Night Stalker stats, abilities and strategy [7.41a]
Enpowered by the shadows of nightfall
Once the sun goes down, Night Stalker's hunt begins. Charging through the shadowy forests, he snares prey in a slowing void as he tears them to shreds. Should sunrise threaten to end his terror, he can darken the skies to extend his onslaught.
Win Rate 53.0%
Pick Rate 7.9%
Attributes
626 +66.0/lvl
255 +19.2/lvl
23 +3.0/lvl
18 +2.2/lvl
15 +1.6/lvl
Stats
Damage:
63 - 67 + 3.0/level (164 - 168 at level 30)
Range:
150
Armor:
5.0 + 0.4/level (18.0 at level 30)
Movement:
295
Roles
Carry
Durable
Nuker
Pusher
Support
Escape
Disabler
Initiator
Patch 7.41
- Removed Heart of Darkness innate ability
Facets
Abilities
ABILITY: Passive
PASSIVE: Breakable
Night Stalker is in his element at night, attacking and moving with great swiftness.
MOVE SPEED: 24%
ATTACK SPEED: 38
LEVEL 15 TALENT: 20% Hunter in the Night Status Resistance
Patch 7.41
- Now an innate ability
- Move Speed bonus changed from 22/28/34/40% to 24% + 2% per 3 levels
- Attack Speed bonus changed from 20/40/60/80 to 38 + 2 per level
- No longer upgraded with Aghanim's Shard
- Now upgraded with Aghanim's Scepter
- Increases bonus Movement Speed by 15% and bonus Attack Speed by 50. Killing an enemy hero resets cooldowns of all basic abilities
The hunting prowess of Balanar improves as the night beckons.
Void
AFFECTS: Unit
DAMAGE TYPE: Magical
PIERCES DEBUFF IMMUNITY: No
PASSIVE: No
DISPELLABLE: Yes
DEBUFF: Yes
Creates a damaging void that slows an enemy unit and deals damage. At night, Void also mini-stuns, interrupting channeling abilities, and its effects lasts longer.
Void does not ministun enemies during the day.
DAMAGE: 80 / 160 / 240 / 320
DAY DURATION: 1.25
NIGHT DURATION: 1.6 / 2.2 / 2.8 / 3.4
MOVE SLOW: 50%
ATTACK SLOW: 50
11 / 10 / 9 / 8
90 / 95 / 100 / 105
525
LEVEL 10 TALENT: -1s Void Cooldown
Patch 7.41
- Now upgraded with Aghanim's Shard
- Now affects all units within 400 radius around the target
Balanar creates a vortex of infinite night, tearing opponents violently into the eternal darkness that once was.
Crippling Fear
DAMAGE TYPE: Magical
PIERCES DEBUFF IMMUNITY: No
PASSIVE: No
Night Stalker horrifies all nearby enemies, causing them to become silenced and take damage over time while near him. The effect lasts longer at night.
DAY DURATION: 3
NIGHT DURATION: 4.5 / 5 / 5.5 / 6
AURA RADIUS: 375
DAMAGE PER SECOND: 25 / 30 / 35 / 40
30 / 25 / 20 / 15
50
LEVEL 20 TALENT: +75 Crippling Fear Radius
LEVEL 10 TALENT: +10 Crippling Fear DPS
Patch 7.41
- No longer upgraded with Aghanim's Scepter
A vision of the twisted maw of Balanar etches itself into the minds of the poor souls unlucky enough to cross his path.
Midnight Feast
ABILITY: Passive
PIERCES DEBUFF IMMUNITY: No
PASSIVE: Breakable
Night Stalker heals himself when attacking enemy units. At night, the ability can be activated to instantly destroy a non-ancient creep and restore a percentage of Night Stalker's maximum health and mana.
Amount of health gained from attacking is affecting by Health Restoration and is decreased when attacking non-hero targets.
LIFESTEAL: 12 / 16 / 20 / 24
MAX HEALTH RESTORE: 10% / 15% / 20% / 25%
MAX MANA RESTORE: 10% / 12% / 14% / 16%
39 / 36 / 33 / 30
125
LEVEL 25 TALENT: +100 Midnight Feast Lifesteal
Patch 7.41
- New basic ability. Has both passive and active components
- Night Stalker heals himself 6/8/10/12 health when attacking enemy units
- Attacks on allied units and buildings will not heal Night Stalker
- Can be cast at night to eat a non-ancient creep and restore 10/15/20/25% of Night Stalker's maximum health and 10/12/14/16% of his mana. Cast Range: 125. No Mana Cost. Cooldown: 39/36/33/30s
- Can't be cast on allies
Dark Ascension
DAMAGE TYPE: Physical
PASSIVE: No
Night Stalker smothers the sun and summons instant darkness, so that he might use his powers at their fullest. Night Stalker gains flight and bonus damage during this time. Has unobstructed vision.
DURATION: 30
BONUS DAMAGE: 50 / 100 / 150
140 / 135 / 130
125 / 175 / 225
LEVEL 25 TALENT: -40s Dark Ascension Cooldown
LEVEL 15 TALENT: +25 Dark Ascension Damage
It is a humbling sight to see when the mightiest of warriors become afraid of the dark.
Talents
-40s Dark Ascension Cooldown
+100 Midnight Feast Lifesteal
+ 1.6%
+15 Strength
+ 1.1%
+75 Crippling Fear Radius
20% Hunter in the Night Status Resistance
+25 Dark Ascension Damage
+ 1.0%
+10 Crippling Fear DPS
-1s Void Cooldown
+ 1.4%
Win Rate
Pick Rate
Patch 7.41
- Level 10 Talent +5s Dark Ascension Duration replaced with +10 Crippling Fear DPS
- Level 20 Talent +40 Crippling Fear DPS replaced with +75 Crippling Fear Radius
- Level 25 Talent +100 Hunter in the Night Attack Speed replaced with +100 Midnight Feast Lifesteal
Strategy
With the Voidbringer facet, run to mid as you load into the game and use your night time vision to scout for opponents' midlaner placing 
Observer Ward.
Night Stalker has great night vision but very limited day vision.
If you took the Voidbringer facet, look to survive through the first 5 minutes of the game and ideally have 
Phase Boots as the night hits.
Use Void to secure ranged creep last hits.
Try to manipulate creep lane equilibrium to get it closer to your tower during the day time.
If you took the Voidbringer facet, keep a skill point or opt to skill Crippling Fear as the first night approaches if it is necessary to score a kill.
Play and farm aggressively during the night time and provide additional vision for your team.
When going for a kill, consider saving Void for the ministun, if the enemy tries to 
Town Portal Scroll out.
Avoid fighting when it's day time and Dark Ascension is on cooldown - play defensively or push out lanes.
Prioritize dealing with backliners and supports in fights who struggle to get out of your Crippling Fear AoE, especially once you have 
Blink Dagger.
With the Night Reign facet, Look to apply pressure in the first 5 mins of the game and get ahead during this time to eventually make use of your ultimate.
Counter Strategy
If Night Stalker took the Voidbringer facet, he is weak in the first 5 minutes of the game. Pressure him early.
If Night Stalker took the Voidbringer facet, he will fight you at the 5 minute mark, as night time will hit.
Night Stalker's flying vision during Dark Ascension will allow him to see you inside or behind trees.
Look to fight during day time and when Dark Ascension is down.
Force Staff and 
Hurricane Pike are great items against Night Stalker's Crippling Fear.
Break effects remove Hunter in the Night and Night Stalker becomes significantly weaker.
If Night Stalker took the Night Reign facet, look to apply pressure before he reaches his level 6 during day time.