Dota 2
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A Comprehensive Guide to AETHER LENS
By PsiClone
A guide to Maximize the use of Aether Lens and to know its interaction with each and every Hero.
   
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General Description
AETHER LENS

The Aether Lens is an item purchasable at the Main Shop, under Caster.

Basic Info -

  • Range bonus affects item ability cast range as well.
  • Does not increase the range of auto-cast abilities such as Impetus or Searing Arrows.
  • Does not affect ability AoE radius, like Ravage.
  • Increases the damage of all abilities by 8%, even those that do not benefit from the range bonus.
  • This includes self-damage inflicted through abilities like Mist Coil and Double Edge.
  • Multiple Aether lenses additively increase magic damage but not cast range.
  • Aether lens affects cast range but not travel distance on some spells such as Sacred Arrow and Illuminate.
  • Increases travel distance but not width on cone shaped spells such as Breathe Fire, Dual Breath or Sonic Wave.
  • The spell damage bonus stacks and affects all damage types.
  • Cast range improvement does not stack with multiple Aether Lenses.
  • Cast range improvement affects targeted spells and distance related spells.

Calculations -

Sven's Storm Hammer Deals 250 Damge at lvl 3.

With Aether Lens Equipped(8 % bonus) it will deal -

(250/100) * 8 = 20.

(Original + New 8%) 250 + 20 = 270

A Aether Lens Storm Hammer will deal 270 damage instead of 250.

Can be done with every hero - (Current Damage of spell/100)*8 = Extra damage .and then just add the extra damage to the original.
- - - - - - - - -

Normal Cast Range - 600
With Aether lens equipped range - 600 + 200 = 800
Heroes & Aether Lens Interaction (A - H)
Abaddon
A good item on support Abaddons,increases abaddons spell output in fights and Synergys good with other support items for Tankiness/Spell Resistance like Pipe,Meka and Drums.
Mist Coil - Increases Range,Increses Heal Output and Damage to self.
Aphotic Shield - Increse Cast range

Alchemist
Not a Good pick,but good for support alchemist for stuns and range.
Acid Spray - Increases Cast Range
Unstable Concoction - Increases Throw Range

Ancient Apparition
Good Pick For AA.Good for catching fleeing heroes.
Chilling Touch - Increases Cast Range
Cold Feet - Increases Cast Range
Ice Vortex - Increases Cast Range

Anti-Mage
Do not Buy - But you can for trolling and escaping quickly
Blink - Increases Blink Range
Mana Void - Increases Cast Range

Arc Warden
Good on Arc as hius double also gets the buff and all of his spells being long range especially spark wraith can be used to setup traps and scout on locations before approaching.
Flux - Increases Cast Range
Magnetic Field - Increases Cast Range
Spark Wraith - Increases Cast Range

Axe
increases culing Damage,battle hunger cast range and damge but Not recommneded.Not good for late game
Battle Hunger - Increases Cast Range
Culling Blade - Increases Cast Range

Bane
An Excellent itemfor Bane as it Affects all spells Damage output,Cast range.Can catch Running Heroes,Ranged Heros,etc
Enfeeble - Increases Cast Range
Brain Sap - Increases Cast Range
Nightmare - Increases Cast Range
Fiend's Grip - Increases Cast Range

Batrider
Good Pick for support Bat,increses lasso pick range(increases with Scepter Upgrade also)
Sticky Napalm - Increases Cast Range
Flamebreak - Increases Throw Range
Flaming Lasso - Increases Catch Range

Beastmaster
Not a Good Item in the Invent for Beasty,but can be experimented with the range of axes for spamming.
Wild Axes - Increases Throw Range
Primal Roar - Increases Cast Range,Increses Knockback Radius

Bloodseeker
Bad Pick for Bs.Do not even Try !!!
Bloodrage - Increases Cast Range
Blood Rite - Increases Cast Range
Rupture - Increases Cast Range

Bounty Hunter
Good Pick if u Are in habit of Tracing and tracking enemies continously
Shuriken Toss - Increases Cast Range and Search Radius for Toss
Track - Increases Cast Range

Bristleback
Not Recommended
Viscous Nasal Goo - Increases Throw Range

Broodmother
Useless for Brood.Use that 2k money for Yasha.
Spawn Spiderlings - Increases Cast Range
Spin Web - Increases Cast Range

Centaur Warrunner
Not a Good Pick
Double Edge - Increases Cast Range and Increses Damage Output & Damage to self

