Why pick Necrophos?
Pick Necrophos when the enemy relies on right-clicks and your team needs a tanky hero who heals and drains in the middle of fights.
Offlane guide
Stand in the middle, drain them slowly and finish with the scythe.
516 HP351 manaLevel 1
NecrophosDota 2 hero
Necrophos is an Intelligence offlaner who heals allies and damages enemies with Death Pulse, drains health with Heartstopper Aura and finishes low heroes with Reaper's Scythe.
IntelligenceRangedThe Dota2Freaks take Editorial
When to think twice
Avoid him against burst mages, silences and heroes who kill him before his regeneration matters.
The usual mistake
Do not cast Reaper's Scythe on a full-health target. The damage comes from missing health.
Our picks · Offlane
Choose for the game in front of you.Necrophos item builds
Standard
Default offlane path built around Radiance, Ghost Shroud timing and tanky late items.
01Starting
Empty inventory slotLane with regen
02Lane
Empty inventory slotEmpty inventory slotCheap stats and mana
03First core
Empty inventory slotEmpty inventory slotBurn everything the aura touches
04Mid game
Empty inventory slotTank the fight
05Late game
Stay alive longer
06Luxury
Cooldowns and control
RadianceBurns every enemy the aura already drains.Guide ↗
Situational
Choose when Necrophos plays mid with Bottle and needs earlier tempo items.
01Starting
Empty inventory slotLane with regen
02Lane
Empty inventory slotSustain spells in mid
03First core
Empty inventory slotTrade harder
04Mid game
Empty inventory slotJoin every fight
05Late game
Area damage and armor
06Luxury
Finish the mid build
RadianceBurns every enemy the aura already drains.Guide ↗
Situational
Use when the team needs sustain and auras more than Necrophos's own damage.
01Starting
Empty inventory slotLane with regen
02Lane
Empty inventory slotEmpty inventory slotCheap stats and mana
03First core
Empty inventory slotEmpty inventory slotHeal more with every pulse
04Mid game
Empty inventory slotAuras for the team
05Late game
Hold the front line
06Luxury
Finish the team build
RadianceBurns every enemy the aura already drains.Guide ↗
Situational
Pick this against magic burst, where Ghost Shroud is risky and he needs resistance first.
01Starting
Empty inventory slotLane with regen
02Lane
Empty inventory slotEmpty inventory slotCheap stats and mana
03First core
Empty inventory slotEmpty inventory slotResist the magic
04Mid game
Empty inventory slotAdd the burn
05Late game
Immune in the fight
06Luxury
Finish the defensive build
RadianceBurns every enemy the aura already drains.Guide ↗
Experimental
A burst plan for games with squishy enemies where Dagon and the Scythe finish targets quickly.
01Starting
Empty inventory slotLane with regen
02Lane
Empty inventory slotEmpty inventory slotCheap stats and mana
03First core
Empty inventory slotEmpty inventory slotBurst one target
04Mid game
Empty inventory slotLower their magic resistance
05Late game
Survive while bursting
06Luxury
Finish the burst build
RadianceBurns every enemy the aura already drains.Guide ↗
How to use these builds
These are our editorial build paths. Labels describe their purpose, not measured popularity or win rate. Click an item for its use. Each stage is an inventory snapshot: keep earlier items, use consumables, upgrade components, and replace small items as space runs out. Boots, defenses, and late slots can change with the draft.
More match and build examples: Dota 2 Pro Tracker. Item names and images: Valve.
The draft check
Friends & counters
Our picks, based on how the spells work together.
5 friends to play with
Axe
Berserker's Call holds enemies inside Death Pulse and the aura.
Magnus
Reverse Polarity groups enemies for the pulse and the Radiance burn.
Crystal Maiden
Arcane Aura covers the mana a Death Pulse spam costs.
Dazzle
Shallow Grave keeps Necrophos alive while his aura keeps ticking.
Tidehunter
Ravage holds the whole team inside the aura and the pulses.
5 counter picks to watch
Silencer
Global Silence stops Ghost Shroud and the Scythe when he needs them.
Lina
Burst magic damage punishes Ghost Shroud and kills him before he heals.
Lion
Hex and Finger of Death burst through the ethereal window.
Anti-Mage
Mana Break and Mana Void punish a hero who casts in every fight.
Skywrath Mage
Mystic Flare and the silence hit hardest while he is ethereal.
About these picks
These are useful ability interactions, not a statistical ranking or guaranteed matchups. Positioning, items, and cooldowns change the result. Hero links open a full guide when available, otherwise the directory.
Ability references from Valve: Axe · Magnus · Crystal Maiden · Dazzle · Tidehunter · Silencer · Lina · Lion · Anti-Mage · Skywrath Mage. Checked 2026-10-14.
The buttons
QWER + D · open for spell valuesQ
Death PulseNo targetReleases a pulse that damages nearby enemies and heals nearby allies.
- Mana
- 115 / 130 / 145 / 160
- Cooldown
- 8 / 7 / 6 / 5s
- Damage
- 100 / 160 / 220 / 280
W
Ghost ShroudNo targetTurns Necrophos ethereal, slowing nearby enemies and increasing the healing he receives.
- Mana
- 75
- Cooldown
- 28 / 24 / 20 / 16s
- Duration
- 3 / 3.5 / 4 / 4.5s
E
Heartstopper AuraPassiveDrains a percentage of maximum health per second from enemies around Necrophos.
- Mana
- —
- Trigger cooldown
- 0s
- Max health drained per second
- 0.8 / 1.3 / 1.8 / 2.3%
R
Reaper's ScytheUltimateStuns a hero and deals damage based on the health it is missing.
- Mana
- 250 / 375 / 500
- Cooldown
- 100s
- Damage per missing health
- 0.7 / 0.8 / 0.9
D
Death SeekerUnit targetRequires Aghanim's Shard. Turns a target ethereal, reduces its magic resistance and launches a stronger Death Pulse at it.
- Mana
- 160
- Cooldown
- 19s
- Ethereal duration
- 2.5s
Base stats & innate Level 1 · no items
Strength18+2.3 / lvl
Agility12+1.3 / lvlIntelligence23+2.7 / lvl- Attack damage
- 49–53
- Armor
- 4.0
- Move speed
- 280
- Magic resist
- 25%
- Attack range
- 500
- Base attack time
- 1.7s
- Health regen
- +2.0500002/s
- Mana regen
- +1.15/s
Skinport partner picks
Browse skins →Dota 2 Necrophos skins
NecrophosImmortal
Sullen Harvest
Price & stockCheck priceOn Skinport
View Current prices and availability on Skinport.
Affiliate links: we may earn a commission if you buy through our links.
DOTA2FREAKS GUIDE · REVIEWED Oct 14, 2026
Dota 2 Necrophos guide: offlane builds, abilities and tips
Necrophos is an Intelligence offlaner who heals allies and damages enemies with Death Pulse, drains health with Heartstopper Aura and finishes low heroes with Reaper's Scythe.
What role does Necrophos play in Dota 2?
Necrophos is a ranged Intelligence hero. Our recommended role is offlane.
Necrophos wins long fights by trading health. Death Pulse damages every enemy around him and heals every ally, Ghost Shroud turns him ethereal to heal more and slow enemies while he cannot be attacked, Heartstopper Aura drains a percentage of maximum health from enemies near him, and Reaper's Scythe stuns a hero and deals damage based on the health it is missing. Pick Necrophos when the enemy relies on right-click damage and your team needs a tanky hero who stays alive in the middle of fights. He is weak against burst, silences and heroes who can kill him before his regeneration matters.
How to play Necrophos in Dota 2
Necrophos laning and early decisions
In the offlane, Necrophos stands close to the enemy carry so Heartstopper Aura ticks and Death Pulse hits the hero and the creeps at once. He last-hits with Death Pulse when the lane is hard and heals the partner with the same spell. Buy regeneration and a Null Talisman, and consider a Bottle if you play him mid, where the same trading pattern wins most lanes.
