Bane · Hard Support (pos. 5)
Bane Guide
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This guide is assembled by the site from match data and the game's own information — nobody wrote it by hand. Official and community guides appear alongside it when they exist.
Overview
Bane is a ranged Universal hero that Valve tags as Disabler, Support and Nuker. It is played mainly as Hard Support (pos. 5): 70% of the public matches we measured, by starting lane and starting items. In this guide you play it as Hard Support (pos. 5): your job is to keep your carry safe in the safe lane, buy the wards and give up farm so the cores can have it. The kit brings crowd control (sleep) with Nightmare and sustain with Brain Sap. Its ultimate is Fiend's Grip. This patch, Bane wins 49.1% of the 117,143 public matches we measured (B tier on our ladder).
Strengths
- Reliable sleep: Nightmare sets up kills.
- Keeps allies alive with Brain Sap.
- Valve tags Bane as Durable: it stays in fights longer than most heroes.
- Heavy magical burst: Valve lists it as a Nuker.
Weaknesses
- No escape in the kit: without good positioning and vision, Bane is easy to catch.
- Low base armor (1): vulnerable to physical harass early on.
- Plays on little gold: expensive items arrive late.
Build cheat sheet
Pick the build that fits what you want to do this game.
- Most-played buildBalancedRecommendedThe items most bought with this hero, phase by phase. Pick it when you don't have a clear reason to deviate. Built from what Bane players buy in the public matches we measured.
- Damage buildOffensiveAdvancedMoves the popular items that add damage — Vladmir's Offering and Shadow Blade — to the front. Choose it when your lane went well and you can afford to be greedy. Built from what Bane players buy in the public matches we measured.
- Survival buildDefensiveSituationalPrioritises the popular items that keep you alive — Ghost Scepter and Glimmer Cape. Choose it against heavy disables or burst, or when you are the enemy's focus. Built from what Bane players buy in the public matches we measured.
- Team utility buildUtilitySituationalBuilt around the popular items that help your allies — Aether Lens and Glimmer Cape. Choose it when your team needs saves and auras more than your damage. Built from what Bane players buy in the public matches we measured.
Builds
Most-played build
When to use it
The items most bought with this hero, phase by phase. Pick it when you don't have a clear reason to deviate. Built from what Bane players buy in the public matches we measured.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
224%170%- Safe laneMain70% of matchesSafe lane next to your carry, as Hard Support (pos. 5).
- OfflanePriority 224% of matchesOff lane next to your offlaner, as Soft Support (pos. 4).
Starting items
Early game
Core items
- 1Aether Lens
- 2Ghost Scepter
- 3Blink Dagger
- 4Glimmer Cape
Boots
Late game
Skill order
Max order:Nightmare›Enfeeble›Brain Sap
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Talents by level
- +3s Fiend's Grip Duration+275 Brain Sap Damage/Heal25
- -3s Nightmare Cooldown+30 Movement Speed20
- +13 Enfeeble Damage Per Second+5% Fiend's Grip Max Mana Drain15
- +20% Enfeeble Cast Range Reduction+125 Brain Sap Cast Range10
Damage build
When to use it
Moves the popular items that add damage — Vladmir's Offering and Shadow Blade — to the front. Choose it when your lane went well and you can afford to be greedy. Built from what Bane players buy in the public matches we measured.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
224%170%- Safe laneMain70% of matchesSafe lane next to your carry, as Hard Support (pos. 5).
- OfflanePriority 224% of matchesOff lane next to your offlaner, as Soft Support (pos. 4).
Starting items
Core items
- 1Vladmir's Offering+1 Armor, +0.75 Mana Regeneration.
- 2Shadow Blade+25 Damage, +35 Attack Speed. Active: Shadow Walk.
- 3Aether Lens+300 Mana, +2.5 Mana Regeneration, +225 Cast Range.
- 4Ghost Scepter+5 All Attributes. Active: Ghost Form.
