Keeper of the Light Overview

Lore & Bio

He rides a pale horse, this everlasting sun's flame, this Keeper of the Light. Ezalor departed the Fundamental plane a long time ago, freeing himself from the other ancient forces to whom he was tethered inside the great Primordial harmony. He is a sentient power who was born at the birth of the universe and now rides across all realms at the same time, one step ahead of chasing chaos, his gift at the end of a dazzling staff. Under the apparent look of a somewhat doddering elderly guy who barely stays in the saddle, his glorious reality is hidden. When confronted with disorder or the powers of evil, however, his primal light breaks forth, revealing his entire strength and transforming him.

In the game, Keeper of the Light, Ezalor, is a ranged intelligence hero known for being a one-man support squad. Ezalor is a useful ally for any team, supporting his teammates in need and pushing unprotected lanes with ease. He has a number of helpful abilities, including the ability to channel a massive globe of bright light that may severely destroy an army of opponent creeps in the lane, enabling for a quick push. He can also replenish mana and decrease cooldown for himself and his allies, as well as blind and displace his foes with an intense light.

His Ultimate occasionally hypnotizes foes in an AoE, enabling his teammates to strike around this very strong crowd control. To play Keeper of the Light successfully, you'll need patience, confidence, and selflessness, as he's a support rather than a killing caster like most Intelligence gankers. To employ his powers effectively, he needs superb timing, reflexes, and understanding.

This is his in-game description: 

“Any squad would benefit from having a Keeper of the Light on it. He eliminates weaker adversaries with waves of light, then becomes his spirit form to assemble his squad to press the assault, manipulating the mana of both his friends and enemies.”

Attribute & Stats

• Health: 200 / 560/ 1200/ 1900/ 2160;

• Health regen: 0.25/ 2.05/ 5.27/  8.77/ 10.12;

• Mana: 75/ 351/ 879/ 1407/ 1623;

• Mana regen: 0/ 1.15/ 3.39/ 5.59/ 6.49;

• Armor:  0/ 2.5/ 6.23/ 10.9/ 12.57;

• Att/sec: 0.59/ 0.68/ 0.81/ 0.97/ 1.03;

• Damage: 18‒25/ 41‒48/ 85‒92/ 129‒136/ 147‒154;

• Magic resistance: 25%;

• Movement speed: 330;

• Attack speed: 100;

• Turn rate: 0.6;

• Vision range: 1800/800;

• Attack range: 600;

• Projectile speed: 900;

• Attack animation: 0.3+0.85;

• Base attack time: 1.7;

• Damage block: 0;

• Collision size: 24;

• Legs: 2;

• Gib type: Default.

Abilities & Talents

Skills building guide

The skill build order with Keeper of the Light can vary, but generally speaking this might just be the best build. In this build you max Chakra Magic first because it’s very important to spamming Illuminate effectively. It’s especially important in the early game when allies’ mana pools are low and need fast restoration. 

Illuminate is a good nuke which might be helpful in the mid game, while Solar Bind is very helpful to tie an enemy carry down to eliminate them in the late game. But all and all, what your skill build will become might depend a lot on your game situation.

Abilities

Illuminate

Illuminate (Point Target, Magical) 

Effect: Light energy is funneled, and the longer it is channeled, the more powerful it becomes. When the button is pressed, a wave of harm and vision is blasted forth in its direction. The more harm is inflicted the longer it is channeled.

Cast Animation: 0.3+0

Cast Range: 1800

Travel Distance: 1550

Wave Radius: 375

Max Channel Time: 3

Max Damage: 200/300/400/500 (Talent 380/480/580/680)

Cooldown: 13

Mana: 100/125/150/175

Partially pierces spell immunity. Damage on enemies is blocked.

Notes:

The wave travels at a speed of 900, taking 1.48 seconds to travel the full distance. 

With the travel distance and radius, it can hit units up to 1925 range away. 

The damage increases by 2.02/3.03/4.04/5.05 ( 3.84/4.85/5.86/6.87) for every 0.03 seconds, starting as the 0.3-second cast time begins. This means it can deal a minimum of 20/30/40/51 ( 38/48/59/69) damage. This also means that the maximum damage is reached after 2.7 seconds of channeling. The damage increasing  talent instantly upgrades the current instance, as well as already released waves. 

During the channeling, vision fields get created in a line in front of Ezalor. The vision fields provide 375 range flying vision and last for 10.34 seconds each. The first vision field spawns 150 range in front of Ezalor. The following ones spawn 150 range away from the previous vision fields. 

