Shadow Fiend Guide in Dota 2

Shadow Fiend, aka Nevermore, is one of the iconic heroes of Dota 2. He plays just how you would expect a menacing-looking demon to play: deal a lot of damage, apply crippling aura debuffs, and consume the souls of your enemies in pursuit of ever greater power.

In this guide, you’ll find out how to play Shadow Fiend in the current meta. We’ll review the hero's abilities, recommended items, and the roles he can fill the best.

The Story of Shadow Fiend in Dota 2

Nevermore is an evil demon, obsessed with claiming other living creatures’ souls. However, no one knows what he actually does with them in his astral home, the Abysm. Other than that, there is not much to tell about the lore of Shadow Fiend.

The character resembles a demon that just emerged from some shadowy hell. If that’s not enough, you can also make your Shadow Fiend even more terrifying with cosmetic items like the popular Demon Eater (Arcana).

Base Stats and Hero Aspects of Shadow Fiend

So, what will you get at the beginning of the match if you choose Shadow Fiend? The hero has some pretty impressive base stats:

Nevermore is a ranged Agility hero, so as he levels up, he gains attack speed and attack damage. Also, during the Strategy stage, you can choose one of Shadow Fiend’s facets:

Shadow Fiend also has an innate ability called Necromastery. It increases the maximum number of souls that may be claimed by Nevermore by 1 for every hero killed until SF dies.

Shadow Fiend’s Abilities and How to Use Them

Shadow Fiend abilities seem custom-made for teamfight initiations. Plus, Nevermore can easily withstand several opponents alone, which makes him one of the most powerful heroes in the game.

Shadowraze (Q, W, E)

Shadows erupt in a small area before the SF, dealing AoE damage. Shadowraze causes 90/160/230/300 magical damage. Also, the spell has a stacking damage amplifier, which is active for 7 seconds and provides 35/50/65/80 bonus damage per stack. The ability has three activation keys with different cast ranges (200, 450, and 700), each with its own 9-second cooldown. The ability costs 75/80/85/90 mana regardless of which range you want to use.

Feast of Souls

This ability is the linchpin of any good Shadow Fiend skill build. When activated, Nevermore gains bonus attack speed (40/55/70/85) and move speed (5%/7%/9%/11%) for 8 seconds. The ability has a relatively long cooldown (21 seconds), but it doesn’t require a lot of mana (60/65/70/75). Feast is great for teamfights and lane-pushing (activate it when attacking towers, barracks, or a throne).

Presence of the Dark Lord

This is a passive debuff that works as an aura with a 1,200 radius. The armor of all the enemies under its influence is reduced by -3/-4/-5/-6, depending on the ability’s level. Plus, Presence of the Dark Lord also pierces spell immunity.

Requiem of Souls

Shadow Fiend releases the captured souls as projectiles made of demonic energy, causing damage (80/120/160 per projectile) to the nearby units. Everyone who gets damaged by this spell gains the fear effect for a maximum of 2.15 seconds. Their movement (-20%/-25%/-30%) and magic resistance (-5% /-10% /-15%) also get a temporary reduction. The skill releases all souls previously captured by the hero. Requiem of Souls costs 150/175/200 mana points, and its cooldown is 120/110/100 seconds.

Skill Builds and Talent Progression for Shadow Fiend

The variability of Shadow Fiend talents, abilities, and basic stats makes him a unique hero who can perform well in several roles. At the same time, there are a few drawbacks to consider before you pick this character.

The mid and easy lanes are where Nevermore can truly shine. All in all, this hero can fill one of three roles:

1. Carry: Due to high magical and physical damage, SF can quickly take multiple opponents down, making him a core hero in team fights.
2. Midlaner: Optionally, you can play Shadow Fiend mid lane, especially against a slow melee hero. In this case, Nevermore will reach the sixth level faster, allowing him to fully utilize his initiation and roaming capabilities.
3. Roamer/Initiator: Nevermore can roam between the lanes, supporting his teammates with ganks.

Of course, your skill build will depend on the in-game situation. However, if you don’t know much about SF’s abilities, this build is a good starting point:

LVL	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18
	+		+		+		+
		+		+				+			+
									+				+	+		+
						+						+						+
										+					+

You’ll also get to choose a talent upon reaching the 20th and 25th levels. Here’s what you can get(the recommended options are highlighted in blue).

Best Item Builds for Shadow Fiend in Dota 2

Here’s the statistically best build for Shadow Fiend to help you make all the kills you want while staying alive yourself.

Starting items

If you don’t want to visit the base (Fountain) every minute of the match or die trying to claim the first Bounty rune, purchase the following utilities:

Icon	Name	Price
	Magic Stick	200
	Iron Branch (2 items)	50 + 50
	Enchanted Mango	65
	Faerie Fire	65
	Tango	90
	Observer Ward	Free

Core mid-game items

Here are the items you should try to purchase by the 16th minute of the match. They’ll allow you to farm more creeps and significantly enhance your combat capabilities.

Icon	Name	Price
	Bottle (for Midlaner)	675
	Magic Wand	450
	Power Treads	1,400
	Falcon Blade	1,125
	Mask of Madness	1,900
	Dragon Lance	1,900
	Yasha	2,100

Situational late-game items

This Shadow Fiend item build in Dota 2 includes optional artifacts, which you can purchase after the mid-game, depending on the heroes in your team and the enemies you face.

Icon	Name	Price
	Manta Style	4,650
	Black King Bar	4,050
	Hurricane Pike	4,450
	Daedalus	5,100
	Satanic	5,050
	Blink Dagger	2,250
	Silver Edge	5,800
	Aghanim’s Scepter	4,200

Best Allies and Counters to Shadow Fiend

As well as other heroes in Dota 2, Shadow Fiend has a list of “friends” whose abilities and buffs significantly boost this demon’s efficiency. At the same time, some dangerous enemies can withstand Nevermore’s powers and easily eliminate him in team fights.

Best teammates

Next, let’s see which heroes pair well with SF. If you play at a party with a friend, it might be a good idea to ask them to pick one of the following:

	Lion
	Shadow Shaman
	Dazzle

Dangerous enemies

Next, let’s review the easiest counters to Shadow Fiend. These heroes’ abilities can prevent SF from using his skills effectively or even kill him outright:

	Pudge
	Silencer
	Outworld Destroyer

Gameplay Strategy for Shadow Fiend in Dota 2

Let’s briefly discuss how to farm with Shadow Fiend and get the most out of this hero’s stats & abilities in different stages of the game.

Early Game

The early game lasts until the fifteenth minute of the match. At this stage, you should focus on farming lane creeps to earn more XP, gold, and souls. If you are the team’s midlaner, don’t forget to pick up Power Runes (Haste rune, Regeneration rune, and others), as they allow you to roam faster and better.

Mid Game

The mid game lasts approximately from the 15th to the 25th minute of the match. You can use this time for jungle farm, killing Roshan together with your buddies, and taking part in the first team fights. In combat, your task is to get close to the enemy team and unleash your ultimate. Afterward, feel free to kill any survivors with your first skill and physical attacks.

Late game

In the late game phase, consider purchasing Silver Edge or Blink Dagger to boost your initiation. Also, Black King Bar will ensure your ultimate can’t be disrupted by skills like Silencer’s Global Silence or OD’s Astral Imprisonment. Focus on increasing your attack speed to fully utilize late-game SF’s considerable physical damage.

Conclusion

Follow the tips from our Shadow Fiend guide in Dota 2 to master this hero and become a pro Midlaner or Carry. Plus, don’t hesitate to watch how this character is played on the professional scene by legends like Arteezy and YaphetS.

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