Magnus

Magnus

The Dire

21 + 2.75 15 + 2.5 17 + 1.65

Level 1 16 25 Hit Points 549 1366 2183 Mana 221 559 988 Damage 49-61 92-104 135-147 Armor 4.1 9.56 15.3 Attacks / Second 0.67 0.9 1.14

Movement Speed 315 Turn Rate 0.5 Sight Range 1800/800 Attack Range Melee Missile Speed Instant Attack Duration 0.5+0.84 Cast Duration 0.3+0.6 Base Attack Time 1.7

Magnus the Magnoceros is a monstrous melee strength hero who is usually played as a ganker, initiator, or semi-carry. His ability to battle multiple heroes at once gives him an excellent presence in team fights. In addition to his teamfight presence, he can buff allies or himself with bonus damage and cleave, capitalizing on his ability to group up multiple enemies. As a hero who possesses multiple area-of-effect abilities with a manageable mana cost, and a very powerful ultimate that serves as both a team fight and initiation ability, Magnus is truly a force to be reckoned with.

Bio

Magnus, the Magnoceros Play "Prepare to be gored!" Role: Initiator / Disabler / Nuker / Carry Lore: The master-smiths of Mt. Joerlak agree on only a single point: that the horn of a magnoceros is more precious than any alloy. And of all such horns, the largest and sharpest belongs to the beast they call Magnus. For half a generation, Magnus took easy sport goring hunters come to claim the treasures of his kin. Each time he would return to his cave with hooves and horns stained red, until his Matriarch urged him and all their kin to seek refuge to the north beyond the shadow of the mountain. But Magnus scoffed, having never failed to defend his people. The magnoceri would stay, he decided, for a magnoceros does not believe in chance... nor does it ever change its mind. But when Mt. Joerlak erupted without warning, and half his kin perished in the fire and ash, Magnus changed his mind after all. The survivors pushed north, until they reached a blockade watched over by a hundred hunters armed with bow and steel. Magnus expected no less. He led his fiercest brothers and sisters in a charge against their enemies, and fought with a ferocity matched only by the fire-spewing mountain at his back. Meanwhile the magnoceros elders, mothers, and calves vanished into the drifts. The master-smiths are divided about what happened next. Some say Magnus reunited with his kin, while others claim he suffered mortal injuries and expired alongside the body of his Matriarch. Neither theory is correct. Magnus did vow to rejoin his kin...but only after seeking out those responsible for the eruption of Mt. Joerlak and watching them die upon his horn, for a magnoceros does not believe in chance. Voice: Dempsey Pappion (Responses)

Abilities

Shockwave Q W Ability Affects Damage Target Point Enemies Magical Magnus sends out a wave of force, damaging enemy units in a line. Range: 1000 Radius: 150 Damage: 75/150/225/300 10/9/8/7 90 Mt. Joerlak was a somewhat unstable mass, and Magnus has learnt to channel its reverbations.

Notes: If a unit exits and enters the area of effect it will be damaged two times. This ability only affects ground units. Can hit units up to 1000 range away.

Empower W E Ability Affects Target Unit Allies Gives an allied unit bonus damage and cleave on attack. Range: 800 Duration: 40 Bonus damage and cleave: 20%/30%/40%/50% 12 40 With a deep bellow, Magnus displays his true power.

Notes: Only increases base damage and that given by the primary attribute of the units. Raw bonus damage is not increased. The cleave ability has a radius of 200.

Skewer E D Ability Affects Damage Target Point Enemies Magical Magnus rushes forward up to 1200 distance, goring enemy units on his massive tusk. Units hit on the way will be dragged to the destination, then damaged and slowed. Range: 600/800/1000/1200 Radius: 125 Damage: 70/140/210/280 Maximum number of targets: 1/2/3/4 30 80 Magnoceros horns are valuble in direct proportion to their danger to prospective merchants.

Notes: Magnus charges to the target location at a speed of 950. The first few enemy units hit will be pulled along with him to the destination. Units pulled with Magnus will be slowed by 40% for 2.5 seconds after the charge, and take damage. Goes through trees and over terrain. Trees are destroyed in the process. Only considers heroes a valid target for dragging in consideration with its unit cap

Reverse Polarity R V Ability Affects Damage No Target Enemies Magical Magnus changes properties of matter, sucking all nearby enemies in front of him and stunning them with a powerful slam and dealing damage. Radius: 410 Stun duration on heroes: 2.25/3/3.75 Stun duration on creeps: 3/4/5 Damage: 150/225/300 120/110/100 200/250/300 Damage is blocked, the stun is not. Magnus fights with the fury of the erupting Mt. Joerlak.

