Desolator – Dota 2 Guide, Stats & Hero Matchups [Patch 7.41c]

Upgraded Item | Weapons

Main shop

3500

A wicked weapon, used in torturing political criminals.

Desolator (also know as Deso) reduces the armor of enemy units and increases damage during the game. It is mainly purchased by core players.

Base Combat Stats

+ 55 Damage

Recipe

Abilities

Passive: Corruption

Your attacks reduce the target's armor by 6 for 7.0 seconds.

Passive: Soul Stealer

Desolator gains +2 damage every time an enemy hero dies while affected by Corruption, to a maximum of 30.

Additional Insights

Armor reduction works on buildings.
Stacks with armor reduction of <item_orb_of_corrosion></item_orb_of_corrosion> and <item_desolator_2>Stygian Desolator</item_desolator_2> and corruption talents.Does not stack with the armor reduction of blight stone.Desolator attacks do not stack the armor reduction debuff, but instead reset its duration.The armor reduction is applied first, then the damage is dealt.Illusions cannot place the debuff, so they cannot gain stacks either. Illusions copy the stack count upon creation.Makes the ranged heroes' projectiles red.
Desolator grants a total of 80 attack damage at max charges.
Best against low armored heroes

Statistics

The statistics below shows the percentage of hero builds which contain Desolator as a core, common or situational item for each role. These statistics are based on our hero guides.

Itemization Strategy

Desolator is a great item for agility and strength heroes who rely on physical damage. Desolator is especially effective against heroes with high armor, as it reduces their armor by 6 for 7 seconds. This can make a big difference in teamfights, as it allows your team to deal more damage to the enemy heroes.

Heroes with Desolator as Core Item

A core item to increase your right click damage and apply minus armor on Stifling Dagger and right clicks. Lets you burst down enemy heroes and {roshan} much faster.

A core item to increase your right click damage and apply minus armor on every hit. It goes great with the minus armor that Meld provides and the additional damage it provides. Lets you burst down enemy heroes, take towers and {roshan} much faster.

A core item to increase your right click damage and apply minus armor on every hit. Massively improves your kill threat on the map and lets you burst down enemy heroes with Searing Arrows and Strafe.

A core item to increase your right click damage and apply minus armor on geminate and right clicks. Lets you burst down enemy heroes and {roshan} much faster. Also has great synergy with {aghanims-shard} to run through multiple enemy heroes and creeps with Shukuchi and do massive damage to all of them at the same time with Geminate right clicks.

A late game damage item to go with your level 25 talent. Helps your Tethered ally deal more physical damage by lowering the armor of your attack target. Works incredibly well to rat and take buildings using Relocate with a right click damage core.

A core item to increase your right click damage and apply minus armor on every hit. The minus armor also applies on hits from Wukong's Command and {aghanims-scepter} solidiers. Lets you burst down enemy heroes and {roshan} much faster.

A core item to massively increase your damage and reduce the armor of enemy heroes on your right clicks. The armor reduction also applies through Echo Slash, Raptor Dance, and Talon Toss.

Sounds

Purchase announcer
Desolator shot
Sniper's announcer (desolator)
Sniper's announcer (armor piercing)

YouTube Videos

When to buy Desolator:

Visual effect of Desolator:

Trivia

The word "desolate" means to make barren and uninhabitable, and the Desolator in Dota 2 certainly does that to enemy heroes. It reduces their armor, which makes them much more vulnerable to physical damage.

So, the name Desolator is a fitting one for this item, as it accurately reflects its ability to destroy enemies and leave them desolate.