Dota 2 Counter Picks: Ultimate Guide to Counter Heroes

Dota 2 is the most complicated MOBA ever created. Playing the game for years doesn’t really make it less complicated, it rather makes it even difficult for you because now you know that it’s not only about picking Sniper and right-clicking or getting kills will not you win you the game. If you are reading this chances are you are not anymore a new player, most probably you are someone who is pissed off after losing your last 7 ranked game constantly to a PA picker or Spectre spammers. You've probably even whined on the internet about how every time your opponent picks Phantom Assassin you lose the game yet when your teammate picks Phantom Assassin it dies quickly, that’s probably because your team’s PA was countered heavily.

A lot of people will tell you that countering heroes does not matter, only how good you are that matters the most. Don’t listen to them and waste your time learning one carry hero that you think going to make you Immortal from Crusader. At some point, you will be countered too and start losing games.

However, picking and counter picking depends on the skill bracket you are. Crusaders know how to counter a Drow Ranger but they don’t really know how to counter a Broodmother. This a basic guide to making you aware of the items and heroes that can counter heroes you face.

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What is Counter Picking?

Counter picks are basically picking a hero that can counter a certain hero your enemy has picked. For an example, if your enemy has Phantom Lancer which is an illusion based hero, you counter him by picking Earthshaker. Phantom lancer is a hero that heavily depends on the illusion. Phantom Lancer doesn’t really do a lot of damage with right clicks but he hurts the most with the Mana-burn from his Diffusal Blade and his elusive illusions make it hard to identify the real hero and kill him. As a result, he survives for a long time in the gank and kills his enemies with the help of his teammates.

Now, if you are a Drow Ranger you can never win a one on one battle against a Phantom Lancer. Drow is mostly good for dealing damage with her right clicks, if you don’t know which one is the real Lancer you can’t really do the damage to him plus PL’s 3rd skill makes it easier for him to reach a Drow which is basically the worst case scenario for Drow Ranger, we will talk about that later. So why and how earth shaker? Well, Earthshaker’s ultimate is an AOE spell. AOE stands for Area of Effect. It basically deals damage to an area instead of a single target. But how does that counter Phantom Lancer you may ask?

If you read Earthshaker’s ultimate you’d know the damage is amplified with more enemy units. The more enemy units get hit by the ultimate the more damage it deals. So if you jump on a hero with Earthshaker in the middle of nowhere, chances are it will do minimal damage but now imagine a Phantom Lancer farming with his 20 illusions around him. One Echoslam and he will be below 30% of his HP with all his illusions dead, now a totem and fissure to finish him off. That’s a solo kill pretty much. Now imagine the same PL with his 20 illusion and his 4 teammates standing near him pushing your tower together and you just Blink in and hit them with your Echoslam, yeah right with a proper follow up from your team that’s a wipeout. That is what counter picking is. Picking a hero to counter a certain hero or say a certain line-up of your enemies. I decided to make a list for the new players mentioning the counter picks and the items to counter certain heroes.

Different ways of countering a Hero

There are different ways of countering a hero. It can be a lane match up or it can be hero abilities. Let’s look at the ways we can counter certain heroes.

Lane Matchup- Lane matchup is something you use to win a lane against a certain hero or ruin their lane and stop them from farming. Most of the time, especially in this meta having a bad lane, is fatal. You can almost never come back in the game once you lose your lane and have a bad time farming. So pick a hero that counters the certain hero in the lane and force them to have a bad start.

Hero Ability- This is something that works pretty much in the whole game. Certain spells of certain heroes are good against some heroes. Such as Ancient Apparition Ultimate counters Alchemist at any point of the game. Alchemist heavily relies upon his regeneration from his Ultimate. AA’s ultimate just stops any kind of regeneration. Which means it straight out counters Alchemist ultimate and with follow up from your team it’s pretty easy to take down an Alchemist without his regeneration.

Items- Countering through items is an easier way to counter heroes as long as you know what items you need against which heroes. Such as Phantom Assassin is hard to kill because of her evasion. Monkey King Bar gives you true-strike. So if you are a hero that deals damage through right click then Monkey King Bar will make it easier for you to take down Phantom Assassin.

Counter picks and Items

Abbadon – Abbadon is mostly countered by burst damage. His ultimate is what makes him important in a team fight. His shield can remove pretty much any debuff and his heal can heal an ally or damage enemy, his ultimate keeps him alive in the gank so he can keep saving his allies. He is basically a tank but he is not really a tank with high armor then how does he tank. Well, after his HP falls below a certain amount his Ultimate turns on automatically which turns all incoming damage into heal. So when his ultimate is on, the more damage you deal the more heal he gets. The only way to kill abbadon without turning his ultimate on is with really high burst damage that can nuke him when he is low hp but not low enough to turn on his Ultimate.

Counter Picks – Necro with his ultimate. Lina with Laguna Blade. Lion with Finger of Death. Doom with ultimate.

Counter Items – Dagon to burst him down or Scythe, Eul, Abyssal blade to disable him from running away and then kill him after the ultimate duration ends.

