Shadow Fiend Strategies

Gameplay

"So, you're curious where I come from? There's one easy way to find out for yourself."

People said Nevermore owns the soul of a poet but the truth is he has thousands of them. For centuries, Nevermore the Shadow Fiend has reaped as many souls as possible. Souls of priests, slaves, beggars, criminals, knights or heroes, no soul can slip through his hand. No one has a slightest idea what he is going to do with the huge amount of various souls as they have no guts to even glimpse into the Abyss where Nevermore resides. 

Maybe anyone who looks at him is swallowed alive, is hanged in the halls of a bizarre temple or has their souls drowned in bewitched brine. Some even think that Nevermore is just a puppet which is controlled by a puppeteer from other dimensions, no more no less. The intense darkness and evil radiating from him makes his thoughts a secret to others. If you are curious about the destination of the souls which are stolen by Nevermore, you might sacrifice yours to figure out or wait for the Shadow Fiend to find you.

In-game, Nevermore is described as: 

“Capturing souls from every kill he makes, Shadow Fiend is always gathering his power. Every assault, each carefully aimed raze that kills an enemy, brings him closer to unleashing his gathered souls in a deadly blast of scouring energy.”

Ability Builds

• Strength: 19 + 2.7 each level;

• Agility: 20 + 3.5 each level;

• Intelligence: 18 + 2.2 each level;

• Health: 580;

• Health regeneration: + 2.15 each second;

• Mana: 291;

• Mana regeneration: + 1.2 each second;

• Damage: 39 - 45;

• Amor: 4.33;

• Magic Resistance: 25%;

• Turn Rate: 0.9;

• Attack Range: 500;

• Projectile speed: 1200;

• Attack Animation: 0.5+0.54;

• Movement: 305;

• Sight Range: 1800/800;

• Base Attack time: 1.6 seconds per attack;

• Damage Block: 0;

• Collision size: 24.

Talents

Notes:

The cooldown reduction can stack with other sources of cooldown reduction.

Tips & Tactics

General

The first thing that might draw your attention is that we don’t add one point in the ultimate ability when reaching level 6. The reason for that is because for the early game, the Requiem of Souls does not have a lot of effect as the amount of souls collected from Necromastery is so limited. Therefore, the ultimate will not cause too much damage as expected to finish any enemy hero. That’s why we max out Shadowraze and Necromastery first. 

The Presence of the Dark Lord can be maxed out respectively with the ultimate ability as these spells are more useful in the mid or late game when the teamfight or the combat occur more frequently.

This build can make the Shadow Fiend a difficult match-up in the mid lane especially for melee heroes as he can harass the enemy with Shadowraze and the advantage from the long attack range. Besides, maxing out Necromastery is also the way to get Nevermore’s damage accelerated quickly in the short term.

Abilities

Shadowraze

Shadowraze (Short)

Effect: Shadow Fiend demolishes the circular ground in front of him to harvest the soul dealing magical damage to opponent units in the affected area. The enemies receive more damage if they are hit by Shadowraze consecutively.

Mana cost: 75/80/85/90

Cooldown: 10 (Talents:7)

Range: 200

Base Damage: 90/160/230/300 (Talents: 210/280/350/420)

Damage Increase per Stack: 50/60/70/80

Stack Duration: 8

Effect Radius: 250

Cast Animation: 0.55+0

Notes:

There are three Shadowraze abilities that appear in the ability box. Leveling one and others will be leveled too.

Not available in Ability Draft mode.

Dispellable

The true range that Shadowraze can hit is between 50 and 450 in front of him.

When an enemy gets hit, a hidden debuff will affect them. This hidden debuff serves a purpose to count the number of Shadowraze hits the target with its period.

• When Shadowraze is cast on the target, the damage is set, then the debuff is placed and the damage is caused finally.
• The ability damage is not affected by the stack.
• A number indicates the amount of debuff will be refreshed.
• There is no limitation for stacking the debuff.

Any enemy unit gets hit by Shadowraze three times continuously will receive damage up to 420/660/900/1140 (Talents: 780/1020/1260/1500).

The hidden debuff which is used to count continuous Shadowraze hits on the enemy lasts for 3 seconds.

Shadowraze

Shadowraze (Medium)

Effect: Shadow Fiend demolishes the circular ground in front of him to harvest the soul dealing magical damage to opponent units in the affected area. The enemies receive more damage if they are hit by Shadowraze consecutively.

Mana cost: 75/80/85/90

Cooldown: 10 (Talents:7)

Range: 450

Base Damage:90/160/230/300 (Talents: 210/280/350/420)

Damage Increase per Stack: 50/60/70/80

Stack Duration: 8

Effect Radius: 250

Cast Animation: 0.55+0

Notes:

Available in Ability Draft mode

The true range that Shadowraze can hit is between 200 and 700 in front of him.

Fully Apply other notes from Shadowraze (Short)

Shadowraze

Shadowraze (Long)

Effect: Shadow Fiend demolishes the circular ground in front of him to harvest the soul dealing magical damage to opponent units in the affected area. The enemies receive more damage if they are hit by Shadowraze consecutively.

Mana cost: 75/80/85/90

Cooldown: 10 (Talents:7)

Range: 700

Base Damage:90/160/230/300 (Talents: 210/280/350/420)

Damage Increase per Stack: 50/60/70/80

Stack Duration: 8

Effect Radius: 250

Cast Animation: 0.55+0

Notes:

Not available in Ability Draft mode

The true range that Shadowraze can hit is between 450 and 900 in front of him.

