DotaLeak › Heroes › Shadow Demon › How to counter

Shadow Demon

How to counter Shadow Demon in Dota 2

Best counters to Shadow Demon: Wraith King, Alchemist, Techies. Through BKB: Demonic Cleanse, Demonic Purge.

A plan vs Shadow Demon for your hero and rolePick your hero and position — the coach lays out laning, mid and late game, how to play around each spell and when to buy counter items.
Build my plan →

Best counters to Shadow Demon

win rate vs this hero in public matches

Worst picks vs Shadow Demon

Shadow Demon spells: BKB and dispel

what BKB blocks and what can be dispelled
DisruptionBlocked by BKBCannot be DispelledCD 26 / 24 / 22 / 20

Banishes the targeted unit from the battlefield for a short duration. Upon returning, two illusions of the banished unit with bonus base damage are created under Shadow Demon's control.

DisseminateBlocked by BKBInstant EffectCD 26 / 22 / 18 / 14

Whenever the target takes damage, all enemies, including the target itself if it is an enemy, within 675 range of the target also receive a portion of that damage. Can target enemy and allied units. Effect is paused if the target is hidden by Disruption.

Shadow PoisonBlocked by BKBCannot be DispelledMagicalCD 2.5

Deals damage in a line, and afflicts enemy units with a poison effect. The poison deals 1/2/4/8/16 times the stack damage based on the number of stacks on the target, up to 5 stacks. Additional stacks cause 50 damage each. This deferred damage is dealt when Shadow Poison's duration is expired, or the Release sub-ability is used.

Shadow Poison ReleasePassive / BuffInstant EffectCD 1

Releases the poison to do damage on all affected enemies. Units under the effect of Disruption can still be affected by Shadow Poison.

Demonic CleansePierces BKBCannot be DispelledCD 60

Cleanses the target allied unit, removing negative buffs for the duration. At the end of the duration, the unit is healed. Units under the effect of Disruption can still be affected by Demonic Cleanse. DISPEL TYPE: Basic Dispel

Demonic PurgePierces BKBCannot be DispelledMagicalCD 70 / 65 / 60

Purges the target enemy unit, removing positive buffs, and slowing the target for the duration. The unit slowly regains its speed until the end of the duration, upon which damage is dealt. Units under the effect of Disruption can still be affected by Demonic Purge. DISPEL TYPE: Basic Dispel

MenacePassive / BuffCannot be DispelledCD —

Shadow Demon's Attacks apply a stacking debuff to the enemy for 8 seconds that increases their damage taken.

Items against Shadow Demon

4 counter items with buy timings and conditions: when to buy and which of Shadow Demon’s spells each one shuts down. Tailored to your hero and role.

Open in the plan →

What Shadow Demon builds

popular purchases by stage
Early game
Boots of SpeedArcane BootsTranquil BootsUrn of Shadows
Mid game
Arcane BootsBlink DaggerAghanim's ShardGlimmer CapeAether Lens
Late game
Blink DaggerAether LensAghanim's ScepterAeon DiskGlimmer Cape

When Shadow Demon is strongest

Laning (0–12m)
4/5
Mid Game (12–28m)
3/5
Late Game (28m+)
3/5
A plan vs Shadow Demon for your hero and rolePick your hero and position — the coach lays out laning, mid and late game, how to play around each spell and when to buy counter items.
Build my plan →

FAQ

Who counters Shadow Demon?

By public match stats, Wraith King, Alchemist, Techies do best against Shadow Demon.

Do Shadow Demon's spells pierce BKB?

Through BKB: Demonic Cleanse, Demonic Purge. BKB blocks the rest.

Which heroes struggle against Shadow Demon?

Medusa, Broodmother, Weaver struggle the most against Shadow Demon.

Shadow Demon: win rate by rank, builds and common mistakes →

Lost the game?Paste a match ID — we show who threw and why: deaths, lanes, items, map replay.