Leshrac is sure to be slated for changes in the next patch, here’s how to win with the hero — before the nerf hammer drops.

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The International 11 allowed us to watch the best Dota 2 heroes in the given patch. We saw every hero besides one in action, but some were better than the rest, especially when it came down to the mid-lane. Despite not being the most picked hero, Leshrac was among the most successful mid-laners at The International 11. The hero proved itself in the current meta, which explains why he is among the most popular midders in Pub Dota 2.

Leshrac is not that hard to play compared to other midders, which explains why people pick him all the time. However, this is a hero that is hard to master, especially if you play against players who know how to counter you. So, let’s take a look at this Leshrac Dota 2 guide and learn more about the hero and the things you can expect from him.

Overview & Matchups

Leshrac is an INT hero that is notorious for doing a lot of magical damage. Unlike other popular mid-laners, such as Shadow Fiend, where people can choose the physical damage item build, Leshrac is all about casting spells. This reflects on his item choice, as well as the combos that work with him.

Leshrac’s ability to clear waves and push towers makes him incredibly dangerous when he is left alone. Consequently, most players that will have to go up against him will pick a hero that can lane well. This leads us to Leshrac’s matchups.

While it is true that this INT midder can work well against almost everything, there are a few counters that should be noted. Kunkka is probably one of them because the hero deals too much damage. Sure, Leshrac can harass him, but a couple of Tidebringers are more than enough to remove 50% off his HP.

Leshrac is also not that good against Silencer, Viper, and Sniper. Each can do a lot of damage, so he has to be careful. Fortunately, the hero can work well against pretty much anything. What’s more, Leshrac is one of the best counters against heroes that rely on illusions.

Early and Mid-Game

Leshrac is an interesting mid-laner when it comes down to his early and mid-game. Like other midders, the hero has to try and get as much farm as possible. That said, his abilities allow him to harass a lot, which means he can pressure the enemy midder and prevent him from securing the last hits.

Although it is usually better to focus on farming, some Leshrac players will use every opportunity to gank one of the side lanes, especially when they have a rune. Normally, this isn’t a good idea, but if Leshrac gets something like Haste, he can kill any hero in the game. So, always keep this in mind when checking the runes.

In terms of Leshrac’s role in the mid-game, it all comes down to his team and enemies. If the laning stage went well, the hero should have at least one or even two items. This is when Lesh becomes much stronger, so his team should use him and take as many fights as possible. 

Despite being one of the fast farmers, this Dota 2  Leshrac guide reveals that he is very strong in the mid-game because of his insane damage out. So, it is better to focus on taking fights because this will allow him and the rest of his team to snowball. The mid-game is also when most of the enemy heroes will not have BKBs, meaning they have nothing to save them against Leshrac’s damage.

Leshrac’s role in the late-game

Unlike some Agility midders that can transition into carries, Leshrac does not have the option to do so. Therefore, his role in the late game is the same as before — doing as much damage as possible. That said, the hero becomes more vulnerable because the enemy’s carries and midders can kill him in seconds. Hence, you have to be more careful and not take risky maneuvers.

How to play Leshrac in Dota 2?

One of the key things to remember after reading this Dota 2 Leshrac guide is how to play with the hero. As mentioned several times, Leshtac is all about casting spells. So, one of the first things you should focus on is harassing your enemies with Lighting Storm while simultaneously securing the last hits.

Although this ability does not do much damage, it slows down all units and has a pretty substantial AoE. Hence, Leshrac can easily clear waves, farm, and do damage simultaneously. 

Of course, when talking about Leshrac and how to play, we need to address the Elephant in the room — his stun. Landing your Split Earths is one of the most important things to learn because this ability deals 300 damage and stuns for 2 seconds. What’s more, it is AoE, meaning you can stun multiple units.

Usually, Leshrac’s “combo” requires him to use his Lighting first, followed by the stun, because his targets will be slowed down. After landing Split Earth, Leshrac can use his Diabolic Edict, as well as Pulse Nova, to land a kill.

Speaking of Diabolic Edict, this is the ability that allows the hero to push much faster than other midders. However, the only way to take full advantage of it is if there are no other enemy units around him.  Each explosion deals 28 damage on level 4, and the ability lasts for 10s, meaning that Lesh can push fast.

What items to get?

Every Leshrac Dota 2 guide will show you some of the best items you can get, which is why we’ve decided to add a couple of popular options. Even though the best items for Leshrac depend on a lot of things, such as the patch, there are a couple of options that stand out.

Starting with Boots of Travel, they help Leshrac do more damage and become even harder to kill because he is one of the fastest heroes in the game. Aside from BoT, Leshrac players often go for Bloodstone, Black King Bar, Kaya, and Sange, even Aghs.

Speaking of the devil, this is one of the heroes in Dota 2 whose Aghanim’s Shard can make a huge difference. That’s why you’ll find this item in builds all the time.