Creep-heroes

A creep-hero is a creep-type units that are sometimes treated as heroes by the game. This means, although it still is a creep, many spells and other effects treat it as a hero instead.

List

1. Earth
2. Storm
3. Fire
4. Void
5. Astral Spirit
6. Spirit Bear
7. Familiars
8. Warlock Golem
9. Summon Convert
10. Units dominated with Helm of the Dominator and Helm of the Overlord

Spell interactions

There are many spells which behave differently based on what their target is. Several spells are exclusive to heroes only, while some are exclusive to non-hero units. There are also spells which are able to affect both, but have different effects or durations based on whether the target is a hero or a non-hero.

Creep-heroes, being in between creeps and heroes, have therefore many unique interactions with these spells.

If a creep-hero also has the ancient unit tag (is an ancient creep-hero), interactions change even further. All interactions listed in here apply to them, on top of the ones listed below.

Hero-only spells

The following spells are able to target or affect heroes only. However, some of them treat creep-heroes as heroes, fully working on them as well, while others treat them as creeps, not affecting them.

Fully affecting

The following hero-only spells fully affect creep-heroes.

• Abaddon – Borrowed Time
• Ancient Apparition – Ice Blast
• Arc Warden – Magnetic Field
• Bottle – Regenerate
• Clarity – Replenish
• Dazzle – Shallow Grave
• Enchanted Mango – Eat Mango
• Glimmer Cape – Glimmer
• Grimstroke – Soulbind
• Healing Salve – Salve
• Io – Relocate
• Kunkka – X Marks the Spot
• Linken's Sphere – Transfer Spellblock
• Linken's Sphere – Spellblock
• Luna – Lunar Blessing
• Magnus – Skewer
• Monkey King – Wukong's Command
• Necrophos – Reaper's Scythe
• Nyx Assassin – Mind Flare^*
• Oracle – False Promise
• Phantom Assassin – Blur
• Puck – Dream Coil
• Razor – Static Link
• Shadow Amulet – Fade
• Slark – Shadow Dance
• Witch Doctor – Maledict

^* Since only heroes have intelligence, casting Mind Flare on creep-heroes just dealing the damage bonus (not deals damage multiplier).

Not affecting

The following hero-only spells do not affect creep-heroes.

• Alchemist – Aghanim's Scepter Synth
• Bloodseeker – Thirst
• Chaos Knight – Phantasm
• Crimson Guard – Guard
• Dark Seer – Wall of Replica
• Disruptor – Glimpse
• Drow Ranger – Marksmanship
• Forged Spirit – Melting Strike
• Legion Commander – Duel
• Mirana – Moonlight Shadow
• Morphling – Morph
• Monkey King – Jingu Mastery
• Outworld Destroyer – Sanity's Eclipse
• Pudge – Flesh Heap
• Riki – Tricks of the Trade
• Rubick – Spell Steal
• Shadow Demon – Disruption
• Slark – Pounce
• Slark – Essence Shift
• Spectre – Haunt
• Spirit Vessel – Soul Release
• Terrorblade – Reflection
• Terrorblade – Sunder
• Tinker – Heat-Seeking Missile
• Troll Warlord – Battle Trance
• Urn of Shadows – Soul Release
• Weaver – Time Lapse
• Witch Doctor – Death Ward
• Zeus – Thundergod's Wrath

Partially affecting

The following hero-only spells partially affect creep-heroes.

• Alchemist - Unstable Concoction
  
  Cannot target creep-heroes. Area damage and stun can hit creep-heroes.

Creep-only spells

The following spells are able to target or affect creeps only. None of them treat creep-heroes as creeps, rendering them useless against creep-heroes.

• Battle Fury – Quell¹
• Chen – Holy Persuasion²
• Doom – Devour²
• Enigma – Demonic Summoning
• Hand of Midas – Transmute
• Helm of the Dominator – Dominate
• Lycan – Howl³
• Quelling Blade – Quell¹

¹ The ancient unit tag has priority over the creep-hero tag, so that these abilities do affect creep-heroes if they also are ancient creeps.

² The creep-hero tag has priority over the ancient unit tag in this case, meaning even upgraded, these spells still cannot target creep-heroes which are also ancient creeps.

³ Fear debuff affects most enemy Summoned Creeps, but does not affect Lane Creeps and Neutral Creeps.

Other spells

These spells act differently when applied on heroes as when on creeps. Their behavior against creep-heroes is inconsistent.

Note that some abilities listed here may interact differntly with the Primal Split brewlings. This is due to the fact that the hidden caster of Primal Split is periodically moved along with Earth, if Earth is dead, along with Storm, if Storm is dead, along with Fire and if Fire is dead as well, along with Void. Although most abilities ignore hidden units, a few abilities still detect them, so that the Primal Split caster may still trigger them, for example, Smoke of Deceit getting dispelled by the current main brewling.

Treated as hero

These spells treat creep-heroes as heroes.

• Batrider – Flaming Lasso¹
• Bristleback – Viscous Nasal Goo
• Centaur Courser – Cloak Aura¹
• Centaur Warrunner – Retaliate Aura
• Crystal Maiden – Frostbite
• Diffusal Blade – Inhibit
• Enchantress – Enchant²
• Faceless Void – Time Lock¹
• Keeper of the Light – Chakra Magic¹
• Lifestealer – Consume
• Lycan – Howl
• Mirana – Sacred Arrow
• Ogre Magi – Bloodlust
• Pudge – Dismember
• Ring of Basilius – Basilius Aura
• Rubick – Fade Bolt
• Shadow Demon – Demonic Purge
• Slardar – Bash of the Deep¹
• Sniper – Assassinate
• Storm – Cyclone
• Undying – Flesh Golem
• Vengeful Spirit – Nether Swap¹
• Witch Doctor – Paralyzing Cask
• Zeus – Lightning Bolt

¹ These spells prioritize the ancient unit tag over the creep-hero unit tag, meaning they treat units with both tags as creeps, not as heroes. All other listed spells always treat them as heroes, regardless of any other tag.

² Enchant's targeting rules prioritize the ancient unit tag over the creep-hero unit tag, meaning it cannot target units with both tags when the talent for it is not chosen. However, its effects prioritize the creep-hero unit tag, meaning if the talent is chosen, targeted units with both tags are slowed, not converted.

Treated as creep

These spells treat creep-heroes as creeps.

• Ancient Apparition – Chilling Touch
• Ancient Thunderhide – Slam
• Batrider – Sticky Napalm
• Boots of Travel – Upgrade: Town Portal Scroll
• Bounty Hunter – Track
• Brewmaster – Thunder Clap
• Centaur Conqueror – War Stomp
• Earth Spirit – Rolling Boulder
• Earth Spirit – Geomagnetic Grip
• Earth Spirit – Enchant Remnant
• Elder Titan – Astral Spirit
• Ember Spirit – Sleight of Fist
• Faceless Void – Time Dilation
• Guardian Greaves – Guardian Aura
• Gyrocopter – Homing Missile
• Invoker – E.M.P.
• Kunkka – Ghostship
• Leshrac – Pulse Nova
• Monkey King – Jingu Mastery
• Nature's Prophet – Wrath of Nature
• Necrophos – Heartstopper Aura
• Phoenix – Supernova
• Pugna – Life Drain
• Roshan – Slam
• Sand King – Burrowstrike
• Shadow Fiend – Necromastery
• Shadow Fiend – Requiem of Souls
• Skywrath Mage – Arcane Bolt
• Skywrath Mage – Ancient Seal
• Smoke of Deceit – Disguise
• Spiderling – Poison Sting
• Tusk – Snowball
• Undying – Tombstone
• Vengeful Spirit – Vengeance Aura
• Vhoul Assassin – Envenomed Weapon
• Weaver – The Swarm
• Zeus – Nimbus

