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IntelligenceIntelligence · Ranged

Witch Doctor

Channels a high damage death ward

SupportNukerDisablerSimple to play
Witch Doctor portrait

Win rate

52.1%

A across all ranks

Pick rate

17.1%

of public matches

Public picks

578.7K

in the sample

Pro scene

25

8 bans · 40% win rate

Win rate by rank

  • Herald1Herald52.7%
  • Guardian2Guardian52.6%
  • Crusader3Crusader52.9%
  • Archon4Archon52.5%
  • Legend5Legend51.9%
  • Ancient6Ancient51.4%
  • Divine+7Divine+50.6%

Bars start at 50%. Sample sizes: Herald 12.1K · Guardian 45.6K · Crusader 90.5K · Archon 146K · Legend 156.7K · Ancient 81.1K · Divine+ 46.8K.

Last 6 days

52.1%

Popular item build

Starting items

Bought before the horn

  1. 1

    Iron Branch

    55g
  2. 2

    Observer and Sentry Wards

    50g
  3. 3

    Tango

    90g
  4. 4

    Blood Grenade

    50g
  5. 5

    Smoke of Deceit

    50g
  6. 6

    Faerie Fire

    65g

Laning

The first minutes

  1. 1

    Boots of Speed

    500g

Mid game

Core items

  1. 1

    Arcane Boots

    51%1,500g
  2. 2

    Glimmer Cape

    51%2,150g
  3. 3

    Solar Crest

    2,575g
  4. 4

    Aghanim's Shard

    53%1,400g

Late game

The full build

  1. 1

    Blink Dagger

    61%2,250g
  2. 2

    Force Staff

    48%2,200g
  3. 3

    Aeon Disk

    3,000g
  4. 4

    Consecrated Wraps

    2,600g
  5. 5

    Glimmer Cape

    51%2,150g
  6. 6

    Solar Crest

    2,575g

Most-bought items for Witch Doctor in OpenDota’s sample of parsed public matches (1,210 purchases counted). Bars compare each item with the most-bought one in its phase. The percentage is the win rate in games where Witch Doctor bought the item by minute 30 (green or red when it is clearly above or below Witch Doctor’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 15–20 min

  1. Blink Dagger

    194 games

    65%
  2. Glimmer Cape

    271 games

    61%
  3. Spirit Vessel

    77 games

    60%

Bought 20–30 min

  1. Aghanim's Scepter

    91 games

    71%
  2. Blink Dagger

    563 games

    60%
  3. Ghost Scepter

    145 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

  • Iron Branch

    55

    • +1 All Attributes

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

  • Observer and Sentry Wards

    50

    Use: Plant: Plant the currently active ward. Double-Click to switch the currently active ward.

    Full description

    Use: Plant. Plant the currently active ward. Double-Click to switch the currently active ward.

    • Hold Control to give one ward to an allied hero.
  • 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.

  • Blood Grenade

    50

    • +50 Health

    Use: Throw Grenade: Throw a grenade at the target area. Enemies in the area will take 50 damage on impact, and be slowed by -15% and take 15 damage every 1s for 5…

    Full description

    10s

    Use: Throw Grenade. Throw a grenade at the target area. Enemies in the area will take 50 damage on impact, and be slowed by -15% and take 15 damage every 1s for 5 seconds. Radius 300.

  • Smoke of Deceit

    50

    Use: Disguise: Turns the caster and all allied player-controlled targets in a 1200 radius invisible, and grants 15% bonus movement speed for 45 seconds.

    Full description

    1s

    Use: Disguise. Turns the caster and all allied player-controlled targets in a 1200 radius invisible, and grants 15% bonus movement speed for 45 seconds. While the caster is still disguised, any allies that come within 300 range of them will also get the buff applied to them. Each smoke can only be applied once to allies. Attacking or moving within 1025 range of an enemy hero or tower, will break the invisibility. Disguise grants invisibility that is immune to True Sight. Smoke of Deceit is usable from the backpack and has no cooldown when swapped into the main inventory.

  • Faerie Fire

    65

    • +2 Damage

    Use: Imbue: Instantly restores 85 health.

    Full description

    5s

    Use: Imbue. Instantly restores 85 health.

  • Boots of Speed

    500

    • +45 Move Speed

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

  • Arcane Boots

    1,500

    • +45 Move Speed
    • +0.25 Mana Regen
    • +125 Mana

    Active: Replenish: Restores 150 mana to all nearby allies. Radius: 1200

    Win rate when bought51.2% · 2,012 games

    • ≤ 12 min54%1.2k
    • 12–15 min47%559
    • 15–20 min46%215
    • 20–30 min57%74
    Full description

    55s

    Active: Replenish. Restores 150 mana to all nearby allies. Radius: 1200

    Passive: Basilius Aura. Grants 1 mana regeneration to allies. Radius: 1200 Movement speed bonuses from multiple pairs of boots do not stack.

