Hey, what is up, guys? It’s your boy Librarian Husky here, and today we’re going to be going over the five best combos in Dota right now. These are combos that are not only good in the laning stage but are also good in the game.
Top Dota Combos
Some of them are particularly strong in the laning stage, while others shine in the mid to late game.
Let’s delve into some of the best Dota combos currently in play. When your support is drafted, it presents an opportunity to pick a core that complements their abilities. Conversely, if you’re playing as a support, you can suggest core picks that synergize well with your chosen hero.
Laning Synergies and Strategy
The first combo discussed is Faceless Void Wyvern, primarily effective during the laning phase, although its synergy becomes somewhat clunky as the game progresses into mid and late stages. This is largely due to the intricate balance required from the Wyvern player, as the combination of Chronosphere and Winter’s Curse can lead to anti-synergy if not executed with precision.
Despite potential challenges in later game stages, this laning combo holds merit. The key lies in the strategic use of AoE stuns, a tactic that Winter Wyvern complements well. Historically, professional teams have paired Wyvern with heroes capable of such stuns, like Nyx or Sand King, to exploit this synergy effectively.
Moreover, other hero combinations, such as Wind Ranger or Monkey King, can also work harmoniously with Wyvern. Wind Ranger’s Shackleshot and Monkey King’s ability to build up Jingu Mastery during Winter’s Curse, followed by a powerful Wukong’s Command, demonstrate the diverse potential of this combo. Understanding the correct sequence and timing of abilities is crucial, especially when integrating Winter’s Curse with Faceless Void’s Chronosphere, to ensure effective team fight execution in the game’s later phases.
Effective Dota Combos: Laning Synergy
This combo is appealing because of the synergistic way the heroes complement each other during the laning phase. Faceless Void stands out as a resilient hero with strong base stats. His abilities, Time Walk and Time Dilation, are particularly effective for survival and focusing on last-hitting creeps.
Similarly, Wyvern is inclined towards carries that can sustain themselves and secure creep kills. By leveling up Arctic Burn at level one for effective trading and harassment, followed by Cold Embrace at level two for healing, Wyvern ensures that Faceless Void remains healthy and competitive in lane. While this duo may not always dominate the lane, they have the potential to secure kills by combining Time Dilation and Arctic Burn.
Mid-Game Mastery: Unleashing the Power of Faceless Void and Wyvern
As the game transitions into the mid-game, this combination boasts formidable team-fighting capabilities, attributed to two main factors. Firstly, both heroes possess powerful AOE spells inherently. Secondly, the strategic purchase of Mage Slayer by Wyvern, coupled with Faceless Void’s Time Dilation, severely hampers the effectiveness of opposing spellcasters. This unique synergy can be devastating in team fights, rendering most spell-dependent heroes ineffective.
Expanding on this concept, similar synergy can be observed with other heroes like Ember Spirit or Hoodwink when paired with Faceless Void, given their affinity for the Mage Slayer item. However, Wyvern’s reliable support through Arctic Burn post-Chronosphere offers substantial damage output and follow-through potential. This dynamic allows for a versatile yet defensively oriented playstyle, making it a well-rounded combo that scales proficiently into the later stages of the game.
Mid-Game Strategy and Synergy
Alright, getting to the second combo, we have Techies and Abaddon. I’m a big fan of this combo because the heroes kind of balance each other out. Techies’ Shard does provide a save mechanism, but fundamentally, Techies is an all-out, aggressive hero focused on securing kills with mines and Blast Off. Abaddon offers a different dynamic. With his ultimate and Aphotic Shield, he can both initiate and save allies, making him a versatile presence on the battlefield. These contrasting roles allow for a diverse range of tactics within a team.
However, it’s worth noting that their synergy in the mid-game can be somewhat limited. Unlike other pairings where one hero’s abilities might directly set up another’s, Abaddon’s charge into battle doesn’t inherently complement Techies’ need for setup with stuns or slows for his explosives. Despite this, the combination of Orb of Corrosion and Curse of Avernus from Abaddon can still be effective during the laning phase, providing some level of synergy with Techies’ area denial and harassment capabilities.
