Attack modifier

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Stacking

There is no set rule of how attack modifiers stack, except for the group of unique attack modifiers. In most cases, an attack modifier does stack with another attack modifier.

Common attack modifiers

There are many attack modifiers which are seen very commonly in the game. The only difference between them are their numbers and how they are activate, some being applied on each attack, others being chance based.

Abilities which simply grant or reduce attack speed (e.g. Focus Fire or Overpower) or attack damage (e.g. Sleight of Fist or Alacrity) are not attack modifiers in that sense, as they directly enhance the attack, instead of granting a modification.

Critical strike

See more: Critical strike Critical strike is a passive ability that gives a chance to deal bonus damage on a successful attack. Contents 1 Mechanics 2 Stacking 3 Interaction with other passive abilities 4 Sources of chance-based critical strike

Critical strike causes the attacks to deal multiplied damage. Most critical strikes are chance-based, but not all. This modifier can be used by any unit.
Critical Strikes fully stack with other attack modifiers. Be that as it may, they do not fully stack with themselves. Multiple sources of critical strike have all their own proc chance. But if multiple would proc on the same attack, only the one with the higher multiplier is applied.

• Examples of critical strike are Mortal Strike, Shapeshift and Jinada.

Cleave and splash

Cleave causes the unit`s attack to deal damage in a circular area in front of the unit. The damage is based on the unit`s attack damage. Cleave can only be used by melee units.
Cleaves fully stack with other attack modifiers. Multiple sources of cleave on the same unit work fully independently of each other. Each source applies its full damage within its area, without interacting with the other cleave sources.

• Examples of cleave are Battle Fury For the cosmetic item equipped by Faceless Void, see Battlefury (Equipment).   Item   Changelogs     Battle FuryB The bearer of this mighty axe gains the ability to cut down swaths of enemies at , Tidebringer and Empower.

Splash works similar to cleave. It causes the unit`s attack to deal area damage, but this area is rather a circular area centered around the attacked unit. Splash can only be used by ranged units.
Splash fully stacks with other attack modifiers. Multiple sources of splash on the same unit work fully independently of each other. Each source applies its full damage within its area, without interacting with other splash sources.

• Examples of splash are Elder Dragon Form and Splash Attack.

Bash

See more: Bash Bash is a passive ability that gives a unit a chance to stun its target on attack. Most bashes also include some extra damage upon proc. This damage is usually directly added to the attacking

Bash causes the unit`s attack to stun Stun is a status effect that prevents active actions like moving, turning, using spells or items, but does not prevent passive abilities, such as evasion and Damage Block. Stuns also interrupt spell casts, channeling spells the target and in some cases to also deal extra fixed damage. As of now, all bashes are chance-based. Bash can be used by any unit.
Bash fully stacks with other attack modifiers, except with other bashes. Multiple sources of bashes do not stack at all. The later acquired bash has absolutely no effect. The only exception is Monkey King Bar For the hero, see Monkey King.   Item   Old Abilities   Changelogs     Monkey King Bar A powerful staff used by a master warrior. Cost5200 Bought FromWeapons Passive Mini-Bash, True Strike Bonus +66 , which fully stacks with any other bash.

• Examples of bash are Skull Basher   Item   Changelogs     Skull BasherB A feared weapon in the right hands, this maul s ability to shatter the defenses of its opponents should not be underestimated. Cost2700 (750) Bought FromWeapons Passive Bash , Time Lock and Greater Bash.

Lifesteal

See more: Lifesteal Lifesteal allows the attacking unit to gain health when damaging an enemy, which includes any attack modifier with attack damage. The lifesteal ability can be gained via items, passive abilities or the auras of other

Lifesteal causes the unit`s attack to heal the attacking unit. In any but one case, the heal is based on the unit`s attack damage. Lifesteal can be used by any unit.
Lifesteal can come in the form of a regular attack modifier, in which case it fully stacks with any other attack modifier, including other sources of lifesteal, or in the form of a unique attack modifier, in which case it does not stack with other sources of unique attack modifiers.

• Examples of lifesteal are Insatiable Hunger, Mask of Madness   Item   Changelogs     Mask of MadnessBL Once this mask is worn, its bearer becomes an uncontrollable aggressive force. Cost1975 Bought FromArtifacts Active Berserk Passive Lifesteal Bonus +10 Attack speed+20 Attack damage Disassemble? , Moment of Courage and Feast.