The vision fields are spawned in 0.5-second intervals, starting 0.5 seconds after channeling start, resulting in up to 5 fields. When the channeling is canceled, it stops spawning vision fields. This does not affect the travel distance of the wave. When fully channeled, all vision fields together reach up to 1125 range away with their vision. 

The visual effect of Illuminate shockwave gets stronger the longer it was channeled.

Release Illuminate

Release Illuminate (No Target) 

Effect: Release the channel early.

Cast Animation: 0+0

Cooldown: 0

Notes:

Replaces  Illuminate until the channeling ends.

Interrupts Keeper of the Light's channeling abilities upon cast.

Release Illuminate

Illuminate (Spirit Form) (Point Target/Magical)

Effect: Light energy is funneled, and the more time it is channeled, the more powerful it becomes. A wave is thrown forward when it is discharged, doing harm and providing eyesight to those who are in its path. It deals more damage the longer it is channeled.

Cast Animation: 0.3+5.53

Cast Range: 1800

Travel Distance: 1550

Wave Radius: 375

Max Charge Time: 3

Max Damage: 200/300/400/500 (Talent 380/480/580/680)

Cooldown: 13Mana: 100/125/150/175

Partially pierces spell immunity. Damage on enemies is blocked. Heal on allies is not.

Notes:

Replaces  Illuminate while having the spirit form buff on.

Upon cast, an image of Ezalor is spawned at his location, which channels the Illuminate for him. Ezalor can act freely during this.

Illuminate notes fully apply.

During  Spirit Form, Illuminate also heals allies. Despite Spirit Form's tooltip, the heal is applied regardless of the time of day. Cannot heal invulnerable allies or Couriers. The heal value is based on the calculations of the damage value, resulting in the following values

• Level 1: 0.61/0.91/1.21/1.52 (Talent 1.15/1.45/1.76/2.06) increase per interval, 6/9/12/15 (Talent 11/14/18/21) min heal, 60/90/120/150 (Talent 114/144/174/204) max heal.
• Level 2: 0.91/1.36/1.82/2.27 (Talent 1.73/2.18/2.64/3.09) increase per interval, 9/14/18/23 (Talent 17/22/27/31) min heal, 90/135/180/225 (Talent 171/216/261/306) max heal.
• Level 3: 1.21/1.82/2.42/3.03 (Talent 2.3/2.91/3.52/4.12) increase per interval, 12/18/24/31 (Talent 23/29/35/41) min heal, 120/180/240/300 (Talent 228/288/348/408) max heal.

During  Spirit Form, Illuminate has a cast range of 1925/2050/2175 and a travel distance of 1675/1800/1925. With the travel distance and radius, it can hit units up to 2050/2175/2300 range away during Spirit Form.

Comes with a Release ability similar to normal form

Solar Bind

Solar Bind (Point Target)

Effect: Weakens an enemy's magical resistance while also inflicting a slow that grows stronger as the victim progresses.

Cast Animation: 0.2+1.24

Cast Range: 700/750/800/850

Magic Resistance Reduction: 15%/20%/25%/30%

Moved Distance as Move Speed Slow: 4%/5.5%/7%/8.5%

Duration: 7

Talent Number of Charges: 2

Talent Charge Replenish Time: 23/20/17/14

Cooldown: 23/20/17/14 (Talent 0)

Mana: 60/80/100/120

Notes:

Checks the target's current position once upon cast and then in 0.1-second intervals, resulting in 71 checks.

For each 10 distance moved, the slow value increases by 1.5%/2%/2.5%/3%.

On each check, it compares the target's current position with its position on the last check and updates the slow value if the accumulated distance exceeds 10.

If the target moved a distance greater than 1300 between a check, the slow value is not increased.

This is how strong the movement speed slow is when the affected unit travels certain distances:

• 100 Distance: 4%/5.5%/7%/8.5% movement speed.
• 300 Distance: 12%/16.5%/21%/25.5% movement speed.
• 600 Distance: 24%/33%/42%/51% movement speed.
• 900 Distance: 36%/49.5%/63%/76.5% movement speed.
• 1200 Distance: 48%/66%/84%/102% movement speed.
• 1500 Distance: 60%/82.5%/105%/127.5% movement speed.

There is no cap to the slow value, it can continue to grow indefinitely. The status debuff's description shows how strong the slow currently is.

The particle effects get stronger the higher the slow gets, capped at 100% slow. The volume of the sound effect on the target increases while moving.

