Dota 2

Spectre

● Agilitymeleemixed damageCarryDurableEscape

Spectre haunts her enemies wherever they may be. Able to destroy lone prey with ease, she spreads her presence throughout the battlefield to choose her target. Once she has gathered her strength, none can escape her terrible wrath.

Pos 1 — Carry
Win rate
53.5%
Pick rate
8.6%
Armor / MS
4.3 / 295
Range
150
Plan matchupRole builds

Abilities

Official ability data from Valve
Spectral DaggerQ⏱ 22 / 20 / 18 / 16s◆ 100 / 110 / 120 / 130
Spectre flings a dagger to draw a Shadow Path, dealing damage and slowing the movement speed of any enemies along the trail. Units hit by the dagger also trail a Shadow Path. While treading the path, Spectre moves faster and phases through otherwise impassable terrain.
Mechanics notes (2)
  • • There is a 1 second grace period after leaving the path where no collision is preserved.
  • • Does not trigger spell block or spell reflect.
•
Shadow Step⏱ 24 / 21 / 18 / 15s◆ 60 / 65 / 70 / 75
Sends an uncontrollable illusion at a target that follows and attacks the target. The Reality sub-ability may be used to teleport to the illusion, destroying it.
DispersionE
Spectre disperses part of the damage dealt to her, reflecting it to all nearby enemies. The effect lessens with distance.
Mechanics notes (4)
  • • The reflected damage is not dealt to Spectre.
  • • Illusions don't get this ability.
  • • Damage is reflected before reductions, and is returned as the same damage type.
  • • Damage done by this ability is considered reflected damage. Reflected damage does not provide any lifesteal and cannot be reflected.
DesolateWInnate
Spectre and her illusions deal bonus Pure damage if attacking an enemy that does not have any allied units within a 350 radius around them.
Mechanics notes (2)
  • • Damage is dealt before Spectre's attack.
  • • Spectre's illusions also have Desolate.
HauntR⏱ 160 / 150 / 140s◆ 125 / 175 / 225
Creates a spectral nemesis to haunt all enemy Heroes. Haunt illusions are uncontrollable, take extra damage, and deal less damage than Spectre herself. They ignore terrain. The Reality sub-ability may be used to teleport to the illusion, destroying it.
Traits ours:Pure damageHuge health poolSustained physical DPSStrong passives (Break-able)

Our ratings

0–10, our judgement — every planner uses them
EarlyMidLateLaningWave clearTeamfightPickoffDisableDurabilityMobility

Aghanim's upgrades

Upgrade text from Valve · priority is ours Our recommendation
Aghanim's Scepterlow priority
Haunt: The first time Spectre uses Reality on a Haunt illusion, enemies in a 400 area around the target are Feared away from Spectre for 2s and have their movement speed slowed by 50%. Reduces cooldown by 20s.
Aghanim's Shardmedium priority
Dispersion: Dispersion can be activated to increase the amount absorbed and reflected by Dispersion by 50% of its base values for 5s. Cooldown 25. Manacost 50.

Tips & counterplay

Playing as Spectre

Late-game monster. Survive the lane, farm Radiance, then Haunt into every fight.

Laning: Weak laner — Spectral Dagger for last hits and to escape.

Kill combo: Spectral Dagger slow → autos with Desolate on isolated heroes.

Staying alive: Dagger path for movement speed escape.

From real games (OpenDota)
  • • Most games are in the safe lane (97.2%, 51.8% win rate).
  • • Power Treads: usually done by 8 min; finishing it by 20 min wins 60%.
  • • Radiance: usually done by 20 min; finishing it by 15 min wins 77.6%.
  • • Manta Style: usually done by 25 min; finishing it by 15 min wins 75%.
  • • Gets stronger the longer the game goes (31.3% before 20 min → 60.4% after 60 min).

Playing against Spectre

Generated from this hero's traits, counters and real matchups

Pure damage Pure damage ignores armor and magic resistance. Raw health (Heart) and Aeon Disk are the answers.

Huge health pool Percentage damage and anti-heal (Spirit Vessel, Eye of Skadi) beat a big health pool.

Sustained physical DPS Ghost Scepter, Heaven's Halberd and armor (Assault Cuirass, Shiva's, Crimson Guard) shut down sustained right-clicks.

Strong passives (Break-able) Silver Edge breaks their passives. Plan the fight around the break.