Chaos Knight
Not recommended for CK
Chaos Bolt - Increases Cast Range
Reality Rift - Increases Cast Range

Chen
Good Pick for Support Chen,increases Spell Damage Output and range of Spells.
Penitence - Increases Cast Range
Test of Faith - Increases Cast Range
Holy Persuasion - Increases Cast Range

Clinkz
Useless
Death Pact - Increases Cast Range

Clockwerk
Better Invest in Scepter rather than this
Hookshot - Increases HookShot Range

Crystal Maiden
Good but not Great for CM.Good for catching running heroes
Crystal Nova - Increases Cast Range
Frostbite - Increases Cast Range

Dark Seer
Just Increases cast range,can be experimented with.
Vacuum - Increases Cast Range
Ion Shell - Increases Cast Range
Surge - Increases Cast Range
Wall of Replica - Increases Cast Range

Dazzle
A good Pick for Good Old Lad.Increases Mana pool.Affects all spells,Heal Range and heal output increased,Poison touch damage is also increased.
Poison Touch - Increases Cast Range
Shallow Grave - Increases Cast Range
Shadow Wave - Increases Cast Range
Weave - Increases Cast Range

Death Prophet
Not a Good Pick,better get Euls !
Crypt Swarm - Increases Cast Range and Swarm Travel Distance
Silence - Increases Cast Range
Spirit Siphon - Increases the cast rangeand break distance
Exorcism - Increases Search Radius of Spirits

Disruptor
Good Pick,but better get Basic Support items first and then go for this,Already has good cast range
Thunder Strike - Increases Cast Range
Glimpse - Increases Cast Range
Kinetic Field - Increases Cast Range
Static Storm - Increases Cast Range

Doom
Useless Do not buy
Devour - Increases Cast Range
Doom - Increases Cast Range

Dragon Knight
Useless .Not recommneded
Breathe Fire - Increases Breath Fire Travel Distance
Dragon Tail - Increases Cast Range (Both Normal & Dragon Mode)

Drow Ranger
Wastage
Gust - Increases Throwback Range

Earth Spirit
A good Pick for Initiator Earth Spirits.Use this to setup heavy team fights, silences,stuns and damage output.
Boulder Smash - Increases Travel Distance
Rolling Boulder - Increases Rolling Distance(with Remnant Also)
Enchant Remnant - Increses Placement Range

Earthshaker
Increases the length of fissure .can block of long paths.Can be Picked after Scepter, Blink,force,etc.
Fissure - Increases Fissure Length Range

Elder Titan
Not a good item but can be experimented with.
Astral Spirit - Increases Cast Range
Earth Splitter - Increases Range of Earth Splitter

Ember Spirit
Waste.Do not even think about it.
Sleight of Fist - Increases Cast Range
Activate Fire Remnant - Increases Remnant Travel Range

Enchantress
Not a Good pick for enchantress.try buying something else.
Enchant - Increases Cast Range

Enigma
Good Pick for enigma.Increases the Cast range of blackhole..which keeps u a distance from the enemy for escaping after the blackhole.Also Allies can Engage more properly with Enemies.
Malefice - Increases Cast Range
Demonic Conversion - Increases Cast Range
Midnight Pulse - Increases Cast Range
Black Hole - Increases Cast Range

Faceless Void
Wastage.
Time Walk - Increases Walk Range(Similar to previous lvl 1 Time walk)
Chronosphere - Increases Cast Range

Gyrocopter
Not a Good Pick
Homing Missile - Increases Hero Cast Range
Call Down - Increases Cast Range(Non Scepter)

Huskar
Pick this item on this Lad.Poor guy has so less Magic resitance. :)
Inner Vitality - Increases Cast Range
Life Break - Increases Jump Range
Heroes & Aether Lens Interaction (I - Q)
Invoker
A good pick on Invo cause as a spell based hero it affects 6 of his spells and there output.
Cold Snap - Increases Cast Range
EMP - Increases Cast Range
Tornado - Increases Cast Range and the Travel Distance of theTornado
Chaos Meteor - Increases Cast Range and the Travel Distance of the Meteor
Deafening Blast - Increases Blast Travel Radius
Alacrity - Increases Cast Range

Io
Not Good enough.
Tether - Increases Cast Range

Jakiro
The Best inventory filling item ever,his ult does even more devasting damage plus the range of all spells increases massively.
Dual Breath - Increases Breath range
Ice Path - Increases Path range
Macropyre - Increases Cast Range(with Scepter this goes waaaaaaaay far !!!!)