Reduces most enemy heroes' total magic resistance to 14%/10%/6%/2%.

During  Spirit Form, Solar Bind has a cast range of:

• Level 1: 825/875/925/975 cast range.
• Level 2: 950/1000/1050/1100 cast range.
• Level 3: 1075/1125/1175/1225 cast range.

Chakra Magic

Chakra Magic (Unit Target/ Affects Allies)

Effect: Reduces the cooldowns of all abilities currently on cooldown by a set amount and restores mana to the target unit.

Cast Animation: 0.3+1

Cast Range: 900

Mana Restored: 100/180/260/340

Current Cooldowns Reduction: 3/4/5/6

Cooldown: 18/16/14/12 (Talent 14/12/10/8)

Notes:

↓↓ Double-tapping automatically targets self.

Only reduces cooldowns of every non-ultimate ability, including passive abilities.

Also reduces the recharge time of currently recharging charge-based abilities.

During  Spirit Form, Chakra Magic has a cast range of 1025/1150/1275.

With the level 20 Talent talent, Chakra Magic applies a basic dispel on the target upon cast.

Blinding Light

Blinding Light (Unit Target/ Affects Allies)

Effect: A blinding light bursts over the targeted region, pushing units back and blinding them, causing certain attacks to be missed. Over 0.4 seconds, knockback is in the 400 range.

Cast Animation: 0.3+1.07

Cast Range: 600

Radius: 600

Knockback Distance: 400

Damage: 100

Miss Chance: 40% (Talent 70%)

Knockback Duration: 0.4

Miss Duration: 4

Talent Stun Duration: 1.2

Cooldown: 18

Mana: 150

Does not pierce spell immunity. Knockback and blind persist if debuffs were placed before spell immunity and when not dispelled.

Notes:

Only available during  Spirit Form.

Knocks units back at a speed of 1000. Knockback distance is always 400, no matter how far the unit is from the center.

Units are not disabled during the knockback. They can still turn, attack, cast abilities and use items. Channeling abilities are not interrupted.

Can push units over impassable terrain. Destroys trees enemies come in contact with during the knockback.

Blinding Light first applies the debuff, then the stun, and then the damage.

Blinding Light's blind uses pseudo-random distribution.

During  Spirit Form, Blinding Light has a cast range of 725/850/975.

Will-O-Wisp

Will-O-Wisp (Unit Target/ Affects Allies)

Effect: Ignis Fatuus is summoned to the specified location. With its mesmerizing flicker, it alternates on and off, enticing foes closer.

Cast Animation: 0.1+1.27

Cast Range: 800

Radius: 725

Attacks to Destroy: 6

Enemy Pull Speed: 60

Number of Flickers: 5

Initial Delay: 1

Off Duration: 1.85

On Duration: 1.3

Wisp Duration: 14.9

Cooldown: 60

Mana: 250

Notes:

Requires Aghanim's Scepter to be unlocked.

The wisp starts flickering 1 second after cast, and then every 3.15 seconds, up to 5 times.

While flickering, moves enemies towards the wisp, and locks their facing angle on it. Does not disable enemies in any other way.

Only attacks from heroes (including clones, excluding illusions and creep-heroes) can damage the wisp.

Destroys trees within the radius upon cast, and within 150 radius around affected enemies at the end of the pull.

Multiple instances of Will-O-Wisp work independently from each other.

During  Spirit Form, Will-O-Wisp has a cast range of 925/1050/1175.

Recall

Recall (Unit Target/ Point Target/ Allies)

Effect: Teleports the specified friendly hero to your position after a brief wait. The ability is stopped if the selected friendly hero receives player-based damage during this period.

Cast Animation: 0.3+1.17

Cast Range: Global

Teleport Delay: 3

Cooldown: 15Mana: 150

Notes:

Requires Aghanim's Shard to be unlocked.

Only available during  Spirit Form, and replaces Spirit Form for its duration.

Targeting the ground chooses the closest allied hero to the targeted point. Cannot be cast on allies who have ☐ Disabled Help from Ezalor.

Gives the target a stop command after teleporting it, effectively canceling channeling abilities.

Can be cast on and teleport illusions and invulnerable allies.

Cannot be cast on, but can teleport hidden allies.

Disjoints projectiles upon teleporting.

If Ezalor or the target dies, the spell effect is interrupted.

Checks received damage before any sort of reductions, meaning it gets interrupted even by 0 damage instances.

Self-inflicted damage does not cancel the effect. Only damage coming from a player (including allies) or Roshan cancels it.

