Undying

undying dota 2

Undying, the Almighty Dirge, is a melee strength hero who serves as a formidable tank and a dangerous spellcaster. His abilities force opponents to either kill him or suffer powerful debuffs in a teamfight. Decay is a spammable ability that steals enemies’ Strength in an area, making them more fragile and Undying himself more durable as the fight goes on while also being exceptionally potent during the early laning phase, leaving your opponents with mere scraps of health. Soul Rip can act as both a powerful heal or nuke, redirecting the flow of living energy to a target. By ripping some of the health of his ally or enemy in an area, the target can be healed if an ally, or damaged if an enemy. This is empowered by Tombstone, which acts as a static tank by summoning zombies to slow Undying’s foes while active. With the zombies summoned, Soul Rip can perform to its fullest, while Decay weakens Undying’s foes. Finally, Undying can transform into a horrific Flesh Golem. This transformation makes him substantially more tanky while allowing his attacks to place a debuff that both slows and amplifies all subsequent damage to the target. Monstrous and truly horrifying, Undying finds great pleasure in keeping himself alive and vital, while his adversaries suffer as he delivers death to the field. With powerful abilities that allow him to perform well in large fights, the Dirge may never cease.

Bio[]

Undying, the Almighty Dirge

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▶️ “Where go the living, the dead soon follow.”

How long has it been since he lost his name? The torn ruin of his mind no longer knows.

Dimly he recalls armor and banners and grim-faced kin riding at his side. He remembers a battle: pain and fear as pale hands ripped him from his saddle. He remembers terror as they threw him into the yawning pit of the Dead God alongside his brothers, to hear the Dirge and be consumed into nothingness. In the darkness below, time left them. Thought left them. Sanity left them. Hunger, however, did not. They turned on each other with split fingernails and shattered teeth. Then it came: distant at first, a fragile note at the edge of perception, joined by another, then another, inescapable and unending. The chorus grew into a living wall of sound pulsing in his mind until no other thought survived. With the Dirge consuming him, he opened his arms to the Dead God and welcomed his obliteration. Yet destruction was not what he’d been chosen for. The Dead God demanded war. In the belly of the great nothing, he was granted a new purpose: to spread the Dirge across the land, to rally the sleepless dead against the living. He was to become the Undying, the herald of the Dead God, to rise and fall and rise again whenever his body failed him. To trudge on through death unending, that the Dirge might never end.

Abilities[]

Undying steals strength from all enemy heroes in an area, dealing base damage as he claims the enemy’s strength for himself.

Cast Animation: 0.45+0

Cast Range: 650

Radius: 325

Damage: 20/50/80/110 ( 75/105/135/165)

Creep Damage Multiplier: 2

Strength Steal: 4 ( 10)

Decay Duration: 45

10/8/6/4 8.5/6.5/4.5/2.5)

85/90/95/100

Increases strength steal.

Strength loss persists if debuff was placed before spell immunity.

Illusions of Undying or affected enemies do not reflect the gained or lost strength. They keep the original strength values of the heroes.

Modifiers

modifier_undying_decay_buff_counter: Dispellable with death only.

modifier_undying_decay_buff: Dispellable with death only.

modifier_undying_decay_debuff_counter: Dispellable with death only.

modifier_undying_decay_debuff: Dispellable with death only.

The strength of the living is simply borrowed from the strength of the dead.

Notes:

  • Successive casts of Decay fully stack on the targets and on Undying. There is no limit to how much this can be done.
  • Decay steals the strength first, then applies its damage.
    • Despite the visual effects, the stolen strength is gained instantly.
  • Strength steals cannot reduce a hero’s strength below 0, but Undying always gains the full amount of strength, no matter how much the target has left.
  • Each stack places a new hidden modifier buff/debuff on both Undying and the target. This means their durations are independent from each other.
    • The counter modifiers on both Undying and his targets show how much strength they gained or lost.
    • The number of stolen strength stacks can be seen on the status buff icon.
    • Each status buff increases Undying’s model size by 2%. This has no impact on his collision size.
    • Upon death, the dying hero’s strength is not restored, and Undying loses all the stolen strength.
  • Upon acquiring or losing Aghanim’s Scepter, all stacks of stolen strength instantly update to the current values.
    • Upon updating the strength values, Undying’s current health stays the same.
    • However, debuffed enemies keep their current health percentage. Their health also only updates upon gaining or losing maximum health again.

Undying rips health away from all nearby units and uses it to heal an ally, or damage an enemy. Soul Rip can also be used to heal Tombstone.

Cast Animation: 0.35+0

Cast Range: 750

Search Radius: 1300

Damage/Heal per Unit: 19/26/33/40 ( 31/38/45/52)

Max Units: 8/9/10/11

Tombstone Heal: 4/8/12/16

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24/18/12/6

85/100/115/130

Can be cast on and counts nearby spell immune allies.

