Kez was getting banned in almost every game so here are my results of too much testing in demo mode. This is a deep dive into the intricate mechanics of what might be Valve’s most complex hero in recent years.

DISCLAIMER: This is not a guide on how to play him, this is just a (hopefully) exhaustive list of interactions surrounding the bird man.

[Katana Stance]

Echo Slash (Q)

Slashes forward in the direction Kez is currently facing, slashing all enemies in the area twice for 70/80/90/100% of total damage each, plus 30/45/60/75 if the target is a hero

  • Pierces evasion
  • Skill has no targeting, immediately dashes forward once cast
  • Second slash has a 1.2s delay
  • Applies a 100% slow for 0.25s on each slash
  • Creates 12 overlapping circular zones of 200 radius in front of Kez, spaced 200/3 units apart. The first circle’s center is directly in front of Kez’s starting position. [credit Iris_mus]
    • Thus the backward reach (range where units behind Kez can be affected) is 200/3 + 200/3 = 133 units [credit Iris_mus]
    • Although “cast range” is 800, can affect units up to 1000 units away
    • Cannot attack wards.
    • Destroys trees in the slash area.
  • Damage: Physical*, so damage can be affected by ethereal form, physical barrier and armor.
    • Affected by damage block (Vanguard, Crimson Guard)
    • Affected by attack damage reduction (Frost Shield, Bulwark)
    • Affected by damage return (Blademail, Spiked carapace)
  • Kez also dashes forward 250 units, passing through terrain
    • Does not disjoint projectiles
    • Can be used to escape impassable terrain from hero abilities (Arena of Blood, Kinetic Field/Fence)
    • If timed correctly, can be used to override displacement spells (X Marks the Spot, Glimpse [credit Psychological-Leg413], Nether Strike)
      • Will still apply damage and additional effects, just not the repositioning
  • If Kez’s attack damage increases or decreases before the second slash (e.g Armlet toggling) the damage is updated accordingly
  • Cast range manipulation: Aether lens (and similar items) will not increase slash range, and skills like Enfeeble and Warp Flare will not decrease it
  • AoE manipulation: Bloodstone will not increase slash width/AoE
  • Stun: Will still slash even if Kez is stunned
  • Root: Can be cast while rooted, but will not dash forward
    • Still slashes units up to 1000 units away
  • Leash: Can be cast while leashed
    • Can be used to escape from Pounce, Soulbind and Sprout (Level 20)
  • Disarm: Can still be casted and apply damage even if Kez is disarmed or in ethereal form.
  • Lifesteal: Yes
  • Spell Lifesteal: No
  • Dispel: The slow can be removed via basic dispel.
  • Debuff Immunity: The damage will still apply, but will not slow
  • Courier: Can damage couriers [credit etrimmer and GGero]
Ability Interactions:
  • Kazurai Katana: Each slash will add katana stacks
  • Falcon Rush [Sai]: a secondary attack will be performed on all affected targets from both slashes
  • Mark [Sai]: Fully applies the critical damage and stun
Item Interactions:
  • Critical Strike: Yes
  • Armor reduction: Yes
  • Cleave: Yes
  • Pierce (from Javelin, Monkey King Bar): Yes
  • Mage Slayer: Yes
  • Soul Rend (from Bloodthorn): Yes
  • Mana burn (from Diffusal Blade, Disperser): burns the full amount of mana on each slash
  • Skull Basher: only 1 unit will be affected due to internal cooldown (2.3s)
  • Witch Blade: the closest unit will be affected
  • Echo Saber: applies the slow on all units (although a bit redundant), does not put it on cooldown
  • Chain Lightning (from Maelstrom, Mjollnir, Gleipnir): only 1 unit will be affected due to internal cooldown (0.2s)
  • *Revenant’s Brooch: Damage dealt becomes magical, and costs no additional mana (although it can’t crit)
  • Silver Edge: if used after casting Echo Slash, the bonus damage and break will apply to the closest target in front of Kez. If this happens, Kez breaks invisibility.
Neutral Item Interactions
  • Hound (from Lance of Pursuit): Yes
  • Magic Amp (from Grove Bow) and Magic Corruption (from Parasma): Yes
  • Afterburn (from Dragon Scale): Yes
  • Glassify (from Nemesis Curse): the farthest unit will be affected
  • Silence Strike (from Mind Breaker): the closest unit will be affected
  • Certain Strike (from Enchanted Quiver): the closest unit will be affected

