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

Lion is a ranged hero, most often used in a support role. He has very strong abilities, but at the same time has low stats of all characteristics, which makes him very vulnerable.

A good choice against Lion will be heroes that:

• Have high resistance to magic damage, or abilities that give immunity to effects.
• Are able to quickly shorten range, catching and killing Lion.
• Have abilities with strong dispel.

Some of the best heroes against Lion:

• Anti-Mage - Able to quickly deal with Lion thanks to Mana Break and Mana Void, has high magic damage resistance and can escape Lion's abilities with Counterspell.
• Juggernaut - Blade Fury is a great “save” against Lion, Omnislash and Swiftslash will allow you to quickly kill Lion without fearing his abilities.
• Night Stalker - The storm of all supports in Dota 2 because of the long silence and ultimates that will allow you to break the enemy's position, find the key target and deal with them quickly.
• Nyx Assassin - Good against most supports as it deals significant Mind Flare damage to them, due to their large manapool. Nyx can also avoid Finger of Death damage with Spiked Carapace.
• Abaddon - Not afraid of Lion's attack due to Borrowed Time, and with Aphotic Shield can also dispel Lion's disables from allies.

Lifestealer, Legion Commander, Oracle, Ursa, Slark, Riki, Bounty Hunter, Omniknight, Tidehunter, Timbersaw, Silencer, Clockwerk, Bristleback and Viper are also good choices against Lion.

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

• Black King Bar/Pipe of Insight/Mage Slayer/Glimmer Cape - Against magic damage.
• Lotus Orb - Extremely frustrating for Lion, as all of his abilities are directional.
• Nullifier - Will help against “save” items that are often acquired on Lion, such as Glimmer Cape, Aeon Disk, Eul's Scepter of Divinity, and Force Staff.
• Scythe Of Vyse/Skull Basher/Abyssal Blade/Orchid Malevolence/Bloodthorn - To control Lion.

How to counter Lion:

Beginning of the game:

On lane, Lion is pretty strong because of Mana Drain, which will allow him to constantly spam skills and drain the opponent's mana. Items like Magic Stick, Mango, or Soul Ring will allow you to always recover mana when you need it to use an ability. Infused Raindrops will also be useful.

Mid-game:

After gaining level 6 or a key item such as Blink Dagger, Lion will start actively looking for kill opportunities to earn stacks for ultimates. You need to ensure you have a good vision on the map and not be left alone in dangerous areas.

Late Stage:

In late-game, the best solution is to try to kill Lion before a teamfight or control him in combat by stunning or silencing him.

Overall strategy

Against Lion, it’s crucial to keep in mind his strong crowd control, especially his ultimate Finger of Death, which can easily eliminate a low-health hero. Try to keep your distance and avoid allowing him to land his spells on you. Use crowd control and silences to prevent him from casting his abilities. In team fights, avoid getting hit by his Hex or Impale, as they can quickly lead to your hero's demise.