[Top 15] Dota 2 Best Offlane Heroes (7.33b)

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Updated:
03 Nov 2023

The Offlaner brings in extreme value and contributes immensely to the teamfights usually with his big-ticket ultimate. Offlaners are often left to suffer alone while their lane partner ganks other lanes, leaving them vulnerable, yet most offlaners can succeed if they know how to sustain and survive all by themselves. They provide everything from crowd control to initiation and do not need to be farmed heavily to have an impact. The majority of the offlane chunk of heroes are made up of the initiators who are handed the duty of starting the teamfight, and tanking the fight whilst their team follows up from the backlines. These brave heroes are often the sacrificial lambs who defend their team and deal the majority of the damage for which they sometimes may have to sacrifice their lives for.

With no further adieu, we present you the Best 15 Offlane Heroes that wreck hard in the 7.33 meta. These heroes can sustain and push through their initial setbacks as they are known to recover and bounce back stronger.

15. Dark Seer

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Ish’Kafel, the Dark Seer does not need any weapon to decimate his enemies. His wrists are enough to make his enemies rage quit. Dark Seer is one of those classic offlane heroes, as he is picked through multiple different tournaments for over a decade at this point. You always see him popping here and there due to his world-famous Vaccum and Wall combo, which sucks the enemies together and makes a replica of them which deals damage to them. In 7.33, Dark Seer emerged as an efficient farmer, meaning he can farm quickly and wreak havoc in teamfights with his newly acquired items.

Right from the initial levels, Dark Seer is a thorn in the side of low magic-resistant carry heroes, plus points if they are melee! In the early game due to little to no magic immunity, Dark Seer can obliterate his foes with the backup of his teammates. His magic damage from the Shell combined with the lightning-fast Surge movement speed ensures that none of his foes escape the battlefield alive. Dark Seer is an exceptional addition to your team if your team lacks an initiator as well as a crowd-control hero.

Why is Dark Seer a great offlaner?

  • Can initiate teamfights with his immense crowd control spells
  • His spells deal incredible damage right from the laning phase, allowing him to farm fast.
  • Though he farms fast, Dark Seer generally relies more on levels to have an impact on the game.
  • Dark Seer can also aid his carries to farm or push lanes by applying Ion Shell on them.

Top 5 Best End-Game items for Dark Seer

  • Guardian Greaves - Upon usage, it heals Dark Seer and all allied units in the AoE while also providing a basic dispel to him, providing immense survivability in teamfights.
  • Blink Dagger - Upon cast, Blink transports Dark Seer 1200 units in the distance he is facing, can’t be used for 3 seconds if he takes any form of damage. Blink is used for closing the gap and getting on top of enemies and following up with the Vaccum Wall Combo or the Normal Punch, or it can also be used to escape away from a bad teamfight.
  • Shiva’s Guard - Upon activation, it deals damage in an AoE around Dark Seer, slowing down the affected targets. It also provides increased armor and reduces enemy armor in an AoE. It is essential if Dark Seer faces high physical damage heroes.
  • Aghanim’s Scepter - Grants two charges to Ion Shell, buffing it and allowing Dark Seer and his allies to survive through teamfights.
  • Lotus Orb - Reflects targetted spells hence can also be used to reflect spells if timed correctly. Lotus Orb also provides a basic dispel upon activation.

Dark Seer is strong against 

  • Meepo - Dark Seer can take great advantage of Divided We Stand by putting an Ion Shell on a clone to harass them effectively.
  • Terrorblade - Dark Seer's Vacuum and Ion Shell allow him to clear the wave of Terrorblade's illusions.
  • Templar Assassin - Ion Shell destroys Refraction's protection stacks in a short time. Also, Surge ignores the massive slow from Psionic Trap.

Dark Seer is weak against 

  • Anti-Mage - Mana Void can deal a lot of damage if Dark Seer spent a lot of mana on his abilities.
  • Oracle - Fortune's End dispels Ion Shell and Surge, making any gank attempt on Dark Seer in the laning phase likely to succeed.
  • Sniper - A Sniper who is somewhat competent at positioning is hardly going to be affected by any of Dark Seer's spells thanks to Take Aim.

https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Dark_Seer

14. Axe

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Axe is the go-to offlaner if you are facing melee carry heroes. He is known to be an exceptional laner against squishy and melee heroes as his Counter Helix does a great job of culling them down in no time. Most opponents find it hard to lane against Axe as they are constantly harassed and shoved off the lane with both Battle Hunger and Counter Helix. Axe is heavily relevant through the late game as he has high armor and HP, and does not falter easily. He can always jungle to acquire his Blink if he somehow has a difficult laning phase.

It takes nothing but one Blink Call for a decently farmed carry hero to succumb to the damage of Axe. Most carry heroes simply can’t do much to Axe when he obtains items like Black King Bar and Blademail, rendering their game quite useless. As the warmonger is tanky, his enemies have no choice but to ignore him in teamfights, while also making sure they aren’t sticking together due to the threat of Call. The game can essentially be decided with just one Blink Call, a combination that keeps this hero as relevant as ever.

Why is Axe a great offlane hero?

  • High armor and HP right from the laning phase, making him the tanky initiator and frontliner in fights
  • Axe can both farm and be dominant in the lane if he has a decent laning partner. Synergy goes a long if you want to excel with Axe.
  • Axe also can farm quickly with his Counter Helix, allowing him to acquire items quickly and dunk on his enemy team!
  • He is powerful right from the laning phase if he manages to get enough farm or net a few kills on his laning counterparts

Top 5 End Game items on Axe

  • Blink Dagger - On cast, Blink transports Axe 1200 units in the distance he is facing, can’t be used for 3 seconds if he takes any form of damage. Blink is used to close the gap and get on top of enemies and use Call, or it can also be used to escape away from them.
  • Black King Bar - Provides magic immunity upon usage, making Axe invulnerable during team fights. It is essential in most matchups as he has low magical resistance. It also applies a basic dispel upon usage.
  • Blade Mail - Allows Axe to return the damage dealt to her from all sources. Axe benefits massively from this item as he can use Call and tank with this item. If you are facing heroes with high physical or magical damage, then this is the right item for you. 
  • Shiva’s Guard - Upon activation, it deals damage in an AoE, slowing down the affected targets. It also provides increased armor and reduces enemy armor in an AoE. It is essential if Mars faces other tank heroes.
  • Force Staff - Allows Axe to force himself or the targetted unit 600 units ahead in the direction they are facing. It is quite essential in catching or escaping from heroes as it does not get disabled on physical attacks like the Blink Dagger.