Grappling Claw (W)

Grapples onto an enemy unit or tree. If the target is an enemy, it is slowed by 80% until it finishes. After which, Kez attacks the unit with 100% lifesteal. If it is a hero, Kez attacks with 150/200/250/300% lifesteal.

  • Cast range: 700/800/900/1000
  • Pierces evasion
  • Damage: Physical*, so damage can be affected by ethereal form, physical barrier and armor.
    • Affected by damage block (Vanguard, Crimson Guard)
    • Affected by attack damage reduction (Frost Shield, Bulwark)
    • Affected by damage return (Blademail, Spiked carapace)
  • Unit (or tree) targeted
    • Does not destroy trees along the grappling path, only destroys the tree Kez lands on. [credit The_Fritzle]
  • Can be interrupted via forced movement (e.g. Blinding Light, Flamebreak)
  • Can be used to escape some impassable terrain from hero abilities (Fissure, Kinetic Field/Fence)
    • Cannot be used to escape Arena of Blood, but can be used to go in the arena
  • Can be disjointed if target blinks or becomes hidden before the claw latches. If done successfully, Kez will not travel and the spell is put on cooldown.
    • If target blinks after the claw latches, the damage is still applied but Kez will not follow the target and will just grapple to the original destination.
    • If target is hidden after the claw latches, Kez will travel to the target but will not deal damage.
  • Spell Block (from Linken’s Sphere): will proc when the claw latches and Kez will not travel. Will not proc if disjointed.
  • Echo Shell (from Lotus Orb): target will also cast Grappling Claw on Kez after latching. They end up in a spot in between but closer to the target (due to the delay in casting).
    • If target blinks after latching while having spell block and echo shell, Kez will stay in place, and the target will blink to their destination before grappling to Kez.
  • Cast range manipulation: Aether lens (and similar items) will increase cast range, and skills like Enfeeble and Warp Flare will decrease it
    • Bloodstone has no effect
  • Stun: Will still latch, travel and attack the target even if Kez is stunned
  • Root/Leash: Cannot be cast while rooted or leashed
  • Disarm: Can still be casted and apply damage even if Kez is disarmed or in ethereal form.
  • Lifesteal: Yes
  • Spell Lifesteal: No
  • Dispel: The slow can be removed via basic dispel.
  • Debuff Immunity: The damage will still apply, but will not slow.
Ability Interactions:
  • Kazurai Katana: The lifesteal attack will add katana stacks
  • Falcon Rush [Sai]: a secondary attack will occur if Kez successfully arrives to the target (not interrupted), will not lifesteal
  • Mark [Sai]: will fully crit and stun if the attack lands
    • Additionally, if Kez switches to Sai before latching to the target, the succeeding attack can mark (17%)
Item Interactions:
  • Critical Strike: Yes
  • Armor reduction: Yes
  • Cleave: Yes
  • Pierce (from Javelin, Monkey King Bar): Yes
  • Chain Lightning (from Maelstrom, Mjollnir, Gleipnir): Yes
  • Empower Spell (from Phylactery, Khanda): Yes
  • Mage Slayer: Yes
  • Soul Rend (from Bloodthorn): Yes
  • Mana burn (from Diffusal Blade, Disperser): Yes
  • Skull Basher: Yes
  • Witch Blade: Yes
  • Echo Saber: applies the slow on arrival and does not put it on cooldown
  • *Revenant’s Brooch: Still does not cost mana, and can’t crit
    • It will still heal Kez (via lifesteal, not spell lifesteal)
Neutral Item Interactions
  • Hound (from Lance of Pursuit): Yes
  • Magic Amp (from Grove Bow) and Magic Corruption (from Parasma): Yes
  • Afterburn (from Dragon Scale): Yes
  • Glassify (from Nemesis Curse): Yes
  • Silence Strike (from Mind Breaker): Yes
  • Certain Strike (from Enchanted Quiver): Yes

