Vainglory’s gameplay occurs on a three-dimensional plane as confirmed by Zekent. Since verticality does not play a significant role in damage direction, we will assume, for the sake of simplicity, Vainglory plays on a two-dimensional plane.
Damage direction determines where an attack makes contact with the target’s hitbox. Despite their varying model size, all hero hitboxes are a 1.1 meter radius circle. For most heroes, this mechanic is irrelevant as they will be damaged the same no matter where they get hit – except for two: Joule and Lance.
Damage direction in Vainglory also determines whether Joule’s Heavy Plating or Lance’s Gythian Wall factor into the calculation of crystal, weapon or true damage (true damage is only mitigated by Lance). Joule’s Heavy Plating affects attacks that hit the front 220 degrees of her hitbox, while Lance’s Gythian Wall affects the front 120 degrees of his hitbox. Let’s dig in!
Types of Damage Direction
- Traveling Direction: It will impact from where you anticipate (Skaarf’s Spitfire)
- Propagation Direction: It will impact from the direction it generates, meaning the damage travels outwards from the center of propagation (Adagio’s Verse of Judgement)
- Omnidirectional: It will impact from “above,” meaning the damage reduction will not apply (Krul’s Spectral Smite)
Unofficial Type of Damage Direction
- Basic Attack Augmentation (Attack Augmentation for short): These effects modify a normal basic attack and utilize the direction, of said basic attack, as its own direction. This does not include dashes accompanied by basic attacks.
Direction Type of All Damage Sources in the Game
- TD: Traveling Direction
- PD: Propagation Direction
- CoP: Center of Propagation
- OD: Omnidirectional
- AA: Attack Augmentation
- N/A: Not Available
Adagio
| Attack | Direction |
| Basic Attack | TD |
| Gift of Fire | OD |
| Agent of Wrath | AA |
| Verse of Judgement | PD (CoP is Adagio) |
Alpha
| Attack | Direction |
| Basic Attack | TD |
| Prime Directive | PD (CoP is Alpha) |
| Core Charge | TD |
| Termination Protocol | PD (CoP is Alpha) |
Ardan
| Attack | Direction |
| Basic Attack | TD |
| Vanguard | PD (CoP is target) |
| Blood for Blood | TD |
| Gauntlet | PD (CoP is Gauntlet center) |
Baptiste
| Attack | Direction |
| Basic Attack | TD |
| Bad Mojo Impact | TD |
| Bad Mojo Splash | PD (CoP is impact center) |
| Ordained | OD |
| Fearsome Shade | OD |
Baron
| Attack | Direction |
| Basic Attack | TD |
| Basic Attack Splash | PD (CoP is impact point of basic attack) |
| Porcupine Mortar | PD (CoP is explosion center) |
| Jump Jets | N/A |
| Ion Cannon | PD (CoP is explosion center) |
Blackfeather
| Attack | Direction |
| Basic Attack | TD |
| Feint of Heart | TD |
| On Point | TD |
| Rose Offensive | TD |
Catherine
| Attack | Direction |
| Basic Attack | TD |
| Merciless Pursuit | AA |
| Stormguard DPS | PD (CoP is Catherine) |
| Reflections | TD |
| Blast Tremor | PD (CoP is Catherine) |
Celeste
| Attack | Direction |
| Basic Attack | TD |
| Heliogenesis | PD (CoP is star/nova center) |
| Core Collapse | PD (CoP is star formation center) |
| Solar Storm (Lead) | TD |
| Solar Storm (Trailing) | PD (CoP is impact point of star) |
Flicker
| Attack | Direction |
| Basic Attack | TD |
| Binding Light | PD (CoP is center of AoE) |
| Fairy Dust (DPS) | PD (CoP is Flicker) |
| Fairy Dust (Burst) | PD (CoP is Flicker) |
| Mooncloak | N/A |
Fortress
| Attack | Direction |
| Basic Attack | TD |
| Truth of the Tooth | AA |
| Law of the Claw | TD |
| LotC (DPS) | OD |
| LotC (%Health DMG) | OD |
| Attack of the Pack | TD |
Glaive
| Attack | Direction |
| Basic Attack | TD |
| Cleave | PD (CoP is Glaive) |
| Afterburn | TD |
| Twisted Stroke | TD |
| Bloodsong | PD (CoP is Glaive) |
Grumpjaw
| Attack | Direction |
| Basic Attack | TD |
| Grumpy | PD (CoP is Grumpjaw) |
| Hangry | TD |
| Stuffed | TD |
Gwen
| Attack | Direction |
| Basic Attack | TD |
| Boomstick | AA |
| Buckshot Bonanza | PD (CoP is Gwen) |
| Skedaddle | N/A |
| Aces High | TD |
Idris
| Attack | Direction |
| Basic Attack (WP) | TD |
| Basic Attack (CP) | TD |
| Shroudstep | AA |
| Chakram | TD |
| Shimmer Strike | PD (CoP is target) |
Note on Shimmer Strike: Damage direction versus primary target is dependent on initial jump direction, not on jump off direction. For example, if Idris uses Shimmer Strike while Joule’s back is facing him, she will always receive increased damage once Idris jumps off.
