Ultimate

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An Ultimate is the 'ultimate' spell of a hero. A hero's ultimate spell is usually their most powerful skill, and generally allows their other spells to synergize.

There are many kinds of ultimates, there are Disabling ultimates (Fiend's Grip), Single-target Nukes (Laguna Blade), Passives (Storm Seeker), Instant Self Buffs and Morphers (Insatiable Hunger and Elder Dragon Form), Location/AoE nukes (Reverse Polarity and Macropyre), Channelings (Freezing Field), Markers (Amplify Damage), and Summoners (Raise Revenants).

A typical active Ultimate has a long cooldown, high manacost and very significant effect when cast. Most ultimate spells are first available at Level 6 and have 3 levels (available at levels 6, 11 and 16), with the exception the Invoker, whose namesake ultimate, Invoke, is first available at level 2, followed by level 7, 12, then 17 (has 4 levels).

In engine settings, Ultimates ignore Magic Immunity, with exceptions. Spells are considered by the game engine to be ultimates if the first level of the skill is available at level 6. For more information, see Magic Immunity. Based on balance issues, ultimates that are disable-based, like Treant Protector's Overgrowth tend to have higher cooldowns than single target ones, such as Demon Witch's Finger of Death.