Armor

Info

Armor is an attribute shared by all units. Armor is used to determine the amount of damage reduction (or amplification if an armor value is negative) a unit takes from physical damage sources. Higher armor values reduce more damage. Armor is increased by Agility, certain abilities, and some items Play “Singing trio.” It has been suggested that this article or section be split into multiple new articles. Reason given: The shop should get its own page Discussion to support or oppose the split should be . Most items in the armor shop provide armor bonuses.

Main armor

Main armor is the armor value shown in white numbers below the shield icon in the HUD, consisting of base armor and the armor granted by a hero`s agility. The only way to improve a hero`s main armor is to increase its agility Agility is the attribute that grants armor and attack speed. For each point of agility a hero gets: 0.14 (1/7) Armor 1 Attack speed Additionally, agility heroes also get 1 attack damage per agility point. .

The formula to calculate a hero`s main armor is:

main armor = base armor + (agility * (1 / 7)).

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Base armor

Base armor is the part of the main armor that never changes throughout a game. It consists of one fixed value set for each unit individually. The base armor of a unit can be a negative number. Since only heroes have agility, the HUD of all non-hero units shows their base armor.

The base armor of heroes can be calculated with this formula:

base armor = main armor - (agility * (1 / 7)).

Armor granted by agility

The sum of agility Agility is the attribute that grants armor and attack speed. For each point of agility a hero gets: 0.14 (1/7) Armor 1 Attack speed Additionally, agility heroes also get 1 attack damage per agility point. points a hero has is multiplied by (1 / 7) and added on top of the base armor to define the main armor value. Agility can be increased by acquiring levels, as well as specific skills and items.