    • Does not work on Meepo clones.
  • Glimmer Cape

    2,150

    Active: Glimmer: After a 0.5 second delay, grants invisibility, 20 movement speed and a magic damage barrier that absorbs up to 375 damage to you or a target allied unit…

    Win rate when bought50.7% · 961 games

    • ≤ 12 min–23
    • 12–15 min–27
    • 15–20 min61%271
    • 20–30 min47%640
    Full description

    15s125

    Active: Glimmer. After a 0.5 second delay, grants invisibility, 20 movement speed and a magic damage barrier that absorbs up to 375 damage to you or a target allied unit for 5 seconds. Can be cast while channeling.

  • Solar Crest

    2,575

    • +7 Armor
    • +25 Move Speed
    • +200 Mana
    • +200 Health

    Active: Shine: When cast on an ally, grants them 5 armor, 60 attack speed, 15% movement speed and a 350 physical damage barrier.

    Full description

    16s100

    Active: Shine. When cast on an ally, grants them 5 armor, 60 attack speed, 15% movement speed and a 350 physical damage barrier. Does not grant bonus armor, movement or attack speed if used on self. Duration: 7

    • Shares cooldown with Pavise.
  • Aghanim's Shard

    1,400

    Passive: Ability Upgrade: Upgrades an existing ability or adds a new ability to your hero.

    Win rate when bought52.9% · 1,225 games

    • ≤ 12 min59%32
    • 12–15 min34%32
    • 15–20 min55%288
    • 20–30 min53%873
  • Blink Dagger

    2,250

    Active: Blink: Teleport to a target point up to 1200 units away. Blink Dagger cannot be used for 3 seconds after taking damage from an enemy hero or Roshan.

    Win rate when bought61.4% · 797 games

    • ≤ 12 min–15
    • 12–15 min–25
    • 15–20 min65%194
    • 20–30 min60%563
    Full description

    15s

    Active: Blink. Teleport to a target point up to 1200 units away. Blink Dagger cannot be used for 3 seconds after taking damage from an enemy hero or Roshan.

    • Self-casting will cause you to teleport in the direction of your team's fountain.
  • Force Staff

    2,200

    • +10 Intelligence
    • +175 Health

    Active: Force: Pushes any target unit 600 units in the direction it is facing.

    Win rate when bought47.9% · 142 games

    • ≤ 12 min–5
    • 12–15 min–4
    • 15–20 min–17
    • 20–30 min43%116
    Full description

    19s150

    Active: Force. Pushes any target unit 600 units in the direction it is facing.

    • Self-cast will cause you to use Force on yourself.
    • Force Staff doesn't interrupt the target's actions.
    • Will not work on a unit inside Chronosphere, Duel, or Black Hole.
    • Force Staff has 850 cast range when cast on enemies.
  • Aeon Disk

    3,000

    • +250 Health
    • +300 Mana

    Passive: Combo Breaker: When you take damage and your health falls below 70%, a strong dispel is applied and you gain a 2.5 second buff that provides +75% Status…

    Full description

    105 / 125 / 145 / 165s

    Passive: Combo Breaker. When you take damage and your health falls below 70%, a strong dispel is applied and you gain a 2.5 second buff that provides +75% Status Resistance and causes all damage you deal and are dealt to be reduced to zero. Only triggers on player based damage. Cooldown increases every time it triggers. Dispel Type: Strong Dispel

  • Consecrated Wraps

    2,600

    • +5 All Attributes
    • +250 Health

    Passive: Hallowed: Gain a charge every 4s, up to a maximum of 3 charges. Upon gaining a charge, your movement speed is increased by 15% for 5s.

    Full description

    Passive: Hallowed. Gain a charge every 4s, up to a maximum of 3 charges. Upon gaining a charge, your movement speed is increased by 15% for 5s. Whenever you take damage from a player-controlled source or Roshan, consume all charges to gain an all damage barrier for 5s that absorbs 120 damage per charge (360 max).

    • Charges cannot be gained for 4s after you take damage from a player-controlled source or Roshan.
    • Self-damage and HP Loss damage cannot remove charges.
    • Movement speed buff does not stack.

Abilities

Paralyzing Cask

20 / 18 / 16 / 14s80 / 100 / 120 / 140

Launches a cask of paralyzing powder that ricochets between enemy units, stunning and damaging those it hits. Damage increases each bounce.

STUN DURATION
0.8
BASE DAMAGE
55 / 70 / 85 / 100
BOUNCES
3 / 4 / 5 / 6
BONUS DAMAGE PER BOUNCE
20
  • Targets can be hit multiple times, as long as another unit is struck in between the bounces.

Voodoo Restoration

25

Witch Doctor focuses his magic to heal nearby allied units, costing Witch Doctor mana every second Voodoo Restoration is active.

