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Bad against...[]

Axe icon
Bristleback icon
  • Bristleback ability icon Bristleback's tankiness and damage reduction from the rear makes him very hard for Phantom Lancer to chase and finish off, due to his lack of burst damage.
  • Quill Spray icon Quill Spray destroys Phantom Lancer's illusions.
  • Bristleback ability icon Bristleback's passive costs no mana, meaning that it will continue to trigger even if Phantom Lancer drains Bristleback's mana with Diffusal Blade icon Diffusal Blade.
Centaur Warrunner icon
Dark Seer icon
  • Ion Shell icon Ion Shell helps taking down illusions quickly, making it easy to identify the real Phantom Lancer.
  • Surge icon Surge allows Dark Seer and his teammates to run away from Phantom Lancer, who relies on his Phantom Rush icon Phantom Rush to chase enemies.
Dragon Knight icon
  • Breathe Fire icon Breathe Fire and Elder Dragon Form icon Elder Dragon Form's splash damage takes out Phantom Lancer's illusions quickly.
  • If Dragon Knight can Dragon Tail icon Dragon Tail the real Phantom Lancer, he and his team can quickly kill him before he has a chance to escape.
Earthshaker icon
  • Echo Slam icon Echo Slam deals tremendous damage when multiplied by Phantom Lancer's illusions.
  • Earthshaker's AoE abilities can quickly kill Phantom Lancer's illusions.
  • Enchant Totem icon Enchant Totem with Aghanim's Scepter icon Aghanim's Scepter gives Cleave to help destroy illusions.
Ember Spirit icon
  • Sleight of Fist icon Sleight of Fist, allows Ember Spirit to destroy all of Phantom Lancer's illusions.
  • Flame Guard icon Flame Guard also deals significant damage to illusions, and protects against Spirit Lance.
  • Phantom Rush is unable to catch Ember Spirit when he teleports to his Fire Remnant icon Fire Remnants.
Grimstroke icon
  • Stroke of Fate icon Stroke of Fate clears Phantom Lancer's illusion easily as it deals bonus damage to more targets.
  • Ink Swell icon Ink Swell can be used on an allied hero or Grimstoke himself to stun Phantom Lancer and his illusions.
  • Soulbind icon Soulbind has an undispellable debuff that can be used to mark the real Phantom Lancer. It also prevents him from using Doppelganger.
Gyrocopter icon
Hoodwink icon
  • Acorn Shot (Secondary) icon Acorn Shot combined with attack modifiers such as Maelstrom icon Maelstrom or Daedalus icon Daedalus makes a quick work of Phantom Lancer's illusions.
  • Bushwhack icon Bushwhack will stun Phantom Lancer and his illusions if they're near a tree.
Jakiro icon
  • Jakiro's AoE abilities are great against Phantom Lancer:
  • Dual Breath icon Dual Breath slows down and damages Phantom Lancer and his illusions.
  • Liquid Fire icon Liquid Fire will not only deal AoE damage but also lowers Phantom Lancer's attack speed.
  • Ice Path icon Ice Path and Macropyre icon Macropyre combo can easily clear all of Phantom Lancer's illusions.
  • Jakiro can predict Doppelganger and Ice Path icon Ice Path on top.
Kunkka icon
  • Tidebringer icon Tidebringer and Kunkka's AoE abilities in general are effective in clearing Phantom Lancer's illusions.
Legion Commander icon
  • Overwhelming Odds icon Overwhelming Odds deals high damage to Phantom Lancer's illusions.
  • Duel icon Duel's long duration prevents Phantom Lancer from using Doppelganger.
Leshrac icon
  • Leshrac's AoE abilities destroy Phantom Lancer's illusions.
  • Diabolic Edict icon Diabolic Edict and Pulse Nova icon Pulse Nova require no targeting, thus hitting Phantom Lancer whenever he's nearby.
Meepo icon
  • Poof icon Poof from multiple Meepos will destroy illusions quickly.