Axe is strong against

  • Abbadon - Aphotic Shield does nothing against Berserkers Call and has to be used constantly to remove the very small mana cost of Battle Hunger in the lane.
  • Anti-Mage - Berserker's Call is one of the most reliable ways to lock down Anti-Mage, preventing him from blinking away.
  • Dazzle - Culling Blade ignores the protection from Shallow Grave and will kill any target whose health is low enough. 

Axe is weak against

  • Doom - Infernal Blade's damage is calculated by the percentage of maximum health, meaning that it will hurt Axe more than most normal attacks, negating some of his durability.
  • Jakiro - Ice Path is a great stun for Berserker's Call and Eul's Scepter of Divinity can catch Axe off guard.
  • Outworld Destroyer - Astral Imprisonment is an excellent way to defend against an initiating Axe.
https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Axe
 

13. Tidehunter

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The mighty and resilient Tidehunter does exceptionally well in the offlane, primarily against squishy melee heroes as he can simply lower their armor and deal high damage while significantly reducing the damage he takes in return. He deals little to no damage to the former due to Anchor Smash his naturally high Base Armor along with his mighty Kraken Shell which drastically reduces any damage he takes. Tide can simply blink into Ravage and have his team follow up on the enemies, he can also build items like Solar Crest, or Lotus Orb to reduce the amount of damage he takes.

Most players have no choice but to ignore this mighty melon man during teamfights as they can not deal damage to him due to Kraken Shell even with the help of their teammates. Tide can simply negate all the damage and tank through the team fight, shielding his cores. Most carry heroes have no way to turn the tides against the Tidehunter in the late game due to his immense armor, his offlane impact and lane damage are too hard to be ignored right from the early game.

Why is Tidehunter a great offlane hero?

  • In the early game, carry heroes cannot penetrate Kraken Shell and will do almost no damage to Tidehunter even with Medallion of Courage or Solar Crest.
  • Anchor Smash's bonus damage has the potential to kill creeps quite effortlessly while reducing the physical damage that enemies deal.
  • Tidehunter does not rely heavily on the farm and can rotate lanes to hunt enemies quite early on in the game, as soon as his Ravage is available.
  • Immense crowd control with the help of his ultimate, Ravage, allows him to lock down multiple heroes at once.

Top 5 End Game items against Tidehunter 

  • Blink Dagger - On cast, Blink transports Tidehunter 1200 units in the distance he is facing, can’t be used for 3 seconds if he takes any form of damage. Blink is used to close the gap and get on top of enemies and use Ravage, or it can also be used to escape away from them.
  • Shiva’s Guard - Upon activation, it deals damage in an AoE around Tidehunter, slowing down the affected targets. It also provides increased armor and reduces enemy armor in an AoE.
  • Lotus Orb - Upon usage, it reflects targetted spells to the caster. It can also be used by Tidehunter to dispel any enemy debuffs. It can hence be used to reflect or dispel buffs.
  • Aghanim’s Scepter and Shard - The Scepter makes Gush AoE and the Shard grants him Tendrils of the Deep ability which stuns enemies within his reach. The tentacles are essentially a mini ravage, with 75% of Ravage’s radius, making it easy for Tidehnter to reach enemies.
  • Force Staff - Allows Tidehunter to force himself or the targetted unit 600 units ahead in the direction they are facing. It is quite essential in catching or escaping from enemies as it does not get disabled on physical attacks like the Blink Dagger.

Tidehunter is strong against

  • Batrider - Kraken Shell is very useful against Sticky Napalm and Flamebreak, easily dispelling them regularly.
  • Shadow Fiend - Anchor Smash reduces Shadow Fiend's large attack damage, and Kraken Shell makes Tidehunter the last target Shadow Fiend wants to attack.
  • Phantom Assassin - The AoE nukes from Ravage, Anchor Smash, and an Aghanim's Scepter-upgraded Gush can clear Phantom Lancer's illusions easily.

Tidehunter is weak against

  • Anti-Mage - Mana Break quickly burns Tidehunter's mana pool, preventing him from spamming his abilities, and Kraken Shell does not mitigate the bonus damage component.
  • Razor - Kraken Shell's dispel does not restore damage stolen by Static Link, and the stolen damage easily offsets Anchor Smash's damage reduction. 
  • Nyx Assassin - Mana Burn can instantly deplete Tidehunter's low mana pool, especially in the early game, potentially preventing Tidehunter from casting Ravage.

https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Tidehunter

12. Timbersaw

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The mighty Timbersaw fares extremely well against melee and ranged heroes alike. He is quite a dominating force in the offlane right from the early game as the enemy does not have much resistance to his magical and pure damage. Timbersaw can dictate the pace of the game with his moves, due to him being such a tanky hero. Most enemies can surely hinder Timber’s gameplay but the latter does not rely on attack damage to kill creeps or heroes. His abilities are enough to decimate his enemies.

Even if the enemies manage to secure a decent farm, Timber’s Reactive armor stops enemies from advancing any further and ignoring him in teamfights. This forces his foes to jungle early on in the game, which makes him lag in the farm and XP department. Timber can triumph in the late game as well if he is given free rein, he can purchase various items which allow him to maintain control and dominance against his foes, including Crimson Guard or Heaven’s Halberd. 

Why is Timbersaw a great offlane hero? 