Spirit Form

Spirit Form (Unit Target/ Affects Allies)

Effect: Ezalor's body glows for a short time, giving him increased movement speed, casting range, the Blinding Light ability, and the ability to channel Illuminate through a separate spirit to heal friends.

Cast Animation: 0+1.46

Move Speed Bonus: 15%/20%/25%

Cast Range Bonus: 125/250/375

Illuminate Damage as Heal: 30%/45%/60%

Duration: 40 (Talent 55)

Cooldown: 70Mana: 75/125/175

Aghanim's Scepter upgrade: Grants a new ability: Will-O-Wisp.

Aghanim's Shard upgrade: Grants a new ability during Spirit Form: Recall.

Notes:

Spirit Form interrupts Ezalor's channeling abilities upon cast.

When Spirit Form expires while a spirit is channeling  Illuminate (Spirit Form), it is released instantly.

With Aghanim's Shard,  Recall replaces Spirit Form for its duration, due to lack of ability slots.

Effective items guides

Early game

Tango

Tango: regenerates life while laning, which reduces harass damage from lane opponents. If necessary, Keeper of the Light can share it with allies.

Healing Salve

Healing Salve: also heals your and your teammates' health early on.

Iron Branch

Iron Branch: has certain benefits and may be used to create a Magic Wand or Mekansm.

Observer Ward

Observer Ward: offers Keeper of the Light view throughout the map and assists him in getting into a favorable position to utilize Illuminate.

Tranquil Boots

Tranquil Boots: Keeper of the Light can travel faster with Tranquil Boots at a low cost. His health is maintained through passive regeneration, allowing him to remain self-sufficient because he can refill his mana using Chakra Magic.

Mid game

Force Staff

Force Staff: Force Staff is highly useful when used with and Blinding Light for movement, rescuing allies, and forcibly removing adversaries.

Glimmer Cape

Glimmer Cape: With invisibility and magic resistance, the Glimmer Cape might save the Keeper of the Light and his friends. He can also use it before or during Illuminate and Town Portal Scroll channeling.

Late game

Refresher Orb

Refresher Orb: Keeper of the Light can use Will-O-Wisp twice for a longer hypnotizing time or to extend the targeted region with the Refresher Orb.

Ghost Scepter

Ghost Scepter: Keeper of the Light may withstand opponent carries thanks to the Ghost Scepter's resilience to physical damage.

Scythe of Vyse

Scythe of Vyse: Scythe of Vyse gives Keeper of the Light a significant increase to attributes and great mana recovery, allowing him to utilize Chakra Magic on teammates instead of himself more frequently. Keeper of the Light benefits greatly from the Hex it provides, since he lacks an immediate hard disable otherwise.

Situation items

Mekansm

Mekansm works nicely with Keeper of the Light's support abilities since he can both heal and replenish his friends' mana. Keeper of the Light has significantly higher survivability because to its overall characteristics and armor, while Chakra Magic offsets the item's high mana cost.

Rod of Atos

Rod of Atos: More survivability and a bigger mana pool are granted by Rod of Atos. Because of its vast cast range and quick cooldown, its root makes following or fleeing single opponents considerably simpler.

Eul's Scepter of Divinity

Eul’s Scepter of Divinity: Keeper of the Light gains a sustained mana pool and enhanced movement speed from Eul's Scepter of Divinity, allowing him to be considerably more active on the battlefield. The active ability removes debuffs like silences while momentarily invulnerable Keeper of the Light, or disables an adversary long enough for Illuminate to charge up damage.

Aghanim's Scepter

Aghanim’s Scepter: Aghanim's Scepter eliminates Illuminate's channel, making it easy to charge to full strength. It also allows Illuminate to heal during the day, keeping allies alive during fights and pushes.

Solar Crest

Solar Crest: Solar Crest provides armor, attributes, and mana regeneration to Keeper of the Light. As a ranged support, you may lower an enemy's or Roshan's armor to benefit your team, or you can give an ally extra armor to increase their survival.

Pipe of Insight

Pipe of Insight: Keeper of the Light and comrades are protected from magical damage by Pipe of Insight, allowing them to survive and participate to teamfights.

Lotus Orb

Lotus Orb: Keeper of the Light's armor and regeneration are improved by the Lotus Orb. The basic dispel and active abilities enhance himself and his allies' survivability by eliminating debuffs and may deter opponents from utilizing targeted attacks.

Aether Lens

Aether Lens: increases Keeper of the Light's cast range, letting him support allies from a safer distance away.

