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Magic Armor

Magic Armor reduces the amount of damage you take from Magic Damage. Having a positive amount of Magic Armor will reduce Magic damage by a percentage, while negative Magic Armor amplifies it. Magic Armor is independent from Armor, and does not reduce Physical or True damage.

Formula

How magic armor damage reduction is calculated.

NameFormula
Damage Reduction (MA ≥ 0)((0.06 × MA) / (1 + 0.06 × MA)) × 100
Damage Increase (MA < 0)1 − 0.94^−MA

Base Magic Armor

All heroes have a base amount of Magic Armor, which does not change with levels. A majority of heroes have a base Magic Armor of 5.5, a 24.8% reduction. Prior to Version 2.6.24, all heroes had a Magic Armor of 5.5.

HeroesbaseMagicArmordamageReduction
All Other Heroes5.524.8%

Sources

Magic Armor Modifier

Items that provide magic armor bonuses.

ItemMagic resistNotes
Mystic Vestments+5
Null Stone+5
Spell Sunder+5
Shaman's Headdress+4
Barrier Idol+3
Helm of the Black Legion+2
Ring of the Teacher+1

Abilities

Abilities that provide magic armor bonuses.

UnitSourceTargetMagic resistDurationNotes
Demented ShamanRestorationAlly Units+2/3/4/510 seconds
EmpathSynergyAlly Units (Aura)+1/2/3/4N/A
Keeper of the ForestNature's GuidanceAlly Unit+1/2/3/415/30/45/60 seconds
PearlPreservationAlly Units+2/3/4Up to 7/8.5/10 secondsApplies to units inside the bubble

Magic Armor Reduction

Abilities and items that reduce enemy magic armor.

heroItemSourceTargetreductionDurationNotes
DefilerUnholy ExpulsionEnemy Units1/2/3/4Up to 4 secondsApplies while tethered
Plague RiderEarthblightEnemy Units1/2/3/4Up to 4 secondsApplies while tethered
RevenantMortificationEnemy Units1/2/3/46 seconds
Void TalismanActivationSelf5.54 seconds

Magic Armor Penetration

Magic Armor Penetration causes Magic Damage to ignore a certain amount of Magic Armor. Unlike Magic Armor reduction, Magic Armor Penetration benefits only the user. Magic Armor Penetration will only ignore up to how much Magic Armor the target has, and has no effect if Magic Armor value is negative.

unitItemSourceTargetPenetrationDurationNotes
LodestoneShatterstormEnemy Units & Self100%5 seconds
RhapsodyArcane HymnAlly Heroes (Aura)0.5/1/1.5/2N/A
Sir BenzingtonHeart PiercerPassive1/2/3/4N/ADoes not apply to items
SpellshardsPassiveEnemy Units60%N/A