Kazurai Katana (E)

Katana normal attacks and abilities deal a stacking damage over time and applies 20/25/30/35% regen reduction.

  • Only affects HP regeneration, does not reduce healing or lifesteal.
  • Damage calculation is as follows:
    1. Whenever Kez deals damage from his katana attacks/abilities, target gains stacks equal to 35/48/63/80% of the damage dealt before reductions.
      • Does not add stacks from proc damage (chain lightning, mana burn, etc.)
      • 1 stack will deal 1 additional damage (if the target gains 500 stacks, spell will deal 500 damage before reductions over its duration)
    2. After 1 second, apply 1/n of the damage (where n is 5/6/7/8) once per second over n seconds - Reduce stacks by damage dealt
    3. If new katana damage is applied to the target, go back to (1) and duration is refreshed
      • Example: Kez deals 1000 attack damage to target, level 4 Katana will give 800 stacks, then deal 800/8 (100) damage per second for 8 seconds. After 1 second, 100 damage is dealt, 100 stacks is consumed. Then, if Kez deals 100 more damage, Katana will give 80 stacks, totaling 780 damage. Katana will now deal 780/8 (97.5) damage per second over 8 seconds.
  • Damage: Physical*, so damage can be affected by ethereal form, physical barrier and armor.
    • Not affected by damage block (Vanguard, Crimson Guard).
    • Not affected by attack damage reduction (Frost Shield, Bulwark)
    • Affected by damage return (Blademail, Spiked carapace).
  • Lifesteal: No
  • Spell Lifesteal: Yes
  • Illusions: Illusions apply their own independent katana stacks (albeit with reduced damage).
  • Dispel: Stacks can be completely removed via basic dispel.
  • Debuff Immunity: Fully affects debuff immune targets
Ability Interactions:
  • Echo Slash: Applies katana stacks from each slash
  • Grappling Claw: Applies katana stacks on successful hit
  • Raptor Dance: Applies katana stacks from each slash
  • Falcon Rush [Sai]: Secondary attacks can apply katana stacks
  • Talon Toss [Sai]: N/A
  • Mark [Sai]: Mark and Parry Mark crit procs apply katana stacks
  • Raven’s Veil [Sai]: N/A
Aghanim’s Shard

Adds an active ability to impale the target, stunning for 0.6s and attacking the target with bonus damage based on Kazurai Katana stacks.

