Jakiro is a ranged hero with several abilities that slow enemies and make it difficult for them to take a favorable position. He is good at defending lanes, deals area damage, and becomes especially dangerous when enemies cannot quickly spread out. In this article, we’ll discuss Jakiro’s strengths, choose counters for each role, list useful items, and explain how to play against him in the laning stage, midgame, and late game.

Hero Characteristics

Dual Breath slows and damages enemies, while Ice Path stuns anyone caught in its path. Liquid Fire and Liquid Frost hinder enemy attacks and help pressure towers. His ultimate, Macropyre, blocks off routes and is especially effective in narrow areas. Thanks to his abilities’ large area of effect, Jakiro can support his team from the backline, but he has a hard time escaping if an enemy gets right on top of him.

Jakiro’s main weaknesses are his low mobility and reliance on good positioning. His abilities are easy to see coming and take time to cast, so mobile heroes can dodge them or initiate first. Jakiro is also vulnerable to silences and quick disables. Don’t stand in Macropyre or try to get through Ice Path at all costs: it’s often better to retreat and wait until his key abilities have been used.

Best Heroes Against Jakiro

Jakiro usually plays position 4, the support, or position 5, the hard support. He is sometimes picked mid, but more often he helps his allies with control and lane defense. The counters below are divided among the five roles so you can pick a hero that suits your position.

Carry

  • Slark quickly closes the distance with Pounce and doesn’t let Jakiro retreat. Dark Pact dispels some effects, while his ultimate lets him survive the counterattack. It’s best to attack after Jakiro has used Ice Path.
  • Juggernaut can use Blade Fury to pass through some magical damage and disables. He can restore his team’s health after a trade with Healing Ward. Omnislash is dangerous for the immobile Jakiro if there are no creeps or allies nearby to take the hits.

Mid

  • Storm Spirit easily avoids targeted attacks and quickly reaches Jakiro with Ball Lightning. If the support is alone, Storm can force him to use Ice Path defensively, giving his team an opening to continue the attack.
  • Queen of Pain uses Blink to dodge Ice Path and get out of Macropyre. She can quickly punish Jakiro for poor positioning, but must conserve her health and mana: a prolonged fight could give the enemy time to wait for reinforcements.

Offlaner

  • Primal Beast can initiate from a long distance with Onslaught and hold his target in place with Pulverize. Jakiro has a hard time stopping him once he has broken through to the backline. Don’t charge blindly into several enemies, or you may get caught by Ice Path.
  • Centaur Warrunner helps his team quickly close in on the enemy with Stampede. Hoof Stomp interrupts spell casts and prevents Jakiro from freely laying down his disables. Centaur’s high health pool allows him to absorb some of the damage.

Support

  • Nyx Assassin finds Jakiro in the backline and stuns him with Impale. Spiked Carapace lets him punish the enemy if they try to attack Nyx with an area ability. Wait for your allies before going for a reliable kill, and don’t reveal your position too early.
  • Clockwerk isolates Jakiro with Hookshot and Cogs. In a tight space, it’s difficult for the support to get back to his team, and the batteries prevent him from casting his abilities freely. Initiate when your allies are ready to follow up with more disables.

Hard Support

  • Silencer prevents Jakiro from using Ice Path and Macropyre with his silence. Global Silence can disrupt the start of a fight or give your team time to leave a dangerous area. Try not to use your ultimate on a single support if an important team fight is coming up.
  • Oracle can save an ally caught by Ice Path and reduce magical damage with Fate’s Edict. Fortune’s End dispels some debuffs, and its cast range lets Oracle help the team from a safe position.

What to Build Against Jakiro

  • Black King Bar helps you survive magical damage and some disables while your team pushes through Macropyre.
  • Glimmer Cape protects an ally from magical damage and helps conceal them while retreating.
  • Pipe of Insight reduces the damage your team takes from abilities, especially if the enemy often initiates fights with Macropyre.
  • Force Staff lets you quickly get out of Ice Path or leave the dangerous area of his ultimate.
  • Lotus Orb provides armor and can reflect some targeted abilities if used in advance.

How to Play Against Jakiro at Different Stages

Laning

Don’t stand next to your ally in lane: Dual Breath will hit multiple targets at once, and Liquid Fire makes it harder to trade attacks. Watch Jakiro’s movements, and don’t approach him in a straight line when he is preparing Ice Path. If he misses the ability, use the brief opening to deal damage in return or drive the support away from the creeps. Heroes with low health pools should buy healing consumables in advance.

Midgame

In the midgame, avoid narrow passages where Macropyre and Ice Path block almost the entire route. Force Jakiro to use his key abilities to defend a tower or retreat, then start a fight. Mobile heroes should approach from the flank instead of standing in front of their team. If the support stays far behind, place vision and try to catch him before the team fight begins.

Late Game

Later on, Jakiro’s area damage becomes a serious threat to the team, especially during a siege. Don’t group up under a single tower or chase the enemy through Macropyre. Save Black King Bar, Force Staff, or defensive abilities for when Jakiro uses his disables. If he has used his ultimate, quickly take advantage of the lull to attack a tower or retreat to a favorable position.