Mana break

Mana break causes the unit`s attack to burn a portion of the target`s mana and deal damage based on the amount of mana burned. Mana break can be used by any unit.
Mana break can come in the form of a regular attack modifier, stacking with all other attack modifiers, or in the form of a unique attack modifier, stacking with all attack modifiers, except with other unique attack modifiers. Multiple sources of mana break do not stack at all (the source of mana break which is oldest overrides the others), regardless of which type it is.

• Examples of mana break are Mana Break, Diffusal Blade   Item   Changelogs     Diffusal BladeB An enchanted blade that allows the user to cut straight into the enemy s soul. Cost3150 (700) Bought FromArtifacts Active Purge Charges 8 Passive Manabreak Bonus +25/35 Agility+10/15 and Mana Break.

Other modifiers

There are many modifiers with unique effects. Most of them are specific to a hero, unit or item. Most of them fully stack with every other attack modifier. Although these abilities have all unique effects (i.e. none of these abilities appear on more than one hero), these are not Unique Attack Modifiers.

Heroes

Units

Active attack modifiers

Active attack modifiers are modifiers which must be actively used on each attack to apply its effects. They also can be set on autocast Abilities are unique skills that heroes and creeps have access to on the battlefield. They range from simple passive effects, to devastating explosions of energy, to complex, terrain changing feats. All heroes have four or , causing each attack to apply the effect if the hero can support their costs. Some of these are Unique Attack Modifiers.

When set on autocast, they still count as a regular attack. When used manually, they partly count as a spell cast. This means, unlike regular attacks, they do not cause any aggro from lane creeps. Be that as it may, they do not count as spells in any other scenario, meaning they cannot be used when attacking is restricted and do not proc anything which triggers on spell cast.

Orb walking

Issuing an attack command on an enemy hero causes all nearby enemy creeps and towers to switch their aggro to the attacking unit. This is not the case for casting spells on enemy heroes. Orb-walking is the act of manually casting active attack modifiers like other active abilities, instead of using autocast Abilities are unique skills that heroes and creeps have access to on the battlefield. They range from simple passive effects, to devastating explosions of energy, to complex, terrain changing feats. All heroes have four or and right-click or auto-attacks. When used manually, the attack is partially treated as a spell cast. This causes the hero to not draw aggro from nearby enemy creeps, making it possible to harass an enemy in the lane without the creeps and even towers refocusing their attacks on the harassing hero as they normally would when using regular attacks or autocast. Be that as it may, the effect still counts as an attack and not a spell cast in regards of on-cast effects. It still uses the hero`s attack speed and animations and still puts the attack on cooldown normally.

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In Warcraft 3, unique attack modifiers are called "orb effects". This is due the items which grant the attack modifiers commonly being orbs (for instance, Orb of Venom, O

Unique Attack Modifier Stacking

Unique Attack Modifiers function on a system of priority, because Unique Attack Modifiers do not stack. For each attack only one Unique Attack Modifier will be applied.

1. Conditional Modifiers are applied first: these are Unique Attack Modifiers that only occur on some attacks and are not controlled by the player, such as the chance based Mjollnir. If a Conditional Modifier fails to occur then an Item or Ability Modifier will be present on the attack if applicable.
2. Ability Modifiers are applied second: these are Unique Attack Modifiers that are applied by hero abilities. Note that Conditional Modifiers will only override an Ability Modifier if the Ability Modifier is casted using autocast. If casted manually, the Ability Modifier will always take effect.
3. Item Modifiers are applied last. The oldest item in the hero`s inventory will have priority. Priority can be changed by dropping the item with the unwanted effect out of the inventory, and then picking it up again.

Exceptions

While still following the rules above, Eye of Skadi will stack with any type of lifesteal. This is the only case of Unique Attack Modifiers stacking.

While normally illusions do not inherit attack buffs from items, illusions will get Diffusal Blade`s Manabreak passive applied to their attacks. This makes Diffusal Blade a strong option on illusion heroes.

Orb Walking

The technique known as Orb Walking is a mechanic that exploits the game`s aggro system to allow a hero to harass safely in lane without drawing creep attention. If a hero auto attacks using auto-cast, the hero will be attacked by enemy creeps and towers nearby. However when a hero casts a spell, this attention is not drawn and the creeps will not attack. Since manually casting a UAM such as Drow Ranger`s Frost Arrows counts as a "spell cast" to creeps and not an auto attack, it fools the creeps. Heroes with auto-castable attack modifiers can safely harass enemies this way, making more efficient damage trades against the enemy in lane.

Unique Attack Modifiers

Attack Buffs

The following list contains simple attack buffs. These can stack with Unique Attack Modifiers.