Support guide

Stay out of sight, disable the right target and give your team time to follow.

516 HP303 manaLevel 1

LionDota 2 hero

Lion is a fragile support with instant control, a line stun, mana pressure and a powerful finishing spell.

IntelligenceRanged

#2of 127 heroes
by pick rate

Pick rate: 24.9%
Hero win rate: 48.9%

Our game-phase read Editorial · impact 1–5

Source & our read · Sep 12, 2026

OpenDota · retrieved Sep 12, 2026. 941,623 Lion picks and 460,045 wins in approximately 3,780,175 rank-classified public matches. Excludes Turbo and pro stats. This is a sample, not all players.

Pick rate = hero picks ÷ estimated matches; win rate = hero wins ÷ hero picks. Estimated matches = all hero picks ÷ 10, following OpenDota’s calculation. Tied pick counts share a rank. The API does not provide observation timestamps.

Our impact scores · 1 low, 5 high
Early · 4/5	Strong lane control when Earth Spike threatens both heroes and Mana Drain punishes repeated casting.
Mid · 5/5	Blink Dagger turns Lion's control into dependable pickoff setup and lets him choose safer angles.
Late · 3/5	Lion remains dangerous but needs defensive positioning because enemies can quickly remove him before his spells matter.

The Dota2Freaks take Editorial

Why pick Lion?

Pick Lion when your team needs reliable catch, a way to punish mana-dependent enemies, and a fast answer to a slippery initiator.

When to think twice

Avoid Lion when the lineup cannot follow disables or when you need a durable frontliner to stand in vision.

The usual mistake

Do not spend every disable on the closest enemy. Hold Hex or Earth Spike for the hero whose response can reverse the fight.

Our picks · Support

Lion item builds

Choose for the game in front of you.

Standard

Default support path for starting skirmishes from fog and saving a teammate after the first disable.

01Starting
Empty inventory slot
Trade safely and keep lane vision
02Lane
Empty inventory slot
Restore mana for repeated spells
03First core
Find the first disable from cover
04Mid game
Push allies or yourself away from danger
05Late game
Avoid being erased after casting
06Luxury
Add a second layer of safety

Blink DaggerMakes Lion's first disable far more reliable by letting him choose distance and direction.Guide ↗

How to use these builds

These are our editorial build paths. Labels describe their purpose, not measured popularity or win rate. Click an item for its use. Each stage is an inventory snapshot: keep earlier items, use consumables, upgrade components, and replace small items as space runs out. Boots, defenses, and late slots can change with the draft.

More match and build examples: Dota 2 Pro Tracker. Item names and images: Valve.

The draft check

Friends & counters

Our picks, based on how the spells work together.

5 friends to play with

Juggernaut

Earth Spike and Hex hold a target in place so Juggernaut can commit damage without chasing first.

Phantom Assassin

Lion's immediate disables give Phantom Assassin a stationary target for her short-range attack burst.

Sniper

Lion can control divers who cross the distance toward Sniper, preserving his firing position.

Sven

Earth Spike can group enemies along a line before Sven reaches them with Storm Hammer and cleave.

Witch Doctor

Lion's disables keep enemies near Witch Doctor's damaging spells and protect his channel from interrupters.

5 counter picks to watch

Anti-Mage

Counterspell can reflect targeted control, and Blink lets Anti-Mage threaten Lion from another angle.

Pudge

Meat Hook can pull Lion out of cover before he can use his disables safely.

Spectre

Spectre can reach Lion’s backline through her illusions and Reality, forcing him to spend control defensively.

Phantom Assassin

Phantom Strike closes the gap quickly; Lion must react before physical burst removes him.

Sniper

Sniper can pressure Lion from outside his spell range when Lion lacks a safe Blink angle.

About these picks

These are useful ability interactions, not a statistical ranking or guaranteed matchups. Positioning, items, and cooldowns change the result. Hero links open a full guide when available, otherwise the directory.

Ability references from Valve: Juggernaut · Phantom Assassin · Sniper · Sven · Witch Doctor · Anti-Mage · Pudge · Spectre · Phantom Assassin · Sniper. Checked 2026-09-21.

The buttons

QWER · open for spell values

Earth SpikeUnit targetRock spikes burst from the earth along a straight path.

Mana: 90 / 110 / 130 / 150
Cooldown: 14 / 13 / 12 / 11s
Stun duration: 1.3 / 1.6 / 1.9 / 2.2s

HexUnit targetTransforms an enemy unit into a harmless beast, with all special abilities disabled.

Mana: 110 / 140 / 170 / 200
Cooldown: 24 / 20 / 16 / 12s
Hex duration: 2 / 2.4 / 2.8 / 3.2s

Mana DrainUnit targetCHANNELED - Channels magical energy, taking mana and slowing enemies over time.

