Grimstroke
Historical Balance Tracker & Intelligence
Balance History
7/30/2026
Dark Portrait: No longer has illusion vision penalty
SURVIVABILITY -0.16LANING -0.16
6/5/2026
Dark Portrait: Magic Resistance decreased from 95% to 90%
Talents: Level 20 Talent Attacks to Destroy Phantom decreased from +3 to +2
TEAMFIGHT +0.06UTILITY +0.06
3/27/2026
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
SURVIVABILITY -0.16TEAMFIGHT +0.02LANING -0.16UTILITY +0.02
3/24/2026
Ink Trail: Now also applied when an enemy hero is affected by any of Grimstroke's abilities
Ink Trail: Now also applied by attacks from Grimstroke's illusions (including Dark Portrait)
Ink Trail: Grimstroke now takes 5% + 0.5% per level less damage from enemies affected by Ink Trail
Stroke of Fate: Can now be put on alt-cast to send the stroke straight
SURVIVABILITY -0.87TEAMFIGHT -0.05LANING -0.87UTILITY -0.05
Patch 7.40cNet Gain
1/22/2026Base damage increased by 1
Damage at level 1 decreased from 46–50 to 47–51
Ink Swell: Cast Range increased from 500/600/700/800 to 650/700/750/800
Talents: Level 15 Talent Ink Swell Movement Speed increased from +12% to +15%
SURVIVABILITY +0.16LANING +0.16UTILITY +3
12/16/2025
Phantom's Embrace: Cooldown is now also refreshed if the phantom's target dies before the phantom latches to it
Soulbind: Ability can now be reflected
Soulbind: Reflected spells now get casted onto both units affected by Soulbind
Dark Portrait: Illusion Outgoing Damage decreased from 150% to 125%
Dark Portrait: Illusion Damage Taken decreased from 350% to 275%
SURVIVABILITY -0.32TEAMFIGHT +0.05LANING -0.32UTILITY +0.05
Patch 7.39dNet Gain
6/12/2026Phantom's Embrace: Cooldown decreased from 36/30/24/18s to 30/26/22/18s
Ink Swell: Max Stun Duration increased from 1.3/1.8/2.3/2.8s to 1.6/2/2.4/2.8s
TEAMFIGHT +3.5
5/29/2025
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
6/12/2026
Stroke of Fate: Point Vector Target behavior, previously exclusive to Fine Art facet, is now enabled by default
Stroke of Fate: 20/30/40/50 bonus damage per unit replaced with separate values for heroes and creeps: 20/40/60/80 per hero and 10/20/30/40 per creep
Soulbind: If the debuff ends on the primary target early due to status resistance, it will also be destroyed on the secondary target
SURVIVABILITY -0.18TEAMFIGHT -0.03LANING -0.18UTILITY -0.03
3/27/2025
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
SURVIVABILITY -0.03TEAMFIGHT +0.02LANING -0.03UTILITY +0.02
2/19/2025
Ink Swell: Aghanim's Shard no longer applies a strong dispel when Ink Swell expires
Ink Swell: Aghanim's Shard now applies a basic dispel when Ink Swell is cast
Ink Swell: Aghanim's Shard Bonus damage increased from 30% to 40%
Ink Swell: Aghanim's Shard Heal increased from 30% to 40%
SURVIVABILITY -0.18LANING -0.18
Patch 7.37dNet Gain
10/3/2024Ink Swell: Ink Tendrils DPS increased from 25/40/55/70 to 30/45/60/75
Talents: Level 20 Talent Stroke of Fate Damage increased from +75% to +80%
8/28/2024
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
SURVIVABILITY -0.18TEAMFIGHT -0.04LANING -0.18UTILITY -0.04
8/14/2024
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
SURVIVABILITY +0.16TEAMFIGHT -0.02LANING +0.16UTILITY -0.02
6/25/2024
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
SURVIVABILITY +0.55TEAMFIGHT -0.08LANING +0.55UTILITY -0.08
6/6/2024
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
SURVIVABILITY +0.16TEAMFIGHT -0.03LANING +0.16UTILITY -0.03
Patch 7.36aNet Gain
5/27/2024No hero-specific updates in this patch.
