Shadow Fiend · Carry (pos. 1)
Shadow Fiend Items: What to Buy and When
ItemsData-drivenMediumPatch 7.41
789Updated
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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
This guide explains every item in Shadow Fiend's builds and when to buy it. Your spikes are level 6, when Requiem of Souls comes online, and your core items: Manta Style and then Mask of Madness.
Strengths
- Reliable fear: Requiem of Souls sets up kills.
- Heavy magical burst: Valve lists it as a Nuker.
- Scales into a late-game threat as the items come in.
Weaknesses
- No escape in the kit: without good positioning and vision, Shadow Fiend is easy to catch.
- Low base armor (0): vulnerable to physical harass early on.
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 Shadow Fiend players buy in the public matches we measured.
- Damage buildOffensiveAdvancedMoves the popular items that add damage — Mask of Madness and Shadow Blade — to the front. Choose it when your lane went well and you can afford to be greedy. Built from what Shadow Fiend players buy in the public matches we measured.
- Survival buildDefensiveSituationalPrioritises the popular items that keep you alive — Manta Style and Force Staff. Choose it against heavy disables or burst, or when you are the enemy's focus. Built from what Shadow Fiend players buy in the public matches we measured.
Builds
Most-played build
BalancedRecommended
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 Shadow Fiend players buy in the public matches we measured.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
235%163%- Safe laneMain63% of matchesSafe lane as the farming core (pos. 1).
- MidPriority 235% of matchesMid lane, one against one (pos. 2).
Starting items
Faerie Fire+2 Damage.Iron Branch+1 All Attributes.Magic Wand+3 All Attributes. Active: Energy Charge.TangoCirclet+2 All Attributes.Magic StickActive: Energy Charge.
Early game
Falcon Blade+200 Health, +1.8 Mana Regeneration, +14 Damage.Morbid Mask+18% Lifesteal.Wraith Band+5 Agility, +2 Strength, +2 Intelligence.
Core items
- 1Manta Style+10 Strength, +26 Agility, +10 Intelligence. Active: Mirror Image.
- 2Mask of Madness+20 Damage, +22% Lifesteal. Active: Berserk.
- 3Force Staff+10 Intelligence, +175 Health. Active: Force.
- 4Hurricane Pike+15 Intelligence, +200 Health, +20 Agility. Active: Hurricane Thrust.
Boots
Power Treads+45 Move Speed, +10 Selected Attribute, +25 Attack Speed. Active: Switch Attribute.
Late game
Crystalys+32 Damage.Satanic+25 Strength, +25 Damage, +25% Lifesteal. Active: Unholy Rage.Daedalus+88 Damage.Black King Bar+10 Strength, +24 Damage. Active: Avatar.
Skill order
Max order:Shadowraze›Presence of t…›Feast of Souls
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
 | · | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
 | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● |
 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | ● | · | · |
Talents by level
- Shadowraze Applies Attack DamageFeast of Souls Grants +30% Cast Speed25
- +5 Necromastery Max Souls+0.2s Requiem Fear per line20
- +2 Feast of Souls Souls Collected Per Hero+1.5 Presence Armor Reduction15
- +30 Shadowraze Stack Damage+30 Feast of Souls Attack Speed10
Damage build
OffensiveAdvanced
When to use it
Moves the popular items that add damage — Mask of Madness and Shadow Blade — to the front. Choose it when your lane went well and you can afford to be greedy. Built from what Shadow Fiend players buy in the public matches we measured.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
235%163%- Safe laneMain63% of matchesSafe lane as the farming core (pos. 1).
- MidPriority 235% of matchesMid lane, one against one (pos. 2).
Starting items
Faerie Fire+2 Damage.Iron Branch+1 All Attributes.Magic Wand+3 All Attributes. Active: Energy Charge.TangoCirclet+2 All Attributes.Magic StickActive: Energy Charge.
Core items
- 1Mask of Madness+20 Damage, +22% Lifesteal. Active: Berserk.
- 2Shadow Blade+25 Damage, +35 Attack Speed. Active: Shadow Walk.
