The fierce King sets his eyes on his enemies and does not stop without obliterating them from the battlefield! Monkey King is relatively one of the newest additions to the carry pool yet he manages to put up a show with his deadly and mischievous abilities. Not all know the true potential of this beast.
We have compiled a list of the Best 10 Monkey King counters. These heroes need no introduction as they are known to destroy the king’s legacy in-game!
10. Pheonix
Phoenix can fit the bill quite easily if you’re lacking a support/healer in your ranked games. Not only is he known to heal allies, but he can also deal AoE damage to his foes. Phoenix’s most important spell has to be the Fire Spirits, which not only does great damage to the hordes, it slows them and reduces their movement speed. The spirits can be prioritized and maxed first, which can be useful in the late game. You also have minor mobility with Icarus Dive, which also deals damage to enemies nearby!
What makes Phoenix great against Monkey King?
- Icarus Dive and Supernova can destroy the tree Monkey King is standing on.
- Fire Spirits reduces Monkey King's attack speed, preventing Monkey King from building up Jingu Mastery.
- Supernova can be cast next to Wukong's Command, forcing Monkey King to step away from it or to withstand its massive AOE damage
Items to buy on Phoenix
- Spirit Vessel - Immense DPS and heal reduction to Monkey King when used
- Heaven’s Halberd - Can disarm Monkey, making him unable to attack for a few seconds
- Veil of Discord - Amplifies his magical damage
- Aeon Disk - Saves him from getting burst quickly from Monkey and also applies a basic dispel
- Force Staff - Another great tool to close gaps or escape from Monkey King
https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Phoenix
9. Batrider
Batrider is quite the favorite of most initiators and harass in the current meta, as he is picked to provide great early game domination and control potential. His laning phase is quite impeccable due to the sheer amount of magical damage output that he provides, shoving the enemies out of the lane. If you aren’t careful enough, then you may be susceptible to heavy damage courtesy of the napalm stacks! Along with dominating the laning phase, Batrider is successful in dominating the late game if not contained!
Why is Batrider a great counter to Monkey King?
- Low CD on spells, effectively spamming and slowing his foes.
- Great AoE magical damage that can further be amplified.
- Great flex pick, can initiate well regardless of the role
Items to buy on Batrider
- Blink Dagger - Great for gap closing or initiating
- Black King Bar - Provides spell immunity
- Boots of Travel - Allows him to be mobile, granting him a global presence
- Force Staff - Another great tool to close gaps or escape from Monkey King
- Aghanim’s Scepter - Allows him to Lasso two enemies at once
- Refresher’s Orb - Can refresh spells and items and use them again in quick succession to delete Gyro from the fight
8. Beastmaster
Beastmaster is a force of nature, his ferocious abilities and vigor have made him into a primal killing machine! He is by far one of the most threatening heroes in the game! Beastmaster is primarily played in the offlane due to his split pushing and initiating abilities, though he can also jungle effortlessly thanks to his Wild Boar. His attack speed is also amplified by his abilities, allowing both him and his allies to hit faster. Beastmaster snowballs right after a few kills, his ganking potential is insane after a few essential item purchases.
What makes Beastmaster a great counter to Monkey King?
- Wild Axes can chop down trees, making it difficult for Monkey King to utilize Tree Dance well.
- Call of the Wild Hawk can scout Monkey King when he is perched on top of trees.
- Primal Roar can stun Monkey King for a longer duration even with spell immunity.
Items to buy on Beastmaster
- Aghanim’s Scepter - Reduces the cooldown of Wild Axes to 1 second.
- Blink Dagger - Great for gap closing or initiating
- Helm of the Overlord - Can control Ancients with this item
- Solar Crest - Reduces armor of enemies and provides armor to allies on usage
- Aether Lens - Increased cast range, can catch Monkey King off-guard
https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Beastmaster
7. Enigma
The mystery of this being lies within the abyss, often known to bend and manipulate time. Enigma is a deadly force that is feared by every other dota player! Enigma has various tools which help him farm faster and efficiently. He is known for split-pushing and his almighty ultimate, the Black Hole. It is regarded as one of the best ultimates in the game! It can change the trajectory of the game, turn around team fights and make enemies rage quit!
What makes Enigma a great counter to Monkey King?
- Malefice keeps Tree Dance on cooldown and can interrupt Wukong's Command's long cast time.
- Midnight Pulse destroys a large number of trees.
Items to buy on Enigma
- Blink Dagger - Great for gap closing or initiating
- Black King Bar - Provides spell immunity
- Aghanim’s Scepter - Increases damage done during Black Hole
- Refresher’s Orb - Can refresh spells and items and use them again in quick succession to delete Monkey King from the fight
https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Enigma
6. Viper
The venomous Viper knows no bounds and is on the same list when it comes to the most hated heroes in the game. League players can benefit from playing this hero as they get to know about the basic DPS mechanics along with the advantage of having multiple different item builds according to the game. Melee heroes despise him as he makes your presence and impact disappear from the game! The break applied from Nethertoxin quite literally ruins the game for most heroes with strong passives.
Why is Viper a great counter to Monkey King?
- Nethertoxin prevents the buildup of Jingu Mastery stacks.
- Viper's poison magical damage-over-time stops Monkey King from using Tree Dance. It also ignores the extra armor bestowed by Wukong's Command.
