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Night Stalker

Night Stalker in Dota 2: counters, win rate and common mistakes

Night Stalker — Strength, melee; roles: Carry, Initiator, Durable, Disabler, Nuker. Public match win rate — 51.8%. In short: Night Stalker is strong against Puck, Snapfire, Queen of Pain but suffers against Shadow Fiend, Rubick, Invoker.

Lost the game?Paste a match ID — we show who threw and why: deaths, lanes, items, map replay.

Night Stalker win rate by rank

public matches, OpenDota data · scale 40–60%
Herald
47.7%
Guardian
49.3%
Crusader
50.0%
Archon
51.4%
Legend
52.7%
Ancient
52.6%
Divine
52.6%
Immortal
—

Night Stalker is strong against

hover a hero for a summary
Puck55.4%126 gamesSnapfire53.6%106 gamesQueen of Pain52.9%61 gamesPangolier52.2%76 gamesMars51.6%93 gamesLuna51.6%68 gamesDawnbreaker50.8%66 gamesPudge50.4%63 games

Who counters Night Stalker

Shadow Fiend44.2%87 gamesRubick45.9%121 gamesInvoker45.9%62 gamesHoodwink46.1%92 gamesSlardar46.5%67 gamesTerrorblade47.5%60 gamesJakiro47.6%64 gamesEmber Spirit48.1%69 games

How to play Night Stalker against counters

items, your spells and what to fear — per enemy
vs Shadow FiendCatch SF at night: Void plus Crippling Fear so he can't land razes or Requiem.44.2%

What to build against it

Black King BarRazes and Requiem deal magical damage and don't pierce BKB.
Blink DaggerInstant gap close to silence him before he reacts.
Orchid MalevolenceExtra silence when Crippling Fear is on cooldown.
Heaven's HalberdDisarm shuts off his soul-boosted physical damage.

How to use the spells of Night Stalker

Crippling FearCast right on engage: silence stops razes, Requiem and Feast of Souls.
VoidUse Void's slow to stay glued inside your fear radius.
Dark AscensionUlt when he farms: fly and catch him in the jungle at night.

Watch out for Shadow Fiend

Requiem of SoulsDon't stand next to him unsilenced: close Requiem hits many lines and fears.
ShadowrazeRaze stacks amplify damage — don't trade in lane, juke the raze ranges.
vs RubickDon't gift Rubick Dark Ascension: cast Void last and silence him first.45.9%

What to build against it

Linken's SphereBlocks targeted Telekinesis and Fade Bolt.
Black King BarTelekinesis and Fade Bolt don't pierce BKB.
Blink DaggerJump the fragile Rubick before he lifts you.

How to use the spells of Night Stalker

Crippling FearSilence stops him from stealing or casting Telekinesis.
VoidAfter ulting, cast Void so that's all he can steal.
Dark AscensionUlt out of his sight or when he's dead or far away.

Watch out for Rubick

Spell StealA stolen ult empowers their night — mind your cast order.
TelekinesisHe lifts you on engage — go in with Linken's or BKB.
vs InvokerSilence wins it: catch Invoker in Crippling Fear and his combo never happens.45.9%

What to build against it

Black King BarTornado, Cold Snap, Meteor and Blast don't pierce BKB.
Linken's SphereBlocks targeted Cold Snap.
Blink DaggerGap close past Ice Wall and Tornado.
Orchid MalevolenceSecond silence against his long combo.

How to use the spells of Night Stalker

Crippling FearPop right after blinking in — he can't invoke or cast.
VoidChase after Ghost Walk: the slow keeps him in fear radius.

Watch out for Invoker

TornadoLifts you on approach to set up Meteor and Sun Strike — enter with BKB.
Sun StrikePure damage, pierces BKB — keep moving after being slowed.
vs HoodwinkFight away from trees and silence Hoodwink before she scurries off.46.1%

What to build against it

Black King BarBoomerang and Sharpshooter are magical and don't pierce BKB.
Blink DaggerJump her before she Scurries into the trees.
Dust of AppearanceReveals Decoy invisibility.

How to use the spells of Night Stalker

Crippling FearSilence cuts Scurry, Bushwhack and Decoy — she's left helpless.
VoidVoid the real Hoodwink, not the Decoy illusion.
Dark AscensionFlight and vision help you track her through trees at night.

Watch out for Hoodwink

BushwhackOnly stuns near trees — pull fights into open ground.
SharpshooterApplies break and slow — sidestep the line while it charges.
vs SlardarSilence Slardar before Crush and avoid long trades — his bash pierces BKB.46.5%

What to build against it

Heaven's HalberdDisarm stops Bash of the Deep, which pierces BKB.
Linken's SphereBlocks targeted Corrosive Haze.
Black King BarSlithereen Crush doesn't pierce BKB.
Blade MailPunishes his long physical trades.

