Io
From Liquipedia Dota 2 Wiki
Version Control
This article is mostly accurate for the latest version of the game (7.36b), in which this hero/item was changed.
It has no changes in the current game version — 7.37e.
Io
17 + 2.7
14 + 1.6
23 + 1.7
| Grants the following bonuses per attribute point: | |
|
+22HP and +0.1HP regeneration |
|
+0.17 armor and 1 attack speed |
|
+12MP and +0.05MP regeneration +0.1% base magic resistance |
|
+0.7 Main Attack Damage per attribute |
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1200 Projectile Speed
| ||
100 (114)
(1.7 BAT) | ||
0.3 + 0.4
| ||
0.7
| ||
Ethereal
Gib Type | ||
2012-06-28
Released | ||
2010-07-24
(v6.68) | ||
Competitive Span
2012-07-05 — 2019-01-29 2019-05-24 — Present |
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| Links to its allies to buff them. | |
|---|---|
| The phenomenon that is Io manifests on the physical plane as a wisp of light, its purpose beyond mortal understanding. Accompanied by complementary Spirits that roam around the wisp at its will, it flits to and fro the battlefield, searching for an ally to Tether to. Those blessed with Io's bond feel their feet lighten as the Wisp channels its own regenerative powers into their body. Should its host falter, Io begins to Overcharge, augmenting that ally's speed while strengthening his resolve. As a force unbound by the laws of corporeal space, Io is able to temporarily Relocate itself and an ally to any point in the world, often saving a companion from certain death. | |
        | |
| Roles: |  Support  Escape  Nuker |
| Adjectives | Blue, Flying Legs ( 0 ) |
Facets[edit]
Kritzkrieg
Overcharge grants bonus attack speed and bonus spell damage amplification.
Medigun
Overcharge grants bonus armor and bonus magic resistance.
Upgrades[edit]
Aghanim's[edit]
Aghanim's Scepter Upgrade:
Spirits now passively spawn, orbits and replenishes itself around Io constantly.
Applies movement speed slow to enemy heroes coming in contact with.
Reduces cooldown, and now causes Spirits to immediately explode upon cast.
Applies movement speed slow to enemy heroes coming in contact with.
Reduces cooldown, and now causes Spirits to immediately explode upon cast.
Aghanim's Shard Upgrade:
Grants Io spell lifesteal bonus.
Talents[edit]
 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Instant Attack Tethered Ally's Target | 25 | +400 Tethered Unit Health |
| -30s Relocate Cooldown | 20 | +0.2% Overcharge Max Health as Health Regen Bonus |
| +60 Spirits Hero Damage | 15 | +5% Tether Move Speed |
| +12 Tethered Unit Attack Damage | 10 | +15% Tether Enemy Move/Attack Speed Slow |
| ▃ ▃ ▃ ▃ ▃ ▃ ▃ +2 All / / Attributes | ||
Bio[edit]
Beep Boop▶️Io, the Wisp
Lore:
Io is everywhere, and in all things. Denounced by enemies as the great unmaker, worshiped by scholars as the twinkling of a divine eye, this strange Wisp of life-force occupies all planes at once, the merest fraction of its being crossing into physical existence at any one moment.
Like the great twin riders Dark and Light, and yet another ancient traveler whose true history is lost to the ages, Io the Wisp is a Fundamental of the universe, a force older than time, a wanderer from realms far beyond mortal understanding. Io is nothing less than the sum of all attractive and repulsive forces within the material field, a sentient manifestation of the charge that bind existence together. It is only in the controlled warping of these electrical waylines that Io's presence can be experienced on the physical plane. A benevolent, cooperative force, Io bonds its strange magnetism to others so that the power of allies might be enhanced. Its motives inscrutable, its strength unimaginable, Io moves through the physical plane, the perfect expression of the mysteries of the universe.
Like the great twin riders Dark and Light, and yet another ancient traveler whose true history is lost to the ages, Io the Wisp is a Fundamental of the universe, a force older than time, a wanderer from realms far beyond mortal understanding. Io is nothing less than the sum of all attractive and repulsive forces within the material field, a sentient manifestation of the charge that bind existence together. It is only in the controlled warping of these electrical waylines that Io's presence can be experienced on the physical plane. A benevolent, cooperative force, Io bonds its strange magnetism to others so that the power of allies might be enhanced. Its motives inscrutable, its strength unimaginable, Io moves through the physical plane, the perfect expression of the mysteries of the universe.
