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Dragon Knight in Dota 2: counters, win rate and common mistakes
Dragon Knight — Strength, melee; roles: Carry, Pusher, Durable, Disabler, Initiator, Nuker. Public match win rate — 52.9%. In short: Dragon Knight is strong against Morphling, Troll Warlord, Sand King but suffers against Abaddon, Venomancer, Bounty Hunter.
Lost the game?Paste a match ID — we show who threw and why: deaths, lanes, items, map replay.
Dragon Knight win rate by rank
public matches, OpenDota data · scale 40–60%Herald53.3%
Guardian53.2%
Crusader52.8%
Archon52.8%
Legend53.0%
Ancient52.8%
Divine52.6%
Immortal—
Dragon Knight is strong against
hover a hero for a summary
Who counters Dragon Knight
How to play Dragon Knight against counters
items, your spells and what to fear — per enemy
vs AbaddonDon't hit into Borrowed Time: bait out shield and ult first, then lock him down with heal reduction.41.5%
What to build against it
Spirit VesselCuts the healing Abaddon and his allies get from Mist Coil.
NullifierPurges Aphotic Shield off the target and keeps the save from sticking.
Silver EdgeBreak shuts off Curse of Avernus, removing its slow and attack speed boost on you.
Black King BarProtects from Mist Coil and curse magic damage in long fights.
How to use the spells of Dragon Knight
Dragon TailStun after Abaddon spends Aphotic Shield, otherwise he strong-dispels it instantly.
Breathe FireBreathe Fire lowers his attack damage — use before trades so the curse stacks slower.
Elder Dragon FormWhen Borrowed Time is up, switch to other heroes with splash instead of hitting him.
Watch out for Abaddon
Borrowed TimeDamage heals him; stop attacking during the ult and finish him after.
Aphotic ShieldShield removes stuns and bursts in an area — don't stand next to the target when it pops.
vs VenomancerYour regen drowns in poison — get magic resistance, kill wards fast and jump Venomancer himself.42.6%
What to build against it
Pipe of InsightThe barrier absorbs magic damage from Gale, Poison Sting and Plague for the team.
Black King BarBlocks Gale, Noxious Plague and slows so you can reach the squishy Venomancer.
Lotus OrbNoxious Plague and Snakebite are unit-targeted — Lotus reflects them back.
Magic WandVenomancer spams spells in lane — wand charges save you from DoT.
How to use the spells of Dragon Knight
Dragon TailStun Venomancer himself, not wards — without him the wards are harmless.
Dragon BloodRegen outlasts some poison in lane — trades are fine unless you stand among wards.
Elder Dragon FormDragon ranged attack lets you clear wards without walking into them.
Watch out for Venomancer
Noxious PlagueWhen the debuff ends it spreads — spread out from the infected ally.
SnakebiteEach attack while bitten repeats the damage — pause or only hit for a kill.
vs Bounty HunterCarry detection and deny his invis opener — in a straight fight you are stronger.43.0%
What to build against it
Dust of AppearanceReveals Shadow Walk when he sneaks in or escapes.
Sentry WardSentries on his gank paths deny the invis stun opener.
Black King BarBlocks Shuriken Toss slow so he can't keep you in place.
Magic WandFrequent shurikens give charges that save you after the invis stun.
How to use the spells of Dragon Knight
Dragon TailStun him the moment he leaves invis so he can't Shadow Walk again.
Breathe FireBreathe Fire cuts his attack and Jinada damage — press it early in the fight.
Dragon BloodPassive armor helps against physical Jinada damage — don't fear trading hits.
Watch out for Bounty Hunter
Shadow WalkThe invis hit stuns — keep dust and don't farm alone without wards.
TrackTrack pierces BKB and grants vision — don't try to hide, retreat to allies.
vs ViperViper Strike disables your passives and pierces BKB — block it with Linken's and force close fights.43.2%
What to build against it
Linken's SphereBlocks unit-targeted Viper Strike, which otherwise pierces BKB.
Lotus OrbReflects Viper Strike back at Viper.
Black King BarProtects from Poison Attack, Nethertoxin and Corrosive Skin magic damage.
Blink DaggerCloses the gap to the ranged Viper despite his slows.
How to use the spells of Dragon Knight
Dragon TailJump and stun immediately, burst short — long trades through Corrosive Skin lose.
