Bristleback
Historical Balance Tracker & Intelligence
Balance History
7/30/2026
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
SURVIVABILITY -0.03TEAMFIGHT +0.01LANING -0.03UTILITY +0.01
6/5/2026
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
SURVIVABILITY -0.42TEAMFIGHT +0.03LANING -0.42UTILITY +0.03
5/6/2026
Warpath: Damage per stack decreased from 15/20/25 to 12/16/20
Hairball: Cooldown increased from 13s to 15s
Talents: Level 25 Talent Bristleback Damage Threshold Reduction increased from 25 to 30
SURVIVABILITY +0.03TEAMFIGHT -3.46LANING +0.03UTILITY +0.04
4/7/2026
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
SURVIVABILITY +0.39TEAMFIGHT +0.05LANING +0.39UTILITY +0.05
3/24/2026
Prickly: Damage and debuff duration amplification changed from 10% to 4.5% + 0.5% per level
Viscous Nasal Goo: Stack Limit increased from 4 to 6
Viscous Nasal Goo: Now has the same duration on all units
Viscous Nasal Goo: Used to have double duration on creeps
Talents: Level 25 Talent +12% Spell Lifesteal replaced with -25 Bristleback Damage Threshold
SURVIVABILITY +0.05TEAMFIGHT +0.05LANING +0.05UTILITY +0.05
Patch 7.40bNet Gain
12/23/2025Viscous Nasal Goo: Base Movement Slow increased from 10% to 12%
SURVIVABILITY -0.18LANING -0.18
12/16/2025
Strength gain increased from 2.7 to 2.8
Viscous Nasal Goo: Armor Loss per stack increased from 1.5/2/2.5/3 to 2/2.5/3/3.5 by default
SURVIVABILITY -0.16TEAMFIGHT +0.05LANING -0.16UTILITY +0.05
10/2/2025
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
6/12/2026
Viscous Nasal Goo: Base Armor Loss decreased from 2/2/3/3 to 1.5/2/2.5/3
Viscous Nasal Goo: Base Movement Slow decreased from 15% to 10%
Quill Spray: Added an auto-cast. Right-click the ability to make Bristleback automatically cast it whenever it's possible
SURVIVABILITY +0.39TEAMFIGHT +0.05LANING +0.39UTILITY +0.05
2/19/2025
Removed Berserk Facet
Bristleback: Quill Sprays that were released by the ability now deal damage that is classified as reflection damage
Bristleback: Aghanim's Scepter Mana Cost increased from 100 to 125
Warpath: Movement Speed Per Stack decreased from 2/3/4% to 2/2.5/3%
Hairball: Mana Cost increased from 40 to 60
FARMING -1SURVIVABILITY +0.05TEAMFIGHT +0.06LANING -0.95UTILITY -0.94
11/20/2024
Hairball: Cast Range decreased from 1000 to 750
SURVIVABILITY +0.16TEAMFIGHT +0.05LANING +0.16UTILITY -2.95
10/3/2024
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
SURVIVABILITY -0.18TEAMFIGHT -0.03LANING -0.18UTILITY -0.03
8/14/2024
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
7/31/2024
Base Damage increased by 6
Prickly: New Innate ability. Passive, can't be leveled up
Prickly: Hero has 10% damage and debuff duration amplification against enemy heroes that are behind him
Bristleback: Aghanim's Scepter Quill Spray count decreased from 6 to 5
Warpath: No longer an innate ability
Warpath: Damage per stack rescaled from 5/15/20/25 to 15/20/25
Warpath: Movement per stack rescaled from 0/2/3/4% to 2/3/4%
Warpath: Stack Duration rescaled from 12/16/18/20s to 16/18/20s
Warpath: Max Stacks rescaled from 4/8/10/12 to 8/10/12
SURVIVABILITY +0.16TEAMFIGHT -0.05LANING +0.16UTILITY -0.05
Patch 7.36cNet Gain
6/25/2024No hero-specific updates in this patch.