Notes: Disable works on magic immune units. Pulls affected units to a random location 120-170 units in front of Magnus. Able to pull as many enemy units in range.

Recommended items

Explanation: Early Game: A Bracer provides additional Strength and damage. A bottle can save Magnus trips to the fountain, since its mana rejuvenation works well with his low-mana cost abilities. It is crucial if soloing the middle lane, allowing for rune control. Magic Wand will not only provide him bonus attributes, but also more regeneration. Core Items: Power Treads provides bonus attributes and attack speed, giving his auto-attacks more boost. Blink Dagger will help Magnus initiate with Reverse Polarity, as well as give him more mobility. Shockwave and Skewer can also be efficiently used after blinking in front of the enemy. Drum of Endurance gives him additional strength and intelligence for his health and mana pool, as well as give him a small boost to his attack and movement speed. Situational Items: A Battle Fury gives Magnus more regeneration, additional attack damage, and a permanent cleave that stacks with Empower. A Refresher Orb gives Magnus more regeneration and the ability to cast his ultimate in a shorter period of time. Heart of Tarrasque helps him tank more damage, as well as give him additional attack damage. Mask of Madness will give him a quick boost in attack speed, which could help when he is buffed with Empower. Daedalus gives Magnus critical strike, enabling him to deal huge damage without relying on his spells. Assault Cuirass gives Magnus additional attack speed as well as armor, and also debuff his enemies' armor.

Tips

• Magnus is one of the few melee heroes who can solo the middle lane well, because of his skill set. It is ideal for him especially if he is needed to be a carry in the late game.
• Most of Magnus' abilities work effectively only if his targets are in front of him. When surrounded, Magnus will be forced to change directions too much, not only delaying him from casting spells in rapid succession, but also rendering his spells' area-of-effects useless. As such, place Magnus in the side lines, or until his enemies are in a manageable range in front of him. You should only place yourself in the middle when planning to cast your ultimate, Reverse Polarity, since it forces all of the targets you hit to be in front of you.
• Shockwave is Magnus's ranged nuke, one with a low mana cost:
  • Shockwave is Magnus's signature laning skill, since it's perfect for both harassing heroes and last-hitting creeps. Thanks to the mana cost and low cooldown, Magnus is able to perform this skill continuously, so long as he receives a stable mana supply.
  • Though usually used against disabled enemies, Shockwave can act as a great finisher to fleeing enemies. Make sure to cast it carefully, since it has a limited range.
  • Take note of Shockwave's limited area-of-effect. Much like Lion's Earth Spike, Shockwave directly affects targets in a straight path. Aim to hit multiple targets to maximize its effectiveness.
• Empower is a great buff that boosts base damage for a long duration, as well as grant cleave with each attack on melee heroes. Use it as much as you can on allies or yourself whenever possible, especially when a team fight is ensuing. Outside of team fights, Empower could be used for farming in lanes or jungles.
  • Don't be afraid to cast Empower on ranged allies, especially if they are carries; ranged heroes like Drow Ranger or Weaver can greatly benefit from the base damage boost, since it adds more power to their already devastating auto-attacks.
  • In comparison, a Battle Fury has a cleave radius of 225, and does 35% damage. Empower has a smaller radius of 200, but deals 50% damage at its highest level. This skill can, in some cases, act as a free Battle Fury.
• Skewer is a tricky skill to use effectively:
  • When the target is moving, determine its path ahead of time, since there is a short delay in deploying. The closer you are to the target, the sooner Skewer will land.
  • To maximize its range, always target Skewer's landing point from a distance.
  • Note that Skewer is not a disable; it does not interrupt targets from casting their spells. Skewer is more of a crippling ability used to push targets to a certain distance and slow them, making escape more difficult.
  • Always try to Skewer in front of an enemy; the farther the target is pushed away from safety, the better.
  • Though it is offensive in nature, Skewer can also act as a quick escape mechanism, functioning similarly to a slower Force Staff. You can charge toward cliffs to make it more difficult for your pursuers to chase you.
  • During the laning phase, try to Skewer enemy heroes toward your tower; they will be forced to take tower damage, giving you additional offense while fighting them.
  • Skewer placement is usually ideal when in front of a hero. This can easily be attained with a Blink Dagger, as it lets you blink in front of your enemy for an easier placement. Invisibility can also be used to your advantage, as you can easily place yourself in front of the target without their knowledge (unless of course they have methods to prevent invisibility).
  • Skewer also makes a good initiation skill; you can use it to quickly dash in the middle of multiple enemy heroes, so that you can stun all of them with Reverse Polarity.
  • Skewer has a long cooldown of 30 seconds, so make sure to use it only when you really need it; otherwise, you will lose either an escape ability, or an offensive cripple.
• Reverse Polarity is one of the most powerful team fight disables in the game:
  • When planning to cast, place yourself in the middle of as much heroes as you can. The more heroes you disable, the more advantage you gain in the team fight.
  • The enemy targets' designated landing point make it easier for your allies to land their area-of-effect spells.
    • The pull also synergizes well with Magnus's frontal target spells. While your affected targets are stunned in front of you, you can cast Shockwave in a line, cleave with Empower, or trample them with Skewer. Note that only Skewer will displace them from the pulled location.
  • Though very powerful, Reverse Polarity's huge drawback is its cooldown. Use it carefully.
  • If possible, pave your way into an area full of enemy heroes with Skewer, then cast Reverse Polarity. Skewer's charge will help you get to the area faster, and will guarantee you stunned targets if you manage to drag heroes with you.
  • Maximize Reverse Polarity's disable with a Refresher Orb; casting Reverse Polarity>Refresh>Reverse Polarity will damage your targets for a total of 300/450/600 magic damage and disable them for 4.50/6/7.50 seconds, depending on the timing of the second cast.

