Lion is a ranged support who disables enemies with stuns and turns a large mana pool into powerful magical damage. Earth Spike and Hex prevent a target from acting freely, while Finger of Death can quickly finish off a weakened hero. In this article, we’ll cover what makes Lion dangerous and where he’s vulnerable, which heroes to pick in each role, what to buy against him, and how to withstand his pressure at every stage of the game.

Hero Overview

Lion’s strength lies in his extensive crowd control. Earth Spike hits multiple enemies, Hex reliably disables one target, and Mana Drain deprives enemies of mana and slows them. In a team fight, Lion can catch a hero and then finish them off with Finger of Death. He is useful at every stage, but to play effectively, he needs to be at the right distance and have the opportunity to cast his abilities.

Lion has little health, armor, or mobility. He is vulnerable when left alone or when he wastes his disables on the first target he sees. If you interrupt Mana Drain, Lion won’t gain the mana advantage he expects. Heroes with immunity to effects, strong dispels, or the ability to close the gap quickly make it difficult for him to act. In lane, don’t approach creeps with a low mana pool, and make sure your support can stop Mana Drain.

Best Heroes Against Lion

Lion usually plays position 5, the hard support, or position 4, the support. Sometimes he appears in mid, but more often he serves as a disabler and support. Below are counterpicks for each of the five positions.

Carry

  • Anti-Mage closes the gap with Blink and quickly burns Lion’s mana. Counterspell helps him survive targeted spells or reflect them if cast at the right time. Mana Void can punish Lion for spending a lot of mana.
  • Ursa closes in on the support quickly and wins short trades thanks to his attack damage. Earthshock slows the target, while Enrage helps him survive some of Lion’s spell combo. Don’t jump on Lion if his allies are nearby and ready to stun you.

Midlaner

  • Templar Assassin absorbs some ability damage with Refraction and can kill Lion quickly. She farms comfortably under pressure and can punish the support when he approaches to use Mana Drain.
  • Pugna forces Lion to choose between casting abilities and losing health to Nether Ward. Decrepify reduces physical damage to an ally, while Life Drain helps him recover after a trade. Don’t place the ward where it can be easily destroyed.

Offlaner

  • Beastmaster stops Lion with Primal Roar, while his summoned units make it difficult for him to cast abilities freely. The sooner your team finds the support, the less time he’ll have to help his allies.
  • Abaddon helps allies remove some negative effects with Aphotic Shield. Borrowed Time lets him survive Lion’s spell combo and forces Lion to switch to another target.

Support

  • Rubick can interrupt Mana Drain and steal Lion’s powerful abilities. Telekinesis saves an ally caught by his disables and helps catch Lion himself after he has used Earth Spike.
  • Nyx Assassin finds the support with Vendetta and stuns him with Impale. Spiked Carapace can punish Lion for casting a spell on Nyx, while Mana Burn makes it harder for him to use abilities as often.

Hard Support

  • Oracle protects an ally from magical damage and saves them with False Promise. Fortune’s End helps remove some disables if the effect can be dispelled, giving the team time to retreat.
  • Dazzle saves a target with Shallow Grave if he can cast it before Finger of Death. Poison Touch helps slow Lion and prevents him from escaping easily after a failed initiation.

What to Buy Against Lion

  • Black King Bar protects the hero from most of Lion’s magical abilities for its duration.
  • Glimmer Cape helps you survive Finger of Death and hides an ally during a retreat.
  • Force Staff lets you escape a dangerous position or save an ally after they’ve been stunned.
  • Lotus Orb grants armor and can reflect a targeted ability if used at the right time.
  • Magic Wand provides health and mana at a critical moment, especially in lane against frequent spell usage.

How to Play Against Lion at Different Stages

Laning

In lane, keep an eye on your mana pool and don’t spend it unnecessarily, or Mana Drain will leave you without abilities to fight back. If Lion starts draining your mana, interrupt him with a stun or ask an ally to come over. Don’t stand in line with the creeps, so Earth Spike doesn’t hit multiple targets at once. Take advantage of Lion’s low health and armor: a short counterattack often forces him to retreat.

Mid Game

In the mid game, don’t move around the map alone, especially without vision on the approaches to the jungle. Lion often waits for a hero who has fallen behind their team, looking to initiate with Hex and Earth Spike. Before a fight, keep your defensive abilities ready and try to find the support first. If Lion has used his disables, switch to him quickly: without his cooldowns, he’ll have a hard time defending himself.

Late Game

In the late game, Finger of Death can finish off a hero after a short disable. Don’t move into enemy vision without allies, and don’t group up, or Earth Spike may hit you and your team together. Save Black King Bar and your saves for Lion’s first attack. If he shows up alone in a lane, use your disables and numerical advantage while his team is far away.