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Lion build, counters and guide for Dota 2 7.41
Lion wins 48.4% of its 130,465 Divine+ games on patch 7.41f (games from 2026-09-15 to 2026-10-30). Lion is played as Hard support (pos 5) in 52% of its 451 Divine+ games with a recorded position, and as Soft support (pos 4) in 33%. Below: starting items, the item build and when its core items come, counters and lane notes – measured from recent pro and Divine+ games and rebuilt as the patch and the meta move.
Data through 2026-10-31 · patch 7.41f · page updated 2026-11-01
Lion at a glance
| Divine+ win rate | 48.4% over 130,465 games |
|---|---|
| Main position | Hard support (pos 5), Soft support (pos 4) |
| Primary attribute | Intelligence |
| Attack type | Ranged |
| Roles | Support, Disabler, Nuker, Initiator |
Lion abilities
The spells on the hero's ability bar and its innate ability, as the game lists them.
Which position Lion is played in
| Position | Share of Divine+ games | Divine+ tier | Pro tier · picked / banned |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mid (pos 2) | 14% | – | – |
| Soft support (pos 4) | 33% | B | C · picked 4%, banned 2% |
| Hard support (pos 5) | 52% | A | – |
Share of the 451 Divine+ games with a recorded position (patch 7.41f). Tiers are this patch's tier list at that position, from Divine+ and pro games.
Lion starting items
The most common whole starting basket of recent pro and Divine+ players at each position, with the newest games counted most.
Hard support (pos 5)
×2
Brought whole by 6% of the 2,831 players counted at this position.
Soft support (pos 4)
- ×2
Brought whole by 4% of the 6,286 players counted at this position.
Lion item build
The items that Divine+ and pro players of this hero complete most often at each position, with the share of games that finished each one.
Hard support (pos 5)
Divine+ players
97%
94%
65%
47%
24%
16%
13%
13%
234 Divine+ games at this position.
Pro games
- 94%
- 81%
- 62%
- 30%
- 21%
21%- 20%
15%
62 pro games on this patch at this position, the newest counted most.
Soft support (pos 4)
Divine+ players
- 95%
- 91%
- 67%
- 37%
- 21%
- 17%
13%- 13%
150 Divine+ games at this position.
Pro games
- 93%
- 84%
- 76%
- 32%
- 27%
- 24%
- 19%
- 16%
152 pro games on this patch at this position, the newest counted most.
When Lion finishes core items
The game minute at which Divine+ players complete each key item: the median, and the range the middle half of them fall in.
Hard support (pos 5)
| Item | Median | Middle half | Games |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blink Dagger | 17:42 | 15:58–20:06 | 226 |
| Glimmer Cape | 26:04 | 23:24–30:07 | 110 |
| Force Staff | 29:17 | 25:13–33:09 | 37 |
| Aether Lens | 29:36 | 24:24–33:22 | 56 |
| Eul's Scepter of Divinity | 32:10 | 28:27–38:21 | 30 |
| Aghanim's Scepter | 35:09 | 29:52–38:52 | 30 |
Soft support (pos 4)
| Item | Median | Middle half | Games |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blink Dagger | 16:54 | 15:01–19:16 | 143 |
| Aether Lens | 26:03 | 24:36–32:44 | 31 |
| Glimmer Cape | 26:33 | 23:48–28:43 | 55 |
Lion counters and matchups
From the Divine+ draft tables the coach drafts with: each number is how many points of win chance the matchup moves when the two heroes meet, with both heroes' own win rates taken out. Only matchups that clearly stand out are listed.
Heroes that are hard on Lion
Laning against Lion
- At level 3, Lion deals about 401 damage to a typical laner in 8 seconds of fighting, mostly through spell burst – more than 53 of the other 126 heroes (items not counted).
Quick answers about Lion
What is the best item build for Lion?
Divine+ players at Hard support (pos 5) most often finish Blink Dagger, Tranquil Boots, Magic Wand, Glimmer Cape.
What starting items should I buy on Lion?
At Hard support (pos 5) the most common starting basket of recent pro and Divine+ players is Blood Grenade, Iron Branch, Magic Stick, Tango, Sentry Ward.
Who counters Lion?
In Divine+ drafts Lion struggles most against Lycan, Wraith King, Rubick.
Which position is Lion played in?
Mostly Hard support (pos 5): 52% of its Divine+ games with a recorded position.
Play Lion with a live coach in your ear
Highground is a live voice coach for Dota 2: it watches your game while you play and tells you the item, danger and map calls, tuned to your hero and position.