Lycan
From Liquipedia Dota 2 Wiki
Lycan
28 + 3.4
18 + 1.7
23 + 1.7
| Grants the following bonuses per level: | |
| +74.8HP and +0.34HP regeneration +3.4 Main Attack Damage | |
| +0.28 armor and 1.7 attack speed | |
| +20.4MP and +0.085MP regeneration +0.1% base magic resistance | |
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Instant Projectile Speed
| ||
110 (128)
(1.7 BAT) | ||
0.55 + 0.25
| ||
0.6
| ||
Default
Gib Type | ||
2012-03-22
Released | ||
2004-03-01
(2.60) | ||
Competitive Span
2012-03-28 — 2016-12-12 2017-02-08 — Present | ||
Version Control This article has not been updated to the last version the hero was changed in yet (version 7.38c). Please help updating it. |
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| Shapeshifts into a ferocious beast. | |
|---|---|
| Part man and part wolf, Banehallow stands as the lone surviving heir to the noble House of Ambry. Not one to squander his curse, Banehallow Summon Wolves to scout ahead and aid him in the hunt. A blood-curdling Howl empowers his animal companions, sinking fang and claw to cripple his prey. But these abilities pale in comparison to the true manifestation of his lycanthropy. Under the full moon, he Shapeshifts and Bites his ally, transforming both of them into a lupine form, and takes on supernatural haste with Feral Impulse as they sprint unhindered across the battlefield to tear the throats from their enemies. | |
| Roles: | |
| Adjectives | Arachnophobic, Bearded, Fuzzy, Nose Legs ( 2 ) |
Facets[edit]
Pack Leader
Exerts a ferocious Shapeshift aura globally that grants Lycan and all his player-controlled units haste movement and critical strike.
Spirit Wolves
Summon Wolves grants Lycan base attack damage bonus and health bonus.
The wolves summoned are uncontrollable and invulnerable.
The wolves summoned are uncontrollable and invulnerable.
-25s Duration
-0.15 Model Scale
-0.15 Model Scale
Alpha Wolves
Increases Summon Wolves' max ability level.
+2 Max Ability Level
Grants these Summoned Wolves the various stat bonuses and certain new abilities beyond the 4th ability level.
Reduces the following abilities' max level.
Upgrades[edit]
Aghanim's[edit]
Grants the Wolf Bite ability.
Bites and turns the affected allied hero into a ferocious Wolf Form of Shapeshift's corresponding level.
The lycanthropy grants both Lycan and the affected ally lifesteal. Additionally, the ally's lifesteal in Wolf Form heals Lycan, and Lycan's lifesteal heals his ally within a certain distance.
Bites and turns the affected allied hero into a ferocious Wolf Form of Shapeshift's corresponding level.
The lycanthropy grants both Lycan and the affected ally lifesteal. Additionally, the ally's lifesteal in Wolf Form heals Lycan, and Lycan's lifesteal heals his ally within a certain distance.
Aghanim's Shard Upgrade:
Summons an uncontrollable wolf that moves with one of the creep waves.
The Lane Wolf can Cripple buildings.
The Lane Wolf can Cripple buildings.
Talents[edit]
| +2 Summon Wolves / Spirit Wolves | 25 | Howl Reduces Total Attack Damage |
|---|---|---|
| +25% Feral Impulse Damage | 20 | +7s Shapeshift Duration |
| -15s Shapeshift Cooldown | 15 | +350 Summon Wolves Health +250 Spirit Wolves Health per Wolf |
| +10 Summon Wolves Damage +6 Spirit Wolves Damage per Wolf | 10 | +3 Howl Armor Reduction |
| ▃ ▃ ▃ ▃ ▃ ▃ ▃ +2 All | ||
Bio[edit]
A wolf in man's clothing.▶️Banehallow, the Lycan
Aliases:
Banehallow, Lycan
Lore:
Banehallow was noble-born to the house of Ambry, the greatest of the landed castes in the old kingdom of Slom. Before the Fall, as the King's wants grew strange, and his court grew crowded with sorcerers and charlatans, the house of Ambry was the first to rise against the avarice of the throne. No longer willing to pay homage and fealty, they instead sent six-thousand swords into the capital, where they were wiped out in the Massacre of the Apostates. And then came the teeth behind the old truth: When you strike a king's neck, you had better take his head.