Boots
Late game
Skill order
Max order:Nightmare›Enfeeble›Brain Sap
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Talents by level
- +3s Fiend's Grip Duration+275 Brain Sap Damage/Heal25
- -3s Nightmare Cooldown+30 Movement Speed20
- +13 Enfeeble Damage Per Second+5% Fiend's Grip Max Mana Drain15
- +20% Enfeeble Cast Range Reduction+125 Brain Sap Cast Range10
Survival build
When to use it
Prioritises the popular items that keep you alive — Ghost Scepter and Glimmer Cape. Choose it against heavy disables or burst, or when you are the enemy's focus. Built from what Bane players buy in the public matches we measured.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
224%170%- Safe laneMain70% of matchesSafe lane next to your carry, as Hard Support (pos. 5).
- OfflanePriority 224% of matchesOff lane next to your offlaner, as Soft Support (pos. 4).
Starting items
Core items
- 1Ghost Scepter+5 All Attributes. Active: Ghost Form.
- 2Glimmer Cape+20% Magic Resistance. Active: Glimmer.
- 3Force Staff+10 Intelligence, +175 Health. Active: Force.
- 4Pavise+3 Armor, +175 Mana, +175 Health. Active: Protect.
Boots
Late game
Skill order
Max order:Nightmare›Enfeeble›Brain Sap
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ● | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | ● | · | · |
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| · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | ● | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · |
Talents by level
- +3s Fiend's Grip Duration+275 Brain Sap Damage/Heal25
- -3s Nightmare Cooldown+30 Movement Speed20
- +13 Enfeeble Damage Per Second+5% Fiend's Grip Max Mana Drain15
- +20% Enfeeble Cast Range Reduction+125 Brain Sap Cast Range10
Team utility build
When to use it
Built around the popular items that help your allies — Aether Lens and Glimmer Cape. Choose it when your team needs saves and auras more than your damage. Built from what Bane players buy in the public matches we measured.
Where it's played
Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.
224%170%- Safe laneMain70% of matchesSafe lane next to your carry, as Hard Support (pos. 5).
- OfflanePriority 224% of matchesOff lane next to your offlaner, as Soft Support (pos. 4).
Starting items
Core items
- 1Aether Lens+300 Mana, +2.5 Mana Regeneration, +225 Cast Range.
- 2Glimmer Cape+20% Magic Resistance. Active: Glimmer.
- 3Pavise+3 Armor, +175 Mana, +175 Health. Active: Protect.
- 4Eul's Scepter of Divinity+10 Intelligence, +2.5 Mana Regeneration, +20 Movement Speed. Active: Cyclone.
Boots
Late game
Skill order
Max order:Nightmare›Enfeeble›Brain Sap
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ● | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | ● | · | · |
| · | ● | · | ● | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● |
| · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | ● | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · |
Talents by level
- +3s Fiend's Grip Duration+275 Brain Sap Damage/Heal25
- -3s Nightmare Cooldown+30 Movement Speed20
- +13 Enfeeble Damage Per Second+5% Fiend's Grip Max Mana Drain15
- +20% Enfeeble Cast Range Reduction+125 Brain Sap Cast Range10
Abilities
- Enfeeble22 / 17 / 12 / 7s100 / 110 / 120 / 130 mpDeals damage every second and lowers the enemy's total attack damage and cast range.
- Attack damage reduction
- 55%·60%·65%·70%
- Cast range reduction
- 30%
- Duration
- 9
- Damage
- 12·18·24·30
- Brain Sap17 / 15 / 13 / 11s105 / 120 / 135 / 150 mpFeasts on the vital energies of an enemy unit, healing Bane and dealing damage.
- Heal/damage
- 90·160·230·300
- Nightmare25 / 22 / 19 / 16s120 / 130 / 140 / 150 mpPuts the target enemy or friendly Hero to sleep. Sleeping units walk in Bane's chosen direction and are awakened when damaged. If the target was directly attacked, the Nightmare passes to the attacking unit. Bane can attack and damage Nightmared targets freely.
