Oracle can ruin a successful attack with a single button: you’ve almost finished off the enemy carry, but they get False Promise and keep fighting. If you don’t account for this support’s position, your team will waste damage again and again without getting results. Let’s look at who can reach Oracle, how to hinder his healing, and how to choose the moment to attack.
Hero Characteristics
Fortune's End holds enemies in place and dispels effects. Fate's Edict helps protect an ally from magical damage, while Purifying Flames can quickly heal or deal damage. False Promise delays the resolution of incoming damage and healing, removes negative effects, and gives the team time to save the targeted hero.
Oracle is strong as long as he stays in a safe position and can freely cast his abilities. He has no built-in jump, so closing the gap quickly and disabling him create serious problems. Another weakness is healing prevention. At the same time, False Promise does not guarantee survival on its own: if the accumulated damage is greater than the healing and health pool, the target will die when the effect ends.
Best Heroes Against Oracle
Oracle is usually picked in position 5—as a hard support. Against him, you need heroes who can reach the backline, prevent him from using his save, or hinder him from healing a target under False Promise.
Carry
- Riki can get close quickly with Blink Strike and cover Oracle with Smoke Screen. Unable to use his spells, Oracle won’t be able to immediately save himself or an ally.
- Razor keeps draining damage with Static Link, even if False Promise delays his opponent’s death. The saved carry may still be left without a significant portion of their attack damage.
Mid
- Storm Spirit can reach Oracle with Ball Lightning and lock him down with Electric Vortex. To secure the kill, he needs enough mana and an understanding of who can protect the enemy support.
- Void Spirit can flank with Astral Step and deal damage quickly. He’s better off going after Oracle himself than using his entire combo on a hero Oracle is ready to protect.
Offlaner
- Axe can finish off a target with Culling Blade once they reach the required health threshold, even under False Promise. Berserker's Call also prevents Oracle from using his saves.
- Doom can shut down Oracle with Doom or prevent his key ally from healing. The choice depends on who you can actually reach at the start of a fight.
Support
- Shadow Demon removes dispellable positive effects with Demonic Purge, including healing from Purifying Flames. False Promise itself isn’t canceled, but healing the target becomes more difficult.
- Tiny closes the gap with Blink Dagger and catches Oracle with Avalanche and Toss. He can start a fight on a support who expected to stay behind their allies.
Hard Support
- Ancient Apparition blocks health restoration with Ice Blast. It’s important for healing prevention to be active at the right moment, rather than wearing off long before False Promise resolves.
- Silencer uses Global Silence so Oracle can’t respond to the start of a fight. His allies then need to follow up the attack immediately, before the silence is dispelled.
What to Build Against Oracle
| Item | How It Helps Against Oracle |
|---|---|
| Orchid Malevolence | prevents Oracle from using abilities. He won’t be able to dispel the silence with one of his spells, but he can prepare an item to do so |
| Blink Dagger | helps an initiator reach Oracle through his allies’ frontline and start disabling him from a good distance |
| Scythe of Vyse | prevents Oracle from using either a save or a defensive item. Useful for a surprise attack |
| Spirit Vessel | reduces healing under False Promise. Oracle can dispel the effect, so use it after he’s used his dispel and keep track of cooldowns |
| Shiva's Guard | reduces the health regeneration of nearby enemies and helps your team bring down a target Oracle is healing |
| Eye of Skadi | allows a carry to keep reducing healing with attacks. Especially useful against an enemy core who expects to fight under Oracle’s protection |
| Black King Bar | helps you continue the attack without being rooted by Fortune's End or affected by Oracle’s other standard negative effects |
How to Play Against Oracle at Different Stages
Laning
Don’t consider Oracle harmless just because of his role. The Fortune's End and Purifying Flames combo can quickly punish you for stepping forward with low health. If he starts preparing a spell from an awkward position, attack together with your lane partner. Magic Stick can replenish some resources thanks to his frequent spell casts.
Mid Game
Try to find Oracle first, or at least keep him separated from the target you’re focusing. If False Promise has already been cast, assess whether you have enough damage and healing prevention to get the kill after it ends. Sometimes it’s better to switch to the support himself so he doesn’t have time to restore his ally’s health.
Late Game
Keep a way to reach the backline and account for Oracle’s defensive items. After False Promise is cast, your team doesn’t have to stand near the protected hero and take return damage. You can back off, wait out the effect, and come back with your disables ready. Don’t waste healing reduction blindly before your opponents have used their dispel.
