Dark Willow
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Dark Willow
20 + 2
18 + 1.6
21 + 3.5
| Grants the following bonuses per level: | |
| +44HP and +0.2HP regeneration | |
| +0.27 armor and 1.6 attack speed | |
| +42MP and +0.175MP regeneration +0.1% base magic resistance +3.5 Main Attack Damage | |
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1200 Projectile Speed
| ||
115 (133)
(1.5 BAT) | ||
0.3 + 1
| ||
0.7
| ||
Default
Gib Type | ||
Competitive Span
2018-03-01 — Present | ||
Version Control This article is mostly accurate for 7.38, the last version this hero was changed in. New interactions that emerged in following patches may have not yet been accounted for. |
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| Has an arsenal of disables at her disposal. | |
|---|---|
| A slight flutter from the shadows may be all an enemy sees of Dark Willow, as she eludes pursuit and controls her foe's movements with devious and cunning fae tricks. Her heritage lets her slip into the Shadow Realm, avoiding attacks while entrapping victims in thorny Brambles. She lays a Cursed Crown on her foes, stunning them no matter they run. The Dark Willow's companion wisp is no less to fear. Jex circles its mistress, creating sheer Bedlam before tapping into primal fears, Terrorizing enemies into submission. | |
| Roles: | |
| Adjectives | Cute, Female, Flying, Green, Wings, Nose Legs ( 2 ) |
Facets[edit]
Throwing Shade
Grants Mireska an enemy incoming damage amplification aura centered around her. The longer the Shadow Realm, the potent the amplification.
Shattering Crown
Accumulates a portion of the damage dealt by Mireska to the Cursed Crown-affected enemy unit during its effect delay.
This accumulated damage is dealt to all enemy units within the stun radius after the effect delay.
Also accumulates a portion of Mireska's allied heroes' attack damage dealt to the cursed enemy unit.
This accumulated damage is dealt to all enemy units within the stun radius after the effect delay.
Also accumulates a portion of Mireska's allied heroes' attack damage dealt to the cursed enemy unit.
Upgrades[edit]
Aghanim's[edit]
Aghanim's Scepter Upgrade:
Attacking no longer takes Dark Willow out of Shadow Realm. Each attack still has bonus damage based on the duration of the buff.
Aghanim's Shard Upgrade:
Decreases cooldown. Creates brambles around the affected enemy unit when the effect delay ends. Additionally, the full ability effect is applied even if the debuff is dispelled before the delay ends.
Talents[edit]
| +2 Bedlam Attack Targets | 25 | +500 Terrorize Damage |
|---|---|---|
| -7s Bramble Maze Cooldown | 20 | +1.5s Shadow Realm Duration |
| +150 Cursed Crown Radius | 15 | +30 Bedlam Damage |
| +10 Intelligence | 10 | +1s Bedlam Duration |
| ▃ ▃ ▃ ▃ ▃ ▃ ▃ +2 All | ||
Bio[edit]
Let's have some fun, shall we?▶️Mireska Sunbreeze, the Dark Willow
Aliases:
DW, Mireska
Lore:
Children love telling stories about the whimsical adventures of fairies... That's because children don't know that most fairies are spiteful jerks. And in the world of spiteful fairies there are few names spoken of with more contempt than Mireska Sunbreeze.
Born to a fae merchant king, Mireska grew up in Revtel; a cutthroat nation where manipulation and murder were the norm. But while she was quite adept at navigating the etiquette, unspoken laws, and social rituals that permeated every element of her life, she found the whole thing rather boring.
So, Mireska did what most rebellious children do: burn down her family estate and set off with her pet wisp Jex to live the life of a wandering grifter.
Born to a fae merchant king, Mireska grew up in Revtel; a cutthroat nation where manipulation and murder were the norm. But while she was quite adept at navigating the etiquette, unspoken laws, and social rituals that permeated every element of her life, she found the whole thing rather boring.
So, Mireska did what most rebellious children do: burn down her family estate and set off with her pet wisp Jex to live the life of a wandering grifter.
Voice:
Innate[edit]
Pixie Dust[edit]
Pixie Dust 
Passive
Affects
Self
Grants self bonus health regeneration and bonus mana regeneration while being affected by untargetable and hidden sources.
Health Regen Factor: 
2
Mana Regen Factor: 
2
- The
- However, it applies a unique
- Stacks multiplicatively with other health regeneration amplification sources.