Unmentioned Items

• Arcane Boots are probably the better boot choice for Magnus, as it provides a much needed fix to his meager mana pool.
• Black King Bar makes it easier for Magnus to use his ultimate, as he can place himself in the middle of heroes without being interrupted. It can also be used so that he can live longer against too many disablers.
• Shiva's Guard gives Magnus an additional nuke once he's in the middle of the enemy team, much needed armor, and a large boost to his somewhat small mana pool.

Trivia

• In transition to Dota 2, Magnus's race was changed from Magnataur to Magnoceros, most likely to avoid copyright issues with Blizzard, since the Magnataur are an existing race in the Warcraft universe.
• "Magnus" means "great" in Latin.

Update history

February 14, 2013 Patch

• Fixed some wave speed issues with Crypt Swarm, Dual Breath, Breathe Fire, Dragon Slave, Illuminate, Sonic Wave and Shockwave.

December 06, 2012 Patch

• Fixed being able to cast and attack while using Skewer.
• Fixed Empower buff remaining after casting Black King Bar.

October 18, 2012 Patch

• Fixed enemies being able to cast and attack while in Skewer pull.
• Increased Magnus model size.

October 11, 2012 Patch

• Added Magnus to Captain's Mode.
• Fixed Reverse Polarity not pulling units from the right location.
• Fixed Reverse Polarity stunning cycloned units.

October 04, 2012 Patch

• Added Magnus!

January 19, 2012 Patch

• [Undocumented] Updated textures for Magnataur, Clinkz.

Balance changelog

6.77

• Skewer
  • No longer affects magic immune units.
  • Cast range rescaled from 1200 to 600/800/1000/1200.
• Reverse Polarity duration decreased from 2.5/3.25/4 to 2.25/3/3.75.

6.76

• Shockwave
  • Distance increased from 700 to 1000.
  • Cooldown decreased from 11/10/9/8 to 10/9/8/7.
• Skewer
  • AoE increased from 95 to 125.
  • Range increased from 800 to 1200.
  • Now only considers heroes a valid target for dragging in consideration with its unit cap.

6.75

• Agility growth increased from 1.8 to 2.5.
• Empower damage and cleave bonus increased from 15/25/35/45% to 20/30/40/50%.
• Skewer slow duration increased from 2 to 2.5 seconds.

6.74

• Skewer will now cast in the direction you targeted if you cast it beyond the max range.

6.73

• Empower duration increased from 30 to 40 seconds.
• Skewer cooldown decreased from 35 to 30.

6.72

• Cast point reduced.
• Empower cast range increased from 500 to 800.
• Skewer's number of enemy units dragged rescaled from 2 to 1/2/3/4.

6.71

• Skewer cooldown reduced from 45 to 35.

Gallery

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  Splash artwork

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  Concept art

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  Concept art

See also

• Magnus responses