Slark
Historical Balance Tracker & Intelligence
Balance History
6/22/2026
Saltwater Shiv: Cooldown decreased from 14/12/10/8s to 12/10.5/9/7.5s
5/6/2026
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
4/7/2026
Essence Shift: Duration decreased from 12.5s + 2.5s per level to 10s + 2.5s per level
Talents: Level 20 Talent Essence Shift Duration decreased from +25s to +20s
3/27/2026
Shadow Dance: Bonus Movement Speed decreased from 24/36/48% to 20/30/40%
Talents: Level 20 Talent +1 Agility gain/stolen per Essence Shift Stack replaced with +25s Essence Shift Duration
Talents: Level 25 Talent +35s Essence Shift Duration replaced with +1 Agility gain/stolen per Essence Shift Stack
3/24/2026
Essence Shift: Duration changed from 15s + 2.5s per level up to 12.5s + 2.5s per level
Saltwater Shiv: Stacks now have independent durations and don't refresh previous ones
Saltwater Shiv: Cooldown increased from 10/8/6/4s to 14/12/10/8s
Saltwater Shiv: Mana Cost increased from 20 to 25/30/35/40
Saltwater Shiv: Cast Range is now Slark's attack range + 50
Saltwater Shiv: Stack Restoration Steal increased from 2/4/6/8% to 4/8/12/16%
Saltwater Shiv: Stack Regen Steal increased from 2/4/6/8 to 4/8/12/16
Saltwater Shiv: Stack Speed Steal increased from 2/4/6/8 to 4/8/12/16
Saltwater Shiv: Now also modifies incoming healing
Patch 7.40cNet Gain
1/22/2026Saltwater Shiv: Stack Restoration Steal rescaled from 3/4/5/6% to 2/4/6/8%
Saltwater Shiv: Stack Regen Steal increased from 2/3/4/5 to 2/4/6/8
Saltwater Shiv: Stack Speed Steal increased from 2/3/4/5 to 2/4/6/8
12/23/2025
Saltwater Shiv: Duration increased from 6/8/10/12s to 12s
Saltwater Shiv: Stack Regen Steal rescaled from 3 to 2/3/4/5
Saltwater Shiv: Stack Speed Steal rescaled from 3 to 2/3/4/5
12/16/2025
Removed Leeching Leash and Dark Reef Renegade facets
Removed Barracuda innate ability (effect moved to the Ultimate)
Essence Shift: Now an innate ability. Passive, improves with Slark's level
Essence Shift: Duration rescaled from 15/35/55/75s to 15s + 2.5s each time Slark levels up
Pounce: Now applies 1/2/3/4 Essence Shift stacks when leashing an enemy hero
Saltwater Shiv: New basic ability. Passive, auto-cast attack modifier
Saltwater Shiv: Slark slices the target with his salty shiv, stealing 3 Movement Speed, 3 Health Regen and 3/4/5/6% Health Restoration from them with each attack. Subsequent use of Saltwater Shiv refreshes the duration of all shiv stacks. Steal duration: 6/8/10/12s. Mana Cost: 20. Cooldown: 10/8/6/4s
Saltwater Shiv: Not Breakable. Disabled by Silence. Has no stack limit. Ignores attack backswing
Saltwater Shiv: Enemies with Health Restoration below -100% will not lose health from health restoration sources
Shadow Dance: Now passively grants 24/36/48% movement speed and 60/90/120 health regen when unseen
Shadow Dance: Previous Barracuda rules and mechanics unchanged
Depth Shroud: Duration decreased from 3s to 2s
Talents: Level 10 Talent Dark Pact Cooldown Reduction increased from 0.5s to 0.75s
Talents: Level 15 Talent +50 Barracuda Regen replaced with +30 Shadow Dance Regen
Talents: Level 25 Talent Shadow Dance Duration increased from +1.25s to +1.5s
10/2/2025
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
6/12/2026
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
Patch 7.39cNet Gain
6/24/2025No hero-specific updates in this patch.
5/29/2025
Barracuda: Health Gained per second decreased from 10/70/100/130 to 5/70/100/130
6/12/2026
Essence Shift: Duration decreased from 20/40/60/80s to 15/35/55/75s
Depth Shroud: Cast Range decreased from 600 to 400
3/27/2025
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
3/4/2025
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
2/19/2025
Depth Shroud: Radius decreased from 250 to 225
Talents: Level 20 Talent Shadow Dance Attack Speed increased from +90 to +100
Talents: Level 25 Talent Essence Shift Duration decreased from +40s to +35s
11/20/2024
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
10/3/2024
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
Patch 7.37cNet Gain
8/28/2024No hero-specific updates in this patch.
8/14/2024
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
Patch 7.37Net Gain
7/31/2024Base Damage increased by 3
Talents: Level 20 Talent Shadow Dance Attack Speed increased from +80 to +90
Talents: Level 25 Talent Shadow Dance Duration increased from +1s to +1.25s
Patch 7.36cNet Gain
6/25/2024No hero-specific updates in this patch.
Patch 7.36bNet Gain
6/6/2024Barracuda: Health Gained per second increased from 10/60/90/120 to 10/70/100/130
Shadow Dance: Cooldown decreased from 60/50/40s to 50/40/30s
Patch 7.36aNet Gain
5/27/2024Barracuda: Bonus Movement Speed increased from 4/24/36/48% to 6/24/36/48%
Barracuda: Health Gained per second increased from 8/60/90/120 to 10/60/90/120
5/23/2024
Base Health Regen decreased from 1.75 to 0.25
Pounce: No longer applies Essence Shift stacks by default
Pounce: Aghanim's Scepter range decreased from 1000 to 900
Shadow Dance: Passive Movement Speed and Regen bonuses moved to Innate ability
Shadow Dance: Mana Cost decreased from 120 to 100
Shadow Dance: Cooldown decreased from 75/60/45s to 60/50/40s
Depth Shroud: No longer stacks with Shadow Dance
Talents: Level 15 Talent +50 Shadow Dance Regen replaced with +50 Barracuda Regen
3/21/2024
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
2/22/2024
Pounce: Cooldown increased from 22/18/14/10s to 24/20/16/12s
12/21/2023
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
6/12/2026
Strength gain increased from 1.9 to 2.1
Intelligence gain increased from 1.7 to 1.9
Talents: Level 15 Talent Shadow Dance Regen increased from +40 to +50
11/21/2023
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
10/5/2023
Talents: Level 25 Talent Essence Shift Duration decreased from +50s to +40s
9/9/2023
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
8/15/2023
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
8/8/2023
Depth Shroud: Linger Duration decreased from 0.5s to 0.01s
Patch 7.33eNet Gain
7/13/2023No hero-specific updates in this patch.
6/16/2023
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
5/14/2023
Pounce: Aghanim's Scepter Distance decreased from 1100 to 1000
4/26/2023
No hero-specific updates in this patch.
6/13/2026
Dark Pact: Damage decreased from 90/160/230/300 to 75/150/225/300
Depth Shroud: Cast Range decreased from 800 to 600
Talents: Level 20 Talent Shadow Dance Attack Speed increased from +75 to +80