- Hence, this
innate ability doubles the current health regeneration value, regardless of other amplification effects.
Hidden Modifier
- Has the following
L 1 6 12 18 25 30 5.5 27.9 54.3 80.7 111.5 133.5 2.1 14.7 29.4 44.1 61.25 73.5
Hero Model[edit]
Details
Hidden Innate Abilities
Tap on the 
innate abilities for more details.
Abilities[edit]
Bramble Maze[edit]
Creates a maze of brambles that grow in the area-targeted location after a short delay.
Cast Animation: 0.3 + 0.8
Cast Range: 
1000/1100/1200/1300
Spawn Radius: 500
Inner Radius: 200
Spawn Delay: 0.3
Spawn Interval: 0.075
Number of Brambles: 8
Activation Delay: 0.1
Bramble Duration: 12
Enemy units coming in contact with a matured bramble are rooted and take damage over time.
Root Search Radius: 90
Damage Interval: 0.5
Damage per Instance: 50/55/60/65
Root Duration: 1/1.5/2/2.5
22 (
15)
100/120/140/160
The fae realm exists all around you, merely waiting to draw you in...
- Has the following targeting functionalities:
- Has a custom area-targeting indicator with all brambles' formation visualized as above.
- Considers portrait-casting as a
ground-targeted cast, and centers the radius around Mireska.
- Considers portrait-casting as a
- The ability has two main components:
- The created brambles are always in the same formation.
- 0.3 seconds after casting, each bramble spaws from the inner to the outer circle in 0.075-second intervals according to the following anticlockwise sequence:
- All brambles take 0.825 seconds to take formation.
- Each bramble has its own independent duration and
root activation duration, staring upon its creation.
- Hence, the last bramble disappears 12.825 seconds after cast.
- All ability visual and sound effects during the spawn delay are only visible and audible ally-only.
dark_willow_bramble_maze- Applies both the damage and root the first enemy unit within the root search radius, after its activation delay based on its source.
- The corresponding bramble disappears once it applies the debuff.
- Reapplying the debuff applies another independent instance.
- Grants
True Sight over the affected enemy unit.
- Affects the following units:
Fogged units.
Invisible units.
- Deals
magical
spell damage in 0.5-second intervals, starting 0.5 seconds upon debuff application.
- Leveling up the ability does not update the current bramble's root duration.
- Grants
- Applies both the damage and root the first enemy unit within the root search radius, after its activation delay based on its source.
On hidden entity
On hidden entity
Bramble Maze: Rooted, cannot move.
- The projectile launched upon cast is visual-only and has no gameplay impact.
- Deals 50/82.5/120/162.5 spell damage (before reductions) for the entire
- Deals 50/82.5/120/162.5 spell damage (before reductions) for the entire
Shadow Realm[edit]
Recedes into the shadows and becomes untargetable. Mireska's next attack has increased attack range imbued with magical powers corresponding to the duration within the Shadow Realm.
Attacking breaks the incantation and brings her back to the physical plane.
Attacking breaks the incantation and brings her back to the physical plane.
Cast Animation: 
0 + 0
Effect Delay: 0.3
Number of Attacks: 1 (
)
Attack Range Bonus: 
600
Max Damage: 120/200/280/360
Max Damage Duration: 3
Duration: 5 (
6.5)
The incantation disappears upon hitting the target or reaching the buff duration, whichever is shorter.
Projectile Buff Duration: 3
Aghanim's Scepter Upgrade
Attacking no longer takes Dark Willow out of Shadow Realm. Each attack still has bonus damage based on the duration of the buff.
Attacking no longer takes Dark Willow out of Shadow Realm. Each attack still has bonus damage based on the duration of the buff.
22/20/18/16
70/80/90/100
What you can't see will most definitely hurt you.
Throwing Shade
Grants Mireska an enemy incoming damage amplification aura centered around her. The longer the Shadow Realm, the potent the amplification.
Aura Radius: 
700
Max Enemy Damage Amp:
30%
Aura Linger Duration: 0.75
Max Enemy Damage Amp:
Aura Linger Duration: 0.75
- Upon cast:
- Does not interrupt Mireska's
channeling abilities.
- Does not interrupt Mireska's
- Upon cast while attacking, Mireska is ordered to stop.