  • Cast range: 150
  • Pierces evasion.
  • Consumes all the stacks to apply as additional damage to the attack.
    • This can fully crit.
  • Damage: Physical*, so damage can be affected by ethereal form, physical barrier and armor.
    • Affected by damage block (Vanguard, Crimson Guard).
    • Affected by attack damage reduction (Frost Shield, Bulwark)
    • Affected by damage return (Blademail, Spiked carapace).
  • Cast range manipulation: No effect
  • Spell Block/Echo Shell: Not blocked / does not proc
  • Lifesteal: Yes
  • Spell Lifesteal: No
  • Disarm: Cannot be cast if Kez is disarmed.
    • Cannot be cast if either Kez or the target is in ethereal form.
  • Illusions: Does not consume stacks produced by illusions.
  • Debuff Immunity: Applies the damage but not the stun.
Ability Interactions:
  • Falcon Rush [Sai]: Applies the secondary attack but will not use the katana stacks as bonus damage.
  • Mark [Sai]: Applies the stun and adds katana stacks in critical strike
Item Interactions:
  • Critical Strike: Yes
  • Armor reduction: Yes
  • Cleave: Yes
  • Pierce (from Javelin, Monkey King Bar): Yes
  • Chain Lightning (from Maelstrom, Mjollnir, Gleipnir): Yes
  • Empower Spell (from Phylactery, Khanda): No
  • Mage Slayer: Yes
  • Soul Rend (from Bloodthorn): Yes
  • Mana burn (from Diffusal Blade, Disperser): Yes
  • Skull Basher: Yes
  • Witch Blade: Yes
  • Echo Saber: applies the slow on arrival and does not put it on cooldown
  • Silver Edge: when used before cast, applies the break but does not apply bonus damage
  • *Revenant’s Brooch: Still does not cost mana, and can’t crit
    • Can enable casting on ethereal targets (but not if Kez is disarmed/ethereal)
Neutral Item Interactions
  • Hound (from Lance of Pursuit): Yes
  • Magic Amp (from Grove Bow) and Magic Corruption (from Parasma): Yes
  • Afterburn (from Dragon Scale): Yes
  • Glassify (from Nemesis Curse): Yes
  • Silence Strike (from Mind Breaker): Yes
  • Certain Strike (from Enchanted Quiver): Yes

Raptor Dance ®

Gain debuff immunity and 100% magic resistance. After channeling for 1 second, slash all enemies in a 450 AoE for 2/3/4 slashes

  • Deals 75 + 4% of target’s max health as damage
  • Damage: Pure
    • Not affected by damage return due to being debuff immune
    • Will not damage if target is in ethereal form
  • While slashing, Kez is silenced and muted but can still move
    • Allies can still target Kez with abilities and items like force staff
  • Heals for 100% of the damage dealt to heroes
    • Heals for only 20% on creeps
    • You can heal for 310/465/620 HP per 2000 HP hero
    • Works on illusions (actually heals more since illusions take more damage)
  • AoE manipulation: Bloodstone increases slash AoE to 525
  • Root/Leash/Disarm: Can be cast while rooted, leashed, disarmed or in ethereal form.
  • Lifesteal: No
  • Spell Lifesteal: Yes
  • Debuff Immunity: Fully affects debuff immune targets
Ability Interactions:
  • Kazurai Katana: Damaged enemies apply stacks from each slash
  • Falcon Rush [Sai]: Does not proc secondary attacks but can still rush while slashing
  • Mark [Sai]: The first slash that hits the marked target can crit and stun

[Sai Stance]

Falcon Rush (Q)

For 7 (+2 with talent) seconds, Kez has phased movement and can rush to targets within 600 range, at 1000 speed. Whenever Kez attacks, an untargetable afterimage of Kez will attack a second time.

