Dota 2

Lion

Intelligence ranged hero, often played as a support, disabler or nuker.

Lion
Intelligence

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Full history

Until you pick a month the page shows every change. Pick the month you last played to keep only what is new to you. The date is shared by every hero page.

Since you last played

Heavily adjusted

108 lines of changes across 36 patches, condensed below to the ones that still matter.

32 buffs and 19 nerfs in total: trending stronger.

Biggest ability changes

  • ▲
    Earth Spike Cooldown increased from 11s to 14/13/12/11sadjusted 15 times across 10 patches, net buff
  • ▲
    Hex Mana Cost decreased from 125/150/175/200 to 110/140/170/200adjusted 9 times across 7 patches, net buff
  • ◆
    To Hell and Back Killing or assisting in a Hero kill provides Lion with 20% debuff duration while that hero is dead. Whenever Lion respawns or resurrects, he gains 20% spell amplification for 90s or until he gets a kill or an assistadjusted 2 times across 1 patch, roughly even
  • ▼
    Mana Drain No longer instantly kills enemy illusionsadjusted 13 times across 11 patches, net nerf
  • ▲
    Finger of Death Damage per kill decreased from 30 to 25adjusted 13 times across 8 patches, net buff

Innate

  • ◆
    To Hell and Back Lion gains 20% debuff duration and 20% spell amplification for 90s after respawningadjusted 2 times across 1 patch, roughly even

Aghanim’s upgrades

  • ◆
    Shard Aghanim's Shard now breaks on secondary targets if Lion loses vision of themchanged 7 times, latest shown
  • ▼
    Scepter Aghanim's Scepter no longer decreases cooldownchanged 5 times, latest shown

Base stats

  • ▲
    Turn Rate improved from 0.6 to 0.8
  • ▲
    Base Health Regen increased from 0.25 to 0.5
  • ◆
    Base Intelligence decreased from 20 to 19adjusted 2 times across 2 patches, roughly even
  • ▲
    Agility gain increased from 1.5 to 1.7
Talents changed
  • ◆
    Lv10 talent +65 Earth Spike Damage replaced with +20 Movement Speed
  • ◆
    Lv15 talent Hex Cooldown Reduction decreased from 2.5s to 2s
  • ◆
    Lv20 talent -3s Hex Cooldown replaced with Earth Spike affects a 30 degree cone
  • ◆
    Lv25 talent +100% Mana Drain Damage replaced with +600 Earth Spike cast range/travel distance
  • ◆
    Talent reduced from +70 damage to +60

Facets were part of the game from 7.36 and were removed in 7.41. Lion had 3 facet changes in between.

Most recent change patch 7.41d, Jun 2026

  • ▼
    Finger of Death Damage per kill decreased from 30 to 25
  • ▲
    Lv15 talent Level 15 Talent Hex Cooldown Reduction decreased from 2.5s to 2s
Current abilities
  • Earth SpikeRock spikes burst from the earth along a straight path. Enemy units are hurled into the air, then are stunned and take damage when they fall.
  • HexTransforms an enemy unit into a harmless beast, with all special abilities disabled.
  • Mana DrainCHANNELED - Channels magical energy, taking mana and slowing enemies over time. If the enemy has no mana remaining, the slow is increased by 15%. Can target allies to give them mana and movement speed at a 50% rate.
  • TH
    To Hell and Back innateLion gains 20% debuff duration after killing or assisting in a Hero kill while that Hero is dead. Lion gains 20% spell amplification for 90s after respawning or resurrecting or until he gets a kill or assist.
  • Finger of DeathRips at an enemy unit, trying to turn it inside-out, dealing massive damage to the target. After using Finger of Death, Lion's hand becomes empowered, allowing him to use a cleaving melee attack with 250 range with bonus movement speed. Finger of Death gains permanent bonus damage for it and the fist for each enemy Hero it or the fist kills. The melee attack may be disabled by setting the ability to Alt Cast.

What players buy on Lion

Starting items

Early game

  • Tranquil Boots 900g

    Regeneration and speed for moving around the map between fights

Late game

Most bought first, from item purchases in recent professional matches (OpenDota, Nov 2026). Public games can differ.

