Units

How a server puts objects on the field and takes them away: champions, minions, neutral monsters, turrets, pets, markers and props. What a unit then does is in Movement, Combat and Spells, and what it is worth in Replication.

Every object is named by a net id, and Objects and identifiers says what removes each kind of object.

Creating

Each kind of object has its own message:

a champion, CreateChampion, which, carrying the client’s own client id, also makes that champion the client’s own; a bot’s champion, the same CreateChampion naming no client, or SpawnBot;
a minion sent out from a side’s barracks, SpawnFromBarracks, and a unit like one, such as a ward, SpawnUnit;
a monster of no side, CreateNeutral; a pet, SpawnPet;
a turret, CreateTurret (The client’s data says how it names one), and a turret of the server’s choosing, SpawnTurret;
an object that follows a unit, CreateFollower, and a change to what it follows, FollowerMaster;
an unseen marker, SpawnMarker, which other messages can name and MarkerMoved moves;
a prop, a thing that stands on the map and is looked at, MapProp, and a change to one, MapPropChanged.

CharacterPreload has a client load a character’s art ahead of need.

A client acts on a CreateChampion or a CreateNeutral whenever it arrives, before CharacterSelected as after.

Changing and removing

TeamChanged moves a unit to another side, and ChampionRemoved takes a champion out of the world. A unit’s death is in Combat.

Bots

A server can tell a client what a bot is thinking (BotDebug), weighing (BotTargets) or doing (BotState). None of them changes what a player sees.

Messages

Each message of this system in this book, with each layout it has across the book’s patches and every note its definition carries. A layout is the message’s body, after the header its channel’s family puts in front (see Messages).

`CreateChampion`

What a server sends to put a champion on the field. The header carries zero or names the object this is about; a client accepts either.

Definition.

In 0.8.13.26–0.9.22.13

Command 6 on events, sent by the server, reliable.

The champion takes the id in champion. A server sends it on its own. A client stands it at its side’s one fixed spawn point, or at 6000, 0, 6000 where that point is not set.

Field	Type	What it is
champion	u32	The name the champion answers to, so later messages can name it.
node	u8	Which network node the object belongs to, in a field of its own.
clientId	u32	The client id of the player the champion belongs to. A client takes the champion carrying its own client id as its own, and any other as belonging to no client of its own.
side	u8	Nonzero for side 100, zero for side 200.
flag	u8	Passed to the champion as it is made; what it changes is not recorded.
name	text, 40 bytes	What the seat holding it is called. Written out in full and padded with zero bytes to the width above.
asset	text, ended by a zero byte	The champion it is, ended by a zero byte; the two take at most 64 bytes, and a client fails on a longer one.

Vectors (1)

one-on-0-8-13-26

In 0.9.22.14–0.9.25.20

Command 6 on events, sent by the server, reliable.

The champion takes the id in champion, not the header’s; a client first removes any object holding that id. For the client’s own seat, name also becomes its own player’s name. A client stands the champion at its side’s one spawn point.

Field	Type	What it is
champion	u32	The name the champion answers to, so later messages can name it.
clientId	u32	The client id of the player the champion belongs to, or 4294967295 where it belongs to none, as a bot’s does. A client takes the champion carrying its own client id as its own.
node	u8	Which network node the object belongs to, in a field of its own.
skillLevel	u8	It has no effect.
side	u8	Nonzero for side 100, zero for side 200.
bot	u8	Nonzero where a bot plays the seat and nobody holds it; its shown name is then the client’s own bot name for asset, and name has no effect.
skin	i32	Which look it wears.
name	text, 40 bytes	What the seat holding it is called. Written out in full and padded with zero bytes to the width above.
asset	text, 128 bytes	The champion it is: the name the client loads its art and sound under, written and padded as above.

Vectors (1)

one-on-0-9-22-16

In 0.9.25.21–1.0.0.24

Command 6 on events, sent by the server, reliable.

The champion takes the id in champion, not the header’s; a client first removes any object holding that id. For the client’s own seat, name also becomes its own player’s name.