Dynamic Duo: Techie and Abaddon
What I really like about this combo is its inherent strength. The main strategy to counter Abaddon often involves utilizing long-range heroes that excel in trading. However, Techies can negate many of these advantages with his superior base stats, armor, attack range, and particularly his Sticky Bomb, which serves as an effective trading tool early in the game. Techies’ ability to stand his ground in one-on-one situations allows Abaddonto adopt a more aggressive playstyle in the lane, using his shield not just defensively but as a tool to exert pressure.
In the laning phase, if Abaddon can proactively use his Aphotic Shield to engage, especially targeting the ranged creeps or the enemy carry, he establishes a strong lane presence. This is bolstered by his solid base stats and the dual functionality of his shield, which not only absorbs damage but also delivers it, acting essentially as a 240 damage nuke in an area around him.
Strategic Synergy: Navigating Mid-Game with Abaddon and Techies
As the game progresses, Abaddon might shift towards a more aggressive approach, focusing on items like Phase Saber or Mage Slayer, depending on the chosen build. On the other hand, Techies thrives in a support role that involves wave clearing and farming, addressing one of Abaddon’s core weaknesses as a carry: the lack of efficient wave clear before acquiring items like Manta Style. Compared to heroes like Mars or Dark Seer, Abaddon’s wave-clearing ability is notably slower, which can hinder his kill potential.
Techies can complement this by taking over wave clearing duties, allowing Abaddon to focus on team engagements and strategic movements in the early to mid-game. This dynamic provides a versatile approach to lane management, with the option to alternate between who farms the lane and who takes on neutral camps. Both heroes exhibit a high degree of flexibility and synergy in their roles.
Furthermore, while Abaddon may lack burst damage, Techies fills this gap with his explosive arsenal, rounding out the duo’s combat capabilities. This synergy makes for a potent laning phase, with effective strategies extending into the mid-game and influencing overall map control.
Emerging Synergy: Phoenix and Windranger
Next up is a combo I recently encountered in a ranked match that proved to be exceptionally effective: Phoenix and Windranger. This duo stands out for several reasons. Windranger has gained popularity in the professional scene due to her versatility in laning, scalability, and the challenge opponents face in countering her. Despite certain supports like Shadow Demon posing a threat, Windranger’s adaptability allows players to overcome most challenges by opting for items like BKB or Manta Style, enhancing her utility and survivability given her all-around capabilities.
Phoenix complements this pairing well, offering what I consider to be among the best scaling support abilities in the game, rivaling even Wyvern’s impact. Phoenix’s innate role as a support brings a unique dynamic to the duo, providing both offensive and defensive capabilities that synergize well with Windranger’s skill set.
Phoenix and Windranger Synergy
Phoenix is a hero that notably scales well into the late game, beginning to show its farming potential as early as level three and more so at level seven with maxed-out Fire Spirits. This ability to farm neutrals effectively allows Phoenix to maintain relevance even if the pace of the game slows. The hero’s ultimate, Supernova, offers significant team fight potential, and its Sunray ability deals percentage-based damage, contributing to Phoenix’s scaling capabilities. The addition of Aghanim’s Shard further enhances this, allowing for multiple Sunrays with a Refresher Orb, showcasing the hero’s formidable late-game presence.
Mastering the Battlefield: The Dynamic Synergy of Windranger and Phoenix
Windranger complements Phoenix by addressing some of her early game vulnerabilities, particularly in team fights and control scenarios. When Windranger activates Focus Fire, she becomes susceptible to disables and nukes. Phoenixsupports Windranger by engaging first, using Fire Spirits to harass and Supernova to draw enemy focus. This diversion creates opportunities for Windranger to land precise Shackleshots and Powershots, as well as to safely use Focus Fire, capitalizing on the chaos.
