Lifestealer is a melee carry who is dangerous in prolonged fights. Rage protects him from many effects and reduces magic damage, while Feast helps him restore health as he attacks. In this article, we’ll look at the hero’s strengths and weaknesses, suitable counterpicks for each position, useful items, and tactics for playing against him at every stage of the game.

Hero Overview

Lifestealer’s main strength is his ability to force close-quarters fights and keep attacking under Rage. Feast makes him especially troublesome for heroes with a large health pool, while Infest lets him hide inside an ally or creep, start a fight unexpectedly, or leave one. If Lifestealer farms without interference, he becomes a durable carry who is difficult to take down quickly with a standard burst of magic damage.

At the same time, Lifestealer needs to reach his target and attack it for a while. He can’t always catch mobile heroes, and Rage has a limited duration and a cooldown. If you wait out its effect, use physical disables, or force Lifestealer to spend the ability to retreat, your team gets a window to counterattack. Don’t rely only on magic damage or pick only heroes with a large health pool against him.

Best Heroes Against Lifestealer

Lifestealer usually plays position 1, the carry. Counterpicks in other roles should either survive Rage and hinder his attacks, or prevent him from getting close to an important target.

Carry

  • Terrorblade farms quickly with illusions and does well in a long game. Lifestealer has to get through his high armor, while Sunder lets Terrorblade change the health balance if Lifestealer attacks him for too long.
  • Windranger can wait out Rage with Windrun, then stop Lifestealer with Shackleshot. She keeps her distance and forces him to spend time chasing her. Don’t use Windrun before Lifestealer starts attacking.

Mid

  • Outworld Destroyer deals high damage and can temporarily remove Lifestealer or his target from the battlefield with Astral Imprisonment. This helps wait out Rage or disrupt an attack while the team retreats.
  • Razor links Lifestealer with Static Link and gradually drains his attack damage. If Lifestealer decides to fight at close range, Razor can maintain his distance and prevent him from quickly restoring health with attacks.

Offlaner

  • Axe forces Lifestealer to attack him with Berserker’s Call. Counter Helix deals retaliatory damage, while Culling Blade helps finish off the target after the team has reduced its health. Don’t start a trade under Rage without allies.
  • Beastmaster can stop Lifestealer with Primal Roar if the disable pierces his protection in the current situation. His summons help pressure the lane and prevent Lifestealer from farming safely. Save your ultimate for an important target instead of using it on an opponent who is retreating.

Support

  • Ancient Apparition limits Lifestealer’s health restoration with Ice Blast. This reduces the value of Feast and healing from Infest if Lifestealer is caught in the blast. Wait for Rage to end before relying on regular disables.
  • Shadow Demon saves an ally with Disruption and gives the team time to wait out Rage. Demonic Purge slows the target, and its upgrade can help apply Break and limit passive effects.

Hard Support

  • Winter Wyvern protects an ally from physical attacks with Cold Embrace. Winter’s Curse can turn Lifestealer’s team against him if he entered the fight alongside his allies.
  • Oracle helps an ally survive an attack with False Promise and Fate’s Edict. Fortune’s End removes some negative effects from an ally if they can be dispelled, and lets the team retreat after Rage ends.

What to Buy Against Lifestealer

  • Heaven’s Halberd temporarily disarms Lifestealer if he isn’t protected from the effect and reduces his attack accuracy.
  • Shiva’s Guard slows the enemy and reduces health restoration in an area around its owner.
  • Assault Cuirass increases the team’s armor and helps them survive Lifestealer’s physical attacks.
  • Force Staff helps create distance after Rage ends and save an ally who is being pursued.
  • Scythe of Vyse provides reliable control once Lifestealer’s protection has ended.

How to Play Against Lifestealer at Different Stages

Laning

In lane, don’t trade with Lifestealer for an extended period if he has Rage ready and can keep attacking. Keep an eye on Feast: it’s advantageous for him to hit you, especially if you have a lot of health. Pressure him with short bursts and back off before he starts restoring health. The support should avoid using all their disables during Rage and save them for when the protection ends.

Mid Game

In the middle of the game, don’t leave heroes alone on lanes without vision: Lifestealer can emerge from a creep with Infest and start a fight immediately. Assign roles within the team: who takes the first hit, who waits for Rage to end, and who keeps Lifestealer in place afterward. If he used the ability to initiate, retreat while it’s active, then turn around and use your disables.

Late Game

In the late game, Lifestealer can survive in the middle of a fight for a long time, but he still needs to attack a target. Don’t stand close together as a team, and don’t let him hit the most durable hero without interference. Reduce his health restoration, wait out Rage, and save physical disables for when the protection ends. If Lifestealer hides inside an ally, track their movement and don’t start a fight in an unfavorable location.