Necrophos counters, Necrophos, The Necromancer, is one of the most daunting heroes in the Dota 2 UNiVeRsE. With his potent combination of sustain, magical damage, and game-altering abilities, Necrophos can dominate games if left unchecked. His Death Pulse provides wave clear and healing, Ghost Shroud makes him difficult to kill while amplifying magical damage, and his infamous Reaper’s Scythe can secure crucial kills. However, like every hero in Dota 2, Necrophos has counters—both in terms of heroes and strategies. By understanding his strengths, weaknesses, and optimal counters, you can effectively neutralize him and lead your team to victory.
Understanding Necrophos – Strengths and Weaknesses
To counter Necrophos effectively, it’s essential to understand what makes him strong and where he falters. Necrophos thrives when he can prolong fights, utilizing his healing abilities and leveraging his Heartstopper Aura to slowly whittle down enemy health. However, his dependency on mana, natural frailty to burst damage, and reliance on Ghost Shroud as a defensive tool expose vulnerabilities that the right heroes and strategies can exploit.
Strengths of Necrophos
- Sustain and Healing: Necrophos excels at sustaining himself and his allies in prolonged fights due to Death Pulse.
- Heartstopper Aura: Constantly drains enemy health over time, making it oppressive in extended battles.
- Ghost Shroud: Provides survivability and a boost to his healing while amplifying magic damage on enemies.
- Game-Ending Ult: Reaper’s Scythe secures kills while increasing enemy respawn times significantly.
Weaknesses of Necrophos
- Mana Dependency: Without mana, Necrophos struggles to sustain himself or deal meaningful damage.
- Fragility to Burst Damage: Despite his abilities, his tankiness diminishes under heavy magical or physical burst attacks.
- Reliance on Ghost Shroud: While Ghost Shroud provides survivability, it also makes him vulnerable to silences and amplified magic damage.
- Weak Early Game: Necrophos is susceptible to aggression during the early game due to his low mobility and reliance on items to scale effectively.
Hero Counters to Necrophos
Choosing the right heroes is a vital step to counter Necrophos. Some heroes directly exploit his weaknesses, using mana burns, burst damage, silences, or abilities that negate healing to render him ineffective.
Mid Lane Counters
- Viper: With his Nether Toxin, Viper disables Necrophos’s passives, such as Heartstopper Aura, making it significantly harder for Necrophos to sustain himself. Viper’s poison damage also punishes Necrophos’s low mobility.
- Zeus: Zeus deals massive magical burst damage, which Necrophos struggles to withstand. His Arc Lightning and Thunder God’s Wrath make quick work of Necrophos.
- Sniper: Sniper’s long-range and ability to kite Necrophos ensure that the latter struggles to close the gap. Shrapnel and Assassinate allow Sniper to pressure Necrophos from distance.
- Ember Spirit: Ember Spirit’s mobility and magical burst make him a challenging opponent for Necrophos. His Sleight of Fist can chip away at Necrophos, and Flame Guard negates magical damage from Death Pulse.
Hard Lane Counters
- Anti-Mage: Necrophos is extremely reliant on mana, and Anti-Mage’s Mana Break drains it quickly, making Necrophos unable to cast spells. Additionally, Mana Void punishes him for holding onto mana.
- Ancient Apparition: One of the hardest counters, Ancient Apparition’s ultimate ability, Ice Blast, prevents healing entirely. Ghost Shroud, which amplifies healing, instead becomes a liability when paired with Ice Blast.
- Skywrath Mage: Skywrath Mage can silence Necrophos using Ancient Seal, shutting him down in fights. His high magical burst can also exploit Necrophos’s frailty during Ghost Shroud.
Other Effective Counters
- Doom: Doom’s Doom ultimate silences Necrophos completely, rendering him incapable of using any abilities or items. This makes him useless in team fights for an extended period.
- Nature’s Prophet: Nature’s Prophet can use Sprout to trap Necrophos, isolating him in fights and exposing him to focus fire. Prophet’s global presence also ensures Necrophos doesn’t get free farm.
- Pugna: With Decrepify, Pugna can amplify magical damage done to Necrophos while negating physical attacks. His Nether Ward also punishes Necrophos for casting spells.
