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DOTA 2 / HERO HISTORY

Lion changes

Balance notes across the versions listed by Valve. An unchanged patch is a small victory for your muscle memory.

Change record

36 patches with recorded changes · 118 of 118 listed patches readable.

Coverage: Feb 1, 2018 to Sep 15, 2026. This feed does not include every patch in Dota’s lifetime.

Inspect coverage by patch

Jun 4, 2026

Lion in 7.41d

  • TalentsLevel 15 Talent Hex Cooldown Reduction decreased from 2.5s to 2s
  • Finger of DeathDamage per kill decreased from 30 to 25

Mar 24, 2026

Lion in 7.41

  • To Hell and BackAbility reworked
  • To Hell and BackKilling or assisting in a Hero kill provides Lion with 20% debuff duration while that hero is dead. Whenever Lion respawns or resurrects, he gains 20% spell amplification for 90s or until he gets a kill or an assist
  • Finger of DeathCooldown decreased from 120/80/40s to 110/70/30s
  • Finger of DeathDamage per kill decreased from 40 to 30
  • Finger of DeathNow has empowered melee attacks after the cast by default
  • Finger of DeathAfter using Finger of Death, Lion's hand becomes empowered, turning him into a melee hero with 250 attack range and 30 bonus movement speed. These melee attacks have 25% cleave and deal 20/30/40 bonus damage which increases with each Finger of Death kill. Enemy heroes that die within 3s after getting hit with these melee attacks (or from them) also provide bonus per kill damage. Melee form duration: 20s
  • Finger of DeathAbility can be toggled with right-click to disable the melee form
  • Finger of DeathCleave area is a cone with 150 width that increases up to 350 at 650 distance
  • Finger of DeathAghanim's Scepter now also increases melee cleave from 25% to 50% and duration from 20s to 30s
  • Finger of DeathAghanim's Scepter no longer decreases cooldown

Dec 15, 2025

Lion in 7.40

  • HexMana Cost decreased from 125/150/175/200 to 110/140/170/200
  • Finger of DeathCooldown decreased from 130/85/40s to 120/80/40s

May 22, 2025

Lion in 7.39

  • Finger of DeathCooldown decreased from 140/90/40s to 130/85/40s
  • Finger of DeathAghanim's Scepter Cooldown increased from 80/50/20s to 90/60/30s

Feb 18, 2025

Lion in 7.38

  • TalentsLevel 10 Talent +65 Earth Spike Damage replaced with +20 Movement Speed
  • TalentsLevel 15 Talent +70 Max Health Per Finger of Death Kill replaced with +15% To Hell And Back Debuff/Spell Amp
  • Mana DrainNo longer instantly kills enemy illusions

Nov 19, 2024

Lion in 7.37e

  • Base Intelligence decreased from 20 to 19

Aug 28, 2024

Lion in 7.37c

  • TalentsLevel 15 Talent Hex Cooldown Reduction increased from 2s to 2.5s
  • HexCast Range increased from 550/575/600/625 to 575/600/625/650

Jul 31, 2024

Lion in 7.37

  • Mana DrainWhen the enemy has no mana remaining, the slow from Mana Drain is increased by an additional 15%

May 22, 2024

Lion in 7.36

  • Innate Ability · To Hell and BackNew Innate ability. Passive, can't be leveled up
  • Innate Ability · To Hell and BackLion gains 20% debuff duration and 20% spell amplification for 90s after respawning
  • Essence Eater · Mana DrainDeals damage equal to 100% of the mana stolen
  • Fist of Death · Finger of DeathAfter casting Finger of Death, Lion switches from ranged to melee attacks with a fixed 250 range and gains 40 + 30 damage per stack for 20s. Enemies killed within 3s of being punched will add Finger of Death stacks. Attacks during melee buff also have a 50% cleave damage with 650 distance
  • Fist of Death · Finger of Death · ContextIf an enemy was punched and killed within 3s after Finger of Death was cast on them, Lion will still get only one Finger of Death stack
  • Strength gain increased from 2.2 to 2.4
  • Agility gain increased from 1.5 to 1.7
  • TalentsLevel 25 Talent +100% Mana Drain Damage replaced with +600 Earth Spike cast range/travel distance
  • Mana DrainNo longer deals damage by default