Cannot be cast on and does not count nearby spell immune enemies.

Units counted towards damage still lose health.

Even allies feel despair in Undying’s presence.

Notes:

  • ↓↓ Double-tapping automatically targets self.
  • Can cast on Tombstone, but not on any other ward type unit.
    • When cast on an allied Tombstone, it always heals it for the given amount, regardless of unit count.
    • Can target enemy Tombstone, but does not damage or heal it.
  • Cannot cast on Undying Zombie.
  • Even when casting on the target, the 1300 search radius is centered around Undying, not the target.
  • Units within the radius are selected randomly and have 19/26/33/40 ( 31/38/45/52) health removed. This health removal is never lethal.
    • Does not count Undying, the target, wards, buildings, invisible enemies and units in the Fog of War.
    • Spell immune allies are counted, including the zombies from Tombstone.
    • Units which require a certain amount of attacks to be killed do not lose health when counted in by Soul Rip.
    • If there are no valid units within the search radius, no damage or healing is done.
  • The damage or heal are summed up and the target receives the total value in once instance.
  • Soul Rip can damage or heal a unit for up to 152/234/330/440 ( 248/342/450/572) health (before reductions).

Summons a tombstone at the target point. Zombies will frequently spawn next to every enemy unit in the area around the Tombstone, and attack them. Zombies have the Deathlust ability, which causes their attacks to slow the target, and if the target reaches below a certain amount of health, increases the attack and movement speed of the zombie.

Cast Animation: 0.45+0

Cast Range: 600

Zombie Spawn Radius: 1200

Zombie Spawn Interval: 4/3.5/3/2.5

Hero Attacks to Destroy Tombstone: 4/5/6/7 ( 10/11/12/13)

Non-Hero Attacks to Destroy Tombstone: 16/20/24/28 ( 40/44/48/52)

Hero/Tower Attacks to Kill Zombie: 1

Other Attacks to Kill Zombie: 2

Tombstone Duration: 30

85/80/75/70 70/65/60/55)

120/130/140/150

Already spawned zombies do not die when their target turns spell immune.

Modifiers

modifier_kill: Dispellable with death only.

modifier_magic_immune: Dispellable with death only.

modifier_tombstone_hp: Dispellable with death only.

modifier_undying_tombstone_zombie_aura: Dispellable with death only.

modifier_undying_tombstone_zombie_modifier: Dispellable with death only.

modifier_undying_tombstone_death_trigger: Undispellable. Persists death.

Dirge calls on his fallen brothers to fight for the Dead God.

Notes:

  • Destroys trees within 300 radius around the Tombstone upon cast.
  • The Tombstone starts spawning zombies immediately upon cast, resulting in 8/9/10/12 instances.
    • A player may only have up to 64 zombies under their control, no matter how many Tombstones they summon.
  • The zombies and their set target have the following interactions:
    • When the set target turns invisible, the associated zombies die after 0.1 seconds.
    • When the set target dies, the associated zombies die instantly. However, with Meepo clones dying, the zombies just stand around until the Tombstone expires.
    • When the set target runs into the Fog of War, the associated zombies still follow it.
  • When the Tombstone expires or is destroyed, all its zombies instantly die.
  • Illusions and creep-heroes are treated like creeps by the Tombstone and the zombies, requiring more attacks to destroy the Tombstone.
  • With the level 20 talent, Tombstone based on the current level is passively cast automatically and instantly, regardless of mana and cooldown, on Undying’s death location whenever he dies.
    • The Tombstone lasts its full duration, it is not bound to Undying’s death timer and does not disappear when he respawns.
    • It also triggers with Reincarnation sources.

Undying transforms into a horrifying flesh golem. Gains a percentage increase to strength and imbues attacks with a slow and damage amplification.

Cast Animation: 0+0

Strength Bonus: 40%/50%/60%

Self Move Speed Bonus: 30/40/50

Enemy Move Speed Slow: 40%/45%/50%

Enemy Incoming Damage Amplification: 25%/30%/35%

Debuff Duration: 6

Flesh Golem Duration: 40

 Zombie Duration: 15

125 95)

100/125/150

Reduces Flesh Golem Cooldown by -30s and causes Undying to spawn one zombie on each attack while transformed.

Illusions get a new Flesh Golem buff, lasting for the full duration, regardless of how much is left on Undying himself. Illusions’ attacks do not apply the debuff.

Modifiers

modifier_undying_flesh_golem: Dispellable with death only.

modifier_undying_flesh_golem_slow: Dispellable with any dispel.

Ability Draft Notes:

The flesh of the recently dead add to the power of Dirge’s plague.