Juggernaut
Do not even think about of it.....
Healing Ward - Increases Cast Range
Omnislash - Increases Cast Range

Keeper of the Light
A good pick ..increases the travel distance and with that the vision it provides.
Illuminate - Increases Travel Distance of Horses
Mana Leak - Increases Cast Range
Chakra Magic - Increases Cast Range
Blinding Light - Increases Cast Range

Kunkka
Not a good pick.Better get a Shadow blade
Torrent - Increases Cast Range
X Marks the Spot - Increases Cast Range
Ghostship - Increases Cast Range and travel distance.

Legion Commander
Useless
Overwhelming Odds - Increases Cast Range
Duel - Increases Cast Range

Leshrac
Increases the DPS of his ult and spells can be cast from long range,syncs well with veil of discord for higher damage output.
Split Earth - Increases Cast Range
Lightning Storm - Increases Cast Range

Lich
Good for catching running eneimes..good for Initiating enemies from a long distance.
Frost Blast - Increases Cast Range
Ice Armor - Increases Cast Range
Sacrifice - Increases Cast Range
Chain Frost - Increases Cast Range

Lifestealer
Not a Good pick
Open Wounds - Increases Cast Range
Infest - Increases Cast Range

Lina
Increases Damage output also the cast range and the dragon slave travel distance.
Dragon Slave - Increases travel distance
Light Strike Array - Increases Cast Range
Laguna Blade - Increases Cast Range

Lion
A good pick for lion,increases the chances to stun eneimes from a distance and disable more of them if more eneimes in a line.
Earth Spike - Increases travel distance of the spike
Hex - Increases Cast Range
Mana Drain - Increases Cast Range and break range
Finger of Death - Increases Cast Range(with scpter also)

Luna
Not Important
Lucent Beam - Increases Cast Range
Eclipse - Increases Cast Range of casting eclipse on ally

Magnus
Can be used for Skwering and shockwaving enemies at a longer distance.Not recommended
Shockwave - Increases Travel Distance
Empower - Increases Cast Range
Skewer - Increases travel Distance

Medusa
Useless
Mystic Snake - Increases Cast Range

Meepo
Waste
Earthbind - Increases net throw Range

Morphling
Can be bought on support morphs.
Waveform - Increases Range on travel distance
Adaptive Strike - Increases Cast Range
Replicate - Increases Cast Range
Hybrid - Increases Cast Range

Naga Siren
Do not buy.
Ensnare - Increases Cast Range

Nature's Prophet
No need.
Sprout - Increases Cast Range
Nature's Call - Increases Cast Range

Necrophos
Not recommended.
Reaper's Scythe - Increases Cast Range

Night Stalker
Not much of a use.
Void - Increases Cast Range
Crippling Fear - Increases Cast Range

Nyx Assassin
When u buy scepter this syncs very good with the range of impale and mana burn cast range.
Impale - Increases Impale Range
Mana Burn - Increases Cast Range

Ogre Magi
Increases cast range,good for initations,Increases mana pool.
Fireblast - Increases Cast Range
Ignite - Increases Cast Range
Bloodlust - Increases Cast Range
Unrefined Fireblast - Increases Cast Range

Omniknight
Not good...2.3k can be invested on other item.
Purification - Increases Cast Range
Repel - Increases Cast Range

Oracle
Good for spamming spells from a distance,but not much of a use
Fortune's End - Increases Cast Range
Fate's Edict - Increases Cast Range
Purifying Flames - Increases Cast Range
False Promise - Increases Cast Range

Outworld Devourer
Not a good pick
Astral Imprisonment - Increases Cast Range
Sanity's Eclipse - Increases Cast Range

Phantom Assassin
Waste
Stifling Dagger - Increases Cast Range
Phantom Strike - Increases Cast Range

Phoenix
Not much of a use.but gives a mana boost and hp regen and range on sun ray to cover more area.also to throw spirits at longer range.good for sacrificing hp spells.
Launch Fire Spirit - Increases Throw Range
Sun Ray - Increases Ray Length
Supernova (Scepter upgraded) - Increases Cast Range for Hero Search

Puck
Good for escaping with orb range and good for initiations.Clears the creep wave with Orb and silnce combo
illusionary Orb - Increases Travel distance of orb
Dream Coil - Increases Cast Range

