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

Kunkka is a melee strength hero. An extremely resilient character who is able to create winning situations in combat thanks to his abilities.

Good choices against Kunkka are heroes that:

• Can avoid returning with X Marks the Spot. (This will allow for abilities that give immunity to effects and some skills that make the hero invulnerable for a while, such as Phase Shift Puck or Doppelganger Phantom Lancer).
• Have abilities that deal damage as a percentage of maximum health.
• Able to survive for a long time in battles against Kunkka.

Some of the best heroes against Kunkka:

• Lifestealer - Rage will save not only from X Marks the Spot, but also Torrent and Ghostship, and Feast is extremely effective against Kunkka due to its high health and will allow you to deal with it quickly.
• Outworld Destroyer - Astral Imprisonment is also a good save against all of Kunkka's abilities and will allow you to catch him yourself. OD is also good against Kunkka because of its ultimates, which deal huge damage to heroes with low manapool.
• Abaddon is as good as Kunkka in survivability thanks to Borrowed Time. And with Aphotic Shield, Abaddon can dispel Torrent and Ghostship disables from allies.

Other good choices against Kunkka are Necrophos, Ancient Apparition, Juggernaut, Shadow Demon, Timbersaw, Undying, Oracle, Venomancer, Dazzle, Ursa, Huskar, Slark, Bloodseeker, Spectre, Faceless Void, Tidehunter and Winter Wyvern.

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

• Black King Bar/Linken's Sphere/Eul's Scepter of Divinity/Wind Waker is a good save against Kunkka. Eul's Scepter of Divinity and Wind Waker will also not allow Kunkka or his allies to escape with X Marks the Spot.
• Spirit Vessel/Eye of Skadi - reduce healing and health regeneration, which will reduce the effectiveness of Ghostship's buff.
• Crimson Guard/Assault Cuirass/Guardian Greaves - useful if Kunkka emphasizes physical damage in his build.
• Pipe of Insight/Mage Slayer/Glimmer Cape - if Kunkka's build emphasizes magic damage.

How to counter Kunkka:

Beginning of the game:

It is important to stay away from Tidebringer and Torrent (to see if Kunkka used Torrent, or canceled the animation at the last moment, you can use Magic Stick, which will only show a charge if Kunkka used Torrent) and if possible will not allow Kunkka to stack and farm neutral creeps, as well as control runes.

Mid-game:

Kunkka's abilities will allow him to effectively “set up” kills for his team. It is important not to be alone in dangerous areas unless you have abilities that will allow you to escape. It is also important to have a good vision on the map.

Late Stage:

Kunkka is quite strong in battles thanks to the buff from Ghostship. During its duration, Kunkka and his allies are extremely difficult to kill. A good position in battle will allow you to kite Ghostship. Once Kunkka's ultimates are finished, it will be much easier to deal with him and his allies.

Overall strategy

Against Kunkka, wait out his effects and minimize incoming damage. In team fights, use items for magic protection, such as Black King Bar or Pipe of Insight, to reduce the impact of his spells. Be mindful of his positioning to avoid getting hit by Torrent and Tidebringer.