DotaLeak › Heroes › Phantom Lancer
Phantom Lancer in Dota 2: counters, win rate and common mistakes
Phantom Lancer — Agility, melee; roles: Carry, Escape, Pusher, Nuker. Public match win rate — 53.0%. In short: Phantom Lancer is strong against Mars, Shadow Fiend, Ogre Magi but suffers against Queen of Pain, Snapfire, Tusk.
Lost the game?Paste a match ID — we show who threw and why: deaths, lanes, items, map replay.
Phantom Lancer win rate by rank
public matches, OpenDota data · scale 40–60%Herald53.8%
Guardian53.1%
Crusader52.9%
Archon53.0%
Legend53.2%
Ancient52.9%
Divine52.8%
Immortal—
Phantom Lancer is strong against
hover a hero for a summary
Who counters Phantom Lancer
How to play Phantom Lancer against counters
items, your spells and what to fear — per enemy
vs Queen of PainQoP clears illusions with Scream and escapes with Blink — get BKB, Linken's and tools to lock her down.41.7%
What to build against it
Black King BarProtects you from Scream of Pain and Shadow Strike magic damage during fights.
Linken's SphereBlocks the unit-target Shadow Strike that slows you and ruins your chase.
Orchid MalevolenceSilence stops her from Blinking away or casting Scream.
Diffusal BladeIllusions burn her mana so she can't afford Blink and ultimate.
How to use the spells of Phantom Lancer
Spirit LanceThrow Lance right after she Blinks to slow her before she can create distance again.
DoppelgangerSave Doppelganger to step out of Sonic Wave's line and confuse which PL is real.
Phantom RushPhantom Rush closes the gap after her Blink — attack the moment she lands.
Watch out for Queen of Pain
Scream Of PainScream wipes illusions around her — don't clump them, surround from different angles.
Sonic WavePure damage pierces BKB — avoid lining up with illusions while her ult is ready.
vs SnapfireSnapfire shreds illusions with AoE and slows — spread out and jump her during her ult.42.3%
What to build against it
Black King BarProtects from Cookie stun and Mortimer Kisses magic damage.
Manta StyleDispels Scatterblast and pool slows while giving fresh illusions.
Diffusal BladeBurns the support's small mana pool so she can't cast her combo.
Blink DaggerLets you instantly jump on her while she's channeling her ult.
How to use the spells of Phantom Lancer
DoppelgangerUse Doppelganger to escape firespit pools and land right next to her.
Phantom RushMortimer Kisses has a 600 minimum range — Rush into point-blank range.
Spirit LanceFinish her off with Lance as she retreats; she's fragile.
Watch out for Snapfire
ScatterblastPoint-blank damage and slow are stronger — don't walk into the cone, flank her.
Mortimer KissesKeep illusions out of pools, spread and close the distance to her.
vs TuskTusk locks you with stuns and Walrus Punch — confuse him with illusions and keep an escape.45.3%
What to build against it
Linken's SphereBlocks the unit-target Snowball he uses to initiate.
Black King BarCovers Ice Shards, Snowball and Tag Team, but not Walrus Punch.
Manta StyleRemoves slows and creates new illusions so Tusk hits the wrong one.
Diffusal BladeBurns his mana so he can't re-initiate.
How to use the spells of Phantom Lancer
DoppelgangerDoppelganger gets you out of the Ice Shards trap — save it for that.
JuxtaposeBuild up illusions early so Walrus Punch lands on an illusion.
Spirit LanceSlow him with Lance when he backs off after a failed initiation.
Watch out for Tusk
Walrus PUNCH!Pierces BKB — don't stand alone near him, hide among illusions.
Ice ShardsThe barrier cuts your escape — watch positioning and keep Doppelganger.
vs RubickRubick lifts you with Telekinesis and steals your spells — get Linken's and don't gift him Doppelganger.45.4%
What to build against it
Linken's SphereBlocks the unit-target Telekinesis and Fade Bolt.
Black King BarProtects from Telekinesis and Fade Bolt magic damage.
Diffusal BladeBurns the support's mana, shutting down his casts.
Orchid MalevolenceSilence stops him from stealing or lifting you.