Every Lion change, patch by patch

All 108 changes Valve listed for Lion since patch 7.08, newest first. Last changed in 7.41d (Jun 2026).

Patch 7.41d

  • ▼
    Finger of Death Damage per kill decreased from 30 to 25
  • ▲
    Lv15 talent Level 15 Talent Hex Cooldown Reduction decreased from 2.5s to 2s

Patch 7.41

  • ◆
    To Hell and Back Ability reworked
  • ◆
    To Hell and Back Killing or assisting in a Hero kill provides Lion with 20% debuff duration while that hero is dead. Whenever Lion respawns or resurrects, he gains 20% spell amplification for 90s or until he gets a kill or an assist
  • ▲
    Finger of Death Cooldown decreased from 120/80/40s to 110/70/30s
  • ▼
    Finger of Death Damage per kill decreased from 40 to 30
  • ◆
    Finger of Death Now has empowered melee attacks after the cast by default
  • ◆
    Finger of Death After using Finger of Death, Lion's hand becomes empowered, turning him into a melee hero with 250 attack range and 30 bonus movement speed. These melee attacks have 25% cleave and deal 20/30/40 bonus damage which increases with each Finger of Death kill. Enemy heroes that die within 3s after getting hit with these melee attacks (or from them) also provide bonus per kill damage. Melee form duration: 20s
  • ◆
    Finger of Death Ability can be toggled with right-click to disable the melee form
  • ◆
    Finger of Death Cleave area is a cone with 150 width that increases up to 350 at 650 distance
  • ◆
    Finger of Death Aghanim's Scepter now also increases melee cleave from 25% to 50% and duration from 20s to 30s
  • ▼
    Finger of Death Aghanim's Scepter no longer decreases cooldown

Patch 7.40

  • ▲
    Hex Mana Cost decreased from 125/150/175/200 to 110/140/170/200
  • ▲
    Finger of Death Cooldown decreased from 130/85/40s to 120/80/40s

Patch 7.39

  • ▲
    Finger of Death Cooldown decreased from 140/90/40s to 130/85/40s
  • ▼
    Finger of Death Aghanim's Scepter Cooldown increased from 80/50/20s to 90/60/30s

Patch 7.38

  • ▼
    Mana Drain No longer instantly kills enemy illusions
  • ◆
    Lv10 talent Level 10 Talent +65 Earth Spike Damage replaced with +20 Movement Speed
  • ◆
    Lv15 talent Level 15 Talent +70 Max Health Per Finger of Death Kill replaced with +15% To Hell And Back Debuff/Spell Amp

Patch 7.37e

  • ▼
    Base stats Base Intelligence decreased from 20 to 19

Patch 7.37c

  • ▲
    Hex Cast Range increased from 550/575/600/625 to 575/600/625/650
  • ▼
    Lv15 talent Level 15 Talent Hex Cooldown Reduction increased from 2s to 2.5s

Patch 7.37

  • ▲
    Mana Drain When the enemy has no mana remaining, the slow from Mana Drain is increased by an additional 15%

Patch 7.36

  • ▲
    Base stats Strength gain increased from 2.2 to 2.4
  • ▲
    Base stats Agility gain increased from 1.5 to 1.7
  • ◆
    To Hell and Back New Innate ability. Passive, can't be leveled up
  • ◆
    To Hell and Back Lion gains 20% debuff duration and 20% spell amplification for 90s after respawning
  • ◆
    Facet Deals damage equal to 100% of the mana stolen
  • ◆
    Facet After casting Finger of Death, Lion switches from ranged to melee attacks with a fixed 250 range and gains 40 + 30 damage per stack for 20s. Enemies killed within 3s of being punched will add Finger of Death stacks. Attacks during melee buff also have a 50% cleave damage with 650 distance
  • ◆
    Facet If an enemy was punched and killed within 3s after Finger of Death was cast on them, Lion will still get only one Finger of Death stack
  • ▼
    Mana Drain No longer deals damage by default
  • ◆
    Lv25 talent Level 25 Talent +100% Mana Drain Damage replaced with +600 Earth Spike cast range/travel distance