  • During Falcon Rush, Sai has a BAT of 1.2/1.1/1/0.9 while Katana has a BAT of 1.3/1.2/1.1/1
    • Attack interval calculation: BAT - AttackSpeed*AttackSpeedFactor/100 where AttackSpeedFactor = 6/7/8/9%.
    • At 700 Attack Speed, Max Level Attack Interval is 0.9-(700*0.09/100)=0.27s in Sai and 1 -(700*0.09/100)=0.37s in Katana.
  • While rushing, Kez cannot be slowed.
  • Secondary attacks can miss through evasion or by high ground (if Kez is on low ground [credit SleepyDG] when secondary attack hits)
  • Damage: Physical*, so damage can be affected by ethereal form, physical barrier and armor.
    • Affected by damage block (Vanguard, Crimson Guard).
    • Affected by attack damage reduction (Frost Shield, Bulwark)
    • Affected by damage return (Blademail, Spiked carapace).
  • Lifesteal: Afterimage attack can lifesteal
  • Spell Lifesteal: No
  • Illusions: Illusions do not have the secondary attack nor the rush.
  • Dispel: Falcon Rush can be dispelled.
  • Debuff Immunity: Fully affects units with debuff immunity
  • Courier: The afterimage can attack the courier (Only plausible with Marci on enemy team)
Ability Interactions:
  • Echo Slash [Katana]: a secondary attack will be performed on all affected targets from both slashes
  • Grappling Claw [Katana]: a secondary attack will occur if Kez successfully arrives to the target (not interrupted), will not lifesteal
  • Kazurai Katana [Katana]: the secondary attack can apply katana stacks only if the first attack was from a katana
  • Raptor Dance [Katana]: Does not proc secondary attacks but can still rush while slashing
  • Talon Toss [Sai]: N/A
  • Mark [Sai]: The secondary attack can mark the target (17%) or proc it if it is already marked. Fully applies crit and stun.
  • Raven’s Veil [Sai]: N/A
Item Interactions:
  • Critical Strike: Yes
  • Armor reduction: Yes
  • Cleave: Yes
  • Pierce (from Javelin, Monkey King Bar): Yes
  • Chain Lightning (from Maelstrom, Mjollnir, Gleipnir): Yes
  • Mage Slayer: Yes
  • Soul Rend (from Bloodthorn): Yes
  • Mana burn (from Diffusal Blade, Disperser): Yes
  • Skull Basher: Yes
  • Witch Blade: Yes
  • Echo Saber: applies the slow and puts it on cooldown
  • Silver Edge: when used just before the secondary attack, applies the break and bonus damage. Breaks invisibility.
  • *Revenant’s Brooch: Still does not cost mana, and can’t crit
    • If turned on just before secondary attack hits, will apply revenant’s brooch damage (magical)
Neutral Item Interactions
  • Hound (from Lance of Pursuit): Yes
  • Magic Amp (from Grove Bow) and Magic Corruption (from Parasma): Yes
  • Afterburn (from Dragon Scale): Yes
  • Glassify (from Nemesis Curse): Yes
  • Silence Strike (from Mind Breaker): Yes
  • Certain Strike (from Enchanted Quiver): Yes

Talon Toss (W)

Kez throws a sai to an enemy unit, silencing for 1.75/2/2.25/2.5 and damaging for 75/125/175/225 in a 275 AoE around the target.

  • Cast range: 1200
  • Damage: Magical, so damage can be affected by magical barrier and magic resistance.
    • Affected by damage return (Blademail, Spiked carapace).
  • Cast range manipulation: Yes
  • AoE manipulation: Yes
  • Spell Block: Yes
  • Echo Shell: Yes
  • Lifesteal: No
  • Spell Lifesteal: Yes
  • Dispel: The silence can be removed by basic dispel.
  • Debuff Immunity: Applies the damage but not the silence. Can still proc/apply mark (Shodo Sai)
Ability Interactions:
  • Kazurai Katana [Katana]: does not apply stacks when switching to Katana after cast
  • Falcon Rush [Sai]: Does not proc secondary attacks
  • Mark [Sai]: Can mark (17%) and fully applies crit and stun if already marked. Also applies to units in the AoE

Shodo Sai (E)

Whenever Kez deals attack/ability damage from Sai, have a 17% chance to apply a mark for 8s, slowing for 10%. On next instance of attack/ability damage, it crits for 140/160/180/200% damage, and stuns for 0.5s.