  • High pure damage that pierces and messes up with enemy strength
  • Timbersaw's innate durability is very hard to deal with for enemies
  • Most enemies will have a hard time dealing with Timbersaw due to his tankiness and high Armor from Reactive Armor
  • Timbersaw's high Pure Damage and low-cooldown AoE nukes can also destroy squishy heroes within no time due to his low magic resistance.

Top 5 End Game items for Timbersaw

  • Eul’s Scepter - Can be used to sweep Timbersaw or the targetted enemy into the air for 2.5 seconds, making them unable to use spells or move. This can be used to lock enemies down to setup up his Chakram or temporarily shut them off from the fights.
  • Pipe of Insight -  Provides immense magic damage block on activation, and affects the whole team. 
  • Crimson Guard - Provides immense physical damage block, and also affects the whole team. It is extremely useful to prevent enemy heroes from doing significant physical damage. 
  • Blade Mail - Can reflect enemy damage and prevent them from using high-damage spells on him.
  • Lotus Orb - Reflects targetted spells and hence can also be used to dodge spells if timed correctly. Lotus Orb also provides a basic dispel upon activation.

Timbersaw is strong against

  • Broodmother - Spiderlings deal almost no damage against Reactive Armor. They also die quickly from Timbersaw's AoE abilities.
  • Axe - Whirling Death reduces Axe's strength by 15%, which makes him less durable, especially from the early game. It's also stackable.
  • Monkey King - Timbersaw can easily cut down the tree that Monkey King is standing on, stunning him for a lengthy period.

Timbersaw is weak against

  • Bane - Brain Sap's pure damage ignores stacks of Reactive Armor.
  • Doom - Doom shuts down Timbersaw completely, negating his mobility and preventing him from doing any damage. It also breaks Reactive Armor's passive bonuses from Aghanim's Scepter.
  • Faceless Void - Time Dilation is similar to a long-duration silence, making Timbersaw useless in team fights, or forcing him to adapt his build.
https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Timbersaw
 

11. Sand King

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In 7.33, Sand King fares well against most heroes, especially if they are melee. He may have a hard time getting harassed himself,  but not when his opponents can’t see him! Sand King can farm and deal damage quite effortlessly without even moving. Apart from dealing lethal AoE damage, SK farms fairly quickly and is ready to rotate to other parts of the map. All it takes is one Blink Dagger or Veil of Discord for him to dominate and destroy his enemies. With his mobility and ability to initiate team fights, Sand King can make quick rotations and turn the tide of the game in his team's favor. 

Sand King is a formidable offlane hero as he has emerged to be a strong pick in 7.33. With his natural tankiness and ability to sustain himself, Sand King can hold his own against most carry heroes. He can also farm and push lanes effectively, ensuring that he gets a good gold advantage over his opponents. In the offlane, he can also take advantage of his AoE damage to clear out creep waves and take down enemy towers. Overall, Sand King is a versatile hero that can fit into different roles and excel in various lanes.

Why is Sand King a great offlaner? 

  • Sand King is a strong team fighter who can deal massive AoE damage with his ultimate, Epicenter. 
  • He can be played as a tanky initiator or as a damage dealer, depending on the item build and team composition. 
  • He has a great escape mechanism with Burrowstrike and Sandstorm, making it hard for enemies to catch and kill him. 
  • Sand King is a good farmer and can quickly clear neutral camps with Sandstorm, allowing him to gain gold and experience even if he gets zoned out of the lane.

Top 5 End Game items for Sand King

  • Blink Dagger/Overwhelming Blink - Upgrades the Blink Dagger. Increases strength and deals damage in an AoE that deals attack and movement speed slow to enemies, while also making them take 150% of your strength as damage. Sand King benefits heavily from this item as he can survive a teamfight due to the high strength bonus.
  • Shiva’s Guard - Upon usage, it emits a freezing wave that deals 200 damage and slows the enemy for 40% of their movement speed. This slow is impressive and lasts for 4 seconds. The increased armor and survivability ensure Sand King stays durable in fights while reducing enemy healing in an AoE.
  • Veil of Discord - Cast a 600-radius blast that causes enemies to take 18% increased damage from spells. The increased magical damage buff allows Sand King to deal shine bright with his Epicenter.
  • Aghanim’s Scepter - Adds Caustic Finale poison to heroes hit by Sand King's Burrowstrike and increases its cast range. The increased range allows Sand King to escape or initiate from a long distance. 
  • Eul’s Scepter - Can be used to sweep Sand King or the targetted enemy into the air for 2.5 seconds, making them unable to use spells or move. This can be used to lock enemies down and follow up with Burrowstrike or Epicenter or temporarily shut them off from the fights.

Sand King is strong against

  • Broodmother - Caustic Finale allows Sand King to easily kill Broodmother's Spiderlings throughout the game.
  • Slark - Shadow Dance, which usually allows Slark to survive fights, is ineffective against Sand King's AoE damage.
  • Meepo - Epicenter and Sand Storm's AoE damage ensures all Meepo clones get damaged, making it hard for Meepo to choose which one to flee as all are taking damage at the same rate.

Sand King is weak against

  • Earth Spirit - Boulder Smash will push Sand King out of Sand Storm to reveal his position or an activated Epicenter off of Earth Spirit's allies, potentially wasting his combo. 
  • Rubick - Burrowstrike is one of the best and easiest steals for Rubick and Sand King should be careful when playing against him.
  • Silencer - Global Silence silences Sand King, effectively reducing Sand King's initiation and counter-initiation potential. It can also interrupt the channeling of Epicenter.
https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Sand_King
 

10. Pangolier

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Pangolier is one of the most flamboyant heroes in the game, he has spells that make him extremely powerful against squishy heroes in the offlane. He is also an extremely powerful laner as he deals high physical damage which may decimate most carry heroes due to their low armor. Most heroes also fall off fast in the late game while Pangolier only gets stronger by then, due to his high physical damage and lightning-fast farming speed. There is no way most enemies can stop Pango’s onslaught once he gets all his core items. Most heroes simply have no tools to contain his onslaught!