Enraged by the betrayal, the king exterminated the vast Ambry bloodline, sparing only the lord of the house and his youngest son, Banehallow. Before all the royal court, with the disgraced lord chained to the ornate marble floor, the King bade his magicians transform the boy into a wolf so that he might tear out his own father's throat. "Do this," the king said, "so that Lord Ambry will understand the bite of betrayal." Powerful magic was invoked, and the child was transformed. But though his body was changed, his spirit remained intact, and instead of biting the exposed neck of his father, he attacked his handlers, tearing them to pieces. A dozen of the King's knights perished under the wolf's teeth before they managed to drive it off into the night. Lord Ambry laughed from his chains even as the King ran him through with a sword. Now the heir to the lost house of Ambry, Banehallow wanders the trail as the Lycan, part warrior, part wolf, in search of justice for all that he lost.
Enraged by the betrayal, the king exterminated the vast Ambry bloodline, sparing only the lord of the house and his youngest son, Banehallow. Before all the royal court, with the disgraced lord chained to the ornate marble floor, the King bade his magicians transform the boy into a wolf so that he might tear out his own father's throat. "Do this," the king said, "so that Lord Ambry will understand the bite of betrayal." Powerful magic was invoked, and the child was transformed. But though his body was changed, his spirit remained intact, and instead of biting the exposed neck of his father, he attacked his handlers, tearing them to pieces. A dozen of the King's knights perished under the wolf's teeth before they managed to drive it off into the night. Lord Ambry laughed from his chains even as the King ran him through with a sword. Now the heir to the lost house of Ambry, Banehallow wanders the trail as the Lycan, part warrior, part wolf, in search of justice for all that he lost.
Voice:
Innate[edit]
Apex Predator[edit]
- Apex Predator is a bonus
conditional attack damage source and has the following properties:
- The hero level as bonus attack damage values are directly added to Lycan's attack damage in the combat log and not displayed on the HUD.
- Affects the following units:
- Lycan's
player-controlled units.
- Lycan's
- Does not interact with the following sources:
Lane creeps.
- Percentage-based
bonus attack damage sources.
- Interacts with the following sources:
Lifesteal sources.
Critical strike sources.
Cleave sources.
Damage block sources.
- Apex Predator is a bonus
- LEVEL 30Grants up to 60% bonus
neutral creeps.
Summon Lane Wolves[edit]
Summon Lane Wolves 
Passive
Affects
Wolves
Summons an uncontrollable wolf that moves with one of the creep waves.
The Lane Wolf can Cripple buildings.
The Lane Wolf can Cripple buildings.
This ability levels up with Summon Wolves.
450
-
The Lane Wolf is uncontrollable and has the lowest priority of all units, they are targeted by auto-attacks last.
Grants last hit bounty and experience to Lycan.
Grants last hit bounty and experience to Lycan.
0
70%
10
15 (x̄)
Summoning a wolf to accompany the army of fanatics, could that be you, Prellex?
Attack Damage Bonus: (
10)
Health Bonus: (
350)
Has a chance to cripple the enemy unit, dealing damage per second while slowing the enemy.
The uncontrollable Lane Wolf is sometimes underestimated by enemy units. Its attacks cripple buildings if left unattended.
The uncontrollable Lane Wolf is sometimes underestimated by enemy units. Its attacks cripple buildings if left unattended.
This unit's attacks are less effective on Reinforced units.
- Acquiring
Aghanim's Shard unlocks this ability.
- Spawns a Lane Wolf corresponding to its ability level with each creep wave in one random lane, without priorities.
- The Lane Wolf also interacts with Lycan's abilities as per normal:
- Applies Howl centered around the Lane Wolf upon cast.
- Affected by Feral Impulse.
- Affected by
Pack Leader Shapeshift's
haste movement.
- After losing the ability, reacquiring and recasting the ability create new Lycan Wolves without replacing the wolves from the previous cast.
Hero Model[edit]
Details
Hidden Innate Abilities
Tap on the 
innate abilities for more details.
Abilities[edit]
Summon Wolves[edit]
Summons a pack of wolves to fight for Lycan. In time, these wolves have Permanent Invisibility and Cripple.
Cast Animation: 0.3 + 0.73
Max Ability Level: 4
Number of Wolves: 2 (
4)
Duration: 50
Has a different cast backswing in Wolf Form.
Cast Animation: 0.3 + 0.6
30
115/120/125/130
The very enchantment that twisted his being also summons canine familiars.
Spirit Wolves
Grants Lycan base attack damage bonus and health bonus per summoned Spirit Wolves.
The wolves summoned are uncontrollable and invulnerable.
The wolves summoned are uncontrollable and invulnerable.
