Evil Geniuses has been showcasing their overwhelming dominance in South American Dota 2 scene with their recent roster. Particularly, Jean “Chris Luck” Salazar and Adrián “Wisper” Dobles stole the spotlight as seasoned players with extravagant hero picks.
Two weeks ago they won the BTS Pro Series S13 Americas against TSM in a close series, utilizing some truly interesting strats.
EG beat TSM to claim one of the first tournaments of the new Season
EG and the Leshrac / Batrider Combo Draw
It’s notoriously known that facing either one of the two featured heroes is a cumbersome task. Leshrac and Batrider aren’t just two powerful heroes but are cheese picks that many players last pick. They both have unique abilities and playstyles that make them formidable opponents in competitive play, and a nuisance to support heroes who can’t afford BKB in early or midgame.
Firstly, Leshrac is an Intelligence-based hero who excels at dealing large amounts of AOE damage by being at the center of team fights. He is a versatile hero who can work as carry, mid-laner, or even support pick. However, Chris Luck’s mid-lane Leshrac is definitely the most effective, given how well he holds his ground in lanes.
As such, his itemization revolves around boosting his magic damage output by amplification and durability items, such as BKB or Eul’s Scepter to keep him in fights longer. Of course, Leshrac being an INT hero is relatively soft, so a popular item is Bloodstone, which offers spell lifesteal as he deals magic damage.
Wisper’s Batrider
Batrider is also an INT hero who excels at initiation and disrupting enemy movements. He is a great hero for picking off not just carry opponents by putting them in a bad position. Additionally, being able to ambush the pesky support players at the backlines, directly cripples the enemy team’s formation.
Batrider’s abilities allow him to set enemies on fire and slow them down, making it easier for his team to catch up and finish them off. He also can fly over obstacles, allowing him to easily chase down enemies or escape danger.
In terms of itemization, Batrider also benefits from items that increase his magic damage output. However, his selling point is his ultimate, Flaming Lasso, which disables and drags enemy heroes. Hence, he benefits from items that grant him additional mobility and initiation, such as the Blink Dagger, BKB, and the Aghanim’s Scepter. These items allow him to easily initiate team fights and take advantage of his strong initiation abilities.
How EG makes it work?
One of Leshrac’s key strengths is his ability to scale well into the late game. As he levels up, his damage output increases significantly, making him a formidable force. The rest of EG are fairly confident about Chris Luck’s Leshrac, such that they provide simple and aura-providing supports for Leshrac and Batrider to have good games. The Batrider in a particular match against TeamSoloMid at BTS Pro Series S13 Americas was effectively countered by Bane and Pudge. However, Wisper still played Batrider for the good laning capabilities it offers.
In general, Leshrac and Batrider are two powerful heroes in Dota 2 that excel in different roles. Leshrac is a great hero for dealing massive magical damage and disrupting opponents while Batrider is great for initiation. Both heroes require careful itemization and positioning to maximize their potential in competitive play.
Regardless of Chris Luck and Wisper’s situational picks, they are still meta-picks that are often overlooked in average pub matches. However, with the right draft around Leshrac, it is truly a monstrous threat to play against.
