Lion counters ⇒ How to counter Lion in Dota 2

Lion counters, Lion, a celebrated support hero in Dota 2, is infamous for his arsenal of disabling spells, which can derail enemy strategies and turn team fights in his favor. Known for abilities like Earth Spike, Hex, and his debilitating Mana Drain, Lion thrives in scenarios where his crowd control abilities neutralize the enemy team. But every hero has their kryptonite, and understanding Lion’s strengths, weaknesses, and optimal counters can help players effectively deal with him on the battlefield. This guide dives deep into countering Lion with strategic hero picks, itemization, and team tactics to outplay this fearsome support hero.

Source : Rizpol

Understanding Lion – Strengths and Weaknesses

Before diving into specific counters, it’s crucial to dissect what makes Lion such a strong hero in Dota 2 and where his vulnerabilities lie. By understanding his core abilities and behaviors, you’ll be better equipped to formulate a strategy to counter him.

Lion’s Strengths

Powerful Disables: Between Earth Spike’s area-of-effect (AoE) stun and Hex’s instant disable, Lion is a force to reckon with in crowd control.
Mana Drain: This ability can severely hinder mana-dependent heroes, crippling their ability to use spells.
Scales Well Into Late Game: Thanks to high-impact spells like Finger of Death and his disabling toolkit, Lion remains relevant even in the late game.

Lion’s Weaknesses

Fragile Nature: Lion has a low health pool, making him an easy target for burst damage and gank attempts.
Dependence on Positioning: Poor positioning can render Lion ineffective, as his disables are skill-shot based and require proper execution.
Cooldown Dependency: Despite his impactful spells, Lion relies heavily on cooldowns, leaving windows for counterplay when his abilities are on recharge.

Heroes That Counter Lion

Certain heroes inherently perform well against Lion due to their abilities, mobility, or durability. Here are some of the top hero counters to Lion and why they are effective.

Chen

Chen excels against Lion due to his strong healing mechanism and ability to sustain his team. His defensive abilities can nullify the damage from Lion’s Finger of Death and keep teammates safe from disables. Additionally, Chen can overwhelm Lion with summoned units that disrupt his focus.

Beastmaster

Beastmaster counters Lion by using summoned units to provide vision and distract Lionduring fights. His units can tank spells like Earth Spike or Hex, reducing their impact. Moreover, Beastmaster’s long-range stun, Primal Roar, can incapacitate Lion before he gets a chance to cast his abilities.

Templar Assassin

Templar Assassin effectively counters Lion with her Refraction ability, which absorbs spell damage. This makes it difficult for Lion to punish her, especially during the laning phase. Her burst damage also allows her to quickly kill fragile supports like Lion.

Rubick

Rubick is an excellent counter to Lion as he can steal any of Lion’s impactful abilities, especially Earth Spike or Finger of Death. A Rubick with stolen Lion spells can turn the game around, using his own crowd control against him.

Windranger

Windranger’s high mobility and Windrun ability make it difficult for Lion to land his disables. Her ability to kite him from a distance ensures Lion is ineffective in fights. Additionally, Windranger can burst him down quickly due to his low health pool.

Additional Hero Counters

Gyrocopter: With his AoE damage abilities, Gyrocopter can punish Lion’s positioning and force him to retreat.
Dazzle: Dazzle’s Shallow Grave and healing abilities can save allies targeted by Finger of Death or other disables.
Batrider: Batrider’s mobility and sticky Napalm stacks can overwhelm Lion, making it hard for him to fight back.

Items That Counter Lion

While heroes play a significant role in countering Lion, items can be just as impactful. A well-purchased item can render Lion ineffective during crucial stages of the match.

Black King Bar (BKB)

A BKB is perhaps the most reliable item to counter Lion as it grants magic immunity, nullifying his disables and mana-draining abilities.

Eul’s Scepter of Divinity

This item enables heroes to dispel Hex and dodge Earth Spike, providing temporary immunity to Lion’s disables. It also offers excellent utility for escaping sticky situations.

Force Staff

Force Staff can be used to escape from Lion’s disables, reposition yourself out of a perilous situation, or chase Lion when he retreats.

Manta Style

The illusions created by Manta Style can absorb Lion’s spells or fake him out, forcing him to waste his disables on illusions.

Satanic

Its lifesteal and sustain capabilities can help during team fights against Lion, especially when coupled with items that mitigate spell damage.

General Strategies to Counter Lion

Countering Lion isn’t just about itemization or hero selection—it’s also about strategy. Employing the correct tactics can reduce the impact Lion has on the game.

Team Coordination

Teamwork plays a pivotal role in countering Lion. Coordinated efforts to burst him down in fights will prevent him from casting his disabling spells and using Finger of Death on your carries.

Hero Positioning

Ensure your team maintains proper positioning to avoid being caught in Lion’s AoE stuns. Keep squishy supports and cores farther in the backline and mobile heroes near the front to create space.

Deny Lion Vision

Use wards and sentries to deny Lion vision. Without the ability to see targets, it’s harder for him to initiate or land impactful spells from a distance.

Pressure and Burst

Lion has a low health pool. Focus on targeting and eliminating him quickly to remove his disables from the fight, eliminating much of his impact.

How to Counter Lion – A Step-by-Step Guide

Select Counters During Draft: Choose heroes like Chen, Rubick, or Templar Assassin who naturally counteract Lion’s abilities.
Focus on Vision Control: Deny Lion’s ability to initiate by de-warding key areas and controlling the map with wards.
Prioritize Burst Damage: Focus on eliminating Lion early in fights before he can cast all his spells.
Build the Right Items: Equip your heroes with items like BKB or Eul’s Scepter to minimize Lion’s impact in team fights.
Play Around His Cooldowns: Engage in fights when Lion’s significant cooldowns, such as Finger of Death, are unavailable.

FAQs About Lion Counters

What makes Chen a good counter against Lion?

Chen’s healing abilities and ability to summon units make him effective at mitigating Lion’s burst damage and disables, reducing his impact in team fights.

How does BKB counter Lion?

BKB provides magic immunity, completely negating Lion’s disables, including Earth Spike and Hex, as well as mitigating damage from Finger of Death.

What positioning tips work against Lion?

Spread your team out to avoid AoE stuns from Earth Spike. Keep squishy heroes farther back and mobile heroes in the front to bait Lion’s spells.

Which abilities can Rubick steal to counter Lion?

Rubick can steal Lion’s disables, such as Earth Spike or Hex, and his ultimate, Finger of Death, to turn fights around against his team.

How can Beastmaster disrupt Lion’s gameplay?

Beastmaster’s summoned units can distract Lion, prevent him from finding the right target for his spells, and even tank his disables.

Why is Manta Style effective against Lion?

Manta Style creates illusions that can bait out Lion’s spells and nullify disables like Hex when timed correctly.

Does Windranger’s mobility effectively counter Lion?

Yes, Windranger’s Windrun ability makes her hard to catch with Lion’s spells, allowing her to kite him and deal damage from a distance.

Is Lion effective at all stages of the game?

Lion scales well into the late game due to his ability to disable multiple enemies and deal significant damage, so neutralizing him early is essential.