Armor of heroes

Hero Armor

Hero Base Armor Starting Armor Max Main Armor Abaddon   Hero   Strategy   Counters   Equipment   Gear   Responses   Sounds   Lore   Old Abilities   Changelogs   Known Bugs     Abaddon 23 + 2.6 17 + 1.5 21 + -1 1.43 6.57 Alchemist   Hero   Strategy   Counters   Equipment   Gear   Responses   Sounds   Lore   Old Abilities   Changelogs   Known Bugs     Alchemist 25 + 2.1 11 + 1.2 25 + 0 1.57 5.69 Ancient Apparition "AA" redirects here. For the professional player, see ARS-ART.   Hero   Strategy   Counters   Equipment   Gear   Responses   Sounds   Lore   Old Abilities   Changelogs   Known Bugs     -1 1.86 9.4 Anti-Mage -1 2.14 11.74 Arc Warden   Hero   Strategy   Counters   Equipment   Gear   Responses   Sounds   Lore   Old Abilities   Changelogs   Known Bugs     Arc Warden 24 + 3 15 + 1.8 24 -2 0.14 6.31 Axe   Hero   Strategy   Counters   Equipment   Gear   Responses   Sounds   Lore   Old Abilities   Changelogs   Known Bugs     Axe 25 + 2.8 20 + 2.2 18 + -1 1.86 9.4 Bane Not to be confused with Banehallow.   Hero   Strategy   Counters   Equipment   Gear   Responses   Sounds   Lore   Old Abilities   Changelogs   Known Bugs     Bane 22 + 1 4.14 12.37 Batrider   Hero   Strategy   Counters   Equipment   Gear   Responses   Sounds   Lore   Old Abilities   Changelogs   Known Bugs     Batrider 23 + 2.7 15 + 1.5 24 + 0 2.14 7.29 Beastmaster   Hero   Strategy   Counters   Equipment   Gear   Responses   Sounds   Lore   Old Abilities   Changelogs   Known Bugs     Beastmaster 23 + 2.5 18 + 1.6 16 + 2 4.57 10.06 Bloodseeker   Hero   Strategy   Counters   Equipment   Gear   Responses   Sounds   Lore   Old Abilities   Changelogs   Known Bugs     Bloodseeker 23 + 2.7 24 + 3 18 + 0 3.43 13.71 Bounty Hunter "Bounty" redirects here. For the reward earned from last-hits, see Gold.   Hero   Strategy   Counters   Equipment   Gear   Responses   Sounds   Lore   Old Abilities   Changelogs   Known Bugs 3 6 16.29 Brewmaster   Hero   Strategy   Counters   Equipment   Gear   Responses   Sounds   Lore   Old Abilities   Changelogs   Known Bugs     Brewmaster 23 + 3.2 22 + 1.95 14 + -1 2.14 8.83 Bristleback   Hero   Strategy   Counters   Equipment   Gear   Responses   Sounds   Lore   Old Abilities   Changelogs     Bristleback 22 + 2.2 17 + 1.8 14 + 2.8 Level Base 1 3.43 9.6 Broodmother   Hero   Strategy   Counters   Equipment   Gear   Responses   Sounds   Lore   Old Abilities   Changelogs   Known Bugs     Broodmother 17 + 2.8 18 + 2.2 18 + 0 2.57 10.11 Centaur Warrunner For the neutral centaur creeps, see Centaur Camp.   Hero   Strategy   Counters   Equipment   Gear   Responses   Sounds   Lore   Old Abilities   Changelogs     Centaur Warrunner 23 + 0 2.14 7.63 Chaos Knight   Hero   Strategy   Counters   Equipment   Gear   Responses   Sounds   Lore   Old Abilities   Changelogs     Chaos Knight 22 + 3.2 14 + 2.1 16 + 1.2 Level 2 4 11.2 Chen   Hero   Strategy   Counters   Equipment   Gear   Responses   Sounds   Lore   Old Abilities   Changelogs     Chen 23 + 1.8 15 + 2.1 21 + 2.8 Level Base -1 1.14 8.34 Clinkz   Hero   Strategy   Counters   Equipment   Gear   Responses   Sounds   Lore   Old Abilities   Changelogs     Clinkz 15 + 1.9 22 + 3.3 16 + 1.55 Level Base -1 2.14 13.46 Clockwerk   Hero   Strategy   Counters   Equipment   Gear   Responses   Sounds   Lore   Old Abilities   Changelogs     Clockwerk 26 + 3.2 13 + 2.3 17 + 1.3 Level Base 0 1.86 9.74 Crystal Maiden   Hero   Strategy   Counters   Equipment   Gear   Responses   Sounds   Lore   Old Abilities   Changelogs     Crystal Maiden 16 + 2 16 + 1.6 16 + 2.9 Level -1 1.29 6.77 Dark Seer   Hero   Strategy   Counters   Equipment   Gear   Responses   Sounds   Lore   Old Abilities   Changelogs     Dark Seer 22 + 2.6 12 + 1.2 23 + 2.7 Level 5 6.71 10.83 Dazzle -1 2 7.83 Death Prophet 1 3 7.8 Disruptor -1 1.14 5.94 Doom -1 0.57 3.66 Dragon Knight 1 3.71 11.26 Drow Ranger -3 0.71 7.23 Earth Spirit 1 3.43 8.57 Earthshaker 1 2.71 7.51 Elder Titan 1 3 9.17 Ember Spirit -2 1.14 7.31 Enchantress -2 0.71 6.89 Enigma 2 4 7.43 Faceless Void 0 3.29 12.89 Gyrocopter 1 4.43 14.03 Huskar -1 1.14 5.94 Invoker -1 1 7.51 Io -2 0 5.49 Jakiro 1 2.43 6.54 Juggernaut 0 3.71 11.94 Keeper of the Light -1 1.14 6.63 Kunkka 2 4 8.46 Legion Commander 0 2.57 8.4 Leshrac 0 3.29 9.11 Lich -1 1.14 8 Lifestealer -1 1.57 8.09 Lina -1 1.29 6.43 Lion -1 1.14 6.29 Lone Druid 0 3.43 12.69 Luna 0 2.57 13.89 Lycan 1 3.29 6.71 Magnus 2 4.14 12.71 Medusa -1 1.86 10.43 Meepo -1 2.29 9.83 Mirana -1 1.86 14.2 Monkey King -3 0.14 11.11 Morphling -2 1.43 14.11 Naga Siren 3 6 15.43 Nature`s Prophet 1 3.57 10.09 Necrophos 1 3.14 7.26 Night Stalker 3 5.57 13.29 Nyx Assassin 1 3.71 11.26 Ogre Magi 6 8 13.31 Omniknight 3 5.14 11.14 Oracle 0 2.14 7.97 Outworld Devourer 0.5 3.93 10.79 Phantom Assassin 1 4.29 15.09 Phantom Lancer 0 4.14 13.06 Phoenix -2 -0.29 4.17 Puck -1 2.14 7.97 Pudge -1 1 6.14 Pugna -1 1.29 4.71 Queen of Pain -1 1.57 8.43 Razor -1 2.14 9 Riki 0 4.86 12.4 Rubick -1 1 6.49 Sand King 0 2.71 9.91 Shadow Demon 0 2.57 10.11 Shadow Fiend -2 0.86 10.8 Shadow Shaman 0 2.29 7.77 Silencer -1 2.14 12.43 Skywrath Mage -2 -0.14 2.6 Slardar 3 5.43 13.66 Slark -1 2 7.14 Sniper -1 2 10.57 Spectre 0 3.29 9.46 Spirit Breaker 3 5.43 11.26 Storm Spirit 2 5.14 11.31 Sven 2 5 11.86 Techies 5 7 11.46 Templar Assassin 1 4.29 12.17 Terrorblade 7 10.14 21.11 Tidehunter 1 3.14 8.29 Timbersaw -2 0.29 4.74 Tinker 2 3.86 7.97 Tiny -1 0.29 3.37 Treant Protector -1 1.14 8 Troll Warlord -1 2 10.57 Tusk 0 3.29 10.49 Underlord 2 3.71 8.17 Undying 3 4.43 7.17 Ursa 3 5.57 12.77 Vengeful Spirit 0 3.86 15.17 Venomancer 0 3.14 12.74 Viper -1 2 11.94 Visage -2 -0.43 4.03 Warlock 1 2.43 5.86 Weaver -1 1 10.6 Windranger -1 1.43 6.23 Winter Wyvern -1 1.29 7.8 Witch Doctor -1 0.86 5.66 Wraith King 0 2.57 8.4 Zeus 0 1.57 5.69

