Sand King counter and synergy picks
Pick Sand King with Meepo to increase win-rate from 45.4% to 53.3% or against Beastmaster to increase win-rate to 54.5% in Patch 7.39b.
Good with...
...based on stats [7.39b]
| Hero | Change in Win Rate ▼ |
|---|---|
7.8% | |
7.2% | |
5.7% | |
5.3% | |
4.8% | |
4.5% | |
4.2% | |
4.2% | |
4.0% | |
3.9% | |
3.5% | |
3.2% | |
3.2% | |
2.9% | |
2.9% |
...based on gameplay [7.39b]
Chaotic Offering and Upheaval are a great way to keep enemies close during Epicenter
Fatal Bonds combos well with all of Sand Kings abilities. A Fatal Bonds/Epicenter combo on 5 heroes will deal 100% more damage
The mana regen from Chakra Magic allows Sand King to spam abilities with less concern for mana pool.
As Keeper of the Light channels a Illuminate, Sand King will as well channel his Epicenter and blink into the enemy lines, both unleashing huge AoE magic damage.
Will-O-Wisp provides a reliable setup for Sand King to follow up with Epicenter.
The mana regen from Arcane Aura allows Sand King to spam abilities with less concern for mana pool.
Both have good disables that are rather useful when ganking.
Sand King can control enemies with stun and do massive damage with Epicenter. His initiation and lockdown make him a perfect vessel for Lifestealer's Infest. The combo can catch enemies off-guard, delivering burst damage and enabling Lifestealer to jump straight into the fight with devastating impact
Vengeful Spirit has several abilities that synergize well with Sand King, helping him maximize his damage over time. The combination of Magic Missile and Burrowstrike can chain-stun enemies, locking them down while they take continuous damage from Sandstorm. Additionally, Vengeful Spirit can use Nether Swap to reposition fleeing enemies back into the Sandstorm, giving Sand King the opportunity to finish them off
Shackles and Hex can hold enemies in place for an extended duration, allowing them to take full damage from Sandstorm. When combined with Burrowstrike, the chain-stun can keep enemies disabled for a significant amount of time, giving Sand King a good opportunity to maximize his area damage
...core items [7.39b]
A core Boots upgrade to become tanky with armor and get more value out of Stinger to do damage to enemy heroes. Also helps close the gap on enemy heroes with the Phase active and stun them with Burrowstrike.
A core mobility item to quickly close the gap on enemy heroes and lock them down with Burrowstrike. Gives you more reliability with Epicenter channel in teamfights and land all your spells on multiple heroes.
A core item that gives you massive spell lifesteal to survive in teamfights with your high damage through spells. Works incredibly well with Sand Storm upgraded with Aghanim's Scepter.
An extension item in the mid-game and a staple extension in the late-game, that greatly increases the damage of Epicenter, allowing you to apply Stinger in it's area and proc any attack modifiers.
Good against...
...based on stats [7.39b]
| Hero | Change in Win Rate ▼ |
|---|---|
9.0% | |
7.8% | |
7.7% | |
6.4% | |
6.4% | |
6.2% | |
5.5% | |
5.5% | |
5.3% | |
5.2% | |
4.5% | |
4.3% | |
4.3% | |
4.3% | |
4.3% |
...based on gameplay [7.39b]
Sandkings spells are all AOE and are pretty good against any illusion based heroes.
Sandkings spells are all AOE and are pretty good against any illusion based heroes.
Sandkings spells are all AOE and are pretty good against any illusion based heroes.
Sandkings spells are all AOE and are pretty good against any illusion based heroes.
Broodmother relies heavily on her spiderlings to deal damage. Sand King's abilities are highly effective at clearing spiders and dealing significant damage to Broodmother herself, making him a strong counter—especially during the mid-game when his AoE spells come online
Sand King's high magical AoE damage allows him to effectively clear Beastmaster's units, significantly reducing a large portion of Beastmaster's overall damage output. Sandstorm is also a great tool for defending towers, making it difficult for Beastmaster to push effectively
Terrorblade and his illusions have high armor, making them resistant to physical damage, but they are vulnerable to magical damage. Sand King's powerful AoE magical abilities, like Sandstorm and Epicenter, can quickly clear illusions and burst down Terrorblade even before he has a chance to use Sunder
Bad against...