SURVIVABILITY +1.02TEAMFIGHT -0.03LANING +1.02UTILITY -0.03
5/23/2024
Stroke of Fate: Now applies Ink Trail effect on hit
Phantom's Embrace: The phantom is no longer disjointable while returning to Grimstroke
Ink Swell: Buff duration decreased from 5s to 3s
Ink Swell: No longer can be manually triggered by default
Talents: Level 20 Talent +1000 Stroke of Fate Cast Range replaced with +75% Stroke of Fate Damage
Talents: Level 25 Talent +75% Stroke of Fate Damage replaced with +70% Stroke of Fate Speed and Travel Range
SURVIVABILITY +1.34TEAMFIGHT -0.05LANING +1.34UTILITY -0.05
2/22/2024
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
SURVIVABILITY +0.18TEAMFIGHT -0.02LANING +0.18UTILITY -0.02
12/21/2023
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
6/12/2026
Ink Swell: Aghanim's Shard Damage/Heal bonus decreased from 40% to 30%
Soulbind: Cooldown increased from 70/60/50s to 70/65/60s
Talents: Level 10 Talent Ink Swell Cooldown Reduction decreased from 5s to 4s
Talents: Level 15 Talent Ink Swell Movement Speed bonus decreased from +14% to +12%
Talents: Level 25 Talent Stroke of Fate Damage increased from +60% to +75%
SURVIVABILITY +0.73TEAMFIGHT -3.52LANING +0.73UTILITY -0.02
11/21/2023
Ink Swell: Aghanim's Shard Spell Lifesteal now has a 20% penalty against creeps
TEAMFIGHT -0.02UTILITY -0.02
10/5/2023
Talents: Level 15 Talent Ink Swell Movement Speed decreased from +16% to +14%
SURVIVABILITY -0.16TEAMFIGHT -0.02LANING -0.16UTILITY -0.02
9/9/2023
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
SURVIVABILITY -0.34TEAMFIGHT -0.05LANING -0.34UTILITY -0.05
Patch 7.34Net Gain
8/8/2023Phantom's Embrace: Now refreshes when the phantom reaches Grimstroke rather than the moment Rend Damage is dealt
Phantom's Embrace: Projectile Speed increased from 850 to 1150
Ink Swell: Buff Duration increased from 3s to 5s
Ink Swell: Can now be detonated via Ink Explosion sub-ability at any time during its effect to end it with an AoE explosion
Ink Swell: The sub-ability replaces Ink Swell for the duration of the buff. Cooldown starts upon cast
Ink Swell: Max Stun Duration increased from 1/1.6/2.2/2.8s to 1.3/1.8/2.3/2.8s
Ink Swell: Cast Range increased from 400/525/650/775 to 500/600/700/800
Soulbind: Now fully pierces debuff immunity
SURVIVABILITY -0.55TEAMFIGHT -0.02LANING -0.55UTILITY +2.98
7/13/2023
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
6/16/2023
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
SURVIVABILITY +0.16TEAMFIGHT +0.07LANING +0.16UTILITY +0.07
5/14/2023
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
SURVIVABILITY +0.55TEAMFIGHT +0.14LANING +0.55UTILITY +0.14
6/13/2026
Ink Swell: Max Stun Duration decreased from 1.1/1.9/2.7/3.5s to 1/1.6/2.2/2.8s
Ink Swell: Movement Speed Bonus increased from 12/14/16/18% to 20%
Ink Swell: Cooldown decreased from 30/26/22/18s to 27/24/21/18s
Dark Portrait: Illusion is now a Strong Illusion
Dark Portrait: Spell Immunity replaced with Debuff Immunity with 95% Magic Resistance
Talents: Level 10 Talent Phantom's Embrace DPS increased from +50 to +65
Talents: Level 25 Talent Stroke of Fate Damage increased from +50% to +60%
SURVIVABILITY +1.44TEAMFIGHT +3.53LANING +1.44UTILITY +0.03