
Disruptor Dota 2 Hero Guide for Patch 7.16
Disruptor is a support hero who excels at catching enemies out and disabling them. He can be a strong lane support thanks to Thunder Strike, and his abilities scale well throughout the entire game. His ultimate ability provides an instant AoE disable which makes it a lot easier to catch enemies who may otherwise be hard to lockdown due to mobility spells. Glimpse also gives Disruptor unparalleled catch, provided he has vision of fleeing enemies.
His skill build is quite flexible, but Glimpse is usually first to be maxed, since it’s such a strong spell throughout the game. His item build is also very flexible, but mostly revolves around survivability items which can be used to keep him alive and ensure he has a chance to use his ultimate in team-fights before he dies.

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Disruptor Item Build
Starting Items
- Tango
- Healing Salve
- Clarity
- Enchanted Mango
- Iron Branch
- Observer Ward
- Sentry Ward
- Animal Courier
- Smoke of Deceit
Early Game Items
- Magic Wand
- Arcane Boots
- Tranquil Boots
- Urn of Shadows
Mid Game Items
- Glimmer Cape
- Force Staff
Late Game Items
- Aghanim’s Scepter
- Scythe of Vyse
Situational Items
- Aether Lens
- Eul’s Scepter of Divinity
- Ghost Scepter
- Pipe of Insight
- Spirit Vessel
- Aeon Disk
[/column]Disruptor Skill Build
- Thunder Strike
- Kinetic Field
- Glimpse
- Glimpse
- Glimpse
- Static Storm
- Glimpse
- Kinetic Field
- Kinetic Field
- Talent
- Kinetic Field
- Static Storm
- Thunder Strike
- Thunder Strike
- Talent
- Thunder Strike
- –
- Static Storm
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Complete Disruptor Spell guide
Thunder Strike
The target enemy is repeatedly struck by lightning, providing vision of the target, and periodically dealing damage to the target as well as any nearby enemies. This spell is usually the best skill to get at level 1, as it can be used to help you trade hits with the enemy offlaner. It has a relatively low cooldown, and the mana-cost is manageable given his large mana-pool. Thunder Strike has a long cast-range and will instantly damage the target, making it very effective against enemies with Blink Daggers, as it will prevent them from using it for several seconds. The vision from Thunder Strike can be very strong against heroes with invisibility and against fast heroes who may be trying to juke in the trees.
Glimpse
Disruptor recalls the target enemy hero to where they were stood 4 seconds ago. This spell has a short delay depending on how far the target is from where they were 4 seconds ago, potentially up to 1.8 seconds. Glimpse is usually maxed first because of how strong of a spell it is at all points in the game. The additional range from each point in the spell makes it much easier to catch enemies out and get easy kills. The position they will be moved to is marked by a blue mark. This skill can turn battles and ensure your team steadily climbs Dota 2 ranks.
There are very few spells which ignore the relocation of glimpse, and many spells that can be used to dodge Kunkka’s X Marks The Spot do not work for Glimpse. For instance, it will cancel Ball Lightning and Eul’s Scepter of Divinity. Spells which make you invulnerable or hidden will not work either, but some spells such as Snowball, Sleight of Fist and Doppelganger specifically do work. Glimpse will cancel teleports, and can also be used to send enemies back to where they were before teleporting in to a tower, for example.
When using the spell, you need to be very careful that you don’t accidentally use it to your team’s detriment. Try to count 4 seconds in your head in team-fights and when chasing enemies. At early levels it also has a very long cooldown, so be careful about when and how you use it. Glimpse also instantly removes illusions, which makes it very strong against powerful illusions such as those spawned by Spectre’s Haunt. It can also be used to force an enemy into using their Black King Bars, as the spell doesn’t pierce magic immunity. Look for opportunities when an enemy team is retreating from a push, for example.
Kinetic Field
After a short delay, Disruptor creates an impassable barrier in a circle around the target area. Almost any forced movement abilities can be used by enemies to move outside of the area, however Force Staff and Hurricane Pike cannot. Kinetic Field provides vision of the area inside of it, which makes it helpful for scouting uphill and for de-warding hills without needing to place a ward there. When you are being chased by an enemy hero, try to place the Kinetic Field right in front of you, as you won’t have to turn around to cast it. If the back of the circle won’t block enemies, the one in front of you will, and you have a good chance of escaping since you don’t have to stop or turn around.

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Static Storm
Disruptor creates a magnetic storm which deals an increasing amount of damage over time and silences all enemies in the area of effect. Aghanim’s Scepter increases the duration of the spell and also applies mute to all affected enemies. The damage is dealt in 0.25 second intervals, starting 0.25 seconds after cast. This means that enemies with a Blink Dagger will have a small gap to potentially escape if you try to initiate with the spell.
