Counters for Axe – Patch 7.41: Lifestealer, Dazzle

Axe is picked in 16.1% of Very High matches, 17.8% of High and 18.1% of Normal, and wins 49.2% / 50% / 51.4%. Berserker's Call taunts nearby enemies and gives him armor, Battle Hunger damages a target until it kills something, Counter Helix deals pure damage around him, and Culling Blade executes a weakened hero. His team gains more XP in 54.3% of games before minute 15, then about even (50.5% and 51.2%), and his win rate barely moves with game length: 50.2% under 25 minutes, 50.6% at 25–50 and 49.9% past 50.

Countered by Lifestealer

Laning

Axe wins the early game: Lifestealer's team gains more XP in only 42.1% of games before minute 15, and Lifestealer wins only 46.2% of the 733 games under 25 minutes.

Fights and midgame

Axe's job is to be hit by many heroes at once, and Feast heals Lifestealer for a share of his target's max health with every hit. Axe has more max health than most, so each of Lifestealer's attacks heals him more. Open Wounds slows Axe and lets the whole team heal from the damage they deal to him, and Rage gives Lifestealer debuff immunity and magic resistance against Battle Hunger. The XP-gain share evens out at 50.4% between minutes 15 and 35.

Late game

Lifestealer's team gains more XP in 52.8% of games after minute 35. He wins 55.7% of 25–50 minute games (26,811 games) and 52.1% past 50 (6,141 games). The edge is even across brackets: +7 in Very High, +6.46 in High and +7.72 in Normal, from 33,684 games. Lifestealer wins 56.1% / 55.1% / 54% (Very High / High / Normal) against Axe, against his usual 51.7% / 51.9% / 51.5%.

Key abilities

Feast: heals from Axe's large health pool.
Open Wounds: the whole team heals off Axe.
Rage: shrugs off Battle Hunger.
Infest: a way into the fight Axe starts.

Other heroes that counter Axe

Spectre: Dispersion returns part of the damage Axe takes, and she outscales him.
Abaddon: Borrowed Time turns Axe's damage into healing, and Aphotic Shield saves the allies he Calls.
Lone Druid: Entangle roots Axe before he can Blink in, and the Spirit Bear out-damages him, outside Normal.
Witch Doctor: Paralyzing Cask stuns him, and Maledict's damage grows with the health he loses.

Best teammate: Dazzle

Laning

The pair wins the lane: their team gains more XP in 60.7% of games before minute 15. Poison Touch slows enemies for Axe to walk up to.

Fights and midgame

Shallow Grave keeps Axe from dying while he stands in the middle of five enemies with Berserker's Call. Shadow Wave heals Axe and damages the enemies standing around him, and Weave raises his armor while lowering theirs. Axe's Counter Helix and Culling Blade do the rest. Their team gains more XP in 53.9% of games between minutes 15 and 35.

Late game

The pair should finish early: they win 60.5% of games under 25 minutes (261 games) and 54.6% at 25–50 minutes (8,404 games), but only 46.7% past 50 (1,814 games). Their XP-gain share stays at 53.3% after minute 35. The advantage is +3.66 in Very High, +5.7 in High and +2.95 in Normal. The pair wins 52.8% / 54.4% / 53.1% (Very High / High / Normal), with Dazzle normally at 51.8% / 51.5% / 50.3%.

Key abilities

Shallow Grave: Axe can't die inside his own Call.
Shadow Wave: heals Axe and damages those around him.
Weave: more armor for Axe, less for enemies.
Poison Touch: slows enemies before Axe arrives.

Other good teammates for Axe

Enchantress: Enchant slows targets for Culling Blade, and Nature's Attendants heals Axe during a Call.
Primal Beast: Onslaught and Pulverize start fights Axe can join, in Very High and High.
Lifestealer: Infest lets Lifestealer ride Axe into a fight and burst out next to the Called enemies.
Silencer: Global Silence stops enemies from saving the heroes Axe has Called, outside Normal.

Based on 2,111,000 public ranked matches of patch 7.41, played 30 September – 14 October 2026. Advantage is the win-rate difference from what the two heroes' own win rates predict, times two (+6 is about 3 win-rate points), weighted over the skill brackets. The live numbers on the Axe page update every few hours. More guides: Dota 2 counter guides.