Witch Doctor · Hard Support (pos. 5)
Witch Doctor 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
Witch Doctor is a ranged Intelligence hero that Valve tags as Support, Nuker and Disabler. It is played mainly as Hard Support (pos. 5): 71% of the public matches we measured, by starting lane and starting items. In this guide you play it as Hard Support (pos. 5): your job is to keep your carry safe in the safe lane, buy the wards and give up farm so the cores can have it. The kit brings crowd control (stun) with Paralyzing Cask and sustain with Voodoo Restoration. Its ultimate is Death Ward. This patch, Witch Doctor wins 52.2% of the 597,434 public matches we measured (S tier on our ladder).
Strengths
- Reliable stun: Paralyzing Cask sets up kills and interrupts enemy channels.
- Keeps allies alive with Voodoo Restoration.
- Heavy magical burst: Valve lists it as a Nuker.
- Strong this patch: wins 52.2% of measured public matches.
Weaknesses
- No escape in the kit: without good positioning and vision, Witch Doctor 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 Witch Doctor players buy in the public matches we measured.
- Survival buildDefensiveSituationalPrioritises the popular items that keep you alive — Glimmer Cape and Pavise. Choose it against heavy disables or burst, or when you are the enemy's focus. Built from what Witch Doctor players buy in the public matches we measured.
- Team utility buildUtilitySituationalBuilt around the popular items that help your allies — Glimmer Cape and Pavise. Choose it when your team needs saves and auras more than your damage. Built from what Witch Doctor 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 Witch Doctor players buy in the public matches we measured.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
222%171%- Safe laneMain71% of matchesSafe lane next to your carry, as Hard Support (pos. 5).
- OfflanePriority 222% of matchesOff lane next to your offlaner, as Soft Support (pos. 4).
Starting items
Early game
Core items
- 1Glimmer Cape
- 2Blink Dagger
- 3Aghanim's Shard
- 4Pavise
Boots
Late game
Skill order
Max order:Maledict›Voodoo Restor…›Paralyzing Ca…
| 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
- +40 Death Ward Damage+6 Paralyzing Cask Bounces25
- Maledict bursts deal 75% damage in a 800 AoE+1% Target Max Health Voodoo Restoration Heal20
- +4s Maledict Duration-3.0s Paralyzing Cask Cooldown15
- +200 Health-25% Voodoo Restoration Mana Per Second10
Survival build
When to use it
Prioritises the popular items that keep you alive — Glimmer Cape and Pavise. Choose it against heavy disables or burst, or when you are the enemy's focus. Built from what Witch Doctor players buy in the public matches we measured.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
222%171%- Safe laneMain71% of matchesSafe lane next to your carry, as Hard Support (pos. 5).
- OfflanePriority 222% of matchesOff lane next to your offlaner, as Soft Support (pos. 4).
Starting items
Core items
- 1Glimmer Cape+20% Magic Resistance. Active: Glimmer.
- 2Pavise+3 Armor, +175 Mana, +175 Health. Active: Protect.
- 3Force Staff+10 Intelligence, +175 Health. Active: Force.
- 4Essence Distiller+1.5 Mana Regeneration, +3 All Attributes, +6 Armor. Active: Soul Release.
Boots
Late game
Skill order
Max order:Maledict›Voodoo Restor…›Paralyzing Ca…
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | ● | ● | · | · |
| · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | ● | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● |
Talents by level
- +40 Death Ward Damage+6 Paralyzing Cask Bounces25
- Maledict bursts deal 75% damage in a 800 AoE+1% Target Max Health Voodoo Restoration Heal20
- +4s Maledict Duration-3.0s Paralyzing Cask Cooldown15
- +200 Health-25% Voodoo Restoration Mana Per Second10
Team utility build
When to use it
Built around the popular items that help your allies — Glimmer Cape and Pavise. Choose it when your team needs saves and auras more than your damage. Built from what Witch Doctor players buy in the public matches we measured.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
222%171%- Safe laneMain71% of matchesSafe lane next to your carry, as Hard Support (pos. 5).
- OfflanePriority 222% of matchesOff lane next to your offlaner, as Soft Support (pos. 4).
Starting items
Core items
- 1Glimmer Cape+20% Magic Resistance. Active: Glimmer.
- 2Pavise+3 Armor, +175 Mana, +175 Health. Active: Protect.
- 3Essence Distiller+1.5 Mana Regeneration, +3 All Attributes, +6 Armor. Active: Soul Release.
- 4Solar Crest+7 Armor, +25 Movement Speed, +200 Mana. Active: Shine.
Boots
Late game
Skill order
Max order:Maledict›Voodoo Restor…›Paralyzing Ca…
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | ● | ● | · | · |
| · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | ● | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● |
Talents by level
- +40 Death Ward Damage+6 Paralyzing Cask Bounces25
- Maledict bursts deal 75% damage in a 800 AoE+1% Target Max Health Voodoo Restoration Heal20
- +4s Maledict Duration-3.0s Paralyzing Cask Cooldown15
- +200 Health-25% Voodoo Restoration Mana Per Second10
Abilities
- Paralyzing Cask20 / 18 / 16 / 14s80 / 100 / 120 / 140 mpLaunches a cask of paralyzing powder that ricochets between enemy units, stunning and damaging those it hits. Damage increases each bounce.
