Spectre
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Version Control
This article is mostly accurate for the latest version of the game (7.37c), in which this hero/item was changed.
It has no changes in the current game version — 7.37e.
Spectre
21 + 2.5
25 + 2.1
16 + 1.7
| Grants the following bonuses per attribute point: | |
|
+22HP and +0.1HP regeneration |
|
+0.17 armor and 1 attack speed +1 Main Attack Damage |
|
+12MP and +0.05MP regeneration +0.1% base magic resistance |
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Instant Projectile Speed
| ||
90 (115)
(1.7 BAT) | ||
0.3 + 0.7
| ||
0.6
| ||
Ethereal
Gib Type | ||
2011-06-17
Released | ||
2006-02-24
(v6.28) | ||
Competitive Span
2011-06-17 — Present |
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| Haunts her enemies and teleports to her target. | |
|---|---|
| An eternal being of violent energies, Mercurial, the Spectre is irresistibly drawn to conflict. Throwing out a Spectral Dagger, creating a shadowy trail to her foes in which she may travel unobstructed. Harm done to Mercurial is partially deflected and Dispersed onto nearby foes that prolongs her endurance. Even in the most Desolate wilderness, travelers are Haunted by visions of Spectre, seeming to prey on their solitude. But these are no mere illusions. It is said that for one in every five haunted, the apparition becomes Reality, and alongside these unfortunate victims the Spectre Shadow Steps to, bringing with her the destruction and wrath that she eternally craves. | |
        | |
| Roles: |  Carry  Durable  Escape |
| Adjectives | Female, Undead Legs ( 0 ) |
Facets[edit]
Forsaken
Spectral Dagger applies an instance of Desolate of its corresponding level.
Desolate applies a portion of its bonus damage to enemy units who only have allied creeps around them.
60% Damage Factor
Shadow Step-based illusions instantly perish upon their target's death.
Twist the Knife
Reality casts Spectral Dagger of the corresponding level on the affected enemy unit. Additionally, Reality has a shorter cooldown.
-2s Cooldown Reduction
Upgrades[edit]
Aghanim's[edit]
Grants the Haunt ability.
Creates a number of haunted illusions to attack each enemy hero. At any moment during the duration, she exchanges place with the haunted image in reality.
Creates a number of haunted illusions to attack each enemy hero. At any moment during the duration, she exchanges place with the haunted image in reality.
Aghanim's Shard Upgrade:
Dispersion can be activated condense Spectre herself to increase both the damage reflected and damage reduction.
Talents[edit]
 | ||
|---|---|---|
| +5% Dispersion Reflection/Reduction | 25 | +30% Shadow Step-based Illusion Damage |
| +12% Spectral Dagger Slow/Bonus | 20 | +350 Health |
| +80 Spectral Dagger Damage | 15 | +15 Desolate Damage |
| +5 Health Regen | 10 | -4s Spectral Dagger Cooldown |
| ▃ ▃ ▃ ▃ ▃ ▃ ▃ +2 All / / Attributes | ||
Bio[edit]
Among the Transcendencies, you would be thought ignoble.▶️Mercurial, the Spectre
Alias:
Mercurial
Lore:
Just as higher states of energy seek a lower level, the Spectre known as Mercurial is a being of intense and violent energy who finds herself irresistibly drawn to scenes of strife as they unfold in the physical world. While her normal spectral state transcends sensory limitations, each time she takes on a physical manifestation, she is stricken by a loss of self--though not of purpose. In the clash of combat, her identity shatters and reconfigures, and she begins to regain awareness. She grasps that she is Mercurial the Spectre--and that all of her Haunts are but shadows of the one true Spectre. Focus comes in the struggle for survival; her true mind reasserts itself; until in the final moments of victory or defeat, she transcends matter and is restored once more to her eternal form.
Voice:
Innate[edit]
Spectral[edit]
Spectral 
Passive
Affects
Self
Spectre and her illusions have permanent phase movement, and ignores collision size. Other units may pass through it.
Details
- Grants
phase movement.