Items to Buy on Viper
- Kaya and Sange - Increased mana regen and overall stat gain
- Aghanim’s Scepter - Decreases Nethertoxin duration and increases damage
- Hurricane Pike - Allows Viper to close the gap and deal immense damage to Monkey King, also provides decent stats
- Blademail - Reflects back Monkey King’s damage upon activation
- Black King Bar - Provides spell immunity
https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Viper
5. Disruptor
Prepare yourself for troubled weather as Disruptor barrages into the battlefield to change the trajectory of the battle. DIsruptor is one of the most picked support heroes in the current meta especially against Monkey King, as he provides insane disable in the form of Static Storm which further is amplified by Aghanim’s Scepter that mutes Monkey’s items. Most enemies can easily be caught off guard by Disruptor if they wander in without suspecting anything, the aftermath can be in the favor of the Disruptor.
Why is Disruptor a great counter to Monkey King?
- Thunder Strike provides vision of Monkey King when he's in the trees. The periodic damage will also keep Monkey King from using Tree Dance if he's on the ground.
- Glimpse pulls Monkey King out of the trees if he attempts to escape using Tree Dance, and can cause Wukong's Command to end prematurely if Monkey King is Glimpsed out of its radius.
Items to Buy on Disruptor
- Aghanim’s Scepter - Mutes Monkey’s items.
- Aeon Disk - Saves him from getting burst quickly from MK and also applies a basic dispel
- Glimmer Cape - Invisibility can be used to escape or set up to gank MK
- Eul’s Scepter - Can be used to set up for Lighting Storm ultimate.
- Force Staff - Great gap closer and can also be used to escape.
https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Disruptor
4. Mars
The first son of heaven, Mars, is somewhat of a new addition to the game. His impressive and damage-dealing spells rank him very high on this list. Mars is exceptional if you want a great wave clear and someone to tank out all the damage and lead the charge for your team. He synergizes well with most heroes, making him a flexible pick in every game, and can withstand hordes with his flexible and reliable item build.
Why is Mars a great counter to Monkey King?
- Monkey King's natural reliance on trees makes him an exceptionally prime target for Spear of Mars. Should Monkey King use Mischief to disguise himself, it will still hit him, stunning him in the process.
- God's Rebuke easily pushes Monkey King out of Wukong's Command.
Items to buy as Mars
- Blink Dagger - Great for gap closing or initiating
- Desolator - Increased damage and armor corruption
- Crimson Guard - Provides immense physical damage block, also affects the whole team
- Blademail - Reflects back Monkey King’s damage upon activation
- Black King Bar - Provides spell immunity
- Shiva’s Guard - Can effortlessly push lanes and provides increased armor which is essential against MK
https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Mars
3. Vengeful Spirit
You may think you have closed the chapter by killing her, only to see she has come back stronger to strike you down! Vengeful Spirit is notorious for being a great gap closer, and the best part is that she is level reliant as opposed to the farm! Tinker is often scouted out by Wave of Terror and if he is in range, he may be swapped out into his death! Not all heroes, especially in the support roles are seen to have such great initiating powers!
Why is Vengeful Spirit a great counter to Monkey King?
- Wave of Terror grants flying vision over trees, and its wide effect can hit Monkey King and end Mischief.
- Nether Swap can easily cancel Wukong's Command by swapping him out of the circle.
Items to buy on Vengeful Spirit
- Aghanim’s Scepter and Shard - Creates an illusion of Venge upon death, while she can still use spells as well as respawn on the illusion if it survives
- Force Staff - Another great tool to close gaps or escape from Monkey King
- Glimmer Cape - Provides invisibility, can also be used on allies to escape or to initiate on Monkey King
- Aeon Disk - Saves him from getting burst quickly from Monkey King and also applies a basic dispel
- Ghost Scepter - Prevents Monkey from attacking her
https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Vengeful_Spirit
2. Windranger
Behold the ranger of the gusts and the wild winds! Windranger is one of the few heroes who can be picked in any lane! No matter the position, she is known to deal some heavy damage or assist her allies in doing so! To utilize her to her full potential, she is picked in the middle lane, where she can thrive in most matchups due to the insane damage that she is known to dish out! Along with winning the lane, she can also dominate the middle and late game if she hits the right item timings, hence her pick rate skyrockets.
Why is Windranger a great counter to Monkey King?
- Powershot destroys the tree Monkey King is standing on.
- Monkey King's natural reliance on trees makes him an easy target for Shackleshot.
- Windrun evades Monkey King's attacks, preventing him from building up Jingu Mastery.
Items to Buy on Windranger
- Monkey King Bar - Increased physical damage, also provides true strike in case Monkey King buys Butterfly
- Maelstorm - Exceptional for pushing lanes and farming quickly
- Black King Bar - Provides spell immunity
- Aghanim’s Scepter and Shard - Reduces Focus Fire cooldown and increases damage
- Daedalus - Immense critical damage
1. Timbersaw
Other than hating trees for a living, Timbersaw loves hating on melee strength heroes, something that he is himself! Apart from this, he is quite a dominating force against melee heroes, his immense damage can not be negated very early into the game. Timber can triumph undoubtedly if he is put in a 1v1 matchup against most strength and melee heroes, the strength disparity damage is just intense and the nuke damage is why he is considered to be one of the best in the business.
Why is Timbersaw a great counter to Monkey King?
- Timbersaw's low cooldown and low mana cost abilities destroy the trees that Monkey King depends on.
- Timber Chain allows Timbersaw to escape Wukong's Command.
Items to Buy on Timbersaw
- Eul’s Scepter - Provides a basic dispel, can be used to dodge Monkey’s stun or to set up on him with Chakram
- Pipe of Insight - Provides immense magic damage block on activation, and affects the whole team.
- Crimson Guard - Provides immense physical damage block, also affects the whole team
- Blade Mail - Reflects back Monkey’s damage upon activation
- Heaven’s Halberd - Can disarm MK, making him unable to attack for a few seconds
https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Timbersaw
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