Voice:
Itself (Responses)
Innate[edit]
Sight Seer[edit]
Sight Seer 
Passive
Affects
Self
Reduces the capture time and grants vision bonus to all captured Watchers.
Current Channel Time: 0.5
Vision Bonus: 300
- Lantern of Sight grants Io's team a total 1100
daytime and 
nighttime 
vision when captured.
modifier_wisp_tentacles
Hidden Modifier
Hero Model[edit]
Hero Model 
Passive / Channeling
Affects
Self
Io's hero model has the following hidden 
innate abilities.
It may only perform or utilize the ability's functions upon a successful channeling.
innate abilities.It may only perform or utilize the ability's functions upon a successful channeling.
The Wisp is considered a ground unit, despite its hero model showing otherwise.
The Fundamental's facing direction is a mystery. However, if you watch closely, the facing direction is marked by an arc-like effect.
Effect Range: 256
Abilities[edit]
Tether[edit]
Q
T
Tether
The Fundamental tethers itself to an allied unit, granting bonus movement speed to both of them. Whenever Io restores health or mana, the tethered unit gains a portion of the regeneration.
Tether breaks when either the allied unit moves too far away, or Io cancels it.
Tether breaks when either the allied unit moves too far away, or Io cancels it.
Cast Animation: 0 + 0
Cast Range: 
1600
1600 Break Distance: 
1000
1000 Pull Distance: 700
Break Distance During Pull: 2150
Ally Heal Factor: 
0.6/0.8/1/1.2
0.6/0.8/1/1.2 Ally Mana Restore Factor: 
0.6/0.8/1/1.2
0.6/0.8/1/1.2 Ally Move Speed Bonus: 6%/8%/10%/12% (
11%/13%/15%/17%)
11%/13%/15%/17%) Attack Damage Bonus: (
12)
12) Instant Attack Damage Factor: (
0.75)
0.75) Hero Health Bonus: (
400)
400) 
The link between Io and the affected allied unit applies a brief slow and damages enemy units coming in contact.
Damage per Second: 15/25/35/45
Move Speed Slow: 10%/20%/30%/40% (
25%/35%/45%/55%)
25%/35%/45%/55%)Attack Speed Slow: 10/20/30/40 ( 25/35/45/55)
25/35/45/55)Slow Duration: 0.2
Aghanim's Shard Upgrade
Grants Io spell lifesteal bonus.
Grants Io spell lifesteal bonus.
Spell Lifesteal Bonus: 
( 10%)
( 10%) 
Aghanim's Shard Upgrade
Spell lifesteal is less effective on creeps.
Spell lifesteal is less effective on creeps.
Spell Lifesteal Factor: ( 0.2)
0.2) 
12
40
The benevolent touch of Io brings strength from between the planes.
- Io pulls itself 1000-speed until and latches to the affected ally within 300-distance in the following conditions:
- The pull ends in the following conditions:
- EXPR
After Cast, | IoPosition - AllyPosition | ≥ 2150Tether breaks and the pull ends. - Upon the Break Tether
sub-ability cast. - When Io is affected by the following sources:
Forced movement sources ends the pull after the movement applied ends.
- Tether has an indefinite duration, and it breaks in the following conditions:
- Upon Io or the ally's
death. - When affected by Swallow.
- Upon the Break Tether sub-ability cast.
- Upon Io or the ally's
- The
movement speed bonus component has the following properties:
- Grants the affected ally the percentage-based bonus movement speed.
- Sets Io's movement speed as follows:
- EXPR
AllyΣMS = IoBaseMS
Haste movement sources still has precedence over movement speed setting sources.- Other percentage-based movement speed sources now utilizes the new base movement speed value.
- Flat movement speed sources no longer affects Io while Tether is active.
- Movement speed slow sources affecting the ally does not affect Io's set movement speed.
- Io is still restricted by the max movement speed limit.
- The following ability effects are granted and applied to the Tethered allied unit:
- All Overcharge ability effects.
