Urn of Shadows
Sage's Mask
Ring of Protection
Circlet
Chainmail
Wizard Hat
Recipe
Essence Distiller in Dota 2: who buys it, when it wins and what it costs
Kevin · Dota2Arena · updated Oct 28, 2026 · numbers live from our scannerEssence Distiller costs 1,775 gold and shows up in 15% of ranked matches. Players holding it at the end win 53.3% of their games across 340,194 inventories, most often on Hoodwink and Mirana. It wins most in the early game (66.2%) and least in the late game (50.6%).
What Essence Distiller does
Active: Soul Release
Provides 40 health regeneration when cast on allies. Can be ground targeted to lie dormant for up to 15s and attach to the first enemy that comes within 450 radius. When on enemies, deals 25 damage per second and provides True Sight over them and shares their vision with the wearer's team. Lasts 8 seconds. Gains charges every time an enemy hero dies within 1500 units.
In numbers: +1.5 mana regen, +3 all attributes, +6 armor, +150 mana, 10s cooldown.
- Empty distillers gain 2 charges.
- Only the closest Essence Distiller to the dying hero will gain a charge.
- If the allied unit is attacked by an enemy hero or Roshan, the effect is lost.
- Does not trigger spell block or spell reflect.
- While dormant, provides vision in 450 radius. Vision lingers for 0.5s after latching.
Who buys Essence Distiller
The share says how many games of a hero end with Essence Distiller in the inventory, the win rate is that hero's win rate in exactly those games. A high share with an average win rate means the item is standard on the hero; a low share with a high win rate means it is a situational pick that works when it is needed.
| Hero | Share of games | Win rate with it | Games |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hoodwink | 22% | 49.7% | 53,450 |
| Mirana | 19% | 53.9% | 43,656 |
| Dark Willow | 17% | 52.9% | 26,682 |
| Rubick | 6% | 53.8% | 26,315 |
| Windranger | 6% | 49.7% | 21,282 |
| Bounty Hunter | 9% | 56.7% | 11,431 |
| Gyrocopter | 13% | 52.9% | 11,292 |
| Witch Doctor | 3% | 57.7% | 10,260 |
When to buy it
Win rate by match length tells you in which kind of game the item pays off. Items that win short games are usually bought early and snowball; items that win long games are late-game purchases or things you buy when the game is already going well, so read the number as "games with this item at this length" rather than as advice to rush it.
| Phase | Match length | Win rate | Games |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early game | under 25 min | 66.2% | 6,541 |
| Mid game | 25–40 min | 55.6% | 162,253 |
| Late game | over 40 min | 50.6% | 171,653 |
What to combine it with
These items sit in the same final inventory as Essence Distiller most often (based on every 4th match). Boots and other staples appear on almost every list; the interesting entries are the ones specific to this item.
| Item | In the same inventory | Cost |
|---|---|---|
 Arcane Boots | 36% | 1,500 |
 Blink Dagger | 31% | 2,250 |
 Eul's Scepter of Divinity | 25% | 2,600 |
 Tranquil Boots | 22% | 900 |
 Aghanim's Scepter | 22% | 4,200 |
 Boots of Speed | 18% | 500 |
 Glimmer Cape | 16% | 2,150 |
 Force Staff | 13% | 2,200 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Essence Distiller good right now?
In our window Essence Distiller ends up in winning inventories 53.3% of the time across 340,194 ranked games, above the 50 % mark. It does best in the early game (66.2%) and worst in the late game (50.6%).
Which heroes buy Essence Distiller?
Hoodwink (22% of games), Mirana (19% of games), Dark Willow (17% of games), Rubick (6% of games), Windranger (6% of games). The highest win rate with it belongs to Witch Doctor at 57.7%.
How much does Essence Distiller cost and what do you need?
Essence Distiller costs 1,775 gold in total: Urn of Shadows (825), Chainmail (500), Wizard Hat (250) and a recipe for 200.