Roshan in Dota 2: the Aegis and timings
Roshan is the most important neutral objective on the map, and his Aegis can swing any fight. We cover who he is, what the Aegis gives, when to take Roshan and how not to hand him to the enemy. No patch-specific spots — only durable principles.
Who Roshan is
Roshan is the strongest neutral creature in the game. He belongs to neither team and lives in his pit on the map. Killing him alone and early is nearly impossible: Roshan has a lot of health, hits hard and only grows tougher over time. But his reward is special, which is why the fight over Roshan often decides the whole game.
Valve periodically changes both Roshan's pit and its location patch to patch. So don't memorize "coordinates forever" — check the current version of the game. The principles of how and when to take him, though, stay the same.
The Aegis and other rewards
Why bother going to Roshan at all — the Aegis. That's the whole reason for the effort:
- Aegis of the Immortal. The hero who lands the killing blow on Roshan gets the Aegis. After dying, that hero revives on the spot once after a short delay — effectively a second life.
- Gold and experience. The kill gives the team bonus resources — a nice addition to farm. How resources turn into power is in the GPM and XPM guide.
- Extra rewards. Repeat kills drop additional items and consumables. Valve changes their exact contents patch to patch, so check what drops in the current version.
The Aegis's main value isn't the item — it's initiative: with a "spare life" the team enters fights and sieges the base more boldly, and the enemy has to play more cautiously.
When to take Roshan
The mere fact that "we can kill Roshan" doesn't mean it's time. Good windows look like this:
- The enemy is dead or can't see you. The best Roshan is when the enemy is respawning or has lost track of you. A few seconds without resistance decide it.
- Someone can tank. You need a hero who can absorb Roshan's damage while the team finishes him. Without a "tank" the attempt drags on and turns risky.
- Ahead of an important goal. You take the Aegis for a concrete plan: a push, an objective fight or a decisive siege. An Aegis "just in case" often goes to waste.
- You have map control. Before entering you need to see the approaches and know where the enemy is. That ties straight into warding.
Don't take Roshan "just because we can". The Aegis is valuable when you use it in the next few minutes. With no plan, an extra trip to the pit more often gives the enemy a chance to catch you than helps.
How to enter safely
Technically Roshan is "tank and finish", but safety is decided beforehand, before the first hit:
- Clear enemy vision. Remove the enemy's wards near the pit with sentries so they can't see your attempt. Vision control is half the success.
- Set your own sight. A ward on the approaches shows if the enemy is coming to contest. Better to cancel Roshan than die as a team in the pit.
- Decide who takes the Aegis. Agree in advance which hero finishes Roshan — it's painful to hand the Aegis to the wrong player.
- Keep an exit. The cramped pit is a trap: if the enemy arrives in numbers, you need to get out in time, not die in the corner.
Common mistakes
Most failed Roshans aren't about "too little damage" — they're about preparation and timing:
- Entering without vision. The team dives into the pit blind — and the enemy catches them at the worst moment.
- Giving away the Aegis. The enemy interrupts the finish and steals the Aegis with the last hit. That flips the situation.
- Greedy Roshan. An attempt at low health or without a tank drags on, and the team dies without finishing.
- Aegis on the shelf. You took it and did nothing until it expired. The advantage melted away for nothing.
Composure in the fight over Roshan matters too: a lost Aegis is no reason to fall apart. How to keep it together is in the how not to tilt guide.
FAQ
Who is Roshan?
Roshan is the strongest neutral creature in Dota 2. He belongs to neither team and lives in his pit on the map. He's harder to kill than any creep, but the reward is special: the hero who lands the killing blow gets the Aegis. Roshan grows tougher over time, so early attempts need solid preparation.
What does killing Roshan give?
The main reward is the Aegis of the Immortal: it revives the hero who picked it up once, shortly after death. That's a huge edge in fights and when sieging the base. Besides the Aegis the team gets bonus gold and experience, and repeat kills drop extra rewards whose contents change patch to patch.
When should you take Roshan?
Good moments are when the enemy is dead or can't see you, when your team has a hero who can quickly tank Roshan, and ahead of an important goal: a push, a fight or a key objective. Taking him blindly, without vision and map control, is dangerous: your team can get caught right in the pit.
Is taking Roshan dangerous?
Yes, if you do it unprepared. The main risks are getting caught off guard without vision, losing the Aegis to a steal on the last hit, or having the whole team trapped in the cramped pit. That's why you clear enemy wards, set your own vision and make sure the enemy won't arrive suddenly before going for Roshan.
Objective control is about rank
Confident Roshans and Aegis timings come with the experience of strong games. Want to speed up the climb? A boost breaks the rating ceiling while you learn to read the map. Not sure which format — message the chat.