Necrophos positioning and teamfights
Walk into the middle of the fight so the aura touches every enemy and Death Pulse heals every ally. Use Ghost Shroud when the enemy carry turns on you: you take no physical damage, heal more from Death Pulse and slow the enemies around you, but you take more magic damage. Save Reaper's Scythe for the hero whose death ends the fight, because the damage grows with the health the target is missing.
Dota 2 Necrophos item build decisions
Boots, Magic Wand and a Null Talisman carry the lane. Radiance is the usual first core because it burns everyone the aura already touches, with Eternal Shroud, Heart of Tarrasque or Kaya and Sange as the alternatives. Shiva's Guard, Aghanim's Scepter, Octarine Core, Black King Bar and Scythe of Vyse finish the build depending on whether the game needs more area damage, cooldowns or control.
Dota 2 Necrophos tips and ability interactions
D2F ADVICENecrophos: Ghost Shroud works both ways
Ghost Shroud makes Necrophos ethereal: physical attacks cannot hit him, Death Pulse and other healing on him is stronger, and enemies near him are slowed. The price is extra magic damage taken, so cast it against the carry who right-clicks you, not against a Lina or a Lion who waits for the window.
Necrophos: the aura is the pressure
Heartstopper Aura drains a percentage of maximum health every second from every enemy in a wide radius. It ticks in lane, in fights and while you stand near a hero who tries to recover. Staying close is damage, so tanky items that let you stand still are worth more than raw spell damage.
Necrophos: Death Seeker sets up the Scythe
With Aghanim's Shard, Death Seeker turns a target ethereal, lowers its magic resistance and launches a stronger Death Pulse at it. Use it on the hero you want to finish, then follow with Reaper's Scythe while the magic resistance is reduced.
Dota 2 Necrophos ability mechanics
| Detail | What it means in your game |
|---|---|
| Death Pulse | Releases a pulse that damages nearby enemies and heals nearby allies. |
| Ghost Shroud | Turns Necrophos ethereal, slowing nearby enemies and increasing the healing he receives. |
| Heartstopper Aura | Drains a percentage of maximum health per second from enemies around Necrophos. |
| Death Seeker | Requires Aghanim's Shard. Turns a target ethereal, reduces its magic resistance and launches a stronger Death Pulse at it. |
| Reaper's Scythe | Stuns a hero and deals damage based on the health it is missing. |
Dota 2 Necrophos FAQ
Which role should Necrophos play in Dota 2?
Necrophos is an offlaner first. He trades well in a lane where he can stand next to the enemy carry, and his aura and healing give the team a front line. He also works mid, where the same pattern wins the lane and Bottle covers his mana.
Which items should Necrophos buy in Dota 2?
Boots, Magic Wand and Null Talisman cover the lane. Radiance is the usual first core, with Eternal Shroud, Heart of Tarrasque or Kaya and Sange as alternatives. Shiva's Guard, Aghanim's Scepter, Octarine Core, Black King Bar and Scythe of Vyse finish the build.
Is Necrophos suitable for Dota 2 beginners?
Necrophos is beginner-friendly. His abilities are simple, his aura works without input and he forgives positioning mistakes thanks to Ghost Shroud and his healing. The main lesson is to stay close to enemies instead of standing at the back.
How should you use Necrophos's ultimate in Dota 2?
Reaper's Scythe stuns a hero and deals damage based on the health it is missing, so cast it on a hero who is already low. Use Death Seeker first when you have the Shard, and target the hero whose death matters most, because the cooldown is long.
Next pick?
Meet a few more heroes
Anti-MageAgility
TinyStrength
Ancient ApparitionIntelligence
SpectreAgility
TerrorbladeAgility
HoodwinkAgility6 random heroes · Opens the hero directory.