Fully Apply other notes from Shadowraze (Short)

Necromastery

Necromastery (Passive)

Effect: Nevermore throws a gleaming projectile to reap the soul from the low HP enemy unit, gaining bonus damage. He will get more souls if he kills a hero with this spell. Nevermore loses nearly half of the accumulated souls when he dies.

Max Souls: 11/14/17/20 ( Upgraded by Aghanim’s Scepter: 25)

Soul Gain Kill: 1

Attack Damage Bonus per Soul: 1/2/3/4 (Talents: 4/5/6/7)

Souls Lost on Death: 40%

Notes:

Undispellable

Nevermore can collect souls from almost all units, including wards and allies. But there are some exceptions. He can’t get the soul from Observer and Sentry Wards, illusion,Tempest Doubles and buildings.

• The number of collected souls is illustrated on the status buff icon.

When he dies, if the amount of souls is an odd number, it is rounded up.

• That means he still has at least 1 soul even when he only obtains 1 soul before dying.
• If he receives the rebirth effect from items or his allies. He keeps all his current soul.

Damage is dealt and the soul is collected without delay regardless of visual effect.

The amount of red particles circling around his chest depends on how many souls Shadow fiend have.

When reaching the maximum soul capacity, Nevermore can get the attack damage bonus up to 11/28/51/80 (Talents: 44/70/102/140)

With the upgrade from Aghanim’s Scepter, the attack damage bonus Nevermore can get is 25/50/75/100 (Talents 100/125/150/175) when the souls reach their peak capacity.

• The amount of lines created when casting Requiem of Souls depend on the extra souls.
• If selling Aghanim’s Scepter,the number of souls is kept even when it exceeds the default capacity. However, the damage dealt will be restricted to the default max souls.

Presence of the Dark Lord

Presence of the Dark Lord (Aura)

Effect: Nevermore radiate the aura surrounding him which reduces the armor of any foes who dare to stand close to him.

Radius: 1200

Amor Reduction: 4/5/6/7 (Talents: 8/9/10/11)

Aura Linger Duration: 0.5

Magic Resistance Reduction: 14% (only activate when having Aghanim’s Shard)

Notes:

The debuff effect lasts for 0.5 seconds and is radiated around Shadow Fiend

This ability only affects enemies in vision of Nevermore

With the talent attained in level 15, the aura does have effect on buildings.

Requiem of Souls

Requiem of Souls (No Target, Magical)

Effect: Shadow Fiend releases the lines of reaped souls surrounding him to deal damage. Any enemies in the affected range of Requiem of Souls will be feared and be slow for 0.8 seconds with each line they get hit. The closer the enemies to the Shadow Fiend, the more damage they receive. When Nevermore dies, this ability will be cast instantly and automatically no matter whether it is in the cooldown or not.

Cast Animation: 1.67+0.77

Mana cost: 150/175/200

Cooldown: 120/110/100 (Talents: 84/77/70)

Damage per Line Release: 80 / 120 / 160

Movement Reduction: 25%

Travel Distance of Each Line: 1000

Width of Starting Lines: 125

Width of Ending Lines: 350

Necromastery Souls per Line: 1

Slow Duration per Line: 0.8

Maximum Slow Duration per Line: 2.4

Upgradable by Aghanim’s Scepter:

• Effect: The released souls will return to Nevermore and deal less damage than the previous wave but heals Shadow Fiend the amount that equals to the dealt damage.
• Damage per Returning Line: 32/48/64
• Heal per hit Hero on Returning Line: 32/48/64

Notes:

While casting this ability, Nevermore’s collision size is disable which means other units can go through him.

The amount of souls he gathered with Necromastery will directly affect the damage of Requiem of Souls.

In Ability Draft mode, without Necromastery, Requiem of Souls can not work.

Below are the mechanism of these damaging lines:

• The effect area of each damaging line is shaped like a cone.
• The range between each line is the same.
• The traveling speed and time of these lines are 700 and 1.43 seconds respectively.
• The opponent’s units in the range of 1350 are still affected by this ability.
• Each damaging line can hit the same unit once.

When the enemy units get hit by the Requiem of Souls, they will be fueled with fear and slow down for a specific period.

• The effect can last 0.8 seconds for each line hit and can top up to 2.4 seconds.
• The affected opponents run in the opposite way with the caster.

The damage is dealt first then the debuff.

This spell is cast immediately when the Shadow Fiend dies in spite of his mana or cooldown.

• As 40% of his souls are lost when this spell is cast so the number of lines will be 6/8/10/12 (15 with Aghanim’s Scepter) lines at max.
• No fear applies, just movement reduction.
• If he receives the rebirth effect from items or his allies.The Requiem of Soul is not cast.

With the upgrade from Aghanim’s Scepter, right after these lines reach to the end, they will return to Nevermore.

• The second wave will return to the latest location of the Shadow Fiend, not where he cast the spell.
• When the lines start to return, their track will be locked and not follow Nevermore.
• The total distance of the second wave travels is 2000.
• The width of the returning lines is reversed with the first wave.
• The second wave causes 40% damage and applies movement reduction and fear.
• The Requiem of Souls is cast instantly while he dies and doesn't have the returning lines.

The healing amount Shadow Fiend receives depends on the dealt damage and it is applied right after the lines stop.

• Each hit heals for 32/48/64 no matter how much damage the lines cause.
• The healing effect is only activated when damage is dealt to heroes and their illusions.

Items