Patch 7.35c

  • ▼
    Earth Spike Cooldown increased from 11s to 14/13/12/11s
  • ▼
    Mana Drain Movement Slow/Bonus decreased from 20/25/30/35% to 15/20/25/30%
  • ▼
    Mana Drain Aghanim's Shard Magic Resistance decreased from 80% to 60%
  • ▼
    Mana Drain Aghanim's Shard Bonus Break Distance decreased from 400 to 200
  • ◆
    Mana Drain Aghanim's Shard now breaks on secondary targets if Lion loses vision of them

Patch 7.35

  • ▲
    Base stats Base Health Regen increased from 0.25 to 0.5
  • ◆
    Mana Drain Now damages enemies for 100% of the mana drained
  • ◆
    Lv25 talent Level 25 Talent Mana Drain Deals Damage replaced with +100% Mana Drain Damage

Patch 7.34e

  • ▲
    Earth Spike Cast Range increased from 575 to 650

Patch 7.34c

  • ▼
    Hex Cast Range decreased from 625 to 550/575/600/625

Patch 7.34

  • ▼
    Mana Drain No longer has a mana cost
  • ▼
    Mana Drain Can now target allies without the level 15 talent. Grants bonus movement speed when used on allies and no longer drains mana from Lion when the allied target is at full mana. Movement speed and mana restored are decreased by 50% of the slow and mana stolen values
  • ◆
    Lv15 talent Level 15 Talent Mana Drain Restores Allies replaced with -2s Hex Cooldown
  • ◆
    Lv20 talent Level 20 Talent -3s Hex Cooldown replaced with Earth Spike affects a 30 degree cone

Patch 7.33d

  • ▲
    Earth Spike Spike Radius increased from 125 to 140
  • ▲
    Hex Cast Range increased from 600 to 625

Patch 7.33c

  • ▲
    Base stats Base Intelligence increased from 18 to 20
  • ▲
    Earth Spike Cooldown decreased from 12s to 11s
  • ▲
    Earth Spike Damage increased from 100/160/220/280 to 105/170/235/300
  • ▲
    Mana Drain Aghanim's Shard Magic Resistance increased from 50% to 80%

Patch 7.33

  • ▲
    Earth Spike Damage increased from 95/150/205/260 to 100/160/220/280
  • ▼
    Earth Spike Stun Duration decreased from 1.4/1.8/2.2/2.6s to 1.3/1.6/1.9/2.2s
  • ▼
    Earth Spike Duration decreased as a part of the comprehensive Disables Reduction
  • ▲
    Earth Spike Projectile Speed increased from 1800 to 2800
  • ◆
    Earth Spike Mana Cost rescaled from 85/110/135/160 to 90/110/130/150
  • ▲
    Hex Cast Range increased from 550 to 600
  • ▼
    Hex Duration decreased from 2.5/3/3.5/4s to 2/2.4/2.8/3.2s
  • ▼
    Hex Duration decreased as a part of the comprehensive Disables Reduction
  • ◆
    Mana Drain Spell Immunity with Aghanim's Shard replaced with Debuff Immunity with 50% Magic Resistance

Patch 7.32e

  • ▲
    Base stats Base Armor increased by 1
  • ▼
    Base stats Base Agility decreased from 18 to 15
  • ▲
    Finger of Death Cooldown decreased from 160/100/40s to 140/90/40s

Patch 7.32d

  • ▲
    Earth Spike Damage increased from 80/140/200/260 to 95/150/205/260
  • ▼
    Lv20 talent Level 20 Talent Hex Cooldown Reduction increased from 2s to 3s

Patch 7.32c

  • ▲
    Hex Cast range increased from 500 to 550

Patch 7.32

  • ▲
    Base stats Turn Rate improved from 0.6 to 0.8
  • ◆
    Lv10 talent Level 10 Talent +60 Damage replaced with +65 Earth Spike Damage
  • ◆
    Lv10 talent Level 10 Talent +15 Movement Speed replaced with +10% Mana Drain Movement Slow
  • ◆
    Lv15 talent Level 15 Talent -2s Earth Spike Cooldown replaced with Mana Drain Targets Allies
  • ◆
    Lv20 talent Level 20 Talent Mana Drain Targets Allies replaced with -2s Hex Cooldown
  • ◆
    Lv25 talent Level 25 Talent +800 Earth Spike Range replaced with Mana Drain Deals Damage Equal To 150% Of Mana Stolen

Patch 7.31d

  • ▲
    Earth Spike Projectile Speed increased from 1600 to 1800
  • ▲
    Hex Cooldown decreased from 30/24/18/12s to 24/20/16/12s

Patch 7.31

  • ▲
    Finger of Death Mana cost reduced from 200/420/650 to 200/400/600
  • ▲
    Finger of Death Aghanim's Scepter cooldown reduced from 100/60/20 to 80/50/20
  • ▲
    Mana Drain Now reveals invisible units

Patch 7.30e

  • ▲
    Earth Spike Manacost increased from 70/100/130/160 to 85/110/135/160

Patch 7.30

  • ▼
    Base stats Armor reduced by 1
  • ▼
    Earth Spike Travel Distance reduced from 900 to 850 (Cast Range is unchanged, only bonus length is reduced)
  • ▼
    Finger of Death Scepter Damage reduced from 725/875/1025 to 700/825/950
  • ▼
    Talent Level 10 talent reduced from +70 damage to +60

Patch 7.29

  • ◆
    Mana Drain Cooldown rescaled from 16/12/8/4 to 15/12/9/6
  • ▼
    Mana Drain Break distance reduced from 1200 to 1100
  • ◆
    Aghanim's upgrade Reworked Shard upgrade. Causes Mana Drain to affect up to three enemies. You become Spell Immune while channeling.
  • ◆
    Lv10 talent Level 10 Talent changed from +15% Mana Drain Slow to +15 Movement Speed
  • ◆
    Lv15 talent Level 15 Talent changed from +125 Cast Range to +70 Max Health per Finger of Death Kill
  • ◆
    Lv20 talent Level 20 Talent changed from +2 Mana Drain Multi Target to Mana Drain Restores Allies

Patch 7.28a

  • ▲
    Mana Drain Shard attack speed reduction increased from 90 to 120

Patch 7.27b

  • ▲
    Base stats Base attack speed increased from 100 to 115
  • ▲
    Base stats Base armor increased by 1
  • ▲
    Lv10 talent Level 10 Talent increased from +75 Cast Range to +15% Mana Drain Slow
  • ◆
    Lv15 talent Level 15 Talent changed from +15% Mana Drain Slow to +150 Cast Range
  • ◆
    Lv15 talent Level 15 Talent changed from +150 Finger Of Death Damage to -2s Earth Spike Cooldown
  • ◆
    Lv20 talent Level 20 Talent changed from +400 Health to +20 Finger of Death Damage Per Kill

Patch 7.26c

  • ◆
    Lv15 talent Level 15 Talent changed from +50 Mana Drain to +15% Mana Drain Slow

Patch 7.24

  • ◆
    Lv15 talent Level 15 Talent changed from +150 Gold/Min to +60 Mana Drain

Patch 7.22

  • ▼
    Finger of Death Damage per kill reduced from 50 to 40

Patch 7.21

  • ▲
    Lv10 talent Level 10 Talent increased from +75 Cast Range to +100
  • ▲
    Lv15 talent Level 15 Talent increased from +120 Gold/Min to +150

Patch 7.20

  • ▲
    Mana Drain Slow increased from 16/19/22/25% to 20/24/28/32%
  • ◆
    Finger of Death Now gains +50 Damage per hero kill.

Patch 7.12

  • ◆
    Earth Spike Manacost rescaled from 100/120/140/160 to 70/100/130/160

Patch 7.10

  • ▲
    Mana Drain Slow increased from 14/16/18/20 to 16/19/22/25%
  • ▲
    Lv10 talent Level 10 Talent increased from +75 Damage to +90
  • ▲
    Lv15 talent Level 15 Talent increased from +90 Gold/Min to +120

Patch 7.08

  • ◆
    Mana Drain Mana Drain now slows the target by 14/16/18/20%