Ability
Grave Chill
Visage drains the movement and attack speed of the targeted unit, gaining the drained speed for itself and nearby Familiars.
↻ 17 / 15 / 13 / 11 sec.Mana 75
Visage
Abilities, roles and builds with an explanation for every purchase.
HERO GAME PLANWhat I want to do in the game
I build up familiar damage and auras, turning control of an area of the map into objective pressure.
As his deadly familiars scout the field, Visage cloaks himself in armor and seeks the next battle. Once near a skirmish, he gathers soul energy from damage inflicted upon nearby fighters before releasing it in a devastating attack.
Abilities at hand
01 / ROLE IN THE TEAM
A pick is not a plan yet.
My recommendation is a starting point. We choose another position together with the team and for its needs.
03
Offlane · position 3
Initial recommendationMy resource is the team's space: I hold the lane and build for initiation or team protection.
02
Mid · position 2
Levels, lane control and joining the team at the right moment matter.
02 / ITEMS FOR A PURPOSE
What I buy and why.
This is an editorial starting plan based on hero mechanics. It is not presented as a match I have already tested or a popularity ranking.
Offlane · position 3
My starting plan
Here is my initial plan: I do my role's job first, then choose the items the team needs. I adapt the order and expensive purchases to the opponent.
01 / First stepBoots of SpeedAn inexpensive first step towards the speed you need. I choose the upgrade based on my role and the match’s needs.
02 / FoundationVladmir's OfferingImproves the team’s physical engagement with an aura, useful for a hero with summons and coordinated pressure.
03 / FoundationSolar CrestBuffs an allied hero for close-range fighting and adds a defensive tool.
04 / Next choiceAssault CuirassGives the team armor and attack speed, helping it apply physical pressure to heroes and objectives.
05 / Next choiceAghanim's ScepterUnlocks or upgrades Silent as the Grave. The exact effects are shown below in the abilities section.
What I change for the situation 3 options
Orchid Malevolence ↗Provides a targeted silence for quick kills. I check whether the target has a dispel available.
Pipe of Insight ↗Provides team protection against substantial magical damage.
Black King Bar ↗Provides a window for my actions against eligible magical damage and disables. I check effects that pierce the protection.
I see the minute on the clock. And the situation too.
I do not assign one ‘correct’ minute to every purchase. I look at my gold, the next fight and the problem: am I missing mana, target access, control or protection? If an expensive slot will arrive too late, I get a useful answer earlier.
03 / HERO ABILITIES
Abilities. As in the game.
Original Valve icons and descriptions. Cooldowns and mana are shown by level from the data snapshot; talents and upgrades can change the values.
Ability
Soul Assumption
Visage gathers charges of soul essence each time nearby heroes take more than 100 damage. When the essence is released, it deals base damage as well as damage for each gathered soul charge.
↻ 4 sec.Mana 110
Ability
Gravekeeper's Cloak
The hero creates a layered protective cloak around himself. Taking player damage removes one layer, which recovers after a set time.
Details and upgrades
Visage generates a layered barrier that protects him from damage. If he receives damage from a player, one layer is removed, and takes time to recover. Visage's Familiars are protected by his cloak when within 900 range of him, based on the number of layers Visage has.
Aghanim’s Shard
The ability can be activated to turn the hero to stone and land, stunning enemies within a radius of 375 for 0,8/1,0/1,2 seconds, dealing 60/100/140 damage, and becoming invulnerable for 6 seconds. Restores 25% of the hero’s health.
Ability
Summon Familiars
Summons 2 blind gargoyles to fight alongside the hero. The gargoyles have Stone Form, allowing them to turn to stone and land, stunning nearby enemies, becoming invulnerable, and quickly restoring…
↻ 120 / 110 / 100 sec.Mana 150
Details
Summons 2 blind gargoyles to fight alongside the hero. The gargoyles have Stone Form, allowing them to turn to stone and land, stunning nearby enemies, becoming invulnerable, and quickly restoring health. Killing gargoyles gives the enemy a substantial bounty. Using alternate cast returns summoned gargoyles to the owner after 4 sec. During this time, they cannot attack or take other actions.
Innates, upgrades and other forms1 ability +
These abilities are not necessarily available at the same time. I check the condition beside the name: innate ability, another form or an Aghanim purchase.
Innate
Silent as the Grave
The hero gains unobstructed movement at increased speed. Attacking or casting a spell removes these bonuses, but the hero and his gargoyles deal more attack damage for 2 sec.
Full description and upgrades
The hero gains unobstructed movement at increased speed. Attacking or casting a spell removes these bonuses, but the hero and his gargoyles deal more attack damage for 2 sec.
Aghanim’s Scepter
Increases movement speed, damage, and duration. Turns Visage and familiars invisible for the duration until the flying movement is lost.
Valve base stats +
- Health · base
- 604
- Mana · base
- 339
- Damage · Valve field
- 21–31
- Armour · Valve field
- 1.83
- Movement speed
- 285
- Attack range
- 600
- Strength · base / gain
- 22 / 2.8
- Agility · base / gain
- 11 / 1.3
- Intelligence · base / gain
- 22 / 2.9
These are fields from the official source. The hero's final values in the client account for attributes and other active mechanics.
KEEP EXPLORING
One hero. Many decisions.
Items, slang and real episodes help connect abilities with what happens in a match.