Health Bonus per Wolf: 60/120/180/240 ( 310/370/430/490)
Attack Damage Bonus per Wolf: 6/12/18/24 ( 12/18/24/30)
Duration: 25
Attack Damage Bonus per Wolf: 6/12/18/24 (
Duration: 25
Alpha Wolves
Increases the max level of the Summoned Wolves.
Max Ability Level: 6
Grants these Summoned Wolves the various stat bonuses and certain new abilities beyond the 4th ability level.
Base Health Bonus: 50
Base Attack Damage Bonus: 6
Armor Bonus: 5
Gold Bounty Bonus: 5
Base Model Size Bonus: 0.1
Base Attack Damage Bonus: 6
Armor Bonus: 5
Gold Bounty Bonus: 5
Base Model Size Bonus: 0.1
Lycan Wolf (Summoned Creep)
325/375/425/475
-
The wolves always spawn in the same formation, facing the same angle as Lycan, correspondingly to the selected facet.
0
45%/50%/55%/60%
20
21/26/36/41 (x̄)
As his wolves become more integrated with Lycan, they developed the ability to subtly change themselves accordingly. The shifts are largely unconscious.
Attack Damage Bonus: ( 10)
Health Bonus: ( 350)
LEVEL 3+
The wolf is permanently invisible when not attacking. Does not grant phase movement.LEVEL 4+
Has a chance to cripple the enemy unit, dealing damage per second while slowing the enemy.LEVEL 5+
Roots the attacked unit upon proc.LEVEL 6
Grants haste movement, phase movement, and bonus attack speed with an absolute evasion for a short period of time.This unit's attacks are less effective on Reinforced units.
- Casting Summon Wolves
instant kill all current active wolves from a previous cast, even when they are
hidden or
invulnerable.
- Does not replace wolves from a previous cast that are offensively dominated.
- Both leveling up the ability and the health increasing
- It neither updates the current summoned wolves' ability values nor grants them new abilities.
- However, the attack damage increasing
- The spawn formation has the following properties for both the
OF = 200
PQ = 120- The first two wolves, point
and point
, are created 200-distance in front and perpendicular of Lycan's current position.
- The first two wolves, point
SP = QR = 120- The remaining 2 wolves are created at point
and point
.
- After losing the ability, reacquiring and recasting the ability create new Lycan Wolves without replacing the wolves from the previous cast.
Hidden modifier
- Has a different cast backswing in Wolf Form.
- The spawn formation has the following properties for the
Spirit Wolves facet:
OF = 150
PQ = 75}- The first two wolves, point
- The first two wolves, point
SP = QR = 75-
- The remaining 2 wolves are created at point
∠ QPS = ∠ PQR = 135°
- The remaining 2 wolves are created at point
Howl[edit]
No
Affects
Enemy Units / Wolves
Strike fear while reducing their armor and attack damage of all enemy units within the radius of Lycan and his wolves.
Cast Animation: 0.3 + 0
Max Ability Level: 4
Effect Radius: 
2000
Attack Damage Reduction: 25%/30%/35%/40% (
0%)
Armor Reduction: 4/5/6/7 (
7/8/9/10)
Duration: 8
Total Attack Damage Reduction: ( 25%/30%/35%/40%)
During nighttime, Lycan's howl can be felt globally.
The terrifying howl causes summons to temporarily run away in fear towards their fountain.
Fear Duration: 1/1.5/2/2.5
22/20/18/16
40
Blood-curdling wolf cries signal to opponents that Banehallow is among them.
Alpha Wolves
Reduces max ability level.
Max Ability Level: 3
- The following units apply the ability effects around them simutaneously without delay:
- Lycan
- Lycan Wolf
- The aforementioned units do not apply the ability effects when they are
- Multiple overlapping Howl radius do not stack.
- Reduces the affected enemy units'
main attack damage.
- Does not affect bonus
- Stacks additively with other total attack damage reduction sources.
- The
- Does not affect bonus
- Applies a
fountain-fear to the following units:
- Alpha Wolf, Ancient Black Dragon, Ancient Black Drake, Ancient Croaker, Ancient Frostbitten Golem, Ancient Granite Golem, Ancient Ice Shaman, Ancient Marshmage, Ancient Prowler Acolyte, Ancient Prowler Shaman, Ancient Rock Golem, Ancient Rumblehide, Ancient Thunderhide, Boar, Boglet, Centaur Conqueror, Centaur Courser, Courier, Croaker, Dark Troll Summoner,
- Considers
creep-heroes as heroes.
- Reapplying the debuff updates its ability values and refreshes its duration.
- The ability sound effects is
Global ally-only.
Howl: Damage reduced by x%, Armor reduced by x.