- However, when given an attack order Awhile beyond her
attack range, casting Shadow Realm while she moves does not stop her from attacking immediately.
- However, when given an attack order
- Has the following properties after the 0.3-second effect delay:
- Disjoint incoming
projectiles.
- Reapplying the
buff refreshes its duration only after the effect delay.
- Attack immune.
- Flat
Phase movement.
Untargetable
- Casting other abilities do not end Shadow Realm.
- Disjoint incoming
- The
buff_attack_logic
- Upon cast:
- For enemy units, attacks and targeted abilities on Mireska which are already in its attack or cast animation is canceled.
- However, this does not prevent
Spell Reflection source procs.
- Certain abilities do bypass unselectability conditionally. However, generally all other abilities treats Mireska as if she were
- However, this does not prevent
- For enemy units, attacks and targeted abilities on Mireska which are already in its attack or cast animation is canceled.
- The values change per
server tick, over 90 instances.
- The
- The
Throwing Shade enemy
- The
- The values change per
- The bonus
- The bonus
- Does not affect the following units:
- The ability effects are applied as follows:
- The
shadow_realmdispelled upon Mireska's attack point.
- The
- Grants the
buff_attack_logic - Mireska's attack instance.
- The
- With the
- Applies
- Grants the
buff_attack_logic - Mireska's attack instance.
- Applies
- The ability effects are applied as follows:
Hidden modifier
Shadow Realm: Untargetable and gaining bonus magic damage.
Hidden modifier
- Has a 1075
- The ability values changes per
- 1.33/2.22/3.11/4
-
- 1.33/2.22/3.11/4
Cursed Crown[edit]
Casts an ancient fae curse that stuns the affected enemy unit after a delay.
Cast Animation: 0.2 + 0.4
Cast Range: 600/625/650/675
Stun Radius: 360 (
510)
Effect Delay: 4
Stun Duration: 1.2/1.6/2/2.4
Aghanim's Shard Upgrade
Decreases cooldown. Creates brambles around the affected enemy unit when the effect delay ends. Additionally, the full ability effect is applied even if the debuff is dispelled before the delay ends.
Decreases cooldown. Creates brambles around the affected enemy unit when the effect delay ends. Additionally, the full ability effect is applied even if the debuff is dispelled before the delay ends.
Bramble Spawn Radius: (
175)
Number of Brambles: ( 4)
Spawn Interval: ( Instant)
17/15/13/11 ( 15.5/13.5/11.5/9.5)
80/90/100/110
Didn't anyone ever tell you? Never strike a deal with a fairy...
Shattering Crown
Accumulates a portion of the damage dealt by Mireska to the Cursed Crown-affected enemy unit during its effect delay.
This accumulated damage is dealt to all enemy units within the stun radius after the effect delay.
This accumulated damage is dealt to all enemy units within the stun radius after the effect delay.
Accumulated Damage: 35%
Also accumulates a portion of Mireska's allied heroes' attack damage dealt to the cursed enemy unit.
Ally Accumulated Attack Damage: 15%
The accumulated damage is dealt even if Cursed Crown with the Aghanim's Shard upgrade is dispelled before the effect delay ends.
dark_willow_cursed_crownhas two ability components:- Applies all ability effects within the radius after its effect delay, if the debuff is not
unit-targeted enemy.
- Hence, the ability effects still apply within the radius even when primary target is affected by the following sources:
Hidden sources.
Invulnerable sources.
- All ability visual and sound effects during the effect delay on the
- Requires vision over the affected enemy to see the ability effects.
- All ability visual and sound effects during the effect delay on the
- Applies all ability effects within the radius after its effect delay, if the debuff is not
-
- Losing the debuff in any way creates 4 Brambles of its corresponding level to spawn, each at point
, within the radius centered around the
.
- Has the following formation properties:
- The first Bramble is placed
of the affected enemy's
facing angle.
FS = FS' = FS'' = FS''' = 175
- Subsequent Brambles are placed at
,
and
respcetively.
- The first Bramble is placed
- Has the following formation properties:
- Other Bramble Maze notes apply.
- Losing the debuff in any way creates 4 Brambles of its corresponding level to spawn, each at point
-
Does not proc Spell Reflection sources on secondary affected targets.
Cursed Crown: About to be stunned by Cursed Crown.
