Who Lion statistically beats
Top 7 enemies with a positive win rate for Lion (matchup edge over +1.5%):
| Hero | Edge | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Brewmaster | +9.0% | ALL · Carry / Initiator |
| Faceless Void | +9.0% | AGI · Carry / Initiator |
| Lina | +9.0% | INT · Support / Carry |
| Monkey King | +9.0% | AGI · Carry / Escape |
| Phantom Lancer | +9.0% | AGI · Carry / Escape |
| Slark | +9.0% | AGI · Carry / Escape |
| Ursa | +9.0% | AGI · Carry / Durable |
These opponents are regularly caught by Lion's kit. If they're on the enemy team — focus them in fights.
Who counters Lion
Top 7 heroes Lion has the hardest time against:
| Hero | Deficit | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Enchantress | -7.9% | INT · Support / Pusher |
| Batrider | -7.1% | ALL · Initiator / Disabler |
| Snapfire | -7.0% | ALL · Support / Nuker |
| Earth Spirit | -6.7% | STR · Nuker / Escape |
| Omniknight | -6.5% | STR · Support / Durable |
| Treant Protector | -6.3% | STR · Support / Initiator |
| Legion Commander | -6.0% | STR · Carry / Disabler |
If the enemy first-picked one of these five — consider swapping Lion for another hero, or pair a save support (see synergies below).
Item counters against Lion
When Lion is on the enemy team, these items give your team a chance to claw back a draft deficit:
- Black King Bar — magic immunity for 5–9 seconds. The baseline counter against any magical carry.
- Pipe of Insight — a team magic shield that absorbs the first ult nuke.
- Eternal Shroud — magic resist + HP restored from magic damage taken.
- Linken's Sphere — blocks the first targeted cast (Hex, Doom).
Umbrella's Item Auto-Use module casts save items automatically — Glimmer / Lotus / Ghost on an incoming Lion cast.
Best synergies for Lion
Heroes worth pairing with Lion (by neutral matchup diff and role):
- Broodmother — Carry
- Magnus — Initiator
- Puck — Initiator
- Pudge — Disabler
- Riki — Carry
Draft-phase tip
If Lion is picked first — respond with a mobile hero that has an escape ability.
With Umbrella's Info Screen you see enemies approaching through the fog — time to prepare BKB or Linken's before the initiation.
FAQ
Where does the matchup data come from?
The live OpenDota feed — the official public Dota 2 stats API. Updated daily across millions of ranked games.
How seriously should I take a 1.5% diff?
At low ranks (Herald–Crusader) skill gap matters more than the matchup. From Ancient up, +3% is a noticeable edge. At Divine and above — every tenth of a percent counts.
Can you win against a counter-pick?
Yes. A counter-pick is a statistic, not a verdict. With the right build (see item counters above) and a save support you can claw it back. More — in "What are counter-picks".
Where do I get auto-combo for Lion?
On the Lion guide — the "Umbrella scripts" section. A ready config with binds — in CFG.