Drow-Based Teams with Ranged Carries

The idea of these teams is to take advantage of Drow Ranger's precision aura to boost damage to your main right-click carries, and even some supports to make them more dangerous.

In most cases, you need to pick Drow last so that she's not counterpicked (she's easily ganked early game), and so that the team's synergy may not be readily apparent until last pick.  This also gives the ability for the captain to pick a different carry if another would be more suitable vs. the opponent's lineup.  Some suggestions for alternate carries are given in some team ideas, below.

Team Ideas (dual lanes):

#1:

Mid: Drow (or Beastmaster/Clinkz/Zeus)

Offlane: Batrider (Warlock/Treant/Phoenix/Puck/Silencer) + Bristleback/ElderTitan/Axe (ooh, annoying!)

Safelane:  Luna + Venge/Lion/Nyx

Bans: OD, Viper, then Invoker/Pudge/NP/Io/Bane, then counterban

Pick Order:  Batrider, Venge, Luna, Bristleback, Drow

#2:

Mid: Shadowfiend

Offlane:  Luna + Dazzle

Safe:  Drow + Tidehunter (Clockwerk?)

Bans:  Batrider, OD, NP, then Bounty/DK/Slark

Picks:  Tidehunter, Luna+Dazzle, Shadowfiend, Drow

Problem:  Low Stuns

#3:

Mid: Viper/Huskar

Offlane:  Clinkz + Clockwerk

Safelane:  Drow + support

(Tough) Supports w/teamfight initiation:  Earthshaker/Tide/Magnus/Beastmaster/SandKing/Jakiro/Treant/Alchemist

Bans:  Ember, Bountyhunter, NP, Tinker, Dazzle, Disruptor, Kunkka

Pick:  Clockwerk, Support, Clinkz, Viper, Drow

#4:

Mid:  DK

Offlane:  Clockwerk

Safelane:  Drow + Venge/Dazzle/SD

Jungle:  NP (or Axe/Commander/Ursa)

Bans:  Batrider, OD, Invoker, Nightstalker

Picks:  NP, Clockwerk, DK, support, Drow

#5:

Mid:  Shadowfiend (early Shadowblade, then BKB)

Safe:  Drow (Aquila, Manta, Ethereal Blade) + Support Wraithking (Blademail, Blink Dagger)

Offlane: DK (Armlet, Pipe) + Support Viper (Mek, Wards)

Bans: Lycan, Invoker, Centaur, OD, Dazzle

Picks:  Viper, DK, Shadowfiend, Wraithking, Drow

Problem:  No teamfight Disable/Lockdown (but 2 stuns, and 2 slows, tho)

#6:

Mid: Drow/SF/DK (shadowblade, manta)

Offlane:  Lina (Arcanes, Drums) + Venge (medallion, force staff)

Safe:  Death Prophet (Mek, Bloodstone) + Dazzle/Tree/Omni/Abaddon (hard support)

Bans:  Batrider, OD, Io, Tinker, Disruptor

Picks: Dazzle, Venge, Lina, Death Prophet, Drow

Problem:  No hard carry.  Need pickoffs.

Tri-Lanes:

#7: 

Mid: Shadowfiend

Solo Offlane (tank):  Bristleback, Clockwerk, Slardar, Tide, or Timbersaw

Safe: Drow + Lina + Windranger

Bans:  Batrider, Io, Brewmaster, Spectre, Viper/OD

Picks:  Windranger, Lina, Offlaner, Shadowfiend, Drow

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Team Ideas: Tough Heroes and Healing

Strength + Healing Teams

#1:
Axe jungle

Centaur solo offlane

Pudge (mid)

Necrolyte + Earthshaker

#2:

Axe + Dazzle

Necrolyte + Death Prophet

DK mid

Idea:  Continual, sustained push

#3

Chen jungle (pusher, gank mid)

Omni / Abaddon + Clockwerk (dominate lane, push w/Chen)

DK mid (gank, fight, take towers early – Shadowblade first, delay BKB: Repel)

Centaur solo offlane (Repel/Shield + Blink – initiator / counter-initiator)

Ban:  Split Push, Counterpush

#4:

Beastmaster offlane

DK mid

SFiend + Tidehunter + Venge/Visage

Plan:  Teamfight & Push.  Heavy right-click to counter anti-teamfight heroes like Silencer.