Bonus armor

Bonus armor is the armor value shown in green numbers with a plus on the left, right below the white armor number on a unit`s statistics. Whenever an item or skill shows a +armor value, e.g. Blade Mail (+6 Armor), it increases the bonus armor of the affected unit. The difference between main and bonus armor is that illusions only benefit from main armor, although their HUD still shows the bonus armor just like on other heroes, to make them less obvious to the enemy.

Armor increasing abilities

The following abilities are able to increase unit`s armor:

Armor Value

The damage reduction for positive armor values is calculated using the following formula:

Damage Reduction = (0.06 ⃗ Armor) ⃷ (1 + 0.06 ⃗ Armor)

It is possible to achieve a negative armor value. The resulting amplification of physical damage mirrors the damage reduction of positive armor, and is calculated using:

Damage Increase = (0.06 ⃗ |Armor|) ⃷ (1 + 0.06 ⃗ |Armor|)

These two formula can be combined:

Damage Taken = 1 - ₱(Armor) ⃗ (0.06 ⃗ |Armor|) ⃷ (1 + 0.06 ⃗ |Armor|)

There is no limit to the maximum or minimum armor value.

Armor Type

Each unit or structure has a fixed armor type which cannot be changed. The types of armor and their damage interactions are listed below.

For a comprehensive list, see the Table of Armor and Damage Types

Basic Armor

Basic armor is used by lane creeps, neutral creeps, and summons. It`s weak to piercing attacks.

Fortified Armor

Fortified armor is used by buildings and siege creeps. It is one of the sturdiest types of armor, but is weak against siege attacks. It has decent defense against basic attacks, and great defense against piercing attacks and hero attacks.

Hero Armor

Hero armor is used by heroes and a few special summons. It has decent defense against basic attacks and siege attacks, and great defense against piercing attacks.

Effective Hit Points

Negative Armor Strategies

Armor reduction is one of the most effective ways of killing tanky lategame agility heroes. These heroes are often reliant on their high armor to give them high EHP and survivability. This observation lead to the brief popularity of negative armor strategies at the pro-level during the Warcraft III Dota era. These strategies often combined heroes such as Slardar and Dazzle (whose ultimates can both go through Black King Bar) to reduce total armor by up to 40, creating a reasonably effective anti-carry strategy.