Spell Reflection

• Spell Reflection
• Changelogs

▶️ Spell Reflection from Lotus Orb

Spell Reflection is an offensive ability that causes the affected unit to cast most single target spells back on their casters, ranging from basic small abilities to the strongest single target ultimates.

Definition

Mechanic Type	Definition	Examples
Spell Block	Blocks the offensive unit-targeted ability.	Spellblock
Spell Reflection	Reflects the offensive unit-targeted ability from the targeted unit to its caster.	Echo Shell
Spell Redirection	Redirects the unit-targeted ability from the intended targeted unit to another unit.	Soulbind
All three mechanics work independently of each other.

Mechanics

Spell Reflection acts as a passive effect, activating automatically when a reflectable single target spell is targeted at the unit. It may also come in form of a buff, reflecting spells while the buff is active.

Spell Reflection only reflects spells upon cast, it does not react on already ongoing casts when being applied while already affected by a single target spell. When a spell gets blocked by Spell Block, it still gets reflected. Multiple layers of Spell Reflection do not stack, so that spells can only be reflected once per cast. With very few exceptions, Spell Reflection does not reflect area of effect spells. It also does not reflect single target spells when hit as a secondary target. The unit must be the primary target in order to reflect the spell. Projectile-based spells are usually reflected upon impact, and not upon cast, with a few exceptions.

The reflected spells are treated as if the reflecting hero literally cast the spell back at the enemy, with an instant cast time and without getting interrupted. This means that scaling values (such as Spell Amplification) of reflected abilities are based on the reflecting hero's stats, and not on the original caster's. If a spell applies an effect to the target on cast, so will it apply those effects on the reflecting hero upon reflecting.

An exception to this are upgrades a spell has received from Aghanim's Scepter or Aghanim's Shard: these upgrades will persist when reflecting such a spell, even if the reflecting hero does not carry their own Aghanim's Scepter or Aghanim's Shard. Reflected spell won't be upgraded if the original caster does not have an Aghanim's Scepter or Aghanim's Shard, even if the reflecting hero is carrying these items (or buffs). This applies to spells upgraded by Talents and Facets as well.

Reflected spells do not count as a cast event, meaning that they do not proc any on-cast effects, and do not interrupt or intercept with the reflecting hero actions in any way. However, reflected channeling spells do require the reflecting hero to stand still in order to keep them up, although the reflecting hero is not ordered to stop upon reflecting such spells. Reflected spells are also not limited to the original spell's actual cast range, and will get reflected, regardless of how far away the original caster is, though this does not mean that spells with specific limited distances (e.g. Earthshaker's Fissure) can exceed their set distances.

The reflected spell's effects take place before the caster's spell cast. This ensures that the spell gets reflected even when the reflecting hero dies to the spell, or blocks it with Spell Block. This does not prevent the original caster's spell to get canceled, if they die to the damage of the reflected spell. Due to the order, this means, when the cast and reflected spell is lethal to both, the original caster and the reflecting hero, the original caster dies first, followed by the reflecting hero. For example, if Culling Blade gets reflected while Axe and his target are below the kill threshold, Axe dies first to the reflecting hero's Cull, and then the reflecting hero dies to Axe's Cull. However, if the damage is delayed via a modifier (e.g. Laguna Blade), the reflecting hero dies first.

A spell's interaction with Spell Reflection may change if the ability gets changed by other abilities, talents or by Aghanim's Scepter. For example, when a single target turns into a non-targeted spell, Spell Reflection may no longer reflect it.

Spell Reflection does not reflect any active attack modifier and does not reflect any abilities of allies. Reflected spells are not subject to other sources of Spell Reflection, so that no reflect loop can happen. Reflected spells are still subject to Spell Block, but not Spell Redirection.

Sources of Spell Reflection

• Anti-Mage - Counterspell
  
  Lotus Orb do not trigger while this ability is active.
• Lotus Orb - Echo Shell
  
• Spirit Breaker - Planar Pocket
  
  Has a higher priority than Counterspell and Echo Shell.
  Redirected spells are still subject to all other sources of Spell Reflect.

