Neutral items have been introduced in Dota 2 since 2020, and the vast player base has gradually adjusted to the bonus item concept over the last five years. Neutral items were frequently cycled in and out of patches, with new items being introduced periodically. However, Valve completely revamped the neutral item system in Patch 7.38, released in February 2025, prompting many Dota 2 players to re-learn how it works.
Here’s a quick and comprehensive guide to the new neutral item system following Patch 7.38!
What are Neutral Items in Dota 2?
Neutral items are random items players can obtain by killing neutral creeps. This bonus item functions like a mini-item with its dedicated inventory slot and unique functions. Unlike purchased items, neutral items typically have a smaller impact on your stats and abilities. However, with the right combination, they can provide a significant stat boost, helping to strengthen your hero.
Neutral items are divided into five tiers, with tier one being early-game drops and tier five being late-game drops. Once equipped, you cannot unequip your neutral item, and it can only be changed during the following tier selection.
How to Craft Neutral Items
To craft neutral items in Dota 2, follow these steps:
- Collect Madstones: After clearing a neutral creep camp, a Madstone will drop. You receive 2 charges for yourself and 1 charge for a random teammate. Clearing an Ancient Creep camp gives you 3 charges for yourself and 2 for other teammates.
- Gather Enough Madstones: To craft a neutral item, you'll need a specific number of Madstones. For Tier 1, collect 5 Madstones. Other Tiers require +10 Madstones, so Tier 2 needs 15, Tier 3, needs 25, Tier 4 needs 35, and Tier 5 needs 45. Dota 2 allows you to re-craft Tier 5 items, in case you need other options, but it will require an escalating number of Madstones every time you re-craft (e.g., +30, +40, +50). NOTE that you can only start collecting Madstones from 5:00 minutes onward.
- Understanding Artifacts and Enchantments: A neutral item is a combination of an Artifact and an Enchantment. Artifacts provide active abilities or spells, while Enchantments offer stat boosts. For example, activating the Mana Draught Artifact restores mana quickly, while the Quickened Enchantment provides passive Mana Regeneration and Magic Resistance.
- Select Your Item: Once you’ve collected enough Madstones for a given tier, you’ll be presented with three Artifact and Enchantment options from the current tier, along with the option to keep your current item. Choose one Artifact and one Enchantment to craft your neutral item.
- Equip the Item: After crafting, the neutral item will be permanently placed in your inventory until you unlock the next tier’s item.
This new system enables you to easily equip neutral items without having items stashed into the neutral items vault which you had to go to base or use the courier to have it sent to you. It also provides more flexible neutral item selection with a separate active function and stats boost.
Now that you know the steps to acquire neutral items, take a look at all available choices below. Knowing the different Artifacts and Enchantments can help you make decisions quickly while in-game!
All Artifacts in Dota 2
TIER 1 ARTIFACTS:
Name | Active Spell | Passive Bonus |
Mana Draught | Bottoms Up - Restores 60 Mana + 2% of caster's max mana over 6 seconds. Ends early if taking damage from enemy hero or Roshan. Can be shared like Bottle | Fill Up - Increases cooldown speed by 30% while in water. |
Occult Bracelet | Rites of Eloshar - Gain 0.4 mana regen for each attack received, stacking up to 5 times, lasting 5 seconds. | |
Orb of Destruction | Impeding Corruption - Attacks reduce target's armor by 2 and slow movement by 10% (melee) or 5% (ranged) for 5 seconds. | |
Pig Pole | Pig, Out! - Turn into a critter for 4 seconds with +15% movement speed. | |
Pollywog Charm | Ribbit - Increases an ally's health regeneration by 8 for 10 seconds. While in water, they move 10% faster. | |
Ripper's Lash | Flay - Embed thorns into enemies within 200 units. For the next 10 seconds, attacked enemies take additional physical damage. | |
Spark of Courage | Courage - +10 damage when health is above 50%, +5 armor below that threshold. | |
Trusty Shovel | Dig - Dig up a Bounty Rune, Healing Salve, Enchanted Mango, or Kobold. Digging in a river always results in a Water Rune. |
TIER 2 ARTIFACTS:
Name | Active Spell | Passive Spell |
Brigand's Blade | Dark Mercy - Attacks deal 3 more damage for every 5% HP the target is missing. | |
Essence Ring | Life Essence - Increases current and max health by 240 for 15 seconds. | |
Gossamer Cape | Sixth Sense - Automatically dodges one enemy hero attack every 6 seconds. | |
Iron Talon | Chop - Removes 80% of non-player enemy unit HP or instantly destroys a targeted tree. | |
Searing Signet | Burn Through - Magical damage instances of 40+ ignite enemies, causing 75 total magical damage over 5 seconds | |
Tumbler's Toy | Vault - Propels hero forward by 300 units. Can't be used within 3 seconds of receiving damage from a player. |
TIER 3 ARTIFACTS:
Name | Active Spell | Passive Spell |
Gale Guard | Cyclonic Shield - Provides a 400 All Damage Barrier that blocks 75% of incoming damage for 10 seconds and grants 50% Slow Resistance. | |
Gunpowder Gauntlet | Beat the Crowd - Next attack splashes to enemies within 250 units for 50% damage. Target receives an additional 120 magic damage. | |
Nemesis Curse | Glass Cannon - Takes 8% more damage. | |
Ninja Gear | Solitary Disguise - Casts Smoke of Deceit on the wearer. | |
Serrated Shiv | Gut 'Em - 20% chance to deal 10% of target's current HP as bonus physical damage. Against Roshan, it always deals 200 bonus damage. | |
Whisper of the Dread | Tunnel Vision - Reduces daytime vision by 15%, but increases spell damage by 10%. |
TIER 4 ARTIFACTS:
Name | Active Spell | Passive Spell |
Ceremonial Robe | Ceremonial Aura - Reduces enemy status resistance and magic resistance by 10% within 1200 units. | |
Crippling Crossbow | Hobble - Deals 75 damage, slows movement by 80%, and reduces health restoration by 40% for 4 seconds. | |
Magnifying Monocle | Keen Eye - Increases cast range by 125 and attack range by 100. | |
Mind Breaker | Silence Strike - Next attack silences the target for 2 seconds. | |
Ogre Seal Totem | Ogre Seal Flop - Bounces forward twice, dealing 250 damage and slowing enemies by 100% for 1.5s. | |
Pyrrhic Cloak | Retribution - Reflects 60% of all damage taken to a marked enemy unit as physical damage for 6 seconds. |
TIER 5 ARTIFACTS:
Name | Active Spell | Passive Spell |
Book of the Dead | Greater Demonic Summoning - Summons 2 demonic warriors and 2 demonic archers for 75 seconds. | |
Fallen Sky | Fallen Sky - Transforms the wielder into a meteor, dealing 150 damage and stunning enemies within 315 radius for 1.6s. | |
Magic Lamp | Rejuvenate - Heals for 1500 health and dispels when health drops below 20%. | |
Minotaur Horn | Lesser Avatar - Grants 50% magic resistance and immunity to pure and reflected damage for 2 seconds. | |
Pirate Hat | Plunder - Steals 150 gold from enemy heroes within 1200 units. | |
Spider Legs | Skitter - Grants 20% movement speed and free pathing for 10 seconds. | |
Stygian Desolator | Greater Corruption - Reduces the target's armor by 13 for 7 seconds. | |
Unrelenting Eye | Relentless - Grants 100% slow resistance, reduced by 20% for each enemy hero within 300 units. |
All Enchantments in Dota 2
Alert (Tiers 1-4)
- +10/15/20/25 Attack Speed
- +0/150/225/300 Bonus Night Vision
Brawny (Tiers 1-4)
- +125/175/225/275 Health
- +0/4/8/12 Health Regeneration
Mystical (Tiers 1-4)
- +1/2/3/4 Mana Regeneration
- +0/10/16/22% Magic Resistance
Quickened (Tiers 1-4)
- +15/20/25/30 Movement Speed
- +0/100/160/220 Mana
Tough (Tiers 1-4)
- +5/8/11/14 Damage
- +0/4/7/10 Armor
Vast (Tiers 2-3)
- +60/90 Attack Range (Melee & Ranged)
Greedy (Tiers 2-3)
- +75/100 GPM
- +200/250 Mana
- -30/60 Attack Damage
Keen-eyed (Tiers 2-3)
- +125/135 Cast Range
- +1/1.5 Mana Regeneration
- -15% Maximum Mana
Vampiric (Tiers 2-4)
- +12/16/20% Lifesteal
- +8/12/16% Spell Lifesteal
Timeless (Tiers 4-5)
- +10/15% Debuff Amplification
- +10/20% Spell Amplification
Titanic (Tiers 4-5)
- +15/25% Base Attack Damage
- +10/15% Status Resistance
Crude (Tiers 4-5)
- +20/30% Slow Resistance
- -12/18% Base Attack Time
- -15% Intelligence
Boundless (Tier 5)
- +150 Attack Range (Melee & Ranged)
- +350 Cast Range
Evolved (Tier 5)
- +40 Primary Stat
Feverish (Tier 5)
- +15% Cooldown Reduction
- +10% Mana Cost/Mana Loss Increase
Wise (Tier 5)
- +600 Experience per Minute
Audacious (Tier 5)
- +100 Attack Speed
- +80 Magic Attack Damage
- +10% Incoming Damage
Fleetfooted (Tier 5)
- +115 Movement Speed
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