Ban:  Counterpush, Split Push & Counter-teamfight (KotL, NP, Windranger, Tinker, Naga)

Pick order:  Visage/Venge, DK, Tidehunter, Beastmaster, Shadowfiend

#5:
Kunkka + Jakiro safelane
Legion Commander Jungle
Necrophos mid
Doom solo offlane
Plan:  Farm and teamfight
Ban:  Gankers

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Team ideas: Area Lockdown

Pure nukeage lineup (someone get Veil!)

QoP/Zeus

Lina/Lion/SS + SF/OD/Gyro/Luna

SK/ES/Ogre/Skywrath + Leshrac/Jakiro

Area Lockdown Heroes:  Puck, Disruptor, Clockwerk, Magnus, Enigma, Medusa

Team:  Area lockdown + Dmg

#1: Medusa + SK + Skywrath/WD/Lich

Gyro/SF/Puck mid

DS/Clockwerk offlane

#2:
Puck mid
Kunkka + Sand King + Disruptor
Elder Titan offlane
Ban:  Silencer, Naga, Rubick

#3:
Magnus Mid
Beastmaster Offlane
Wraith King + Leshrac + Luna
Ban: Silencer, Naga, Rubick, Tinker

#4:
Faceless Void mid
Dark Seer offlane
Leshrac + Venge + Gyro

Team:  Anti-Teamfight

Pugna

Rubick

Tinker/NP

Naga

Phoenix

Annoying lanes:

Naga + Phoenix

AS control team:

Centaur offlane

Beastmaster mid

Troll + Phoenix + Abaddon/Dazzle/Silencer

Aggressive team:

Centaur + Tiny offlane (Toss into Stomp+Edge into Avalanche)

Pudge/Spiritbreaker mid

Troll/Alchemist/Huskar/Slardar/WK/Sven/Lifestealer + CM safelane

Another early Rosh team:

Naga mid, Luna + Lich, Axe jungle, Beastmaster offlane

Teamfight Teams:

Magic Dmg:  Ogre, Zeus, Sand King, Luna, Jakiro

Magic Dmg:  Luna/Sven/Gyro(1), Disruptor (5), Jakiro(4), Dark Seer (offlane, Mek, Shiva’s), Zeus (mid, get Veil)

Area Lockdown:  

Clockwerk (offlane), Jakiro (mid, get Mek+Veil+Force), Disruptor (Wards) + Shadowfiend (Shadow Blade + BKB), Enigma (jungle, get BKB)

 OR

Magnus (mid), Lich/Tide (offlane), Gyro + Disruptor + Sand King/ES

AR Reduction:  Slardar (Blink) + Dazzle (Mek), Alch (Shadowblade) + Venge (Basilius/Wards), Shadowfiend/TA mid (Phase, Desolator)

(could also early Rosh:  Crush + Shadow Wave + Acid Spray + Wave + Aura/Meld (or Necromastry/Field, so you don’t screw yourself in lane if Rosh fails).

Push + Teamfight:  

#1- 

Dark Seer/Clockwerk/Magnus/WR (offlane), Enigma (jungle), Sven/Alch + Jakiro/Disruptor/WitchDoctor/SS, QoP/SF/Leshrac mid

Weaknesses:  Split push & Ganking (supports are squishy).  Ban NP, Wisp, Tinker

#2- 

NP offlane, SF mid, Luna + Warlock + Sand King

AS buff team:  Abaddon mid, Beastmaster offlane, Lyncan/Luna/Slardar + Warlock + Ogre

Teamfight Team:  Darkseer, Warlock, Lich, Sand King, Sven (Vaccum into Infernal+Burrowstrike into Slow + Epi into Hammer + Cleave)

Lanes:  DS offlane, Warlock mid, SK jungle/pulling, Sven + Lich safelane

Counter-teamfight team:  NP offlane, Tinker mid, Silencer + Naga + Weaver

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Solo (Off)Laners

A solo offlaner is typically a hero with some escape ability, healing, or is very tough, so they can get close enough to get XP even against a tri-lane.  Others have the ability to slow or delay the creeps (such as Enigma, Earthshaker or Lich), to enable them to gain XP as their tower kills the creeps.