...based on stats [7.39b]
| Hero | Change in Win Rate ▲ |
|---|---|
-4.8% | |
-4.6% | |
-4.6% | |
-4.5% | |
-4.5% | |
-4.3% | |
-3.9% | |
-3.8% | |
-3.0% | |
-3.0% | |
-2.9% | |
-2.9% | |
-2.8% | |
-2.8% | |
-2.8% |
...based on gameplay [7.39b]
Lifestealers Rage provides Magic Resistance and Debuff Immunity which helps with all of Sandkings Spells.
Blade Fury provides Magic Resistance and Debuff Immunity which helps with all of Sandkings Spells.
Sand King relies on comboing enemies from 100 to 0 using Epicenter and Burrowstrike. However, Wraith King's Reincarnation makes him a poor target, as Sand King usually doesn't want to commit his full combo on a hero who immediately comes back to life
Ursa can pressure Sand King in lane because Fury Swipes deal significant damage, and as a melee hero, Sand King often struggles to trade effectively. Additionally, Ursa’s Enrage helps him mitigate much of Sand King’s combo damage, allowing Ursa to survive and stay in the fight longer
Oracle can consistently save allies targeted by Sand King using False Promise and Fate’s Edict, either allowing them to keep fighting or completely mitigating the burst of magical damage Sand King deals
Vengeful Spirit can save her allies by using Nether Swap to reposition them away from Sand King’s Sandstorm and Epicenter after he initiates. However, if she has Aghanim's Scepter, Sand King tends to avoid committing his full combo on her due to the threat of her second life
...counter items [7.39b]
Lets you detect Sand King while he is invisible in his Sand Storm AoE if he took the Sandblast facet to avoid or kill him.
Lowers the armor of Sand King with right clicks to reduce his tankiness and kill him with physical damage or prevent him from running at you as easily.
Helps you sustain HP and mana as Sand King frequently uses his spells to harass, set up kills, and secure last hits.
Gives you HP sustain to stay in the lane and not get zoned by Sand King's constant damage from spells and right clicks.
Gives you HP sustain to stay in the lane and not get zoned by Sand King's constant damage from spells and right clicks.
Lets you absorb a massive instance of damage from Burrowstrike, Caustic Finale, and Epicenter.
Gives you magic resistance to significantly reduce the damage taken from Sand King's magic heavy toolkit.
Helps lower the HP regen on Sand King and chase him down with a movement speed slow on right clicks.
Lets you detect Sand King while he is invisible in his Sand Storm AoE if he took the Sandblast facet to slow him and possibly kill him.
Provides magic resistance and reduces the damage dealt by Sand King from all his spells. Also cancels his Blink Dagger with damage over time on right clicks.
Gives you and your team magic resistance and barrier to significantly reduce the damage taken from Sand King's magic heavy toolkit.
Gives you magic resistance and health to significantly reduce the damage and kill threat from Sand King's magic heavy toolkit.
Lets you reflect damage back onto Sand King and possibly kill him particularly from the massive burst damage of Epicenter.
Gives you debuff immunity and magic resistance to avoid the Burrowstrike stun as well as reduce the damage taken from Sand King's magic heavy toolkit.
Lets you detect Sand King while he is invisible in his Sand Storm AoE if he took the Sandblast facet to avoid or kill him.
Gives you magic resistance and barrier to significantly reduce the damage taken from Sand King's magic heavy toolkit as well as save yourself or an ally caught by Burrowstrike.
Gives you a repositioning tool to match Sand King's mobility as well as push yourself or an ally to safety when caught by Burrowstrike.
Gives you an instant disable against Sand King to burst him down in its duration before he can get away with Burrowstrike or becomes hard to kill inside Sand Storm.
Gives you an instant lockdown against Sand King and burst him down with a possible chain stun before he can get away with Burrowstrike or becomes hard to kill inside Sand Storm.
Bad with...
...based on stats [7.39b]
| Hero | Change in Win Rate ▲ |
|---|---|
-7.2% | |
-7.0% | |
-6.5% | |
-6.2% | |
-6.0% | |
-4.8% | |
-4.6% | |
-4.4% | |
-4.2% | |
-4.2% | |
-3.9% | |
-3.7% | |
-3.6% | |
-3.5% | |
-3.4% |