Pangolier’s Rolling Thunder ultimate completely negates all the magical damage being dished out by some heroes, while his Shield Crash negates the physical damage he takes, essentially reducing enemy impact and making sure they can’t escape the fights so easily. Pangolier is a great hero to play if you want to have a fun time crushing your opponents. Your average carry hero also is not that mobile enough to catch Pangolier, who has Shield Crash, Swashbuckle, and Rolling Thunder at his disposal to escape.

Why is Pangolier a great offlaner?

  • Swashbuckle is an auto attack and therefore it can obliterate an enemy's squishy HP.
  • Rolling Thunder makes Pangolier immune to magic damage, making him able to roll in and out of fights and not worry about getting locked down.
  • Most heroes fall off in the late game as Pangolier’s physical damage becomes too hard for them to negate, making them get destroyed in fights.

Top 5 End Game items for Pangolier

  • Eul’s Scepter - It can be used to sweep yourself or enemies into the air for 2.5 seconds, making them unable to use spells or move. This can be used to lock them down or temporarily remove Pango from the fight, it dispels most debuffs upon self-cast. Pangolier can use it to escape from his ultimate if he is trying to gank him with it.
  • Skull Basher - Provides a chance to Mini Stun on physical attacks. It can further be upgraded into Abyssal Blade later on in the game.
  • Glepnir - Can root multiple enemies and deal damage to them over time upon usage. It is useful as it can be used in tandem with your ultimate, to lock heroes down whilst you hit them.
  • Aghanim’s Shard - Allows Pangolier to stop during his Rolling Thunder ultimate and also change directions, all while being spell immune, it is essential in teamfights so you don’t get stuck awkwardly with the ultimate.
  • Monkey King Bar - Increases physical damage and provides a true strike on physical attacks, making it an ideal item against squishy heroes or heroes that build evasion.
  • Diffusal Blade - Slows down enemies by 100% upon usage and physical attacks. It also burns their mana, making them useless as they cannot cast any spells, essentially turning them into creeps. 

Pangolier is strong against

  • Arc Warden - Rolling Thunder hits Arc Warden, his Tempest Double, and any allies through Magnetic Field.
  • Broodmother - Swashbuckle and Shield Crash quickly destroy Broodmother's spiderlings and spiderites.
  • Meepo - Shield Crash gains its damage reduction bonus from all Meepo clones and can be used even when rooted, allowing Pangolier to gain a massive amount of damage reduction (even more than 100%).

Pangolier is weak against

  • Bloodseeker - Thirst provides constant sight and speed to Bloodseeker, allowing him to catch up with a fleeing Pangolier through all of his mobility.
  • Centaur Warrunner - When Swashbuckle hits Centaur Warrunner,  Retaliate will deal significant damage, as it procs off every strike made.
  • Faceless Void - Chronosphere's significant obstacle denies Pangolier the room to roll around during teamfights, as well as wasting his ultimate's duration.
https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Pangolier
 

9. Mars

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Mars, the first son of heaven, is somewhat of the rage in the current meta. His impressive and damage-dealing spells rank him very high on this list. Mars is an exceptional offlaner if you want someone to tank out all the damage and lead the charge for your team, and a great wave clear hero as well. He synergizes well with most heroes, making him a flexible pick in every game, and can withstand hordes with his flexible and reliable item build. He is also extremely durable due to his Bulwark, making him stand his ground in teamfights.

Mars is often picked in the offlane, due to his high reliability, allowing him to opt for multiple different builds according to the heroes he is facing, a luxury that not all heroes get to have. He is also an exceptional crowd control hero, courtesy of his ultimate, which prevents people from entering the Arena or dealing damage from outside of it. This way he can shield himself and his allies from enemy onslaught or corner certain enemy heroes and beat them down within no time under its duration,

What makes Mars a great offlane hero?

  • Bulwark makes it hard for his enemies to attack him, as he takes less damage if attacked from the front
  • His Arena doesn’t allow him to get any damage dealt to him if it comes from outside of it.
  • Mars naturally has high HP and armor, he also builds high armor items which amplify his durability.

Top 5 Best End-Game items for Mars

  • Blink Dagger - Blink transports Mars  1200 units in the distance he is facing, it can’t be used for 3 seconds if he takes any form of damage. Blink is used to close the gap and get on top of enemies and follow it up with Arena.
  • Desolator - Provides increased physical damage and armor corruption upon physical attacks. Desolator works in tandem with God’s Rebuke.
  • Crimson Guard - Provides immense physical damage block to both Mars and his whole team, and also affects allied towers and buildings.
  • Black King Bar - Provides spell immunity from all enemy magic damage spells, making him invulnerable in the fight
  • Shiva’s Guard - Upon activation, it deals damage in an AoE, slowing down the affected targets. It also provides increased armor and reduces enemy armor in an AoE. It is essential if Mars faces other tank heroes.

Mars is strong against

  • Juggernaut - Juggernaut's Omnislash switches to opposite directions with each slash, so Mars can mitigate most of its damage since he only takes full damage from one direction: his back.
  • Slark - Slark finds it very difficult to have a good early/mid-game when pressured in the early game by Spear of Mars and God's Rebuke.
  • Spectre - Spectre cannot have a good game if she is pressured heavily in the lane, which is something Mars can do.

Mars is weak against

  • Axe - Berserker's Call forces Mars to face in the direction chosen.
  • Lifestealer - Feast does damage and heals based on max health, perfect against high-health strength heroes like Mars.
  • Faceless Void - Time Walk allows Faceless Void to escape or enter Arena Of Blood, and helps him recover from Mars' burst damage.
https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Mars
 

8. Batrider

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Batrider is quite the favorite of most initiators and offlaners in the current meta, as he is picked to provide great early-game domination and control potential. His laning phase is quite impeccable due to the sheer amount of magical damage output that he provides, shoving the enemies out of the lane. If you aren’t careful enough, then you may be susceptible to heavy damage courtesy of the napalm stacks. Along with dominating the laning phase, Batrider is successful in dominating the late game if not contained.

