Support guide

Put one hero to sleep, grip the other and let your team do the rest.

626 HP351 manaLevel 1

BaneDota 2 hero

Bane is a support with the strongest single-target lockdown in Dota 2, a healing nuke and a debuff that cripples the enemy carry.

UniversalRanged

#97of 127 heroes
by pick rate

Pick rate: 3.7%
Hero win rate: 49.9%

Our game-phase read Editorial · impact 1–5

Source & our read · Sep 12, 2026

OpenDota · retrieved Sep 12, 2026. 140,832 Bane picks and 70,258 wins in approximately 3,780,175 rank-classified public matches. Excludes Turbo and pro stats. This is a sample, not all players.

Pick rate = hero picks ÷ estimated matches; win rate = hero wins ÷ hero picks. Estimated matches = all hero picks ÷ 10, following OpenDota’s calculation. Tied pick counts share a rank. The API does not provide observation timestamps.

Our impact scores · 1 low, 5 high
Early · 5/5	Brain Sap and Enfeeble win almost every trade in lane.
Mid · 4/5	Fiend's Grip and Nightmare decide pickoffs and small fights.
Late · 4/5	The grip stays relevant against Black King Bar, though Bane dies quickly if caught.

The Dota2Freaks take Editorial

Why pick Bane?

Pick Bane when the enemy has one hero who wins fights alone and your team needs a disable that works through Black King Bar.

When to think twice

Avoid Bane when the enemy spreads damage across many heroes or has several interrupts for your channel.

The usual mistake

Do not let allies attack a sleeping target. Nightmare ends on damage, so coordinate before you cast it.

Our picks · Support

Bane item builds

Choose for the game in front of you.

Standard

Default position 5 path for a Bane who disables from range and protects the carry.

01Starting
Empty inventory slot
Trade and keep vision
02Lane
Empty inventory slot
Rotate with cheap regen
03First core
Grip from a safe distance
04Mid game
Save allies and reposition
05Late game
Guarantee the channel
06Luxury
Add illusions to the grip

Aether LensExtra cast range so Fiend's Grip and Nightmare land from safer ground.

How to use these builds

These are our editorial build paths. Labels describe their purpose, not measured popularity or win rate. Click an item for its use. Each stage is an inventory snapshot: keep earlier items, use consumables, upgrade components, and replace small items as space runs out. Boots, defenses, and late slots can change with the draft.

More match and build examples: Dota 2 Pro Tracker. Item names and images: Valve.

The draft check

Friends & counters

Our picks, based on how the spells work together.

5 friends to play with

Juggernaut

A gripped or sleeping target gives Juggernaut a free Omnislash.

Phantom Assassin

Bane's long lockdown lets Phantom Assassin burst a target before it reacts.

Sniper

Nightmare and Fiend's Grip stop divers who try to reach Sniper.

Lina

Fiend's Grip guarantees Light Strike Array and Laguna Blade on the same hero.

Drow Ranger

Bane keeps enemies away from Drow Ranger and holds targets for her attacks.

5 counter picks to watch

Earthshaker

Fissure and Echo Slam interrupt Fiend's Grip from range.

Pudge

Meat Hook pulls Bane out of position and Dismember holds him through his spells.

Storm Spirit

Ball Lightning reaches Bane instantly and Electric Vortex breaks the channel.

Zeus

Lightning Bolt interrupts the grip from anywhere and wakes sleeping targets.

Nyx Assassin

Spiked Carapace stuns Bane while he channels and Mana Burn empties his mana.

About these picks

These are useful ability interactions, not a statistical ranking or guaranteed matchups. Positioning, items, and cooldowns change the result. Hero links open a full guide when available, otherwise the directory.

Ability references from Valve: Juggernaut · Phantom Assassin · Sniper · Lina · Drow Ranger · Earthshaker · Pudge · Storm Spirit · Zeus · Nyx Assassin. Checked 2026-10-13.

The buttons

QWER · open for spell values

EnfeebleUnit targetWeakens an enemy, reducing attack damage, slowing casting and dealing damage over time.

Mana: 100 / 110 / 120 / 130
Cooldown: 22 / 17 / 12 / 7s
Damage reduction: 55 / 60 / 65 / 70%

Brain SapUnit targetDrains health from an enemy and heals Bane for the same amount.

Mana: 105 / 120 / 135 / 150
Cooldown: 17 / 15 / 13 / 11s
Damage and heal: 90 / 160 / 230 / 300

NightmareUnit targetPuts a unit to sleep; the target wakes up when damaged and the nightmare can pass to attackers.

Mana: 120 / 130 / 140 / 150
Cooldown: 25 / 22 / 19 / 16s
Invulnerable on cast: 1s

Fiend's GripUltimateChanneled. Holds an enemy in place, dealing damage and draining mana; pierces spell immunity.

