Nyx Assassin

• Overview
• Equipment
• Responses

[e][h]Nyx Assassin

Dire Hero

Attributes

18 +2.5

19 +2.5

18 +2.1

27 - 31

1

315

Base Stats

Base HP Regen

2.5

Base Mana Regen

0

Sight Range

1800 / 800

Attack Range

150

Missile Speed

Instant

Attack Duration

0.46 + 0.54

Cast Duration

0.4 + 1.1

Base Attack Speed

100

Base Attack Time

1.7

Base Magic Resist

25%

Turn Rate

0.5

Level Changes

Level

1

15

25

Health

524

1154

1604

Mana

291

639

891

Armor

4.8

11.8

16.8

Damage

46-50

81-85

106-110

Most Played As

LessMore

Role

1

2

3

4

5

Nyx Assassin

Recommended Roles

Disabler Nuker Initiator Escape

Deep in the Archive of Ultimyr, shelved between scholarly treatises on dragon cladistics and books of untranslatable spells, there is an ancient tome of entomological curiosities. Compiled by scholars, the book describes the telepathic talents of the zealot scarab, a strange species of social insect with abilities unique to all the seven planes.

Unlike most grubs of his colony, Nyx Assassin did not arise from metamorphosis with the plodding thoughts and blunted appendages common to the worker caste of his kind. For his was a special transformation, guided by the grace of Nyx. He was the chosen one, selected from the many and anointed with an extract of the queen goddess herself. Not all survive the dark blessing of the queen's chamber, but he emerged with a penetrating mind, and dagger-like claws—his razor sharp mandibles raking the air while his thoughts projected directly into the minds of those around him. Of all zealot scarabs, he alone was selected for the highest calling. After his metamorphosis, he was reborn, by grace of Nyx, with abilities which shaped him for one thing and one thing only: to kill in the name of his goddess.

Abilities

Impale

QE

Targeting
Point Target

Affects
Enemy Units

Damage Type
Magical

Rock 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.

Damage	100 / 160 / 220 / 280 420 20

Stun Duration	1.4 / 1.8 / 2.2 / 2.6 1.65 / 2.05 / 2.45 / 2.85 10

Radius	125

Distance	700

Cast Point	0.4

Burrowed Distance	1225

Burrowed Cooldown	7

14

95 / 115 / 135 / 155

	Does not pierce Spell Immunity.

All zealot scarabs possess intimate knowledge of underground pathways, using them to their advantage.

Notes

• Spikes travel at 1600 speed.
• Has a visibly larger spike when a unit is hit.

Mana Burn

WR

Targeting
Unit Target

Affects
Enemy Heroes

Damage Type
Magical

Burns the target hero's mana equal to a multiplier of its Intelligence, and deals damage equal to the mana burned.

Intelligence Mana Burn	3.5× / 4× / 4.5× / 5×

Mana Burn Damage	100%

Cast Range	600

Cast Point	0.4

Burrowed Cast Range	1050

28 / 20 / 12 / 4

100

	Does not pierce Spell Immunity.
	Blocked by Linken's Sphere and echoed by Lotus Orb.

The tome in Ultimyr describes one scarab with the ability to eat away at the minds of lesser beings.

Spiked Carapace

ED

Targeting
No Target

Affects
Enemy Units

When activated, Spiked Carapace reflects and negates damage dealt (max once from each source), as well as stunning the source of the damage.

Stun Duration	0.6 / 1.2 / 1.8 / 2.4

Reflect Duration	2

Damage Reflected	100% 160% 20

Cast Point	0

Burrowed Radius	300

25 / 20 / 15 / 10

40

	Does not pierce Spell Immunity.

While their carapaces are relatively thin, they're guarded by a retractable field of razor-sharp spikes.

Notes

• Only reflects damage from player controlled units.
• Reflects the same damage type as received.
• Blocks the damage but does not block the spell effects.
• During  Burrow, this spell stuns in an area of effect without requiring Nyx Assassin to be hit first.