To be a formidable offlane hero, Batrider often picks up the Black King Bar, allowing him to become immune to most enemy spells and crowd control effects, thus allowing him to dish out damage and control the battlefield without fear of being interrupted. Along with that, he often rushes a Blink Dagger to compliment his initiation capabilities, allowing him to Lasso enemy heroes with ease. These items, along with his natural magical damage-dealing capabilities, make Batrider a highly sought-after hero for mid-lane domination.

Why is Batrider a great mid-hero?

  • Batrider's early-game domination potential is impressive due to his high magical damage output that can force enemies out of the lane. 
  • His harassment abilities with Sticky Napalm make it easy for him to take down enemy heroes. 
  • He is one of the best initiators in the game, with his ultimate, Flaming Lasso, which can single out and pull enemy heroes toward his allies. 
  • Batrider's mobility is top-notch with his Blink Dagger, which allows him to quickly escape dangerous situations or initiate fights with ease.

Best 5 End-Game items on Batrider

  • Blink Dagger - Blink transports Batrider 1200 units in the distance he is facing, it can’t be used for 3 seconds if he takes any form of damage. Blink is used to closing the gap and getting on top of enemies and following it up with his Lasso.
  • Black King Bar - Provides magic immunity upon usage, making Batrider invulnerable during team fights. It is essential in most matchups as he has low magical resistance.
  • Boots of Travel - Allows him to be mobile, granting him a global presence
  • Force Staff - Another great tool to close gaps or escape from his foes
  • Refresher’s Orb - Can refresh spells and items and use them again in quick succession to delete enemies from the fight

Batrider is strong against

  • Naga Siren - Many stacks of Sticky Napalm, combined with Flamebreak and Firefly, allows Batrider to destroy illusions from Mirror Image.
  • Techies - As long as Batrider is under the effect of Firefly, he can safely fly over  Proximity Mines.
  • Treant Protector - Firefly will cut trees with ease, cleaning up an area that's been enchanted with Eyes In The Forest, and potentially revealing a Treant under the effects of  Nature's Guise.

Batrider is weak against

  • Oracle - Fate's Edict when used on a Lassoed target will leave them immune to magical damage, making it difficult to burst them quickly before the Lasso ends.
  • Nyx Assassin - Nyx can walk into Firefly with Spiked Carapace and stun Batrider if he has no Spell Immunity, even if Batrider is focusing on another enemy hero.
  • Weaver - Time Lapse with Aghanim's Scepter dispels Flaming Lasso when used on an allied hero.

https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Batrider

 

7. Slardar 

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Slardar is a menace when he is paired against squishy and low-armor melee heroes if he is in the offlane. Most heroes in the early game have poor armor which can decimate them in the teamfights against Slardar as he thrives against squishy heroes. The main reason why Slardar is picked is because of his ultimate Corrosive Haze. The ultimate also provides true sight and reduces enemy armor causing Slardar’s bashes to hit pretty hard, stopping enemies right in their tracks. He is an exceptional pick as a strong, space-making offlaner.

Slardar can effortlessly carry the game if he manages to drown enemies by pressuring them in the laning phase with his phenomenal abilities and items. Slardar rarely loses in the laning stage as he is highly tanky, and has ways to escape enemy ganks. He may not be the best at farming efficiently due to his low AoE capabilities. But, as we know, Slardar is more level-reliant and does not need multiple items to have any impact, unlike certain carry heroes who can’t fight without a few items. 

What makes Slardar great in the offlane? 

  • Bash of the Deep will deal lots of damage during the laning phase.
  • His ultimate will essentially decimate low-armor heroes.
  • High movement and attack speed right from the laning phase.
  • Slithreen Crush allows Slardar to be an effective crowd-control hero.

Top 5 End Game items for Slardar 

  • Blink Dagger - On cast, Blink transports Slardar 1200 units in the distance he is facing, it can’t be used for 3 seconds if he takes any form of damage. Blink is used to close the gap and get on top of Alchemist.
  • Shadow Blade - Provides invisibility to Slardar which can be used to escape or set up a gank enemies.
  • Aghanim’s Shard - Silthreen Crush applies Corrosive Haze on usage, it can be used to get on top of enemy heroes with Blink and quickly smash them down with follow-up from your team.
  • Black King Bar - Provides spell immunity, making you invulnerable in the fight.
  • Lotus Orb - Reflects targetted spells and hence can also be used to prevent enemies from using single-targeted spells.
  • Assault Cuirass - Immense armor gain to both Slardar and his allies, also reduces enemy armor at the same time in an AoE.

Slardar is strong against

  • Anti-Mage - Slithereen Crush and Bash of the Deep deal physical damage, bypassing the magic resistance bonus from Counterspell.
  • Bounty Hunter - Bounty Hunter's Shadow Walk is rendered useless with Corrosive Haze and makes Bounty Hunter an easy target for Slardar and his team.
  • Ursa - Slardar is one of the few melee heroes who can lane against Ursa in the early game, out harassing him with Bash of the Deep, and running away from a bad engagement with Guardian Sprint.

Slardar is weak against 

  • Abbadon - Abaddon can cast Aphotic Shield on any of his allies to immediately dispel Corrosive Haze and/or the stun and the slow components of Slithereen Crush.
  • Meepo - Slardar does not do well against multiple targets, as his only way to damage multiple targets is Slithereen Crush.
  • Oracle - Fortune's End applies a basic dispel which can be used to dispel Corrosive Haze or even Slardar's own Guardian Sprint.
https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Slardar
 

6. Underlord

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Underlord is an essential counterpick if you are looking for an Offlaner that can decimate the enemy carry right from minute 0. He is notorious for being a menacing and resilient offlane hero against most squishy heroes. Squishy and melee carry heroes simply hate laning against Underlord as the latter has high physical damage which is hard to negate in the early game, along with high HP and armor which they find hard to penetrate. This relentless global potential is unmatched by most relevant heroes in the current meta. 

