An ability is an attachment to a unit, which is either passive, active, autocastable or toggleable.
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Active
An active ability must be cast by the owning unit, which may require a target:
- None
- No target is needed and the ability is cast. Examples include Thunder Clap, War Stomp, and Fan of Knives.
- Point
- A position (or area) where the ability is targeted is needed to cast, which may need to be within a certain distance from the casting unit. Examples include Blizzard, Shockwave, and Sentry Ward.
- Unit
- A target unit is needed to cast, which may need to be of a classification, and within some distance of the casting unit. Examples include Storm Bolt, Death Pact, and Bloodlust.
Passive
A passive ability cannot be cast, but instead may modify the attributes of the owning unit, grant them an aura, or other passive effects. Examples include Endurance Aura and Evasion.
Autocastable
Although many Active abilities have an autocast AI layer like the Priest's Heal, they are not true autocast abilities. Autocastable Abilities are arrows, which alter the units physical attack when autocast and do not cast the actual spell.
Toggleable
These are spells which can be turned on and off at will. Although they basically function like Active abilities, they are passive once activated and can mostly be deactivated at will.
Ultimate
An Ultimate Ability is a powerful skill that isn't learned until Level 6. Each hero has one, and only one, ultimate ability: