Mondays mean it’s time for some mechanics lessons and this time around we take on Root. A mechanic that has been introduced for a while now but with recent changes packs quite a punch. So stay rooted and discover just what this one offers.
Root is a mechanic that prevents a unit from moving and from casting mobility spells. However, Root does not prevent the rooted unit from auto attacking or from casting regular spells. Roots often come with various additional benefits depending upon their source. For example, some Roots also disarm while there are some which give Truesight but the core mechanic of root is to prevent the unit from moving. While Root doesn’t cancel channelled spells, it does cancel TP scrolls and Boots of Travel.
In all, there are 12 hero abilities that can be used to Root units, 1 item and 2 spells from Neutral Creeps.
These are as follows:
Meepo - Earthbind
Oracle - Fortune’s End
Lone Druid’s Spirit Bear - Entangling Claws
Treant Protector - Nature’s Guise
Treant Protector - Overgrowth
Underlord - Pit of Malice
Crystal Maiden - Frost Bite
Dark Willow - Bramble Maze
Ember Spirit - Searing Chains
Naga Siren - Ensnare
Troll Warlord - Berserker’s Rage
Techies - Stasis Trap
Out of these both of Treant’s Protectors spells and CM’s Frost Bite apply an additional Disarm on the opponent. Roots from Meepo, LD, Treant, Underlord, Crystal Maiden, Naga Siren and Techies all provide pure Truesight on target while the rest only provide Truesight when the unit goes invisible after being rooted.
Rod of Atos is the only item which allows you to Root enemy heroes but Diffusal Blade also has a component called Inhibit which while only slowing when cast upon heroes, roots when cast upon creeps.
Ancient Prowler’s Petrify and Dark Troll Summoner’s Ensnare are the 2 NC abilities that can root.
A total of 28 hero abilities and 2 items are cancelled by Root. These include TP’s/BoT/BoT2 and Blink Dagger.
Spells include -
| Anti Mage | Blink |
| Earth Spirit | Rolling Boulder |
| Queen of Pain | Blink |
| Rikimaru | Blink Strike |
| Rikimaru | Tricks of the Trade |
| Magnus | Skewer |
| Tuskar | Snowball |
| Timbersaw | Timberchain |
| Slark | Pounce |
| Phoenix | Icarus Dive |
| Pangolier | Swashbuckle |
| Pangolier | Rolling Thunder |
| Phantom Assassin | Phantom strike |
| Puck | Phase shift |
| Sandking | Burrowstrike |
| Ember Spirit | Activate Fire Remnant |
| Chaos Knight | Reality Rift |
| Mirana | Leap |
| Monkey King | Tree Dance |
| Monkey King | Primal Spring |
| Morphling | Waveform |
| Spirit Breaker | Charge of Darkness |
| Spirit Breaker | Nether Strike |
| Storm Spirit | Ball Lightning |
| Meepo | Poof |
| Faceless Void | Timewalk |
| Earthshaker | Enchant Totem |
| Nature's Prophet | Teleportation |