Vendetta

RV

Targeting
No Target

Affects
Self

Damage Type
Pure

Allows Nyx Assassin to become invisible and gain a movement speed bonus. If Nyx Assassin attacks to break the invisibility, massive bonus damage is dealt with the attack.

Bonus Damage	250 / 375 / 500

Bonus Movement Speed	16% / 18% / 20%

Invisibility Duration	40 / 50 / 60

Break Duration	4

Cast Point	0

Ability	Unobstructed Pathing 25

90 / 70 / 50

140 / 200 / 260

The scarab kills for the glory of his queen.

Notes

• Does not interrupt channeling.
• Vendetta's bonus damage is dealt in a separate instance immediately prior to the attack.
• Vendetta has true strike and cannot miss.
• Casting  Spiked Carapace does not break invisibility.

Aghanim's Scepter Abilities

Burrow

DF

Targeting
No Target

Affects
Self

While burrowed, Nyx Assassin is invisible and unable to move or attack, but has extra damage resistance and regenerates a portion of his health and mana per second. Nyx Assassin's abilities also have improved properties while burrowed:

•  Mana Burn and  Impale have increased cast range.
•  Impale cooldown is reduced.
•  Spiked Carapace instantly stuns any enemy units within an area of effect without requiring them to hurt him first.
• Casting  Vendetta immediately ends Burrow.

Damage Resistance	40%

HP/Mana Regen Per Second	1.5%

Cast Time	1.5

	This spell is granted directly by the scepter.

Some castes of zealot scarab are known to create small burrows to lie in wait, ready to ambush their prey.

Notes

Regen is based on Nyx Assassin's maximum HP/Mana.

Unburrow

DF

Targeting
No Target

Affects
Self

Emerge from the burrow.

Cast Point	0

Some castes of zealot scarab are known to create small burrows to lie in wait, ready to ambush their prey.

Talent Tree

Talent Tree
Vendetta Unobstructed Pathing	25	+80 Agility
+140  Impale Damage	20	+60%  Spiked Carapace Damage
+20 Movement Speed	15	+250 Health
+0.25s  Impale Stun Duration	10	+8% Spell Amplification

Recommended Items

Starting Items			Early Game

Mid Game			Late Game

General Strategy

Nyx Assassin is always hunting for fragile targets. Sneaking invisibly through the forest, when he spots his prey, he swipes them with his deadly claws and impales them on stunning spikes, then reverses any counterattack with his reflecting carapace.

Nyx Assassin (In-Game Description)

Overview

Skill Build

Level	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Spell
Level	11	12	13	14	15	16	18	20	25
Spell

