Best Magnus Counters Dota 2 Patch 7.41
Heroes that beat Magnus
| Hero | Win rate vs Magnus | Games |
|---|---|---|
| Terrorblade | 64.0% | 50 |
| Juggernaut | 61.8% | 68 |
| Batrider | 60.8% | 51 |
| Rubick | 59.6% | 178 |
| Invoker | 58.5% | 82 |
| Beastmaster | 57.9% | 76 |
| Tusk | 57.8% | 128 |
| Nature's Prophet | 57.7% | 104 |
| Shadow Shaman | 56.5% | 92 |
| Zeus | 55.2% | 58 |
Magnus thrives on his ability to initiate with Skewer and Horn Toss, then amplify his team's damage through Empower. The key to shutting him down is denying his combo—surviving the pull, avoiding the stun, and nullifying the damage boost he grants allies.
Why These Heroes Beat Magnus
Terrorblade
Terrorblade’s Reflection and Metamorphosis give him high sustain and damage output that outpaces Magnus’s short‑duration burst, while his Sunder can reverse any advantage Magnus gains from a successful combo.
Tip: Keep Terrorblade’s Reflection active when Magnus dives; the reflected damage punishes Magnus’s Skewer and Horn Toss.
Juggernaut
Juggernaut’s Blade Fury provides magic immunity, nullifying the damage from Magnus’s Shockwave and Skewer, and his Omnislash can quickly eliminate Magnus after the stun wears off.
Tip: Time Blade Fury to overlap Magnus’s Horn Toss stun window to completely dodge the follow‑up damage.
Batrider
Batrider’s Flamebreak pushes Magnus away, breaking the Skewer pull and resetting the engagement, while Firefly lets Batrider kite and avoid the stun.
Tip: Use Flamebreak the moment Magnus initiates; the knock‑back forces him to lose momentum and leaves his Empower ineffective.
Rubick
Rubick can Spell‑Steal Empower or any of Magnus’s disables, turning Magnus’s own tools against his team, and his Telekinesis can interrupt Skewer mid‑charge.
Tip: Prioritize stealing Empower early; without the damage boost, Magnus’s presence is far less threatening.
Invoker
Invoker’s Cold Snap and Sun Strike punish Magnus’s close‑range initiations, while EMP drains the mana needed for multiple Empower casts.
Tip: Chain Cold Snap on Magnus after a Horn Toss stun; the rapid stuns cripple his ability to follow up with Skewer.
Drafting Against Magnus
- Ban or pick heroes with strong magic immunity or displacement (e.g., Juggernaut, Batrider).
- Prioritize heroes that can silence or purge buffs, limiting Empower’s effectiveness.
- Include at least one hero with reliable crowd‑control that can interrupt Skewer or Horn Toss.
- Favor split‑push or high‑mobility lineups that force Magnus to chase rather than initiate.
Laning Against Magnus
- Trade early when Magnus’s Shockwave is on cooldown; his damage spikes are limited without it.
- Harass him when his Empower is on the ally’s cooldown, reducing his lane pressure.
- Punish missed Skewer attempts with a quick counter‑spell or auto‑attack, as he is vulnerable during the charge.
- Keep lane equilibrium low; a pushed wave invites a Magnus dive that can be turned into a kill.
Itemizing Against Magnus
Black King Bar — grants magic immunity, nullifying Shockwave, Skewer, and Empower‑boosted damage.
Eul’s Scepter — cyclone can dodge Horn Toss and give time to reposition or cast disables.
Lotus Orb – reflects targeted disables back to Magnus, breaking his combo chain.
Manta Style – creates illusion copies that split the damage from Empower and can dispel slows from Solid Core.
Don't pick these against Magnus
Magnus wins these matchups most often — avoid them in draft: