Dota 2: How to play Legion Commander and best build

Legion Commander is one of the most versatile heroes in Dota 2, known for her ability to dominate the mid-game with her ultimate Duel ability, which allows her to force one-on-one battles with enemy heroes. As of Patch 7.34, Legion Commander remains a powerful pick in both professional and pub games, thanks to her strong laning presence, ability to snowball, and scaling potential.

In this guide, we’ll cover how to play this hero effectively, focusing on her best builds, positioning, talents, and item choices, along with key strategies to maximize her impact on the game.

Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinions.

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Understanding Legion Commander's role in Dota 2

Legion Commander as seen in the game (Image via Valve)

Legion Commander is typically played as a Position 3 offlaner, where her strong laning ability and potential to scale with Duel damage make her a formidable presence. However, depending on the team composition and game strategy, she can also be played as a Position 1 carry.

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How to effectively play Legion Commander in Dota 2

Legion Commander's Compendium Arms of the Onyx Crucible set (Image via Valve)

Playing Legion Commander involves maintaining a careful balance of farming, ganking, and team fighting. In the early game, your focus should be on farming while harassing the enemy with Overwhelming Odds and sustaining yourself with Moment of Courage.

If you’re in the offlane, use Overwhelming Odds to secure last hits and harass the enemy carry. Moment of Courage’s lifesteal allows you to trade effectively in the lane, especially when you have a stout shield or early armor.

Upon reaching level 6, Duel becomes your primary tool for securing kills and snowballing. Look for opportunities to initiate fights against squishy or out-of-position heroes. A successful Duel not only gives you bonus damage but also demoralizes the enemy team.

Since an unsuccessful Duel can put you at a disadvantage, it's crucial to coordinate with your team to ensure you can secure kills during Duels.

In the mid game, Legion Commander’s role shifts towards initiating fights and creating space for your team. At this stage, Blink Dagger is a key item that allows you to initiate Duels from long range.

Once you Blink in, Press the Attack to dispel any debuffs on yourself and gain attack speed before Duelling. Blade Mail is another essential item, reflecting the enemy's damage at them during a Duel, making it easier to secure kills.

As the game progresses into the late game, Legion Commander’s effectiveness depends upon how much Duel damage she has accumulated and how well she scales with items.

You’ll have to continue to focus on initiating Duels, while also considering your positioning and itemization to stay relevant. Items like Assault Cuirass and Abyssal Blade help you tank up and provide additional control, while Black King Bar ensures you can Duel without being disabled.

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Best Dota 2 Legion Commander builds

Legion Commander's position 3 and 1 builds (Image via Valve)

Position 3 Offlane build:

• Starting Items: Tango, Quelling Blade, Stout Shield, Healing Salve, Gauntlets of Strength.
• Early Game: Phase Boots, Magic Stick, Bracer.
• Core Items: Blink Dagger, Blade Mail, Black King Bar.
• Late Game: Assault Cuirass, Abyssal Blade, Aghanim’s Scepter.

As an offlaner, Legion Commander’s primary role is to farm up and find pick-offs with Duel. Start with Phase Boots for mobility and damage, followed by Blink Dagger to initiate Duels.

Blade Mail is essential for reflecting damage during Duels, making it easier to secure kills. Black King Bar provides magic immunity, allowing you to initiate without being disabled.

In the late game, Assault Cuirass boosts your armor and attack speed, while Abyssal Blade adds a reliable stun for locking down enemies. Aghanim’s Scepter provides a buffed Duel that grants spell immunity during the Duel duration. During this stage, consider upgrading your Blink dagger to Overwhelming Blink.

Position 1 Carry build:

• Starting Items: Tango, Quelling Blade, Stout Shield, Slippers of Agility.
• Early Game: Phase Boots, Magic Stick, Orb of Corrosion.
• Core Items: Battle Fury, Desolator, Black King Bar, Blink Dagger.
• Late Game: Satanic, Abyssal Blade, Aghanim’s Scepter.

As a carry, Legion Commander’s focus is on farming efficiently and scaling into a late-game monster. Start with Phase Boots for mobility and damage, followed by Orb of Corrosion to enhance your early game harassment and kill potential.

Battle Fury is a core item that boosts your farming speed and damage. On the other hand, Desolator secures Duels by reducing your opponents' armor. Black King Bar and Blink Dagger remain essential for initiating Duels and surviving team fights.

In the late game, Satanic provides significant lifesteal and survivability, while Abyssal Blade adds another layer of control. Upgrading your Blink dagger to Swift Blink is a great choice. Aghanim’s Scepter enhances Duel, making it even more devastating in late-game fights.

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Tips & tactics for Legion Commander in Dota 2

Legion Commander's Flight of the Valkyrie set (Image via Valve)

• Duel targets: Focus on Duelling squishy or key enemy heroes that you can reliably kill. Avoid Duelling tanky heroes unless you have a significant backup or a substantial damage advantage.
• Press the Attack: Use Press the Attack to remove debuffs from yourself or your allies. The HP regen bonus also helps secure kills during Duels.
• Farming efficiency: Use Overwhelming Odds to farm waves and camps efficiently. The ability's scaling damage with enemy units makes it ideal for clearing creep waves and stacking camps.
• Map awareness: Always be aware of the enemy’s positioning. Use Smoke of Deceit or vision to find isolated targets for easy Duels.

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Pros and cons of Legion Commander in Dota 2

Pros:

• Strong laning presence with sustain and harass.
• Scales well with Duel damage, becoming more powerful as the game progresses.
• Versatile itemization, allowing her to adapt to various situations.
• Can purge debuffs with Press the Attack, making her a natural counter to certain heroes.

Cons:

• Relies on successful Duels to snowball and scale.
• Vulnerable to disables and silences, especially before acquiring Black King Bar.
• Can be kited or countered by heroes with high mobility or strong defensive abilities.
• Falls off if unable to secure Duel damage in the mid to late game.

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Which Legion Commander Talents to pick in Dota 2

Legion Commander's Commander of the Dragon Guard set (Image via Valve)

• Level 10: +10% Press The Attack Movement Speed (Choose based on the game)
• Level 15: +40 Press The Attack HP Regen
• Level 20: +8% Moment of Courage Proc Chance or 300 AoE Press The Attack (Choose based on the game)
• Level 25: Press the Attack grants 1.5s Debuff Immunity or +75% Moment of Courage Lifesteal (Choose based on your playstyle)

These talents enhance Legion Commander’s versatility and effectiveness in different situations. The Level 25 talent choices can significantly impact your playstyle, with one focusing on improving your ability to sustain and assist your team and the other allowing her to take more enemies head-on.

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Best Legion Commander Items in Dota 2

• Blink Dagger: Core item for initiating Duels and catching out enemies.
• Blade Mail: Reflects damage during Duels, making it easier to secure kills.
• Black King Bar: Provides magic immunity, allowing you to Duel without being disabled.
• Assault Cuirass: Boosts your armor and attack speed, helping you survive longer and deal more damage in fights.
• Abyssal Blade: Adds a reliable stun and increases your burst potential during Duels.

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FAQs for Legion Commander in Dota 2

1) How to play Legion Commander effectively?

Focus on farming efficiently in the early game, then start looking for pick-offs with Duel as soon as you hit Level 6. Coordinate with your team to ensure successful Duels, and continue to snowball by initiating fights and securing key kills.

2) What is Legion Commander's role in Dota 2?

Legion Commander is typically played as a Position 3 offlaner or Position 1 carry. Her primary role is to initiate fights with Duel, disrupt the enemy team, and scale with Duel damage to become a powerful core in the late game.

3) Who can counter Legion Commander?

Heroes with strong silences or disables, such as Silencer, Lion, or Doom, can shut down Legion Commander’s initiation. Additionally, heroes with high mobility, like Anti-Mage or Ember Spirit, can be difficult for her to catch and Duel effectively.

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Check our other Dota 2 Hero guides:

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• How to play Dota 2's Axe and best build
• How to play Dota 2's Lich and best build