  • Can be activated to parry attacks from the front, applying Parry Mark on successful parries, applying 25/50/75/100% bonus crit and 0.5 bonus stun duration.
  • On proc, follows the damage type of the source damage (e.g. Physical on attack, Magical on Talon Toss and Pure on Raptor Dance)
  • Can dodge the mark by becoming invulnerable or hidden just before parrying
  • Stun: Will still parry and apply Parry Mark even if Kez is stunned
  • Root: Can be cast while rooted
  • Leash: Can be cast while leashed
  • Lifesteal: Depends on proccing damage source
  • Spell Lifesteal: Depends on proccing damage source
  • Illusions: Illusions cannot apply or proc the mark.
  • Dispel: The mark and the stun can only be removed vis strong dispel.
  • Debuff Immunity: The mark, parry stun, and proc stun pierces debuff immunity
Item Interactions:
  • Revenant’s Brooch: If an enemy is marked, Kez can attack with revenant’s brooch for free while the mark is active. Does not proc mark.
  • Cleave: Although the attack does not deal damage to Kez, it can fully cleave (and deal damage).
    • Marci with Battle Fury may not deal damage to Kez during Unleash, but will kill everyone behind him
  • Damage Return: Successful parries can be returned (blademail)

The following is a summary of which attack based abilities are blocked/not blocked/partially blocked by the parry:

Fully Blocks Does not Block
[Alchemist] Corrosive Weaponry [Drow Ranger] Multishot
[Ancient Apparition] Chilling Touch [Luna] Moon Glaives
[Anti Mage] Mana Break [Morphling] Waveform
[Batrider] Smoldering Resin [Pangolier] Rolling Thunder
[Beastmaster] Drums of Slom [Primal Beast] Trample
[Broodmother] Incapacitating Bite [Riki] Tricks of the Trade
[Clinkz] Tar Bomb, Burning Barrage
[Dark Willow] Shadow Realm
[Dawnbreaker] Starbreaker
[Dazzle] Poison Attack, Poison Bloom
[Enchantress] Impetus, Sproink
[Gyrocopter] Flak Cannon
[Hoodwink] Acorn Shot
[Huskar] Burning Spear
[Io] Attack Tethered Ally’s Target
[Jakiro] Liquid Fire/Frost
[Leshrac] Chronic Nourishment
[Lion] Fist of Death
[Lone Druid] Entangling Claws
[Luna] Lunar Orbit
[Lycan] Cripple, Hamstring
[Mars] Rebuke, Bulwark (Scepter)
[Monkey King] Wukong’s Command
[Muerta] Gunslinger
[Outworld Destroyer] Arcane Orb
[Pangolier] Swashbuckle
[Phantom Assassin] Stifling Dagger
[Puck] Phase Shift (Shard), Dream Coil (Scepter)
[Sand King] Stinger
[Shadow Demon] Menace
[Silencer] Glaives of Wisdom
[Slardar] Bash of the Deep
[Slark] Essence Shift
[Snapfire] Ricochet II, Lil’ Shredder
[Tidehunter] Anchor Smash
[Tiny] Tree Throw, Tree Volley
[Tusk] Tag Team, Walrus Punch
[Ursa] Fury Swipes
[Weaver] Geminate Attack
[Windranger] Focus Fire, Whirlwind
[Winter Wyvern] Arctic Burn
[Zeus] Lightning Hands
Partially Blocks
  • [Antimage] Upgraded Blink: Blocks the upgraded attack but does not use up buff
  • [Dark Seer] Normal Punch: Blocks but does not put on cooldown
  • [Faceless Void] Time Lock: Blocks bonus attack but not base damage
  • [Invoker] Forge Spirit: Blocks attacks, but not Melting Strike (still reduces armor)
  • [Kunkka]Tidebringer: Blocks only if primary target, still applies cleave
  • [Luna] Lucent Beam: Level 20 talent blocks moon glaives, but not the base damage
  • [Marci] Unleash: Blocks attacks, but will not use charges (just attacks super fast until parry expires)
  • [Monkey King] Boundless Strike: Blocks damage but stuns
  • [Monkey King] Jingu Mastery: Attacks are blocked, but can still gain (and consume) Jingu stacks
  • [Nyx Assassin] Vendetta: Attack is blocked, but still receive bonus damage (and break if with shard)
  • [Omniknight] Hammer of Purity: Attack is blocked but does not put skill on cooldown
  • [Shadow Fiend] Shadowraze (Level 25): Does not block base damage
  • [Sniper] Assassinate: Does not block base damage
  • [Storm Spirit] Overload: Blocks attack, but not the overload damage
  • [Templar Assassin] Psi Blades: Does not block if Kez is the spill target; if Kez is primary taget, spill targets take 0 damage
  • [Venomancer] Poison Sting: Blocks the attack but poison sting is still applied (for both Venomancer & Plague Wards)
  • [Void Spirit] Astral Step: Blocks primary attack, but not the void mark damage
  • [Warlock] Chaotic Offering: Blocks Golem’s attack, but not Flaming Fists
  • [Wraith King] Spectral Blade: Does not block base damage