- 3Silver Edge+70 Damage, +35 Attack Speed. Active: Shadow Walk.
- 4Crystalys+32 Damage.
Boots
Power Treads+45 Move Speed, +10 Selected Attribute, +25 Attack Speed. Active: Switch Attribute.
Late game
Yasha and Kaya+16 Agility, +16 Intelligence, +20 Attack Speed.Butterfly+30 Agility, +35% Evasion, +20% Base Attack Speed Percentage.Monkey King Bar+50 Damage, +50 Attack Speed, +50 Attack Range.
Skill order
Max order:Shadowraze›Presence of t…›Feast of Souls
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● |
| · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | ● | · | · |
Talents by level
- Shadowraze Applies Attack DamageFeast of Souls Grants +30% Cast Speed25
- +5 Necromastery Max Souls+0.2s Requiem Fear per line20
- +2 Feast of Souls Souls Collected Per Hero+1.5 Presence Armor Reduction15
- +30 Shadowraze Stack Damage+30 Feast of Souls Attack Speed10
Survival build
DefensiveSituational
When to use it
Prioritises the popular items that keep you alive — Manta Style and Force Staff. Choose it against heavy disables or burst, or when you are the enemy's focus. Built from what Shadow Fiend players buy in the public matches we measured.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
235%163%- Safe laneMain63% of matchesSafe lane as the farming core (pos. 1).
- MidPriority 235% of matchesMid lane, one against one (pos. 2).
Starting items
Faerie Fire+2 Damage.Iron Branch+1 All Attributes.Magic Wand+3 All Attributes. Active: Energy Charge.TangoCirclet+2 All Attributes.Magic StickActive: Energy Charge.
Core items
- 1Manta Style+10 Strength, +26 Agility, +10 Intelligence. Active: Mirror Image.
- 2Force Staff+10 Intelligence, +175 Health. Active: Force.
- 3Hurricane Pike+15 Intelligence, +200 Health, +20 Agility. Active: Hurricane Thrust.
- 4Black King Bar+10 Strength, +24 Damage. Active: Avatar.
Boots
Power Treads+45 Move Speed, +10 Selected Attribute, +25 Attack Speed. Active: Switch Attribute.
Late game
Aghanim's Scepter+10 All Attributes, +175 Health, +175 Mana.Linken's Sphere+16 All Attributes, +6.5 Health Regeneration, +4.25 Mana Regeneration. Active: Transfer Spellblock.Sange and Yasha+16 Strength, +16 Agility, +16% Status Resistance.
Skill order
Max order:Shadowraze›Presence of t…›Feast of Souls
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● |
| · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | ● | · | · |
Talents by level
- Shadowraze Applies Attack DamageFeast of Souls Grants +30% Cast Speed25
- +5 Necromastery Max Souls+0.2s Requiem Fear per line20
- +2 Feast of Souls Souls Collected Per Hero+1.5 Presence Armor Reduction15
- +30 Shadowraze Stack Damage+30 Feast of Souls Attack Speed10
Abilities
- Shadowraze9s75 mpShadow Fiend razes the ground directly in front of him, dealing damage to enemy units in the area, dealing bonus damage based on his current Necromastery Soul amount. Adds a stacking damage amplifier on the target that causes the enemy to take bonus Shadowraze damage per stack.
