What you need to know about Kez, Dota 2's newest hero

Image: Valve Software

Kez has the unique ability to switch between two different weapons, each with its own set of abilities.

Kez the Kazurai has finally arrived as Dota 2's latest hero! Kez is a melee Agility hero with the unique ability to switch between two weapons: his Kazurai Katana and his Shodo Sai. Each of Kez's weapons allow him to access a unique set of abilities and attack effects, which effectively gives him eight total abilities that let him excel in different combat situations.

Read on as we break down everything you need to know about Kez:

Kez's innate ability: Switch Discipline

Kez's innate ability, Switch Discipline, lets him switch between his Kazurai Katana and Shodo Sai. This ability has an 8-second cooldown that decreases by 0.2 seconds everytime Kez gains a level.

Kez's different set of abilities across his two weapons level up together and when one ability is used, the associated alternate weapon ability also goes on cooldown. For example, if you use Kez's Katana ultimate then switch to his Sai, then his Sai ultimate will also be on cooldown.

In addition, Kez's third ability for each weapon is a passive ability grants unique effects to his attacks. Kez does not have any Facets yet.

Kez's Kazurai Katana abilities

Switching to Kez's Kazurai Katana makes his attacks and abilities apply a stacking damage over time to enemies that deals a percentage of the original attack's damage as additional damage over time. Affected enemies also have non-stacking reduced health regeneration.

At max level, Kez's Katana passive deals 10% of the original attack over 8 seconds while also reducing the affected target's health regeneration by 35%.

Kez's first Kazurai Katana ability, Echo Slash, lets him slash forward in a line with his Katana, dealing a percentage of his attack damage and a brief slow to targets in the area. After a 1.2 second delay, the area is attacked again. Heroes take bonus damage. This ability has a scaling 20/18/16/14 second cooldown and 85/100/115/130 manacost.

At max level, Echo Slash dishes out two attacks that deal 100% of Kez's attack damage to enemies hit, with heroes receiving 75 bonus damage, while slowing their movement speed down by 100% for 0.25 seconds.

Kez's second Kazurai Katana ability, Grappling Claw, lets him swing on a grappling hook towards a target unit or tree. When the grappling hook collides with the target, that unit's movement speed is slowed by 80% until Kez arrives. Upon landing, he attacks with 100% lifesteal plus a scaling flat bonus of 50/100/150/200 if the target is a Hero. Grappling Claw has a scaling 15/12/9/6 second cooldown and a constant 50 manacost.

Kez's Kazurai Katana ultimate, Raptor Dance, lets him enter into an uncontrollable channel for 1 second, gaining debuff immunity and 100% magic resistance. If the channel completes successfully, Kez performs a series of deadly radial slashes in a 450 radius around him that deal damage based on the max health of the target, and heal Kez for a percentage of all damage dealt. Kez also receives a strong dispel upon completion.

At max level, Raptor Dance unleashes 4 strikes which have a base damage of 75 plus 4% of the max health as damage of any enemies hit. Each slash also has a 100% lifesteal. Raptor Dance has a scaling 40/32/24 second cooldown and 100/125/150 manacost.

Kez's Shodo Sai abilities

Switching to Kez's Shodo Sai makes his attacks and abilities have a 17% chance to Mark enemies for 8 seconds. A marked enemy's movement speed is slowed by 10%, and the next attack or ability damage from Kez gains True Strike and will stun the enemy for 0.5 seconds, and deal a scaling 140%/160%/180%/200% critical strike, consuming the buff.

Kez can also activate the ability to disarm himself, lock his facing, and parry attacks and attack effects from the targeted direction for 2 seconds. If an attack is parried from an enemy Hero in this way, that Hero is stunned and Marked, taking an additional 25%/50%/75%/100% critical strike and 0.5 second stun when the debuff is triggered. The sub-ability can be used again to cancel the blocking early.

Kez's Shodo Sai parry sub-ability has a scaling 20/15/10/5 second cooldown and 30/20/10/0 manacost.

Kez's first Shodo Sai ability, Falcon Rush, gives him the ability to rush towards enemy targets within 650 range to deliver echoing secondary attacks for 7 seconds. While in this state, Kez has phased collision and an attack rate that is less affected by attack speed. Falcon Rush has a scaling 20/18/16/14 second cooldown and 85/90/95/100 manacost.

Kez's second Shodo Sai ability, Talon Toss, lets him throw a Sai at a target unit. The Sai detonates when it hits, dealing damage and applying silence to all enemies within 275 range of the target. At max level, this ability deals 225 damage and silences for 2.5 seconds. Talon Toss has a scaling 15/12/9/6 second cooldown and a constant 75 manacost.

Kez's Shodo Sai ultimate, Raven's Veil, lets him release a wave of smoke that applies his Mark with Parry bonus to enemies within 1500 range, briefly reducing their vision for 4 seconds. Kez receives a basic dispel and gains 15%/25%/35% bonus movement speed and invisibility for 7/8/9 seconds until he attacks or casts a spell. Raven's Veil has a scaling 40/32/24 second cooldown and 100/125/150 manacost.

Kez's Talent Tree

Level 10: +1.5 Mana Regen or +12% Magic Resistance.
Level 15: +50 Raptor Dance Radius or +2 seconds Falcon Rush Duration.
Level 20: +50% Falcon Rush Evasion or +5% Kazurai Katana Damage Per Second.
Level 25: +1 Echo Slash Attack or +75% Shodo Sai Mark Critical Strike.

Kez's Aghanim's Scepter and Shard upgrades

You can purchase Aghanim's Scepter on Kez to upgrade Switch Discipline, making it so that casting any weapon ability will refresh its cooldown. In addition, the first ability Kez casts 3 seconds after using Switch Discipline will not cause its alternate weapon ability to go on cooldown. For example, if you switch to Kez's Katana while having Aghanim's Scepter, use his Katana ultimate within 3 seconds, and switch to his Sai, then his Sai ultimate not be on cooldown.

You can also purchase Aghanim's Shard on Kez to give his Kazurai Katana passive a sub-ability that lets him impale the target with his attack, briefly stunning himself and the target in place. The target's debuff then bursts, removing it and causing the attack to deal bonus damage based on the damage over time stack amount.

For more information on Kez, check out his official Dota 2 hero page here. You can also check out his backstory in the ‘Ascension Night’ preview comic for Crownfall Act IV.