5/27/2024
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
5/23/2024
Base Damage decreased by 8
Viscous Nasal Goo: Aghanim's Shard no longer increases Stack Limit
Quill Spray: Quill Stack Damage rescaled from 28/30/32/34 to 30
Bristleback: Aghanim's Scepter Spray interval increased from 0.35s to 0.4s
SURVIVABILITY +0.5TEAMFIGHT -0.12LANING +0.5UTILITY -0.12
12/21/2023
Bristleback: Damage Threshold decreased from 300/275/250/225 to 275/250/225/200
TEAMFIGHT +0.02UTILITY +0.02
6/12/2026
Viscous Nasal Goo: Aghanim's Shard Stack Limit decreased from 7 to 6
Bristleback: Aghanim's Scepter Cooldown increased from 20s to 24s
Talents: Level 10 Talent +20 Damage replaced with +25 Attack Speed
SURVIVABILITY +0.55TEAMFIGHT -0.02LANING +0.55UTILITY -0.02
11/21/2023
Quill Spray: Max Damage decreased from 550 to 500
Bristleback: Damage Threshold increased from 225 to 300/275/250/225
Hairball: Cast Range decreased from 1500 to 1000
Hairball: Cooldown increased from 10s to 13s
Talents: Level 20 Talent Quill Spray Stack Damage decreased from +25 to +20
SURVIVABILITY +0.34TEAMFIGHT -3.5LANING +0.34UTILITY -3
10/5/2023
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
Patch 7.34cNet Gain
9/9/2023Base Damage increased by 3
Viscous Nasal Goo: Base Armor Loss increased from 2 to 2/2/3/3
Talents: Level 15 Talent Goo Cast Range increased from +150 to +250
TEAMFIGHT -0.04UTILITY -0.04
Patch 7.34bNet Gain
8/15/2023Strength gain increased from 2.5 to 2.7
Base Mana Regen increased from 0.25 to 0.4
TEAMFIGHT +0.05UTILITY +0.05
Patch 7.34Net Gain
8/8/2023Viscous Nasal Goo: Aghanim's Scepter Upgrade removed
Viscous Nasal Goo: Aghanim's Shard now also increases Stack Limit by 3
Bristleback: Now upgradable by Aghanim's Scepter
Bristleback: Allows Bristleback to be point-targeted. Bristleback turns his back towards the targeted direction and after 0.5s forcefully ejects 6 sequential Quill Sprays in a tight conical pattern out of his back at 0.35s intervals. Bristleback is slowed down by 40% for the duration, disarmed and cannot turn but can still cast his spells in any direction. Mana Cost: 100; Cooldown: 20s
Hairball: Now applies 2 stacks of Viscous Nasal Goo and only 1 stack of Quill Spray
Hairball: Enemies in fog of war are now hit by the Viscous Nasal Goo as well as the Quill Sprays
Hairball: Viscous Nasal Goo projectiles are no longer affected by spell reflection
Hairball: Mana Cost decreased from 75 to 40
Hairball: Cooldown decreased from 20s to 10s
Talents: Level 10 Talent Damage increased from +15 to +20
Talents: Level 20 Talent Quill Stack Damage increased from +20 to +25
Talents: Level 20 Talent Health Regen increased from +20 to +25
FARMING +1SURVIVABILITY -0.89TEAMFIGHT +3.47LANING +0.11UTILITY +0.97
6/16/2023
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
5/14/2023
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
SURVIVABILITY -0.37TEAMFIGHT -0.03LANING -0.37UTILITY -0.03
4/26/2023
Bristleback: Damage Threshold increased from 200 to 225
Warpath: Max Stacks increased from 6/8/10 to 8/10/12
Warpath: Damage per stack decreased from 20/25/30 to 15/20/25
Warpath: Movement Speed per stack decreased from 3/4/5% to 2/3/4%
SURVIVABILITY +0.18TEAMFIGHT -0.02LANING +0.18UTILITY -0.02
6/13/2026
Bristleback: Now provides Warpath stacks with each Quill Spray released
Bristleback: Taking excess damage over the Quill Spray threshold is maintained and multiple Quill Sprays can trigger from a single source of damage
Hairball: Mana Cost decreased from 100 to 75
FARMING +1SURVIVABILITY +0.58TEAMFIGHT -0.04LANING +1.58UTILITY +0.97