This synergy is underpinned by Phoenix’s aggressive playstyle in the early stages, transitioning to a more supportive role with Sunray in later phases. An often-overlooked aspect of Phoenix’s play is the tactical use of Supernova, which can be deliberately sacrificed if it secures advantageous trades, such as taking out key enemy heroes. This strategy underscores the synergistic potential of Phoenix and Windranger, making them a formidable duo across various stages of the game.
Laning Phase Coordination
Now, in the laning stage, what I really like is that Phoenix is bad at level one. Why? Because he hurts himself with Fire Spirits, and they don’t do that much damage. They’re not terrible, but they’re not great. Also, one armor is one armor; one armor sucks. Phoenix has one armor.
Windranger is so good at level one, and Powershot allows you to Powershot the four if you’re good. That’s what you’ll do; it’s carry win, and that enables the Phoenix to out-trade the four very simply. And then you won’t get pressured because you’re a high-range hero with insane stats.
Level Three Power Spike: Unleashing the Full Potential of Phoenix and Windranger
That’s about it; you basically enable the Phoenix to get to level three, and you might say, “Oh, that’s not a big deal.” It is a big deal because Phoenix level three is insane. And if you hit Phoenix level three, you get a point in Shackleshot or Powershot slows.
Now, if you hit a Powershot, Phoenix will easily be able to track that person down with Fire Spirits, and trust me, it is not fun when you can’t get away from a Phoenix who is level three with four Fire Spirits. It’s miserable. So, yeah, team fight enables the Wind, Wind enables the Phoenix; they get off the ground, and it works very, very well.
Minus Armor Strategy in Current Meta
I’m currently a fan of the minus armor strategy, especially considering the current meta where there’s a noticeable scarcity of items like Mech and Crimson Guard. Interestingly, some players have started incorporating Mech into their builds again, which could potentially challenge the effectiveness of minus armor strategies. However, the only significant AOE armor item in play at the moment is Vladimir’s Offering, which, while effective, isn’t overwhelmingly powerful.
The combination of Vengeful Spirit and Alchemist particularly stands out to me for several reasons. During the laning phase, both heroes are designed to be aggressive and make the most out of their abilities. Vengeful Spirit’s Wave of Terror can significantly reduce the enemy’s ability to engage, providing an excellent opportunity for aggressive plays. This, combined with the potential for double stuns from both heroes, creates a formidable duo that can control the pace of the lane.
Alchemist’s Acid Spray adds another layer to this strategy, further enhancing their ability to dominate the lane. Fighting within the area affected by Acid Spray can be challenging for opponents, giving Vengeful Spirit and Alchemist an edge in skirmishes. The synergy between these two heroes’ abilities to apply pressure and secure advantages during the laning stage is why this combo appeals to me.
Vengeful Spirit and Alchemist Synergy
For instance, the combination of Drow Ranger and Vengeful Spirit is highly effective. Utilizing Wave of Terror from Vengeful Spirit to reduce armor and slow enemies with Drow’s Frost Arrows can be a powerful tactic. Similarly, the duo of Troll Warlord and Vengeful Spirit is formidable due to the synergy between their disables and Vengeful Spirit’s ability to reduce armor. The challenge with Vengeful Spirit often lies in her limited range, which can make it difficult to pursue enemies after using Wave of Terror. However, when paired with carries like Alchemist, Troll Warlord, or Drow Ranger, who can capitalize on the openings she creates, this weakness is mitigated.
The strategy of stacking minus armor effects, such as combining Wave of Terror with a Blight Stone, can be particularly devastating, even against heroes with high base armor. This approach makes the laning phase extremely oppressive for opponents and can lead to significant early advantages.
However, it’s important to note that Alchemist, despite his potential for high net worth, can be vulnerable due to his relatively low base health pool. This vulnerability persists until he can acquire significant stat-boosting items. Even with substantial farm, Alchemist can struggle with survivability compared to other heroes.