Abilities[edit]
Spectral Dagger[edit]
Flings a dagger to draw a Shadow Path, dealing damage and slowing the movement speed of any enemies along the trail.
Cast Animation: 0.3 + 0.37
Cast Range: 
1800
1800 Effect Radius: 
125
125 Damage: 70/120/170/220 (
150/200/250/300)
150/200/250/300) Move Speed Slow: 10%/14%/18%/22% (
22%/26%/30%/34%)
22%/26%/30%/34%) Speed Linger Duration: 4
Enemy units hit by the dagger also trail a Shadow Path of the haunted hunter.
Path Radius: 175
175 Path Radius Duration: 12
Enemy Diverged Path Duration: 7
Grants Mercurial unobstructed movement while on the Spectral Path.
Move Speed Bonus: 10%/14%/18%/22% ( 22%/26%/30%/34%)
22%/26%/30%/34%)Free Path Linger Duration: 1
Speed Linger Duration: 4
22/20/18/16 (
18/16/14/12)
18/16/14/12)
110/120/130/140
Mercurial's dagger eclipses the physical plane in shadow, a state in which mortals cower, but spectres thrive.
- The ability considers
clones, 
illusions and the Spirit Bear as heroes, other 
creep-heroes as creeps.
- Spectral Dagger has two targeting functionalities:
- When unit-targeted, the
projectile homes in on the enemy hero until it reaches it.
- Targeting units other than heroes causes the Spectral Dagger to be considered as ground-targeted.
- When ground-targeted, the projectile travels in a straight line and does not home in on any target. The travel distance is defined as:
- EXPR
TravelDistance = SpectralDagger ΣCastRange
- When unit-targeted, the
- The Shadow Path created applies two
debuffs on all affected enemy units:
-
dagger_in_path- Deals
magical 
spell damage to every enemy unit that comes within 125-radius of the traveling dagger. - Applies the
movement speed slow. - The Forsaken
facet applies one Desolate instance of its corresponding level with the ability effects to enemy units damaged by Spectral Dagger.
- Deals
-
path creator debuff- Grants shared vision over affected enemy heroes.
- Causes affected enemy heroes to create additional Spectral Dagger trails as they diverge.
- All Shadow Path segments created have a 12-second duration and grants a non-lingering 200-radius
flying vision centered on the path radius.
- Grants Spectre the following while on the Shadow Path:
dagger_in_pathhas the following properties on Spectre:- Grants bonus movement speed with a 7-second linger duration upon leaving the path.
- Reapplying the buff refreshes is duration of the same source.
- As long as Spectre stays on the path, the buff is reapplied to her.
- An enemy Spectral Dagger does not apply the movement speed slow debuff on Spectre while the buff is still active.
- Grants bonus
-
path_phased- Grants
flying movement with a 12-second linger duration upon leaving the path.
- Grants
Dispelling the dagger_in_path debuff on enemy heroes has the following effects:
- Stops enemy heroes from creating or extending the path, but does not remove already created paths.
- The movement speed debuff is not reapplied immediately, but it is applied again if they leave the path and enter the path radius again.
- Spectral Dagger of different sources are independent of each other.
- Does not affect the following units:
- The shared vision component affects
debuff immune units.
- The point-targeted ability does not proc
Spell Block sources of the primary target, but procs on the secondary target, if the primary target is an enemy hero.
- Spectral Dagger instantly attempts to reapply the debuff for the entire duration.
- Spectral Dagger instantly attempts to reapply the
The ground-targeted ability does not proc Spell Block sources.
- Does not proc
Spell Reflection sources.
- Spectre's illusions do not benefit from any of the ability effects.
- Does not prevent Spectral Dagger from applying Desolate corresponding of its level.
- All bonuses are lost upon losing the ability despite the path still being visible.
- Morph notes fully apply.
