Let’s look at this Dota 2 Axe guide to learn more information about one of Dota 2’s signature heroes.
There is no arguing that Axe is one of Dota 2’s most popular heroes. Whether you like the Dota 2 axe voice lines or the hero’s aggressive playstyle, he’s definitely one of the more unique options you can choose from.
Axe is a melee Strength hero that starts the game with 25 STR, 20 AGI and 18 INT. The hero deals 55-59 starting damage, has 315 movement speed, and 2.3 armor. These stats allow him to be more aggressive than many other offlaners.
There are a lot of other important data we need to include in this Dota 2 Axe guide, so let’s dive in.
Abilities
One of the key things we need to know in this Dota 2 guide is the hero’s abilities:
- Berserker’s Call – This ability taunts nearby enemies to attack Axe for up to 3s and gives the hero 25 armor.
- Battle Hunger – When used, the ability slows down a target’s movement speed by 35%, deals 25 damage perse second, and 1x Axe’s armor in damage. This ability lasts for 12s.
- Counter Helix – This passive ability allows Axe to deal pure damage on every 4 attacks from enemies.
- Culling Blade – This ultimate allows Axe to instantly kill a target on low HP. Alternatively, it deals 450 damage and gives bonus MS, AS, and Armor after landing a kill.
Purchasing an Aghanim’s Shard gives Counter Helix the option to add a stacking debuff that will reduce the damage that enemies deal to Axe after he attacks. Moreover, this removes Counter Helix’s cooldown.
Talents
Besides the abilities, this Dota 2 Axe guide will also share some details about the talents:
- Level 10 – 12% Movement Speed per active Battle Hunger or +8 Bersker Call’s Armor
- Level 15 -+30 Counter Helix Damage or +12% Battle Hunger Slow
- Level 20 – +1 Bonus Armor per Culling Blade Stack or +150 Culling Blade Damage
- Level 25 – +2x Battle Hunger Armor Multiplier or +100 Bersker’s Call AoE
Dota 2 Axe Guide – Tips
Axe is usually the team’s offlaner, although there are situations where he can go to the jungle and even the mid-lane. If you take a look at the Dota 2 Axe wiki or play a couple of games, you will notice he has a particular playstyle. Generally speaking, the hero likes to be aggressive early on because he has enough damage to pressure his opponents.
Speaking of pressing, Axe can easily win the lane against any melee hero. If that happens, he will be able to get a quick Blink Dagger and use it to secure kills around the map. Axe is all about mobility, so Blink is one of the must-have items for the hero.
Another item that Axe should go for is Blade Mail, and he needs it to counter the enemy’s carries. Once he gets it, he can easily kill almost any physical damage dealer in a Blink + Call combo.
In terms of the late game, Axe is an initiator that has to start the fight for his team. However, depending on the situation, some people use him to counter-initiate when they have specific heroes. This works well because Axe’s Call can disrupt the enemy team and allow his allies to kill it quickly.
Dota 2 Axe Pros and Cons
Before we take a look at the Dota 2 Axe items you should go for, it’s important to check some of the perks and drawbacks of playing this hero.
Pros:
- Highly effective against melee heroes
- One of the best initiators
- Has the potential to kill enemies on his own
- Farms pretty fast
Cons:
- Axe relies on his Blink Dagger to be effective
- The hero is prone to overextend
Starting Items
Your Dota 2 Axe item build is incredibly important if you want to be successful, so here’s what to get in each phase. Starting with the early game, like the rest, the hero needs to get a lot of regens because he’s playing aggressively. That said, some people also get Wind Lance, Ring of Regen, or even Ring of Protection. This build is similar to what people go for when picking Legion Commander or other similar heroes.
Early Game
After checking this Dota 2 Axe Guide, you will see that your early game consists of items like Magic Wand and Phase Boots. Alternatively, users can also get a Bracer because it will make them even tankier.
Mid Game
In the mid game, Axe needs to have a Blink Dagger and Vanguard. If the hero has a good game, he should also go for a Blade Mail because this is the item that will allow him to secure solo kills on the enemy’s physical damage dealers.
With that said, there are tons of situational items that can work here, such as a Lotus Orb, Heaven’s Halberd, Urn of Shadows, Hood of Defiance, and so on.
Late Game
Regardless of your Dota 2 Axe skin, you need to be really careful in the late game because your team will depend on your Berskerker’s Call. The hero’s damage is still pretty good, but since you need survivability, most people go for a Black King Bar, followed by a Heart of Tarrasque, Assault Cuirass, and more.
Dota 2 Axe Counter
When it comes down to counters, this Dota 2 Axe guide has a couple of important names to keep an eye for:
- Venomancer – Although it may not seem like a big counter for Axe, Venomancer’s ability to cancel his opponent’s Blink Dagger makes him incredibly effective.
- Necrophos – Necro is another hero that’s pretty strong in the matchup against Axe. He can easily win the lane, and his Aura + Ultimate allows him to kill STR heroes like Axe a lot faster.
- Doom – Doom’s Infernal Blade is extremely strong against STR heroes. Furthermore, Doom is fast, he can cancel Axe’s ult, and his Devour allows him to get even more annoying abilities. Of course, we also have to mention the hero’s ultimate.
- Jakiro – Another interesting hero that is strong even against the Dota 2 Axe carry build. Ice Path can disrupt the Blink and Call combo, and Jakiro’s AoE damage is good for canceling Axe’s blink.
Conclusion
After covering the best items for Axe Dota 2, the hero’s abilities, and some of his counters, you can pick him and start playing. Axe is good in almost every meta, so definitely give the hero a try.
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