Joule
| Attack | Direction |
| Basic Attack | TD |
| Rocket Leap Direct | PD (CoP is impact center) |
| Rocket Leap Indirect | PD (CoP is impact center) |
| Thunder Strike | TD |
| Big Red Button | TD |
Kestrel
| Attack | Direction |
| Basic Attack | TD |
| Glimmershot Impact | TD |
| Glimmershot Splash | PD (CoP is impact point of main shot) |
| Active Camo | PD (CoP is center of mist) |
| One Shot. One Kill. | TD |
Koshka
| Attack | Direction |
| Basic Attack | TD |
| Pouncy Fun | TD |
| Twirly Fun | PD (CoP is Koshka) |
| Catnip Attacks | AA |
| Yummy Catnip Frenzy | OD |
Krul
| Attack | Direction |
| Basic Attack | TD |
| Dead Man’s Rush | TD |
| Spectral Smite | OD |
| From Hell’s Heart | TD |
Lance
| Attack | Direction |
| Basic Attack | TD |
| Impale | TD |
| Gythian Wall | PD (CoP is Lance) |
| Combat Roll | AA |
Lyra
| Attack | Direction |
| Basic Attack | TD |
| Imperial Sigil (DPS) | PD (CoP is sigil center) |
| Imperial Sigil (Burst) | PD (CoP is sigil center) |
| Bright Bulwark | PD (CoP is Bulwark center) |
| Arcane Passage | N/A |
Ozo
| Attack | Direction |
| Basic Attack | TD |
| Three-Ring Circus 1 | TD |
| Three-Ring Circus 2 | TD |
| Three-Ring Circus 3 | PD (CoP is Ozo) |
| Acrobounce | PD (CoP is Ozo) |
| Bangarang | TD |
Note on Acrobounce: This ability places Ozo towards the nearest edge of the target’s hitbox, not their center. For example, if Ozo Acrobounces to a Joule from behind, Acrobounce will deal increased damage.
Petal
| Attack | Direction |
| Basic Attack | TD |
| Munions | TD |
| Seed Explosion | PD (CoP is seed) |
| Trampoline! | N/A |
| Spontaneous Combustion | PD (CoP is exploding munion) |
Phinn
| Attack | Direction |
| Basic Attack | TD |
| Quibble | PD (CoP is Phinn) |
| Polite Company | PD (CoP is Phinn) |
| Forced Accord | PD (CoP is the extended end of hook’s hitbox) |
Note on Quibble: Logically, CoP would be the center of Quibble. However, if Phinn, standing on top of a Joule, were to use Quibble towards her back, she takes decreased damage. If CoP were the center of Quibble, Joule would have received increased damage. This proves that the CoP is not the center of Quibble but Phinn instead.
Note on Forced Accord: If Joule’s back is facing Phinn and he hooks her, she always takes reduced damage. Therefore, the CoP is the very tip, perhaps even a bit farther, of the hook’s hitbox.
Reim
| Attack | Direction |
| Basic Attack | TD |
| Frostguard DPS | OD |
| Winter Spire | PD (CoP is spire center) |
| Chill Winds | PD (CoP is Reim) |
| Valkyrie Indirect Hit | PD (CoP is Valkyrie attack center) |
| Valkyrie Direct Hit | OD |
Ringo
| Attack | Direction |
| Basic Attack | TD |
| Achilles Shot | TD |
| Twirling Silves | AA |
| Hellfire Brew Contact DMG to Main Target | TD |
| HB Contact DMG to Secondary Targets | PD (CoP is impact point of fireball) |
| HB DPS to Main Target | OD |
| HB DPS to Secondary Targets | PD (CoP is burning unit) |
Rona
| Attack | Direction |
| Basic Attack | TD |
| Into The Fray Impact | PD (CoP is targeted point) |
| ITF Rupture | PD (CoP is where Rona initially landed) |
| Foesplitter | TD |
| Red Mist | PD (CoP is Rona) |
SAW
| Attack | Direction |
| Basic Attack | TD |
| Roadie Run | AA |
| Suppressing Fire | TD |
| Mad Cannon | AA |
| Mad Cannon (Splash) | PD (CoP is impact point of basic attack) |
Samuel
| Attack | Direction |
| Basic Attack | TD |
| Corrupted Genius | AA |
| Malice and Verdict | TD |
| MaV (Empowered) | PD (CoP is impact point of shot) |
| Drifting Dark | OD |
| Oblivion | PD (CoP is center of AoE) |
Skaarf
| Attack | Direction |
| Basic Attack | TD |
| Burn (DPS) | TD |
| Burn (%Health DMG) | TD |
| Spitfire | TD |
| Goop | OD |
| Dragon Breath | PD (CoP is Skaarf) |
Skye
| Attack | Direction |
| Basic Attack | TD |
| Forward Barrage | TD |
| Suri Strike | OD |
| Death from Above | OD |
Taka
| Attack | Direction |
| Basic Attack | TD |
| Kaiten | TD |
| Kaku | N/A |
| X-Retsu (Burst) | TD |
| X-Retsu (DPS) | OD |
Note on Kaiten: Damage is applied from Taka’s final, rather than initial, position.
Note on X- Retsu: Damage is applied from Taka’s initial, rather than final, position.
Vox
| Attack | Direction |
| Basic Attack | TD |
| Bounces | TD |
| Sonic Zoom | TD |
| Pulse | N/A |
| Wait for It … | TD |
Non-Heroes
| Non-Hero | Direction |
| Lane Minions | TD |
| Jungle Monsters | TD |
| Crystal Miner | TD |
| Gold Miner | TD |
| Kraken | TD |
| Turret: Shots | TD |
| Turret: Explosion | PD (CoP is turret) |
| Sanctuary Beam | OD |
Items
| Item | Direction |
| Aftershock | AA |
| Alternating Current | AA |
| Tension Bow | AA |
| Dragonblood Contra. | AA |
| Scout Trap | PD (CoP is scout trap center) |
| Nullwave Gauntlet | OD |
Note on Dragonblood Contract: Its damage direction is dependant on the basic attack that triggers it, not the position of the hero that activated Dragonblood Contract.