Stunned
Bedlam[edit]
Summons her pet wisp, Jex, to roam around herself
Jex damages the enemy unit within its range per orbit for the entire duration.
Jex damages the enemy unit within its range per orbit for the entire duration.
Cast Animation: 0 + 0
Cast Range: 900
Max Wisp per Cast: 1
Duration: 5.5 (
6.5)
Although visually Jex damages its target, the spell damage applied is sourced to Mireska.
The wisp starts at Mireska's west side, and orbits clockwise.
The wisp starts at Mireska's west side, and orbits clockwise.
Roam Radius: 200
Attack Search Radius: 300
Max Enemy Targets: 1 (
3)
Damage Interval: 0.25
Damage per Instance: 70/120/170 (
100/150/200)
Orbit Time: 1.5
Terrorize is inactive until Jex returns from the ability cast.
30
100/150/200
You'll have to excuse my friend Jex. He's really into murder.
100
-
This unit is uncontrollable. Mireska's Jex-based abilities itself do not grant vision.
However, Jex does, and duly covers its mistress' blind spots.
However, Jex does, and duly covers its mistress' blind spots.
-
-
0
0%
600
This unit does not attack.
0
150 (x̄)
Jex, he attacks fast.
Projectile Speed: 1800
Attack Projectile Speed: 1400
This unit ignores collision size and may pass through other units.
This unit does not feel the effects from any damage sources.
It cannot be targeted by attacks or abilities and have its health bar temporarily hidden.
It cannot be targeted by attacks or abilities and have its health bar temporarily hidden.
- Interrupts Mireska's
- Upon cast, Jex appears on Mireska's west and starts orbiting clockwise.
- This ability is inactive in the following conditions:
- While Terrorize is active.
- Upon Bedlam's cast point.
- Until Jex fully returns to Dark Willow upon the ability cast.
- Recasting the ability refreshes Jex's duration.
- Both
talents immediately upgrade Jex immediately:
- The damage increasing
- The max targets increasing
- The damage increasing
- Interrupts Mireska's
- Applies the
- Deals 70/120/170 (
- The first damage instance can be applied in the next 0.1-second interval upon cast, over a max 21 (
- The spell damage can now be applied to
- Deals 70/120/170 (
- Requires vision to apply the spell damage component.
- Continues applying spell damage within its attack radius even while Mireska is
disabled.
- Jex completes 3.67 (
- Jex completes 3.67 (
- Does not affect the following units:
Buildings
Ward-type units.
- Applies the
Can be cast while Terrorize is active, if both Terrorize and Bedlam are not in Stolen Spell 1 and Stolen Spell 2 respectively.
Bedlam: A wisp swirls around Dark Willow and attacks enemies.
On hidden entity
- Jex has the additional properties:
- Orbits around Mireska at
speed.
- Has a pink-like hue ability effects indicating its attack radius.
dark_willow_bedlam- Jex disappears immediately once the buff expires on Mireska.
- Has a 5.5 (
- Has a 5.5 (
- Orbits around Mireska at
- The pink glowing ability effects indicates Jex's attack search radius visible to everyone.
- Deals up to the following max
L1 L2 L3 1750 3000 4250 3750 5000 12750 15000
Terrorize[edit]
Releases her pet wisp, Jex, after a short delay to terrorize and apply a fountain-fear on enemy units within the radius.
Cast Animation: 1 + 2.57
Cast Range: 1200
Effect Radius: 400/450/500
Fear Duration: 3.5/3.75/4
Damage: (
500)
Bedlam is inactive until Jex returns from the ability cast.
100/90/80
150
You think you know the first thing about fear? Jex'll show you what that word truly means...
100
-
This unit is uncontrollable. Mireska's Jex-based abilities itself do not grant vision.
However, Jex does, and duly covers its mistress' blind spots.
However, Jex does, and duly covers its mistress' blind spots.
-
-
0
0%
600
This unit does not attack.
0
150 (x̄)
Her pet's travel speed might be the biggest oversight of all Mireska-related rumors.
Launch Speed: 2000
Return Speed: 600
This unit ignores collision size and may pass through other units.
This unit does not feel the effects from any damage sources.
It cannot be targeted by attacks or abilities and have its health bar temporarily hidden.
It cannot be targeted by attacks or abilities and have its health bar temporarily hidden.
- Applies the following ability effects to all affected enemy units within the radius:
- For
neutral creeps, they retreat back to their respective camps instead.