Early Game

Mid Game

Late Game

Version History

Version	Balance Changes
7.27b
	Impale damage increased from 80/140/200/260 to 100/160/220/280 Level 10 Talent increased from +6% Spell Amplification to +8%
7.26b
	All talents are now about 20% weaker
7.24b
	Impale duration reduced from 1.6/2/2.4/2.8 to 1.4/1.8/2.2/2.6
7.24
	Vendetta bonus damage changed from physical to pure damage Vendetta damage reduced from 250/400/550 to 250/375/500 Level 10 Talent changed from +90 Gold/Min to +0.3s Impale Stun Duration
7.23
	Movement speed increased from 305 to 315
7.22c
	Base health regen reduced from 3.25 to 2.5 Spiked Carapace duration reduced from 2.25 to 2
7.22
	Base strength reduced from 19 to 18 Vendetta cooldown rescaled from 70/60/50 to 90/70/50 Level 15 Talent reduced from +30 Movement Speed to +25
7.21
	Base movement speed increased from 300 to 305 Strength gain increased from 2.3 to 2.5 Level 10 Talent increased from +60 GPM to +90 Level 10 Talent increased from +6% Spell Amp to +8%
7.20
	Vendetta now applies a break debuff on the target for 4 seconds
7.18
	Vendetta mana cost decreased from 160/210/260 to 140/200/260
7.07
	Base movement speed reduced by 5 Base HP regen increased from 3.25 to 4.75 Spiked Carapace damage return mechanics now work like Blade Mail (Still returns only once per enemy, does not stun Spell Immune) Reworked Talent Tree
7.06f
	Base damage reduced by 3
7.06e
	Movement Speed reduced from 305 to 300
7.06c
	Impale cooldown increased from 13 to 14
7.03
	Spiked Carapace cooldown rescaled from 22/18/14/10 to 25/20/15/10
7.02
	Level 15 Talent from +10 Strength to +50 Impale Damage Level 15 Talent from +25 Agility to +12% Magic Resistance Level 20 Talent from +15% Magic Resistance to +40 Agility
7.00
	Added Talent Tree
6.88f
	Nyx's Scepter Burrow cast time increased from 1 to 1.5
6.88
	Movement speed increased from 300 to 305
6.87
	Fixed Spiked Carapace not preventing damage when a Spell Immune attacker damages you Base HP regeneration increased from 2.5 to 3.5
6.86
	Nyx Impale duration increased from 1.27/1.77/2.27/2.77 to 1.6/2/2.4/2.8 Spiked Carapace cooldown reduced from 23/20/17/14 to 22/18/14/10
6.85
	Burrow Impale cooldown reduced from 9 to 7 Burrow Impale and Mana Burn bonus range increased from 50% to 75% Vendetta duration increased from 25/35/50 to 40/50/60
6.84
	Using Spiked Carapace no longer removes Vendetta Added Aghanim's Scepter upgrade to Nyx: Adds a new ability, Burrow
6.81
	Impale cooldown increased from 11 to 13 Impale can no longer be blocked by Linken's Sphere
6.80
	Cast Range on Impale now matches the travel range (This has no impact on the length or the area the Impale covers)
6.79
	Spiked Carapace no longer stuns your hero when your summoned units proc it (The summoned units get stunned instead) Impale no longer has unit targeting, it is now only a point targeted spell
6.78
	Mana Burn drain and damage decreased from 5× Int to 3.5/4/4.5/5× Mana Burn mana cost rescaled from 130/120/110/100 to 100
6.77c
	Spiked Carapace duration reduced from 2.75 to 2.25 Spiked Carapace cooldown increased from 14 to 23/20/17/14
6.76
	Vendetta damage increased from 225/375/525 to 250/400/550
6.75
	Base HP regeneration increased to 2.5 Mana Burn drain amount increased from 4×Int to 5×Int Mana Burn mana cost rescaled from 90/110/130/150 to 130/120/110/100 Vendetta movement speed increased from 10/15/20% to 16/18/20% Spiked Carapace reworked
6.74
	Urna Swarm replaced with a new spell
6.73
	Mana Burn cooldown decreased from 35/25/15/5 to 28/20/12/4 Vendetta cooldown decreased from 90/75/60 to 70/60/50
6.71
	Urna Swarm Infestation aoe increased from 275 to 300 Urna Swarm Infestation dps increased from 20 to 40 Urna Swarm maximum summons reduced from 2/4/6/8 to 2/3/4/5 Urna Swarm Cooldown rescaled from 14/11/8/5 to 26/19/12/5 Urna Swarm mana cost rescaled from 10 to 40/30/20/10
6.67
	Spiked Carapace replaced with Urna Swarm Impale damage reduced from 80/160/230/300 to 80/140/200/260
6.64
	Mana Burn can no longer target creeps since it no longer affects them
6.63
	Mana Burn reworked

Notable Players

Kaka

Tims

Dy

Bimbo

Zayac

See also

• Stun
• Mana Burn
• Damage Resistance
• Invisibility

External links

Guides

• Standard Nyx Assassin (Lane) Build
• Standard Nyx Assassin (Middle) Build
• DotaFire's Builds & Guides for Nyx Assassin