Notes:

  • Flesh Golem interrupts Undying’s channeling abilities upon cast.
  • Increases Undying’s total amount of strength (base and bonus) by 40%/50%/60%.
    • Checks Undying’s strength periodically and adapts the bonus instantly.
  • Increases Undying’s base movement speed to 330/340/350 when active.
  • Multiple attacks on the same target do not stack, but refresh the duration instead.
  • Applies generic incoming damage amplification on the targets. Stacks additively with other sources of generic incoming damage manipulation.
    • The amplification affects all damage the targets take that is not flagged as HP removal.
  • Flesh Golem is fully canceled on death.

There is no description for this ability.

Effect Delay: 5

300

0

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Modifiers

modifier_special_bonus_reincarnation: Undispellable. Persists death.

Ability Draft Notes:

This talent is available and it is not bound to any ability.

Notes:

  • Requires the level 25 talent learned to be unlocked.
    • This ability is shown as a permanent buff in the HUD.
  • Reincarnation cannot be prevented in any way. If Undying dies while it is off-cooldown, it is used.
    • Fully stacks with other Reincarnation sources, with the talent always triggering first when off-cooldown.
  • Revives with full health and mana. Does not resets the cooldowns of items and abilities.
  • Provides 1800/800 ground vision at the death location during its delay.
  • The buff icon shows a cooldown whenever the Reincarnation is used.
    • The cooldown is not affected by any cooldown reduction and cooldown resets sources.

Undying Zombie[]

Deathlust

Slows enemy units on attack. If the attacked unit’s health goes below the threshold, the zombie receives enhanced movement and attack speed.

Enemy Health Threshold: 40%

Threshold Move Speed Bonus: 35%/40%/45%/50%

Threshold Attack Speed Bonus: 50/60/70/80

Move Speed Slow: 7%

Slow Duration: 2.5

Modifiers

modifier_undying_tombstone_zombie_deathstrike: Dispellable with death only.

modifier_undying_tombstone_zombie_deathlust: Dispellable with death only.

modifier_undying_tombstone_zombie_deathstrike_slow_counter: Dispellable with death only.

modifier_undying_tombstone_zombie_deathstrike_slow: Dispellable with any dispel.

Notes:

  • The movement speed slow from multiple attacks and Undying Zombies fully stack.
  • Each attack increases its stack count but does not refreshes the duration of the entire stack.
    • The number of current stacks can be seen on the debuff icon.
    • Each stack lasts for 2.5 seconds.
  • The attacked target’s health is checked in 0.5-second intervals. If their health is below the threshold, the Deathlust buff is placed.
    • The buff lasts for 2.5 seconds, and it gets refreshed as long as the target stays below the health threshold.
  • Does not trigger against Familiars.

Spell Immunity

This creature does not feel the effects of most magical spells.

Modifiers

modifier_magic_immune: Dispellable with death only.

Notes:

  • The Tombstone has this ability as well.
  • The status buff uses the other spell immunity icon.

Talents[]

Notes:

  • The Zombie attack damage talent is added to the base damage, and not as bonus damage.

Recent Changes[]

  • Increased mana regeneration from 0 to 0.25.
  • Talents:
Level 10 right talent: +50 Decay damage increased to +55.
Level 10 right talent changed: +5 armor ➜ +50 Decay damage.

Recommended Items[]

Starting items:

Early game:

Mid game:

Late game:

Situational items:

Gameplay[]

Audio[]

History[]

Equipment[]

Trivia[]

  • In DotA, his hero name was Dirge, and his hero title was Undying.
  • Undying was originally an intelligence hero. He became a strength hero as he got reworked in the 6.58 gameplay patch. All his abilities, but Soul Rip got reworked. His old abilities are explained here.
  • Undying makes several references to the Left 4 Dead series, saying names of special infected, campaign names, and even the title itself in his dialogue.
  • Undying also references the Half Life series in a rival line towards Tinker (▶️For Lamarr.“). Dr. Kleiner, who shares his voice actor with Tinker, has a pet headcrab named Lamarr. Headcrabs are small, parasitic creatures that attach themselves to the head of their victims, after which the victims turn into zombies.
  • Undying’s taunt against Kunkka ▶️Where is your ex-parrot?” is a reference to the famous Parrot Sketch from Monty Python’s Flying Circus.
  • Undying’s taunt against Invoker ▶️Carl? Is that you?” is a reference to the 6.72’s leaked changelog (which turned out to be a fake), where Invoker’s name “Kael” was mistakenly translated into “Carl”.
  • A dirge is a sombre song of mourning or grieving, typically performed at a funeral.
  • Undying’s line, ▶️Shop smart.” is a reference to the Army of Darkness movie.

Gallery[]

  • Splash artwork

  • Concept art

  • Concept art

  • Ability icon progress

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