Raven’s Veil ®

Kez releases a wave of smoke in a 1500 radius that temporarily reduces vision from enemies and applies a Parry Mark. Kez turns invisible for 7/8/9 seconds, with 15/25/35% bonus movement speed.

  • Applies a basic dispel on cast and can dodge projectiles if no true sight
  • Reduced vision lasts 4 seconds. Initially sets vision to 200, and after 1 second, the target regains vision gradually until it expires.
  • The applied Parry Mark overrides any previously applied Mark/Parry Mark, with refreshed duration.
  • AoE manipulation: Bloodstone increases AoE to 1575
  • Stun: wave will still travel and apply Parry Mark even if Kez is stunned
  • Root: Can be cast while rooted
  • Leash: Can be cast while leashed
  • Dispel: The vision reduction can be removed via basic dispel but the parry mark can only be removed via strong dispel.
  • Debuff Immunity: Applies Parry Mark on debuff immune targets but not the vision reduction.
Morphling
  • Upon casting Morph, Morphling will copy the skillset of the currently active stance.
  • Katana Stance
    • Echo Slash
      • Functions the same as with Kez, but the after image is Morphling.
    • Kazurai Katana
      • Only applies stacks while morphed into Kez
  • Sai Stance
    • Falcon Rush
      • While morphed as Kez, Mophling has secondary attacks.
      • When morphed out, Morphling can rush but cannot use secondary attacks.
    • Shodo Sai
      • Does not mark targets from abilities or attacks (17%). Can only apply Parry Mark when successfully parrying attacks. Parry Mark can crit and stun as normal.

TLDR I just want to know something interesting

The following is already from above but if you don’t have the time to read everything, here are some of the more interesting interactions I’ve found (in my opinion) while testing:

  • Echo Slash (Q): Can be used to escape leashes (Pounce, Sprout), displacement (Glimpse, X Mark) and impassable terrain (Kinetic Field, Arena of Blood)
  • Grappling Claw (W): Can be used to escape Kinetic Field, and go in Arena of Blood (but not out)
  • Kazurai Katana (E): If the target has attack damage reduction (Bulwark, Frost Shield), it might not be a good idea to cast the active because it will be reduced. Rather, let it tick
  • Shodo Sai (E): Cleave is the only item-based attack modifier that works during parry. For hero-based modifiers, results may vary
  • Ghost Scepter: Perhaps the best early defensive item against Kez. Can dodge all of his abilities (even Raptor’s Dance) except Talon Toss.
  • Revenant’s Brooch: Since most of Kez’s abilities are attack based, Revenant’s Brooch costs no mana. Also, when attacking marked enemies with revenant’s brooch, you consume no mana, and do not proc the mark (might be a bug?)

If you have reached this far, hopefully you learned something new! If there is anything I overlooked, or something that was different in your tests/experience I would love to know. Thanks for reading!

All credit goes to original author: https://www.reddit.com/u/j-_

Source I Spent Hours Testing Kez Interactions So You Don’t Have To https://www.reddit.com/r/DotA2/comments/1gnkqhn/i_spent_hours_testing_kez_interactions_so_you/