IntelligenceSince you last played
Heavily adjusted144 lines of changes across 45 patches, condensed below to the ones that still matter.
41 buffs and 26 nerfs in total: trending stronger.
Biggest ability changes
- ▲Chain Frost Previously only affected Roshan if he was the cast targetadjusted 12 times across 10 patches, net buff
- ▲Frost Blast Cast backswing improved from 0.93s to 0.4sadjusted 13 times across 9 patches, net buff
- ▼Frost Shield Duration decreased from 5/6/7/8s to 4/5/6/7sadjusted 8 times across 7 patches, net nerf
- ▲Sinister Gaze Mana Drain per second increased from 20% to 25%adjusted 20 times across 12 patches, net buff
- ▼Ice Spire Creep hits to kill decreased from 10 to 8adjusted 9 times across 5 patches, net nerf
- ▲Sacrifice Sacrificed creeps count as denies, providing experience to enemy heroes. Lich's experience gain is independent from experience enemies gainadjusted 7 times across 4 patches, net buff
Innate
- ◆Death Charge Innate removed (it was added in 7.36)
Aghanim’s upgrades
- ◆Scepter Now requires Aghanim's Scepter to cast other abilities during channelingchanged 4 times, latest shown
- ▲Shard Shard slow increased from 20% to 30%changed 5 times, latest shown
Base stats
- ▼Base Mana Regen decreased from 0.75 to -1
- ▲Turn rate increased from 0.6 to 0.7
- ▲Base Health Regen increased from 0.25 to 0.5
- ▼Intelligence gain decreased from 3.8 to 3.4adjusted 3 times across 3 patches, net nerf
- ▼Agility gain decreased from 2.0 to 1.7
- ▲Base Intelligence increased from 26 to 28adjusted 2 times across 2 patches, net buff
- ▲Base intelligence increased by 2adjusted 2 times across 2 patches, net buff
- ▲Base Agility increased from 15 to 17
- ▲Intelligence increased from 16 + 3.3 to 20 + 3.6
- ▼Movement speed reduced from 305 to 295
- ▲Damage at level 1 increased by 2 (from 50–59 to 52–61)
- ▼Base movement speed reduced from 315 to 310
- ▼Base Movement Speed decreased from 295 to 290
- ▼Base damage reduced by 2
Talents changed
- ◆Lv10 talent Frost Blast Radius and Damage decreased from +150 to +125
- ◆Lv15 talent Sinister Gaze Duration decreased from +0.4s to +0.3s
- ◆Lv20 talent +4s Frost Shield Duration replaced with 2 Frost Shield Charges
- ◆Lv25 talent +100 Chain Frost Incremental Damage replaced with Chain Frost Unlimited Bounces
Facets were part of the game from 7.36 and were removed in 7.41. Lich had 12 facet changes in between.
Most recent change patch 7.41c, May 2026
- ▲Sinister Gaze Mana Drain per second increased from 20% to 25%
Current abilities
Facets: Frostbound, Growing Cold, Evil Eye
Frost BlastBlasts the target enemy unit with damaging frost, dealing area damage and slowing movement and attack rates for 4 seconds. The primary target receives both base and area damage.
Frost ShieldApplies a magical frost shield around the target, reducing damage from attacks against it. While the shield is active, ice magic will affect nearby enemy units every 1 seconds, dealing minor damage and slowing them.
Sinister GazeCHANNELED - Hypnotizes an enemy unit, causing it to move towards a point between the two of you and drains a percentage of its current mana.
Ice SpireCreates an Ice Spire at the target spot, slowing enemies around it. Can take 4 hero hits or 8 creep hits and when destroyed it will create a Frost Blast around it. Chain Frost can be cast on the Spire and can bounce to the Spire and damage the spire by 1 hero attack if there are no other enemies in range. Lich can cast Frost Shield on the Spire. Each Frost Shield tick will heal the spire by 1 hero attack.
Sacrifice innateSacrifice an allied creep to convert its current health into mana for Lich and give Lich its experience bounty. Begins the game on cooldown and with no charges.
Chain FrostReleases an orb of frost that bounces between nearby enemy units up to 10 times, slowing and damaging each time it hits. Each bounce increases the damage for the subsequent bounces. Chain Frost lingers on its last target if it fails to bounce and can bounce again if new targets become available.
What players buy on Lich
Starting items
- Magic Stick 200g
Early game
- Tranquil Boots 900g
Regeneration and speed for moving around the map between fights
Mid game
- Glimmer Cape 2150g
Makes an ally hard to hit and shields magic damage
- Force Staff 2200g
Pushes you or an ally out of trouble or into reach
Late game
- Aghanim's Scepter 4200g
- Aeon Disk 3000g
Saves the hero from burst damage once per fight
- Solar Crest 2575g
Armor shred on an enemy, or a speed-up for an ally
Most bought first, from item purchases in recent professional matches (OpenDota, Nov 2026). Public games can differ.