Would you like to learn how to win games by playing Underlord in Dota 2?
Though not quite as famous as others, Underlord is a highly viable Offlaner that players among all brackets underrate. A Strength-based hero that has excellent stats, Underlord also has quite a versatile arsenal. His toolkit includes both magic damages as well as lockdown. This makes it vital for Offlaners to learn how to play Underlord in Dota 2.
Besides having great potential to push and demolish structures, he can dominate the Lane and get kills with his spells. Furthermore, he can also reduce enemy damage itself, allowing him to plow through enemy lineups while ensuring his own safety. Though he has slow attack speed, his abilities help cover up his shortcomings and weaknesses.
With impeccable zoning abilities that allow him to control the battlefield, Underlord is a great team fighter. Apart from this, he has great farming abilities that allow him to match almost any other Offlane hero. In addition, he has minimal item dependency and is potent at all stages of the game. This is a key reason to learn how to play Underlord in Dota 2.
Having such a balanced and versatile arsenal, Underlord is quite potent against a number of heroes. Some of these heroes are Drow Ranger, Legion Commander, Phantom Lancer, and Phantom Assassin. As for heroes who he can support and amplify in fights, there is quite a long list. Disruptor, Dragon Knight, Rubick, and Leshrac are among these heroes.
Underlord’s Abilities
His first ability, Firestorm, is an AoE magic damage ability that helps him deal damage to a relatively large area. With Firestorm, there are waves of fire that come down onto a radius of 425 units. It deals a base damage of 90 per wave and has six waves that come down during its duration. Moreover, it deals damage that depends on an enemy’s max health.
With immense potential and multiple use cases, Firestorm is an exceptional spell for many reasons. This ability is a key reason one should learn to play Underlord in Dota 2.
Pit of Malice is his main source of lockdown and is yet another AoE ability that boosts his arsenal. Every time an enemy steps into the pit, the ability roots them for 1.8 seconds. Not only this, but the ability has a root interval and can root the same enemy after an interval. This is hugely useful when considering that the pit lasts for an outrageous 12 seconds.
A passive ability, Atrophy Aura is a spell that weakens Under Lord’s enemies while buffing himself constantly. In an area of 900 units around him, he weakens enemies by reducing their attack damage by 35%. Any creeps or hero that dies around him gives Underlord attack damage. This damage buff lasts for 75 seconds and makes him a great fighter.
Underlord’s ultimate spell is the Fiend’s Gate which allows him to be virtually anywhere on the map instantly. Using this move, he creates 2 portals, one next to himself and the other, which can be throughout the map. These portals last for 20 seconds and are a seamless way to teleport to another area. The channel time for the portals is 3 seconds to teleport.
How to Utilize his Abilities
With a relatively low cooldown of 12 seconds, Firestorm is an ability that one must spam. Whether to use it while farming, applying pressure, or just harassing enemies in the Lane, it is a great tool. Many also do not know that the Firestorm has residual burn damage. This is important, as one can use it to finish off enemies that are running away from fights.
Against Melee Carries or heroes with minimal attack range, Pit of Malice is an exceptional lockdown ability. With its long duration, this ability is not only useful in fights but has other uses. A primary use of this ability is how one can use it to trap enemies or block entryways. It is perfect when one uses it in conjunction with Firestorm for max damage.
Though many might not think of Atrophy Aura as much because it is a passive ability, this is very wrong. With Atrophy Aura, Underlord can render enemies useless when in the correct positions. In the Lane, he should aim to stand near enemies to make Last Hitting much harder. He can also be a viable frontliner that weakens enemies with this ability.
Fiend’s Gate is a great ability to allow Underlord’s team to be anywhere in an instant. Moreover, one can even look at it like a second teleportation scroll and can push effortlessly with it. Apart from being just a way to move around the map, it is also a great way to escape fights. Lastly, with solid timing, he can even trap enemies with this move.
Item Build
As a defensive Offlaner or Tanky Utility Support, there are a lot of items that the Underlord can go for. First, for the Laning Stage, Underlord, though tanky, still needs healing to trade effectively. For his healing, he can buy Tangoes, Healing Salves, Clarities, and Enchanted Mangoes. Lastly, he needs a Quelling Blade for Last Hitting easily in Lane.
Once the first few minutes pass, Underlord can get a few more items that aid him in the Lane. These include a Magic Stick as well as building towards a Soul Ring. Providing him with survivability and healing, both these items are important to succeed in the Lane. By the end of the Laning Stage, he should also have Boots of Speed for additional mobility.
Leading up to the Mid Game, Underlord usually has three choices for his first item. These are either the Rod of Atos, Mekanism, or Hood of Defiance. Whether he is facing aggressive players or won lane, he can choose between these. The Mekanism is viable in fast-paced games, while the Hood of Defiance is potent against Magic Damage.
While in the Mid Game, Underlord can farm relatively easily, and thus, he can easily build items. After completing the basics, he can build further defensive items. Choices for items include the Pipe of Insight, Guardian Greaves, or a Crimson guard if against massive physical damage.
The key item to succeeding in the game as Underlord, however, is the Black King Bar. This provides him with spell immunity and supreme survivability. The Wraith Pact is also a solid item and can give his team an excellent advantage. Another item worth buying is the Aghanim’s Shard which is vastly more popular than other items.
Laning Stage and Gameplay
In the Lane, Underlord is not as aggressive as other Offlaners and usually plays a bit passively. However, his Firestorm allows him to harass enemies and zone them quite easily. Applying pressure at this stage is the best way to push the tower early and win the Lane effortlessly.
After the Lane is over, he can be a pillar for his team by rotating to other lanes and making space. With the help of his Support, getting kills is extremely easy, and Smoking to get into fights is optimal. Invading the enemy jungle to block off enemy farming spots is also ideal. This grants Underlord’s Carry a lot of space to take over the game later on.
Underlord is a very useful defensive Offlaner who can be the backbone to winning easy games. His abilities are diverse and provide him with immense AoE utility. His durability and survivability grant him superior tanking capabilities, allowing him to be frontline. These reasons make learning how to play Underlord in Dota 2 very lucrative.
