Sand King

Universal ・ Melee ・ Medium

Initiator 3Disabler 2Support 1Nuker 2Escape 2

Patch 7.41f2026-09-15 released ・ Game data Client 6969(Oct 27 2026)

Stats

Attributes (base and gain per level)
  • Strength23 (+2.5/Lv)
  • Agility19 (+2/Lv)
  • Intelligence17 (+2/Lv)
Attack
  • Damage19–29
  • Base attack time1.7s
  • Base attack speed100
  • Attack range150
  • Attack point0.53s
  • Projectile speed900
Defense and movement
  • Base armor1
  • Magic resistance25%
  • Movement speed290
  • Turn rate0.6
  • Health regen0.25
  • Vision (day / night)1800 / 800

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.

Abilities

Burrowstrike

Cooldown 14 / 13 / 12 / 11sMana 100 / 110 / 120 / 130Range 550 / 625 / 700 / 775MAGICAL
ActiveCooldown 14 / 13 / 12 / 11sMana 100 / 110 / 120 / 130Range 550 / 625 / 700 / 775

Sand King burrows into the ground and tunnels forward, damaging and stunning enemy units above him as he resurfaces. Adds Caustic Finale poison to heroes hit Can be put on alt-cast to immediately cast in the desired direction, without walking towards the targeted location.

Raw values (from the game files)(4)
burrow_width150
STUN DURATION1.2 / 1.4 / 1.6 / 1.8
burrow_speed2000
burrow_anim_time0.52
  • Does not trigger spell block or spell reflect.
Patch history
7.412026-03-24
  • Cast Range increased from 525/600/675/750 to 550/625/700/775
  • Sand King now immediately re-gains invisibility if the Burrowstrike ends within Sand Storm's AoE

Sand Storm

Cooldown 40 / 34 / 28 / 22sMana 85Range 0MAGICAL
ActiveCooldown 40 / 34 / 28 / 22sMana 85Range 0

Sand King creates a fearsome sandstorm that damages enemy units and grants Sand King Invisibility while he is in it. The effect ends when Sand King leaves the area.

Raw values (from the game files)(4)
damage_tick_rate0.2
RADIUS475 / 550 / 625 / 700
DAMAGE PER SECOND30 / 50 / 70 / 90
fade_delay0.7
  • Sand Storm can be used to dodge projectiles.
  • Sand King briefly becomes visible upon attacking or using spells while in Sand Storm. Sand King will become invisible again in 0.7 seconds.

Stinger

Cooldown 15.0 / 12.0 / 9.0 / 6.0sMana 35 / 40 / 45 / 50Range 200PHYSICAL
ActiveCooldown 15.0 / 12.0 / 9.0 / 6.0sMana 35 / 40 / 45 / 50Range 200

Sand King strikes an area, performing an attack on all enemies in the area of effect, dealing extra damage to each. Enemies within an innermost radius of 125 take 40% extra damage. Applies Caustic Finale and a slow to all enemies hit.

Raw values (from the game files)(6)
RADIUS230 / 250 / 270 / 290
inner_radius125
inner_radius_bonus_damage_pct40
BONUS DAMAGE50 / 75 / 100 / 125
SLOW DURATION5
%MOVEMENT SPEED SLOW10 / 12 / 14 / 16
Patch history
7.41c2026-05-06
  • Slow Duration rescaled from 4/5/6/7s to 5s

Caustic FinaleInnatePassive

MAGICAL
Passive

Sand King's attacks inject a venom that causes enemy units to violently explode when they die that does a flat amount of damage and an additional amount based on the dying units max health.

Raw values (from the game files)(4)
EXPLODE RADIUS400
BASE DAMAGE17
%MAX HEALTH DAMAGE2.5
DURATION4.5
Patch history
7.412026-03-24
  • No longer levels with Epicenter
  • Base Damage rescaled from 20/40/60/80 to 17 + 3 per level
  • Max Health Damage rescaled from 3/7/11/15% to 2.5% + 0.5% per level
  • Duration decreased from 4.5/5/5.5/6s to 4.5s

Epicenter

Cooldown 120 / 110 / 100sMana 150 / 225 / 300MAGICAL
ActiveCooldown 120 / 110 / 100sMana 150 / 225 / 300

After a cast point of 2.0 seconds, Sand King sends a disturbance into the earth, causing it to shudder violently. All enemies caught within range will take damage and become slowed. Each subsequent pulse increases the radius of damage dealt.

Raw values (from the game files)(9)
PULSES12 / 16 / 20
DAMAGE PER PULSE60 / 70 / 80
BASE RADIUS450
INCREMENTAL RADIUS13
%MOVEMENT SLOW-30 / -40 / -50
ATTACK SLOW-30 / -40 / -50
RADIUS0
shard_interval3.0
DEBUFF DURATION3.0
  • The pulses are centered on Sand King, not where he first cast the spell.
Patch history
7.41c2026-05-06
  • Base Radius decreased from 500 to 450
7.41b2026-04-07
  • Attack Slow decreased from 50/55/60 to 30/40/50
  • Aghanim's Scepter Stinger damage decreased from 50% to 40%Aghanim's Scepter
7.412026-03-24
  • Aghanim's Shard no longer increases Epicenter Pulse damageAghanim's Shard

Talents

Level 25+125 Stinger Damage35% Sand Storm Slow and Blind
Level 20-3s Burrowstrike Cooldown+6 Epicenter Pulses
Level 15+25 Sand Storm Damage Per Second+200 Burrowstrike Cast Range
Level 10+12% Stinger Slow+100 Caustic Finale Radius

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

Patch history (hero and talents)

7.41d2026-06-04
  • Strength gain increased from 2.3 to 2.5
  • Damage gain per level increased from 2.8 to 2.9
7.41c2026-05-06
  • Base Attack Speed decreased from 110 to 100
7.412026-03-24
Talents
  • Level 20 Talent +75/7 Base/Incremental Radius of Epicenter replaced with +6 Epicenter Pulses
  • Level 25 Talent 50% Sand Storm Slow replaced with 35% Sand Storm Slow and Blind
  • Level 25 Talent +8 Epicenter Pulses replaced with +125 Stinger Damage
7.402025-12-15
Talents
  • Level 20 Talent Burrowstrike Cooldown Reduction increased from 2s to 3s
  • Level 25 Talent Epicenter Pulses decreased from +10 to +8

Background

The sands of the Scintillant Waste are alive and sentient--the whole vast desert speaks to itself, thinking thoughts only such a vastness can conceive. But when it needs must find a form to communicate with those of more limited scope, it frees a fragment of itself, and fills a carapace of magic armor formed by the cunning Djinn of Qaldin. This essential identity calls itself Crixalis, meaning 'Soul of the Sand,' but others know it as Sand King. Sand King takes the form of a huge arachnid, inspired by the Scintillant Waste's small but ubiquitous denizens; and this is a true outward expression of his ferocious nature. Guardian, warrior, ambassador--Sand King is all of these things, inseparable from the endless desert that gave him life.

Details

Internal namenpc_dota_hero_sand_king
Hero ID16
Aliases / search termssk, Crixalis, Sand, King, サンド, さんど, sanndo, キング, きんぐ, kinngu, クリクサリス, くりくさりす, kurikusarisu