Medusa

Popularity: #37

Leaderboard: #6

Ban Rank: #36

KDA Rank: #1

Hero

Build

Matchup

Immobilizes her enemies with her stone gaze

Constant attack is the key to Medusa's success. Using her mana shield to stave off assault, she employs split shots to mow down waves of enemies. Once she gathers her full strength, she becomes a force powerful enough to stop anyone in their tracks.

Win Rate 52.9%
Pick Rate 10.1%
Attributes
Hero image

120 +0.0/lvl

375 +43.2/lvl

Strength Image

0 +0.0/lvl

Agility Image

22 +3.6/lvl

Intelligence Image

25 +3.6/lvl

Stats
Attack

Damage:

48 - 54 + 3.6/level (166 - 172 at level 30)

Attack

Range:

600

Attack

Armor:

2.7 + 0.6/level (22.4 at level 30)

Attack

Movement:

275

Roles

Carry

Durable

Nuker

Pusher

Support

Escape

Disabler

Initiator

Facets

snake icon

Engorged

Win Rate: 51.0%

Pick Rate: 20.0%

Mystic Snake grants Medusa attack damage.

slow icon

Venomous Volley

Win Rate: 54.7%

Pick Rate: 39.5%

Every %attack_count% attacks, Medusa applies poison to her arrow that briefly reduces movement speed and attack speed.

speed icon

Undulation

Win Rate: 52.1%

Pick Rate: 40.6%

Medusa's movement speed is fixed at %fixed_movespeed% (%stone_gaze_ms_tooltip_only% during Stone Gaze). Medusa is unslowable and does not benefit from movement speed increases.

Abilities

Innate Ability Image
Mana Shield

ABILITY: Passive


Creates a shield that absorbs 98% of incoming damage in exchange for Medusa's mana that increases with each level of Medusa. Illusions absorb %illusion_percentage%% less damage per point of mana.


Absorbs damage before any damage reduction takes place, meaning that armor will not reduce the amount of mana needed to absorb damage.


BASE DAMAGE PER MANA: 2.2

DAMAGE PER MANA PER LEVEL: 0.1

TOTAL DAMAGE PER MANA:


FACET: Mana Pact

mana icon

Mana Shield can be activated, draining 3% of max mana per second to gain %aspd_increase_rate_pct% attack speed bonus per second, up to %aspd_increase_max_tooltip%. Maximum effect reached after %aspd_increase_max_aspd_time%s. Buff lasts %aspd_increase_buff_duration%s and Cooldown is %attack_buff_cooldown%s.


While Medusa was not gifted with eternal life upon birth, her curse bestowed her with impressive defensive powers.

Q

Split Shot

PIERCES DEBUFF IMMUNITY: Yes

PASSIVE: No


Medusa magically splits her shot into several arrows. These arrows deal a lower percent of her normal damage. The extra targets will not receive other attack effects (such as critical strike).


Secondary targets will be the closest enemy units excluding the primary target.

If illusions of Medusa are created while Split Shot is active, they will also have this ability.


OUTGOING DAMAGE: 50% / 60% / 70% / 80%

EXTRA TARGETS: 4


Talet tree backgroundTalent tree branchesTalent tree branch

LEVEL 15 TALENT: -8% Split Shot Damage Penalty


PATCH 7.38
  • Now upgraded with Aghanim's Scepter

  • Allows on-hit effects to apply to the secondary attacks from Split Shot and increases target count by 1


All who encounter the cursed Gorgon will feel her rage.

W

Mystic Snake

AFFECTS: Unit

DAMAGE TYPE: Magical

PIERCES DEBUFF IMMUNITY: No

PASSIVE: No


A mystic snake made of energy jumps from target to target dealing damage. Damage and speed increases with each jump. After it reaches its last target, it returns to Medusa to replenish her with mana. The snake returns a percentage of the targets' total mana.


Mystic Snake cannot be disjointed.


JUMP RADIUS: 450

JUMPS: 3 / 4 / 5 / 6

BASE DAMAGE: 90 / 150 / 210 / 270

MANA GAIN: 14% / 15% / 16% / 17%

DAMAGE/SPEED INCREASE PER JUMP: 25%

Cooldown

15 / 14 / 13 / 12

Cast Range

750


FACET: Engorged

snake icon

Mystic Snakes returning to Medusa empower her next 3 attacks with +1 additional damage for each 6 mana restored. Lasts up to 5s.


Talet tree backgroundTalent tree branchesTalent tree branchTalent tree branch

LEVEL 20 TALENT: +3 Mystic Snake Bounces

LEVEL 15 TALENT: -3s Mystic Snake Cooldown


PATCH 7.38
  • No longer upgraded with Aghanim's Scepter


The Gorgon's curse is her greatest strength.

E

Gorgon's Grasp

AFFECTS: Area

DAMAGE TYPE: Physical

PIERCES DEBUFF IMMUNITY: No

PASSIVE: No

DISPELLABLE: Yes


Medusa fires arrows in a line that land in 3 groups, with each grouping larger than the previous. Enemies struck by a volley of arrows take an initial burst of damage and then are rooted, cannot turn, are revealed to the enemy, and take damage per second.


