Attributes
Combat
Resources
Win Rate by Rank
Bar scale: 40% – 60% win rate range
Herald
0–770
Guardian
770–1540
Crusader
1540–2310
Archon
2310–3080
Legend
3080–3850
Ancient
3850–4620
Divine + Immortal
5000+
Lion remains a viable late-game control support in patch 7.41e, thriving when games extend long enough for him to stack utility items that amplify his already potent disable kit. His power curve heavily favors teams that can survive the midgame and scale into teamfights where his Hex and Earth Spike lock down priority targets. The hero's strength lies in his ability to completely shut down key enemies when given time to itemize, making him particularly valuable in slower, more methodical game states.
Your build should prioritize Power Treads as your immediate foundation, then pivot hard into Blink Dagger as your critical midgame spike. From there, layer in Aether Lens and Force Staff to maximize your engagement range and survivability, with Cyclone rounding out your core utility toolkit. The win rate progression shows each item compounds your effectiveness, so avoid rushing greedy support items and instead commit to these mobility and positioning upgrades that let you reliably land your spells and orchestrate fights from safety.
Lion struggles significantly in fast-paced games where enemies itemize evasion or BKB before you complete Blink, as you become a walking heal dispenser rather than a threat. Drafts heavy on mobile carry heroes or teams that want early aggression punish your slow farm and limited impact in the first fifteen minutes, forcing you to rely entirely on your team winning lanes. Additionally, enemies who rush Linken's Sphere or counterpick with strong dispels can neutralize your most important abilities, so ensure your team has a game plan for those scenarios before committing to Lion.
Meta Insight
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Based on patch 7.41e data · Last updated: 2026-09-08
Position 5 hard supports are the most dedicated ward-planter and map-controller on the team, with minimal farm priority and maximum responsibility for keeping allies alive and enemies visible. Lion's role is to enable kills through crowd control (stuns and disables) while staying alive long enough to cast spells multiple times in fights. See the Fundamentals page for the full position breakdown.
Full position breakdown → FundamentalsLion wins through vision control and kill setup in the 15–20 minute window (35.8% win rate). Prioritize placing deep wards, rotating to create 2v1 or 3v2 kill situations with your core heroes, and avoiding extended trades where the enemy support can outdamage you. Early item timings show Blink arrives around 21 minutes — this is your first major breakpoint, so farm defensively and accumulate small kills before then rather than committing to risky ganks.
Blink (21 min, 53.5% win rate) and Aether Lens (24 min, 59.7% win rate) define Lion's mid-game power spike. Win rates jump from 35.8% at 15–20 min to 41.9% at 20–25 min once these items land. Once Blink is complete, winning Lion players shift into frequent smoke ganks (ambushing enemies using a smoke of deceit) and proactive rotations to pick off isolated targets or force favorable 5v5 engagements. Aether Lens extends spell range and amplifies damage, making follow-up ganks and teamfight positioning significantly more threatening.
Lion's late-game win condition is staying alive and landing stuns in the chaos. The data shows a steady climb from 46.4% win rate at 25–30 min to 52.0% at 40–45 min, indicating that games decided at full item completion favor Lion. Winning patterns involve staying at medium range during fights (using Force Staff or Ghost Scepter to kite and survive burst), using Blink offensively only when a high-priority target is isolated, and ensuring your team initiates or counter-initiates after you scout with vision. Ghost Scepter (26 min, 55.8% win rate) and Force Staff (25 min, 54.4% win rate) become essential for survivability against right-click threats and burst damage.
Based on 505 pro matches — ESL One Birmingham 2026 + PGL Wallachia Season 8 + DreamLeague Season 29 + BLAST Slam VII
View full research → Research page⚠️ Item timing data reflects all pub game modes and skill brackets — professional matches show significantly faster item timings and earlier power spikes, so adjust timings downward when studying pro replays.