  • • Respect Spectre at Lvl 6: Haunt lets you join every fight on the map.
  • • Respect Spectre at Radiance: Farm accelerates and fights become favourable.
  • • Respect Spectre at Manta / Heart: Unkillable late game.

Items that counter it

Phase Boots Sustained physical DPSGhost Scepter Sustained physical DPSBlade Mail Sustained physical DPSSolar Crest Sustained physical DPSSpirit Vessel Huge health poolAeon Disk Pure damage

Heroes that beat it

Talents

Current talents (Valve)
+12% All Spectre Illusion Damage
25
+4% Dispersion
+300 Health
20
+15% Spectral Dagger Slow/Bonus
+1s Shadow Step Duration
15
+80 Spectral Dagger Damage
-3s Spectral Dagger Cooldown
10
+12 Desolate Damage

Best items

Position 1 build Our recommendation
Starting
Early
››
Core
›››
Luxury

Power spikes

Our recommendation
Lvl 6Haunt lets you join every fight on the map.
RadianceFarm accelerates and fights become favourable.
Manta / HeartUnkillable late game.

Best skill build

Position 1 Our recommendation
123456789101112131415161718
Q Spectral DaggerQQQQ
W DesolateWWWW
E DispersionEEEE
R HauntRRR
T Talent★★

Counters

Strong against ours

Countered by

Weak against ours

Synergies

Great with ours

Best lane partners

Toughest lane opponents

From our matchup model, adjusted by each opponent's laning rating Our recommendation
Phantom Assassin−18
Necrophos−14
Queen of Pain−13
Tidehunter−13
Huskar−12

Live stats OpenDota · 2026-10-14

Public match stats

Win rate (all ranks)
53.5%
Win rate (Divine+)
53.3%
Pick rate
8.6% of matches
Sample
354,111 picks
Pro
4 picks · 25% WR · 3.3% ban

Lane presence

safe97.2% · 51.8% WR
mid2.1% · 32% WR

Win rate by rank

Public matches per medal bracket
54.5%Herald53.8%Guardian53.5%Crusader53.3%Archon53.6%Legend53.4%Ancient53.3%Divine

Win rate by game length

Minutes · OpenDota parsed games
31.3%10′42.1%20′47%30′52.7%40′55.3%50′60.4%60′

Item timings

When the item is finished, and the timing that wins most (≥15 games)
ItemGamesUsualWin %Best timing
Power Treads1,1648′52%≤20′ · 60%
Radiance1,03320′53.9%≤15′ · 77.6%
Manta Style92525′58.9%≤15′ · 75%
Orchid Malevolence13730′65%≤25′ · 66.7%
Eye of Skadi13330′91%≤30′ · 93.3%
Blade Mail5115′37.3%—
Hand of Midas4615′45.7%≤15′ · 33.3%
Aghanim's Scepter4230′83.3%≤30′ · 77.8%
Diffusal Blade3320′57.6%—
Bloodthorn3030′73.3%≤30′ · 77.8%

What players actually buy

Most purchased items by game phase
Start
Early
Mid
Late

Recent pro & league games

Most recent league matches featuring this hero
LeagueResultK / D / ALengthDate
DreamLeague Season 30 QualifiersWin5 / 5 / 1040′2026-10-13
DreamLeague Season 30 QualifiersWin12 / 10 / 2457′2026-10-12
DreamLeague Season 30 QualifiersWin1 / 2 / 012′2026-10-11
DreamLeague Season 30 QualifiersWin2 / 9 / 625′2026-10-11
PARI Universe by FISSURE Closed Qualifiers Loss5 / 6 / 751′2026-10-06
BETBOOM Streamers Battle Dota 15Win7 / 5 / 1053′2026-09-23
BETBOOM Streamers Battle Dota 15Loss8 / 6 / 840′2026-09-21
PGL Wallachia 2026 Season 9Loss5 / 4 / 2159′2026-09-21

Lore

Just as higher states of energy seek a lower level, the Spectre known as Mercurial is a being of intense and violent energy who finds herself irresistibly drawn to scenes of strife as they unfold in the physical world. While her normal spectral state transcends sensory limitations, each time she takes on a physical manifestation, she is stricken by a loss of self--though not of purpose. In the clash of combat, her identity shatters and reconfigures, and she begins to regain awareness. She grasps that she is Mercurial the Spectre--and that all of her Haunts are but shadows of the one true Spectre. Focus comes in the struggle for survival; her true mind reasserts itself; until in the final moments of victory or defeat, she transcends matter and is restored once more to her eternal form.