  • Earthbind icon Earthbind's area root can catch Phantom Lancer in a group of illusions and prevent him from using Doppelganger for a long time.
  • Meepo aims to end the game as early as possible, while Phantom Lancer is a lategame hero.
    • This also means that, in the late game, Meepo stands no chance against Phantom Lancer.
Magnus icon
  • Empower icon Empower helps Magnus' allies clear out illusions.
  • Reverse Polarity icon Reverse Polarity and Skewer icon Skewer will pull Phantom Lancer along with his illusions, and reposition them together for easy nuking.
  • Shockwave icon Shockwave deals significant area damage in the early game,destroys phantoms and may even indicate the real Phantom Lancer.
Pangolier icon
  • Pangolier's AoE abilities especially Shield Crash icon Shield Crash, are very effective against Phantom Lancer's illusions.
Phoenix icon
  • Phoenix's AoE abilities can prove troublesome for Phantom Lancer.
  • Fire Spirits icon Fire Spirits dramatically reduces Phantom Lancer and his illusions' attack speed.
  • Icarus Dive icon Icarus Dive's movement speed reduction makes retreating difficult.
  • Supernova icon Supernova burns away illusions, and is invulnerable to attacks from illusions.
Puck icon
  • Illusory Orb icon Illusory Orb and Waning Rift icon Waning Rift are effective nukes against Phantom Lancer's illusions, especially in the early game.
  • Dream Coil icon Dream Coil limits Phantom Rush and Doppelganger's mobility during teamfights.
Razor icon
Sand King icon
  • All of Sand King's abilities deal AoE damage.
    • However, Epicenter icon Epicenter is usually a non-issue against Doppelganger.
Storm Spirit icon
  • Storm Spirit has multiple AoE abilities to deal with Phantom Lancer, especially with Aghanim's Scepter icon Aghanim's Scepter.
  • Ball Lightning icon Ball Lightning destroys illusions, avoids Spirit Lance, and makes Storm Spirit very hard to catch, even with Phantom Rush.
Sven icon
Tidehunter icon
  • Kraken Shell icon Kraken Shell and Anchor Smash icon Anchor Smash makes it very difficult for Phantom Lancer's illusions to damage to Tidehunter.
  • Ravage icon Ravage will stun the real Phantom Lancer while clearing most of his illusions.
  • Anchor Smash icon Anchor Smash reduces base damage, which is the majority of Phantom Lancer's auto-attack damage.
  • An Aghanim's Scepter icon Aghanim's Scepter upgraded Gush icon Gush slows down and reduces all of Phantom Lancer's illusions.
Timbersaw icon
  • All Timbersaw's abilities deal AoE pure damage and can easily deal with Phantom Lancer's illusions.
  • Reactive Armor icon Reactive Armor highly negates Phantom Lancer's physical damage, making him having a hard time killing Timbersaw.
Void Spirit icon
  • Astral Step icon Astral Step and Dissimilate icon Dissimilate makes a quick work of Phantom Lancer's illusions.
  • Resonant Pulse icon Resonant Pulse helps clear illusions and protects Void Spirit from Phantom Lancer's physical damage and with the Aghanim's Scepter icon Aghanim's Scepter upgrade, it prevents Phantom Lancer from casting his abilities.
  • Void's Spirit mobility makes it hard for him to chase down with Phantom Rush.
Witch Doctor icon
  • Aghanim's Scepter icon Aghanim's Scepter upgraded Death Ward icon Death Ward kills Phantom Lancer's illusions very quickly.
  • Phantom Lancer's lack of burst damage and disables makes it hard for him to stop Death Ward icon Death Ward's channel.
  • Maledict icon Maledict cannot be dispelled by Manta Style icon Manta Style or Doppelganger, and can be used to mark the real Phantom Lancer.

Others[]

  • Heroes with undispellable debuffs will help identify the real Phantom Lancer through visual effects or debuff indicators, provided that it was cast on the real Phantom Lancer to begin with:
  • Heroes that require burst damage to kill will be difficult for Phantom Lancer to take down: Timbersaw minimap icon Timbersaw, Axe minimap icon Axe, Bristleback minimap icon Bristleback, Alchemist minimap icon Alchemist and Underlord minimap icon Underlord
  • Heroes with global nukes will target and hit Phantom Lancer regardless of his illusions: Zeus minimap icon Zeus

Items[]

  • Both Aeon Disk icon Aeon Disk and Crimson Guard icon Crimson Guard will completely negate the damage of Phantom Lancer's illusions, even when Phantom Lancer has a considerable farm.
  • Battle Fury icon Battle Fury's cleave damage helps destroy Phantom Lancer's illusions.
  • Heaven's Halberd icon Heaven's Halberd prevents Phantom Lancer from proccing Juxtapose places an undispellable debuff which helps identify the real Phantom Lancer.
  • Radiance icon Radiance's burn aura helps destroy Phantom Lancer's illusions, and its blind chance provides some protection from his right clicks.
  • Silver Edge icon Silver Edge breaks Juxtapose and Phantom Rush and places undispellable debuff which helps identify the real Phantom Lancer.
  • Maelstrom icon Maelstrom and Mjollnir icon Mjollnir's chain lightning helps clear Phantom Lancer's illusions.
  • Orchid Malevolence icon Orchid Malevolence and Bloodthorn icon Bloodthorn indirectly locks down Phantom Lancer by preventing him from using Doppelganger to disjoint or dispel.
  • Shiva's Guard icon Shiva's Guard helps clear out Phantom Lancer's illusions. The passive aura and active slow reduce Phantom Lancer's attack speed and regeneration.
  • Magic Wand icon Magic Wand helps his victims get off an escape ability.
  • Nullifier icon Nullifier reveals the real hero as it is not dispellable and negates the safety of his many illusions, so the enemy can focus him down.
  • Gleipnir icon Gleipnir's AoE root prevents Phantom Lancer and his illusions from using Doppelganger.
  • Lotus Orb icon Lotus Orb can reflects Spirit Lance and illusions from Spirit Lance target back to Phantom Lancer's

Good against...[]

Arc Warden icon
  • One of Arc Warden's hardest counters, Arc Warden, who has primarily single target damage, will struggle tremendously against Phantom Lancer:
  • Flux (Radiant) icon Flux is paused if even one illusion remains near Phantom Lancer. It can also be dispelled with Doppelganger icon Doppelganger.
  • Phantom Lancer can also easily dodge an activated Spark Wraith (Radiant) icon Spark Wraith, or use his illusions to trigger it safely.
  • Phantom Rush icon Phantom Rush allows Lancer to quickly close gap to get inside of Arc Warden's Magnetic Field (Radiant) icon Magnetic Field.
  • Phantom Lancer and his clones are able to quickly drain Arc Warden of his mana with a Diffusal Blade icon Diffusal Blade. This means Warden's Tempest Double icon Tempest Double will also be summoned without mana.
Batrider icon
  • Doppelganger dispels Sticky Napalm icon Sticky Napalm and Flamebreak icon Flamebreak.
  • There are usually way too many illusions for Batrider to lasso the real Phantom Lancer, since the illusions' hitboxes also body block the real Phantom Lancer.
Bounty Hunter icon
  • Doppelganger icon Doppelganger dispels Track icon Track.
  • Bounty Hunter also has no area of effect abilities to help with the illusions.
Chaos Knight icon
  • Chaos Knight's single target abilities are difficult to target against Phantom Lancer's illusions.
  • Chaos Knight's lack of mobility makes him an easy target for Phantom Lancer to Phantom Rush icon Phantom Rush and drain his already low mana pool.
Clockwerk icon
  • Doppelganger icon Doppelganger. lets Phantom Lancer jump in and out of Power Cogs icon Power Cogs.
  • Clockwerk's low mobility makes him an easy target for Phantom Lancer to rush on, and overwhelm with clones.
Disruptor icon
Lifestealer icon
  • Aside from his ultimate, Lifestealer has no AoE abilities to deal with Phantom Lancer's illusions, nor does he have the mobility to escape Phantom Rush icon Phantom Rush.
  • Doppelganger icon Doppelganger dispels Open Wounds icon Open Wounds.
  • Phantom Lancer usually builds Diffusal Blade icon Diffusal Blade, which a problem for a low already mana hero like Lifestealer.
Lone Druid icon
Outworld Destroyer icon
  • Although Outworld Destroyer will typically destroy Phantom Lancer's illusions in one shot, Phantom Lancer spawns too many of them for Outworld Destroyer to deal with. However, be careful about initating on Outworld, as Sanity's Eclipse icon Sanity's Eclipse will erase your illusions and deal massive damage to you. He can then follow up with Astral Imprisonment icon Astral Imprisonment and Meteor Hammer icon Meteor Hammer.
Pugna icon
  • Phantom Lancer creates way too many illusions for Pugna's Life Drain icon Life Drain to destroy, overwhelming him easily.
  • Doppelganger icon Doppelganger can dodge Nether Blast icon Nether Blast or dispel Decrepify icon Decrepify.
  • Diffusal Blade icon Diffusal Blade is a common item for Phantom Lancer to burn Pugna's large mana pool and deals a large amount of damage in the process.
Slark icon
  • Slark has no sustained AoE to fight off Phantom Lancer's illusions as they continually spawn.
  • Spirit Lance can give vision of Slark by spawning an illusion, making it harder for him to juke and gain the passive bonus from Shadow Dance icon Shadow Dance.
  • Phantom Rush icon Phantom Rush helps Phantom Lancer chase down Slark if he tries to escape with Pounce icon Pounce.
Templar Assassin icon
  • Phantom Lancer's illusions destroy Refraction icon Refraction charges very quickly.
Undying icon
  • Phantom Lancer's many illusions will easily destroy Tombstone icon Tombstone, provided he has sufficient farm.
  • He also has no ways of dealing with the illusions, since Decay doesn't steal strength from illusions.
Viper icon
  • Although Viper Strike icon Viper Strike cannot be dispelled by Doppelganger, Viper's lack of mobility and AoE damage makes him an easy target for Phantom Lancer.
  • Viper's various slows do not work against Phantom Rush icon Phantom Rush.
Visage icon
  • Phantom Lancer's illusions will quickly destroy multiple layers of Gravekeeper's Cloak icon Gravekeeper's Cloak.
  • Visage has no mobility mechanisms, making him a prime target for Phantom Rush icon Phantom Rush.
Wraith King icon

