/// COUNTER.GUIDE
← All counter guidesHow to survive burst damage
Burst heroes try to kill you before you can react. These items, a spell and a talent each blunt the first seconds of a fight.
The problem
Assassins and burst mages deal a large share of their damage in a few seconds. Health and defense help, and the entries below add a specific protection on top.
Which one to buy depends on whether the burst is physical or magic damage, and on whether you need to survive the combo or escape it.
What does it
Numbers and effects below are the in-game text from our database, not typed in by hand.
Athena's Shield
Defense item · 2150g
Against magic burst: reduces magic damage taken.
Shield. Upon taking Magic Damage, gains 25% Magic Damage Reduction for 3s (applies before taking damage). Regains this effect 5s after leaving combat.
Radiant Armor
Defense item · 1880g
Against magic burst: gains magic defense as you take magic damage.
Holy Blessing. Taking Magic Damage grants 6-20 Magic Defense (scales with level) for 5s, up to 6 stacks (1 stack only every 0.6s).
Antique Cuirass
Defense item · 2170g
Against physical burst: weakens the physical damage of anyone who hits you with a skill.
Deter. When hit by a skill, reduces the attacker's Physical Damage by 6% for 2s (this effect stacks up to 3 times).
Wind of Nature
Attack item · 1910g
Against physical burst: an active immunity to physical damage, for a short time.
Wind Chant. Become immune to all Physical Damage for 2s. (Duration is halved when used by non-marksmen). Cooldown: 90s.
Queen's Wings
Defense item · 2250g
Reduces damage you take once your HP is low.
Demonize / Defiance. Demonize: When HP drops below 40%, gains 30% Damage Reduction for 3 seconds and reduces the skill cooldown by 2 seconds. This effect has a 60 seconds cooldown. Defiance: For every 1% HP lost, damage is increased by 0.25%, up to 15%.
Winter Crown
attack, magic item · 1910g
A short escape from a combo: you cannot be targeted or damaged, but also cannot move or cast.
Frozen. Become frozen, untargetable, and immune to damage for 2 seconds (100 seconds cooldown). Cannot move or cast skills while frozen, but skills already cast won't be interrupted.
Immortality
Defense item · 2120g
A second life: you come back after dying, with a shield.
Immortal. Revives 2.5s after death and gaining 16% Max HP and 220-1200 shield (scales with level) that lasts for 3s. (210 cooldown).
Aegis
Battle spell · 75s cooldown
A battle spell that gives you a shield.
Gain a 750(+90*Hero Level) shield for 5s.
Tenacity
Tank Emblem talent
A Tank emblem talent that adds defense once your HP is low.
When HP is below 50%, Physical & Magic Defense are increased by 15.
How to use it
- Check whether the burst hero deals physical or magic damage before you buy, then pick the matching item.
- Wind of Nature and Winter Crown are timing items. Their effects last only a couple of seconds, so save them for the moment the combo lands.
- Immortality does not stop the first death. It gives you a chance to keep fighting after it.
- Stay close to your team: a burst hero who has to get through a front line loses most of their burst.
What this does not know
- This lists the protections in our item, spell and talent data. Hero skills with shields or damage reduction are not included.