Alchemist –

Counter pick – Ancient Apparition with his Ultimate. Necrophos with heartstopper and his ultimate. Ursa to counter him with physical damage. Timbersaw is good against any strength heroes.

Lane Matchup – Blood seeker, Morphling, Invoker.

Item counters – Spirit vessel to stop his regeneration. Abyssal blade to control him with stun and bash. Assault cuirass to counter his armor.

Ancient Apparition –

Counter pick – Weaver. Antimage. Silencer or heroes that can reach backline and finish him off quickly.

Item Counter – Pipe of Insight is good against AA as pipe absorbs the damage from his ultimate.

Antimage –

Counter Picks - Blood seeker with rupture, Slardar with his ultimate and stun plus follow up from the team, Faceless Void with Chronosphere. Shadow demon with illusions and Terrorblade with first skill.

Lane matchup – Shadow demon, Terroblade, Blood seeker, Slardar + any high damage support hero.

Item counter – Any item that helps you control a hero is good against Antimage. Abyssal Blade or Hex or even bloodthorn after his Manta is used.

Arc Warden –

Counter picks – Axe, Chaos Knight, Vengeful spirit.

Counter Items – Abyssal blade, Hex, Hurricane Pike or Forcestaff.

Axe –

Counter Picks – Lifestealer, OD, Ursa.

Lane matchup – Lifestealer, Omni knight, Enchantress.

Counter Items – Aeon Disc, Eul, Rod of atos, Assault cuirass.

Bane –

Counter picks – Silencer, Vengeful spirit, any stunner support.

Counter Items – Linken’s Sphere, Black King Bar, Orchid.

Batrider –

Lane matchup – Blood seeker, Medusa, Vengeful spirit, Huskar.

Counter picks – Nyx Assassin, Blood seeker, Silencer, Antimage.

Counter Items – Linken’s sphere, BKB, Abyssal blade, Hex.

Bloodseeker –

Counter picks – Chaos Knight, Ancient Apparition, Lifestealer, Dragon Knight.

Counter Items – Blademail, Abyssal blade, Hex, Linken’s Sphere, Town portal scroll.

Brewmaster –

Lane matchup – Luna, Medusa, Juggernaut, Lifestealer.

Counterpick – Doom, Luna, Lifestealer.

Counter Items – Orchid.

Bristleback –

Counter picks – Axe, Legion commander, OD, Lifestealer.

Lane matchup – Life stealer, Legion commander, OD, warlock, Timbersaw.

Counter items – Bloodthorn, Silver edge, Scythe of Vyse, Rod of Atos.

Broodmother-

Counterpicks – Tiny, Earthshaker,Kunkka, Keeper of the light, Axe.

Lane matchup – Tiny, Axe.

Counter items – Radiance, Eul, Rod of atos, Bloodthorn, Hex.

Chaos Knight –

Counter picks – Earthshaker, Sven, PL, Medusa, OD, Invoker, Ember spirit.

Lane Matchup – Sven, Medusa.

Counter Items – Orchid, Mjollnir, Battlefury, Assault cuirass, Holy Bible.

Clinkz –

Counterpicks – Slardar, Bounty hunter, Disablers.

Counter items – Dust, Sentry, Gem, Hex, Blademail, Ghost sceptre.

Dazzle –

Counter picks – Doom, Axe.

Dragon Knight –

Counter picks – Necrophos, Slardar, Lifestealer, OD.

Counter items – BKB, Heaven’s halberd.

Drow Ranger –

Counter picks – Phantom Assassin, Huskar, Spectre, Spirit breaker.

Counter items – Blademail, BKB, Ghost sceptre.

Ember Spirit –

Counter picks – Doom, Bane, Silencer, Faceless void.

Lane matchup – Invoker, Silencer, Medusa, Earthshaker.

Counter items – Orchid, Hex, Abyssal.

Enchantress –

Counter picks – Lion, Lina, Tinker, Nyx Assassin.

Counter Items – BKB, Orchid, Dagon.

Faceless Void –

Counter pick – OD, Vengeful spirit.

Counter Items – Eul, Forcestaff, Ghost sceptre, Ethereal blade, orchid.

Lane matchup – Darkseer, Clockwork, Brewmaster.

Huskar –

Counter picks – Necrophos, Ursa, PL, CK, OD.

Lane matchup – Viper, OD, Ursa.

Counter Items – Blademail, BKB, Assault Cuirass, Heaven’s halberd.

Invoker –

Counter picks – Antimage, Doom, Silencer, Nyx Assassin.

Lane Matchup – Bloodseeker, OD, Shadow Fiend.

Counter Items – orchid, BKB, Hex.

Juggernaut –

Counter picks – Axe, Legion commander, Visage, Phantom Assasin, Medusa, SF and heroes with good physical damage.

Lane Matchup – Luna, Medusa, Lifestealer, SF.

Counter Items – Ghost Scepter, Manta.

Legion Commander -

Counter picks – Dazzle, OD, Lifestealer, Bane.

Counter items – Eul, orchid, Linken’s Sphere.

Lane matchup – Lifestealer, OD, Troll warlord.

Lifestealer –

Counter picks –Faceless Void, Ursa, PL, Razor.

