A Breakdown of Initiators

Types of Initiators:

• AOE damage (direct or over time)
• AOE lockdown (slows, stuns, movement restrictions, positioning)
• AOE debuffs (silences and debuffs)
• Isolation (separates a hero from their team for a pick-off)

Examples of Initiator by Type

AOE Damage:

• Earthshaker (Echo Slam)
• Sand King (Epicenter)
• Elder Titan (Earthsplitter)

AOE Lockdown:

• Enigma (Black Hole)
• Disruptor (Static Storm + Kinetic Field)
• Warlock (Chaotic Offering + Upheaval)
• Puck (Dream Coil)
• Medusa (Stone Gaze)
• Naga (Song)
• Faceless Void (Chronosphere)
• Magnus (Reverse Polarity)

AOE Slows

• Beastmaster (Roar)
• Brewmaster (Thunder Clap)
• Crystal Maiden (Nova, Blizzard)
• Wraith King (Ressurection)
• Gyrocopter (Call Down)
• Omniknight (aura)
• Invoker (Ice Wall, Ghost Walk)
• Lich (Frost Blast - small AOE)
• Medusa (Stone Gaze)
• Riki (Smoke Screen)
• Sand King (Epi)
• Timbersaw (Chakram)
• Tusk (Ward)
• Warlock (Upheaval)
• Ursa (Earthshock)
• Venomancer (Venomous Gale)

AOE Debuffs

• Dazzle (Weave)
• Warlock (Fatal Bonds)
• Elder Titan (Natural Order aura)

Isolation:

• Vengeful Spirit (Nether Swap)
• Batrider (Lasso)
• Magnus (Blink + Skewer)
• Clockwerk (Hook + Cogs = Isolate 1 hero, split enemy team around Cogs)