Typical list of solo offlane heroes:
Bounty Hunter (from 6.84, used as a position 4 support instead).
Timbersaw
Centaur Warrunner (out of favour in 6.84 onward)
Beastmaster
Clockwerk
Dark Seer
Axe
Undying
Spiritbreaker
Tusk (also as position 4)
Phoenix
Broodmother
Doom (since the Scorched Earth buff)

Typical Solo Safelane Heroes:
Nature's Prophet
Weaver
Lone Druid
Doom
Razor
Puck
Queen of Pain (QoP)

Some less common solo offlaners are:
Puck
Magnus
Phoenix
Broodmother
Clinkz
Slark
Windranger
Batrider
Bristleback
Lone Druid (circa patch 6.81)
Earthshaker (with creep blocking trick)

Strange solo offlaners:

These offlaners generally rely on getting levels but not much else:

Sand King

Lich

Tidehunter

Treant
Jakiro
Mirana
Enigma
Venomancer
Ogre Magi (high hp regen, very tough, high armor)
Omniknight

Comment on Solo Laners as of 6.85:
It seems that suicide laners are often defined by their hp regen.  For example, Axe & Nightstalker both have superior HP regen, and make excellent offlaners.  Nyx has been used in this role for the same reason.  Doom is good because of his Scorched Earth, and Broodmother, for her webs.  Riki, given the change to his permanent-invis (with regen) may be something that's seen more often as a solo offlaner, largely because he can soak XP and never show his face, if he wants!

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Carries with Teamfight / AOE

The following carries have some means of dealing AOE, or otherwise contributing to teamfights with a big ultimate.

• Bloodseeker (Ritual)
• Brewmaster
• Death Prophet
• Faceless Void
• Gyrocopter
• Invoker
• Kunkka
• Luna
• Medusa
• Naga Siren
• Outworld Destroyer
• Queen of Pain
• Razor
• Shadowfiend
• Spectre
• Sven / Alchemist (AOE stun)

Side Mention:

• Dragon Knight (Dragon Breath, Dragon Form splash damage)
• Drow Ranger (AOE silence)
• Ember Spirit (Fire Shield + Slash)
• Juggernaut (Omnislash - especially good with Agh's as teamfight AOE)
• Lifestealer (Infest)
• Mirana (Invis ult, Starfall)
• Anti-mage (Mana Void) 
• Venomancer (CAN be played as a carry, Poison Nova is very deadly).

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List of Semi-Carries

This is a list of heroes that can be effective mid-game or earlier, and don't require as much farm as a typical "hard carry" to be fully effective.  Still, they require "some" farm, and usually drop off in power as the game goes beyond 45 mins, either because the effectiveness of magic nukes decreases with increasing health pools, or that their right-click damage doesn't scale as well as harder carries.

Caveat:  This isn't a "complete" list, and what constitutes a semi-carry is up for debate.  Use this list as a guide, not a bible.

Semi-carries:

• Axe
• Tiny,
• Pudge,
• Nightstalker,
• Spiritbreaker,
• Centaur,
• Magnus,
• Timbersaw,
• Abaddon,
• Tusk,
• Elder Titan
• Bloodseeker,
• Mirana,
• Vengeful spirit,
• Puck,
• Storm Spirit
• Zeus,
• Tinker,
• Queen of Pain (QoP),
• Pugna,
• Skywrath,
• Silencer,
• Necrophos,
• Enchantress,
• Nature's Prophet
• Venomancer
• Beastmaster

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Strong Tri-lanes

This is a list compiled from various sites on the net, discussing aggressive and defensive tri-lane combos that are strong.  Most of this can be considered "food for thought", and requires coordination between teammates to pull off the suggested combinations.  Note that all tri-lanes, even if they seem dangerous in theory, can be countered by various lineups or simply outplayed.