Vengeful Spirit’s Nether Swap can be crucial in these situations, providing both a means of initiation and a way to disengage, thus compensating for Alchemist’s lack of mobility and susceptibility to kiting.
Overall, while these combinations can be highly effective, they require careful play and positioning to maximize their potential, especially in the face of burst damage or control-heavy opponents.
Undying and Troll Warlord Combo
Finally, the last combo of the article is easily one of my favorite Dota combos in the game, and it’s Undying plus a ranged hero, but specifically, we’re going to be going for Troll Warlord here. I just think that Troll is very good in the current meta.
Troll Warlord’s Meta Impact
I think that the hero with Maelstrom is very powerful and has kind of shot up in the meta with the Maelstrom and Aghanim’s Shard build. With often an Aghanim’s Scepter, for some reason, there seems to be a lot to dispel nowadays. I don’t know, maybe that’s always the case, maybe Troll is always good. I don’t know, it just really seems every time I look at Troll, I’m like, “Yeah, it’s a pretty good pick.”
Good buy an Aghanim’s Scepter, and the enemy team’s going to have a really hard time keeping themselves alive with their Force Staffs and Glimmer Capes, mainly Glimmer because Troll can just dispel it, and he can just save himself with Melee Axes, dispelling himself on a 4-second cooldown. It’s pretty insane.
So yeah, this build, really ridiculous. Maelstrom, in my opinion, is one of the best items in Dota. I really believe that. I think Maelstrom’s active is legit insane. I don’t understand how this active isn’t regarded as like broken. I think it is broken. I want to start regarding it as broken because to me, it does way too much damage. Just look at the numbers after a fight, you’re going to be like, “What in the world is this? What is this active? What is this item?” Maelstrom is insane.
Undying and Troll Warlord Combo
Okay, Troll plus Undying, why is it so good? Well, that’s good because Undying and Troll win the lane. There’s a lot of laning stage synergy; there’s other synergy as well. I would say the main one is Roshan. Undying is very good at enabling Roshan because you can tank it with Tombstone and with Flesh Golem, and with Troll, you just need some damage.
You need someone to stand in front of you. You don’t want to get gone on; you don’t want to get bursted because if you do, if you get gone on, you’re going to have to pop an early BKB, or you’re going to have to pop an early ultimate. And when that happens, you don’t get a kill.
Strategic Team Fight Execution with Troll and Undying: Timing, Positioning, and Roshan Control
You want to pop ultimate when the fight has kind of broken out a little bit; you’re standing next to someone who already has committed in. Maybe they’ve committed their BKB, maybe the mobility has been used, maybe a Blink on an Anti-Mage has been used, maybe a Phantom Strike from a PA has been used. Then you click BKB, then you click ultimate. That’s how you’re going to get value from Troll.
And so in team fights, Undying is going to run in, he’s going to pop Tombstone, he’s going to get people to commit on the Tombstone, get people to commit on him, kind of bait things out a little bit. And then when it comes to Roshan, you’re just tanking it, right? You’re taking it for the Troll. Troll does so much damage; it just enables it, right? It enables it.
Strategic Synergy and Lane Dominance
And finally, the last thing is Grab Ally. It is very good, right? The Grab Ally is incredible. The Shard with Undying allows you to save Troll so you can get off BKB, and they actually recently buffed Undying’s Shard. A lot of people don’t know that because the hero hasn’t been super meta. You know, I think the hero is still very, very good, but basically, the Grab Ally only stuns for 2 seconds if they break the Tombstone, which is still kind of long, but at the end of the day, it might be the difference; often, it will be the difference between your Troll getting BKB ultimate off.
And what you can do is just use Tombstone on the Troll when he’s full HP, which might seem insane, but basically, if you see that they’re going to all-in him, just put him in the Tombstone early so he doesn’t have to panic BKB. And then when he comes out, the fight’s going to be developed, and he’s going to get off a good ultimate. So yeah, I think there’s a lot of synergy between these heroes. The lane is absolutely cancer; it’s really hard to deal with.
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