Tormentors are one of the latest additions in Dota 2 that has significantly changed the game. It has its own unique abilities and rewards that have been deemed one of the crucial objectives in the game. This powerful neutral creep, located near the bases of each team, can be a game-changer, offering a free Aghanim’s Shard to the team that manages to take it down. However, destroying it isn’t as easy as it sounds. 

As Tormentors are relatively new, new and old players may need to study how these neutral creeps work, including their abilities, rewards, and strategies to defeat them efficiently. 

In this guide, we will explore everything you need to know about Tormentors in Dota 2!

What is a Tormentor in Dota 2?

A Dota 2 Tormentor is a unique neutral creep that appears in the game at the 20-minute mark. Unlike most other creeps, the Tormentor does not move around the map but remains at its spawn location. Each team has its own Tormentor that is located near respective bases. 

Tormentor Stats:

• Level: 30
• Armor: 20
• Magic Resistance: 55%
• Vision Range: 1400
• Bounty: 250 gold

The Tormentor rewards a free Aghanim’s Scepter to a player in the team once defeated. However, taking down Tormentors is no easy task as the creep has a powerful defense mechanism. Most of the time, Tormentors require the effort of multiple heroes to be taken down and somewhat a strategy.

The Tormentor’s abilities are:

• Unyielding Shield: Tormentor passively has a 2500 all damage barrier and regenerates for 100HP per second.
• Reflect: Tormentor reflects 90% of all damage taken evenly to all units around it.
• The Shining: Deals 30 damage per second to all units within 1200 range.

On the Dota 2 map, there are only two Tormentors. One is located on the Dire bottom lane, while the other is located near the Radiant top lane. Any hero can attack the Tormentors, with the one last-hitting it receiving the loot for their team. Tormentors Dota 2 mechanics add an extra layer of strategy, as teams must coordinate their attacks to secure the reward.

The Benefits of Tormentors

You may be wondering, exactly what is Tormentor in Dota 2 for? As we mentioned above, defeating a Tormentor grants a random player in your team an Aghanim’s Shard for free. It is an item that is worth 1400 gold and support heroes often earn the free Shard. Due to its highly useful freebie, teams tend to take it down quickly to give their support heroes an edge. 

Why waste 1400 gold when you can get it for free after merely a few seconds of destroying the Tormentor?

On top of that, the Tormentor gives a hefty 250 gold bounty to the hero that kills it. This is almost equal to killing an enemy hero which boosts the killer’s net worth pretty significantly, especially in the early game.

More Facts on Tormentors

• A Tormentor gains +2000 HP with each respawn, making it progressively harder to kill.
• Unlike Roshan, it does not drop items besides the Aghanim’s Shard reward.
• The Tormentor can be hexed and turned into a frog and other hex creatures, however it still functions normally as it relies on passive abilities.
• Monkey King can turn into a Tormentor using its Mischief ability.

What is an Aghanim’s Shard in Dota 2?

Aghanim’s Shard (or Aghanim Shard), not to be confused with the Aghanim’s Scepter, is a 1400 gold consumable item that unlocks or upgrades an ability for a hero. 

The Aghanim’s Shard has unique upgrades for each hero. Some Shard-hero combo have higher popularity than the rest. Some examples of the more popular Shard upgrades are:

• Witch Doctor - Aghanim’s Shard grants the ability Voodoo Switcheroo. This turns Witch Doctor into a Death Ward briefly with reduced attack speed. He is hidden during this time.
• Lich - Aghanim’s Shard grants the ability Ice Spire. This creates an Ice Spire at the target spot, slowing enemies around it. Can take 5 hero hits or 10 creep hits and when destroyed it will create a Frost Blast around it.
• Ancient Apparition - Aghanim’s Shard upgrades Ice Blast freezing enemies hit with the current level of Cold Feet for 60% of the duration.

How to Get a Free Aghanim’s Shard in Dota 2

In Dota 2, there are two ways for you to obtain the Aghanim’s Shard. The first and most obvious way is to purchase it through the Base Shop when you are in a match. However, it only becomes available in the shop from minute 15:00 onwards, which means you need to wait for some time before you can get your hands on the item.

The second way to get an Aghanim’s Shard is by destroying the Tormentor, which also rewards you with the Shard for free. The Tormentor only becomes available at minute 20:00 and once destroyed, it will only respawn after 10 minutes. 

Who gets the Shard?

One of the mysteries of Dota 2 is about who gets the Shard Tormentor drops. The Tormentor rewards the free Aghanim’s Shard to a RANDOM player in the team, which unfortunately means you are not guaranteed the Shard.

Most of the time, the lowest-net worth hero is near-guaranteed to get it. This means, in most scenarios, one of the supports will get the Shard. But it may not be the case so take this bit with a grain of salt.

How to Kill a Tormentor 

If you’re dealing with the Tormentor for the first time, it will be pretty tricky. You’ll need to somewhat calculate if you have enough damage, enough durability, and other factors to take it down.

In the early game, it is most recommended for you to destroy the Tormentor together with your teammates. This means you’ll have enough damage and enough heroes to tank the reflected damage as well. 

Heroes That Can Solo The Tormentor

Towards the late game, there are heroes that can handle the Tormentor on their own. The Tormentor is strong against magic damage and has pretty low armor, which narrows down the type of heroes that are strong to take it down.

Criteria for heroes that can solo the Tormentor includes:

• Have summons to tank the reflected damage.
• Possess high physical damage.
• Possess armor reducing abilities or items.

With these criteria in mind, here are what heroes can solo Tormentor:

• Treant Protector - Has summons that can tank reflected damage.
• Slardar - Has a powerful armor reduction ability.
• Lycan - Has summons that can deal more damage and tank reflected damage together.
• Bristleback - High durability and damage.
• Ursa - Has high damage and an ultimate ability that greatly negates reflected damage.

Conclusion

The Tormentor is a relatively new concept in Dota 2, introduced in April 2023, and its impact continues to be a topic of discussion within the community. Following its release, even prominent professional players like Arteezy questioned its value, arguing that the effort required to take down a Tormentor might not always justify the rewards.

Despite the debates, the general consensus has not condemned the idea. Tormentors have provided plenty of entertainment for both players and spectators, leading to chaotic team fights, unexpected plays, and hilarious miscalculations. More importantly, they offer a valuable mechanic that helps low-net-worth heroes stay relevant in the game.

However, engaging a Tormentor without proper preparation can be a costly mistake. Even experienced players, including professionals, have fallen victim to misjudging its strength. Always assess your team's capabilities before attempting to take one down, as Tormentors grow more powerful as the game progresses.

Dota 2 patches frequently introduce balance changes, which may alter how Tormentors function and the rewards they provide. Stay updated with the latest Dota 2 news and updates here on bo3 to stay ahead of the game!