Mana: 0
Cooldown: 15 / 12 / 9 / 6s
Mana drained / second: 20 / 40 / 60 / 120

Finger of DeathUltimateRips at an enemy unit, trying to turn it inside-out, dealing massive damage to the target.

Mana: 200 / 400 / 600
Cooldown: 110 / 70 / 30s
Base damage: 600 / 725 / 850

Base stats & innate Level 1 · no items

Strength18+2.4 / lvl

Agility15+1.7 / lvl

Intelligence19+3.5 / lvl

Attack damage: 48–54
Armor: 2.5
Move speed: 290
Magic resist: 25%
Attack range: 600
Base attack time: 1.7s
Health regen: +2.3000002/s
Mana regen: +0.95/s

To Hell and BackInnate · passive

Lion gains 20% debuff duration after killing or assisting in a Hero kill while that Hero is dead.

DOTA2FREAKS GUIDE · REVIEWED Sep 21, 2026

Dota 2 Lion guide: support builds, abilities and tips

Lion is a fragile support with instant control, a line stun, mana pressure and a powerful finishing spell.

What role does Lion play in Dota 2?

Lion is a ranged Intelligence hero. Our recommended role is support.

Lion is a support who converts good vision into immediate control. From trees or fog, he can stun a line, remove one enemy's abilities, and threaten a finish. Choose him when allies can quickly attack a disabled target; otherwise, his fragile body is exposed after every cast.

How to play Lion in Dota 2

Lion laning and early decisions
In lane, stand where Earth Spike can travel through a creep gap and threaten both opponents. Use Mana Drain after the enemy spends spells or retreats, not while they can freely hit you. If your partner has damage ready, Hex the escape hero first and force an unfavorable trade.
Lion positioning and teamfights
Before a fight, decide which enemy must not cast a response. Blink onto that hero only when allies can follow, then use Hex or Earth Spike according to their escape route. Keep the other disable for a second target, a channel, or the enemy saving their teammate.
Dota 2 Lion item build decisions
Blink Dagger is the practical first core because Lion needs a clean angle more than personal damage. Follow with Force Staff or Glimmer Cape when survival decides the fight. Buy detection when invisibility threatens your control, and choose defensive protection before luxury damage if enemies can reach you.

Dota 2 Lion tips and ability interactions

D2F ADVICE

Lion: Send Earth Spike through the retreat line

Aim Earth Spike along the path an enemy wants to use, rather than directly at their current position. The moving spikes can catch a second hero behind the first. Avoid casting through a blocked approach when a clearer line from the side gives your allies time to follow.

Lion: Hex the response, not merely the victim

Use Hex on the enemy whose spell can save the target, interrupt your team, or escape with the objective. It instantly destroys illusions, making it useful when a false target obscures the real hero. Remember that maximum movement speed buffs are not removed, so keep distance.

Lion: Drain after the enemy commits

Channel Mana Drain when an enemy has spent mana, cannot easily interrupt you, or is trying to disappear. The spell prevents invisibility while it continues. It can also target an ally for mana and movement speed, so use it defensively when a teammate needs to leave danger.

Dota 2 Lion ability mechanics

Key Lion mechanics · Valve snapshot Sep 21, 2026
Detail	What it means in your game
Earth Spike	Rock spikes burst from the earth along a straight path.
Hex	Transforms an enemy unit into a harmless beast, with all special abilities disabled.
Mana Drain	CHANNELED - Channels magical energy, taking mana and slowing enemies over time.

Dota 2 Lion FAQ

Which role should Lion play in Dota 2?

Lion is usually played as a support who creates catches, protects allies with control, and handles dangerous channeling spells. He should operate from fog or behind teammates rather than lead the charge. His job is to make an enemy unable to respond while allies convert that opening.

Which items should Lion buy in Dota 2?

Start with basic recovery, wards, and a small emergency resource item. Blink Dagger is the usual option when Lion needs initiation. Force Staff and Glimmer Cape answer different threats: movement against positioning, invisibility against attention. Choose detection whenever an unseen enemy can evade your disable sequence.

Is Lion suitable for Dota 2 beginners?

Begin with a simple plan: stay hidden, cast one disable on the priority target, then move away from retaliation. Do not channel Mana Drain in the middle of unchecked damage. Practice aiming Earth Spike through likely retreat paths, and keep Hex ready when a dangerous enemy wants to cast.

How should you use Lion's ultimate in Dota 2?

Finger of Death deals massive damage to one target after a delay, so account for saves or avoidance before committing it. It gains permanent bonus damage when its victim dies soon after being affected, including kills from Lion's empowered melee fist. Scepter adds initial area damage and improves those later attacks.

Next pick?