Reflecting

Not-reflected Unit Target Abilities

Hero Abilities: Unit and Ground Targetable

• Death Prophet – Crypt Swarm
• Dragon Knight – Breathe Fire
• Jakiro – Dual Breath
• Lina – Dragon Slave
• Lion – Earth Spike
• Magnus – Shockwave ¹
• Sand King – Burrowstrike
• Tiny – Tree Throw
• Troll Warlord – Whirling Axes (Ranged)

Hero-Based Projectile Abilities

• Marci – Rebound
• Meepo – MegaMeepo Fling
• Necrophos – Death Seeker ²

Other Hero Abilites

• Grimstroke – Soulbind ^{1 2}
• Kez – Kazurai Katana ¹
• Lifestealer – Infest ²
• Morphling – Morph ²
• Rubick – Spell Steal ²

Creep Abilities ¹

• Fell Spirit – Vex
• Hawk – Dive Bomb
• Roshan – Throw ²
• Satyr Tormenter – Shockwave
• Wildwing Ripper – Hurricane
• Wildwing – Tornado

Item Abilites

• Ringmaster – Weighted Pie ^{1 3}
• Spirit Vessel – Soul Release
• Urn of Shadows – Soul Release

Neutral Item Abilites ⁴

¹ Missing from the in-game extended ability description.

² These spells are visually reflected, but in reality no reflection occurs.

³ Requires selecting the corresponding facet.

⁴ Neutral Items abilities can't be reflected.

Auto-casting abilities with an active attack modifier do not trigger Spell Reflect.

Active Attack Modifiers

• Ancient Apparition – Chilling Touch
• Bounty Hunter – Jinada ⁴
• Clinkz – Searing Arrows
• Doom – Infernal Blade
• Drow Ranger – Frost Arrows
• Enchantress – Impetus
• Huskar – Burning Spear
• Jakiro – Liquid Fire
• Jakiro – Liquid Frost
• Kunkka – Tidebringer ⁴
• Omniknight – Hammer of Purity ⁴
• Outworld Destroyer – Arcane Orb
• Silencer – Glaives of Wisdom
• Lua error: Found no lpdb data for "Slark - Saltwater Shiv".
• Tusk – Walrus PUNCH!
• Treant Protector – Leech Seed ⁴
• Viper – Poison Attack
• Weaver – Geminate Attack ⁴

Bounce

Unit target abilities that bounce between multiple targets only trigger spell reflect on the primary target.

Bounce Abilities

• Bounty Hunter – Shuriken Toss³
• Dazzle – Shadow Wave
• Juggernaut – Omnislash
• Juggernaut – Swiftslash
• Hoodwink – Acorn Shot
• Lich – Chain Frost
• Medusa – Mystic Snake
• Nature's Prophet – Wrath of Nature
• Phantom Lancer – Spirit Lance
• Rubick – Fade Bolt
• Tinker – Laser^2a
• Vengeful Spirit – Magic Missile^2b
• Witch Doctor – Paralyzing Cask

¹ Requires a Talent.

^2a Requires Aghanim's Scepter.

^2b Requires Aghanim's Shard.

³ Requires selecting the corresponding facet.

Multiple Target

Abilities that fire individual tracking projectiles at targets to apply the same effect to all units hit trigger spell reflect independently.

Reflectable Multiple Target Abilities independently by each target

• Bane – Brain Sap^2b
• Dazzle – Poison Touch
• Lion – Finger of Death^2a
• Nyx Assassin – Mind Flare¹
• Skywrath Mage – Arcane Bolt^2b
• Visage – Soul Assumption¹
• Gleipnir – Eternal Chains

¹ Requires a Talent.

^2a Requires Aghanim's Scepter.

^2b Requires Aghanim's Shard.

Point Target

Reflectable Point Target Abilities

• Nature's Prophet – Wrath of Nature¹
• Zeus – Lightning Bolt¹
• Gleipnir – Eternal Chains

¹ If ground targeted, can still be reflected before the first bounce.

² If ground targeted, can still be reflected. Bolts from the Nimbus are not reflected.

• Nature's Prophet - Sprout
  
  Reflected only when unit-targeted.

Projectile

Projectile abilities reflects upon impact, not upon cast.

Hero-based projectile usually reflects upon impact.