Feral Impulse[edit]
E
I
Feral ImpulsePassive / Aura
Affects
Self
Grants bonus attack damage and bonus health regeneration to Lycan and all of his player-controlled units.
Max Ability Level: 4
Radius: Global
Attack Damage Bonus: 10%/20%/30%/40% (
35%/45%/55%/65%)
Health Regen Bonus: 1/3/5/7
Aura Linger Duration: 0.5
His animalistic symbiosis with canine kind gives Banehallow enhanced reflexes and hunting capabilities.
Alpha Wolves
Reduces max ability level.
Max Ability Level: 3
- Grants the following bonuses:
- Flat
- Flat bonus
health regeneration.
- Flat
- Does not affect the following units:
Couriers
Ward-type units.
- Affects the following units:
- All of Lycan's
- All of Lycan's
- Lycan's
illusions benefit from the bonus
- Does not benefit from the flat
- Does not benefit from the flat
Hidden modifier
Feral Impulse: Gaining x health regen and x% bonus damage.
Wolf Bite[edit]
Unit
Affects
Allied Heroes
Bites and turns the affected allied hero into a ferocious Wolf Form of Shapeshift's corresponding level.
The lycanthropy grants both Lycan and the affected ally lifesteal. Additionally, the ally's lifesteal in Wolf Form heals Lycan, and Lycan's lifesteal heals his ally within a certain distance.
The lycanthropy grants both Lycan and the affected ally lifesteal. Additionally, the ally's lifesteal in Wolf Form heals Lycan, and Lycan's lifesteal heals his ally within a certain distance.
Cast Animation: 0.3 + 0.73
Cast Range: 
300
Transformation Time: 1.1
Set Base Attack Range: 
1000
Base Night Vision Bonus: 
200/300/400
Health Bonus: 25
Lifesteal: 30%
Shared Lifesteal: 30%
Duration: (
7)
The ally who assumed Wolf Form has haste movement and critical strike.
Haste Speed: 550
Proc Chance: 40%
Crit Damage: 160%/190%/220%
If Lycan and his ally are too far apart, the shared lifesteal is nullified until they get close again.
Penalty Distance: 1200
Shared Lifesteal Factor: 0
Grants Lycan's attack lifesteal upon cast.
Lifesteal: 30%
Lifesteal is less effective when attacking creeps.
Creep Lifesteal Factor: 0.6
Has a different cast backswing in Wolf Form.
Cast Animation: 0.3 + 0.6
125/110/95 (
110/95/80)
150
This ability levels up with Shapeshift.
Does this bite look infected?
- Acquiring
Aghanim's Scepter unlocks this ability in the fourth ability slot.
- Wolf Bite considers
clones and
- Both
- The Wolf Form ability effects are granted upon finishing the
transformation and does not persist
death.
- While transforming, the affected allied hero
cannot act and it cannot be interrupted.
- While transforming, the affected allied hero
- Recasting Wolf Bite only refreshes the duration and adapts the ability values correspondingly.
- All Shapeshift-based ability effects do not affect the allied hero's player-controlled units.
- Other Shapeshift notes apply.
- Does not affect the following units:
- Shapeshift notes apply.
- Wolf Bite applied is based on Lycan's Shapeshift corresponding level when acquired.
- Acquiring
Bite: Gaining Lifesteal when Lycan and the bitten hero are nearby.
Hidden modifier
Shapeshift: Gaining haste and critical strike.
Hidden modifier
Shapeshift: Gaining haste.
- Directly uses Shapeshift's ability values and affects the following things:
- All ability values are at LEVEL 1if Shapeshift is not learned.
- All ability values are at
Shapeshift[edit]
Assumes his lupine form. The lycanthropy grants him bonus health for the entire duration.
Cast Animation: 0 + 0
Transform Time: 1.1
Set Base Attack Range: 150
Health Bonus: 200/300/400
Duration: 25 ( 32)
Grants Lycan haste movement and critical strike.
Aura Radius: 0
Haste Speed: 550
Proc Chance: 40%
Crit Damage: 160%/190%/220%
110/100/90 ( 95/85/75)
100
Forever a slave to his lycanthropy, Banehallow has come to accept his curse, and embrace his own savagery.
Pack Leader
Exerts a ferocious Shapeshift aura globally that grants Lycan and all his player-controlled units haste movement and critical strike.
Enemy hero kills done by Lycan or from any of his player-controlled units increases the Shapeshift duration briefly.
Duration Increase per Hero Kill: 5
- The ability has two main components:
- The transformation does not persist
- While transforming, Lycan
- The transformation does not persist
- Grants the following bonuses to Lycan:
- Base bonus
vision.