- Base damage
- 85·150·215·280
- Range
- 200
- Bonus per stack
- 35·50·65·80
- Stack duration
- 6
- Bonus damage per soul
- 2
Shadowraze9s75 mpShadow Fiend razes the ground a short distance away from him, dealing damage to enemy units in the area, dealing bonus damage based on his current Necromastery Soul amount. Adds a stacking damage amplifier on the target that causes the enemy to take bonus Shadowraze damage per stack.- Base damage
- 85·150·215·280
- Range
- 450
- Bonus per stack
- 35·50·65·80
- Stack duration
- 6
- Bonus damage per soul
- 2
Shadowraze9s75 mpShadow Fiend razes the ground a longer distance away from him, dealing damage to enemy units in the area, dealing bonus damage based on his current Necromastery Soul amount. Adds a stacking damage amplifier on the target that causes the enemy to take bonus Shadowraze damage per stack.- Base damage
- 85·150·215·280
- Range
- 700
- Bonus per stack
- 35·50·65·80
- Stack duration
- 6
- Bonus damage per soul
- 2
- Feast of Souls21s60 / 65 / 70 / 75 mpShadow Fiend gains Bonus Movement and Attack Speed for 8 seconds. For the duration of the effect, every 0.5s he collects souls from 2 enemies in a 600 radius. After the effect is over, he loses the souls whose owners are still alive, retaining the rest for 8s, after which souls that are over the Necromastery max stack count are also lost.
Can only collect souls once from each individual enemy.
- Bonus attack speed
- 35·50·65·80
- Bonus move speed
- 4%·6%·8%·10%
- Max collection targets
- 4·6·8·10
- Souls per hero
- 3
- Souls per creep
- 1
- Presence of the Dark LordPassiveShadow Fiend's presence reduces the armor of nearby enemies.
- Armor reduction
- -2.5·-4·-5.5·-7
- Radius
- 1200
- Reduction per hero
- 0
- Hero reduction duration
- 0
- Requiem of Souls120 / 110 / 100s150 / 175 / 200 mpShadow Fiend gathers up to 20 of his captured souls to release them as lines of demonic energy. Units near Shadow Fiend when the souls are released can be damaged by several lines of energy. Any unit damaged by Requiem of Souls will be feared and have its movement speed and magic resistance reduced for 0.6 seconds for each line hit up to a maximum of 2.15. Lines of energy are created for every sou
- Movement reduction
- -20%·-25%·-30%
- Magic resist reduction
- -5%·-10%·-15%
- Fear duration per soul hit
- 0.6
- Fear duration max
- 2.15
- Cast delay
- 1.67
NecromasteryPassiveShadow Fiend steals the soul from units he kills, gaining 1 bonus damage per soul. Hero kills grant 4 souls. On death, he releases 30% of them from bondage.- Damage per soul
- 1
- Base max souls
- 20
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:Shadowraze›Presence of t…›Feast of Souls
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● |
| · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | ● | · | · |
Strategy
1Starting items
What to buy before leaving the base, and what each item gives:
- Faerie Fire — +2 Damage.
- Iron Branch — +1 All Attributes.
- Magic Wand — +3 All Attributes. Active: Energy Charge.
- Tango
- Circlet — +2 All Attributes.
- Magic Stick — Active: Energy Charge.
2Core items
Your spikes are level 6, when Requiem of Souls comes online, and your core items: Manta Style and then Mask of Madness. Buy them in this order; each one is a power spike:
- Power Treads — +45 Move Speed, +10 Selected Attribute, +25 Attack Speed. Active: Switch Attribute.
- Manta Style — +10 Strength, +26 Agility, +10 Intelligence. Active: Mirror Image.
- Mask of Madness — +20 Damage, +22% Lifesteal. Active: Berserk.
- Force Staff — +10 Intelligence, +175 Health. Active: Force.
- Hurricane Pike — +15 Intelligence, +200 Health, +20 Agility. Active: Hurricane Thrust.
3Late-game items
What players finish with once the core is done:
- Crystalys — +32 Damage.
- Satanic — +25 Strength, +25 Damage, +25% Lifesteal. Active: Unholy Rage.
- Daedalus — +88 Damage.
- Black King Bar — +10 Strength, +24 Damage. Active: Avatar.
4Adapting to the game
The damage build moves the offensive items forward when you're ahead; the defensive one adds survival when the enemy focuses you. The situational builds in the matchups guide answer specific threats.
Tips
- Buy Manta Style as early as you can: it's your first real spike.
- Complete one item before starting the next: half-built items give less than one finished one.
- Look at the enemy team at every back and adjust the situational items.
- Don't sit on gold: spend it when you go back.
Changelog
- Guide created for patch 7.41.
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