Field	Type	What it is
champion	u32	The name the champion answers to, so later messages can name it.
clientId	u32	The client id of the player the champion belongs to, or 4294967295 where it belongs to none, as a bot’s does. A client takes the champion carrying its own client id as its own.
node	u8	Which network node the object belongs to, in a field of its own.
skillLevel	u8	It has no effect.
side	u8	Nonzero for side 100, zero for side 200.
bot	u8	Nonzero where a bot plays the seat and nobody holds it. A client only keeps it; the shown name is name as sent.
spawnIndex	u8	Where the champion first stands and faces. From 0 to 5, its side’s base position plus the offset the map sets for the side’s head count (players and bots) and this index plus one, facing as the map sets for them. A client works out the head count itself, counting SpawnStart’s bots in it. From 6 up, the base position itself, facing along +X. Movement or sight data replaces it.
skin	i32	Which look it wears.
name	text, 40 bytes	What the seat holding it is called. Written out in full and padded with zero bytes to the width above.
asset	text, 128 bytes	The champion it is: the name the client loads its art and sound under, written and padded as above.

Vectors (1)

one-on-0-9-25-21

`SpawnFromBarracks`

What a server sends to put a unit on the field from the place its side sends them out of.

Definition.

In 0.8.13.26–0.9.22.13

Command 53 on events, sent by the server, reliable.

A server sends it on its own. The unit stands at the barracks’ own position, on the barracks’ side.

Field	Type	What it is
unit	u32	The name the unit answers to, so later messages can name it.
node	u8	Which network node the unit belongs to, in a field of its own rather than as part of the name that follows.
wave	u8	Which run of units it belongs to.
kind	u8	What sort of unit it is, from 0 to 3. A value above 3 has no defined effect.
unread	u8	A client reads nothing here. A server writes zero.
damageBonus	i16	What is added to the damage it deals.
healthBonus	i16	What is added to the health it holds.

Vectors (1)

one-on-0-8-13-26

In 0.9.22.14–1.0.0.24

Command 49 on events, sent by the server, reliable.

The header names the barracks, and a client handles the message only where it holds that barracks; the new unit’s id is in unit.

Field	Type	What it is
unit	u32	The name the unit answers to, so later messages can name it.
node	u8	Which network node the unit belongs to, in a field of its own rather than as part of the name that follows.
wave	u8	Which run of units it belongs to.
kind	u8	What sort of unit it is, from 0 to 3; any other value has no defined effect.
damageBonus	i16	What is added to the damage it deals.
healthBonus	i16	What is added to the health it holds.

Vectors (1)

one-on-0-9-22-14

`SpawnUnit`

What a server sends to put a minion-like unit on the field, such as a ward.

Definition.

In 0.8.13.26–0.9.22.13

Command 90 on events, sent by the server, reliable.

A client deletes no object first; one already holding the new unit’s id keeps it alongside the new unit. A client fails where it cannot load the unit’s art. clone, where nonzero and held, is only linked to the new unit; nothing of it is copied.

Field	Type	What it is
unit	u32	The name the new unit answers to.
node	u8	Which network node the unit belongs to.
atX	f32	Where it stands, along one ground axis, in world units.
atY	f32	Where it stands, in height, in world units.
atZ	f32	Where it stands, along the other ground axis, in world units.
team	u32	The side the unit is on, as a whole number.
name	text, 64 bytes	Its name, padded with zero bytes.
asset	text, 64 bytes	The name the client loads its art under, padded with zero bytes.
clone	u32	The unit the new one is linked to, or zero.

Vectors (1)

one-on-0-8-13-26

In 0.9.22.14–1.0.0.24

Command 87 on events, sent by the server, reliable.

A client gives the new unit its id and node, deleting nothing first. Where clone names a unit it holds, a client only links the new unit to it as a clone and copies nothing of it; zero or an unknown id leaves no link. The header names the unit that put it there.

Field	Type	What it is
unit	u32	The name the new unit answers to.
node	u8	Which network node the unit belongs to.
atX	f32	Where it stands, along one ground axis, in world units.
atY	f32	Where it stands, in height, in world units.
atZ	f32	Where it stands, along the other ground axis, in world units.
name	text, 64 bytes	Its name, padded with zero bytes.
asset	text, 64 bytes	The name the client loads its art under, padded with zero bytes.
clone	u32	The unit the new unit is linked to as a clone, or zero.
team	4-byte bits
team.team	bit 0 to 8	Which side, as a team number.
team.unused	bit 9 to 31	Unused; a server writes zero.
flags	1-byte bits
flags.ignoreCollision	bit 0	Set where it does not block the way.
flags.unused	bit 1 to 7	Unused; a server writes zero.

