Lion is known as a hero in Dota 2 even before downloading Dota 2 among beginners. Smooth controls, spells, and change the battle vector, with ulta damage. Lion is a classic support character: he doesn’t crush enemies with punches, but he can suck out their energy and paralyze them. In conjunction with heroes with high damage.
You can also play successfully against Lion if you know what techniques and skills to use against him. Well-chosen tactics to defeat Lion by all means at any stage of the match.
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Who is Lion in Dota 2
Lion is a support magician to help the team’s fighters. His abilities are designed not for brute force, but for controlling opponents and helping allies. The hero has minimal survival and low damage to “turn off” the enemy from battle.
In Dota 2, Lion is a character with an understanding of quick control: opponents rarely focus him first, because outwardly he does not seem to be the most dangerous target. But it’s a mistake to underestimate this sorcerer.
If a domager, a hero with high damage, is playing against Lion, the magician has almost no chance. But in the role of support, he reveals himself completely: he controls the field, paralyzes enemies and helps the main fighters to achieve their goals.
Lion’s Abilities
The hero has four powerful magical skills in his arsenal, each of which makes him indispensable in battle.:
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“Earth Spike” — stone needles burst out of the ground, stunning enemies and causing damage. At high skill levels, Lion can hold a target in the camp for up to 2.2 seconds.
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Hex — turns the opponent into a harmless frog. The victim has no chance to attack or use any abilities, and the transformation lasts up to 3.2 seconds.
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“Mana Drain” — drains mana from an enemy, slowing its movement or transferring energy to an ally. At the second stage, Lion is able to take mana from three targets at once, slowing them down to 50%.
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“Finger of Death” is a spell with damage to one opponent. After improving the skill, the hero defeats up to three enemies at the same time.
Skill Combinations
Experienced players for Lion often use a chain:
“Earth Thorn” → “Finger of Death” → “Hex” → “Mana drain” → “Finger of Death”.
This combo has the ability to stun an enemy, inflict devastating damage, turn him into a helpless toad and deprive him of energy — a real magical nightmare for any opponent.
Why is Lion rarely chosen by professionals
Lion is less visible in cash tournaments. The hero’s win rate (the ratio of wins and losses) does not exceed 46%. In the hands of an inexperienced player, the magician quickly dies, and in metal matches his potential is not fully revealed.
For beginners, Lion in Dota 2 remains an excellent choice — it is simple, entertaining and teaches the basics of team control and interaction.
VPEsport recommends: if you are just starting to play, try Lion. He will teach you to feel the pace of the battle, control the space and act in conjunction with your allies. It’s where many players discover the magical side of Dota 2 for the first time.
Lyon’s Counter peaks in Dota 2
Counterpikes are heroes, abilities and items have the properties to resist Lion in Dota 2. The hero is dangerous primarily because of his camp, so the best way to deal with him is to keep his distance and attack from afar without being stunned.
When Lion loses the ability to use the camp, his strength plummets — without control, he is almost useless.
You need to pay attention to the following subjects. Shadow Blade is an artifact for Lyon himself, but also for his opponents. After receiving a Blink Dagger or Shadow Blade, the hero becomes dangerous: he can suddenly sneak up and give out a quick camp, leaving the enemy without a chance to react.
How to play against Lyon on the MFA
If a 1-on-1 meeting is the best option, quickly destroy Lyon, preventing him from exercising control.
When Lyon is paired with a strong damager, it’s better not to go into battle alone. It is more rational to withdraw or lure the opponents closer to the allies.
With a partner, aim at Lyon first. When he falls, his teammate is left unsupported and easily defeated. It is best to use physical damage, because Lyon is especially vulnerable to it.
The game against Lyon is on the line
On the liner, the activity of Lyon will decrease. After 10-15 minutes, the pharma hero ceases to be a threat, especially against pumped cows.
Lyon is not to be trifled with and the players don’t want to stand on the line alone — it’s risky. He usually goes out with two damagers, especially if the team has a hiller capable of supporting allies. But even with this composition, the opponents will want to kill Lyon first — he is the main source of control.
Who is the best counter Lion in Dota 2
Heroes who are resistant to stun are the most effective at resisting Lyon.
At the top of the list are Abaddon and Legion Commander, who are able to take control and save themselves or their allies.
It also has the ability to use Earth Spirit to transport Lion to the allied damager, depriving the magician of any chance of salvation. It’s no coincidence that Earth Spirit will be Lyon’s best counterpick in the game.
Useful Heroes vs Lion
Broodmother is strong at the beginning of the game. Her spider spirits attack in a group and deal heavy damage. After level 5, Lion often tries to avoid meeting her.
Viper is ideal against magicians with powerful damage. Due to its long range of attack, it is able to keep its distance and calmly kill Lion without letting him near it.
Lina is a damager with a high attack speed. She is able to destroy Lyon in a matter of seconds, especially in conjunction with support. If a pair of Lina + support collides with Lyon, the latter usually dies first.
Who is Lion fighting against: which heroes is he particularly strong against
Lion — mage makes even nimble opponents useless on the map. The power is great against heroes who rely on attack speed and mobility, but neglect defensive skills.
Lion will counter Morfling, Anti-Mage, Storm Spirit and Weaver Faceless Void, especially if they collect artifacts for damage and do not care about protection from magic. Thanks to two controlling skills, Lion “turns off” enemies from combat: stuns, makes it impossible to attack and use abilities. As a result, either he finishes the goal himself, or the enemy leaves with nothing.
Weaver and Faceless Void are weak against Lyon
Lyon feels especially confident against the Faceless Weaver and Faceless Void. Characters are vulnerable to his control and rapid damage. One wrong move — and “spikes” The Lion is already piercing the ground, and the HEX transforms a nimble enemy into a helpless creature.
In addition, Lion is strong against heroes who create illusions. His victims are Terrorblade, Phantom Lancer and Naga Siren. In team battles, the HEX ability allows Lyon to instantly dispel illusions, leaving only a real target on the battlefield, which the allies can easily achieve.
How to Counter Lyon: the best items
To counter Lion’s large score, players select artifacts that reduce his magical influence and prevent him from using basic skills.:
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Infused Raindrop — reduces absorbing magic damage, makes the “Earth Spike” less dangerous;
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Black King Bar (BKB) — gives immunity to magic, prevents Lion from draining mana using “Mana Drain”;
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Pipe of Insight — forms a protective field that absorbs up to 300 magic damage, saving the entire team.
If the hero is vulnerable and has a small amount of health, then the Aeon Disk will be an excellent rescue, allowing you to survive even after the powerful Lion ulta.
Conclusion
Lyon is not the most powerful support in Dota 2, but in the right hands he is able to decide the outcome of battles. Beginners often choose it for its simplicity and effectiveness.
You can defeat Lion with almost any hero — the main thing is to follow the strategy and collect artifacts. And if an experienced player is playing for Lyon, you will have to give your best and choose a counterpick with strong magical protection.
