Bane counterpicks: who to choose against this hero in Dota 2

Bane - most often acts as a support. He has a lot of control, and also reduces the effectiveness of enemy spells and attacks. Bane is able to survive for a long time due to Brain Sap, winning trades with enemy supports, as well as preventing attacks and catching enemies with Nightmare and Fiend's Grip. It is worth remembering that all of the hero's abilities (with the exception of Nightmare) deal pure damage that cannot be reduced.

A good choice against Bane will be heroes that:

• Dispel negative effects
• Can control Bane
• Heroes that reduce or steal mana.

Some of the best heroes against Bane:

• Silencer - skills cause great discomfort to Bane, especially Global Silence, which instantly interrupts Fiend's Grip.
• Slark - Dark Pact removes all debuffs from Bane, including Fiend's Grip and Nightmare, if you manage to press it before the ability is applied. And the attribute reduction from Essence Shift is also very unpleasant for Bane due to its innate skill.
• Abaddon - Abaddon doesn't favorite target for Fiend's Grip because he can dispel it with his Borrowed Time, and with Aphotic Shield, Abaddon can also remove Bane's ult and other debuffs from an ally.
• Rubick - All of the skills Rubick can steal from Bane are very useful. It's easy for him to take Fiend's Grip, since it's an interruptable ability and Bane can't use other abilities while it's being used (until he buys Aghanim's Scepter). And if Rubick steals Enfeeble and uses Fade Bolt on an enemy carry, for example, it will reduce his attack damage by 80% (but this only affects “white” damage, which is attribute-dependent, and does not affect “green” damage from items such as Daedalus or other sources such as Duel Legion Commander or Alacrity Invoker).
• Anti-Mage - Mana Break's is extremely unpleasant for Bane. Additionally, when playing against Anti-Mage, Bane always runs the risk of using his abilities into Counterspell.

Omniknight, Outworld Destroyer, Shadow Demon, Ringmaster, Nyx Assassin, Legion Commander, Ancient Apparition, and Vengeful Spirit are also good choices against Bane. These characters greatly hinder Bane through the game, preventing him from utilizing his abilities effectively.

In addition to heroes, the following items will be effective against Bane:

• Linken's Sphere - can save from Fiend's Grip or Nightmare. However, remember that it can be easily triggered with Brain Sap or Enfeeble.
• Lotus Orb - Unlike Linken's Sphere, it doesn't disappear when reflecting the first skill, making it much more effective against Bane. However, Lotus Orb must be used beforehand, as “normal” dispel from the item will not remove Fiend's Grip after its use, like “strong” dispel from, for example, Abaddon's Aphotic Shield or Legion Commander's Press The Attack.

Additionally, items to control Bane itself, such as Orchid Malevolence and Scythe Of Vyse, will be useful.

How to counter Bane:

Start of the game:

Bane is one of the strongest laners in Dota 2, standing a lane against him is quite frustrating. Supports have a hard time effectively trading resources with Bane because of Brain Sap and Enfeeble (plus he's a universal hero and has a lot of attack damage), and he can make it hard for carry to get creeps with Nightmare. Against Bane, it is better not to save on health regeneration consumables and you should buy Magic Stick. Keeping Bane from getting a high level is also very important, you should deny creeps and try not to give him the experience rune.

Mid-game:

In mid-game you need to prevent Bane from earning easy kills for his team with Fiend's Grip. Supports need to make sure they have visibility on the map and don't leave their core-heroes alone so they don't fall victim to ganks from Bane and his team.

Late Stage:

The best solution in late-game is to try to kill Bane before the teamfight or control him in combat by stunning or silencing him. However, if that fails, you should try to save your allies by dispelling or knocking down Bane's ult.

Overall strategy

Against Bane, it’s crucial to avoid his disables, as Fiend’s Grip and Nightmare can neutralize a key hero for an extended period. Use silences or instant stuns to interrupt his ultimate. In team fights, try to focus Bane early so he doesn’t have time to use his abilities effectively. Purchasing Black King Bar or Lotus Orb can help mitigate his control.