- Relocate
- The following health restoration mechanics are transferred as heal per instance proc:
- Heal sources.
Health regeneration sources.
Lifesteal sources.- Spell lifesteal sources.
- The following mechanics are transferred as mana restore per instance proc:
- Mana restore sources.
Mana regeneration sources.
- The restoration effects on the affected ally always restores for the full value regardless of the how much restoration is applied on Io, and is applied after all restoration manipulation sources on Io.
- The affected ally benefits from all aforementioned ability effects even when becoming
hidden or 
invulnerable.
- Applies both the movement speed slow and
attack speed slow to all enemy units within ≈55-distance of the link per server tick.
- Cannot be cast the following units:
- Passively grants spell lifesteal to both Io, and the allied unit when tethered.
- Stacks additively with other lifesteal sources. However, it does not share other spell lifesteal sources.
- This ability component considers
creep-heroes as creeps, and does not spell lifesteal off 
illusions.
- Most of Tether's
talents that affects both Io and the allied unit immediately update the current buff.
- The attack damage bonus talent grants flat
bonus attack damage. - The health increasing talent increases the max health capacity and keeps the
current health percentage.
- This ability component considers illusions and creep-heroes as creeps.
- This ability component considers
- The attack damage bonus
- However, the enemy slow increasing talent does not update the current buff instance.
- The attack tethered allied target talent
instant attacks on every enemy the tethered ally attacks upon the ally's attack point, and has the following properties:
- Can proc any
attack modifiers and on-hit effects. - Do not have
True Strike. - Affected by
disarm sources.
- Can proc any
- Immediately breaks upon losing ability and upon Morph cast.
- Immediately breaks upon losing ability.
modifier_wisp_tetherTethered: Movement speed matched to and giving regen to tethered target.
modifier_wisp_tether_hasteTethered: Movement speed increased by x% and getting health and mana regen from Io.
modifier_wisp_tether_slow
Tether: Movement speed decreased by x% and attack speed decreased by x.
- When the distance between Io and the ally is
≥ 700, the link's visual appearance changes.- The link changes color at 700-distance and jiggles at 800-distance.
- The health regeneration and mana regeneration values are checked and transferred to the affected ally in 0.1-second intervals.
- The heal and mana restore values are checked and transferred to the affected ally per server tick.
- The
- If either Io or the ally is
invisible, enemy units can only see a fake link leading to the invisible unit's last known location.
- However, if the allied unit is visible to the enemy, they will be able to see the unit tethered.
Break Tether[edit]
Q
T
Break Tether
No
Affects
Self
The Fundamental no longer tethers itself to the affected allied hero.
Cast Animation: 0 + 0
The sub-ability has a downtime upon Tether cast.
Downtime: 0.25
1
Sub-ability of Tether.
Details
- The sub-ability has the following properties:
- Interrupts Io's
channeling abilities upon cast. - Replaces Tether until the sub-ability is used or the tether is broken.
- Interrupts Io's
Spirits[edit]
Summon a number of particles that dance in a circle around Io. If a particle collides with an enemy hero, it explodes and damages all enemy units within the radius.
When its duration ends, all remaining particles explode.
When its duration ends, all remaining particles explode.
Cast Animation: 
0 + 0
0 + 0Number of Spirits: 5
Collision Radius: 110
110 Explosion Radius: 360
Explosion Damage: 30/50/70/90 (
90/110/130/150)
90/110/130/150) Duration: 19 ( )
) Move Speed Slow: ( 15%)
15%) Slow Duration: ( 0.3)
0.3) The particles' damage is less effective on creeps, but they do not explode upon collision.
Collision Radius: 150
150 Collision Damage: 10/15/20/25
Aghanim's Scepter Upgrade
Spirits now passively spawn, orbits and replenishes itself around Io constantly.
Applies movement speed slow to enemy heroes coming in contact with.
Reduces cooldown, and now causes Spirits to immediately explode upon cast.
Spirits now passively spawn, orbits and replenishes itself around Io constantly.
Applies movement speed slow to enemy heroes coming in contact with.
Reduces cooldown, and now causes Spirits to immediately explode upon cast.
Spirit Spawn Interval: ( 1)
1) 26/24/22/20 ( 13/12/11/10)
13/12/11/10)100/110/120/130
Io twists the particles of the universe with his unimaginable capabilities.