Vectors (1)

one-on-0-9-22-14

`CreateNeutral`

What a server sends to put a unit that belongs to no side on the field. The header names the unit this is about.

Definition.

In 0.8.13.26–0.9.22.13

Command 7 on events, sent by the server, reliable.

A server sends it on its own, on the channel given here. A client leaves the monster facing as it was made. A client adds damageBonus to the damage the unit deals twice over.

Field	Type	What it is
unit	u32	The name the unit answers to, so later messages can name it.
node	u8	Which network node the object belongs to, in a field of its own.
atX	f32	Where the unit stands, along one ground axis, in world units.
atY	f32	Where the unit stands, in height, in world units.
atZ	f32	Where the unit stands, along the other ground axis, in world units.
name	text, 64 bytes	What this unit is called, so a client can tell one from another. Written out in full and padded with zero bytes to the width above.
asset	text, 64 bytes	The name the client loads its art and sound under, written and padded as above. The name and its zero byte fit in the 64 bytes; a client fails on a longer one.
uniqueName	text, 64 bytes	A further name the unit answers to, written and padded as above. The name and its zero byte fit in the 64 bytes; a client fails on a longer one.
side	u32	The side it belongs to, or zero where it belongs to none.
damageBonus	i32	What is added to the damage it deals.
healthBonus	i32	What is added to its maximum health, three times over: the unit stands at full health, at its base maximum plus three times this.
roaming	u32	How the monster wanders. Values: 0 inactive, 1 hostile, 2 fleeing.
camp	u32	Which camp the unit belongs to. Where a client shows camps on its map, the first unit naming a camp places that camp at the unit’s position.

Vectors (1)

inactive-on-0-8-13-26

In 0.9.22.14–1.0.0.24

Command 7 on events, sent by the server, reliable.

A client leaves the monster facing as it was made. A client adds damageBonus to the damage the unit deals twice over.

Field	Type	What it is
unit	u32	The name the unit answers to, so later messages can name it.
node	u8	Which network node the object belongs to, in a field of its own.
atX	f32	Where the unit stands, along one ground axis, in world units.
atY	f32	Where the unit stands, in height, in world units.
atZ	f32	Where the unit stands, along the other ground axis, in world units.
campAtX	f32	Where the camp it belongs to sits, along one ground axis, in world units.
campAtY	f32	Where the camp it belongs to sits, in height, in world units.
campAtZ	f32	Where the camp it belongs to sits, along the other ground axis, in world units.
name	text, 64 bytes	What this unit is called, so a client can tell one from another. Written out in full and padded with zero bytes to the width above.
asset	text, 64 bytes	The name the client loads its art and sound under, written and padded as above.
uniqueName	text, 64 bytes	A further name the unit answers to, written and padded as above.
side	u32	The side it belongs to, or zero where it belongs to none.
damageBonus	i32	What is added to the damage it deals.
healthBonus	i32	What is added to the health it holds, three times over: the unit’s maximum and current health both end at its base health plus three times this, and not below 0.
roaming	u32	How the monster wanders. It has no effect. Values: 0 inactive, 1 hostile, 2 fleeing.
camp	u32	Which camp the unit belongs to. Where no camp of that number exists yet, a client makes one at the unit’s own position, not at campAt, and adds the unit to it.

Vectors (1)

inactive-on-0-9-22-16

`SpawnPet`

What a server sends to put a pet on the field.

Definition.

In every range of this book

Command 32 on events, sent by the server, reliable.

The header names the owner, and every client that holds that unit handles the message. A client kills the owner’s earlier pet if that lives, then makes the pet under pet and node with the owner’s side, as the owner’s pet. It deletes no object first; where one already holds pet, both answer to it.