Underlord can easily outpace and outfarm the enemy carry throughout the game if he is in the offlane with the right lane partner. His impressive skill set is just the cherry on top, allowing his allies to escape and trapping his foes in the Pit of Malice. It’s quite a treat to see a farmed and fat Underlord take no damage from the equally farmed counterpart. This causes the latter to ignore him in teamfights, which eventually ends up costing him his life. The late game is a completely different playing field for Underlord as he can use Fiend’s Gate to transport himself and his allies into a fight or help them escape from a fight. 

Why is Underlord such a great offlane hero?

  • Builds items that provide him with resistance and armor
  • Naturally high base armor and HP gain, keeping him sustained right from the laning stage
  • High base Strength gain which is only amplified by the items he makes
  • Immense global presence potential with Fiend’s Gate's ultimate

Top 5 End Game items on Underlord

  • Blademail - Reflects enemy damage to them upon activation, discouraging his enemies from using any high-damage dealing spells, as it could backfire at them.
  • Lotus Orb - Reflects targetted spells and hence can also be used to dodge spells if timed correctly. Lotus Orb also provides a basic dispel upon activation.
  • Shiva’s Guard - Upon activation, it deals damage in an AoE around Underlord, slowing down the affected targets. It also provides increased armor and reduces enemy armor in an AoE.
  • Pipe of Insight - Provides immense magic damage block on activation, and affects the whole team. 
  • Crimson Guard - Provides immense physical damage block, and also affects the whole team as well as the towers.
  • Rod of Atos - Upon usage, Rod of Atos locks enemies down and prevents them from using any spells or moving. This can be used to lock the enemy carry down and follow it up with Pit of Malice, essentially perma-stunning them while his allies can follow up with damage.

Underlord is strong against

  • Phantom Lancer - Pit of Malice will continuously disrupt many illusions, drastically reducing their damage and potency.
  • Phantom Assassin - Pit of Malice prevents Phantom Assassin from either escaping or engaging with Phantom Strike.
  • Terrorblade - Atrophy Aura reduces Terrorblade's damage significantly, even during Metamorphosis.

Underlord is weak against

  • Underlord - Reaper's Scythe and Heartstopper Aura deal percentage-based damage, ignoring Underlord's high health.
  • Razor - Static Link greatly reduces Underlord damage, while benefiting Razor himself, even when in Atrophy Aura's range.
  • Luna - Eclipse can be devastating for Underlord's team when they're grouped up for Dark Rift, it can also be used to intercept arrivals with Dark Rift. And Pit of Malice does not prevent Luna from using it.
https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Underlord
 

5. Centaur Warruner

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The war chieftain, Centaur Warrunner, has seen many strong enemies in his war adventures, his forces have destroyed empires and defeated great warriors. Centaur is naturally a great counter to melee carries due to his ability to gap close with both his ultimate and the Blink Dagger. He can return some serious damage to him and it is further amplified with the Blade Mail. Even a highly farmed carry hero can not fight alone or target a farmed and fat Centaur. Alongside, Centaur can use ultimate to run away from a teamfight or initiate it, essentially disengaging and saving his allies as well as himself in teamfights.

Most heroes surely deal significant damage in the late game, but they merely poke the mighty and tanky Centaur, making him retaliate with higher damage back at them. Centaur is an effective offlane hero, as he remains powerful throughout the game. His power spikes allow him to both initiate the gank and survive through it with the help of his items. A late-game Centaur can easily catch low-mobility heroes off guard.

What makes Centaur a great offlane hero?

  • Naturally has high armor and HP, making him tanky right from the initial levels.
  • He also builds items that amplify his tanky nature, making it easy for him to stand his ground in teamfights.
  • Centaur can provide immense mobility, allowing them and their allies to engage or disengage from a fight.
  • Centaur also has Return, the ability that discourages his foes from hitting him, as it returns a percentage of the damage they deal to him.

Top 5 End Game items on Centaur Warrunner

  • Blink Dagger - Blink transports Centaur 1200 units in the distance he is facing, it can’t be used for 3 seconds if he takes any form of damage. Blink is used to close the gap and get on top of enemies and follow it up with Stomp.
  • Blade Mail - Can reflect enemy damage and prevent them from using spells, making Centaur invulnerable in team fights.
  • Force Staff - Allows Centaur to force himself or the targetted unit 600 units ahead in the direction they are facing. It is quite essential in catching or escaping from enemies as it does not get disabled on physical attacks like the Blink Dagger.
  • Aghanim’s Scepter and Shard - Can be used to initiate or save allies from ganks across the map as it makes Stampede Global.
  • Pipe of Insight - Provides immense magic damage block on activation, and affects the whole team.
  • Centaur is strong against
  • Pangolier - Pangolier will proc Retaliate several times if he attempts to use Swashbuckle on Centaur Warrunner.
  • Arc Warden - Arc Warden cannot take Centaur Warrunner very easily, and his nukes are not strong enough to deal with Centaur Warrunner.
  • Doom - Whenever Doom casts his ultimate, Centaur Warrunner can cast Stampede and allow the Doomed hero to run away, wasting Doom's ultimate.

Centaur is weak against

  • Clockwerk - Battery Assault easily interrupts Centaur Warrunner due to his poor cast animation.
  • Lifestealer - Feast is an effective tool against Centaur Warrunner, who generally has high health and low armor, and compensates the reflected damage of Retaliate.
  • Templar Assassin - Centaur has nothing to deal with Refraction that will negate all of his burst damage.

 https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Centaur_Warrunner

4. Legion Commander

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Legion Commander leaves no stone unturned when it comes to the battlefield. Tresdin, the Legion Commander has slain more foes on the battlefield than anyone else on this list. Her grit and vigor have resulted in abilities that make her invincible. She is known to lock enemies down and deal some serious damage to them with the help of her Duel. She is a nuisance right from the first initial levels, AoE damage and lifesteal allow her to sustain and deal damage in the lane as well as in the jungle. If you get enough Dual damage, you just might one-shot the enemy support! Legion Commander is one of those rare heroes who can be relevant and tanky right from the early game.