Static Storm has lots of synergy with Glimpse and Kinetic Field, since you can Glimpse enemies back into the silence of Static Storm and keep them trapped with a Kinetic Field. Try to damage them quickly beforehand if possible if they have a Blink Dagger though, as they can potentially Blink out of it if timed well. Don’t be afraid to cast it before Kinetic Field, if it’s more important that you silence enemies quickly. They may be able to move out of it, but you can potentially buy your allies a helpful second or two.
Best Disruptor Talents
Level 10: +200 Health or +40 Thunder Strike Damage
These are both very strong level 10 talents. The extra damage is equivalent to two more levels worth of damage for Thunder Strike, which is quite significant. It will result in an additional 160 damage to the primary target. The damage can be good if you don’t need the extra health to survive a particular enemy going on you or team-fights in general. It can also be very strong if you’re playing against a hero who summons illusions or creeps, as it will help to deal with these.
Level 15: +150 Cast Range or -3s Kinetic Field Cooldown
In general, the extra cast range is almost always more helpful. This is because it helps you to cast all four of your spells from a safer distance and without you having to compromise on your positioning as much. It’s also very helpful for Glimpse, as it will allow you to catch enemies out from an even further distance away. This makes the need for Observer Wards even more important, as you’ll be able to Glimpse enemies from almost 2000 units away. The reduced Kinetic Field cooldown will roughly half the downtime of the spell. This can be good if you’re playing against heroes who don’t have a natural way to bypass it, or who won’t buy Black King Bar. This is not very often the case however, and even then the extra cast range may still be more helpful.
Level 20: +180 Gold/Min or +4 Thunder Strike Hits
The extra Thunder Strike hits can be a very strong talent, in some situations more than others. If you’re playing against lots of enemies with Blink Daggers, it will prevent them from using it for roughly 17 seconds which can prevent heroes such as Earthshaker, Magnus or Enigma from initiating with their strong team-fight spells without using BKB or another form of dispel first. It will also give vision of the enemy for potentially 14 seconds if not dispelled which can be good against heroes with invisibility. If you have the damage talent at level 10, it increase the total damage to over 1100 magical damage before reductions.
On the other hand, the extra GPM will help you to farm big late game items such as an Aghanim’s Scepter of a Scythe of Vyse. However, other than an Aghanim’s, Disruptor doesn’t particularly benefit from items in the late game. They can be helpful, but they don’t necessarily make him much stronger. If you’re having trouble farming an Aghs or even staying alive and need another survivability item, then the GPM may be helpful. If the game looks to be going to last well into the late game, the extra GPM will also help you to have a larger impact later on as well.
Level 25: +4s Kinetic Field Duration or -10 Glimpse Cooldown
If you’re playing against very mobile heroes, then the reduced Glimpse cooldown will allow you to chase enemies and catch them out of position more often and more easily. It will reduce the cooldown to 8 seconds, more than halving it.
On the other hand, the Kinetic Field duration can be strong against heroes who don’t have very strong ways of dealing with the movement block. It can be very strong if team-fights are lasting a long time, as they will have to use either BKB to pass it or another mobility spell. However, if they have many mobility spells such as Blink, Skewer or Pounce, then it is usually a bad talent choice. If you have an Aghanim’s Scepter, it can also be good to get the increased duration, as it will keep enemies trapped in Static Storm for the full duration, which it wouldn’t otherwise.
What Items to build on Disruptor
Starting Items
- Tango
- Healing Salve
- Clarity
- Enchanted Mango
- Iron Branch
- Observer Ward
- Sentry Ward
- Animal Courier
- Smoke of Deceit
As a support hero, Disruptor does not rely on many items. However, he is a very strong lane support and as such, it may be good to get some mana regeneration items to ensure that you have a strong lane presence and can help your carry win the lane. Bring at least one Clarity with you to your lane. In addition, an Enchanted Mango can be very helpful on your hero in case you run out of mana, as your skills can be used to save yourself as well as your allies. For example, you can Glimpse an enemy away from your ally or back into range of your allies, or you can use Kinetic Field offensively or defensively.
Early Game Items
Magic Wand
A Magic Wand is a very cheap and effective regenerative item at almost all points in the game. It’s a great item on Disruptor since he has a very powerful team-fight ultimate and can contribute a lot in fights, where the wand may build up many charges.
Arcane Boots
Arcane Boots are generally the best Boots to get on Disruptor. His spells cost quite a lot of mana, and being able to replenish his mana-pool will allow him to more-or-less constantly be ready for pick-offs, ganks or team-fights. They also greatly benefit your team. However, if you have many sources of man regeneration on your team, then you may be able to get away without picking them up.
Tranquil Boots
Tranquil Boots can be a good alternative to Arcane Boots if you have lots of mana-regeneration on your team. The movement speed will help you to position yourself in team-fights, and if you’re taking a lot of damage from spells in team-fights, they will help to keep you alive provided you aren’t being attacking or being attacked.