How to make a tri-lane:

The simple version:

High-Dmg-Carry + Tough Support w/Stun + Followup Stun/Slow

OR

Semi-Carry w/Nuke + Semi-Carry w/Stun + Ranged Support w/Followup Stun/Slow/Heal

The complex version:

Aggro Tri-Lane: 

• Heroes that are dangerous at level 1 (usually nukers / disablers)
• Heroes that can fight repeatedly (i.e. have mana for more than one cast)
• Aggressive laning heroes (long attack range, high armor, spammable nukes, etc)
• Supports that aren't dependent on farm
• A (semi) carry who can catch up on farm if the aggro tri-lane fails, usually by jungling or flash farming

... side mention:  heroes that can destroy the enemy Tier 1 tower very early are also beneficial (Leshrac, Pugna, Ursa).

Defensive Tri-Lane:

• Hard carry (position 1), who needs babysitting to get safe, reliable farm
• Examples:  Morphling, Terrorblade, Phantom Assassin, Spectre
• One greedy support (position 4), who will stack, pull and farm jungle
• Greedy:  Sand King, Leshrac, Shadow Shaman
• Jungler Supports: Enigma, Chen, Enchantress
• Semi-carry "supports":  Wraith King, Sven, Gyrocopter, Naga, Kunkka
• One hard support (position 5), who will harass offlaner, ward, keep carry safe
• Examples:  Crystal Maiden, Lion, Bane

Helpful Article:  This article on supporting explains how to choose supports for tri-lanes, and how your choice of supports impacts how your supports will play.

Examples (farmer + position 4 + position 5):

Alchemist + Sandking + Vengeful Spirit
Alch/Lifestealer/Sven/WK/Tiny + Naga + Bane
AntiMage + Sven/WK + Disruptor
Axe + Abaddon + Disruptor (Cage match w/shielded axe!)
Axe + Earthshaker + Keeper (Block with Fissure, Taunt, and eat Illuminate!)
Axe + Phoenix + Dark Seer (aggro tri:  Creep skip and laugh when they come attack)
Axe + Silencer + Jakiro
Bounty Hunter + WindRanger + Bane
Bounty Hunter / Clinkz + Omni + Venge (bring sentries and deward!)
Chaos Knight + Venge + Ancient Apparition (Magic Dmg Amp + Stuns into Cold Feet + Wave of Terror right-clicking)
Dragon Knight + Venge + Lina
Gyro + Magnus + Bane (Banish into Skewer into Barrage)
Jugg + Nyx + Veno (Impale into Gale into Spin)
Kunkka + Centaur + Disruptor (X/Glimpse into Kinetic + Stomp/Torrent/DbleEdge)
Kunkka + Tide + Jakiro (Gush + Ice Path + Torrent, etc)
LegionC + Abaddon + Disruptor (Kinetic field cage match with healing support)
Lifestealer + Earthshaker + Leshrac/Lina
Luna + Ogre + Crystal Maiden (CM)
Morphling + Nyx + Skywrath
Ogre + SD/CM + AA
Outworld Devourer/Destroyer + Bane + Shadow Demon
Pugna + Ogre + Skywrath (Dmg Amp into Nukes)
SFiend + Tide + Venge
Slardar + SK + Dazzle
Slardar + WraithKing + Disruptor (Hellfire into Crush into Kinetic Field Cage Match)
Sven + Tide + Lion/Venge
Timbersaw + Omni + Phoenix
Tusk + Centaur + Leshrac
Undying + Venomancer + Disruptor (“Cage match w/Tombstone!”)

Jugg, Venge, Veno (Missile, Slow+Wave, Spin)

PL, Keeper, Chen (harass, then tower push).

Visage, Rubick, Naga/Jugg/Lifestealer

CM, ES, hard carry needing mana (Alch, CK, Sven, SK, Luna, etc)

Tide, Veno, hard carry w/teamfight (AM, OD, Sven, etc)

Veno, Leshrac, Naga (push tower)

Early-Damage Tri-lanes:

Luna/Razor/Lifestealer/Gyro + Mirana + Bane/CrystalMaiden/ShadowDemon

Defensive Tri-lane Heroes:

Hard Carry: Faceless Void, Lifestealer, Spectre, Alchemist, Morphling, Lycan, Terrorblade, Phantom Assassin, etc.