Unique

• Ancient Granite Golem - Granite Aura
  
  Places the aura buff on creep-heroes, but does not work for them.
• Axe - Culling Blade
  
  Goes on cooldown when successfully culling creep-heroes. When Scepter upgraded, applies Battle Hunger on creep-heroes.
• Chen - Hand of God
  
  When under the caster's control, Hand of God does not heal creep-heroes, unless they are also ancient creeps.
• Dark Seer - Ion Shell
  
  Although able to target heroes and creeps, it cannot be cast on creep-heroes. Damages creep-heroes normally.
• Io - Spirits
  
  Treats creep-heroes as heroes, exploding on collision. However, no explosion sound is played. Also acknowledges the ancient unit tag, so that it also deals its passing damage to ancient creep-heroes, on top of exploding on them.
• Juggernaut - Blade Fury
  
  Creep-heroes take full damage from Juggernaut's attacks during Blade Fury, unless they are also ancient creeps.
• Legion Commander - Overwhelming Odds
  
  The bonus damage counts creep-heroes as creeps. The percentage bonus damage to summons is not applied to creep-heroes.
• Lotus Orb - Echo Shell
  
  Can be cast on creep-heroes. Does not reflect spells for creep-heroes.
• Lycan Wolf - Cripple
  
  Although able to affect heroes and creeps, it cannot affect creep-heroes, unless they are also ancient creeps.
• Moon Shard - Consume
  
  Cannot be cast on creep-heroes, with the exception of Spirit Bear.
• Pugna - Nether Ward
  
  Mana Degen Aura treats creep-heroes as heroes, affecting them. The Ward itself treats creep-heroes as creeps, taking less damage from their attacks.
• Skywrath Mage - Concussive Shot
  
  Targeting treats creep-heroes as creeps. When Scepter upgraded, the secondary projectile can target creeps and creep-heroes, but prioritizes heroes.
• Skywrath Mage - Mystic Flare
  
  Treats creep-heroes as creeps, unable to damage them, although particle effects appear. When Scepter upgraded, the secondary cast can target creeps and creep-heroes (still not damaging them), but prioritizes heroes.
• Spectre - Spectral Dagger
  
  Can directly be cast on creep-heroes like heroes. However, spell effects treat creep-heroes as creeps, no projectile homing, and no trail attaching.
• Spirit Bear - Entangling Claws
  
  Although able to affect heroes and creeps, it cannot affect creep-heroes.
• Storm - Dispel Magic
  
  The bonus damage to summons is not applied to creep-heroes.
• Tango - Devour
  
  Can be cast on creep-heroes, but only ones with a working inventory get a charge.
• Tinker - Laser
  
  Treats creep-heroes as creeps, lasting longer on them. When Scepter upgraded, bounces treat creep-heroes as heroes, bouncing to them.
• Treant Protector - Living Armor
  
  When ground-targeting, nearby creep-heroes are registered, but the armor is not applied, wasting mana and cooldown.
• Underlord - Atrophy Aura
  
  Treats enemy creep-heroes as creeps, gaining less damage from their deaths, and treats allied creep-heroes as heroes, buffing their attack damage when upgraded.
• Undying Zombie - Deathlust
  
  Although able to affect heroes and creeps, it cannot debuff creep-heroes. The debuff is not placed on them, unless they are also ancient creeps. The Frenzy buff is still placed on the zombies.
• Visage - Soul Assumption
  
  Damage counter treats creep-heroes as heroes. When the double-strike talent is chosen, the secondary projectile prioritizes heroes.
• Wraith King - Wraith Delay
  
  Places the aura buff on creep-heroes, but does not work for them.

Trivia

• All spell-based creep-heroes, with the exception of the Spirit Bear and Summon Converts, are tagged as ancient creeps as well.