Keeper of the Light · Soft Support (pos. 4)
Keeper of the Light Guide
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This guide is assembled by the site from match data and the game's own information — nobody wrote it by hand. Official and community guides appear alongside it when they exist.
Overview
Keeper of the Light is a ranged Intelligence hero that Valve tags as Support, Nuker and Disabler. It is played mainly as Soft Support (pos. 4): 72% of the public matches we measured, by starting lane and starting items. In this guide you play it as Soft Support (pos. 4): your job is to help your offlaner win the hard lane, rotate for kills and make space with your spells. The kit brings sustain with Spirit Form. Its ultimate is Spirit Form. This patch, Keeper of the Light wins 49.0% of the 187,362 public matches we measured (C tier on our ladder).
Strengths
- Long attack range (600) to harass and last hit safely.
- Heavy magical burst: Valve lists it as a Nuker.
- Clear job in the team: help your offlaner win the hard lane, rotate for kills and make space with your spells.
Weaknesses
- No escape in the kit: without good positioning and vision, Keeper of the Light is easy to catch.
- Low base armor (0): vulnerable to physical harass early on.
- Plays on little gold: expensive items arrive late.
Build cheat sheet
Pick the build that fits what you want to do this game.
- Most-played buildBalancedRecommendedThe items most bought with this hero, phase by phase. Pick it when you don't have a clear reason to deviate. Built from what Keeper of the Light players buy in the public matches we measured.
- Damage buildOffensiveAdvancedMoves the popular items that add damage — Orchid Malevolence and Shadow Blade — to the front. Choose it when your lane went well and you can afford to be greedy. Built from what Keeper of the Light players buy in the public matches we measured.
Builds
Most-played build
When to use it
The items most bought with this hero, phase by phase. Pick it when you don't have a clear reason to deviate. Built from what Keeper of the Light players buy in the public matches we measured.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
322%233%139%- OfflaneMain39% of matchesOff lane next to your offlaner, as Soft Support (pos. 4).
- RoamingPriority 233% of matchesOur data counts these games in the mid lane, but with support purchases: a position 4 that rotates between lanes from the start.
- MidPriority 322% of matchesMid lane, one against one (pos. 2).
Starting items
Early game
Core items
- 1Force Staff
- 2Holy Locket
- 3Glimmer Cape
- 4Spirit Vessel
Boots
Late game
Skill order
Max order:Chakra Magic›Illuminate›Blinding Light
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 | · | ● | · | ● | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
 | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | ● | ● | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
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Talents by level
- +200 Illuminate DamageChakra Magic Strong Dispels25
- +15s Spirit Form Duration+10% Solar Bind Magic Resistance Reduction20
- +25% Spirit Form Bright Speed Bonus+90 Blinding Light Damage15
- +40% Blinding Light Miss-2s Illuminate Cooldown10
Damage build
When to use it
Moves the popular items that add damage — Orchid Malevolence and Shadow Blade — to the front. Choose it when your lane went well and you can afford to be greedy. Built from what Keeper of the Light players buy in the public matches we measured.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
322%233%139%- OfflaneMain39% of matchesOff lane next to your offlaner, as Soft Support (pos. 4).
- RoamingPriority 233% of matchesOur data counts these games in the mid lane, but with support purchases: a position 4 that rotates between lanes from the start.
- MidPriority 322% of matchesMid lane, one against one (pos. 2).
Starting items
Core items
- 1Orchid Malevolence+35 Attack Speed, +20 Damage, +2.5 Mana Regeneration. Active: Soul Burn.
- 2Shadow Blade+25 Damage, +35 Attack Speed. Active: Shadow Walk.
- 3Vladmir's Offering+1 Armor, +0.75 Mana Regeneration.
- 4Desolator+55 Damage.
Boots
Late game
Skill order
Max order:Chakra Magic›Illuminate›Blinding Light
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | ● | ● | · | · |
| · | ● | · | ● | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | ● | ● | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● |
Talents by level
- +200 Illuminate DamageChakra Magic Strong Dispels25
- +15s Spirit Form Duration+10% Solar Bind Magic Resistance Reduction20
- +25% Spirit Form Bright Speed Bonus+90 Blinding Light Damage15
- +40% Blinding Light Miss-2s Illuminate Cooldown10
Abilities
- Illuminate13s100 / 125 / 150 / 175 mpCHANNELED - Channels light energy, building power the longer it's channeled. Once released, a wave is sent forth that deals damage and gives vision in its path. The longer it is channeled, the more damage is dealt.
- Max damage
- 185·290·395·500
- Max channel time
- 3
- Width
- 400
- Range
- 1550
- Blinding Light24 / 21 / 18 / 15s120 / 130 / 140 / 150 mpA blinding light flashes over the targeted area, knocking back units to the edge of the area and blinding them, causing them to miss some attacks. Minimum knockback distance is 175 range over 0.6 seconds.