Feb 21, 2024

Lion in 7.35c

  • Earth SpikeCooldown increased from 11s to 14/13/12/11s
  • Mana DrainMovement Slow/Bonus decreased from 20/25/30/35% to 15/20/25/30%
  • Mana DrainAghanim's Shard Magic Resistance decreased from 80% to 60%
  • Mana DrainAghanim's Shard Bonus Break Distance decreased from 400 to 200
  • Mana DrainAghanim's Shard now breaks on secondary targets if Lion loses vision of them

Dec 14, 2023

Lion in 7.35

  • Base Health Regen increased from 0.25 to 0.5
  • TalentsLevel 25 Talent Mana Drain Deals Damage replaced with +100% Mana Drain Damage
  • Mana DrainNow damages enemies for 100% of the mana drained

Nov 20, 2023

Lion in 7.34e

  • Earth SpikeCast Range increased from 575 to 650

Sep 8, 2023

Lion in 7.34c

  • HexCast Range decreased from 625 to 550/575/600/625

Aug 8, 2023

Lion in 7.34

  • TalentsLevel 15 Talent Mana Drain Restores Allies replaced with -2s Hex Cooldown
  • TalentsLevel 20 Talent -3s Hex Cooldown replaced with Earth Spike affects a 30 degree cone
  • Mana DrainNo longer has a mana cost
  • Mana DrainCan now target allies without the level 15 talent. Grants bonus movement speed when used on allies and no longer drains mana from Lion when the allied target is at full mana. Movement speed and mana restored are decreased by 50% of the slow and mana stolen values

Jun 15, 2023

Lion in 7.33d

  • Earth SpikeSpike Radius increased from 125 to 140
  • HexCast Range increased from 600 to 625

May 13, 2023

Lion in 7.33c

  • Base Intelligence increased from 18 to 20
  • Earth SpikeCooldown decreased from 12s to 11s
  • Earth SpikeDamage increased from 100/160/220/280 to 105/170/235/300
  • Mana DrainAghanim's Shard Magic Resistance increased from 50% to 80%

Apr 20, 2023

Lion in 7.33

  • Earth SpikeDamage increased from 95/150/205/260 to 100/160/220/280
  • Earth SpikeStun Duration decreased from 1.4/1.8/2.2/2.6s to 1.3/1.6/1.9/2.2s
  • Earth Spike · ContextDuration decreased as a part of the comprehensive Disables Reduction
  • Earth SpikeProjectile Speed increased from 1800 to 2800
  • Earth SpikeMana Cost rescaled from 85/110/135/160 to 90/110/130/150
  • HexCast Range increased from 550 to 600
  • HexDuration decreased from 2.5/3/3.5/4s to 2/2.4/2.8/3.2s
  • Hex · ContextDuration decreased as a part of the comprehensive Disables Reduction
  • Mana DrainSpell Immunity with Aghanim's Shard replaced with Debuff Immunity with 50% Magic Resistance

Mar 6, 2023

Lion in 7.32e

  • Base Armor increased by 1
  • Base Agility decreased from 18 to 15
  • Finger of DeathCooldown decreased from 160/100/40s to 140/90/40s

Nov 29, 2022

Lion in 7.32d

  • TalentsLevel 20 Talent Hex Cooldown Reduction increased from 2s to 3s
  • Earth SpikeDamage increased from 80/140/200/260 to 95/150/205/260

Aug 23, 2022

Lion in 7.32

  • Turn Rate improved from 0.6 to 0.8
  • TalentsLevel 10 Talent +60 Damage replaced with +65 Earth Spike Damage
  • TalentsLevel 10 Talent +15 Movement Speed replaced with +10% Mana Drain Movement Slow
  • TalentsLevel 15 Talent -2s Earth Spike Cooldown replaced with Mana Drain Targets Allies
  • TalentsLevel 20 Talent Mana Drain Targets Allies replaced with -2s Hex Cooldown
  • TalentsLevel 25 Talent +800 Earth Spike Range replaced with Mana Drain Deals Damage Equal To 150% Of Mana Stolen