Breathe FireBreathe Fire lowers his attack damage — use before fights and when retreating.
Elder Dragon FormDragon ranged attack lets you fight at range without chasing under Poison Attack slow.
Watch out for Viper
Viper StrikeDisables Dragon Blood and pierces BKB — keep Linken's and don't go in alone.
NethertoxinDamage grows the longer you stay in it — step out immediately.
vs Monkey KingCut Jingu damage with Breathe Fire, interrupt Primal Spring with stun and never fight inside Wukong's Command.43.4%
What to build against it
Silver EdgeBreak disables Jingu Mastery's bonus damage and lifesteal.
Heaven's HalberdDisarm stops his attacks and prevents Jingu charges.
Assault CuirassArmor stacked with Dragon Blood cuts his and his soldiers' physical damage.
Spirit VesselReduces healing from Jingu lifesteal charges.
How to use the spells of Dragon Knight
Dragon TailUse the stun to interrupt the Primal Spring channel from the tree.
Breathe FireBreathe Fire lowers attack damage — use it when he has Jingu charges.
Elder Dragon FormWith ranged attack, hit him from outside Wukong's Command without entering the ring.
Watch out for Monkey King
Wukong's CommandSoldiers only hit heroes in the ring — leave the area at once or force him out.
Boundless StrikeLine stun with a crit — don't line up with allies and sidestep.
Tips are based on ability descriptions and matchup stats — a guideline, not a rule.
Dragon Knight builds by role
purchase popularity on the hero, split by item type; hover an itemStarting items
Iron Branch34%
Gauntlets of Strength33%
Circlet9%
Tango6%
Magic Stick5%
Faerie Fire3%
Quelling Blade3%Early game
Boots of Speed28%
Power Treads26%
Soul Ring24%
Bracer20%Blink Dagger1%
Chainmail0%
Bottle0%Mid game
Blink Dagger17%
Aghanim's Shard16%
Ogre Axe16%
Mithril Hammer16%Black King Bar12%
Talisman of Evasion3%
Sacred Relic3%Late game
Soul Booster15%
Octarine Core15%
Aghanim's Scepter9%
Shiva's Guard7%
Reaver6%Black King Bar6%
Overwhelming Blink5%Situational items on Dragon Knight: when to buy
red — heroes that counter Dragon KnightShiva's GuardCuts attack speed and healingEspecially vs heroes that counter Dragon Knight: Clinkz
Ursa
Juggernaut
Weaver
AlchemistBlack King BarAgainst heavy disables and magic damage
Lion
Shadow Shaman
Lina
Zeus
Skywrath Mage
Earthshaker
Tidehunter
Invoker
Bane
Monkey King BarAgainst evasion: pierces Evasion and Butterfly
Phantom Assassin
Windranger
BrewmasterSilver EdgeDisables passives (Break)
Bristleback
Spectre
Slark
Timbersaw
AxeLinken's SphereBlocks single-target disables and ultimates
Legion Commander
Batrider
Beastmaster
Pudge
Necrophos
Manta StyleDispels silences and roots
Silencer
Death Prophet
Riki
Drow Ranger
Orchid MalevolenceSilence for slippery, spell-based escape heroes
Storm Spirit
Queen of Pain
Puck
Anti-Mage
Ember Spirit
Void Spirit
Diffusal BladeBurns mana of mana-dependent heroes
Medusa
LeshracHeaven's HalberdDisarms right-click carries
Sven
Faceless VoidWhy players lose on Dragon Knight
from matches analyzed on DotaLeak: 28- Too many deaths and fed goldin 14 of 28 matches
- Ultimate or BKB not used in fightsin 9 of 28 matches
- Weak farmin 7 of 28 matches
- Lost lanein 7 of 28 matches
- Dying right before losing Roshan or buildingsin 6 of 28 matches
- Low fight participationin 5 of 28 matches
FAQ
Who counters Dragon Knight?
Dragon Knight loses most often against Abaddon, Venomancer, Bounty Hunter. What to build and how to play vs them →
Who is Dragon Knight good against?
Best matchups: Morphling, Troll Warlord, Sand King.
What is Dragon Knight's win rate?
In public matches — 52.9%. It varies by rank, see the table above.
What to build on Dragon Knight?
In the mid game players most often buy Blink Dagger, Aghanim's Shard, Ogre Axe. Situational items depend on the enemy — see above.