How to use the spells of Night Stalker

Crippling FearPop before his jump — silence disables Crush and Guardian Sprint.
VoidSlow him so he can't reach river or puddles for bonuses.

Watch out for Slardar

Bash of the DeepPierces BKB — avoid long trades, rely on silence and disarm.
Slithereen CrushPoint-blank stun — don't let him close without BKB.

Tips are based on ability descriptions and matchup stats — a guideline, not a rule.

Night Stalker builds by role

purchase popularity on the hero, split by item type; hover an item

Starting items

Gauntlets of StrengthGauntlets of Strength42%
Iron BranchIron Branch25%
TangoTango8%
CircletCirclet6%
Magic StickMagic Stick5%
Quelling BladeQuelling Blade4%
Faerie FireFaerie Fire3%

Early game

Boots of SpeedBoots of Speed26%
ChainmailChainmail18%
Phase BootsPhase Boots17%
BracerBracer17%
Power TreadsPower Treads8%
Soul RingSoul Ring7%
Drum of EnduranceDrum of Endurance5%

Mid game

Blink DaggerBlink Dagger22%
Ogre AxeOgre Axe18%
Mithril HammerMithril Hammer14%
Aghanim's ShardAghanim's Shard10%
Drum of EnduranceDrum of Endurance7%
Black King BarBlack King Bar6%
BroadswordBroadsword5%

Late game

Black King BarBlack King Bar20%
NullifierNullifier13%
Sacred RelicSacred Relic13%
HyperstoneHyperstone7%
Assault CuirassAssault Cuirass6%
Skull BasherSkull Basher6%
SangeSange6%

Situational items on Night Stalker: when to buy

red — heroes that counter Night Stalker
Pipe of Insight
Pipe of InsightTeam-wide magic shieldEspecially vs heroes that counter Night Stalker: Invoker, Jakiro
InvokerJakiroLinaZeusLeshracSkywrath MageEarthshakerQueen of Pain
Black King Bar
Black King BarAgainst heavy disables and magic damageEspecially vs heroes that counter Night Stalker: Invoker
InvokerLionShadow ShamanLinaZeusSkywrath MageEarthshakerTidehunterBane
Orchid Malevolence
Orchid MalevolenceSilence for slippery, spell-based escape heroesEspecially vs heroes that counter Night Stalker: Ember Spirit
Ember SpiritStorm SpiritQueen of PainPuckAnti-MageVoid SpiritWeaver
Eternal Shroud
Eternal ShroudAgainst magic damageEspecially vs heroes that counter Night Stalker: Invoker
InvokerLinaZeusLeshracSkywrath MageQueen of Pain
Monkey King Bar
Monkey King BarAgainst evasion: pierces Evasion and Butterfly
Phantom AssassinWindrangerBrewmaster
Silver Edge
Silver EdgeDisables passives (Break)
BristlebackPhantom AssassinSpectreHuskarSlarkUrsaTimbersawAxe
Linken's Sphere
Linken's SphereBlocks single-target disables and ultimates
DoomLegion CommanderBaneLionBatriderBeastmasterPudgeShadow ShamanNecrophos
Manta Style
Manta StyleDispels silences and roots
SilencerSkywrath MageDeath ProphetRikiDrow Ranger
Diffusal Blade
Diffusal BladeBurns mana of mana-dependent heroes
MedusaStorm SpiritLeshracSkywrath Mage

Why players lose on Night Stalker

from matches analyzed on DotaLeak: 13
  1. Dying right before losing Roshan or buildingsin 7 of 13 matches
  2. Too many deaths and fed goldin 6 of 13 matches
  3. Dying first in deciding fightsin 5 of 13 matches
  4. Ultimate or BKB not used in fightsin 3 of 13 matches
  5. Weak farmin 2 of 13 matches
  6. Lost lanein 2 of 13 matches

FAQ

Who counters Night Stalker?

Night Stalker loses most often against Shadow Fiend, Rubick, Invoker. What to build and how to play vs them →

Who is Night Stalker good against?

Best matchups: Puck, Snapfire, Queen of Pain.

What is Night Stalker's win rate?

In public matches — 51.8%. It varies by rank, see the table above.

What to build on Night Stalker?

In the mid game players most often buy Blink Dagger, Ogre Axe, Mithril Hammer. Situational items depend on the enemy — see above.

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