How to counter Tinker, the teleporting terror of Patch 7.30

Tinker has bounced back as metagame terror in Patch 7.30. Here’s how to even the playing field. 

According to Dota Plus statistics, Tinker currently has a 55.7% win rate in Ancient and a 54.7% win rate in Divine and Immortal. That puts Tinker in the top tier of Dota 2 heroes at the higher levels of play. The hero can be incredibly frustrating to deal with, but there are a few tricks that can help you sniff out the sneaky scientist.

Tinker’s strongest traits are his insane magic damage and mobility. Laser’s new Aghanim’s Scepter upgrade is extremely strong, and Keen Conveyance makes him a constant threat as soon as he hits level six. To counter Tinker, it’s best to pick heroes that counter his mobility. A clever item build can help mitigate his massive damage output.

Best heroes to counter Tinker

• Zeus
• Nightstalker
• Templar Assassin
• Nyx Assassin

All of the heroes listed above are excellent at countering Tinker’s mobility. Zeus can use Lighting Bolt to scout nearby trees and high ground. His Aghanim’s Scepter Nimbus is one of the best abilities for locking down Tinker. Nightstalker can also scout trees while silencing anyone he finds. Remember to use Void so that Tinker can’t blink out of Crippling Fear.

Both assassins are great for hunting down evasive casters. Templar Assassin is great at jumping on low-armor targets like Tinker and bursting them down. Her Scepter upgrade helps her counter split pushes, and Refraction is even stronger now that March of the Machines is optional. Nyx Assassin remains an excellent counter thanks to his damage and ganking potential. Tinker’s mana grows into the thousands as the game goes on, so Nyx can bring him to heel with just one spell. Spiked Carapace is also a great counter to Heat-Seeking Missile.

Best items to counter Tinker

• Pipe of Insight
• Lotus Orb
• Glimmer Cape
• Smoke of Deceit

It should go without saying, but Pipe will make it much harder for TInker to just mow down your team. The missiles chew through the active shield, but the flat 10% magic resistance aura is a great thing to have as an off laner. Your squishy supports will thank you. Lotus Orb works double-duty as a dispel for Laser’s blind and a powerful counter to Shrink Ray. Popping it on the carry when the wave arrives is a good way to chip tier three towers against Tinker.

Supports can play a reactive game against Tinker too. Glimmer Cape’s passive magic resistance is always useful, but active can grant up to 65% magic resistance to its owner. Remember that the boost applies even if the target is visible, so throwing it on an aggressive carry can potentially change the tide. If you find yourself running from a final lethal Heat-Seeking Missile, pop Smoke of Deceit. The invisibility will immediately disjoint any projectiles heading your way. Pull this off on your cores for an instant tip.