- Requires drafting Desolate for its corresponding component to work.
modifier_spectre_spectral_dagger_path
Hidden modifier
modifier_spectre_spectral_dagger_in_pathSpectral Dagger Path: Modifying movement speed by x%.
modifier_spectre_spectral_dagger_path_phased
Hidden modifier
modifier_spectre_spectral_dagger_path_activity_modifierHidden modifier
modifier_spectre_spectral_daggerDagger Path Creator: Hit by dagger, creating shadow path
modifier_spectre_spectral_dagger_in_pathSpectral Dagger Path: Modifying movement speed by x%.
- Has a 800-
projectile speed.
- The number of debuff reapplication attempts, or Spell Block source procs, is affected by the following conditions:
- When Spectre, the primary target and the secondary target are in a straight line, the debuff will be reapplied 11 and 10 times on the secondary target with a 24-
bound radius and an 8-bound radius respectively. - The debuff will reapplied 8 times, when the secondary target touches, but does not intersect with the Spectral Dagger path.
- When Spectre, the primary target and the secondary target are in a straight line, the debuff will be reapplied 11 and 10 times on the secondary target with a 24-
- The number of
- The ability effects are applied as follows:
- The magical spell damage.
- Desolate
pure spell damage, if applicable. - The Spectral Dagger debuffs.
- The
Desolate[edit]
Spectre's attacks deal bonus damage to lone enemy units that does not have any allied units within a certain radius around them.
Search Radius: 400
Damage: 25/40/55/70 (
40/55/70/85)
40/55/70/85) Often times, warriors find themselves alone with a vision of Mercurial — the fated question is if it is the true Spectre.
Forsaken
Desolate applies a portion of its bonus damage to enemy units who only have allied creeps around them.
Damage: 15/24/33/42 ( 24/33/42/51)
24/33/42/51) - The ability effects are applied in the following conditions:
- Upon a successful attack of Spectre's.
- Upon a lone target being damaged Spectral Dagger with the Forsaken facet.
- The ability effects are applied as follows:
- Spectre's attack instance.
- The pure spell damage.
- The search radius does not consider the following units:
Buildings
Couriers
Hidden units.
Invulnerable units.
Neutral creeps.
Ward-type units.
- Does not affects the following units:
- Buildings
- Ward-type units.
- The Forsaken facet only search for the enemy's allied creeps, and has the following properties:
- Considers the enemy's allied clones, illusions, and creep-heroes as heroes.
- The aforementioned valid units list within the search radius still apply.
- Considers the enemy's allied
modifier_spectre_desolateHidden modifier
Dispersion[edit]
E
I
Dispersion
Damage done to Spectre is reflected as the same damage-type on her enemies, leaving her unharmed. The effect lessens with distance.
Min Radius: 300
Max Radius: 800
Damage Reflected: 11%/14%/17%/20% (
16%/19%/22%/25%)
16%/19%/22%/25%) Damage Reduction: 
11%/14%/17%/20% ( 16%/19%/22%/25%)
11%/14%/17%/20% ( 16%/19%/22%/25%) 
Aghanim's Shard Upgrade
Dispersion can be activated condense Spectre herself to increase both the damage reflected and damage reduction.
Dispersion can be activated condense Spectre herself to increase both the damage reflected and damage reduction.
Cast Animation: 
0 + 0
0 + 0Damage Reflected Factor: ( 1.5)
1.5) Damage Reduction Factor: ( 1.5)
1.5) Duration: ( 5)
5) ( 25)
25)( 50)
50) A daunting task lies before enemies of Mercurial — killing a shadow with blade and magic.
- Dispersion reflects all damage before all damage manipulation sources, the damage taken can only be affected by
incoming damage sources applied on Spectre by enemy units.
- Hence, Dispersion fully reflects overkill damage to Spectre.
- If both Spectre and an enemy would die to the damage simultaneously, the enemy is always killed first.
- Applies generic incoming damage reduction on Spectre that affects all damage types.
- Stacks additively with other generic incoming damage sources.
- Neither reduces nor reflects
HP Removal sources.
- Reflects all damage type Spectre receives as the same damage type with the HP Removal flag, does not proc on-damage effects.
- The reflected damage is not shared between enemies within the radius, all of them take the full reflected value based on their distance with Spectre.
