Silencer is picked in 8.6% of Very High matches, 10.4% of High and 10.9% of Normal, and wins 49.8% / 50.1% / 51.1%. Arcane Curse damages and slows an area and lasts longer when enemies cast, Glaives of Wisdom steal intelligence with every hit, Last Word silences a target that casts, Suffer In Silence helps him against silenced enemies, and Global Silence stops every enemy on the map from casting. He grows with the game: he wins 47.1% of games under 25 minutes, 49.8% at 25–50 and 53.7% past 50.
Countered by Phantom LancerSilencer wins the lane: Phantom Lancer's team gains more XP in only 44.3% of games before minute 15. Glaives of Wisdom and Arcane Curse punish him in trades.
Silencer's power is in stopping spells, and Phantom Lancer needs few of them. Juxtapose creates illusions passively whenever he attacks, so Global Silence doesn't stop them. Last Word and Glaives of Wisdom hit one target, often an illusion. Doppelganger scatters Phantom Lancer among copies before the silence lands. The XP-gain share evens out at 49.7% between minutes 15 and 35.
Phantom Lancer takes over late: his team gains more XP in 56.1% of games after minute 35, and he wins 56.4% of 25–50 minute games (10,754 games) and 59.3% past 50 (2,424 games). The edge is +6.56 in Very High, +8.59 in High and +8.47 in Normal. Phantom Lancer wins 56.6% / 57.9% / 56.4% (Very High / High / Normal) against Silencer, against his usual 53.2% / 53.7% / 53.3%.
Best teammate: Sand KingThe pair starts behind: their team gains more XP in 40.6% of games before minute 15, and they win only 31.5% of the 54 games under 25 minutes.
Epicenter pulses damage and a slow over a widening area after a long cast, and Global Silence stops the enemies inside it from casting their way out. Burrowstrike stuns a line, Stinger slows everyone in an area, and Suffer In Silence gives Silencer extra damage against the silenced group. The XP-gain share recovers to 46.5% between minutes 15 and 35.
The pair grows into long games: their team gains more XP in 51.1% of games after minute 35, and they win 50% of 25–50 minute games (2,631 games) and 58.6% past 50 (830 games). The pairing works in Very High (+7.26) and High (+6.84), but barely in Normal (+0.66). The pair wins 51.7% / 52.2% / 51.6% (Very High / High / Normal), with Sand King normally at 48.2% / 48.7% / 50.2%.
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 Silencer page update every few hours. More guides: Dota 2 counter guides.