Primarily played in the offlane, Legion rarely faces a tough laning phase due to her toolkit which helps her survive. Her Movement of Courage and Press The Attack offers her enough sustain to stand her ground in the teamfights. She is highly picked in pubs when a team is lacking a damage dealer and crowd control component. Legion Commander only gets stronger as the game progresses, there is no way you can stop her wrath if she accumulates enough damage as she is capable of simply shotting low HP heroes in the late game.

What Makes Legion Commander a great offlane hero?

  • Moment of Courage passive provides up to 85% lifesteal with a 25% chance.
  • Overwhelming Odds is a great AoE ability that provides movement speed while dealing damage to enemies.
  • Press the Attack provides a dispel along with 60 HP/s regen which is enough to turn a fight around.
  • Becomes an active hero with the purchase of Blink Dagger or Shadow Blade.

Top 5 Best End-Game items for Legion Commander

  • Blink Dagger - On cast, Blink transports Legion Commander 1200 units in the distance she is facing, it can’t be used for 3 seconds if she takes any form of damage. Blink is used to close the gap and to get on top of enemies to use Duel, or it can also be used to escape away from them.
  • Blademail - Reflects enemy damage to them upon activation. It is useful in the Duel as it forces the enemy carry to hit you while doing double the damage back to them.
  • Black King Bar - It provides Legion with spell immunity from all of the enemy's magic damage spells, making her invulnerable in the fight.
  • Heaven’s Halberd - Upon cast, it disarms the targetted hero, making them unable to attack while Legion can freely attack them. Halberd can be used before using Duel to ensure Legion does not end up taking a ton of damage or save her allies from enemy onslaught.
  • Assault Cuirass - Increases armor and attack speed for Legion Commander while reducing the same for enemies in an AoE.

Legion Commander is strong against

  • Chen - Overwhelming Odds and Moment of Courage can take advantage of converted creeps' numbers.
  • Sniper - Sniper's low mobility and lack of defensive abilities make him an easy gank target for the entire game, especially if Blink Dagger is picked up.
  • Viper - Viper's frailty and low mobility make him an enticing Duel target and Corrosive Skin doesn't protect him against Legion Commander's physical attacks.

Legion Commander is weak against

  • Abbadon - Borrowed Time makes Abaddon nearly impossible to kill in Duels, and often replenishes much of his health because Legion Commander cannot manually stop attacking during Duels.
  • Luna - A well-timed Eclipse before a Duel usually prevents Legion Commander from winning Duels, if Luna is the target.
  • Mars - Because Duel requires both combatants to face each other, Bulwark's effectiveness will be increased by a huge margin, which makes it much more difficult for Legion Commander to win any duels against him.

https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Legion_Commander

3. Doom

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The harbinger of bad news, Doom is a devastating enemy if you are playing a squishy carry hero. This demon has sent countless of his enemies to the realm of hell, and frankly, any hero in this patch is no exception! His abilities are highly lethal, as they deal high damage right off the bat. He is considered to be a great counterpick in the offlane regardless of the hero picked, due to the high early-game damage. The Infernal Blade damage and disable coming from his eponymous ultimate is the stuff nightmares are made of!

Doom’s high base armor provides him sustain while fighting or jungling. Doom is known to farm effortlessly right from level one, courtesy of Devour. He is regarded as one of the most deadly disablers in the current meta. Spell-casting heroes hate disabling as it makes them unable to cast any spells, rendering them useless in fights. All it takes is one Blink and Doom to get the puny enemy carry out of the fight, as most of them virtually have no way to counter Doom for a very long time.

What Makes Doom a great offlane hero?

  • Devour kills creeps instantly, granting gold and him the abilities of the creep.
  • High strength gain and base armor, making it easy for him to jungle without taking much damage.
  • Scorched Earth deals massive AoE damage which accelerates his farming speed.
  • The ultimate Doom is great against mobile/slippery heroes as it silences and mutes them while making them take damage over time.

Top 5 Best End-Game items for Doom

  • Shadow Blade - Provides invisibility on the cast which can be used to escape or set up on enemies with his ultimate, Doom.
  • Blink Dagger - On cast, Blink transports you 1200 units in the distance you are facing, can’t be used for 3 seconds if you take any form of damage. Blink is used to close the gap and to get on top of enemies, or it can also be used to escape away from them.
  • Shiva’s Guard - Upon activation, it deals damage in an AoE, slowing down the affected targets. It also provides increased armor and reduces enemy armor in an AoE.
  • Black King Bar - Provides spell immunity from all enemy magic damage spells, making him invulnerable in the fight
  • Refresher’s Orb - Can refresh spells and items and use them again in quick succession to delete enemies from the fight

Doom is strong against

  • Tinker - Tinker is heavily dependent on active abilities and Doom prevents him from using any of them.
  • Spectre - Doom can entirely disable Spectre from a teamfight. 
  • Arc Warden - Arc Warden relies on items and abilities, as well as his Tempest Double, to deal damage to enemies. Doom effectively denies that and makes Arc Warden useless in fights.

Doom is weak against 

  • Lifestealer - Rage allows Lifestealer to become spell-immune to negate the magical damage of Infernal Blade and Scorched Earth.
  • Medusa - Doom does not disable Mana Shield. As such, Doom's damage is largely mitigated by her mana shield. Additionally, Medusa is not reliant on her abilities to be effective during a teamfight, making Medusa an unproductive hero to target.
  • Phantom Lancer - Phantom Lancer's illusions can make it difficult to Doom the original. Should Doom figure out the original hero, the illusions can make it difficult to cast any abilities, as their hitboxes can be used to body-block the Phantom Lancer.

https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Doom

2. Beastmaster

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Beastmaster is back in the meta! His ferocious abilities and vigor have made him into a primal killing machine! He is by far one of the most threatening heroes in the game! Beastmaster is primarily played in the offlane due to his split pushing and initiating abilities, though he can also jungle effortlessly thanks to his Wild Boar. His attack speed is also amplified by his abilities, allowing both him and his allies to hit faster. Beastmaster snowballs right after a few kills, his ganking potential is insane after a few essential item purchases.

