Ability
Earth Spike
Rock spikes burst from the earth along a straight path. Enemy units are hurled into the air, then are stunned and take damage when they fall.
↻ 14 / 13 / 12 / 11 sec.Mana 90 / 110 / 130 / 150
Lion
Abilities, roles and builds with an explanation for every purchase.
HERO GAME PLANWhat I want to do in the game
I provide the first disable and stop the enemy from using their abilities while the team focuses them.
Lion gives enemies little chance to retaliate. Stunning targets with a damaging row of spikes, or temporarily transforming them into a harmless critter, even if his powerful spells aren't enough, he and his allies should still have all the time they need to slay their foes.
Abilities at hand
01 / ROLE IN THE TEAM
A pick is not a plan yet.
My recommendation is a starting point. We choose another position together with the team and for its needs.
04
Support · position 4
Initial recommendationI contribute through laning, control and movement. I adapt the expensive core route to my budget.
05
Hard support · position 5
Help the lane, provide vision and keep the ally alive first; expensive upgrades follow the necessary team purchases.
02 / ITEMS FOR A PURPOSE
What I buy and why.
This is an editorial starting plan based on hero mechanics. It is not presented as a match I have already tested or a popularity ranking.
Support · position 4
My starting plan
Here is my initial plan: I do my role's job first, then choose the items the team needs. I adapt the order and expensive purchases to the opponent.
01 / First stepTranquil BootsProvide speed and regeneration between engagements, fitting a support’s budget.
02 / FoundationBlink DaggerChanges the entry angle and lets me reach a target quickly. Damage taken can prevent its use.
03 / FoundationAether LensLets you use targeted abilities and items from a safer distance.
04 / Next choiceGlimmer CapeAdds a protective tool and hides the chosen ally; invisibility does not replace escaping detection.
05 / Next choiceAghanim's ShardUnlocks or upgrades Mana Drain. The exact effects are shown below in the abilities section.
What I change for the situation 3 options
Force Staff ↗Moves me or an ally out of danger; direction depends on the target's facing.
Aeon Disk ↗Protects against sudden focus fire. I account for the cooldown and the fact that my damage is limited while it triggers.
Aghanim's Scepter ↗Unlocks or upgrades Finger of Death. The exact effects are shown below in the abilities section.
I see the minute on the clock. And the situation too.
I do not assign one ‘correct’ minute to every purchase. I look at my gold, the next fight and the problem: am I missing mana, target access, control or protection? If an expensive slot will arrive too late, I get a useful answer earlier.
03 / HERO ABILITIES
Abilities. As in the game.
Original Valve icons and descriptions. Cooldowns and mana are shown by level from the data snapshot; talents and upgrades can change the values.
Ability
Hex
Transforms an enemy unit into a harmless beast, with all special abilities disabled.
↻ 24 / 20 / 16 / 12 sec.Mana 110 / 140 / 170 / 200
Ability
Mana Drain
CHANNELED — creates a magical link with an enemy, draining its mana into the caster and slowing its movement. If the target has no mana left, the slow increases by 15%.
↻ 15 / 12 / 9 / 6 sec.
Details and upgrades
CHANNELED - Channels magical energy, taking mana and slowing enemies over time. If the enemy has no mana remaining, the slow is increased by 15%. Can target allies to give them mana and movement speed at a 50% rate.
Aghanim’s Shard
Increases the ability’s number of targets by 2 and increases the break distance. Grants the owner debuff immunity and +60% magic resistance while channeling.
Ability
Finger of Death
Unleashes his fury on an enemy unit, trying to turn it inside out and dealing massive damage.
↻ 110 / 70 / 30 sec.Mana 200 / 400 / 600
Details and upgrades
Rips at an enemy unit, trying to turn it inside-out, dealing massive damage to the target. After using Finger of Death, Lion's hand becomes empowered, allowing him to use a cleaving melee attack with 250 range with bonus movement speed. Finger of Death gains permanent bonus damage for it and the fist for each enemy Hero it or the fist kills. The melee attack may be disabled by setting the ability to Alt Cast.
Aghanim’s Scepter
Finger of Death gains area of effect damage on the initial cast, and increases duration and cleave damage on its subsequent melee attacks.
Innates, upgrades and other forms1 ability +
These abilities are not necessarily available at the same time. I check the condition beside the name: innate ability, another form or an Aghanim purchase.
Innate
To Hell and Back
After participating in a hero kill, the ability’s owner gains +20% debuff duration until that hero respawns.
Full description
After participating in a hero kill, the ability’s owner gains +20% debuff duration until that hero respawns. On respawning, the ability’s owner gains +20% spell damage for 90 sec. or until participating in a kill.
Valve base stats +
- Health · base
- 516
- Mana · base
- 303
- Damage · Valve field
- 48–54
- Armour · Valve field
- 2.5
- Movement speed
- 290
- Attack range
- 600
- Strength · base / gain
- 18 / 2.4
- Agility · base / gain
- 15 / 1.7
- Intelligence · base / gain
- 19 / 3.5
These are fields from the official source. The hero's final values in the client account for attributes and other active mechanics.
KEEP EXPLORING
One hero. Many decisions.
Items, slang and real episodes help connect abilities with what happens in a match.