- Interrupts Io's channeling abilities upon cast.
- Summons 1 spirit in 1-second intervals, immediately upon cast, and expands automatically to its 650 max distance
- The spirits complete a revolution per 2.7 seconds regardless of its distance from Io.
- Hence, the first spirit can rotate at most 7 times around Io.
- The spirits' angular velocity is constant. The further the distance from Io, the faster the spirits' speed.
- Applies the collision damage to creeps within the collision radius.
- The collision damage considers illusions and creep-heroes as creeps.
- Does not apply the collision damage to enemy heroes nor the Spirit Bear.
- The collision damage considers
- The spirit explodes, and applies the explosion damage when an enemy hero, or creep-heroes, collides with the spirit.
- The explosion damage and movement speed slow affects all enemy units within the explosion radius.
- Neither collides nor explodes on the following units:
- Hidden units.
- Invulnerable units.
- Does not affect the following units:
- Remaning spirits explodes simutaneously at the end of the duration.
- Recasting the ability instantly causes the current spirits to explode.
- The spirits are invisible to the enemy if Io is invisible.
- Adds a passive component, Spirits now constnatly and passively spawns spirits around Io in the same intervals.
- The active component now acts akin to recasting the ability upon cast.
- Both Spirits In and Spirits Out sub-abilities are now permanently available.
- All spirits now have an indefinite duration, and do not explode unless it collides with enemy heroes.
- Replaces by both Spirits In and Spirits Out sub-abilities upon cast.
Right Click toggles between both sub-abilities.- These 3 abilities share a single ability slot.
modifier_wisp_spiritsSpirits: Surrounded by friendly spirits.
modifier_wisp_spirits_slowSpirits Slow: Move speed slowed by x%.
math
- The ability effects are applied as follows:
- The
magical 
spell damage. - The movement speed slow.
- The
- Acquiring the ability upgrade while active creates new spirits, the previous active spirits disappear without exploding.
- When losing the ability upgrade, the current spirits just simply disappears.
- If the spirits do not collide with an enemy hero more than 6 seconds, the next explosion will deal twice the damage.
- This is because once the spirit collides and explodes, the newly spawned spirit takes its place, and collides with the enemy hero again.
Spirits In[edit]
D
D
Spirits InToggle
Affects
Self
Calls and attracts in all the particle-like spirits to the Fundamental.
Cast Animation: 0 + 0
0 + 0Min Distance: 200
Spirits Speed: 250
Aghanim's Scepter Upgrade
As the spirits now permanently orbits the Fundamental, it keeps the ability to call and attract in all the particle-like spirits.
As the spirits now permanently orbits the Fundamental, it keeps the ability to call and attract in all the particle-like spirits.
Sub-ability of Spirits.
- This sub-ability has the following properties:
- Not displayed on the HUD if Io does not have the Spirits buff.
- Does not interrupt Io's channeling abilities upon cast.
- Not displayed on the HUD if Io does not have the Spirits
- Moves the spirits towards Io at 250-speed.
- The spirits take 1.8 seconds from moving the spirits from maximum to minimum distance.
- The spirits take
Spirits Out[edit]
F
E
Spirits OutToggle
Affects
Self
Sends and repulses out all the particle-like spirits from the Fundamental.
Cast Animation: 0 + 0
0 + 0Max Distance: 650
650 Spirits Speed: 250
Aghanim's Scepter Upgrade
As the spirits now permanently orbits the Fundamental, it sends and repulses these particles as the wisp wishes.
As the spirits now permanently orbits the Fundamental, it sends and repulses these particles as the wisp wishes.
Sub-ability of Spirits.
- This sub-ability has the following properties:
- Not displayed on the HUD if Io does not have the Spirits buff.
- Does not interrupt Io's channeling abilities upon cast.
- Not displayed on the HUD if Io does not have the Spirits
- Moves the spirits towards Io at 250-speed.
- The spirits take 1.8 seconds from moving the spirits from min to max distance.
- The spirits take
Overcharge[edit]
No
Affects
Self / Allied Units
Grants max health as bonus health regeneration.
