Spell Block

• Spell Block
• Changelogs

▶️ Spellblock from Linken's Sphere

Spell Block is a defensive ability that protects the unit from most single target abilities, ranging from basic small abilities to the strongest single target ultimates.

Definition

Mechanic Type	Definition	Examples
Spell Block	Nullifies 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 Block acts as a passive effect, activating automatically when a blockable single target spell is targeted at the unit. It may also come in form of a buff, protecting the unit while the buff is active. All Spell Blocks have a down time and go on cooldown after blocking a spell. It does not provide permanent protection against single target spells. Spell Block only blocks spells upon cast, it does not cancel already ongoing cast when going off cooldown while already affected by a single target spell.

With a very few exceptions, Spell Block does not protect against area of effect spells. It also does not protect against single target spells when hit as a secondary target. The unit must be the primary targeting order to block the spell. If a single target spell has an area effect, Spell Block also completely negates the area effect, effectively protecting nearby allies as well, but again, there are exceptions to this. Projectile-based spells are usually blocked upon impact, and not upon cast, with a few exceptions.

A spell's interaction against Spell Block 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 Block may no longer block it.

Spell Block does not block any active attack modifier and does not block any abilities of allies.

Spell Block Sources

Spell Block Sources

• Anti-Mage - Counterspell
  
  Shell Duration: 1.2
  Linken's Sphere, Lotus Orb, Mirror Shield, Planar Pocket and Soulbind do not trigger while this ability is active.
• Hoodwink - Decoy
  

  
  Requires Aghanim's Scepter.
• Spirit Breaker - Planar Pocket
  
  Has a lower priority than Counterspell and Echo Shield for blocking abilities. Does not stack with Linken's Sphere.
• Roshan - Spell Block
  
• Mirror Shield - Echo Shield
  
  Has a higher priority than Linken's Sphere and Planar Pocket, but a lower priority than Counterspell for blocking abilities.This is an old ability.
• Linken's Sphere - Spellblock
  
  Does not stack with Planar Pocket.
• Linken's Sphere - Transfer Spellblock
  
  Temporarily removes Spellblock from the item's owner and transfers the buff to an allied unit. Does not stack with Planar Pocket.

Talents

Spell Block

Ability
Passive

Affects
Self

Blocks most targeted spells once every Varies seconds.

 Varies

Illusion Notes:

Illusions gain the buff

but it does not work for them.

Modifiers [?]

modifier_special_bonus_spell_block

Undispellable

Ability Draft Notes:

This Talent talent is available and it is not bound to any ability.

NOTES

 

7034, 448, 7035

special_bonus_spell_block_15/18/20

• Blocks most targeted abilities for the hero when off cooldown.

• Has the following cooldown values:
  • 15/18/20

• Does not block abilities cast by allies.

• Spellblock has the following priorities:
  • Echo Shield ➤ Transfer Spellblock ➤ Spellblock
  • Does not trigger when Counterspell is active.
  • Does not stack with Planar Pocket.

• The buff icon shows a cooldown whenever Spell Block is used.
  • The cooldown is affected by cooldown reduction sources (e.g. Octarine Core), but not cooldown resets.

• For a list of blocked abilities and their interactions, see here.

The following heroes have a talent that grants them Spell Block.

Bonus	Level 10		Level 15		Level 20		Level 25
	Left	Right	Left	Right	Left	Right	Left	Right
Spell Block

Not-blocked Unit Target Abilities

Hero abilities

• Dragon Knight – Breathe Fire
• Death Prophet – Crypt Swarm
• Jakiro – Dual Breath
• Kez – Kazurai Katana ¹
• Lina – Dragon Slave
• Lion – Earth Spike
• Magnus – Shockwave¹
• Sand King – Burrowstrike
• Tiny – Tree Throw¹
• Troll Warlord – Whirling Axes (Ranged)

Creep abilities

• Hawk – Dive Bomb¹
• Satyr Tormenter – Shockwave¹
• Wildwing Ripper – Hurricane¹

Item abilities

• Spirit Vessel – Soul Release
• Urn of Shadows – Soul Release

Neutral Item abilities ²

¹ Missing from the in-game extended ability description.

