Lich in Dota 2 is a support hero built around strong slows, steady damage, and lane control. He punishes enemies who step out of position and protects his team with durable shields. Players often pick him for his reliable spells and his ability to turn early skirmishes in their favor.
This article explains how Lich works, how his abilities function, and how to use him effectively from lane to late game.
Table of Contents
Lich’s Playstyle and Role
Lich is a ranged intelligence support who controls space with slows and area damage. He excels at safe, consistent play that limits enemy movement. His abilities help secure kills, protect teammates, and manage waves.
He performs well in lane because he can chip enemies with Frost Blast and make his allies harder to kill with Frost Shield. As fights break out, Sinister Gaze disrupts positioning, while Chain Frost can punish grouped enemies.
Lich does not require many items. His main job is to cast spells safely and avoid getting caught.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Pros
- Strong lane presence with constant harassment
- Frost Blast offers repeatable poke
- Frost Shield makes allies harder to kill
- Chain Frost can break enemy formation
- Good at defending towers or slowing pushes
Cons
- Low defense and no mobility spell
- Can be killed quickly if caught
- High mana cost at early levels
- Falls off in impact if poorly positioned
How to Use Lich in Lane
Lich thrives as a lane support. Frost Blast has long range, so he can poke enemies without taking return damage. When enemies are slowed, he can add a few right-clicks before retreating.
Casting Frost Shield on an allied core helps them trade hits. The shield’s damage reduction gives your carry room to farm, while the slow discourages enemies from chasing.
With enough mana from Clarities or small mana items, Lich can keep steady pressure on the lane. His consistent slow helps secure kills when paired with aggressive allies.
General Tips for Playing Lich
Lich relies on positioning. He cannot escape once caught, so staying behind the frontline is essential.
He offers strong crowd control through slows, but his low durability means he must choose targets carefully. Landing the right Frost Shield or Frost Blast often matters more than dealing damage.
He can play in either safe lane or offlane support, but his role does not change. His priority remains: protect the team, disrupt enemy positioning, and create openings with slows.
Lich’s Abilities
Frost Blast
Frost Blast deals damage to the target and slows both movement and attack speed. It also applies minor damage in a small radius. This makes it useful for harassment, finishing kills, and clearing small waves if necessary.
The cast range is long, allowing Lich to start early ganks without stepping into danger. But the mana cost is high, so players often rely on Clarities or early mana items to use it well.
Because Frost Blast triggers the area damage first, then the debuff, then the base damage, it can effectively break Linken’s Sphere in teamfights.
Frost Shield
Frost Shield reduces physical damage to the target and deals steady damage to nearby enemies. The slow helps in chases or when defending towers. It also assists melee cores such as Spirit Breaker or Night Stalker when diving under towers.
The shield also affects buildings and can stall enemy pushes.
Frost Shield pulses do not hit invisible units or targets in Fog of War, so positioning matters when using it defensively.
Sinister Gaze
Sinister Gaze forces an enemy to move toward Lich. This disrupts their positioning and sets them up for follow-up spells. It also drains a percentage of their current mana every second.
This spell is best used at maximum cast range to force the enemy to walk a longer distance. Players often pair it with Force Staff to pull the enemy even farther into danger.
Lich must be careful when using Sinister Gaze because it has shorter range than his other spells. Stepping too far forward can lead to his death.
Ice Spire
Ice Spire becomes available with Aghanim’s Shard. It slows enemies around it and takes a fixed number of attacks to destroy. When destroyed, it triggers a Frost Blast based on its level.
Chain Frost can bounce to the spire if no other enemies are in range, creating extra damage in clustered fights. The spire can also receive Frost Shield, which heals it and increases its survivability.
Chain Frost
Chain Frost is Lich’s ultimate. It releases a slow-moving orb that bounces between nearby enemies. Each bounce deals more damage than the last.
This spell can decide teamfights when used on grouped enemies. It pairs well with heroes who keep enemies locked in place, such as Enigma, Magnus, or Axe.
Chain Frost loses value when many creeps are nearby, as it may bounce onto them. Timing and placement are key. Casting it on enemies clumped in Roshan’s pit is highly effective because they have little room to spread.
With his level 25 talent, Lich can remove the bounce limit, turning the spell into a constant threat in tight situations.
Best Items for Lich
Starting Items
Lich benefits from Tango, Healing Salve, and Clarity for sustain. Observer Ward helps control vision. Iron Branch gives cheap stats and builds into Magic Wand later.
Early Game
A Magic Wand provides burst healing and mana. Tranquil Boots help with movement and health regeneration, letting Lich stay active in lane and support fights.
Mid Game
Aether Lens allows him to cast spells from a safer distance.
Force Staff helps reposition allies or push enemies pulled by Sinister Gaze.
Glimmer Cape helps avoid burst damage and escape ganks.
Urn of Shadows and Spirit Vessel offer extra utility and mana regeneration.
Late Game
Blink Dagger gives instant positioning for Chain Frost or Sinister Gaze setups.
Situational Items
Refresher Orb provides a second Chain Frost, but its mana demands are high.
Scythe of Vyse gives a strong disable and solves mana issues.
Ghost Scepter protects Lich from physical damage.
Mekansm or Guardian Greaves help sustain the team.
Eul’s Scepter, Rod of Atos, Solar Crest, and Pipe of Insight each offer utility depending on enemy drafts.
How to Use Lich in Teamfights
Lich becomes valuable when he casts his spells without being caught. Frost Shield should be used early on allies who initiate fights. Frost Blast helps slow enemies trying to disengage.
Sinister Gaze can pull key heroes into your team. It can also keep enemies inside Frost Shield’s damage radius or hold them still long enough for Chain Frost to bounce.
Chain Frost should be used when enemies are near each other. If they split quickly, you lose value. If they stay grouped, it can deal massive damage.
Roshan’s pit is one of the best areas for Lich. Its confined space allows Chain Frost to bounce many times, often forcing teams to retreat.
Final Thoughts
Lich in Dota 2 rewards players who stay aware of their positioning and use slows to control fights. His kit offers steady value from the start of the match until the later stages. When his spells are used at the right moment, he can shape the pace of fights and help his team hold control over the map.
If you want a support who brings consistent utility and reliable damage, Lich remains a dependable choice.
0 Comments