Can be put on alt-cast to have the target stand still.
- Attack speed bonus
- 0
- Walk speed
- 110
- Fiend's Grip120 / 110 / 100s200 / 300 / 400 mpCHANNELED - Grips an enemy unit, disabling it and causing heavy damage over time, while stealing mana every 0.5 seconds based on the unit's maximum mana.
- Mana drain per second
- 5%
- Duration
- 4.75·5.25·5.75
- Damage
- 70·110·150
Nightmare EndEnds all ongoing Nightmares.
Ichor of NyctashaPassiveEvery time Bane kills an enemy hero or they die under the effect of Bane's debuff, they receive a Terror for the rest of the game that decreases their status resistance to Bane's subsequent debuffs.- Max terrors per hero
- 6
- Status resistance per terror
- 4%
Most played skill order
The most played order in the last 100 professional matches with this hero. Highlighted levels are the points spent on talents.
Max order:Nightmare›Enfeeble›Brain Sap
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ● | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | ● | · | · |
| · | ● | · | ● | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | · | · | · | ● |
| · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ● | ● | ● | · | ● | · | · | · | · | · |
Strategy
1Early game
Position 5 starts in the safe lane with your carry: their last hits come first, so harass the enemy offlaner, pull the small camp when the wave needs resetting and buy the wards nobody else will. Harass when the enemy core walks up to last hit: every hit you land is gold your carry keeps.
- Early items: Bracer and Null Talisman.
2Mid game
Rotate to the lanes where you can get kills, keep vision around the next objective and leave the farm to your cores. Your spikes are level 6, when Fiend's Grip comes online, and your core items: Aether Lens and then Ghost Scepter.
- Core items: Aether Lens, Ghost Scepter and Blink Dagger.
3Late game
Late, your death costs little gold but your spells are worth a lot: stay behind the team, keep your save items ready and ward before the fight, not during it.
- Late items: Aghanim's Scepter and Force Staff.
4Team fights
Stay behind your cores, use Nightmare on whoever jumps on your carry and keep Brain Sap for the moment the enemy commits. Use Fiend's Grip where it hits the most enemies or catches the key target.
Tips
- Land Nightmare on the enemy core first: a disabled carry doesn't hit back.
- Keep Brain Sap for the moment the enemy commits, not to top up health.
- Buy and place wards every time they are available: vision is your first job.
- Your key purchases are Aether Lens and Ghost Scepter: they give your team the saves it needs.
- Plan fights around Fiend's Grip: without it, Bane is far less threatening.
Matchups
Strong against
- Tiny63.1%win rate in the matchup
Bane wins 63.1% of the 141 games measured against Tiny this patch.
141 matches
- Pangolier60.0%win rate in the matchup
Bane wins 60.0% of the 145 games measured against Pangolier this patch.
145 matches
- Snapfire58.1%win rate in the matchup
Bane wins 58.1% of the 136 games measured against Snapfire this patch.
136 matches
- Jakiro56.9%win rate in the matchup
Bane wins 56.9% of the 123 games measured against Jakiro this patch.
123 matches
- Tusk56.8%win rate in the matchup
Bane wins 56.8% of the 125 games measured against Tusk this patch.
125 matches
Weak against
- Centaur Warrunner41.5%win rate in the matchup
Bane only wins 41.5% of the 106 games measured against Centaur Warrunner this patch.
106 matches
- Nature's Prophet43.4%win rate in the matchup
Bane only wins 43.4% of the 53 games measured against Nature's Prophet this patch.
53 matches
- Dark Willow44.2%win rate in the matchup
Bane only wins 44.2% of the 77 games measured against Dark Willow this patch.
77 matches
- Beastmaster44.6%win rate in the matchup
Bane only wins 44.6% of the 74 games measured against Beastmaster this patch.
74 matches
- Lich45.8%win rate in the matchup
Bane only wins 45.8% of the 59 games measured against Lich this patch.
59 matches
Changelog
- Guide created for patch 7.41.
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