² Targeted abilites from neutral items do not trigger spell block.

Auto-casting with active attack modifier abilities does not trigger Spell Block.

Active Attack Modifiers

• Ancient Apparition – Chilling Touch
• Bounty Hunter – Jinada
• Doom – Infernal Blade
• Drow Ranger – Frost Arrows
• Enchantress – Impetus
• Huskar – Burning Spear
• Jakiro – Liquid Fire
• Jakiro – Liquid Frost
• Kunkka – Tidebringer
• Omniknight – Hammer of Purity
• Outworld Destroyer – Arcane Orb
• Silencer – Glaives of Wisdom
• Tusk – Walrus PUNCH!
• Viper – Poison Attack
• Weaver – Geminate Attack

Fully blocked abilities

These abilities are fully blocked by Spell Block.

Hero abilities

• Abaddon – Mist Coil¹
• Alchemist – Unstable Concoction Throw^{1 2}
• Ancient Apparition – Cold Feet⁴
• Anti-Mage – Mana Void³
• Arc Warden – Flux
• Axe – Battle Hunger
• Axe – Culling Blade³
• Bane – Enfeeble
• Bane – Brain Sap
• Bane – Fiend's Grip
• Batrider – Flaming Lasso³
• Beastmaster – Primal Roar³
• Bloodseeker – Rupture
• Bounty Hunter – Shuriken Toss^{1 2 5}
• Bounty Hunter – Track
• Bristleback – Viscous Nasal Goo^{1 4}
• Broodmother – Spawn Spiderlings¹
• Centaur Warrunner – Double Edge³
• Chaos Knight – Chaos Bolt¹
• Chaos Knight – Reality Rift
• Chen – Penitence¹
• Crystal Maiden – Frostbite
• Dark Willow – Cursed Crown
• Dazzle – Poison Touch³
• Death Prophet – Spirit Siphon
• Disruptor – Thunder Strike³
• Disruptor – Glimpse
• Doom – Doom
• Dragon Knight – Dragon Tail¹
• Earth Spirit – Boulder Smash³
• Earth Spirit – Enchant Remnant
• Enchantress – Enchant
• Enigma – Malefice
• Grimstroke – Phantom's Embrace
• Grimstroke – Soulbind³
• Grimstroke – Dark Portrait
• Gyrocopter – Homing Missile¹
• Huskar – Life Break¹
• Invoker – Cold Snap
• Juggernaut – Omnislash^{3 5}
• Kunkka – X Marks the Spot
• Legion Commander – Duel
• Leshrac – Lightning Storm³
• Lich – Frost Blast^{3 6}
• Lich – Sinister Gaze⁴
• Lich – Chain Frost^{1 3 5}
• Lifestealer – Open Wounds
• Lina – Laguna Blade⁶
• Lion – Hex⁴
• Lion – Mana Drain³
• Lion – Finger of Death^{3 6}
• Luna – Lucent Beam
• Medusa – Mystic Snake^{1 2 5}
• Morphling – Adaptive Strike (Agility)^{1 2}
• Morphling – Adaptive Strike (Strength)^{1 2}
• Morphling – Morph
• Naga Siren – Ensnare¹
• Necrophos – Reaper's Scythe
• Night Stalker – Void
• Nyx Assassin – Mind Flare
• Ogre Magi – Ignite^{1 2}
• Oracle – Fortune's End^{1 3}
• Oracle – Fate's Edict
• Oracle – Purifying Flames
• Outworld Destroyer – Astral Imprisonment
• Phantom Assassin – Stifling Dagger^{1 2}
• Phantom Assassin – Phantom Strike
• Phantom Lancer – Spirit Lance^{1 2}
• Pudge – Dismember
• Pugna – Decrepify
• Pugna – Life Drain
• Queen of Pain – Shadow Strike^{1 3}
• Razor – Static Link
• Riki – Blink Strike
• Rubick – Telekinesis³
• Rubick – Fade Bolt³
• Rubick – Spell Steal
• 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
• Spirit Breaker – Charge of Darkness³
• Spirit Breaker – Nether Strike³
• Storm Spirit – Electric Vortex⁴
• Sven – Storm Hammer^{1 3}
• Terrorblade – Sunder
• Tidehunter – Gush^{1 4}
• Tinker – Laser³
• Treant Protector – Leech Seed
• Tusk – Snowball
• Tusk – Walrus Kick
• Vengeful Spirit – Magic Missile¹
• Vengeful Spirit – Nether Swap
• Viper – Viper Strike¹
• Visage – Grave Chill
• Visage – Soul Assumption^{1 2}
• Warlock – Fatal Bonds³
• Warlock – Shadow Word⁴
• Windranger – Shackleshot^{1 3}
• Windranger – Focus Fire
• Winter Wyvern – Splinter Blast^{1 3 6}
• Winter Wyvern – Winter's Curse³
• Witch Doctor – Paralyzing Cask^{1 2 5}
• Wraith King – Wraithfire Blast^{1 2}
• Zeus – Arc Lightning³

