected Per Hero
    • Level 20 Talent +2 Damage Per Soul replaced with +5 Necromastery Max Souls
  5. 7.40b
    • Necromastery:Base Max Souls increased from 20 to 20/22/24/26
    • No longer upgraded with Aghanim's Scepter
    • Requiem of Souls:Magic Resist Reduction rescaled from 5/10/15% to 10%
  6. 7.40
    • Agility gain increased from 3.5 to 3.6
    • Necromastery:Souls on hero kills increased from 3 to 4
  7. 7.39d
    • Base Armor decreased by 1
    • Presence of the Dark Lord:Armor Reduction decreased from 4/5/6/7 to 3/4/5/6

Lore

It is said that Nevermore the Shadow Fiend has the soul of a poet, and in fact he has thousands of them. Over the ages he has claimed the souls of poets, priests, emperors, beggars, slaves, philosophers, criminals and (naturally) heroes; no sort of soul escapes him. What he does with them is unknown. No one has ever peered into the Abysm whence Nevermore reaches out like an eel from among astral rocks. Does he devour them one after another? Does he mount them along the halls of an eldritch temple, or pickle the souls in necromantic brine? Is he merely a puppet, pushed through the dimensional rift by a demonic puppeteer? Such is his evil, so intense his aura of darkness, that no rational mind may penetrate it. Of course, if you really want to know where the stolen souls go, there's one sure way to find out: Add your soul to his collection. Or just wait for Nevermore.

Win rates come from public Dota 2 matches (OpenDota), 3.4M matches counted, refreshed Oct 24, 2026. Tiers use the win rate in the chosen rank: S 52.5%+, A 51%+, B 49%+, C 47.5%+, D below; heroes with too few games are left unrated. Hero data and patch notes are Valve’s. Builds Forge is an unofficial fan site, not affiliated with Valve.