Bristleback

Stats

These are the base values written in the game files. Totals derived from attributes (HP, mana, armor) depend on engine-side formulas, so no estimated values are shown.

Recommended items

Items the in-game shop recommends for this hero (curated by Valve). These are not win-rate statistics.

Power Treads1400Vanguard1700Magic Wand460Blade Mail2400Pipe of Insight3725Crimson Guard3725Solar Crest2575Radiance4700Boots of Speed500Heaven's Halberd3300Lotus Orb3850Soul Ring805Octarine Core5100

Abilities

Viscous Nasal Goo

Cooldown 1.75sMana 12 / 16 / 20 / 24Range 650

ActiveCooldown 1.75sMana 12 / 16 / 20 / 24Range 650

Covers a target in snot, causing it to have reduced armor and movement speed for 5.0 seconds. Multiple casts stack and refresh the duration.

Raw values (from the game files)（7）

goo_speed	1000
goo_duration	5.0
BASE ARMOR LOSS	1.5 / 2 / 2.5 / 3
ARMOR LOSS PER STACK	2.0 / 2.5 / 3.0 / 3.5
%BASE MOVEMENT SLOW	12
%MOVE SLOW PER STACK	3 / 6 / 9 / 12
STACK LIMIT	6

Patch history

7.412026-03-24

• Stack Limit increased from 4 to 6
• Now has the same duration on all units
• Used to have double duration on creeps

7.40b2025-12-23

• Base Movement Slow increased from 10% to 12%

7.402025-12-15

• Armor Loss per stack increased from 1.5/2/2.5/3 to 2/2.5/3/3.5 by default

Quill Spray

Cooldown 3.0 / 3.0 / 3.0 / 3.0sMana 35 / 35 / 35 / 35PHYSICAL

ActiveCooldown 3.0 / 3.0 / 3.0 / 3.0sMana 35 / 35 / 35 / 35

Sprays enemy units with quills dealing damage in an area of effect around Bristleback. Deals bonus damage for every time a unit was hit by Quill Spray in the last 14.0 seconds.

Raw values (from the game files)（6）

RADIUS	700
QUILL BASE DAMAGE	25 / 45 / 65 / 85
QUILL STACK DAMAGE	30
STACK DURATION	14.0
MAX DAMAGE	500
projectile_speed	2400

• Quill Spray damage is not reduced by damage block abilities.

BristlebackPassive

Passive

Bristleback takes less damage if hit on the sides or rear. If Bristleback takes enough damage from the rear, he releases a Quill Spray of the current level.

Raw values (from the game files)（18）

%SIDE DAMAGE REDUCTION	8 / 12 / 16 / 20
%BACK DAMAGE REDUCTION	16 / 24 / 32 / 40
side_angle	110
back_angle	70
DAMAGE THRESHOLD	275 / 250 / 225 / 200
quill_release_interval	.1
NASAL GOO RADIUS	0
activation_cooldown	24
activation_manacost	125
activation_delay	0.5
activation_num_quill_sprays	5
activation_spray_interval	0.4
activation_angle	45
activation_movement_speed_pct	-40
activation_turn_rate_pct	-100
activation_disable_turning	1
activation_ignore_cast_angle	1
activation_turn_rate	500

• Bristleback's rear is considered to be within 70 degrees from the back.
• Bristleback's side is considered to be within 110 degrees from the back.
• Damage done by Quill Sprays released by this ability passively is considered reflected damage. Reflected damage does not provide any lifesteal and cannot be reflected.

Hairball

Cooldown 15sMana 60Range 750

ActiveCooldown 15sMana 60Range 750

Coughs a quill-packed hairball towards the target location. Erupts at the location, hitting enemies with Viscous Nasal Goo stacks and Quill Spray.

Raw values (from the game files)（4）

projectile_speed	1200
RADIUS	700
QUILL STACKS	1
GOO STACKS	2

Patch history

7.41c2026-05-06

• Cooldown increased from 13s to 15s

WarpathPassive

Passive

Bristleback works himself up into a fury every time he casts a spell, increasing his movement speed and damage.

Raw values (from the game files)（4）

DAMAGE PER STACK	12 / 16 / 20
%MOVEMENT PER STACK	2 / 2.5 / 3
STACK DURATION	16.0 / 18.0 / 20.0
MAX STACKS	8 / 10 / 12

• Bristleback's illusions will receive the bonuses.
• Items will not trigger Warpath.
• Break disables the gaining of new stacks.
• Break does not disable the bonuses from existing stacks.

Patch history

7.41c2026-05-06

• Damage per stack decreased from 15/20/25 to 12/16/20

PricklyInnatePassive

PHYSICAL

Passive

Bristleback has bonus damage and debuff duration amp against enemy heroes that are behind him.

Raw values (from the game files)（2）

%DAMAGE AND DEBUFF DURATION AMP	4.5
angle	110

Patch history

7.412026-03-24

• Damage and debuff duration amplification changed from 10% to 4.5% + 0.5% per level

Talents

One of the two per level is chosen. They appear in the order registered in the game files.

Patch history (hero and talents)

Background

Never one to turn his back on a fight, Rigwarl was known for battling the biggest, meanest scrappers he could get his hands on. Christened Bristleback by the drunken crowds, he waded into backroom brawls in every road tavern between Slom and Elze, until his exploits finally caught the eye of a barkeep in need of an enforcer. For a bit of brew, Bristleback was hired to collect tabs, keep the peace, and break the occasional leg or two (or five, in the case of one unfortunate web-hund). After indulging in a night of merriment during which bodily harm was meted out in equal parts upon both delinquent patrons and his own liver, Bristleback finally met his match. "Your tusks offend me, sir," he was heard to drunkenly slur to one particularly large fellow from the northern wastes whose bill had come due. What followed was a fight for the ages. A dozen fighters jumped in. No stool was left unbroken, and in the end, the impossible happened: the tab went unpaid. Over the weeks that followed, Bristleback's wounds healed, and his quills grew back; but an enforcer's honor can be a prickly thing. He paid the tab from his own coin, vowing to track down this northerner and extract redemption. And then he did something he'd never done before: he actually trained, and in so doing made a startling discovery about himself. A smile peeled back from his teeth as he flexed his quills. Turning his back to a fight might be just the thing.

Details