Field	Type	What it is
pet	u32	The id the pet answers to, which a client gives it together with node. The header names the owner.
node	u8	Which network node it belongs to.
atX	f32	Where it stands, along one ground axis, in world units.
atY	f32	In height, in world units.
atZ	f32	Along the other ground axis, in world units.
spellLevel	i32	The level of the spell that summoned it, plus one. A client uses it only where the owner belongs to its own network node.
duration	f32	How long it lasts, in seconds. A client reads nothing of it.
damageBonus	i32	What is added to the damage it deals.
healthBonus	i32	What is added to its health.
name	text, 32 bytes	Its name, padded with zero bytes.
asset	text, 32 bytes	The name the client loads its art under, padded with zero bytes.
effect	text, 64 bytes	An effect it carries, padded with zero bytes. A client uses it only where the owner belongs to its own network node.
clone	u32	The unit it copies, or zero. For a minion-like pet, a client only links the pet to that unit, where it holds it, and copies nothing of it.

Vectors (1)

one-on-0-8-13-26

`CreateTurret`

What a server sends to put a turret on the field. The header names the unit this is about.

Definition.

In 0.8.13.26–0.9.22.13

Command 8 on events, sent by the server, reliable.

A server sends it on its own, on the channel given here. A client makes the object, on side 200, and loads its character.

Field	Type	What it is
turret	u32	The name the turret answers to, so later messages can name it.
node	u8	Which network node the object belongs to, in a field of its own.
atX	f32	Where it stands, along one ground axis, in world units.
atY	f32	Its height.
atZ	f32	Along the other ground axis.
name	text, 64 bytes	What this turret is called, so a client can tell one from another. Written out in full and padded with zero bytes to the width above.
asset	text, 64 bytes	The character it is: the name the client loads its data under. Written out in full and padded with zero bytes to the width above.

Vectors (1)

one-on-0-8-13-26

In 0.9.22.14–1.0.0.24

Command 8 on events, sent by the server, reliable.

A client matches name against the map’s turrets, ignoring case. With no match it does nothing; a matched turret takes the id and node, and one missing or dead is not rebuilt.

Field	Type	What it is
turret	u32	The name the turret answers to, so later messages can name it.
node	u8	Which network node the object belongs to, in a field of its own.
name	text, 64 bytes	What this turret is called, so a client can tell one from another. Written out in full and padded with zero bytes to the width above.

Vectors (1)

one-on-0-9-22-14

`BotDebug`

What a server sends describing what a bot is thinking. It changes nothing a client shows. The header names the unit.

Definition.

In 0.9.22.14–1.0.0.24

Command 105 on events, sent by the server, reliable.

Field	Type	What it is
name	text, 64 bytes	The bot’s name.
strategy	text, 64 bytes	Its strategy.
behaviour	text, 64 bytes	Its behaviour.
task	text, 64 bytes	Its task.
state1	text, 64 bytes	A line of its state.
state2	text, 64 bytes	A line of its state.
state3	text, 64 bytes	A line of its state.

`BotTargets`

What a server sends naming the units a bot is weighing. It changes nothing a client shows. The header names the unit.

Definition.

In every range of this book

Carried on events, sent by the server, reliable, under these commands:

Builds	Command
0.8.13.26–0.9.22.13	108
0.9.22.14–1.0.0.24	106

Field	Type	What it is
targets	5 × u32	Five units.

Vectors (1)

one-on-0-8-13-26

`BotState`

What a server sends naming a bot’s state. It changes nothing a client shows. The header names the unit.

Definition.

In every range of this book

Carried on events, sent by the server, reliable, under these commands:

Builds	Command
0.8.13.26–0.9.22.13	109
0.9.22.14–1.0.0.24	107

Field	Type	What it is
state	i32	The state.

Vectors (1)

one-on-0-8-13-26

`PlaceTurret`

What a server sends to make a turret.

Definition.

In 0.8.13.26–0.9.22.13

Command 55 on events, sent by the server, reliable.

The header names an existing turret object, and the new turret takes that object’s position.

Field	Type	What it is
turret	u32	The name the turret answers to, so later messages can name it.
node	u8	Which network node the object belongs to, in a field of its own.
unread	bytes, 12	A client reads nothing here. A server writes zero.
name	text, 64 bytes	What this turret is called. Written out in full and padded with zero bytes to the width above.
asset	text, 64 bytes	The character it is. Written and padded as above.
side	u8	Nonzero for side 100, zero for side 200.

Vectors (1)

one-on-0-8-13-26

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