Shadow Demon in Dota 2: counters, win rate and common mistakes

What to build against it

Force StaffPushes you or an ally out of mine areas and away from a Sticky Bomb.

Glimmer CapeReduces magic damage from bombs, mines and Blast Off!.

Magic WandTechies spam spells, so Wand gets charges and saves you from burst.

Pipe of InsightTeam barrier against Blast Off! and mine AoE magic damage.

How to use the spells of Shadow Demon

Demonic CleanseCast on an ally hit by Sticky Bomb to remove the slow and let them escape.

Demonic PurgePurge Reactive Tazer off the enemy core so your carries don't get disarmed.

DisruptionBanish an ally stunned by Blast Off! so they survive the follow-up.

Watch out for Techies

Proximity MinesMines ignore True Sight—don't stand in usual spots or facecheck.

M.A.D.After Techies dies, step away from the barrel, it explodes after 1.5s.

What to build against it

Pipe of InsightAbsorbs Phoenix's sustained magic damage from Spirits, Dive and Sun Ray.

Glimmer CapeMagic resist and invisibility save an ally from Sun Ray.

Spirit VesselCuts Sun Ray healing and helps finish Phoenix.

Force StaffPushes an ally out of Supernova range before it explodes.

How to use the spells of Shadow Demon

DisruptionBanish an ally inside Supernova right before it pops to avoid the stun.

Shadow PoisonStack poison on Phoenix while he burns HP on Sun Ray, then Release.

Demonic PurgeSlow Phoenix after Icarus Dive so allies catch him before he ults.

Watch out for Phoenix

SupernovaHit the sun as a team or leave its radius—Phoenix resets fully after it.

Sun RayStep sideways out of the beam; it also heals Phoenix's allies.

What to build against it

Lotus OrbReflects unit-targeted Phantom's Embrace and Soulbind back to Grimstroke.

Glimmer CapeReduces damage from Stroke of Fate and Ink Swell.

Force StaffHelps escape an Ink Swelled enemy before the stun lands.

Magic WandGrimstroke spams Stroke of Fate, so Wand charges up fast.

How to use the spells of Shadow Demon

DisruptionUnder Soulbind, Disruption on a bound ally copies to the other—banish both from the combo.

Demonic CleanseUnder Soulbind, Cleanse duplicates onto the other bound ally—double value.

DisseminatePut Disseminate on the enemy core in fights for maximum spread damage.

Watch out for Grimstroke

SoulbindPierces BKB—keep distance from allies so you can't be bound.

Phantom's EmbraceAttack the phantom: hero hits count triple, or you take heavy damage and it refreshes.

What to build against it

Lotus OrbReflects unit-targeted Frostbite back to CM.

Force StaffPushes allies out of Freezing Field and Crystal Nova.

Glimmer CapeReduces the massive magic damage of her ultimate.

Blink DaggerLets you close in fast to interrupt Freezing Field.

How to use the spells of Shadow Demon

DisruptionBanish CM during Freezing Field to cancel the channel.

Demonic CleanseCleanse Frostbite off an ally so they can move and attack.

Shadow PoisonStack poison on fragile CM from range, then Release.

Watch out for Crystal Maiden

Freezing FieldKeep Disruption off cooldown specifically for her ultimate.

Crystal CloneThe clone disjoints projectiles and AoE Frostbites when shattered—stay away from it.

What to build against it

Spirit VesselReduces healing from Hand of God and Divine Favor.

Glimmer CapeSaves an ally focused after Penitence.

Force StaffGets you out of Penitence slow and creep swarms.

Magic WandGives emergency heal in drawn-out fights with Chen's creeps.

How to use the spells of Shadow Demon

Shadow PoisonFire poison through Chen's creep line—damage and stacks reach heroes behind.

Demonic PurgePurge Divine Favor off the enemy core to strip bonus armor and healing.

Demonic CleanseCleanse Penitence off an ally so they escape the boosted attacks.

Watch out for Chen

Hand of GodGlobal heal flips fights—burst targets quickly once it's used.

PenitencePure damage and a slow for focus—retreat to your team as soon as you're hit.