MANA PER SEC
9 / 12 / 15 / 18
RADIUS
650
HEAL
20 / 30 / 40 / 50
SELF HEAL
0%
  • Healing is done in 0.33 second intervals.
  • Can heal Spell Immune units.

Maledict

30 / 26 / 22 / 18s105 / 110 / 115 / 120

Curses all enemy Heroes and player-controlled targets in a small area, causing them to take a set amount of damage each second, as well as bursts of damage every 4 seconds based on how much health they have lost since the curse began.

RADIUS
200
LOST HEALTH BURST DAMAGE
16 / 24 / 32 / 40%
DURATION
12
  • If an affected hero's health has increased above the amount they had when Maledict was cast, the burst damage will be 0.

Voodoo Switcheroo

Granted by Aghanim’s Shard50s200

Turns Witch Doctor into a Death Ward briefly with reduced attack speed. He is hidden during this time.

DURATION
2.5
ATTACK SPEED REDUCTION
45

Gris-Gris

Innate

Witch Doctor gets a Gris-Gris, an item that cannot be dropped or placed in the backpack. When the owner dies, 100% of the gold lost from death is added to the item, and will be refunded when the item is consumed. The value of the Gris-Gris is increased by 1 every 3s. Right-click to consume and permanently remove the item.

Death Ward

Ultimate100 / 90 / 80s200 / 200 / 200

CHANNELED - Summons a deadly ward to attack enemy heroes within its attack range. Death Ward has 50% bonus accuracy.

DAMAGE
60 / 90 / 120
ATTACK RANGE
600 / 625 / 650
BOUNCE RADIUS
0
  • The Death Ward is invulnerable, and is only destroyed if Witch Doctor is interrupted or its duration expires.
  • The Death Ward can be controlled, and made to attack a specific target.
  • Death Ward attacks once every 0.22 seconds.

Aghanim’s ScepterDeath Ward attacks bounce between nearby enemies.

Talents

+6 Paralyzing Cask Bounces

25

+40 Death Ward Damage

Maledict bursts deal 75% damage in a 800 AoE

20

+1% Target Max Health Voodoo Restoration Heal

-3s Paralyzing Cask Cooldown

15

+4s Maledict Duration

-25% Voodoo Restoration Mana Per Second

10

+200 Health

Base stats

Attributes

  • StrengthStrength20+2.1/lvl
  • AgilityAgility13+1.4/lvl
  • IntelligenceIntelligence22+3.1/lvl

At level 1

Damage
48–58
Attack time
1.7s
Attack range
550
Move speed
300
Armor
2.2
Magic resistance
25%
Health
560 (+2.3/s)
Mana
339 (+1.1/s)
Vision day / night
1800 / 800

Recent changes

latest 12 patches
  1. 7.41e
    • Maledict:Level 20 Talent Maledict bursts deal 75% damage in a 800 AoE now considers illusions as creep targets and bursts from them will not deal damage
  2. 7.41c
    • Voodoo Restoration:Radius increased from 500/550/600/650 to 650
  3. 7.41
    • Death Ward:Attack Range increased from 600 to 600/625/650
    • Talents:Level 15 Talent +2 Paralyzing Cask bounces replaced with -3s Paralyzing Cask Cooldown
    • Level 20 Talent +75 Death Ward Attack Range replaced with Maledict bursts deal 75% damage in a 800 AoE (each burst sends projectiles that deal 75% of its damage at all enemy units within 800 range)
    • Level 25 Talent -6s Paralyzing Cask Cooldown replaced with +6 Paralyzing Cask Bounces
  4. 7.40b
    • Death Ward:Damage decreased from 60/95/130 to 60/90/120
    • Talents:Level 25 Talent Death Ward Damage decreased from +45 to +40
  5. 7.40
    • Voodoo Restoration:Activation mana cost decreased from 35/40/45/50 to 25
    • Mana per second rescaled from 8/12/16/20 to 9/12/15/18
    • Maledict:Now also affects player-controlled creeps
    • Death Ward:Aghanim's Scepter bounce radius decreased from 650 to 575
    • Talents:Level 15 Talent +125 Maledict AoE replaced with +4s Maledict Duration
    • Level 25 Talent +8s Maledict Duration replaced with -6s Paralyzing Cask Cooldown

Lore

A wiry silhouette hitches forward--uneven of feature and limb, bizarre of gait, relentlessly criss-crossing the battlefield in search of that vital weak point where his talents can do most good, and most harm. Whether broken or mismade it is not clear, but still, none can doubt the power carried in his twisted physique. A long staff thumps the earth as Zharvakko the Witch Doctor advances, deploying a terrifying arsenal of fetishes, hexes and spells. It is a body of magical knowledge learned and perfected over several lifetimes in the island highlands of Arktura, now wielded with precision accuracy against his enemies. Zharvakko can be your best friend or your worst enemy--healing allies and laying waste to all who oppose him.

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.