Beastmaster also does not fall off in the game's late stages due to his relevant spells. Primal Roar pierce spell immunity, meaning it can be used without worrying even if the enemy has a Black King Bar on. This allows the mighty Beastmaster to separate certain heroes from the teamfight even in the later stages of the game. There are various reasons why Beastmaster is top 10 on this list, you can find some compelling reasons below!

What makes Beastmaster a great offlane hero? 

  • Mostly builds utility items, supplementing his team’s abilities.
  • Wild Boar helps with jungling and the Hawk provides the vision that can alert Beastmaster or his allies from enemy invasion.
  • He can teamfight as soon as he acquires his ultimate, which is essential in controlling the crowd during teamfights.
  • High base attack speed, damage, and armor.

Top 5 Best End-Game items for Beastmaster 

  • Blink Dagger - Blink transports Beastmaster 1200 units in the distance he is facing, it can’t be used for 3 seconds if he takes any form of damage. Blink is used to close the gap and get on top of enemies and follow it up with Primal Roar.
  • Helm of the Overlord - It is the upgraded version of Helm of the Dominator, which essentially allows Beastmaster to dominate an Ancient Creep while granting it various buffs under its control.
  • Drums of Endurance - Upon usage, it increases the attack and movement speed of Beastmaster and his allies in an AoE. This can be cast during a teamfight or to escape from one!
  • Black King Bar - Provides spell immunity, making Beastmaster invulnerable in the fight.
  • Wraith Pact - On activation, the Pact summons a movable totem that deals 30 DPS and reduces 30% of the damage dealt by enemies in a certain radius. This makes it great against both magical and physical damage heroes.

Beastmaster is strong against 

  • Monkey King - Wild Axes can knock out Monkey King from a tree. The Hawk can easily find Monkey King while he is sitting on a tree.
  • Troll Warlord - Primal Roar and the slow from Boars make kiting Troll Warlord very easy.
  • Wraith King - Wraith King's lack of area of effect spells makes him easily overwhelmed by Beastmaster's summons.

Beastmaster is weak against 

  • Abbadon - Aphotic Shield effectively nullifies Primal Roar's single-target initiation on allies.
  • Winter Wyvern - Cold Embrace mitigates Primal Roar's single-target initiation on allies.
  • Timbersaw -Reactive Armor is very effective against Beastmaster's summons during the laning stage and the entire game.

https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Beastmaster

1. Magnus

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The strength of the hoof and horns has bestowed Magnus with a great ton of power. Magnus can be picked in the offlane due to his abilities that can decimate multiple heroes at once He can compete and quite effortlessly out-farm his enemy carry with Empower. In the later stages of the game, Magnus is more spell and level reliant as opposed to farm, as all it takes is one Blink Dagger to ruin the enemy’s tempo. A successful blink into Reverse Polarity followed up by his team can guarantee the game victory.

Magnus has various crowd control abilities which essentially allow him to snatch his enemies away from their team and bring them to his allies for feasting! His ultimate is undoubtedly the core reason behind his massive pick and win rate. Magnus is also a reliable offlaner, as he can essentially buff his allies with Empower, helping them fast faster. It is obvious that mastering Magus requires some practice, but it all pays well seeing a satisfying 5-man RP!

Why is Magnus a great offlane hero? 

  • Requires minimal farm to get online, all he needs is a Blink Dagger
  • Immense crowd-control potential with all his spells and items
  • Great laner as he has high armor as well as high HP, allowing him to sustain through fights and early game skirmishes
  • He does not fall off in the late game, as his abilities only get better in the later stages

Top 5 Best End-Game items for Magnus

  • Blink Dagger - On cast, Blink transports Magnus 1200 units in the distance he is facing, can’t be used for 3 seconds if he takes any form of damage. Blink is used to close the gap and get on top of enemies and use Reverse Polarity, or it can also be used to escape away from them.
  • Aghanim’s Shard - Grants Horn Toss ability, which tosses any enemies in front of Magnus, launching them to his rear. This can be followed by Skewer to bring the tossed enemies near his team, which can affect multiple enemies.
  • Force Staff - Allows Centaur to force himself or the targetted unit 600 units ahead in the direction they are facing. It is quite essential in catching or escaping from enemies as it does not get disabled on physical attacks like the Blink Dagger.
  • Black King Bar - Provides spell immunity, making Magnus invulnerable in the fight against magic damage spells, ensuring that he is relevant through teamfights.
  • Eul’s Scepter - Can be used to sweep Magnus or the targetted enemy into the air for 2.5 seconds, making them unable to use spells or move. This can be used to lock enemies down to setup up his Reverse Polarity or temporarily shut them off from the fights.

Magnus is strong against

  • Meepo - Meepo is vulnerable to area damage and disables by Magnus himself as well as his team through Empower.
  • Lifestealer - Reverse Polarity pierces through Rage, wasting part of its duration.
  • Chaos Knight - All Magnus abilities are very good against Chaos Knight's Phantasm illusions.

Magnus is weak against

  • Alchemist - Magnus has very mediocre damage against Alchemist because he can survive the stun duration of Reverse Polarity with Chemical Rage.
  • Disruptor - Disruptor can disable Magnus's Blink Dagger using Thunder Strike for a considerable duration, disrupting his initiation attempts.
  • Razor - Static Link drains the bonus damage from Empower. However, it can be broken by Skewer and/or Force Staff.

https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Magnus

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Siddhesh
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