Urn of Shadows
An Urn of Shadows can be a great item on Disruptor. In most cases, you will get Arcane Boots, and an Urn can provide you and your team with a means to heal up after fights. It can be good on Disruptor because you can get a lot of easy kills and pick-offs with Glimpse and Static Storm, as your ultimate doesn’t have a particularly long cooldown.
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Mid Game Items
Glimmer Cape
A Glimmer Cape can be a great item on Disruptor since it allows you to survive engagements. The magic resistance is great against heroes with a lot of magical damage, and the invisibility can be used to save yourself or your allies. It can also be used to catch enemies out with Glimpse, without revealing yourself to the enemy team in case they have wards. If they see you chasing or moving in range to Glimpse, they may try to dodge the spell by hiding around trees, for example.
Force Staff
A Force Staff can be a great survivability item against heroes with strong AoE spells or disables. It can also be very helpful if you’re playing against heroes who can burst you down in melee range, as it can be used to kite them more effectively.

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Late Game Items
Aghanim’s Scepter
An Aghanim’s Scepter is always incredibly powerful on Disruptor, and should be a core item on him in almost every game in Dota 2 esports. If you manage to initiate on an enemy carry with Static Storm and lock them in place with a Kinetic Field, they will take a very large amount of damage but more importantly, will not be able to use any of their items to keep them alive. They won’t be able to use Black King Bar for example, and your allies can use this to quickly burst them down which will give your team a massive advantage.
Overall it’s a very strong item, since it can also be used on other enemy heroes to prevent them from using strong team-fight items such as Pipe of Insight or Mekansm. If you can combo Static Storm with Kinetic Field, your allies will usually be able to focus down and kill whatever is inside, as they are completely defenseless and reliant on their teammates.
Scythe of Vyse
A Scythe of Vyse is a strong late game item on any hero, and works very well on a Disruptor with an Aghanim’s Scepter. If you combo a Hex with an Agh’s Static Storm and Kinetic Field, they won’t be able to move out of it in time, and won’t be able to use defensive items.
Situational Items
Aether Lens
An Aether Lens can be very helpful if you’re playing against very mobile heroes. It will help you to contribute to team-fights from an even safer distance and can also be used to catch enemies out with Glimpse from an even further distance. If you’re playing against heroes who can catch you out very easily from a distance, consider purchasing an Aether Lens. Keep in mind that you can disassemble your Arcane Boots to build them.
Eul’s Scepter of Divinity
A Eul’s Scepter can be a great item to get if you’re facing lots of silences or de-buffs which can be purged. It can also be helpful if you have very few means to cancel channelled spells, especially if they have these kinds of spells. The mana regeneration can make it a strong item to get after Tranquil Boots to make up for the lack of mana regen. It can also be helpful if you’re playing against a strong carry which can burst you down very quickly.
Ghost Scepter
A Ghost Scepter can be a very strong item if you’re playing against assassination-style carries that can burst you down very quickly. These are heroes such as Templar Assassin or Clinkz.
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Interesting Disruptor Match-ups
Magic Immunity
Heroes with inherent magic immunity spells such as Lifestealer, Juggernaut or Omniknight are very strong against Disruptor as they counter all of his spells. Black King Bar also achieves this, which means that when the enemy carry gets a BKB, usually around the 20 minute mark, your spells will be a lot less effective. However, you can still force them to use their BKB by catching them out with Glimpse, as it will reduce the duration and put it on cooldown for a long time, during which you can maybe force a team-fight.
Phantom Lancer
Phantom Lancer can escape the effects of Kinetic Field and Glimpse by timing Doppelganger well. He can even dispel Thunder Strike with Doppelganger, so consider trying to bait out the spell and use your other spells while it’s on cooldown. Static Storm does counter him however, since BKB is not usually a very good item on him. Try to drop a Static Storm on him and keep him contained with a Kinetic Field.
Mobility Heroes
Disruptor is a very powerful support hero against heroes with strong inherent mobility. Heroes who have Blinks or other kinds of movement abilities can be easily caught out with Glimpse and locked-down by a Static Storm and Kinetic Field combo. The threat of these spells makes them need either a BKB or Linken’s Sphere. However, you should try to catch them out as much as possible while they don’t have these items or while they are on cooldown.
Io
Io is very strong countered by Disruptor. He can Glimpse either the Io or its target back, or even place a preemptive Static Storm and Kinetic Field combo in place of where they are about to teleport to. On a similar note, he is also very strong when pushing towers as he can send enemies who teleport in to defend it back to the other side of the map, where they teleported from.
Zeus
Zeus can provide global vision of all heroes which can be very helpful against retreating enemies, as it may give you an opportunity to Glimpse an enemy back into your team for an easy kill. It’s important to try to communicate this with your ally, however.