Magnus is a strength melee hero who can function in multiple roles. He gained immense popularity for becoming one of the biggest reasons for Team Spirit’s win at The International 2021. His versatility allows him to be played at any position, be it a core or support. This article will show you the Best Magnus Counters in Dota 2, and teach you how to win your games against him.
His abilities Skewer and Horn Toss, when combined together, give a certified kill against most enemy heroes. At the same time, Empower gives cleave and bonus damage to him or his allies. Shockwaves can be used as a finishing move or to clear out creep waves. A powerful AOE ultimate that stuns enemies is the perfect initiating tool for any team.
As a hero who possesses multiple ganking and team fighting abilities, he can truly change the tide of any match. Although mastering the timing of his abilities is hard, once perfected, Magnus can single-handedly lead his team to victory. In spite of these buffs, Magnus can still be subdued with the correct strategy using counter heroes.
Magnus
Magnus, the Magnoceros, is naturally a very tanky hero. This allows him to take multiple hits, baiting enemies while his teammates deal with them. He can be played as an Offlaner, a Support, a Midlaner, or even as a Carry. Although, it’s recommended to play him as an Offlaner as that is where he shines best.
His first ability, Shockwave, sends a wave of damage in a straight line. It pulls and slows enemies for a brief period disrupting their positioning. This can help drag back enemy heroes trying to escape or to farm creeps efficiently.
Empower is a buff that provides the targeted hero with bonus damage and cleave on attack. This is a great farming tool, and also provides extra damage to ally cores to help kill opponents faster.
Skewer is a great initiating ability, as Magnus runs in a straight line, dragging all enemy heroes he hits, along the way. Enemies hit with Skewer are slowed and have reduced attack speed. His ultimate, Reverse Polarity is an AOE disable that stuns all enemies in an area for a long period, making it one of the best team fighting abilities in the game.
Aghanim’s Shard grants him Horn Toss, which tosses any enemy in front of him to the back. When paired with Skewer, this combo is guaranteed to give a kill if the timing is done right. Aghanim’s Scepter allows Magnus to release 3 shockwaves at an angle, which then return to him, dealing damage on the way to enemies.
This is why Blink Dagger is a must-have item on Magnus. It allows him to place his ultimate and Skewer perfectly. Initiating a favorable team fight that will most often result in a win.
Counter
Magnus has a high impact on the game, especially after he gets his Blink Dagger. He can change the course of the game with by accurately placing his ultimate, Reverse Polarity. Therefore, knowing the counters to Magnus in Dota 2 is essential to winning the match against him.
Huskar
Huskar is one of the best counters to Magnus, because of his health regen and damage-dealing abilities. He can easily man fight with Magnus because of his high attack speed and massive health pool. Stacks of Burning Spear can quickly kill Magnus before he has a chance to finish Huskar.
Burning Spear also provides damage over time, disabling Blink Dagger and preventing escape or initiation from Magnus. Huskar can also counter Magnus’s initiation with Life Break, allowing his team to position themselves away from each other. Inner Fire can also disarm Magnus, preventing him from using his Empowered physical attacks.
Black King Bar on Huskar counters all of Magnus’s abilities and allows Huskar to run him down without any worries of being disabled.
Bloodseeker
Bloodseeker is a melee agility hero who specializes in hunting down targets that have built-in escape abilities. Paired with his Thirst, he can have maximum movement and attack speed making it incredibly easy for him to meltdown his targets.
Blood Rite allows Bloodseeker to silence Magnus and stop him from using Reverse Polarity. With Bloodrage, he can continue attacking Magnus and life steal HP off of him with the Aghanim’s Shard. Making it easy for him to kill Magnus despite him being a tank.
Finally, Bloodseeker’s ultimate ability, Rupture, makes it impossible for Magnus to escape without dying. Should he dare use Skewer, he will only end up taking more damage from the ability while Bloodseeker can also use force staff on him. In whichever case, Magnus becomes easy to kill once Rupture is used on him. Forcing him to buy a Linken’s Sphere.
Jakiro
Jakiro is the first on this list of Best Magnus Counters in Dota 2. Being a support, he will be in the safe lane and play against Magnus’s offlane. This makes him a great counter as he can nerf Magnus from the early game. Providing hindrance to his growth throughout the match.
Most of Jakiro’s abilities deal damage over time. This causes Magnus’s Blink Dagger to keep on refreshing, stopping him from initiating a team fight with it. Magnus will have to walk up to the frontlines in order to cast Reverse Polarity, which makes it easy to target him and his allies.
Macropyre can destroy trees in its radius, which removes the fog of war from the area. Making it easy to spot Magnus if he’s trying to hide in the trees and initiate using his Blink Dagger. Allowing Jakiro and his teammates to get the jump on him and secure a kill instead.
Razor
Razor is a strong counter to Magnus because of his slow and damage-reducing abilities. He can slow Magnus during skewer with his Plasma Field, and can also disable his Blink Dagger. Static Link can drain the bonus damage that Empower gives, turning the advantage of the ability against him.
Storm Surge gives razor high mobility, which allows him to avoid Shockwave and Reverse Polarity. It also allows him to chase Magnus and not let him escape. Eye of the Storm deals damage, reduces armor and gives Razor the ability to kill Magnus quickly. This also helps disable his Blink Dagger.
Night Stalker
Night Stalker is an innovative counter to Magnus, as he reduces the enemy team’s vision. He can slow and damage Magnus with Void, while also silencing him with Crippling Fear so that he is unable to cast any abilities. Dark Ascension reduces vision for the enemy team, which makes it difficult for Magnus to initiate.
Aghanim’s Scepter makes Void an AOE ability, making it easier to scout and disable Magnus, preventing him from initiating on the team. Black King Bar also directly counters him, as he can’t target Night Stalker with any of his abilities.
Disruptor
Disruptor is one of the Best Magnus Counters in Dota 2 because of his disabling abilities. Thunder Strike can give vision, and disable Blink Dagger for a considerable duration, disrupting Magnus’s gank attempts. Glimpse can either send Magnus back when he initiates, or bring him back when he’s trying to run away with Skewer.
Static Storm silences and damages Magnus for a long period of time, during which allies can get the kill on Magnus. Aghanim’s Scepter mutes and silences enemies in Static Storm, preventing Magnus from using Force Staff to run away.
Tinker
Tinker is a hard counter to Magnus, as he can easily stop his initiating attempts. Laser can disable his Blink Dagger, and also cause him to miss all his attacks, which makes Empower useless. Heat-Seeking Missile paired up with Rearm delays initiating, as Tinker constantly targets Magnus who can do nothing except try and escape.
Aghanim’s Shard gives Tinker March of the Machines, which can break Magnus’s blink dagger. Blink Dagger along with Rearm gives Tinker high mobility, which forces Magnus to commit Reverse Polarity, only on Tinker so that he may kill him.Â
Magnus is one of the strongest heroes to add to a team’s draft. Being a team player, he can instantly provide his core heroes with a better early game than usual. He can control the momentum of the game and is a beast of a hero in the right hands. Hopefully, this article will help you in picking the Best Magnus Counters in Dota 2 to help you win your games against him.
