Heal

A heal is an effect that restores a unit’s current health without raising it above its maximum health, either instantly or through repeated healing instances over time.

What is Heal in Dota 2?

Healing increases current health. A heal can restore a burst of health immediately or deliver several healing instances across a duration. The amount received can be modified by healing amplification, healing reduction, or effects that prevent health from increasing.

Healing is distinct from health regeneration even though both increase health. Regeneration is part of the unit’s ongoing health-regeneration system, while a heal is a separate restoration event created by an ability, item, or other game effect. Some health-gain mechanics are also explicitly not classified as healing.

How Heal is used in a match

Healing changes the amount of damage an enemy must deal to finish a target. A timely heal can turn a burst attempt into a failed kill, keep a core in a fight, or allow a team to continue an objective without returning to base.

Opponents respond by applying anti-healing effects, focusing the healer, or using enough burst that the target dies before the heal can be delivered. Teams therefore consider both raw healing and whether the fight gives them enough time to use it.

Do not confuse Heal with...

Healing is not the same as health regeneration, and it is not the same as a barrier. A heal restores health that has already been lost; regeneration restores health through the regen system; a barrier absorbs qualifying damage before it reduces health.