Mana: 200 / 300 / 400
Cooldown: 120 / 110 / 100s
Damage per second: 70 / 110 / 150

Base stats & innate Level 1 · no items

Strength23+2.5 / lvl

Agility23+2.5 / lvl

Intelligence23+2.5 / lvl

Attack damage: 24–30
Armor: 3.8
Move speed: 305
Magic resist: 25%
Attack range: 425
Base attack time: 1.7s
Health regen: +2.55/s
Mana regen: +1.15/s

DOTA2FREAKS GUIDE · REVIEWED Oct 13, 2026

Dota 2 Bane guide: support builds, abilities and tips

Bane is a support with the strongest single-target lockdown in Dota 2, a healing nuke and a debuff that cripples the enemy carry.

What role does Bane play in Dota 2?

Bane is a ranged Universal hero. Our recommended role is position 5 support, also strong as position 4.

Bane removes one enemy from the fight. Nightmare puts a target to sleep, Fiend's Grip channels a long disable through spell immunity, and Enfeeble cuts the enemy carry's damage. Brain Sap heals Bane while hurting the target, which makes him a strong laner. Pick Bane when your team needs a reliable answer to one dangerous hero. He has little area impact, so his fights are won by choosing the right target.

How to play Bane in Dota 2

Bane laning and early decisions
Trade with attacks and Brain Sap whenever the enemy carry is in range; the heal keeps you healthy while they lose health. Enfeeble the carry before a trade so their attacks barely hurt your partner. Nightmare is a set-up: sleep the support, then your carry hits the other hero for free.
Bane positioning and teamfights
Stay behind your team and decide who must not act. Fiend's Grip the enemy who carries the fight, usually the farmed core, right after they commit. Use Nightmare on a second hero or to stop a channel, and Enfeeble the hardest hitter before the fight starts. Do not grip in the open where an enemy can interrupt you.
Dota 2 Bane item build decisions
Boots, Magic Wand and wards cover the lane. Aether Lens is the usual first core because Fiend's Grip from range is safer. Glimmer Cape and Force Staff protect your carry, Blink Dagger lets you grip from fog, and Black King Bar guarantees the full channel in the late game. Aghanim's Scepter adds illusions to the grip.

Dota 2 Bane tips and ability interactions

D2F ADVICE

Bane: Nightmare is also a save

Nightmare can target allies. A sleeping ally becomes invulnerable for the first moment and cannot be attacked normally while asleep, which buys time for a Shallow Grave or for enemies to lose interest. Wake them with another Nightmare cast or an attack when it is safe.

Bane: Grip through Black King Bar

Fiend's Grip pierces spell immunity, so it is one of the few disables that stops a carry after they activate Black King Bar. Hold the grip for that moment instead of using it first. The channel breaks if you are stunned, so position behind allies or buy Black King Bar yourself.

Bane: Enfeeble before the fight

Enfeeble lowers the target's attack damage and slows their casting for several seconds. Cast it on the enemy carry as the fight starts, not after they have already killed someone. In lane it turns the enemy carry's trades into free wins for your partner.

Dota 2 Bane ability mechanics

Key Bane mechanics · Valve snapshot Oct 13, 2026
Detail	What it means in your game
Enfeeble	Weakens an enemy, reducing attack damage, slowing casting and dealing damage over time.
Brain Sap	Drains health from an enemy and heals Bane for the same amount.
Nightmare	Puts a unit to sleep; the target wakes up when damaged and the nightmare can pass to attackers.
Fiend's Grip	Channeled. Holds an enemy in place, dealing damage and draining mana; pierces spell immunity.

Dota 2 Bane FAQ

Which role should Bane play in Dota 2?

Bane is a support, most often position 5 and sometimes position 4. He wins lanes with Brain Sap and Enfeeble and later removes one hero from every fight with Fiend's Grip. He needs vision and a safe position more than items, so he fits a team that already has farming cores.

Which items should Bane buy in Dota 2?

Start with regen, wards and Magic Stick, then Tranquil or Arcane Boots and Magic Wand. Aether Lens is the common first core, followed by Glimmer Cape or Force Staff for saves and Blink Dagger for initiation. Black King Bar protects the grip in the late game, and Aghanim's Scepter adds illusions to Fiend's Grip.

Is Bane suitable for Dota 2 beginners?

Yes. Bane's spells are simple targeted abilities, and Brain Sap makes the lane forgiving. The important lessons are choosing one target for Fiend's Grip, standing behind allies while channeling and understanding that Nightmare wakes targets when they take damage, so your team must not attack a sleeping hero too early.

How should you use Bane's ultimate in Dota 2?

Fiend's Grip is a long channel that holds one hero and works through spell immunity. Use it on the enemy who decides the fight, ideally after they have used their escape or Black King Bar. Stand where enemies cannot easily stun you, and let your team kill the target or the heroes around it while it is held.

Next pick?