- This ability is inactive in the following conditions:
- While Bedlam is active.
- Upon Terrorize's cast point.
- While Jex is traveling to the
area-targeted location.
- While Jex is returning to Mireska.
- While Jex is traveling to the
The 
expose component applied affects debuff immune units.
Has the 
This ability's cast point is not modified when acquired.
Can be cast while Bedlam is active, if both Terrorize and Bedlam are not in Stolen Spell 1 and Stolen Spell 2 respectively.
DOTA_ABILITY_BEHAVIOR_NORMAL_WHEN_STOLEN.This ability's cast point is not modified when acquired.
Can be cast while Bedlam is active, if both Terrorize and Bedlam are not in Stolen Spell 1 and Stolen Spell 2 respectively.
Hidden modifier
On hidden entity
Terrorize: Running to home base away from Dark Willow.
dark_willow_terrorize_thinker- The buff checks and causes the ability to be inactive while Jex is active.
- Jex appears 300-distance
upward and above Mireska during the ability's cast point.
- The ability casting effects during its cast point is visible ally-only.
- Jex appears 300-distance
- The sound effects during its cast point is audible to everyone.
Recent Matches[edit]
Main Article: Dark Willow/Matches
| Date | Tier | Tournament | Picks | Score | vs. Picks | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 10, 2025 - 13:55 CEST | Tier 3 | EPL Season 25 | 0 : 1 | |||||
| Apr 08, 2025 - 12:00 EDT | Tier 1 | ESL One Raleigh 2025 | 1 : 0 | |||||
| Apr 07, 2025 - 12:00 EDT | Tier 1 | ESL One Raleigh 2025 | 1 : 0 | |||||
| Apr 05, 2025 - 17:45 MSK | Tier 4 | Cyber Empire | 0 : 1 | |||||
| Apr 05, 2025 - 14:35 MSK | Tier 4 | Cyber Empire | 1 : 0 |
The International[edit]
- Dark Willow has won the following final matches in The International of the following years:
Recent Changes[edit]
Description
- Dark Willow no longer is a
Universal hero and has
Intelligence as the primary attribute.
- Increased base attack damage from 5‒13 to 27‒35.
- Increased
agility gain from 1.3 to 1.6.
- Increased
- REMOVED Bramble Maze
Thorny Thicket facet.
- ADDED new Cursed Crown
Shattering Crown facet.
- The same debuff now accumulates 35% of the damage applied to the unit-targeted enemy by Dark Willow respectively during the effect delay.
- Only accumulate 15% of the attack damage dealt to the unit-targeted enemy from Dark Willow's allied heroes.
- Applies the accumulated damage to all enemy units within the radius after the effect delay.
- The same debuff now accumulates 35% of the damage applied to the unit-targeted enemy by Dark Willow respectively during the effect delay.
- Cursed Crown
- No longer reduces effect delay by 1.
- Now also prematurely applies the accumulated damage within the radius upon the debuff being dispelled.
- Now also reduces cooldown by 1.5.
- Cursed Crown
Talents:
- LVL 10 -2s Shadow Realm cooldown ➜ +10
- LVL 10 +0.5s Cursed Crown stun duration ➜ +1s Bedlam duration.
- LVL 10 -2s Shadow Realm cooldown ➜ +10
- Increased Shadow Realm
- Bramble Maze
- Reduced duration from 15 to 12.
- Reduced
- REMOVED Bedlam allied unit-targeting functionality.
Dota Plus Progress[edit]
Main Article: Hero Challenges
Relics track a hero's actions and statistics, and display in-game notifications when a milestone is reached. They are only available to Dota Plus subscribers.
| Dark Willow's Relics | Voice Lines | |
|---|---|---|
Bronze |
||
Silver |
||
Gold |
||
Platinum |
| |
Master |
| |
Grandmaster |
| |
Equipment[edit]
| Sets | |
|---|---|
| Off-Hand | |
| Head | |
| Belt | |
| Taunt | |
Trivia[edit]
- Dark Willow is sometimes labeled in the game files as Sylph and Fairy, her early working names.
- Dark Willow's accent is heavily based on those found in Celtic and Gaelic countries, mostly Wales, Ireland and Scotland.
Gallery[edit]
In-game model
In-game model
Bone Harvest sprite - alive
Bone Harvest sprite - dead