Others[]

Items[]

Works well with...[]

Bane icon
  • Bane's long disable with Fiend's Grip icon Fiend's Grip gives Phantom Lancer plenty of time to spawn several illusions.
Crystal Maiden icon
  • Arcane Aura icon Arcane Aura allows Phantom Lancer to spam Spirit Lance in the early game.
  • Frostbite icon Frostbite and Crystal Maiden's slows helps Phantom Lancer chase down enemies.
Dazzle icon
  • Phantom Lancer and his many illusions multiply the damage from Shadow Wave icon Shadow Wave, allowing Dazzle to deal lots of physical damage to adjacent foes.
  • A timely Shallow Grave icon Shallow Grave can allow Phantom Lancer to get off a Doppelganger, run to safety, then return to the fight after a few heals. Due to his chaotic nature, it can be very hard to finish off Phantom Lancer if the enemy has already used their AoE abilities.
Jakiro icon
  • Ice Path icon Ice Path lets Phantom Lancer charge enemies without fear, from a great distance.
  • The slow from Diffusal Blade icon Diffusal Blade helps Jakiro aim his abilities.
Keeper of the Light icon
  • Chakra Magic icon Chakra Magic allows liberal use of Spirit Lance and Doppelganger in the early game, especially in lane.
    • Timed correctly, the cooldown reduction lets Phantom Lancer use Spirit Lance twice in quick succession. To do so, be sure to have Keeper of the Light cast Chakra Magic after using Spirit Lance.
    • Casting Doppelganger twice also allows Phantom Lancer to create 4 illusions immediately.
Oracle icon
Shadow Shaman icon
  • The long disable time from Shackles icon Shackles and Hex (Shadow Shaman) icon Hex allows Phantom Lancer to build up his illusions.
Slardar icon
  • Corrosive Haze icon Corrosive Haze's armor reduction helps Phantom Lancer and his illusions hit harder, compensating for his lack of burst damage.
Spirit Breaker icon
Undying icon
  • Decay icon Decay lowers enemy health, allowing Phantom Lancer to kill them easier without burst damage.
  • Tombstone icon Tombstone's slowing zombies create havoc on the battlefield, giving Phantom Lancer the opportunity to beat down an opponent and spawn illusions while they attempt to destroy the Tombstone.
Venomancer icon
  • Venomancer's slows help Phantom Lancer stay on top of his target without pausing between attacks to move or Phantom Rush.

Others[]

  • Heroes who can create chaotic, prolonged fights will give Phantom Lancer enough time to generate illusions and drain the enemy team of mana: Warlock minimap icon Warlock, Earth Spirit minimap icon Earth Spirit, Brewmaster minimap icon Brewmaster


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