Xin, the Ember Spirit, is a highly elusive, fast-paced Agility carry and mid-laner in DotA 1. Armed with dual blazing blades, Xin excels at battlefield mobility, high-output area-of-effect (AoE) physical and magical damage, and split-second repositioning. His balanced attribute distribution and respectable starting health make him a formidable presence in skirmishes, while his ability to absorb magical damage and rapidly dash across the map allows him to farm safely and strike enemies from unexpected angles.
Base Stats & Attributes
Hero Attributes
| Attribute |
Base Value |
Growth (per level) |
| Strength |
21 |
+2.6 |
| Agility |
22 |
+2.6 |
| Intelligence |
20 |
+2.2 |
Statistics & Mechanics
| Statistic |
Value |
Mechanic |
Value |
| Damage |
55-59 |
Base HP Regen |
0.75/s |
| HP |
620 |
HP Regen |
+2.85/s |
| MP |
290 |
MP Regen |
+1.01/s |
| Armor |
1.1 |
Turn Rate |
0.6 |
| Move Speed |
305 |
Base Attack Time (BAT) |
1.7 |
| Attack Range |
150 (melee) |
Attack Animations |
0.4 / 0.3 |
Hero Skills Breakdown
1. Searing Chains
Xin unleashes fiery bolas that wrap around nearby enemies, anchoring them in place and dealing magical damage each second.
- Damage Type: Magical
- Targeting Limit: Grabs up to 2 random nearby units
- Mechanic: Roots targets in place (prevents movement and certain mobility skills)
| Level |
Root Duration |
Damage per Second |
Total Damage |
Cooldown |
Manacost |
| 1 |
1.5 seconds |
50 |
75 |
13 sec |
80 |
| 2 |
2.0 seconds |
75 |
150 |
12 sec |
90 |
| 3 |
2.5 seconds |
90 |
225 |
11 sec |
100 |
| 4 |
3.0 seconds |
100 |
300 |
10 sec |
110 |
2. Sleight of Fist
Xin dashes around with blazing speed, attacking all enemies in the targeted area and returning to where he was standing afterward. He deals bonus damage to heroes, but non-hero creeps take reduced damage.
- Damage Type: Physical (triggers basic attack effects such as critical strike, lifesteal, and cleave)
- Creep Damage Modifier: Creeps take 50% less damage than a normal attack
- Invulnerability: Xin is completely invulnerable during the jump sequence
| Level |
Bonus Hero Damage |
Area of Effect (AoE) |
Cooldown |
Manacost |
| 1 |
40 |
250 |
18 sec |
50 |
| 2 |
80 |
350 |
14 sec |
50 |
| 3 |
120 |
450 |
10 sec |
50 |
| 4 |
160 |
550 |
6 sec |
50 |
3. Flame Guard
Xin surrounds himself with a ring of fire that consumes incoming magic damage, leaving him unharmed. While active, it deals magical damage every second in a nearby radius. If the shield is fully consumed by magic damage, the damage-over-time aura goes away.
- Damage Type: Magical
- Area of Effect (AoE): 400 radius
- Dispel Condition: Aura is lost if the magic damage absorption barrier is depleted or purged
| Level |
Magic Damage Absorbed |
Damage per Second (DPS) |
Shield Duration |
Cooldown |
Manacost |
| 1 |
80 |
30 |
8 seconds |
35 sec |
80 |
| 2 |
220 |
40 |
12 seconds |
35 sec |
90 |
| 3 |
360 |
50 |
16 seconds |
35 sec |
100 |
| 4 |
500 |
60 |
20 seconds |
35 sec |
110 |
4. Fire Remnant
Xin charges himself with energy to create a Fire Remnant. Releasing a charge sends a projection running to the targeted point. Xin can activate a secondary ability to dash through each remnant, detonating them for magical damage, and arriving at the one he targeted last.
- Damage Type: Magical
- Projection Speed: 2.5 times Xin's current movement speed
- Remnant Lifetime: 45 seconds
- Activation Behavior: Deals damage to enemies at the detonation sites and along the dash path
- Aghanim's Scepter Upgrade: Increases projection speed to 5 times Xin's movement speed, increases cast range by 3000 units, increases maximum charges by 2 (total of 5), and significantly reduces the manacost of the activation ability.
| Level |
Detonation Damage |
Max Charges |
Charge Replenish Time |
Cooldown (Activate) |
Activation Manacost |
Placement Manacost |
| 1 |
100 |
3 |
38 seconds |
0 sec |
150 |
0 |
| 2 |
200 |
3 |
38 seconds |
0 sec |
150 |
0 |
| 3 |
300 |
3 |
38 seconds |
0 sec |
150 |
0 |
Item Build Guide
| Phase |
Recommended Items |
Strategic Purpose |
| Early Game |
Phase Boots, Bottle, Magic Wand |
Phase Boots grant much-needed armor, physical damage, and movement speed to stay on top of targets. Bottle provides essential rune control, health, and mana regeneration to sustain early ganks. |
| Core Items |
Battle Fury, Daedalus, Black King Bar |
Battle Fury is the quintessential core item; its cleave mechanic triggers on every single hit during Sleight of Fist, dealing exponential splash damage. Daedalus amplifies this with critical strikes. Black King Bar ensures safe spellcasting. |
| Late Game |
Divine Rapier, Aghanim's Scepter, Shiva's Guard |
Divine Rapier elevates Sleight of Fist to game-winning, team-wiping damage. Aghanim's Scepter provides unmatched map mobility, faster remnant speed, and cheaper repositioning. Shiva's Guard adds armor and a slowing wave. |
Quick Gameplay Tips
- Sleight of Fist + Searing Chains Combo: Because Xin is temporarily placed at the locations of the targets during Sleight of Fist, you can cast Searing Chains mid-transit. By timing Searing Chains right as you strike an enemy with Sleight of Fist, you can safely root them from a massive distance without ever placing your physical body in danger.
- Remnant Fountain Regen Trip: If you are running low on health or mana, place a Fire Remnant in your lane, use a Town Portal Scroll to return to the fountain, instantly fill up your bottle and recover your resources, and then activate the remnant. You will immediately fly back to your lane with full health, mana, and a replenished bottle without missing any experience.
- Invulnerability Dodging: Sleight of Fist grants complete invulnerability for the duration of the jumps. You can use this split-second state to dodge targeted projectiles, heavy stuns, or high-damage spells like Finger of Death or Laguna Blade if timed perfectly.