How to use the spells of Phantom Lancer
DoppelgangerAvoid casting Doppelganger needlessly near him — he may steal it.
Spirit LanceLance Rubick first to slow and catch the fragile support.
Phantom RushRush closes the gap despite his long cast range.
Watch out for Rubick
TelekinesisThe lift and landing stun ruin your engage — keep Linken's up.
Fade BoltIt bounces through illusions and reduces damage — don't clump them.
vs Ogre MagiOgre stuns and burns you with magic — get BKB and Linken's, illusions handle the rest.46.6%
What to build against it
Black King BarProtects against Fireblast and Ignite, his main magic.
Linken's SphereBlocks the unit-target Fireblast stun.
Manta StyleDispels Ignite's slow and adds illusions for damage.
Diffusal BladeBurns mana so he can't cast for Multicasts.
How to use the spells of Phantom Lancer
Spirit LanceLance Ogre at fight start to slow him and gain an illusion.
DoppelgangerDoppelganger helps escape stuns and Ignite, confusing his Fireblast target.
Phantom RushRush his carry rather than the tanky Ogre.
Watch out for Ogre Magi
FireblastMulticast extends the stun — don't engage without BKB or Linken's.
BloodlustIt speeds up his carry — swarm the buffed target with illusions early.
Tips are based on ability descriptions and matchup stats — a guideline, not a rule.
Phantom Lancer builds by role
purchase popularity on the hero, split by item type; hover an itemStarting items
Iron Branch32%
Quelling Blade14%
Tango14%
Faerie Fire12%
Circlet11%
Magic Stick11%
Slippers of Agility3%Early game
Boots of Speed30%
Power Treads30%
Blade of Alacrity25%
Wraith Band8%
Yasha7%
Diadem1%
Bracer0%Mid game
Blade of Alacrity13%
Ogre Axe11%
Staff of Wizardry11%Manta Style11%
Point Booster11%Diadem11%
Aghanim's Scepter11%Late game
Ultimate Orb20%
Eye of Skadi13%Orchid Malevolence10%
Bloodthorn9%
Reaver8%
Heart of Tarrasque7%
Eaglesong6%Situational items on Phantom Lancer: when to buy
red — heroes that counter Phantom LancerOrchid MalevolenceSilence for slippery, spell-based escape heroesEspecially vs heroes that counter Phantom Lancer: Queen of Pain
Storm Spirit
Puck
Anti-Mage
Ember Spirit
Void Spirit
Weaver
Eternal ShroudAgainst magic damageEspecially vs heroes that counter Phantom Lancer: Queen of Pain
Lina
Zeus
Leshrac
Skywrath Mage
Invoker
Pipe of InsightTeam-wide magic shieldEspecially vs heroes that counter Phantom Lancer: Queen of Pain
Earthshaker
JakiroBlack King BarAgainst heavy disables and magic damage
Lion
Shadow Shaman
Tidehunter
Bane
Monkey King BarAgainst evasion: pierces Evasion and Butterfly
Phantom Assassin
Windranger
Brewmaster
Silver EdgeDisables passives (Break)
Bristleback
Spectre
Huskar
Slark
Ursa
Timbersaw
AxeLinken's SphereBlocks single-target disables and ultimates
Doom
Legion Commander
Batrider
Beastmaster
Pudge
NecrophosManta StyleDispels silences and roots
Silencer
Death Prophet
Riki
Drow RangerDiffusal BladeBurns mana of mana-dependent heroes
MedusaWhy players lose on Phantom Lancer
from matches analyzed on DotaLeak: 2Not enough analyzed Phantom Lancer matches yet. Analyze yours — it will count.
FAQ
Who counters Phantom Lancer?
Phantom Lancer loses most often against Queen of Pain, Snapfire, Tusk. What to build and how to play vs them →
Who is Phantom Lancer good against?
Best matchups: Mars, Shadow Fiend, Ogre Magi.
What is Phantom Lancer's win rate?
In public matches — 53.0%. It varies by rank, see the table above.
What to build on Phantom Lancer?
In the mid game players most often buy Blade of Alacrity, Ogre Axe, Staff of Wizardry. Situational items depend on the enemy — see above.