Pudge
Hook range increases and syncs good with Scepter upgrade.
Meat Hook - Increases Hook Range
Dismember - Increases Cast Range

Pugna
Increases Spell potential,..postioining of the nether ward can be more into the trees due to extra cast range.
Nether Blast - Increases Cast Range
Decrepify - Increases Cast Range
Nether Ward - Increases Cast Range
Life Drain - Increases Drain distance break

Queen of Pain
Increases the sonic wave distance and syncs good with other spells too.
Shadow Strike - Increases Cast Range
Blink - Increases Blink Range
Sonic Wave - Increases Sonic Wave Travel Distance(Does not increase Cone Angle)
Heroes & Aether Lens Interaction (R -Z)
Razor
Not a Good pick,get yasha instead to Increase ms for chasing.
Static Link - Increases the Cast Range and Static Link Break

Riki
Who cares about this hero anymore ??
Smoke Screen - Increases the Cast Range
Blink Strike - Increases the Cast Range

Rubick
A good pick..increases your potential with the stolen spells.
Telekinesis - Increases the Cast Range but not the drop range
Fade Bolt - Increases the Cast Range
Spell Steal - Increases the Cast Range

Sand King
With Aghanim Scepter you can literally stun From Tier 1 to Tier 2.No more Blink i guess ??!!
Burrowstrike - Increases the Cast Range

Shadow Demon
Except for poison range,can be useful to stay at a distance and spam spells other than that it doesnt help much.
Disruption - Increases the Cast Range
Soul Catcher - Increases the Cast Range
Shadow Poison - Increases the Travel Distance.
Demonic Purge - Increases the Cast Range

Shadow Field
Does not affect any of his spells(note that Raze being ranged spells,it is still not affected)

Shadow Shaman
Works Good on Shaman..increses his cast range and Damage output of each his spell..good for Initiating form a long and safe distance.
Ether Shock - Increases the Cast Range
Hex - Increases the Cast Range
Shackles - Increases the Cast Range
Mass Serpent Ward - Increases the Cast Range

Silencer
Increase the spell damage and good for spamming from a longer distance
Arcane Curse - Increases the Cast Range
Last Word - Increases the Cast Range

Skywrath Mage
Good for catching Fleeing heroes.Can spam to a longer distances
Arcane Bolt - Increases the Cast Range
Ancient Seal - Increases the Cast Range
Mystic Flare - Increases the Cast Range

Sniper
Waste.Get a Dragon Lance Instead.
Shrapnel - Increases the Cast Range
Assassinate - Increases the Cast Range

Spectre
Waste.
Spectral Dagger - Increases the Travel ditance of the dagger

Spirit Breaker
Better invest in a scepter.
Nether Strike - Increases the Cast Range

Storm Spirit
Not worth the Investment
Electric Vortex - Increases the pull Range

Sven
Not good enough
Storm Hammer - Increases the Cast Range

Techies
Increases the damage output of all bombs.can deploy from a longer range during defensive play.
Land Mines - Increases the deploy Range
Stasis Trap - Increases the deploy Range
Minefield Sign - Increases the deploy Range
Remote Mines - Increases the deploy Range

Templar Assassin
Not a good choice.
Psionic Trap - Increases the Cast Range

Terrorblade
Dont.
Sunder - Increases the Cast Range

Tidehunter
Do not buy...waste,but can be Experimented with the new scpter gush
Gush - Increases the Cast Range(Scepter Upgrade - Increases the travel distance)

Timbersaw
Good item after a scepter.
Timber - Increases the Hook Range
Chain Chakram - Increases the Cast Range
Chakram (Aghanim's Upgrade) - Increases the Cast Range

Tinker
Not a good pick.
Laser - Increases the Cast Range
March of the Machines - Increases the Cast Range but not the March vertical/horizontal travel distance

Tiny
Not much effective.
Avalanche - Increases the Cast Range
Toss - Increases the Throw Range

Treant Protector
Not much of a use.
Nature's Guise - Increases the Cast Range
Leech Seed - Increases the Cast Range
Eyes in the Forest - Increases the Cast Range

Troll Warlord
Waste
Whirling Axes (Ranged) - Increases the travel range

Tusk
Not much of a use
Ice Shards - Increases the Cast Range
Snowball - Increases the Cast Range and travel radius.

Undying
Decay can be spammed from a longer range
Decay - Increases the Cast Range
Soul Rip - Increases the Cast Range
Tombstone - Increases the Cast Range

Vengeful Spirit
Increasing the cast range on swap and stun,increases the potential for saving a carry or separting out a carry from enemy team
Magic Missile - Increases the Cast Range
Wave of Terror - Increases the Travel distance Range
Nether Swap - Increases the swap Range

Venomancer
Not much of a use,but gale travels a long distance and plague ward cast range is increased which can be used to scout.
Vemonous Gale - Increases the Travel Range of Gale
Plague Ward - Increases the Cast Range

Viper
Not good enough,can be invested in something else
Viper Strike - Increases the Cast Range

Visage
Has potential for spammming spells.
Grave Chill - Increases the Cast Range
Soul Assumption - Increases the Cast Range

Warlock
Not good enough but Keeps your distance during Upheavel
Fatal Bonds - Increases the Cast Range
Shadow Word - Increases the Cast Range
Upheaval - Increases the Cast Range
Chaotic Offering - Increases the Cast Range

Weaver
Nopes.
The Swarm - Increases the Travel Range of the insects

Windranger
Not Good enough for the inventory.
Shackleshot - Increases the Cast Range
Powershot - - Increases the Channel time and travel distance

Winter Wyvern
Keeps your distance while casting spells.but can be invested into something else.
Splinter Blast - Increases the Cast Range
Cold Embrace - Increases the Cast Range
Winter's Curse - Increases the Cast Range

Witch Doctor
Keeps your distance between you and the enemies.good after a scepter
Paralyzing Cask - Increases the Cast Range
Maledict - Increases the Cast Range
Death Ward - Increases the Cast Range

Wraith King
Waste.
Wraithfire Blast - Increases the Cast Range

Zeus
2nd or 3rd item.Increases damage output and casting range.good after scepter,
Arc Lightning - Increases the Cast Range
Lightning Bolt - Increases the Cast Range
Notes
Nothing here is copied from anywhere.I have tested them all out and if anyone feels anything is wrong or anything more can be added they are welcome.

Thank you
44 Comments
Karrie 1 Sep, 2016 @ 11:05am 
I think aether lens also increases omni passive I have tested back them inside game
Default Mode Network 6 Jun, 2016 @ 6:18am 
Please tell me if i make aether and a radiance is the radiance damage increased?? Hello? Cant find answers but seems great just dont want to waste cash and time on dotah
stibaer 12 Jan, 2016 @ 8:09am 
"Techies
Increases the damage output of all bombs."

Are you sure? As far as I know techies bombs are ward type and thus wont get increased damage by aether lens.
Orioli 6 Jan, 2016 @ 10:24am 
Does Aether Lens increase Winter Wyvern's Arctic Blast damage?
two birds on a wire... 3 Jan, 2016 @ 1:10am 
Zues first item should be aether lens aft arc ur choice if u wanna disassemble to make that aghanim is zues 5th item aft ro aether lens gives zues xtra damage nobody buys agha for zues anymore... This guide is for 3.5k tops
xenogears™ 28 Dec, 2015 @ 12:05am 
I somewhat disagree with the kunkka justification. taken into consideration he's somewhat mana dependent to spam his skills. It tremendously buffs his already big damage spells (torrent and ghost ship). you'll be having an almost disruptor-like x-mark if you playing support (yup, played with some with the previous patches wherein he is weaker) combined with dagger. Also, combine the spell resistance with the tankiness ghost ship provides.
Xipluv 27 Dec, 2015 @ 11:09pm 
It's not good for Arc Warden. Please don't misinform people. If you ever get Aether Lens on Arc Warden you are immediately either A: Trolling / griefing or B: an idiot.

Also, no, you don't get Scepter on Zeus. Honestly, this is an amazing first item on Zeus. Arcanes > Soul Ring > Disassemble Arcanes for Aether Lens > Octarine / Bloodstone / whatever.

And how is this not godly for Dragon Knight? It's almost as if this item was made for him! It gives him even more HP regen, more mana to use spells, makes his instant speed stun have a usable range (And an insane one in dragon form), and gives him spell resistance to offset his major weakness (magical burst). It counter pretty much all his weaknesses in a single item. It's amazing.
Goldor Schekelstein 27 Dec, 2015 @ 4:00pm 
what about Witch Doctors Ult.... you can place it farther away but does it shoot farther too?
Han 27 Dec, 2015 @ 11:38am 
We care about Riki. q_q
an unpleasant feeling 27 Dec, 2015 @ 8:19am 
What a guide, thanks dude u sure help me how to keep my 2.3k gold