Cast Animation: 0 + 0
0 + 0Max Health as Health Regen Bonus: 0.5%/0.6%/0.7%/0.8% (
0.7%/0.8%/0.9%/1%)
0.7%/0.8%/0.9%/1%) Duration: 8
Slow Resist Bonus: ( 30%)
30%) Grants the tethered allied unit all Overcharges' ability effects as well.
Aghanim's Shard Upgrade
Grants slow resistance bonus for its duration.
Grants slow resistance bonus for its duration.
25/22/19/16
40/60/80/100
Drawing on the energy of matter from all worlds, Io begins the unravelling of time.
Kritzkrieg
Overcharge grants bonus attack speed and bonus spell damage amplification.
Attack Speed Bonus: 35/60/85/110
Spell Damage Amp:
8%/10%/12%/14%
Spell Damage Amp:
8%/10%/12%/14% Medigun
Overcharge grants bonus armor and bonus magic resistance.
Armor Bonus: 4/7/10/13
Magic Resist Bonus: 12%/18%/24%/30%
Magic Resist Bonus: 12%/18%/24%/30%
- Interrupts Io's channeling abilities upon cast.
- Tether transfers all ability effects to the current affected allied unit.
- Stacks multiplicatively with other slow resistance sources.
-
- Kritzkrieg applies a generic outgoing damage amplification on Io.
- Stacks additively with other incoming damage manipulation sources.
- Does not affect
HP Removal sources.
- Medigun grants flat
bonus armor.
- Stacks multiplicatively with other
magic resistance sources.
- Stacks multiplicatively with other
modifier_wisp_overchargeOvercharged: Attack speed increased by x, and x HP Regen.
- Medigun grants the following bonuses while active:
- Has 34%/38.5%/43%/47.5% magic resistance.
- Overcharge increases the total magic resistance by 0.88%/0.82%/0.76%/0.7% per 10
intelligence points.
- Has 34%/38.5%/43%/47.5%
Relocate[edit]
Point
Affects
Self / Allied Heroes
Teleports Io to any location globally. Upon the duration expires, Io will return to the original ability cast location.
Cast Animation: 0 + 0.53
Effect Delay: 3.5/3.25/3
Duration: 12
Teleports the tethered allied unit alongside with Io. Upon the duration expires, Io and the tethered allied unit will return to the original ability cast location.
100/90/80 (
70/60/50)
70/60/50)175
Io is the embodiment of the mystery of the universe.
Doubletap casts the ability at the faction's fountain.
- Disable Help on Io prevents Relocation from
teleporting the allied hero.
- Disable Help on Io prevents Relocation from
- Grants a 3.5/3.25/3-second 300-radius
flying vision at the point-targeted location.
- Interrupts Io and the affected Tethered allied hero's channeling abilities both on the initial teleport, and relocating back.
- Disjoints incoming
projectiles for Io on the initial teleport, but does not disjoint upon relocating back.
- Does not incoming projectiles for allied hero in any way.
- The teleport is interrupted if Io is affected by any of the following sources:
- Disabling the Tethered allied hero does not prevent it from getting teleported or relocated back if Io successfully does so.
- Relocate considers
clones, illusions and creep-heroes as heroes.
- Affects the following units:
- Hidden allied heroes.
- Invulnerable allied heroes.
Trees within 350 radius centered around are destroyed upon teleporting, and relocating back.
-
Root sources does not prevent the ability cast.
modifier_wisp_relocate_thinker
On hidden entity
modifier_teleportingTeleporting
modifier_wisp_relocate_returnReturn: About to return to previous location.
- Recasting the ability teleports Io to the new point-targeted location per cast. However, it relocates Io back to the first point upon duration expiring.
- Does not refresh the ability duration in any way.