- Grants both bonus max and
current health, utilizing setting health.
- Turns Lycan into a
melee unit and sets his base
attack range to 1000 for the entire duration.
- Does not affect
- Items that use different values for the wielder's
- Does not affect
- Base bonus
- Affects Lycan only by default as a hidden
modifier.
- Recasting Shapeshift refreshes the duration and adapts the ability values correspondingly.
- Does not affect the following units:
-
- Affects Lycan only by default as a hidden
- The proc is determined during Lycan or the affected player-controlled unit's attack point.
- The proc chance of multiple sources stack.
- However, when multiple critical strike sources proc simutaneously, the higher critical factor takes precedence.
- Shapeshift uses
pseudo-random distribution.
Displays critical strike values before all damage manipulation sources for camouflaging purposes.
- Benefits from most ability components, but does not bestows the
aura.
- The ability duration
- The ability duration
- Rubick transforms into a smaller wolf form and grants all ability effects upon cast.
Hidden modifier
Shapeshift: Gaining haste and critical strike.
Hidden modifier
Shapeshift: Gaining haste.
Recent Matches[edit]
Main Article: Lycan/Matches
| Date | Tier | Tournament | Picks | Score | vs. Picks | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 24, 2025 - 18:00 PET | Showmatch | Zeinternacional | 1 : 0 | |||||
| May 19, 2025 - 16:15 PET | Showmatch | Zeinternacional | 1 : 0 | |||||
| May 18, 2025 - 20:55 CEST | Qualifier | IESF EEC Quals 2025 | 1 : 0 | |||||
| May 17, 2025 - 14:00 SGT | Tier 3 | CS Lunar Snake | 1 : 0 | |||||
| May 12, 2025 - 15:30 SGT | Tier 3 | EPL World SEA S5 | 0 : 1 |
Recent Changes[edit]
Description
- Increased Summon Wolves
- Wolf Bite can now be cast on allied
- Wolf Bite can now be cast on allied
Talents:
- LVL 20 +6s Shapeshift duration increased to +7s.
- Increased Summon Wolves
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.
| Lycan's Relics | Voice Lines | |
|---|---|---|
Controlled Unit Kills Crit Damage Teleports Leading To Kills Towers Destroyed Kill Assists Kills |
Bronze |
|
Silver |
||
Gold |
||
Platinum |
| |
Master |
| |
Grandmaster |
| |
Equipment[edit]
| Sets | |
|---|---|
| Head | |
| Shoulder | |
| Shapeshift | |
| Wolves | |
| Kinetic Gems | |
Trivia[edit]
- Prior the November 21, 2013 Patch, Lycan's title was Lycanthrope, matching his title in DotA. The reason for this change us unknown.
- Lycanthropy refers to the ability of a human to transform into a wolf, or gain wolf-like characteristics. The term derives from the Greek word "lykànthropos", which translates to "wolf man", or "werewolf" in English.
- ▶️ "Was I a wolf who dreamed he was a man?" refers to a quote by Chinese philosopher Zhuangzi - "Now I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly, dreaming I am a man."
- ▶️ "Are you an air wolf?", refers to the American famous television series "Airwolf", counting this response is said to Gyrocopter.
- ▶️ "Who fears the wolf should fear the forest." is a reference to Russian novelist Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky quote from "The Gambler": "Who fears the wolf should never enter the forest".
- ▶️ "I thought you were Team Yakov!" is a reference (and pun) to Jacob Black from the Twilight series, who is a werewolf. Fans divide themselves into "teams" by who their most preferred main character is, one of such teams is "Team Jacob".
- ▶️ "One eye is better than none." indicates that Lycan was supposed to have only one functioning eye, with the other one probably covered by an eye patch, as seen in one of the concept arts below.
- Warcraft 3 similarities:
- In DotA, Lycan uses the model of Kil'jaeden, a campaign-only hero.
- Summon Wolves's base ability is identical to the Far Seer's Feral Spirit, both of which summon temporary spirit wolves.
- The original iteration of Howl was identical to the Pit Lord's Howl of Terror.
- The following iteration that granted bonuses to allies was identical to the Druid of the Claw's Roar.
- Lycan's name, Banehallow is taken from the Dreadlords, who have a 1/18 chance to spawn with that name.
Gallery[edit]
Splash artwork
Concept art
Concept art
Concept art
Concept art
Ability icon progress
Hero icon progress
Bone Harvest sprite - alive
Bone Harvest sprite - dead