- Miss chance
- 45%
- Duration
- 4
- Radius
- 425·450·475·500
- Damage
- 90·140·190·240
- Chakra Magic20 / 17 / 14 / 11sRestores mana to the target unit and reduces cooldowns of all basic abilities currently on cooldown by a fixed amount. Is 30% more effective when used on himself.
- Mana restore
- 105·170·235·300
- Cooldown reduction
- 2.5·3.5·4.5·5.5
Solar Bind14s120 mpWeakens an enemy's magical resistance, and applies a slow that increases in strength the more the target moves.- Duration
- 6
- Slow per 100 units
- 10%
- Magic resistance reduction
- 20%·30%·40%
Will-O-Wisp60s150 mpSummons Ignis Fatuus at the targeted area. Alternates on and off, drawing enemies closer with its mesmerising flicker.- Radius
- 725
- Hit count
- 7
- Damage
- 85
- Off interval
- 1.85
- On interval
- 1
- Total duration
- 13.4
- Spirit Form85 / 80 / 75s75 / 125 / 175 mpEzalor temporarily turns his body luminescent, gaining cast range, increasing the speed bonus from Bright Speed, and allows Illuminate to be channeled by a separate spirit and heal allies.
- Duration
- 40·45·50
- Bright speed bonus movement
- 50%
- Cast range bonus
- 100·175·250
- Illuminate heal
- 60%
Release IlluminateRelease the channel early.
Bright SpeedPassiveKeeper of the Light gains 1 movement speed for every 3 Intelligence.
Whenever Keeper of the Light moves 300 distance, he leaves behind light that allows him to see 400 range for 3 seconds.
Most played skill order
The most played order in the last 100 professional matches with this hero. Highlighted levels are the points spent on talents.
Max order:Chakra Magic›Illuminate›Blinding Light
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | ● | ● | · | · |
| · | ● | · | ● | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | ● | ● | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● |
Strategy
1Early game
Position 4 starts in the off lane with your offlaner: harass the enemy carry, block or pull their camp when it helps and look for the first rotation to mid once the runes spawn. Harass when the enemy core walks up to last hit: every hit you land is gold your carry keeps.
- Early items: Urn of Shadows and Oblivion Staff.
2Mid game
Rotate to the lanes where you can get kills, smoke with your cores to catch heroes out of position and keep vision around the next objective. Your spikes are level 6, when Spirit Form comes online, and your core items: Force Staff and then Holy Locket.
- Core items: Force Staff, Holy Locket and Glimmer Cape.
3Late game
Late, your death costs little gold but your spells are worth a lot: stay behind the team, keep your save items ready and ward before the fight, not during it.
- Late items: Scythe of Vyse and Aghanim's Scepter.
4Team fights
Stay behind your cores, keep your mana for the key moment and protect whoever the enemy dives. Use Spirit Form where it hits the most enemies or catches the key target.
Tips
- Keep Spirit Form for the moment the enemy commits, not to top up health.
- Buy and place wards every time they are available: vision is your first job.
- Your key purchases are Force Staff and Holy Locket: they give your team the saves it needs.
- Plan fights around Spirit Form: without it, Keeper of the Light is far less threatening.
Matchups
Strong against
- Queen of Pain66.4%win rate in the matchup
Keeper of the Light wins 66.4% of the 113 games measured against Queen of Pain this patch.
113 matches
- Hoodwink62.8%win rate in the matchup
Keeper of the Light wins 62.8% of the 180 games measured against Hoodwink this patch.
180 matches
- Tiny60.1%win rate in the matchup
Keeper of the Light wins 60.1% of the 138 games measured against Tiny this patch.
138 matches
- Snapfire59.6%win rate in the matchup
Keeper of the Light wins 59.6% of the 109 games measured against Snapfire this patch.
109 matches
- Axe59.6%win rate in the matchup
Keeper of the Light wins 59.6% of the 104 games measured against Axe this patch.
104 matches
Weak against
- Treant Protector38.0%win rate in the matchup
Keeper of the Light only wins 38.0% of the 71 games measured against Treant Protector this patch.
71 matches
- Monkey King42.9%win rate in the matchup
Keeper of the Light only wins 42.9% of the 56 games measured against Monkey King this patch.
56 matches
- Earth Spirit43.4%win rate in the matchup
Keeper of the Light only wins 43.4% of the 53 games measured against Earth Spirit this patch.
53 matches
- Shadow Shaman43.7%win rate in the matchup
Keeper of the Light only wins 43.7% of the 71 games measured against Shadow Shaman this patch.
71 matches
- Batrider43.8%win rate in the matchup
Keeper of the Light only wins 43.8% of the 64 games measured against Batrider this patch.
64 matches
Works well with
Infernal Blade from Doom gives Keeper of the Light, who has no crowd control, a target that can't dodge.
Paralyzing Cask from Witch Doctor gives Keeper of the Light, who has no crowd control, a target that can't dodge.
Talon Toss from Kez gives Keeper of the Light, who has no crowd control, a target that can't dodge.
Changelog
- Guide created for patch 7.41.
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