Jun 8, 2022

Lion in 7.31d

  • Earth SpikeProjectile Speed increased from 1600 to 1800
  • HexCooldown decreased from 30/24/18/12s to 24/20/16/12s

Feb 23, 2022

Lion in 7.31

  • Finger of DeathMana cost reduced from 200/420/650 to 200/400/600
  • Finger of DeathAghanim's Scepter cooldown reduced from 100/60/20 to 80/50/20
  • Mana DrainNow reveals invisible units

Oct 28, 2021

Lion in 7.30e

  • Earth SpikeManacost increased from 70/100/130/160 to 85/110/135/160

Aug 17, 2021

Lion in 7.30

  • Armor reduced by 1
  • TalentsLevel 10 talent reduced from +70 damage to +60
  • Earth SpikeTravel Distance reduced from 900 to 850 (Cast Range is unchanged, only bonus length is reduced)
  • Finger of DeathScepter Damage reduced from 725/875/1025 to 700/825/950

Apr 9, 2021

Lion in 7.29

  • Reworked Shard upgrade. Causes Mana Drain to affect up to three enemies. You become Spell Immune while channeling.
  • TalentsLevel 10 Talent changed from +15% Mana Drain Slow to +15 Movement Speed
  • TalentsLevel 15 Talent changed from +125 Cast Range to +70 Max Health per Finger of Death Kill
  • TalentsLevel 20 Talent changed from +2 Mana Drain Multi Target to Mana Drain Restores Allies
  • Mana DrainCooldown rescaled from 16/12/8/4 to 15/12/9/6
  • Mana DrainBreak distance reduced from 1200 to 1100

Dec 21, 2020

Lion in 7.28a

  • Mana DrainShard attack speed reduction increased from 90 to 120

Jul 15, 2020

Lion in 7.27b

  • Base attack speed increased from 100 to 115
  • Base armor increased by 1
  • TalentsLevel 10 Talent increased from +75 Cast Range to +15% Mana Drain Slow
  • TalentsLevel 15 Talent changed from +15% Mana Drain Slow to +150 Cast Range
  • TalentsLevel 15 Talent changed from +150 Finger Of Death Damage to -2s Earth Spike Cooldown
  • TalentsLevel 20 Talent changed from +400 Health to +20 Finger of Death Damage Per Kill

May 2, 2020

Lion in 7.26c

  • TalentsLevel 15 Talent changed from +50 Mana Drain to +15% Mana Drain Slow

Jan 26, 2020

Lion in 7.24

  • TalentsLevel 15 Talent changed from +150 Gold/Min to +60 Mana Drain

May 24, 2019

Lion in 7.22

  • Finger of DeathDamage per kill reduced from 50 to 40

Jan 29, 2019

Lion in 7.21

  • TalentsLevel 10 Talent increased from +75 Cast Range to +100
  • TalentsLevel 15 Talent increased from +120 Gold/Min to +150

Nov 19, 2018

Lion in 7.20

  • Mana DrainSlow increased from 16/19/22/25% to 20/24/28/32%
  • Finger of DeathNow gains +50 Damage per hero kill.

Mar 29, 2018

Lion in 7.12

  • Earth SpikeManacost rescaled from 100/120/140/160 to 70/100/130/160

Mar 1, 2018

Lion in 7.10

  • Talent: Level 10 Talent increased from +75 Damage to +90
  • Talent: Level 15 Talent increased from +90 Gold/Min to +120
  • Mana DrainSlow increased from 14/16/18/20 to 16/19/22/25%

Feb 1, 2018

Lion in 7.08

  • Mana DrainMana Drain now slows the target by 14/16/18/20%

Source: Valve’s public Dota 2 data feeds. Notes belong to Valve. Dates use Bellevue time (Pacific).