Enemies & Allies

Allies

Mars

Mars: Chakra Magic directly mitigates Mars' low mana pool and allows him to use his abilities liberally.  Spear of Mars has one of the longest stun durations, allowing Keeper of the Light to channel a stronger Illuminate. Casting Blinding Light in Mars' Arena Of Blood knocks enemies into the arena walls for more damage. 

Mars'  Arena Of Blood can also keep enemies within Will-O-Wisp's radius and allows Keeper of the Light to use Blinding Light without fear of knocking enemies out of Ignis Fatuus' radius while causing enemies to miss Ignis Fatuus.

Medusa

Medusa: Chakra Magic directly gives Medusa greater survivability with Mana Shield. Will-O-Wisp synergizes very well with Stone Gaze to ensure enemies face Medusa for longer.

Lina

Lina: In the laning stage, Chakra Magic can sustain Lina's mana pool and reduce cooldowns of Dragon Slave and Light Strike Array. Lina's long attack range can still land on enemies being pushed back by Blinding Light.

Luna

Luna: In the laning stage, Chakra Magic can sustain Luna's mana pool and reduces Lucent Beam's cooldown to almost zero, a reliable harassing tool.

Pudge

Pudge: Meat Hook and  Dismember are good setups for Illuminate.

Others: Heroes with mana problems: Invoker, Tinker. Heroes with abilities that profit from shorter cooldowns: Phoenix, Templar Assassin.

Counters

Legion Commander

Legion Commander: Press the Attack can dispel the blind from Blinding Light from a hero. Duel can be used to instantly take Keeper of the Light out of a team-fight.

Lifestealer

Lifestealer: Rage allows him to dispel Blinding Light from himself. Open Wounds allows him to slow and kill Keeper of the Light.

Night Stalker

Night Stalker: Crippling Fear prevents Keeper of the Light from using his spells to keep his team alive during team-fights.  Dark Ascension is very strong against Keeper of the Light, who relies on daytime to be effective.

Nyx Assassin

Nyx Assassin:  Mana Burn is strong against Keeper of the Light due to his high mana pool.  Spiked Carapace can be used to reflect Illuminate damage and stun Keeper of the Light.  Vendetta allows Nyx Assassin to follow Keeper of the Light around if he tries to split-push.

Items Counter

Blade Mail

Blade Mail: can reflect Keeper of the Light's damage back to him.

Eul's Scepter of Divinity

Eul's Scepter of Divinity: can dispel Blinding Light.

Lotus Orb

Lotus Orb: can dispel Blinding Light.

Black King Bar

Black King Bar: blocks all of Keeper of the Light's abilities.

Favorable Matchups

Monkey King

Monkey King: Blinding Light can knock Monkey King outside of his ultimate, Wukong's Command or can generally blind him effectively. Will-O-Wisp stun Monkey King from Tree Dance by destroying his tree.

Wraith King

Wraith King: Wraith King's poor mobility makes him vulnerable to Illuminate. Blinding Light can reduce his damage output as well as his already abysmal mobility. Chakra Magic drains Wraith King's much-needed mana resulting in him not being able to reincarnate.

Others: Melee carries during the laning phase: Sven, Slark. Keeper of the Light can stall pushes with Illuminate this makes him strong against pushing heroes: Terrorblade Naga Siren Nature's Prophet and Anti-Mage.

Game plan

Early game

Regarding the early game, there are two options you can proceed from: being the pusher type and being the lane support type. If you’re the former, you can utilize Illuminate all the time and use it to harass enemies and push quicker. If you’re the latter, you can support your partner by denying and creep pulling, or help restore his mana while draining the enemy’s mana. Always be beware of ganks.

Mid game

Your part in the middle game is simple: assist teamfights. Always cast Illuminate a lot as it will deal lots of damage to enemies. This will enable your carries to kill enemies with already low HP. Additionally you should also cast Blinding Light to make opponents miss their attacks. But essentially speaking, utilize Illuminate to its best potential.

Late game

In the late game you should have already bought supportive items needed such as Mekansm and Scythe of Vyse in order to help the team more effectively.

 There are several ways you could help the team with your skillset:

• Using Recall to get more allies to a teamfight area
• Cast Blinding Light before the clash to make opponents miss their attacks
• Keep pushing with Illuminate to chip away the enemies’ HPs
• Utilize your items

Late game fights are very crucial to how the game will end so you need to take note of this and make sure to take advantage of every last bit of your arsenal.