- Adds an active component to Dispersion that increases the damage reflected value upon cast.
- Since
break sources fully disables Dispersion, the ability do not reflect damage upon cast.
- Since
modifier_spectre_dispersionHidden modifier
modifier_spectre_hauntHidden modifier
modifier_illusionIllusion
modifier_invulnerableHidden modifier
- math
Haunt[edit]
No
Affects
Enemy Heroes
Creates a number of haunted illusions to attack each enemy hero. At any moment during the duration, she exchanges place with the haunted image in reality.
Cast Animation: 0.3 + 0.5
Effect Radius: 
Global
Global 
The Shadow Step-based illusion deals a portion of Spectre's damage and receive additional incoming damage.
The illusion is uncontrollable and has unobstructed movement.
The illusion is uncontrollable and has unobstructed movement.
Number of Illusions per Hero: 1
Damage Dealt: 
80% (
110%)
80% ( 110%)Damage Taken: 200%
200% Duration: 7
160
150
This ability levels up with Shadow Step.
At the height of combat, Mercurial's physical manifestation shatters, and the shadowy pieces haunt those who still cling to life.
- Acquiring
Aghanim's Scepter unlocks this ability in the fifth ability slot.
- Haunt illusions are Shadow Step-based illusions, with its corresponding ability notes apply.
- Acquiring Aghanim's Scepter while drafting Shadow Step unlocks this ability.
modifier_spectre_hauntHidden modifier
modifier_illusionIllusion
modifier_invulnerableHidden modifier
- COSMETICHas a 0.85- cast backswing with the
Phantom Advent equipped.
Shadow Step[edit]
Creates a single-target haunt illusion at a single visible enemy hero. At any moment during the duration, she can exchange place with the haunted image in reality.
Cast Animation: 0.3 + 0.5
The Shadow Step-based illusion deals a portion of Spectre's damage and receive additional incoming damage.
The illusion is uncontrollable and has unobstructed movement.
The illusion is uncontrollable and has unobstructed movement.
Number of Illusions: 1
Damage Dealt: 40%/60%/80% ( 70%/90%/110%)
40%/60%/80% ( 70%/90%/110%)Damage Taken: 200%
200% Duration: 5/6/7
60/50/40
150
With great focus of will, Mercurial can sometimes limit the extent of her division.
Forsaken
U
Shadow Step-based illusions instantly perish upon their target's death.Current Health as Damage: 100%
- Shadow Step-based illusions have the following properties:
- Can be selected, but are uncontrollable.
- Have
unobstructed movement. - The illusion bounty is defined as:
- EXPR
2 × IllusionLVL
- Upon the target's
death:
- With the Forsaken facet, this
instant kills the illusion. - With the Twist the Knife facet, the illusion persists and lasts for its full duration.
- With the
- Cannot be cast on the following units:
- Grants the Reality
sub-ability upon acquiring ability.
modifier_spectre_hauntHidden modifier
modifier_illusionIllusion
modifier_invulnerableHidden modifier
- The Shadow Step-based illusions spawn at a random spot around the target.
- The spawn distance is defined as:
- EXPR
Distance = 87, if TargetColSize = 27 - EXPR
Distance = 58, if TargetColSize = 18
- The spawn distance is defined as:
Reality[edit]
Spectre dissolves herself and exchanges places with a chosen haunt illusion.
Cast Animation: 0 + 0.7
3
The scattered shadows unite into the one true Spectre.
Twist the Knife
Reality casts Spectral Dagger of the corresponding level on the affected enemy unit.
Additionally, Reality has a shorter cooldown.
Additionally, Reality has a shorter cooldown.
1
- This ability is unlocked in the fourth ability slot upon learning Haunt and always stays active.
- Reality utilizes the
teleport mechanic and has two targeting functionalities that interacts with the 
illusion:
- When unit-targeted, Spectre exchanges place with the targeted illusion.
- When ground-targeted, Spectre exchanges place with the nearest illusion.
- When unit-targeted, Spectre exchanges place with the targeted
- Does not disjoint projectiles upon cast.