Reflectable upon Impact

• Huskar – Life Break
• Tiny – Toss
• Tusk – Snowball
• Spirit Breaker – Charge of Darkness
• Sven – Storm Hammer (Alt-Cast)

Reflectable upon Cast

• Spirit Breaker – Charge of Darkness

Usually reflected without Aghanim upgrades

These abilties requires having specific abiltiy for apply Aghanim upgrades when reflecting.

Temp

• Bane – Fiend's Grip¹
• Enigma – Malefice

¹ Creates illusions, but they instantly die.

These abilities just broken and never reflect with Aghanim upgrade.

Temp

• Spirit Breaker – Charge of Darkness

Other Unique interactions

• Bane - Nightmare
  
  Reflected upon cast and upon attacking a unit affected by an enemy Nightmare.
• Chaos Knight - Chaos Bolt
  
  Reflected upon impact. Rerolls the damage and stun values, does not copy the values the original caster rolled.
• Chaos Knight - Reality Rift
  
  Sets a new random position between the original caster and the reflecting hero, overriding the location the original caster randomed.
• Crystal Maiden - Frostbite
  
  Reflected only when manually cast. Not reflected when applied by Freezing Field.
• Invoker - Cold Snap
  
  Reflected Cold Snap's level is based on Invoker's Quas level.
• Ogre Magi - Fireblast
  
  Reflects each instance multicast as they occur.
• Ogre Magi - Unrefined Fireblast
  
  Reflects each instance multicast as they occur.
• Phantom Assassin - Phantom Strike
  
  When reflected, the original caster ends up at the reflecting heroes position, and not the other way.
• Riki - Blink Strike
  
  When reflected, the original caster ends up at the reflecting heroes position, and not the other way.
• Spirit Breaker - Charge of Darkness
  
  Reflected upon cast, not impact. The reflecting hero does not apply Greater Bash.
• Spirit Breaker - Nether Strike
  
  When reflected, the original caster ends up at the reflecting heroes position, and not the other way. The reflecting hero does not apply Greater Bash.
• Vengeful Spirit - Nether Swap
  
  Basically completely nullifies the spell. The swap back happens so fast that not even distance-based effects (e.g. Dream Coil leash breaking) can react on it.
• Visage - Soul Assumption
  
  The damage depends on how many charges the original caster had for their cast.

Fully reflected abilities

These abilities are fully reflected by Spell Reflection.

