Bane

Bane's early game priority is lane control and securing vision while staying out of kill range. The hero excels at denying enemy movement with Nightmare and Brain Sap, but has low armor and no escape—play far back and only step up when your core can collapse on enemies. Avoid chasing; focus on warding key areas (river, jungle entrances) and positioning to threaten disable from range. Most Bane games don't see a major item until 21+ minutes, so prioritize impact over farm.

Bane's first spike arrives around 21–25 minutes when Blink Dagger, Aether Lens, or Scepter come online (all show 53–59% win rates at those timings). A Blink Dagger enables Fiend's Grip initiation from fog; Aether Lens and Scepter extend your disable range and utility. Once your first major item lands, winning Bane players rotate into smoke ganks on priority targets, using Nightmare to isolate and Brain Sap to sustain during teamfights. Avoid farming alone; stick with your core and set up kills.

Bane remains a disable anchor who wins by protecting your carry and controlling key enemy targets during teamfights. Your win condition is positioning Fiend's Grip on the enemy's most dangerous hero (mid, carry, or initiator) while staying out of position to die. The data shows Bane's win rate peaks at 30–35 minutes (54.9%) and gradually declines after 45 minutes, suggesting the hero should close games before the enemy scales. In ultra-late scenarios, maintain vision control and ensure Nightmare and Grip are available for the final push or teamfight.