Lane matchup – Ursa, Razor, PL.

Counter Items – Ghost Scepter, Radiance, Blademail, Abyssal blade, Forcestaff.

Luna –

Counter picks – Lifestealer, Juggernaut.

Counter items – BKB, Blademail.

Medusa –

Counter Picks – Antimage, Phantom Lancer, Invoker, OD.

Lane Matchups – Invoker, OD.

Counter Items – Abyssal blade, Diffusal.

Meepo –

Counter picks – Warlock, Axe, Magnus, Lich, Earthshaker.

Lane Matchup – Invoker, Lifestealer, Axe.

Counter Items – BKB, Battlefury.

Mirana –

Counter Picks – Bloodseeker, Night stalker, Nyx Assassin.

Lane match up – Bloodseeker, Weaver, Nyx.

Counter Items – BKB, Orchid, Abyssal blade.

Morphling –

Counter Picks – Ancient Apparition, PL, Antimage, Kunkka.

Lane matchup – Kunkka, Lina, Crystal maiden.

Counter Items – Abyssal blade, Diffusal blade, Orchid, BKB, Hex.

Necrophos –

Counter Picks – Antimage, Pugna, Silencer.

Lane Matchup – Pugna, Silencer, Viper.

Counter items – Linken’s sphere, eul, bkb, orchid.

Outworld Devourer –

Counter picks – Lifestealer, Juggernaut, Nyx Assasin.

Lane Matchup – Tinker, Nyx assassin.

Counter Items – Infused raindrop, BKB, Orchid.

Phantom Assassin –

Counter picks – Meepo, Tinker, PL, CK, Axe, disablers and nukers.

Lane Matchup – Tinker, SF, Meepo, Axe, Bristleback.

Counter Items – Ghost scepter, Blademail.

Phantom Lancer –

Counter picks – Earthshaker, Brewmaster, Sven.

Counter items – BKB, Abyssal, Hex, Mjollnir, Battlefury, Assault Cuirass, Radiance.

Lane Matchup – Sven, Medusa, Gyrocopter.

Queen of Pain –

Counter picks – Faceless Void, Bloodseeker, puck, Night stalker, Bane.

Counter Items – Orchid, BKB, Blademail.

Lane Matchup – Dragon Knight, Puck.

Riki –

Counter picks – Bounty hunter, Slardar, Zeus, Bloodseeker.

Lane matchup – Zeus, Slardar, Bloodseeker.

Counter items – Blademail, Ghost sceptre, Forcestaff, Dust, Sentry, Gem.

Shadow Fiend –

Counter picks – Templar Assassin, Tinker, Pudge, Spirit breaker, Lifestealer, Razor.

Counter Items – BKB, Blademail, Hex, orchid.

Lane matchup – Tinker, Templar Assassin.

Slark –

Counter pick – Bloodseeker, Doom, Strong disable.

Counter items – BKB, Orchid, Abyssal blade, Hex.

Lane matchup – Bloodseeker, slardar, Doom, Lich.

Sniper –

Counter picks – Spectre, Phantom Assasin, Storm spirit Faceless void, Chaos knight, Pudge, Spirit Breaker.

Counter items – Blademail, Blink, Ghost sceptre.

Lane matchup – Tinker, Phantom Assassin.

Spectre –

Counter picks – Lifestealer, Troll warlord, Chaos Knight.

Lane Matchup – Life stealer, Blood seeker, Huskar.

Counter items – Silver edge, Smoke, BKB, Holy Bible.

Storm Spirit –

Counter picks – Antimage, Doom, OD, death prophet, Silencer.

Counter Items – Hex, Orchid, BKB, Ghost scepter.

Lane matchups – OD, Death prophet, Silencer, Nyx assassin.

Sven –

Counter picks – Axe, Razor, Faceless void, necrophos.

Lane matchups – Razor, OD, Lifestealer, Axe.

Counter items – Hex, BKB, Ghost scepter, Blademail.

Templar Assassin –

Counter Picks – Venomancer, Viper other damage over time.

Counter Items – Urn, Spirit vessel, Ghost scepter, orchid, Radiance.

Lane Matchups – Viper, Venomancer, Ogre, Axe.

Terrorblade –

Counter picks – Axe, Medusa, OD, Earthshaker.

Lane matchups – Axe, Medusa, OD, Huskar, Lion.

Counter Items – Ghost scepter, Blademail, Linken’s sphere.

Tinker –

Counter picks – Clockwork, Doom, Nyx Assassin, Storm spirit, Night stalker.

Lane Matchups – Nyx Assassin, Storm spirit.

Counter Items – Blademail, BKB, Pipe of insight, Smoke, Abyssal, Blink.

Ursa –

Counter picks – Viper, Bane, Troll.

lane matchups – Crystal Maiden, Troll, Viper, Sniper, Bane.

Counter items – Hex, Abyssal blade, Ghost scepter.

Zeus –

Counter picks – Antimage, Faceless void, Templar Assassin, Nyx Assassin.

Lane Matchups – Juggernaut, Lifestealer, Queen of Pain.

Counter Items – BKB, Orchid, Abyssal.