Hero abilities

• Abaddon – Mist Coil¹
• Ancient Apparition – Cold Feet⁴
• Anti-Mage – Mana Void³
• Arc Warden – Flux
• Axe – Battle Hunger
• Axe – Culling Blade
• Bane – Enfeeble
• Bane – Brain Sap
• Bane – Fiend's Grip
• Batrider – Flaming Lasso³
• Beastmaster – Primal Roar³
• Bloodseeker – Bloodrage
• Bloodseeker – Rupture
• Bounty Hunter – Shuriken Toss^{1 3}
• Bounty Hunter – Track
• Bristleback – Viscous Nasal Goo^{1 4}
• Broodmother – Spawn Spiderlings¹
• Centaur Warrunner – Double Edge³
• Chen – Penitence¹
• Dark Willow – Cursed Crown
• Dazzle – Poison Touch^{3 5}
• Death Prophet – Spirit Siphon
• Disruptor – Thunder Strike
• Disruptor – Glimpse
• Doom – Doom
• Dragon Knight – Dragon Tail¹
• Earth Spirit – Boulder Smash³
• Earth Spirit – Enchant Remnant
• Enchantress – Enchant
• Enigma – Malefice
• Grimstroke – Phantom's Embrace⁵
• Gyrocopter – Homing Missile¹
• Huskar – Life Break¹
• Juggernaut – Omnislash³
• Kunkka – X Marks the Spot
• Legion Commander – Duel
• Leshrac – Lightning Storm³
• Lich – Frost Blast³
• Lich – Sinister Gaze⁴
• Lich – Chain Frost^{1 3}
• Lifestealer – Open Wounds
• Lina – Laguna Blade
• Lion – Hex⁴
• Lion – Mana Drain³
• Lion – Finger of Death³
• Luna – Lucent Beam
• Medusa – Mystic Snake^{1 3}
• Morphling – Adaptive Strike (Agility)^{1 2}
• Morphling – Adaptive Strike (Strength)^{1 2}
• Naga Siren – Ensnare¹
• Necrophos – Reaper's Scythe
• Night Stalker – Void
• Nyx Assassin – Mana Burn
• Ogre Magi – Ignite^{1 3}
• Oracle – Fortune's End^{1 3}
• Oracle – Fate's Edict
• Oracle – Purifying Flames
• Outworld Destroyer – Astral Imprisonment
• Phantom Assassin – Stifling Dagger^{1 2}
• Phantom Lancer – Spirit Lance^{1 2}
• Pudge – Dismember
• Pugna – Decrepify
• Pugna – Life Drain
• Queen of Pain – Shadow Strike^{1 3}
• Razor – Static Link
• Rubick – Telekinesis³
• Rubick – Fade Bolt³
• Shadow Demon – Disruption
• Shadow Demon – Demonic Purge
• Shadow Shaman – Ether Shock³
• Shadow Shaman – Hex
• Shadow Shaman – Shackles
• Silencer – Last Word⁴
• Skywrath Mage – Arcane Bolt^{1 2}
• Skywrath Mage – Ancient Seal³
• Slardar – Corrosive Haze
• Sniper – Assassinate¹
• Spectre – Shadow Step
• Storm Spirit – Electric Vortex⁴
• Sven – Storm Hammer^{1 3}
• Terrorblade – Sunder
• Tidehunter – Gush^{1 4}
• Tinker – Laser³
• Treant Protector – Leech Seed
• Tusk – Snowball¹
• Tusk – Walrus Kick
• Undying – Soul Rip
• Vengeful Spirit – Magic Missile¹
• Viper – Viper Strike¹
• Visage – Grave Chill
• Warlock – Fatal Bonds³
• Warlock – Shadow Word⁴
• Windranger – Shackleshot^{1 3}
• Windranger – Focus Fire
• Winter Wyvern – Splinter Blast^{1 3}
• Winter Wyvern – Winter's Curse³
• Witch Doctor – Paralyzing Cask^{1 3}
• Wraith King – Wraithfire Blast^{1 2}
• Zeus – Arc Lightning³
Item abilities
• Abyssal Blade – Overwhelm
• Bloodthorn – Soul Rend
• Dagon – Energy Burst
• Diffusal Blade – Inhibit
• Ethereal Blade – Ether Blast¹
• Eul's Scepter of Divinity – Cyclone
• Force Staff – Force
• Heaven's Halberd – Disarm
• Hurricane Pike – Hurricane Thrust
• Nullifier – Nullify¹
• Orchid Malevolence – Soul Burn
• Rod of Atos – Cripple¹
• Scythe of Vyse – Hex
Unit abilities
• Hill Troll – Ensnare¹
• Earth – Hurl Boulder¹
• Harpy Stormcrafter – Chain Lightning³
• Mud Golem – Hurl Boulder¹
• Necronomicon Archer – Purge
• Satyr Banisher – Purge
• Satyr Mindstealer – Mana Burn
• Shard Golem – Hurl Boulder¹
• Storm – Cyclone

¹ Projectile-based abilities, these are reflected upon impact, not upon cast.

² These abilities can hit multiple targets, and are reflected by everyone hit by them.

³ These abilities can hit multiple targets, but are only reflected when primary target.

⁴ These abilities can be upgraded by talents and/or Aghanim's Scepter so that they are no longer reflected by Spell Reflection.

⁵ Although projectile-based, these abilities are reflected on cast, not on impact.

Recent Changes

Main Article: Spell Reflection/Changelogs

Version

Description

7.38
(2025-02-19)

• Reflected spells now benefit from all bonuses the original cast had, including the following:
  • Caster's facet upgrades
  • Bonuses from talents
  • Aghanim's Shard and Aghanim's Scepter upgrades (Upgrades used to depend on Aghanim's items the reflecting unit had)

7.30e
(2021-10-28)

• Psychic Push no longer triggers Spell Reflection.

7.23
(2019-11-26)

• ADDED new Echo Shield ability that uses the Spell Reflection mechanic.