- Stun duration
- 0.8
- Base damage
- 55·70·85·100
- Bounces
- 3·4·5·6
- Bonus damage per bounce
- 20
- Voodoo Restoration25 mpWitch Doctor focuses his magic to heal nearby allied units, costing Witch Doctor mana every second Voodoo Restoration is active.
- Mana per sec
- 9·12·15·18
- Radius
- 650
- Heal
- 20·30·40·50
- Self heal
- 0%
- Maledict30 / 26 / 22 / 18s105 / 110 / 115 / 120 mpCurses all enemy Heroes and player-controlled targets in a small area, causing them to take a set amount of damage each second, as well as bursts of damage every 4 seconds based on how much health they have lost since the curse began.
- Radius
- 200
- Lost health burst damage
- 16%·24%·32%·40%
- Duration
- 12
Voodoo Switcheroo50s200 mpTurns Witch Doctor into a Death Ward briefly with reduced attack speed. He is hidden during this time.- Duration
- 2.5
- Attack speed reduction
- 45
Gris-GrisPassiveWitch Doctor gets a Gris-Gris, an item that cannot be dropped or placed in the backpack. When the owner dies, 100% of the gold lost from death is added to the item, and will be refunded when the item is consumed. The value of the Gris-Gris is increased by 1 every 3s.
Right-click to consume and permanently remove the item.- Death Ward100 / 90 / 80s200 mpCHANNELED - Summons a deadly ward to attack enemy heroes within its attack range. Lasts a maximum of 8 seconds. Death Ward has 50% bonus accuracy.
- Damage
- 60·90·120
- Attack range
- 600·625·650
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:Maledict›Voodoo Restor…›Paralyzing Ca…
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | ● | ● | · | · |
| · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● | ● | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● |
Strategy
1Early game
Position 5 starts in the safe lane with your carry: their last hits come first, so harass the enemy offlaner, pull the small camp when the wave needs resetting and buy the wards nobody else will. Harass when the enemy core walks up to last hit: every hit you land is gold your carry keeps.
- Early items: Urn of Shadows.
2Mid game
Rotate to the lanes where you can get kills, keep vision around the next objective and leave the farm to your cores. Your spikes are level 6, when Death Ward comes online, and your core items: Glimmer Cape and then Blink Dagger.
- Core items: Glimmer Cape, Blink Dagger and Aghanim's Shard.
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: Force Staff and Aghanim's Scepter.
4Team fights
Stay behind your cores, use Paralyzing Cask on whoever jumps on your carry and keep Voodoo Restoration for the moment the enemy commits. Use Death Ward where it hits the most enemies or catches the key target.
Tips
- Land Paralyzing Cask on the enemy core first: a disabled carry doesn't hit back.
- Keep Voodoo Restoration 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 Glimmer Cape and Blink Dagger: they give your team the saves it needs.
- Plan fights around Death Ward: without it, Witch Doctor is far less threatening.
Matchups
Strong against
- Lich60.9%win rate in the matchup
Witch Doctor wins 60.9% of the 64 games measured against Lich this patch.
64 matches
- Tiny58.1%win rate in the matchup
Witch Doctor wins 58.1% of the 74 games measured against Tiny this patch.
74 matches
- Tidehunter57.1%win rate in the matchup
Witch Doctor wins 57.1% of the 77 games measured against Tidehunter this patch.
77 matches
- Shadow Fiend55.6%win rate in the matchup
Witch Doctor wins 55.6% of the 151 games measured against Shadow Fiend this patch.
151 matches
- Ursa54.7%win rate in the matchup
Witch Doctor wins 54.7% of the 64 games measured against Ursa this patch.
64 matches
Weak against
- Sniper30.8%win rate in the matchup
Witch Doctor only wins 30.8% of the 52 games measured against Sniper this patch.
52 matches
- Ember Spirit31.7%win rate in the matchup
Witch Doctor only wins 31.7% of the 60 games measured against Ember Spirit this patch.
60 matches
- Snapfire37.6%win rate in the matchup
Witch Doctor only wins 37.6% of the 93 games measured against Snapfire this patch.
93 matches
- Skywrath Mage38.0%win rate in the matchup
Witch Doctor only wins 38.0% of the 71 games measured against Skywrath Mage this patch.
71 matches
- Timbersaw41.2%win rate in the matchup
Witch Doctor only wins 41.2% of the 51 games measured against Timbersaw this patch.
51 matches
Works well with
Voodoo Restoration from Witch Doctor keeps Morphling alive, and Morphling is the damage the team needs to protect.
Voodoo Restoration from Witch Doctor keeps Bloodseeker alive, and Bloodseeker is the damage the team needs to protect.
Voodoo Restoration from Witch Doctor keeps Nature's Prophet alive, and Nature's Prophet is the damage the team needs to protect.
Changelog
- Guide created for patch 7.41.
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