Supports for Defensive Tri-lanes: Bane, AA, Crystal Maiden, Lina/Lion, Naga, Rubick, SD, SS, Tide, Wisp, Treant, Earthshaker, Jakiro, Nyx, Sand King, Windrunner (WR), Witch Doctor (WD)

Aggressive Tri-Lane Heroes:

List:  Chaos Knight, Mirana, Shadow Shaman (SS), Keeper (KotL), Jakiro, Naga, Veno, Shadow Demon (SD), Tiny, Slardar, Razor, Lifestealer (Naix), Treant, Juggernaut, Undying

• Slardar, Shadow Shaman, Lion
• Chaos Knight (CK) + Lion + Jakiro/Veno/Undying
• Lyncan + Veno + Chen
• Tiny + SD + SS
• Naga + Treant + Bane
• CK + Beastmaster + Venge
• Razor (Link) + Bane (Enfeeble) + CM (mana + frostbite w/Link)
• Silencer + Bane + KotL (Last Word + Brain Sap, with unlimited mana)
• Silencer + KotL + Nyx (mana headache)
• Pugna + Lina + Nyx/Ogre (Nukers with push)
• Sven + Leshrac/Lina + Naga/Visage

Heroes with High Early Damage in Tri-lanes (unusual combos)

• Clockwerk + Phoenix + Warlock
• Razor + Timbersaw + Skywrath Mage
• Naga + Tide + Shadow Shaman
• Morphling + Lina + Crystal Maiden

Strong Tri-Lanes:

• Gryocopter/Kunkka + Shadow Demon + Lesh/Lina
• Gyro + Crystal Maiden + Leshrac/Lina/Ancient Apparition/Mirana (Frostbite into Missile+Stun)
• Sven/SK/Alch + Skywrath + Lina (heavy nuke lane)
• PA + Shadow Demon + Crystal Maiden (CM)
• Gyro + Earthshaker + Leshrac (Fissure to block, Split Earth/Homing Missile, Edict + Rocket Barrage)
• Slardar + Venge + Crystal Maiden
• Juggernaut + Rubick + CM/Veno
• Dragon Knight + Undying + Leshrac
• Dragon Knight/Alchemist/Doom/Tiny/Morph/Naga + Chen + Veno/Enigma (lots of push)
• Jugg + Jakiro + AA (vortex + icepath + spin)
• Jugg + CM + AA
• Carry w/stun (SK/Sven/Alch/Slardar/OD/DK/CK) + CM + Skywrath
• CK/DK + Lich + KotL (endless harass)
• CK + Disruptor + Dazzle/Leshrac (“get back here!”)
• Faceless Void + Venge + Leshrac

Trilane Ideas:

• Jugg, Venge, Veno (Missile, Slow+Wave, Spin)
• CK, Jugg, Skywrath/Pugna (Rift, Seal/Decrep, Spin)
• Phantom Lancer, Keeper, Chen (harass, then tower push). 
• Naga/Jugg/Lifestealer, Visage, Rubick
• CM, ES, + hard carry needing mana (Alch, CK, Sven, SK, Luna, etc)
• Tide, Veno, hard carry w/teamfight (AM, OD, Sven, etc) 
• Naga/Pugna (push), Veno, Leshrac
• Gyro/Kunkka + Shadow Demon + Lesh/Lina
• Gyro + Crystal Maiden + Leshrac/Lina/AA/Mirana (Frostbite into Missile/Stun)
• Sven/WraithKing/Alch + Skywrath + Lina (heavy nuke lane)
• Phantom Assassin (PA) + Shadow Demon (SD) + Crystal Maiden (CM)
• Gyro + Earthshaker + Leshrac (Fissure block, Split Earth/Missile, Edict + Rocket Barrage)
• Slardar + Venge + Crystal Maiden/Disruptor
• Juggernaut + Rubick + CM/Veno
• Dragon Knight + Undying + Leshrac
• Dragon Knight/Alchemist/Doom/Tiny/Morph/Naga + Chen + Veno/Enigma (lots of push)
• Jugg + Jakiro + AA (vortex + icepath + spin)
• Jugg + CM + AA
• Carry w/stun (WK/Sven/Alch/Slardar/OD/DK/CK) + CM + Skywrath
• CK/DK + Lich + KotL (endless harass)
• CK + Disruptor + Dazzle/Leshrac (“get back here!”)