INITIAL RADIUS: 150

RADIUS GROWTH: 50

DELAY: 1

DURATION: 0.8 / 1.2 / 1.6 / 2

DAMAGE: 30 / 70 / 110 / 150

DAMAGE PER SECOND: 100

Cooldown

30 / 27 / 24 / 21

Mana Cost

40 / 60 / 80 / 100

Cast Range

625


Talet tree backgroundTalent tree branchesTalent tree branchTalent tree branch

LEVEL 25 TALENT: +1 Gorgon's Grasp Volley

LEVEL 10 TALENT: +20% Gorgon's Grasp Radius

R

Stone Gaze

PIERCES DEBUFF IMMUNITY: Yes

PASSIVE: No


Any enemy units looking at Medusa will have their movement and attack speed slowed. If 2 seconds of total time is accumulated looking at Medusa while Stone Gaze is active, that unit will turn to stone. Petrified units are stunned, and take bonus physical attack damage.


Regardless of when a unit receives the Stone Gaze buff while the ability is active on Medusa, it will still receive the full debuff duration.


RADIUS: 1200

DURATION: 5 / 5.5 / 6

SLOW: 35%

STONE DURATION: 2 / 2.2 / 2.4

BONUS PHYSICAL ATTACK DAMAGE: 35% / 45% / 55%

SPEED BOOST: 50%

Cooldown

90

Cast Range

1200


Talet tree backgroundTalent tree branchesTalent tree branchTalent tree branch

LEVEL 20 TALENT: +1.5s Stone Gaze Duration

LEVEL 10 TALENT: +10% Stone Gaze Bonus Physical Damage


The beauty of Medusa is legendary.

Cold Blooded

Shard grants new ability

ABILITY: Passive

DAMAGE TYPE: Magical

PIERCES DEBUFF IMMUNITY: No

PASSIVE: Breakable


When Medusa is targeted with a spell, a single-target Mystic Snake is sent back towards the enemy that turns them into stone for 1s.


Cooldown

12


PATCH 7.38
  • The single-target Mystic Snake now always turns the enemy into stone for 1s

Talents [E]

Talet tree backgroundTalent tree branchesTalent tree branch

+40 Intelligence

+ 6.8 %

+1 Gorgon's Grasp Volley

Talet tree backgroundTalent tree branchesTalent tree branch

+1.5s Stone Gaze Duration

+ 3.7 %

+3 Mystic Snake Bounces

Talet tree backgroundTalent tree branchesTalent tree branch

-3s Mystic Snake Cooldown

-8% Split Shot Damage Penalty

+ 4.2 %

Talet tree backgroundTalent tree branchesTalent tree branch

+10% Stone Gaze Bonus Physical Damage

+ 2.6 %

+20% Gorgon's Grasp Radius

Win Rate

Pick Rate

PATCH 7.38
  • Level 10 Talent +40 Mystic Snake Damage replaced with +20% Gorgon's Grasp Radius

Strategy

Secure ranged creep with Mystic Snake if contested.

In order to get most of the mana back, Mystic snake needs to hit heroes and ranged creeps.

Ask your teammates to stack for you as you can clear them early.

From level 5, you can start clearing lane creeps quickly and farming camps nearby to accelerate your farm.

If possible, farm two neutral camps at the same time with Split Shot and Mystic Snake.

You don't have to skill Stone Gaze at level 6 unless you feel like you might be in danger.

If a neutral camp consists of multiple creeps with mana pools, Mystic Snake can regain you a lot of mana.

Use Manta Style with Split Shot on to farm extra creepwaves that you can't with your hero.

You need not rush Stone Gaze usage in the fights. Make sure opponents are committed to the fight before you pop it.

Position yourself in the center of the fight to Split Shot multiple heros. Medusa does mediocre single-target damage.

Mana burn is a big problem for Medusa. You can itemize against it or adapt the playstyle.

If things are going rough, consider purchasing Divine Rapier. Works well with Split Shot.

Your mana pool also acts as your HP pool. So remain aware of your current mana and keep it high with clarities and lotuses.

You can combine the movement speed slow from your Venomous Volley facet to make it easier to land Gorgons Grasp.

Counter Strategy

Play on the side of the creepwave to avoid being hit by Mystic Snake - Medusa's main laning spell.

Look to kill Medusa before she activates her ultimate. If Stone Gaze is up, turn or run away from Medusa.

Medusa farms quickly due to Split Shot. Smoke on her, place deep wards and block off camps with sentries.

Mana burning spells and items are great against Medusa.

Crimson Guard, armor items and Heaven's Halberd are great against Medusa.

Medusa is extremely squishy once her mana pool is gone as she has a very small HP pool.

Lore

Beauty is power. This thought comforted Medusa--the youngest and loveliest of three beautiful Gorgon sisters, born to a sea goddess--because she alone of the sisters was mortal. It comforted her, that is, until the day masked assailants invaded the Gorgon realm and tore the two immortal sisters from their home, unmoved by their beauty or by their tears. One of the invaders seized Medusa as well, but then cast her aside with a disgusted look: 'This one has the mortal stink upon her. We have no use for that which dies.' Humiliated, enraged, Medusa fled to the temple of her mother and cast herself before the goddess, crying, 'You denied me eternal life--therefore I beg you, give me power! Power, so I can dedicate what life I have to rescuing my sisters and avenging this injustice!' After long thought, the goddess granted her daughter's request, allowing Medusa to trade her legendary beauty for a face and form of terrifying strength. Never for a moment has Medusa regretted her choice. She understands that power is the only beauty worth possessing--for only power can change the world.

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