- Can be cast multiple times until Haunt ends or all Shadow Step-based illusions are dead.
- After exchanging places, the illusion still walks towards its target and attacks it.
- After exchanging places, the
- The Twist the Knife facet Spectral Dagger proc has the following properties:
- Immediately applies Spectral Dagger of its corresponding level without a projectile. This can only happen once per illusion.
- Works independently of Spectral Dagger's cooldown, and does not cost
mana. - Does not proc on-cast effects.
- Works independently of Spectral Dagger's
- Immediately applies Spectral Dagger of its corresponding level without a
- Applies Spectral Dagger of the corresponding ability level when acquired.
- Requires drafting Spectral Dagger for its corresponding component to work.
- The Twist the Knife facet directly uses Spectral Dagger values and does not apply if not learned upon cast.
Recent Matches[edit]
Main Article: Spectre/Matches
| Date | Tier | Tournament | Picks | Score | vs. Picks | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 02, 2025 - 16:55 CET | Tier 1 |   | FISSURE PLAYGROUND |      |  | 1 : 0 |   |      |
| Feb 01, 2025 - 19:25 CT | Tier 4 |  | Nounish Cup |    |  | 0 : 1 |   |     |
| Jan 31, 2025 - 16:55 EET | Tier 4 |   | UPEA National League |   |  | 0 : 1 |   |     |
| Jan 31, 2025 - 16:55 EET | Tier 4 | | UPEA National League |    | | 1 : 0 | |  |
| Jan 31, 2025 - 13:20 SGT | Tier 3 |   | AsiaPro League 2 |    |   | 1 : 0 |  |    |
Recent Changes[edit]
Description
- Reduced Spectral Dagger mana cost from 120/130/140/150 to 110/120/130/140.
- Reduced Spectral Dagger mana cost from 130/140/150/160 to 120/130/140/150.
- Increased Dispersion damage reflected from 8%/12%/16%/20% to 11%/14%/17%/20%.
Talents:
- LVL 10 +4 health regeneration increased to +5.
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.
| Spectre's Relics | Voice Lines | |
|---|---|---|
 Mega Kill Streaks Kill Assists Kills |
 Bronze |
|
 Silver |
||
 Gold |
||
 Platinum |
| |
 Master |
| |
 Grandmaster |
| |
Equipment[edit]
| Sets | |
|---|---|
| Weapon | |
| Head | |
| Shoulder | |
| Voice | |
| Taunt | |
Trivia[edit]
- The name Mercurial most likely comes from the DeviantART account of Kenneth Tan, the person who made the 6.28-6.32 loadscreen.[1][2] 6.28 is also the version in which Spectre got released in DotA.
- In 6.28-6.32, Spectre used to known as the "Avatar of Vengeance", which is also the name of the unit summoned by the Warden in Warcraft III.
- "Mercurial" means "swift, shrewd, and deceitful", which is attributed to the Roman god of thieves, Mercury, as Spectre is an agile and quick Hero. It can also refer to the planet Mercury, since Spectre is an otherworldly entity. Mercurial can also hint towards the element Mercury, often called "quicksilver," which is another reference to Spectre's speed and mobility. When used as an personal adjective, mercurial can mean a personality quick to change and dangerous to both the person receiving and transmitting. Someone quick to forgive and quick to anger would be mercurial, but not someone who holds grudges or holds none. See Mercutio (obviously named) from Romeo and Juliet.
- Spectre's alternate/fun name "Qwerty-" was given to her for remembering a legendary Dota player Zaven "Qwerty" Terminasov, who died on December 5, 2010.
- Spectre's voice responses are overlayed with the same track playing backwards, bearing a huge similarity to the Spirit of Vengeance's voice in "Warcraft III: Frozen Throne", which is also the voice of Spectre in DotA.
- Spectre has fewer model animations than any other hero in the game.
Gallery[edit]
Spectre with old weapon model
Ability icon progress
Bone Harvest sprite - alive
Bone Harvest sprite - dead
