Dota 2 Calculator: The Magic Resistance Calculator Tool for Dota 2

The Magic Resistance Calculator Tool

The Magic Resistance Calculator Tool stacks your magic resistance layer by layer: your hero's base value, then every item. It shows how much of an enemy spell still hits you and why the third shield blocks less than the first. Axe once wore three Cloaks. He still got hit. Less, but still.

1. Pick your hero and level. Intelligence sets your base magic resistance.
2. Click the items you have or want: Cloak, Mage Slayer, Glimmer Cape, Pipe of Insight, Eternal Shroud (with its stacks) and Black King Bar.
3. Set the enemy spell and read what gets through. The bars show what every layer blocks.

Axe explains

Magic resistance in 10 seconds

1. 25%base for every hero.
2. +1%per 10 Intelligence.
3. ×items multiply, they do not add.
4. 60%from BKB while it is on.

Shields on shields. Each one smaller. Axe still likes shields.

Dota 2 magic resistance formula

• Base: 25% for every hero, plus 0.1% per point of Intelligence. Smart heroes resist a bit more.
• Everything else multiplies: items, abilities and reductions each work on what is left after the others.
• Magic resistance is not debuff immunity. It only lowers magic damage. Stuns and slows still land, unless you have debuff immunity like from BKB.

Example: Axe at level 15 has 40 Intelligence, so 29% base. With a Cloak and a Pipe of Insight he ends at 53.5%, not 67%. A 300 damage nuke hits him for 140.

The physical side works with armor instead: the Armor & HP Calculator shows physical and magical HP side by side.

Does magic resistance stack? Yes, but it multiplies

Every new source blocks a share of the damage that is still left. The more you already have, the less the next item adds. Here is what one Cloak (18%) adds on top of different starting values:

That is why magic resistance never reaches 100% from stacking percentages. It also means the first magic resistance item is the best value for your gold.

First shield: great. Fifth shield: meh. Axe buys one shield and a bigger axe.

Dota 2 magic resistance items

Cloak900 gold18%passive

Mage Slayer3,100 gold18%passive

Glimmer Cape2,150 gold20%passive · active barrier 375

Pipe of Insight3,725 gold20%passive · +8% aura for allies · active barrier 425

Eternal Shroud3,900 gold20%passive · +3.5% per 300 spell damage taken, up to 6 stacks

Black King Bar4,050 gold60%active, with debuff immunity

Cheapest magic resistance: Cloak gives 20% per 1,000 gold. The bigger items cost more per percent because they also give other stats and actives. Eternal Shroud grows up to 41% when it keeps taking spells.

What else do these items give? The Item Comparison lines up Pipe of Insight, BKB and every other item stat by stat.

Is their damage even magical? The Damage Type Lookup sorts an enemy lineup into physical, magical and pure before you buy the Cloak.

Items · Dota2FreaksAll Dota 2 items and recipesCloak builds into Glimmer Cape, Pipe and Eternal Shroud. See every item with its recipe and cost.→

Dota 2 heroes with the most magic resistance

Without items, Intelligence decides. These heroes reach the highest base magic resistance at level 30 (no talents or Attribute Bonus):

Pugna42.8%

Outworld Destroyer40.2%

Lina39.4%

Skywrath Mage39.4%

Enchantress38.8%

Lowest at level 30: Ogre Magi with 25%. Compare every hero in the Hero Stats Ranker.

Some abilities add a lot of magic resistance on top, often for a short time:

CounterspellAnti-Mage14/21/28/35%

Drunken BrawlerBrewmaster8/12/16/20%

Elder Dragon FormDragon Knight20% (level 4)

Berserker's BloodHuskar15/20/25/30%

RageLifestealer80%

Flame CloakLina35%

RepelOmniknight60%

Roll UpPangolier80%

Rolling ThunderPangolier80%

Escape ActRingmaster50/60/70/80%

Planar PocketSpirit Breaker40%

Corrosive SkinViper10/15/20/25%

Hero guide · Dota2FreaksAnti-Mage: builds, items and skill orderCounterspell gives Anti-Mage magic resistance on top of everything else. See his builds and when to buy what.→

Dota 2 magic resistance reduction

These abilities lower the magic resistance of their targets. Like everything else, they multiply with the other sources:

Natural OrderElder Titan−40/60/80/100%

Solar BindKeeper of the Light−20/30/40%

Death SeekerNecrophos−25%

Requiem of SoulsShadow Fiend−5/10/15%

Proximity MinesTechies−15/20/25%

Poison AttackViper−4/6/8/10%

• Veil of Discord (1,700 gold): the target takes 10% more spell damage taken.
• Ethereal Blade (5,200 gold): the target takes 30% more magic damage taken (ethereal).
• Ethereal effects do not stack with each other: only the strongest one counts.

Free guide · Dota2FreaksRank Up Guide: find the one thing holding you backFive quick questions about your role, your lane and your losses. You get one habit to fix and a free mission for your next three games.→

FAQ: Axe answers questions