More Aggro Tri-lane Combos:

CK + AA + Lina/Leshrac (Rift into Chaos Bolt, Vortex, Split Earth/LSA)

CK + CM + AA (Rift into Freeze, Vortex; Chaos bolt to finish or just to stun partner)

Alch/Lifestealer/Slardar/SK/Sven + ShadowDemon/Skywrath/Pugna + Lina/Lesh/Lion/SS
Centaur + Ogre Magi + Skywrath Mage (heavy nuke, stuns, slows)

Generic Tri-lanes:

CM + AA + Drow/Clinkz/Huskar/OD/SFiend/Jugg

SD + Skywrath (Disruption + Amp + Bolt+Shot) + Sven/CK/DK/Morph/Jugg

SD + SS + Antimage/Naga

Dangerous Aggro Tri-Lanes

Note:  Someone needs tangos / QBlade to pull the lane back with a Neutrals pull (radiant side), or else tower-killing power

Unkillable trio:  Centaur + Abaddon/Omni + Dazzle

• Slardar + Venge + Omni (Missile into Crush into Purify)
• Centaur + Shadow Shaman + Dazzle
• Centaur + Pugna + Veno – (Veno initiates w/Gale, Centaur Stomp + Nether Vortex, Decrepify + Double Edge (Necrolyte solo safelane, and DK mid)
• Centaur + Shadow Demon + Leshrac (Banish into Stomp -> Dmg Amp + Split Earth + Double Edge)
• Tiny + KotL + Shadow Shaman (Shackle into Avalanche + Illuminate)
• Drow + AA + Lion (long attack ranges for easy harass, Stun + Sheep + Slow + Cold Feet)
• Lesh + Veno + Keeper (push, kill tower, repeat with Tier 2 tower).  Supplement with ganker & semi-carry (maybe Clinkz safelane, Beastmaster mid?)
• CK + Sand King + Dazzle
• Mirana + SS + Lion
• Mirana + Bane + SS/Lion
• Tiny + Keeper + SandKing (Toss into Burrowstrike into Avalanche)
• Centaur/Slardar + Leshrac + Dazzle (Poison slow into Split Earth into Stomp/Crush)
• Pugna + Centaur + SD (Disruption+SoulCatch into Stomp+Blast into Decrep+DoubleSlice)

Defensive Tri-lane Heroes:

Hard Carry: 
Brewmaster, Faceless, Lifestealer, Spectre, Alchemist, Morphling, Lycan


Supports for Defensive Tri-lanes: 
Bane, AA, Crystal Maiden, Lina/Lion, Naga, Rubick, SD, SS, Tide, Wisp, Treant, Earthshaker, Jakiro, Nyx, Sand King, Windrunner (WR), Witch Doctor (WD)

Aggressive Tri-Lane Heroes:

Chaos Knight, Disruptor, Shadow Shaman (SS), Keeper (KotL), Jakiro, Naga, Veno, Shadow Demon (SD), Tiny, Slardar, Razor, Lyncan, Lifestealer (Naix), Treant, Juggernaut, Undying

Aggressive Tri-lane Samples:

• CK + SS + Jakiro/Veno/Undying
• Lyncan + Veno + Disruptor
• Tiny + SS + SD
• Naga + Treant + Bane
• CK + SK + Venge
• Razor (Link) + Bane (Enfeeble) + CM (mana + frostbite w/Link)
• Silencer + Bane + KotL (Last Word + Nightmare, with unlimited mana)
• Silencer + KotL + Nyx (mana headache)
• Pugna + Lina + Nyx/Ogre 
• Ogre Magi, Lion/Lina, Venomancer
• Undying + Skywrath + KotL
• Undying + Bane + Silencer (you don't have hp OR mana!) + Medusa mid + Invoker safe?
• Undying + Visage + Silencer
• Undying + Visage + Phoenix
• Undying (Soul Rip) + Leshrac (Lightning) + Jakiro (Liquid Fire) = no hp for enemies

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