Item abilities

• Abyssal Blade – Overwhelm
• Bloodthorn – Soul Rend
• Book of Shadows – Shadows
• Dagon – Energy Burst⁶
• Diffusal Blade – Inhibit
• Ethereal Blade – Ether Blast¹
• Fae Grenade – Shadow Brand¹
• Eul's Scepter of Divinity – Cyclone
• Force Staff – Force
• Gleipnir – Eternal Chains
• Heaven's Halberd – Disarm
• Hurricane Pike – Hurricane Thrust
• Nullifier – Nullify¹
• Orchid Malevolence – Soul Burn
• Rod of Atos – Cripple¹
• Scythe of Vyse – Hex
• Wind Waker – Cyclone

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 blocked upon impact, not upon cast.

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

³ These abilities can hit multiple targets, but are only blocked when primary target. When blocked, the spell gets completely negated, including its area effects.

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

⁵ These bouncing spells do not stop bouncing when blocked.

⁶ Despite being blocked, the particle effects of these spells still fully appear.

Unique Interactions

• Bane - Nightmare
  
  Blocked upon cast and upon attacking a unit affected by an enemy Nightmare.
• Nature's Prophet - Sprout
  
  Blocked fully only when directly targeted. Does not block when ground targeted.
• Ogre Magi - Fireblast
  
  When blocked, ends Multicast, no matter if the initial cast or a multicast instance was blocked.
• Ogre Magi - Unrefined Fireblast
  
  When blocked, ends Multicast, no matter if the initial cast or a multicast instance was blocked.
• Spectre - Spectral Dagger
  
  Procs only when secondary target while a hero was directly targeted. However, Spectral Dagger instantly reattempts to apply the debuff, thus wasting Spell Block's cooldown. No interaction with the primary target or when hit while the ground was targeted.
• Tiny - Toss
  
  Mirror Shield can't block this ability, but Linken's sphere can.
• Tusk - Snowball
  
  If the reflection source is Mirror Shield, only every second use is blocked.
• Undying - Soul Rip
  
  Units counted towards damage still lose health.
• Zeus - Lightning Bolt
  
  Mini-stun and damage are blocked when hit, no matter if directly targeted or not. Vision is only blocked when directly targeted. Bolts from the Nimbus are not blocked.

Recent Changes

Main Article: Spell Block/Changelogs

Version

Description

7.37
(2024-07-31)

• Earth Spike no longer triggers Spell Block.
• Burrowstrike no longer triggers Spell Block.

7.32
(2022-08-24)

• Walrus Kick is now blocked by Spell Block.

7.30e
(2021-10-28)

• Psychic Push no longer triggers Spell Block.