Pugna quickly takes down buildings, punishes frequent spell use, and saves allies with Decrepify. In this article, we'll look at heroes who can reach fragile Pugna, prevent her from restoring health, and survive her magical burst.

Hero Overview

Strengths: Pugna excels at playing at a fast pace: Nether Blast clears waves and damages towers at the same time, Nether Ward makes fights difficult for heroes with expensive spells, and Life Drain lets her heal an ally or drain an enemy's health.

Weaknesses: Decrepify protects against physical attacks but increases incoming magical damage. Pugna also has little health and armor, needs good positioning, and Life Drain is interrupted by any suitable disable. Healing also loses much of its value under healing prevention.

Best Heroes Against Pugna

Pugna usually plays in the mid lane or as a position four or five support. Mobile heroes with disables, magic resistance, and the ability to quickly destroy Nether Ward are effective against her.

Carry

  • Anti-Mage High magic resistance lets him survive her burst, Blink closes the distance, and Mana Void punishes Pugna hard after a prolonged fight.
  • Juggernaut Blade Fury protects against magical damage and helps him reach his target. Healing Ward supports the team during Pugna's early push.

Mid

  • Huskar He handles magical damage well and quickly closes in with Life Break. Pugna has a hard time stopping him with a single combo.
  • Queen of Pain Blink lets her get behind Pugna, while magical and pure damage are useful against a target affected by Decrepify. A silence from an item makes the attack even more reliable.

Offlaner

  • Night Stalker At night, he quickly finds Pugna behind her allies and prevents her from using Life Drain and Decrepify for a long time.
  • Doom Doom disables abilities and prevents healing. Without Life Drain, fragile Pugna rarely survives being focused for long.

Support

  • Spirit Breaker Charge of Darkness prevents Pugna from staying safely at a distance, while a series of stuns interrupts Life Drain.
  • Clockwerk Hookshot starts a fight from afar, Power Cogs trap Pugna, and Battery Assault prevents her from channeling.

Hard Support

  • Ancient Apparition Ice Blast completely prevents health restoration, turning Life Drain into a dangerous button for Pugna herself.
  • Oracle Fate's Edict gives an ally a high level of magic resistance, while Fortune's End removes Decrepify from its target.

What to Buy Against Pugna

  • Black King Bar Protects against most of her burst and lets you attack without interruption.
  • Pipe of Insight Reduces magical damage taken by the whole team during pushes and fights.
  • Spirit Vessel Reduces healing from Life Drain and helps finish off Pugna.
  • Nullifier Removes Decrepify and prevents Pugna from hiding a target from physical attacks.
  • Orchid Malevolence Prevents Pugna from protecting herself and interrupts Life Drain.
  • Lotus Orb Removes Decrepify from an ally and makes it harder for Pugna to choose a target for Life Drain.

How to Play Against Pugna at Different Stages

Laning

Don't stand near creeps so Nether Blast doesn't hit both your hero and the wave. Pugna is fragile: attack her immediately after she makes a positioning mistake. Watch where she places Nether Ward, and destroy the totem before an extended exchange of spells.

Mid Game

Pugna wants to group as five and quickly take down the outer towers. Don't give up buildings without applying pressure on another part of the map, but don't start defending with a chaotic burst of spells under Nether Ward either. A mobile hero getting behind the enemy often matters more than a direct attack on her team.

Don't cast all your spells at once under Nether Ward. First destroy the totem with regular attacks or an ability with a low mana cost. After that, your team has the freedom to unleash a full combo.

Late Game

Saving an ally with Decrepify and healing them become Pugna's greatest assets. Save dispels and healing reduction for when she tries to save her core. Pugna herself doesn't handle instant disables well, so vision on the flanks often decides a fight before it even begins.

Pugna often stands farther back than the other supports so she can heal her core. A deep Observer Ward on the flank helps spot her before a fight starts and set up a quick approach.