Recent Matches[edit]
Main Article: Io/Matches
| Date | Tier | Tournament | Picks | Score | vs. Picks | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 09, 2025 - 19:15 CET | Qualifier |  | PGL Wallachia S4 WEU OQ2 |      |  | 1 : 0 |  |      |
| Feb 09, 2025 - 16:30 CET | Tier 1 |   | BLAST Slam II |    |  | 0 : 1 |   |      |
| Feb 09, 2025 - 18:30 SGT | Qualifier | | PGL Wallachia S4 SEA OQ2 |  |  | 0 : 1 | |      |
| Feb 08, 2025 - 17:30 SGT | Qualifier |   | FISSURE Universe 4 SEA CQ |    |  | 0 : 1 |  |  |
| Feb 07, 2025 - 22:15 UTC | Qualifier | | PGL Wallachia S4 AM OQ1 |   | | 0 : 1 | |  |
The International[edit]
- Io has won the following final matches in The International of the following years:
Recent Changes[edit]
Description
- Overcharge Medigun
- Increased armor bonus from 3/6/9/12 to 4/7/10/13.
- Increased magic resistance bonus from 10%/15%/20%/25% to 12%/18%/24%/30%.
- ADDED the Sight Seer innate ability for Io :
- Has a 1-second capture time reduction.
- Grants all captured Watchers 300 vision radius bonus.
- ADDED the Facet component:
- Kritzkrieg
- Overcharge now grants 35/60/85/110 attack speed bonus and and 8%/10%/12%/14% outgoing spell amplification bonus.
- Medigun
- Overcharge now grants 3/6/9/12 armor bonus and 10%/15%/20%/25% magic resistance bonus.
- Tether
- Increased contact damage per second from 10/20/30/40 to 15/25/35/45.
- Reduced enemy movement speed slow from 15%/25%/35%/45% to 10%/20%/30%/40%.
- Reduced enemy attack speed slow from 15/25/35/45 to 10/20/30/40.
- Increased Spirits collision damage from 10/15/20/25 to 12/18/24/30.
- U Overcharge
- No longer grants 35/60/85/110 attack speed bonus.
- No longer grants 8%/10%/12%/14% outgoing spell amplification bonus.
Talents:
- LVL 10 +15 attack damage to Tethered units reduced to +12.
- LVL 15 +55 Spirits explosion damage increased to +60.
- LVL 15 +6% Tether movement speed bonus reduced to +5%.
- LVL 20 -25s Relocate cooldown increased to -30s.
- LVL 25 +1 instant attack factor for Tethered ally's attack target reduced to +0.75.
Dota Plus Progress[edit]
Main Article: Hero Challenges
Relics track a hero's actions and statistics, and display in-game notifications when a milestone is reached. They are only available to Dota Plus subscribers.
| Io's Relics | Voice Lines | |
|---|---|---|
 Bronze |
||
 Silver |
||
 Gold |
||
 Platinum |
| |
 Master |
| |
 Grandmaster |
| |
Equipment[edit]
Trivia[edit]
- Io is the name of a priestess of Hera in Greek Mythology. She was seduced by Zeus and subsequently incurred Hera's wrath.
- Io is also the name of one of four Galilean moons of Jupiter, which was named after the same character in Greek Mythology.
- Io's fun names in DotA were Weird Ball and Santelmo. Santelmo may refer to" St. Elmo's Fire"", a weather phenomenon that creates sparks of bright energy similar to that of lightning, mostly occurring from sharply pointed structures. Santelmo may also refer to the Philippine's folklore creature which is a head of fire, or a ball of fire which Io resembles.
- Enigma, Chaos Knight, Keeper of the Light, and Io together represent the four fundamental forces of the universe with Io representing the electromagnetic force, as alluded to in its lore as the attractive and repulsive force, the charge that binds existence together, its powers over magnetism, as well as its abilities which requires Io to pull itself towards allies.
Gallery[edit]
Splash artwork
Io model (sprite)
Alternate color theme, briefly used until the March 28, 2013 Patch
![Ability icon progress [?]](/https/liquipedia.net/commons/images/thumb/3/30/Io_ability_icon_progress.png/120px-Io_ability_icon_progress.png)
Ability icon progress [?]
![Hero icon progress [?]](/https/liquipedia.net/commons/images/thumb/0/03/Io_hero_icon_progress.png/71px-Io_hero_icon_progress.png)
Hero icon progress [?]
Bone Harvest sprite - alive
Bone Harvest sprite - dead
![Ability icon progress [?]](/https/liquipedia.net/dota2/File:Io_ability_icon_progress.png){kind=icon}
![Hero icon progress [?]](/https/liquipedia.net/dota2/File:Io_hero_icon_progress.png){kind=icon}