Item Counters Against Necrophos
In addition to hero picks, certain items are particularly effective at countering Necrophos by bypassing his defenses or amplifying his weaknesses.
- Spirit Vessel: Reduces Necrophos’s healing, especially his reliance on Death Pulse and Ghost Shroud. A must-have for any support or core.
- Pipe of Insight: Mitigates Necrophos’s magical damage, including Death Pulse and Reaper’s Scythe.
- Black King Bar (BKB): Grants spell immunity, rendering Necrophos entirely ineffective against you in team fights.
- Diffusal Blade: Burns Necrophos’s mana, which is essential for him to sustain himself and cast spells.
- Eul’s Scepter of Divinity: Counter Ghost Shroud by disabling Necrophos for a short time or interrupting Reaper’s Scythe channeling.
General Strategies to Counter Necrophos
Beyond hero and item choices, there are strategic approaches that can help you deal effectively with Necrophos during all phases of the game.
Early Game Tactics
- Play aggressively in the laning phase. Necrophos has a weak early game, so shutting him down early can cripple his impact later.
- Focus on mana denial by picking heroes like Anti-Mage or getting items such as Diffusal Blade to keep Necrophos starved for mana.
- Deny his farm and prevent him from snowballing by pulling creeps, positioning aggressively, and landing last hits effectively.
Mid and Late Game Tactics
- Focus Necrophos during team fights to neutralize his healing and prevent Reaper’s Scythe from securing kills.
- Use silences and disables to shut down his ability to contribute to fights. Heroes like Doom and Skywrath Mage excel at this.
- Time your spells and focus around his Ghost Shroud—ideally burst him down when Ghost Shroud is active using magical damage.
Positioning and Targeting
Positioning plays a key role in countering Necrophos. Keeping your support heroes away from his Reaper’s Scythe range and focusing on high-damage core heroes can prevent him from snowballing into additional kills that extend your death timers.
How to Counter Necrophos – A Step-by-Step Guide
- Identify Team Composition: Draft heroes that can leverage silences, mana burns, and denied healing to exploit Necrophos’s vulnerabilities.
- Apply Early Pressure: Focus on shutting down Necrophos’s laning phase. Aggressive trades and denying farm work wonders.
- Buy Counter-Items: Prioritize items like Spirit Vessel, Black King Bar, and Diffusal Blade to negate Necrophos’s core strengths.
- Play Around Ghost Shroud: Use magical burst damage when he activates Ghost Shroud, punishing him for his reliance on this ability.
- Target Prioritization: Aim for Necrophos during team fights to prevent his healing and neutralize his ability to secure kills with Reaper’s Scythe.
FAQ on Necrophos Counters
What makes Necrophos strong in Dota 2?
Necrophos excels due to his sustain, healing abilities, and oppressive aura damage over time, coupled with his game-changing ultimate, Reaper’s Scythe.
Which hero counters Necrophos the best?
Heroes like Anti-Mage, Ancient Apparition, and Doom are highly effective, as they exploit his reliance on mana, healing, and spell-casting.
What item should I buy to counter Necrophos?
Spirit Vessel and Pipe of Insight are two of the most effective items to counter Necrophos’s healing and magical damage.
Is Necrophos vulnerable to burst damage?
Yes, Necrophos is highly vulnerable to burst damage, particularly magical, as he amplifies it when using Ghost Shroud.
How do I deal with Necrophos in the early game?
Apply consistent pressure, deny his farm, and focus on mana-BurNIng or silencing him to render him ineffective.
Can Ghost Shroud be countered?
Yes, Ghost Shroud can backfire against heroes or items that deal magical damage, such as Zeus or Spirit Vessel.
Does Anti-Mage counter Necrophos?
Absolutely. Anti-Mage’s mana burn and ultimate ability make him an exceptional counter for Necrophos.
Should I prioritize Necrophos in team fights?
Yes, focusing Necrophos can prevent him from sustaining his team and landing game-changing ultimates.
What is the biggest mistake when facing Necrophos?
Ignoring him for extended periods allows him to snowball out of control and dominate team fights.
Does silencing Necrophos work?
Yes, silences completely shut Necrophos down by denying him the ability to cast his healing and damaging spells.
Source : Dota 2 Gameplay
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